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Seneca Valley High School's chorus will be featured in the upcoming music special "Tim Janis: Celebrate America," which debuts this week on Maryland Public Television.

The chorus and 10 other Maryland high school singing groups, a total of about 500 students, performed with composer Tim Janis, who has produced fundraising programs for PBS and collaborated on philanthropic projects with artists such as Paul McCartney, Ray Charles and Billy Joel.

The Seneca Valley chorus sang "I'll Fly Away" with Janis and his ensemble in a taped performance at the television station in October.

"This was a great honor to be chosen and to represent our country," Seneca Valley student Selorm Quist said in a statement from the Tim Janis Ensemble.

The special will "spotlight our nation's youth and pull communities together in a celebration of music that uplifts and inspires" and "teach children the importance of contributing to community through the arts," according to the statement.

"Tim Janis: Celebrate America" airs at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on channel 22.

Poolesville to collect

Pennies for Patients

The National Honor Society at Poolesville High School raised more than $1,500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society last year. This year they say they can do better.

The honor society is accepting donations for its Pennies for Patients fundraising campaign through March 5 at http://nca.sy.llsevent.org/PHS. The group also hosted bake sales and made cards for children with cancer last month and has raised several hundred dollars so far, according to publicity coordinator Anna Vasylytsya.

For more information, contact allison_c_wilder@mcpsmd.org.

H1N1 vaccine available

at Darnestown Elementary

Students at Darnestown Elementary School can receive the H1N1 vaccine and have their hearing and vision screened at the school this week.

Mindy McCartin, nurse administrator for the county's Department of Health and Human Services, said health officials started giving the nasal version of the H1N1 vaccine on Tuesday. She said the flu clinic will continue at the school, 15030 Turkey Foot Road in Gaithersburg, through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Parents must call the school nurse to make an appointment for the free vaccine.

All kindergarten and first grade students at the school will also have their hearing and vision screened Friday, McCartin said. Students who wear glasses are advised to bring their glasses with them to the screening, she said. For more information, call the school nurse at 301-840-7157.

Got teens?

Parents of teens and tweens are invited to attend a lecture and discussion on "Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind" 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday at Walter Johnson High School, 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda. Psychologist Michael Bradley, a specialist in adolescent behavior with over 30 years' experience, will offer insights into effective communication with your teen, distinguishing healthy independence from defiant behavior and surviving the emotional storm of life with a teenager.

The talk is sponsored by the Parent Encouragement Program. Tickets are available for $25. Call 301-929-8824 or visit www.PEPparent.org.

Dr. Bradley will offer a more intensive workshop for parents who feel life with their teen is already crazy 9:30-11:30 a.m. Friday at Temple Emanuel, 10101 Connecticut Ave., Kensington. Called "Parenting Today's Teen: Surviving Disrespect, Defiance and Risky Behavior," the workshop will offer advice on dealing with raging anger, sex, drugs and other antisocial behaviors.

Cost of the workshop is $40 and reservations can be made by calling 301-929-8824 or visiting

www.PEPparent.org.

Celebrating half a century

Gaithersburg Middle School is celebrating its "50th year of Academic Excellence," said Phyllis Levy, school secretary.

The school has been holding events throughout the year and plans to have a weeklong celebration from May 10-14 that will include a cultural arts exhibition, a Powder Puff football game, tailgate event, alumni-parents staff softball game, burial of a time capsule and a banquet at the Wyndham Garden hotel in Gaithersburg, where school officials will recognize alumni and relive a little bit of history.

The fun will include a "Spirit Decades Day" where students dress in clothing reminiscent of the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000 decade and relive the past decades in spirit wear, Levy said.

To help, contact the school's PTA President Twila Taylor through the school 301-840-4554.

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.