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Bowie High School honored students, parents and community members Dec. 16 with the Bowie's BEST awards. The winners of the Benevolent Education Supporter and Teens awards were honored for their involvement in making the school a better place. Students were given awards in four categories for academics, community involvement, citizenship and renaissance or artistic talent and several were honored with all four awards.

Students Ben Barrows and Erica LeMaster were both honored with all four awards. Yvonne Eseonu and Amberlace Moore were given awards for academics, citizenship and community involvement. Evelyn Glaze and Carl Wilson were given awards for renaissance and academics. Anika Stark was given awards for academics and community involvement. Joy Akinkoye, Shawn Etape, Ade Johnson, Anthony Minor, Aaron Smith and Taneesha Tate-Robinson were given awards for citizenship and community service.

Other student awardees are Susannah Betts, Christina Brown, Rebecca Brown, Brandon Caplan, Lilybelle Davis, Hayley Holdridge,Emily Johnson, Tierra Langley, James Scott-Ransom, Alexander Strachan, Jessica Steen for academics; Joseph Wellman for citizenship; and Kevin Doby, Afia Leacock, Miche Taylor and Aidan Wolfe for renaissance.

Parent awards were given to Laura Barrows, Michele Bartley, Elaine Beal, Michele Bowen, Cindy Callahan, Tobin Craig, Deborah Curry, Joni Graham, Noreen Hyre, Michelle Johnson, Eric LeMaster, Lennon Moore, Maxine Somerville, Tasha Stepney, Pam Wilson and Rosalind Wilson.

School staff who were honored with BEST awards include Mark Arcusa, Clint Austin, Rosemary Benedetti, Cynthia Blalock, India Brown, Dwayne Burns, Sally Burns, Frantz Deetjen, Michele Gardiner, Gerald George, Deloris Hooban, Otto Isaac, Rashid Jelani, Mary Johnson, Bret King, Gina Lamar, Andrea Lawson, Eric LeMaster, Dana Lewis, Jason Mattern, Jerry McGuire, Steven McIntyre, Eleanor Minor, Sederick Rice, Tamra Sease, Jane Spence, Denise Swann, Adam Taifouri, Monica Taylor, Joe Tidwell Christine Tilert, Beth Varnau and Patrick Weiland.

Community members, businesses and organizations also honored at the ceremony include Owen Adams, Toni Adams, All Season's Rental, Andra Berry, Best Pie Company, Bowie Public Library, Bowie Town Center Manager, Sean Gallman, Doug Hill, Shirley Johnson, Del. Gerron Levi (D-Dist 23A) of Woodmore, Hugh Reams, Suzi Reams, Jordana Shahraki, Rhonda Simon, Cheryl Nkeba, County Councilwoman Ingrid Turner (Dist. 4) of Bowie, Paul Washington, Judy Weiland, Sid Wheeler and The Women's Group for the Unity Center of Light.

Prince George's County offers Christmas tree recycling

Residents can recycle their Christmas trees into mulch through a free county recycling program. The Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources will begin collecting undecorated trees left at curbsides from Dec. 26 through Jan. 15. County residents should place their trees outside for collection before 6:30 a.m. They can also bring trees to the Prince George's County Yard Waste Recycling Facility at Western Branch or to the Brown Station Road Public Convenience Center through Jan. 31.

The Yard Waste Recycling Facility, located at 6601 Southeast Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro will accept one Christmas tree per vehicle, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Brown Station Road Public Convenience Center, located at 3501 Brown Station Road in Upper Marlboro, will accept unlimited Christmas trees Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Call the Waste Management Groups' Recycling Team at 301-883-5045.

Mystics player helps collect toys in Bowie

Alana Beard of the Washington Mystics was on hand at the Bowie City Gymnasium Dec. 22 to collect toys for the Holiday Sharing Toy Drive. The gifts donated were given to the Prince George's County Department of Social Services.

Military news

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian A. Brownell, a 2005 graduate of Tall Oaks High School in Bowie, recently returned from a six-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation. During the deployment Brownell and fellow sailors and Marines aboard USS Cape St. George in the Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group conducted maritime security operations, theater security cooperation, community relations projects, and participated with coalition nations in training exercises. The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit participated in training exercises Eager Mace and Infinite Moonlight. Cape St. George made port visits to Penang, Malaysia; Manama, Bahrain; and Brisbane, Australia.

Brownell is the son of Karen and Brian Brownell of Beltsville.

Army National Guard Spec. John V. Blake has returned to the 290th Military Police Company of Parkville after being deployed in Iraq. While there, Blake participated in accomplishing mission objectives such as force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counter-insurgency operations.

Blake is a military police member with seven years of military service. He is the son of David B. Blake of Bowie and a 1998 graduate of Parkdale High School in Riverdale.

Air Force Reserve Airman Joseph C. Carrigan graduated from basic military training with the distinction as an honor graduate at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

During the six weeks of training, he studied the Air Force mission, organization, core values, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations. Through the completion of basic training, Carrigan earned credit toward an associate in applied science degree relating through the Community College of the Air Force.

He is the son of Michael Carrigan of Bowie and a 2001 Bowie High School graduate.

Know a teen who's looking for employment?

Get a Job! is a free job referral program for teens ages 14 to 17 living in Bowie. Maryland Secretarial Services, Inc., in cooperation with the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce, sponsors the program. To see a list of companies that hire teens, visit www.bowieteenjobs.org. Call Cindy Freeland at 301-352-7927 or

e-mail webmmss33@aol.com.

Plan to dance the night away at these February events

The second annual Valentine's Dance sponsored by Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc will be held from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Feb. 7 at Patuxent Greens Country Club, 14415 Greenview Drive, Laurel. The cost is $35. To purchase tickets via mail, send money order by Jan. 26 to Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter, P.O. Box 445, Laurel. E-mail peoevents@yahoo.com or visit www.aka-peo.org.

A benefit, Diamonds and Denim – An Old School Dance and Card Party sponsored by The Prince George's County Delta Alumnae Foundation will be held from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Prince George's Ballroom, 2411 Pinebrook Ave., Landover. Proceeds support comprehensive programs of the foundation. Advance ticket sales only; $25 per person. Call Evonne at 301-352-8180 or Norma at 301-350-8884.