More News

With singers ranging in age from 17 to 87, the Gaithersburg Community Chorus will come together Saturday for its first performance of 2011.

The chorus, which includes five married couples, a mother and son team, and three members of the original chorus that started in 1987, is looking forward to the "eclectic" performance, secretary Beverle Kowalchick said.

The program will include three German songs, including "O Sweet May" by Johannes Brahms, "Die Nichtigall" by Felix Mendelssohn and "In the Beautiful Month of May" by Robert Schumann.

Continuing the spring theme will be such songs as "April in Paris" by Vernon Duke, with words by "Yip" Harburg, and "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" by Manning Sherwin, with words by Eric Maschwitz. The concert will conclude with a medley from the musical "Rent."

The chorus, which requires no audition to join, is open to anyone high school aged or older. Rehearsals are held Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in September through June. Two annual concerts are presented and the chorus performs at special events throughout the year.

The chorus has 40 core members and about 20 other people who participate from year to year when their schedules allow, said Kowalchick, who has been with the group since 1999.

"All of us have this wonderful camaraderie. We all enjoy music, that wonderful uplifting feeling you get when you sing these wonderful pieces," Kowalchick said. "If you want to come and join us, we'd welcome you with open arms."

City residents pay $50 to become chorus members; the fee for nonresidents is $60. Each member pledges to raise an additional $60.

The chorus is sponsored by the city's Cultural Arts Advisory Committee, and is funded in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.

The spring concert is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Watkins Mill High School, 10301 Apple Ridge Road, Montgomery Village.

Admission is free. Donations are gratefully accepted.

For information, call Nansie Wilde at 301-258-6350 or go to www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Campus congratulations

-Christopher Donato, of Gaithersburg, received a bachelor's degree in management from Providence College in Rhode Island.

-The State University of New York at New Paltz awarded a master's degree in electrical engineering to Gaithersburg resident Ashwin Nandyala.

-Sarah Rusnak of Boyds and Laura Snyder of Germantown were named to the dean's list for the 2011 spring semester at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

-On May 14, the following students were awarded bachelor's degrees by St. Mary's College of Maryland: Jessica Ann Cleghorn of Poolesville; Jade Feng Lee and Kyle Patrick Jernigan of Germantown; Camille Satarah Capers Verioska Jaatsy Torres , Kevin Daniel Seeger, Eric William Lee, Sara Marie Timmins , Autumn Antenette Capers and Dietrich Oskar Kiesewetter of Gaithersburg, , Catherine C. Garbade and Maxwell R. Heaton of Montgomery Village.

-Anne Marie McNeil, daughter of Brewer and Madeline McNeil of Germantown, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vt.

-Madeline Horan of Gaithersburg, a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art, was chosen for the Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery program, an educational and cultural initiative that sends Italian-American students to Italy. Horan is visiting Italy's Campania region until June 8. Follow her at www.niaf.org/voyageofdiscovery.

-John Page of Germantown, Ryan Janes of Gaithersburg, and Jared Sanders of Laytonsville graduated from York College of Pennsylvania on May 14.

-Randolph-Macon Academy Cadet Senior Master Sergeant Donovan Farmer, son of Darryck and Juanita Farmer of Gaithersburg, received the Celebrate Freedom Foundation/Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Award. Donovan is a junior at the academy.

-Britney Spicer of Poolesville, John Page of Germantown, Brett Donaghue of Gaithersburg and Jared Sanders of Laytonsville have been named to the dean's list for the spring 2011 semester at York College of Pennsylvania.

-Amy Fallas, a junior political science major from Gaithersburg, and Caleb Koch, a sophomore mechanical engineering major from Gaithersburg, were named to the dean's list for the spring 2011 semester at Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

-Edwin C. Kisiel III, a 2006 graduate of Northwest High School, graduated magna cum laude May 14 from Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Va. This fall he will enter the U.S. Air Force, commissioned as a 1st lieutenant, in the JAG Corps.

-Bernadette McCambridge of Montgomery Village graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan., with a degree in theology.

-Jaqueline Lisa Coronado of Germantown was recently recognized as a member of Sigma Alpha Lambda national leadership and honors organization at the University of South Florida. Jackie is a 2010 graduate of Clarksburg High School.

-Kevin Helsel of Laytonsville made the spring 2011 dean's list at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Helsel is studying mechanical engineering.

Summer concerts kick off

"The Crimestoppers," a rock band, kicks off the Montgomery Village Foundation Lawn Theater 2011 Summer Concert Series on Friday.

The band will perform from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the lawn theater at 18850 Montgomery Village Avenue. This summer's two other Friday shows will be at the same time on July 1 and Aug. 5.

All other performances will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays. The first three are June 5, 12 and 19.

Admission is free. Parking is available behind Watkins Mill Elementary School on Watkins Mill Road.

Call 301-948-0110 before 5 p.m. two days before the concert to arrange on-site handicapped parking. For cancellation information, call 301-948-0110, ext. 2334 after 5 p.m.

Gaithersburg student recognized in writing contest

If fourth-grader Kevin Garcia were mayor, he would tell architects and builders to build more homeless shelters.

Kevin, a Brown Station Elementary School student, is being recognized for his plan in the Maryland Municipal League's "If I Were Mayor ..." contest.

He was named a top four finalist for the fifth district, which includes Gaithersburg.

"I think it would be a good idea to build more shelters because the homeless have nothing and we need to help them," Kevin wrote.

Kevin is in Hansa Rau's class at Brown Station. He will read his essay at the Gaithersburg City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

Poolesville students recognized

Photos and other artwork by Poolesville High School students were selected to be show at the 10th Annual Nora School Photography Festival as part of the Amnesty International Human Rights Festival.

Julie Norcross and Megan Connaughton received special recognition for their photographs. Bridget Van Nevel, Danny Corotti, Emily Fisher, Elizabeth Byrd, Nikki Dahlen, Rebecca Goodman, and Stephan Marsh also had their work featured.

Van Nevel's work was also selected to hang in the Annual Congressional Art Exhibit at the VisArts Center in Rockville this month, along with other photographers and digital artists from Poolesville High, Zane Bassett, Jee-Won Park, Cody Premo, Megan Shapiro, Michael Torres and Jee-Won Park.

Five programming teams from Poolesville High, sponsored by Jack Stansbury, competed in the Java Programming Competition held at Montgomery College. Jack Zhu and Daniel Sun placed first; Joy Zeng, Annie Chu, Pavleen Thukral, Jake Koenig and Haris Godil placed second; Xiaoyu Yin and Peter Luu placed third.

Employee of the quarter

Elizabeth Poole, a program specialist in Gaithersburg's recreation department, received the city's Employee of the Quarter Award on May 16.

Poole served as the acting community facility director for Kentlands Mansion for three months while the director was on maternity leave.

Send your news to Danielle Gaines at dgaines@gazette.net or Jen Bondeson at jbondeson@gazette.net. Or mail it to The Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.