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About 36 students at Poolesville High School took up the challenge of National Novel Writing Month in November, when people all over the world are challenged to write a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days.

This was the third year the school has participated in the event, according to English teacher Lisa Kellert, who used the time to work on an adventure tale involving a pair of twins, kidnapping and mistaken identity.

About nine students, all from Kellert's freshman English class, participated in NaNoWriMo the first year, and the group grew to 13 students the following November. About five students have tried their hand at writing 175 pages all three years, she said.

The group met every Wednesday to swap stories, brainstorm ideas and encourage each other to not give up, Kellert said.

"A number of students had written significantly in the past, and enjoyed the challenge of trying to complete their work in the time limit," she wrote in an e-mail to The Gazette. "For others, this was the first time they had ever attempted to write anything longer than a short story. The fact that they were all in the same boat together engendered a camaraderie they didn't have when writing on their own."

Only seven students have completed a novel in a month in all three years combined, Kellert said, but the process is more important the product.

"It is a challenge to try and write 50,000 words and keep up with your schoolwork and any other extra-curricular activities," Kellert wrote. "One of the most frequent comments I hear is that the students like the fact that NaNoWriMo forces them to try; it provides a finite time period in which to complete the work. They aren't just talking about writing something some day, they're doing it. It is a wonderful sense of accomplishment to know you've put words on paper in an attempt to tell a story, even if it's only for a few pages."

Damascus, Clarksburg staffs to compete in basketball

The athletic booster clubs of Damascus and Clarksburg high schools are sponsoring a staff basketball game at 7 p.m. March 19 in the main gymnasium at Damascus High School.

Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. The event will feature concessions, a bake sale, half-time entertainment and contests.

Jewish Community Center

to host college fair

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington in Rockville will hold its 13th annual CollegeQuest College Fair 1:30 to 6 p.m. March 15.

The event is sponsored by The Princeton Review and will feature more than 50 college representatives and resource information booths to help guide participants through the college admissions process.

Professional counselors will conduct informative workshops and seminars on essential topics such as financial aid, the college admissions process and Jewish life on campus.

The fee is $15 in advance and $20 at the door per family of four.

For more information, call Tracy Schneidkraut at 301-348-3889 or send an e-mail to tschneidkraut@jccgw.org.

The Jewish Community Center is located at 6125 Montrose Road.

Share good news about your school! Send items to Melissa A. Chadwick via e-mail at mchadwick@gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7183 or by mail to 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Photos will also be considered.