More News

Students at Northwest High School are collecting socks, snacks and magazines to send to the United States Marines Combined Anti-Armor Team deployed in Afghanistan.

Lori Green, co-chair of the school's African American Parents' Council, said students will collect items through March. 4.

Penni Spriggs-McDonald, parent of a freshman at the school, came up with the idea after serving as a second family for first Lt. Brandon Barrett while he was at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. Barrett is the platoon leader of the deployed in Afghanistan, Green said. Beef and turkey jerky, chewing gum, black sweat socks, and magazines dated after Jan. 5 are being collected in the school's main office at 13501 Richter Farm Road in Germantown. For more information about the Socks! Snacks!! Soldiers!!! drive, contact Green at 301-540-0028.

Cooking up sales to help Haiti

Students from the Quince Orchard High School basketball program and their parents held bake sales last week to raise money for Haiti relief efforts. Proceeds went to The American Red Cross for Haiti relief efforts, said Linda Dagen, whose daughter, Leah, a junior and varsity basketball player brainstormed the bake sales while watching news reports from Haiti.

Her daughter "wanted to do something. We decided it would be easy to coordinate a bake sale and our results proved us right!" said Linda Dagen in an e-mail to The Gazette.

Players from the girls' teams raised $675 during two bake sales held at a girls' varsity double header and a boy's junior varsity game. Students from the junior varsity girls' team "even took trays of baked goods around to the teachers still in their classrooms, and sold to them!" Dagen said. "It was a joint effort!"

What Happens

When ‘Opposites Attract'?

Johns Hopkins University, Montgomery County Campus, Fourth Annual High School Student Art Exhibit — Opposites Attract — will run through March 24 in the Atrium and Café Galleries at the University, 9605 Medical Center Drive, Rockville.

The quote "Opposites attract because they are not really opposites, but complementaries," by Sydney J. Harris, syndicated American journalist (1917-1986) is the theme of the show.

One hundred Montgomery County high school students representing nine schools entered the competition.

"The talent and range of styles were incredibly impressive," said Eric Beatty, Director of Homewood Arts Programs, Johns Hopkins University. "It's inspiring to see that these students value the creative process and are willing to work with such passion."

Beatty served as a judge for this year's show along with Rebecca Gordon, a Virginia-based artist and board member of Artomatic.

"The theme of Opposites Attract was quite a challenge for my students," said Mygenet Harris, an art teacher at Paint Branch High School. "They really had to think to come up with a strong individual concept that translated well in medium and technique. As a teacher, it was exciting to nurture these students so they could find their way."

Harris welcomed this opportunity for her students to be involved in a "real artist experience" where their work was juried and exhibited.

First Place winner was Natalie Cunningham, Thomas Wootton High School for Signal in the Snow. Second Place went to Xinhong Qui, Montgomery Blair High School, for Death|Life. Awarded third place was Michelle Hahn, Sherwood High School, for Two Worlds Collide.

Honorable Mention Awards went to Janetta Deppa, MCPS Visual Art Center at Albert Einstein High School, Jackelyn Gitlin, Damascus High School and Patrick Ngako, Paint Branch High School. Plaza Arts of Rockville donated 100 canvases to the entrants for this show.

Focus on teens

Parents of students at Northwest, Poolesville, Quince Orchard and Seneca Valley high schools are invited to Northwest, 13501 Richter Farm Road in Germantown, to learn about the 10 Laws for the 21st Century Parent, at 7 p.m. March 8.

Shaun B. Taylor, will teach parents how to monitor their children's text messaging and computer use, said Beth Kennington.

Kennington, corresponding secretary for the Northwest PTSA, said Taylor, a paraeducator at Shady Grove Middle School in Gaithersburg, "is a very motivational speaker." For more information, call Kennington at 240-994-1400 or Susan Burkinshaw at 301-758-6995.

Open house at MC-Germantown

Learn about admissions, financial aid, counseling, advising and other services at Montgomery College on March 3.

The parent/student information night is 6-9 p.m. at Globe Hall, High Science and Technology Center, 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown. A financial aid workshop begins at 8:15 p.m.

Topics will include assessment and placement testing, student life, student employment and disability support services.

