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About 100 current and former Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Venture Scouts from the Laurel area celebrated the Boy Scouts' 100th anniversary at the Laurel Municipal Center on Feb. 22.

The celebration included a presentation from City Council President Gayle W. Snyder and reflections on the occasion from several scouting guests. Mayor Craig A. Moe thanked the local scouts for their continued service in the Laurel community.

"You do it without a lot of fanfare and you do it without asking anything in return," Moe said.

Each scout received a commemorative stamp and a Laurel Museum patch.

Montpelier Mansion hosts concert in honor of site

Montpelier Mansion in Laurel will host a concert Saturday featuring performers for the Society for the Preservation of African-American Arts, a Salisbury-based organization.

Mary Jurkiewicz, museum director, said Montpelier officials decided to feature the organization's performance because it focuses on the lives of enslaved people who lived and worked on 19th-century plantations, such as the one at Montpelier.

Jurkiewicz said slaves worked the tobacco and wheat fields and practiced carpentry and other trades at Montpelier through the 1830s. One inventory indicated 141 slaves living at the plantation in 1804, she said.

The performance will combine song and theater and include coded spirituals that slaves used to share information about the underground railroad.

"They represent the enslaved workers' background in the sense of music very well," Jurkiewicz said of the performers. "They bring that history to us."

The concert begins at 2 p.m. at the mansion, located at 9650 Muirkirk Road. Tickets are $10 for Friends of Montpelier and $15 for non-members. Reservations are recommended but not required. For more information, call 301-377-7817.

Residents invited to chat with police chief

Laurel Police Chief David Crawford will meet with members of the Laurel business community from 9 to 10:30 a.m. March 17 in a coffee meeting. The event is sponsored by the Laurel Board of Trade and will take place at the Laurel Municipal Pool Meeting Room, located at Ninth and Main streets.

Gail Reinhardt, administrative coordinator for the board of trade, said the public is welcome to attend but the discussion will be geared toward the concerns of local businesses.

Contact Reinhardt at 301-483-0838.

Laurel residents make the grade — and dean's lists

Several Laurel residents have been named to the dean's list at their colleges and universities.

Santino Rosanova was named to the fall 2009 dean's list at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. To qualify for the honor, full-time students must earn a minimum grade-point average of 3.5. Rosanova is a sophomore at the university.

At Virginia Tech, five Laurel residents were named to the fall 2009 dean's list. They are: Kristin M. Hoover, a freshman architecture major; Susan M. Kemp, a sophomore majoring in human nutrition, foods and exercise; Michael F. Krason, a senior majoring in computer engineering; Jennifer L. Porter, a junior biology major and Willard T. Unkenholz, a sophomore English major.

To qualify for the dean's list, Virginia Tech students must attempt at least 12 graded credit hours and earn a 3.4 grade-point average or better.

Eight Laurel residents were named to the fall 2009 dean's list at the University of Delaware. They are: Kara Cashwell, a sophomore majoring in early childhood education; Collin Francis, a senior majoring in athletic training; Cortney Barry, a junior marketing major; Douglas Freeman, a junior majoring in mathematics education; Lauren Graney, a junior majoring in human services; Darren Scanlon, a junior accounting major; Danielle Shaw, a sophomore majoring in exercise science and Laura Simpler, a freshman anthropology major.

To qualify for the honor, full-time students must earn a grade-point average of at least 3.33.

Laurel resident graduates basic training

Air Force Airman Sean R. Douville graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Douville completed an eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Douville is the son of Laurel resident John Douville and a 2006 graduate of St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel.

Universities at Shady Grove recognizes Laurel student

Laurel resident Nillam Hussain was one of about 70 students recognized during a Feb. 19 scholarship luncheon at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville. Hussain, a business major, is a recipient of the Camille & Clifford Kendall Montgomery College/USG Endowed Scholarship. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be a junior or senior who shows a high potential for success, intends to remain in Maryland after graduation and has demonstrated prior service to others.

The Universities at Shady Grove is a collaboration of nine public universities in Maryland. Hussain is earning her degree through the University of Maryland, College Park.

Scotchtown Hills honors students' achievements

Scotchtown Hills Elementary in Laurel has announced the students who received awards for their progress during the second quarter of the 2009-2010 school year. All of the students received certificates, but a planned awards ceremony was canceled due to inclement weather.

The following students received the Principal's Award for earning straight-As during the quarter: Jose Aceves Jr., Ayotomi Akinlosotu-Williams, Tiffany Akwurah, Shayla Araia, Olivia Arbach, Marcel Banim, Bianca Chicas, Kelvin Chirino, Frederick Dadzie, Ashley Duncan, Chioma Ezuma, Shaira Caraan Francisco, Daniella-Orlie Guinkeu, Joseph Miller III, Akouvi Nougloze, Nayelli Reyes, Jahnaye Samuel, Sivaun Scott, Hawah Solee, Gissele Villegas, Deja Washington and Joshua Yang.

The following students received the Most Improved Award: Hewan Abraham, Jerel Caesar, Arianna Carrington, Kelvin Chirino, Frank Dominguez, Oriana Giuriola, Christopher Jackson, Mariama Jawara, Omar Killian, Savana King, Sonia Lovo Benavides, Gordon Mavritte, Brian Moscoso Acevedo, Joselyn Perez Lazaro, Kenia Rivera-Romero, Jennifer Soto and Tamesha Woods.

RAPHAEL TALISMAN/THE GAZETTE