To deliver address

Blaine O'Connor of Thousand Oaks will be in England this month to deliver an address at the University of Oxford.

O'Connor will join other scholars from around the world to speak on the theme Religion, the Politics of Peace and Conflict at a conference, July 13-18.

O'Connor's presentation titled "The Good Samaritan: Exegesis and Exposition" will precede a roundtable discussion.

This is the second year O'Connor has been invited to address those in various academic disciplines.

He is a graduate of California Lutheran University, Graduate Theological Union's Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and Azusa Pacific University.

He is a professor of philosophy and world religions at Los Angeles Mission College.

Youth citizenship awards

The Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks, in its Youth Citizenship Awards program, bestowed honors on 25 youngsters who attend elementary and middle schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District. The awards were based on submissions by school principals, counselors and teachers noting the students' school and community service and winning personal characteristics.

The recipients were Giselle Duran, Acacia Elementary School; Sophie Omond, Aspen Elementary School; Emmaline Trockey, Banyan Elementary School; Shobha Jagannatham, Colina Middle School; Angelica Camacho, Conejo Elementary School; Kierra Landon, Cypress Elementary School; Mariela Morales, Glenwood Elementary School; Nykole Ridenaour, Ladera Elementary School; Katherine Sham, Lang Ranch Elementary School; Nicole Ghazarian, Los Cerritos Middle School; Kelsea Valerio, Madrona Elementary School; Adam Aziz, Manzanita Elementary School; Sydney Carlson, Maple Elementary School; Madison Aplin, Meadows Elementary School; Marisol Fernandez, Park Oaks Elementary School; Jonah Hershman, Redwood Middle School; Jacob Kohlepp, Sequoia Middle School; Henry Horita, and Ricky Figueroa, Sycamore Canyon Middle School; Sara Wilson, University Elementary School; Hannah LaMont, Walnut Elementary School; Donald Kent, Weathersfield Elementary School; Joshua LaFianza, Westlake Elementary School; Jenna Bain, Westlake Hills Elementary School and Madison Weinstock, Wildwood Elementary School.

Presenting the awards were Thousand Oaks Mayor Pro Tem Jacqui Irwin, Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, Conejo Valley Unified School District Superintendant Mario Contini, Director of Elementary Education Robert Iezza, and Director of Secondary Education Max Beaman,

Earned degree

Robin Nasby, a 2005 Simi Valley High School graduate, graduated from Pepperdine University magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in public relations with an emphasis on political science.

Nasby spent a semester in Washington, D.C., interning at the College Board and was director of public relations for her Delta Gamma sorority. In the fall, she plans to attend King's College London to complete her master's degree in education policy and society.