For more information, contact Cathy Kwolek at 240-567-7816 or cathy.kwolek@montgomerycollege.edu. To request special accommodations, contact Harry Zarin at least two weeks in advance at 240-567-7767 or harry.zarin@montgomerycollege.edu.

Congratulations

Seneca Valley High School senior Keilani Martinez received a $1,000 education grant from the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program.

The program honors high school seniors who show a commitment to community service and display leadership ability and has awarded more than $11.5 million in scholarships to nearly 1,500 students since 2001, according to Comcast's Web site.

Northwest collecting formal dresses

The Northwest High School Ambassadors will be collecting gently used, freshly dry-cleaned formal dresses in February and March. The dresses will be sold at the school's inaugural Cinderella's Closet on April 23 through April 24, said Stacey Reilly, faculty sponsor of the Ambassadors. Reilly said the dresses will be sold to lower the price of attending the prom.

Dresses should be brought to the school's main office, 13501 Richter Farm Road in Germantown, Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 2:10 p.m., she said. The dresses should be left attention Mr. Riley, she said. All colors, styles and sizes will be appreciated. All proceeds from the sale will go to the American Red Cross disaster relief fund, she said. For more information, email Stacey Riley at Stacey_H_Reilly@mcpsmd.org.

Used car sale set for Feb. 20

The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation Inc. will hold a used car sale from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 20 at Damascus High School, 25921 Ridge Road.

All used vehicles are Maryland inspected and most come with a 30-day, 1,000-miles warranty. Vehicle sale prices start at $1,600. A $100 deposit (check or cash) is required for each vehicle purchased: tax, tags and fees are in addition to the price of the vehicle.

A lottery for the used cars will begin at 11 a.m. All proceeds from the sale are returned to the student training program.

A few remaining vehicles are still available from the December sale. Contact Rick Gangloff or Mike Snyder for details at 301-962-4810 or send an e- mail to richard_gangloff@mcpsmd.org.

Clarksburg drama department seeks 1980s clothing

The Clarksburg High School drama department will present "The Wedding Singer" in April, and residents are asked to donate old dresses and formalwear they might not want any longer.

The drama department is looking for ‘anything from the [19]80s," as well as bridesmaid, homecoming, prom or wedding dresses that you might have," faculty advisor Michelle Meyer said.

The department is also looking for old mattresses for the production.

Items will not be returned, Meyer said.

For more questions or to donate, send Meyers an e-mail at michelle_l_meyer@mcpsmd.org.

Free financial aid workshop for students, parents

The Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus will hold College Goal Sunday 2010 2-4 p.m. Feb. 14.

The free one-day program will offer assistance to parents and students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — the form required by colleges, universities and private career schools to qualify for federal grants and loans, as well as many state and private scholarships.

Spanish interpreters will be available.

The event will be held in the Charlene R. Nunley Student Services Center on the school's campus at 7600 Takoma Ave. in Takoma Park. The snow date is Feb. 21.

At least one week before the event, parents and students should register for a PIN number at www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp. Parents and students should bring the PIN numbers to the event, along with completed 2008 or 2009 IRS 1040 tax forms, a W-2 form and other 2009 income and benefits information.

For more information about College Goal Sunday, visit http://collegegoalsundaymd.org/index.htm. The program is sponsored by the Delaware-D.C.–Maryland Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

What Happens When ‘Opposites Attract'?

Johns Hopkins University, Montgomery County Campus, Fourth Annual High School Student Art Exhibit — Opposites Attract — will run through March 24 in the Atrium and Café Galleries at the University, 9605 Medical Center Drive, Rockville.

The quote "Opposites attract because they are not really opposites, but complementaries," by Sydney J. Harris, syndicated American journalist (1917-1986) is the theme of the show.

One hundred Montgomery County high school students representing nine schools entered the competition.

"The talent and range of styles were incredibly impressive," said Eric Beatty, Director of Homewood Arts Programs, Johns Hopkins University. "It's inspiring to see that these students value the creative process and are willing to work with such passion."

Beatty served as a judge for this year's show along with Rebecca Gordon, a Virginia-based artist and board member of Artomatic.

