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Jessica Yang, a Germantown resident and a senior at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, was awarded a $2,000 college scholarship at a March 16 ceremony at Rockwell Elementary School in Damascus.

Yang, 17, was recognized for her work with Kids Are Scientists Too (KAST), a free after-school science program for fourth- and fifth-graders that she founded in January 2010.

Yang wrote the lesson plans, and recruited classmates to help.

She said a fellow KAST volunteer had nominated her for the Discus Awards scholarship.

"I was just really happy," she said. "What I really appreciate about KAST is what we're able to do. Regardless of whether I get recognition, it's still a really great program."

As a child, Yang said she always had a great interest with science.

"When I was a kid, I always had all these science experiment books," she said. "I loved reading about science in my free time. I would be assembling different materials and doing experiments like growing a cucumber in a soda bottle or building a sun dial."

The program was the outgrowth of Yang's year-long fellowship at LearnServe International, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that trains high school students to develop business plans and join community-based social change efforts. With help from LearnServe, Yang received a $1,000 grant from Youth Ventures of Arlington, Va., to buy materials and help to write grant proposals.

She also won $500 from The George Washington University business pitch competition and a $1,000 State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant.

KAST has reached a dozen Montgomery County elementary schools with help from many high school volunteers.

Yang is president of Richard Montgomery's National Honor Society, editor-in-chief of the school's online newspaper, The Tide, and teaches English as a Second Language classes at the Hope Chinese School in Germantown.

She plans to study science or social entrepreneurship and business administration in college.

For information about Kids Are Scientists Too, visit www.kidsarescientiststoo.org.

For information on the Discus Awards, visit www.DiscusAwards.com.

Campus congratulations

- Maria Herald, a human services major from Gaithersburg, was named to the dean's list at Chestnut Hill College for the fall 2010 semester.

- Tianruo Hu of Gaithersburg was named to the fall 2010 dean's list at the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering at Binghamton University.

- James Gallagher of Gaithersburg, a senior at Mercyhurst College, won a second place award at the annual Student Technology Forum of the Consortium for Computing in Undergraduate Education held March 18 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

- The following students were named on the dean's list for the fall 2010 semester at Stevenson University:

Josh Cook of Gaithersburg, a criminal justice major and graduate of Covenant Life High School. Cook is the son of Heather and Patrick Cook.

Bradley Nguyen of Gaithersburg, a film, video and theater major and graduate of Col. Zadok Magruder High School. Nguyen is the son of Phi and Thanh Nguyen.

Ieshia Kinney of Germantown, a visual communication design major and graduate of Watkins Mill High School. Kinney is the daughter of Sadatrius Joppy.

Cassandra Auguste of Montgomery Village, a business administration major and graduate of Watkins Mill High School. Auguste is the daughter of Sonia and Joseph Auguste.

Work of Germantown artists featured

Two Germantown children had their art featured Saturday at the Arlington Ballston Commons Arts & Craft Market in Arlington. Although normally only adults can have their work shown at the market, Ethan Chaupiz, 9, and Raquel Chaupiz, 8, were allowed to show their work after it caught the eye of a selection jury.

Saturday was the opening day for the outdoor market, which is held on the second Saturday of each month from April to October in Welburn Square. To learn more, call 202-536-9714.

Charity collects bikes

in Gaithersburg

Donate old bikes to Bikes for the World, a local charity that ships bicycles to centers in third-world countries and also donates locally.

A collection will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at all Montgomery County Whole Foods Markets, such as 316 Kentlands Boulevard in Gaithersburg. Donations are free and a receipt can be given for tax purposes.

For information call 301-461-5349 or e-mail nick@bikesfortheworld.org.

Stamping out

breast cancer

Amanda Karst, a Darnestown resident, organized a March 19 event that raised more than $1,400 for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure.

Karst, a demonstrator with Stampin' Up!, a home-based paper-crafting business, provided materials and her time for the event, where she taught 50 people how to make their own pink greeting cards. Participants paid $25 to attend and the full proceeds went to the cause. Additional donations were also accepted.

Karst organized the fundraiser to support her close friend Vicki Einsel, who is the leader of the "Come On ... Find a Cure" walking team for the 3-Day for the Cure, which will be held in Washington, D.C. from Sept. 23 to 25.

Gaithersburg fourth-grader named junior mayor

Emmanuel Afriyie of Brown Station Elementary School has been selected as Gaithersburg's Junior Mayor for 2011. His first appearance will be at the annual State of the City Address on April 26 and he will be officially introduced at the May 16 mayor and city council meeting.

Emmanuel and 80 other fourth-grade students in the city submitted essays describing what they would do if they were mayor.

Six finalists were invited to City Hall for videotaped interviews.

"By working together you can get more done," Emmanuel said in the interview. "You can build a relationship, and work together to keep the community safe."

In his essay, Emmanuel wrote, "If I were mayor, I would have a cleaner city. Once a month I would have a team of people come and pick up the trash on the grass. Whenever I see trash I would pick it up."

Germantown student

acts in college play

Victoria Bortniak of Germantown has been cast as Vincentio in the Lycoming College production of "Taming of the Shrew, to be performed this week at the Mary L. Welch Theatre in Williamsport.

The Shakespeare comedy is a classic love story with a twist. Director N.J. Stanley has selected a cross-gendered cast to bring out the characters.

Arab American heritage to be celebrated

The 2011 Arab American Heritage Month Festival, hosted by Gaithersburg's Multicultural Affairs Committee along with Arab Americans of Montgomery County, will be held Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 S. Frederick Ave.

The free festival includes poetry readings, arts and crafts, Dabkeh dance, live music, food, cultural exhibits, a fashion show, vendors, henna, calligraphy and children's activities.

Donations of non-perishable, healthy food items are encouraged.

For information, contact Samira Hussein at 301-412-7779 or Juliet Francisco at 301-330-2445, or arabheritagefestival

@gmail.com.

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