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The Gazette-The Star Prince George's County Spelling Bee will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park.

The top spellers from public, private and home schools will compete for a chance to represent the county at the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee being held in June in Washington, D.C.

County schools Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. will speak at the competition, and the Grammy Award winning Maryland Boy Choir will perform.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of The Gazette-The Star event, which is free and open to the public.

Local school leaders, students recognized in state capital

The Maryland State Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Education recognized central area teachers and students at a Feb. 24 reception ceremony at the Miller Senate Office Building in Annapolis.

Outstanding Educator awards were given to local teachers and administrators. Margo Champion, Capitol Heights Elementary School's Talented and Gifted coordinator, and Walker Mill Middle instructors Samantha Cotton and Sheryl Lewis were honored with "Teacher as Leader" awards.

Walker Mill Middle School Principal Gorman Brown received an award for being an outstanding administrator in Prince George's County as it relates to Talented and Gifted education.

Teachers selected for the award were nominated by staff, and the advisory council judged them on whether they pursued their own professional development through graduate work or workshops, wrote new county curriculum and provided professional development for other teachers, said Jeanne Paynter, the state department of education's specialist for Gifted and Talented Education.

The following TAG students from Landover's Oakcrest Elementary School also were recognized at the reception: Nyla Edwards, Donata Laniyonu and Malik McDermott. Students who receive the award have typically been recognized with other awards on the school system, county and state levels, Paynter said. Teachers and parents can nominate students, she added.

County leaders honored for work enriching youth, residents

Prince George's County Councilwoman Ingrid Turner (D-Dist. 4) of Bowie and James Dula, president of the Prince George's Maryland India Business Roundtable in Largo, received the Emily's Way Service Award from the Emily J.T. Perez Foundation for their work with Prince George's County youth and residents.

The foundation was established in 2006 by Daniel and Vicki Perez to honor the life of their daughter, Emily, who died in 2006 in Iraq.

Turner and Dula received the awards at a Feb. 20 ceremony at the Colony South Hotel and Conference Center in Clinton for demonstrating the foundation's motto, "Giving of Self for the Advancement of Others," said Vicki Perez, Emily's mother. Vicki Perez is vice president of the foundation and the executive director of Emily's Way, a mentoring and enrichment program, both of which are based in Fort Washington.

"They tend to put others before themselves, they're always out in the community [to] encourage youth to soar," Perez said. This is the second year the foundation has given the award, and the first time it has been given outside of the foundation.

Turner said she is humbled to have received the award.

"I sincerely thank the Emily J.T. Perez Foundation for recognizing that I give of self above all for the advancement of others," Turner said in an e-mail. "Emily Perez is an inspiration to me and continues to be an inspiration to me, the community and the nation."

Dula said the award has humbled and inspired him to continue serving the community and helping people whenever possible.

Both Turner and Dula received engraved trophy clocks, Perez said.

"It symbolizes time. Time is very precious, and we wanted to give the message that time is important and that the time they give is important."

Duval High School senior named scholar of the week

Holda Anagho, a senior at DuVal High School in Lanham, was recently named a Prince George's County Public Schools scholar of the week.

Holda, whose current grade point average is 4.08, has taken several Advanced Placement courses, including biology, literature and composition, language, world history and American government. She has also taken pre-calculus, French IV, medical science, and anatomy and physiology.

She has also been manager of the school's boys' soccer team, a College Summit peer leader, and a member of the school choir, French Honors Society, National Honor Society and French Club.

Holda, who is interested in a career in medicine, has been granted more than $250,000 in scholarships from six East Coast colleges and universities.

Fairmount Heights church

to honor late pastor

Sylvan Vista Baptist Church in Fairmount Heights is holding a memorial observance service March 28 on the 36-year anniversary of the death of the Rev. Dr. Arthur Luckett, the church's former pastor and one of its organizers.

The Rev. Luckett served as pastor from the church's founding in 1925 until his death March 28, 1974.

He was a pillar in the Town of Fairmount Heights, helping bring the community roads, gas, water and electricity in its early years and helping secure food, jobs and clothing for town residents during the Great Depression from 1930 to 1939, according to his family.

His wife, Mable Washington Luckett, a former Fairmount Heights town councilwoman, died in 2005.

