Michelle Liberty has graduated magna cum laude from the SUNY Buffalo Law School, earning a J.D. degree. Liberty graduated in 2001 from Saranac High School and 2004 from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She is the daughter of Bill and Darlene Liberty of Dannemora.

The following students presented the results of their original research at the Festival of Science at St. Lawrence University in Canton: Karen E. Wilcox of Ellenburg Depot, Erin L. Rasco of Cadyville and Michael E. O'Connor of Rouses Point.

Wilcox, a senior English and biology major, gave a presentation titled "The Novel Use of Ce02 Nanoparticles to Reduce Ischemic Brain Injury." She is a graduate of Northern Adirondack Central School.

Rasco, a senior neuroscience major, gave a presentation titled "Effects of Ceria Nanoparticles on the Activation and Proliferation of Astrocytes and Microglia after Ischemia in Organotypic Mouse Hippocampal Slices." She is a graduate of Saranac High School.

O'Connor, a senior geology major, gave a presentation titled "An Investigation of the Inorganic Geochemistry and Drinking Water Quality of Groundwater in St. Lawrence County, New York." He is a graduate of Northeastern Clinton Central School.

Kassandra Costin, a freshman at Siena College in Loudonville, has been named to the Dean's List for the spring 2009 semester. A computer science major, Costin is a recipient of the Fransiscan and Maureen O'Sullivan Scholarship. She is the daughter of Hope and Kevin Costin of Plattsburgh.

Taylor Wright-Sanson, a part-time Wilmington resident and Northern Lights School alumnus, spent the fall semester of the 2008-09 academic year on foreign exchange with the Waldorf School of Lausanne, Switzerland. Wright-Sanson competes and does a mix of street, freestyle and trials unicycling.

While Wright-Sanson was in Europe, auditions were held in the United States for Circus Smirkus and, not wanting to miss the opportunity, Wright-Sanson contacted a unicyclist in France, Emmanual Ribereau, who Wright-Sanson had met when Ribereau spent a semester on foreign exchange in Saratoga Springs.

The two unicyclists met in Colmar, France, and made an audition video to submit to Circus Smirkus, which successfully earned them a spot on this year's tour. The boys traveled to Smirkus World Headquarters in Greensboro, Vt., to begin training with international coaches and choreographers to prepare for the 2009 Smirkus Ever After Tour. Wright-Sanson performed in Saratoga Springs July 5 and 6 and in Burlington, Vt., July 1, 2 and 3.

This will be Wright-Sanson's fourth summer performing with Circus Smirkus. He is a junior at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs.

The following students graduated from the University at Albany during spring commencement ceremonies: Laura Ellison of Peru, with a Master of Science in childhood education (literacy); Matthew LaBrake of Malone, a Master of Science in information science; Jenna Marx of Plattsburgh, Bachelor of Arts in rhetoric and communication; Rebecca Chauvin of Morrisonville, magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary-human biology; Andrew LaVallie of Ticonderoga, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in history; Amber Smalley of Bloomingdale, Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary-human biology; Daniel Tedford of Peru, summa cum laude, Bachelor of Science in business administration; Christopher Mueller of Saranac Lake, Bachelor of Arts in journalism; Sarah Jackstadt of Morrisonville, Bachelor of Arts in economics; Miranda Ashline of Port Henry, magna cum laude, Bachelor of Science in business administration; Antonios Souris of Westport, summa cum laude, Bachelor of Science in accounting; Christopher Gras of Plattsburgh, Bachelor of Arts in history; Chantal DuBrey of Chazy, Bachelor of Arts in English; Rachel Hurley of West Chazy, cum laude, Bachelor of Arts in psychology; Samantha Forey of Rouses Point, magna cum laude, Bachelor of Science in accounting; Sarah Shearer of Plattsburgh, Bachelor of Arts in political science; Andrea Kilbourne-Hill of Saranac Lake, Master of Science in childhood education (literacy); Naomi Haughey of Mooers Forks, Master of Science in information science; James Vize IV of Lake Placid, Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary-human biology; Alexandria Sawyer of Paul Smiths, summa cum laude, Bachelor of Arts in political science; Autumn Goerner of Olmstedville, Master of Science in information science; Carolyn Kennedy of Plattsburgh, Master of Social Work in social work; and Renee Labarge of Tupper Lake, Bachelor of Arts in sociology.