"The theme of Opposites Attract was quite a challenge for my students," said Mygenet Harris, an art teacher at Paint Branch High School. "They really had to think to come up with a strong individual concept that translated well in medium and technique. As a teacher, it was exciting to nurture these students so they could find their way."

Harris welcomed this opportunity for her students to be involved in a "real artist experience" where their work was juried and exhibited.

First Place winner was Natalie Cunningham, Thomas Wootton High School for Signal in the Snow. Second Place went to Xinhong Qui, Montgomery Blair High School, for Death|Life. Awarded Third Place was Michelle Hahn, Sherwood High School, for Two Worlds Collide.

Honorable Mention Awards went to Janetta Deppa, MCPS Visual Art Center at Albert Einstein High School, Jackelyn Gitlin, Damascus High School and Patrick Ngako, Paint Branch High School. Plaza Arts of Rockville donated 100 canvases to the entrants for this show.

Youth art contest accepting entries

Montgomery County students in grades six through 12 are invited to enter their artwork in the 2010 Youth Art Contest and Exhibition sponsored by the Montgomery County Federation of Women's Clubs. All forms of media, including oil, lead pencil, pastels, photography and computer art, will be accepted.

Judging will be March 13 at Leisure World in Silver Spring. Nine cash prizes will be awarded to the top entries, and the winners' art will go on to a state competition.

For more information, contact Ruth Melson at 301-221-4469 or e-mailrockinruth@verizon.net.

Drama at Poolesville Elementary

The PTA at Poolesville Elementary School is sponsoring an after-school drama program for students beginning this month.

There will be one-hour sessions every Tuesday from through Feb. 23 at the Poolesville school, 19565 Fisher Ave. The two small back-to-back classes will be divided by grade — one for students in kindergarten through second grade and one for students in grades three through five. Tuition is $96.

The Creative Kids Drama literature-based drama classes will be led by professional actors with the Silver Spring-based InterAct Story Theatre.

For more information, contact Lynne Rolls at lynnerolls@aol.com or Helen Trainor at phtrainor@comcast.net. At least eight students are needed per class.

Reading volunteers needed

Help second-graders at Cedar Grove, Germantown, Dr. Sally K. Ride, Stedwick, Summit Hall and Watkins Mill elementary schools improve their reading.

Three Montgomery County nonprofits, the George B. Thomas Learning Academy, Interages, and Passion for Learning, are seeking volunteer tutors for the Ruth Rales-Comcast Kids Reading Network Program.

The weekly tutoring session may take place before, during or after school. Training and ongoing support, plus tutoring materials and books will be provided. For details call, 301-279-3890 or www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/readingnetwork.

Prom dresses sought

Seneca Valley High School's PTSA is looking for prom dress donations.

The Germantown school group is collecting gently used formal, semi-formal and party dresses to sell at a one-day event on Feb. 27. For more information, contact Marci Schafer at marci.schafer@gmail.com.

Is school closed?

It's getting to be the time of year when winter weather may disrupt school operations, forcing schools to close, dismiss early or delay opening. Announcements of school closings or delays are made as early as possible, generally in time for news broadcasts that begin at 5 a.m. If schools are closing early, those announcements are made by 11 a.m.

There are several ways to get the latest information on closings or delays.

- MCPS QuickNotes e-mail news service will send emergency information to subscribers. To sign up visit www.mcpsquicknotes.org.

- MCPS home page www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/ will display emergency announcements in bold red letters at the top of the page.

- ASK MCPS Telephone Information Center at 301-309-6277 (-MCPS) has English- and Spanish-speaking operators available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

- MCPS information line, 301-279-3673, has recorded information 24 hours a day.

- MCPS Cable channel 34 and local radio and TV stations will broadcast the information

-MCPS will Twitter at http://twitter.com/mcps

- Schoolsout will text message your cell phone with school emergency information They charge a fee for this service, but you can receive emergency information by e-mail without a fee. www.schoolsout.com/.

Education Notebook accepts short news items and photographs about events, people and good news at your school. We feature fundraiser, event and meeting announcements, student and staff achievements, requests for donations, new education initiatives and anything else that goes on in your school. Please send us story ideas at least one week in advance of the event. Contact Melissa A. Chadwick at mchadwick@gazette.net, fax at 301-670-7183 or 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877.