Cheverly fair will address women's health issues

A health fair will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Prince George's Hospital Center at 3001 Hospital Drive in Cheverly. The fair is sponsored by the Theta chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an honor society geared toward female educators. Topics of discussion will include cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

Attendees will receive breakfast and a boxed lunch. Call 301-336-1173 or visit www.orgsites.com/md/thetachapter for more information.

Public invited to air views about county public transit

The Partnership for Renewal In Southern and Central Maryland will hold a transportation and jobs public meeting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Gethsemane United Methodist Church at 910 Addison Road S. in Capitol Heights.

U.S. Rep. Donna F. Edwards (Dist. 4) of Fort Washington will attend to discuss the necessity of jobs in Prince George's County, and PRISCM members will talk about the need for safe and accessible public transit. Call Laura Ehle at 301-906-8153 or e-mail Renee Brereton at renee.brereton1@gmail.com for more information.

Residents with Landover ties complete basic training

Army National Guard Pvts. Christina R. Fullwood and Rodney L. Palmer recently graduated from nine weeks of basic combat training and basic infantry training, respectively.

Fullwood completed her training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., and Palmer completed his training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga.

Fullwood, a 2006 Bowie High School graduate, is the daughter of Kim Fullwood of Landover and Palmer is the son of Gwen Dodd, also of Landover.

Springdale school seeks vendors for April health fair

Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale is looking for vendors to participate in its health fair to be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. April 30 at the school, at 10001 Ardwick Ardmore Road.

This year's theme is "Jazz up your life with a fiesta of health." The school will accept applications for fair vendors until Friday. The school will also hold a staff appreciation raffle. Contact Tanya Hankton at tanya.hankton@pgcps.org.

Kettering community association elects board of directors

The Towns of Kettering, a 772-townhome community association, elected its board of directors at its annual meeting Feb. 23.

The 2010 board members are Arthur Turner Jr., president; Deborah Timmons, vice president; Tracie Mitchell, secretary; Arthur Miller, treasurer; and directors Brad Ray, Alma Blake and Anwar Ogiste.

Largo school hosts relationship seminar

Prince George's Community College in Largo is hosting the "Oops! What Happens When Relationship Expectations and Respect Aren't Clearly Defined" seminar from 1 to 3 p.m. March 18 in rooms 2102 and 2090 in Marlboro Hall at 301 Largo Road in Largo.

The healthier relationships seminar is designed for females to discuss the "dos" and "don'ts" of dating. Call 301-322-0181.

Take floral design classes, reserve a garden plot in Cheverly

The Cheverly Garden Club will hold a floral design workshop and competition at 7 p.m. Monday in the fourth-floor parlor of the Cheverly United Methodist Church at 2801 Cheverly Ave.

For more information about garden club membership, call Michael Giese at 301-773-7318 or e-mail mg9588a@msn.com.

Residents interested in getting a garden plot in the Cheverly Vegetable Gardens at Boyd Park in Ward 4 are asked to visit www.cheverlycommunitymarket.com for application information. Those with further questions can e-mail CHVgardens@verizon.net.

Get free flu shots throughout March in Landover

The Prince George's County Health Department will give residents free H1N1 and seasonal flu shots from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. tonight as well as March 18 and March 25 at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex at 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover. Call 1-888-561-4049.

Largo school presents play on body image perceptions

Prince George's Community College presents "The Most Massive Woman Wins" at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. March 18 to 21 in Hallam Theatre in the Queen Anne Fine Arts building at 301 Largo Road in Largo.

On March 21, the only showing is at 7:30 p.m.

The play focuses on four women of various shapes and sizes who are in the waiting room of a liposuction clinic and explores their perceptions of body image.

General admission is $5 and free for PGCC students and employees with college identification. Call 301-322-0920.

Lanham hospital to hold blood drive

Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, the Greenbelt Lion's Club and the American Red Cross are holding a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 18 in the DSE room on the fifth floor of the North Building at 8100 Good Luck Road in Lanham.

To participate in the blood drive, donors must be at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and not have donated blood within the last 56 days.

Blood donors must present identification, such as a driver's license, blood donor card, or work or school photo ID.

Donating blood takes about 20 minutes. To make an appointment, call 301-552-8060.