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The Oxon Hill Library, built on top of the Sojourner Truth Elementary School site in the mid-1960s, is looking for the school's former students, teachers and administrators to speak and share memories during a presentation at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the library.

The library, at 6200 Oxon Hill Road, has a Sojourner Truth Room with a collection focused on black history and culture that honors its namesake, a former slave born in 1797 who advocated for the rights of women and African-Americans.

Librarian and collection supervisor Martha Ruff said the library is hoping to create an exhibit on the history of the all-black Sojourner Truth Elementary, which opened in 1942 and eventually had grades one through eight. The school closed in approximately 1962, likely to comply with countywide school integration and consolidations, she said.

A former student and teacher already are scheduled to speak at the presentation, but Ruff invites additional students and staff, as well as the public, to come to engage in a dialogue about the school and the region's black history.

Members of the public and former school attendees are also asked to bring photographs or school memorabilia for possible display at the library.

"If we can encourage people to remember the things that came before, they'll have a little more pride in what's going on now," Ruff said. "They'll have more pride in the legacy that's being passed on to them."

For information about the event or Sojourner Truth Room collection, visit www.pgcmls.info/oxon%20hill or call 301-839-2400.

South county students graduate from St. Mary's

Several south county students earned Bachelor of Arts degrees from St. Mary's College of Maryland, a liberal arts college in St. Mary's City:

Clinton resident Cory Andre Pugh earned a degree in computer science, with a minor in sociology.

Rebecca Mercedes Hardin of Fort Washington earned degrees in anthropology and sociology.

Isaac Lee Nixon, also of Fort Washington, earned a degree in psychology, with a minor in religious studies.

Upper Marlboro resident Ian P. Simpson-Sheldon received a degree in biochemistry.

Fort Washington student to enter selective program

Devin C. Hentz, 16, of Fort Washington, a sophomore at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., will attend the 2011 Summer Academy for Mathematics and Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Devin was among more than 600 students who applied and 70 accepted for the scholarship program, a rigorous, six-week residential summer experience that begins June 25 for students who have a strong interest in math and science.

At his high school, Devin has a 4.1 grade-point average and was inducted in April to the school's chapter of the National Honor Society. He also volunteers at his church and in the metropolitan area, said Devin's mother, Francina Hentz.

Temple Hills resident gets $25K dissertation grant

DeLeon Gray, a Temple Hills native, has been awarded a $25,000 fellowship grant from the Spencer Foundation to use while he completes his doctoral dissertation at Ohio State University.

Gray is an educational psychology student in the university's College of Education and Human Ecology, was in the 3 percent of 500 applicants who were awarded fellowships this year by the foundation, a Chicago-based private organization that awards grants to support research on the improvement of education.

For his dissertation, "A New Framework for Conceptualizing School Belonging: The Importance of ‘Fitting In' and ‘Standing Out,'" Gray is studying how a student's balance between fitting in and standing out contributes to positive self-perceptions, emotions and outlook on academics.

"I am humbled," Gray said. "After learning that I received the fellowship, I thought about how amazing it is that people sometimes see things in you before you are able to see these things in yourself. In addition, the educational psychology and philosophy doctoral program at Ohio State has provided me with stellar academic training. For this, I am truly blessed."

Wise High, Crossland grads win scholarships

The Little Washington Civic Association will hold its annual scholarship dinner at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Arrowhead Elementary School in Upper Marlboro.

The association has awarded $2,500 scholarships to a number of local students.

Devonte Dinkins, a Fort Washington resident who is graduating from Crossland High School, has been accepted at High Point University in North Carolina.

Scholarships were also awarded to the following graduates from Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Upper Marlboro:

Sakura Tidwell of Little Washington plans to attend Bowie State University.

Taylore Wills and David Adeyeye of Upper Marlboro were both accepted to Stevenson University.

TreVaughn Wood of Little Washington will study at the Division of Rehabilitation Services in Oxon Hill.

Walter Enrique Diaz of Little Washington has been accepted at Capitol College in Laurel.

Taylor Johnson, also of Little Washington, was accepted to Towson University.

Upper Marlboro students

earn bachelor's degrees

Akeem MacKall of Upper Marlboro graduated in May from York College of Pennsylvania. MacKall earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.

The college offers more than 50 baccalaureate majors in professional programs, the sciences and humanities to its 4,600 undergraduate students, as well as master's degree programs in business, education and nursing.

Kendall Caitlin Shepard, also an Upper Marlboro resident, earned a Bachelor of Science in management from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, with a concentration in business management and administration and a minor in economics.

Motorcycle poker run planned to raise money for charities

Marlboro Moose Lodge 1856 in Upper Marlboro will host its first a motorcycle poker run Saturday to raise money for its two charities: Moose Heart, for children who need homes, and Moose Haven, a center for senior residents.

Registration is from 10 to 11 a.m. at the lodge, 15103 Marlboro Pike. Motorcycle riders are invited to register with a $10 tax-deductible donation that includes a meal, and then pick up one playing card at four different bars, returning to the lodge to receive the final card. The after party with poker, a live and silent auction, and a band will be from 3 to 7 p.m.

Call Andi or Bob Guard at 301-627-3003.

New non-emergency number

for police, fire/EMS

Prince George's County residents should use a new public safety non-emergency dispatch phone number, 301-352-1200, to report non-urgent incidents that require the dispatch of police, fire, EMS or sheriff personnel.

In case of an emergency, residents should call 9-1-1.

The new number follows the county's emergency dispatch facility move in May from Landover to the new facility in Bowie. The old public safety non-emergency number will be maintained and forwarded to the new facility for a period of time to ensure there is minimal impact on the service for the public.

The following phone numbers are still available to reach other public safety agencies: Animal Control, 301-780-7200; District Court commissioners, 301-583-7191; Corrections department, 301-952-4800; Fire/EMS department, 301-583-2200; Sheriff's office, 301-780-8600; Police department, 301-772-4420; and police districts District 1 in Hyattsville, 301-699-2630; District 2 in Bowie, 301-390-2100; District 3 in Palmer Park, 301-772-4900; District 4 in Oxon Hill, 301-749-4900; District 5 in Clinton, 301-856-3130; and District 6 in Beltsville, 301-937-0910.

Upper Marlboro church offering free health screenings

First Baptist Church of Glenarden is offering free basic health screenings during its 18th annual Health Expo and Blood Drive on June 11 at the church's worship center in Upper Marlboro.

In addition to health screenings, First Baptist is offering classes and demonstrations, a blood drive, activities for children and seniors, and health talks and workshops on topics such as healthy cooking, diabetes, nutrition and heart disease.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 600 Watkins Park Drive. Contact the church at 301-773-3600 or health@fbcglenarden.org, or visit www.fbcglenarden.org.

Discover child support options at event in District Heights

Raising Our Kids Solo, a support network for single parents, is planning its second annual "Child Support Workshop" for 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. June 11 at the community center inside Giant Food at 5500 Silver Hill Road in District Heights. Officials from Prince George's County's Office of Child Support Enforcement and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General Child Support Services Division will be available to answer questions on filing for child support. Call Kristina Parker at 202-834-4686 or Mae Beasley at 301-395-6203 for more information. Interested residents can also email info@roksww.org or visit www.roksww.org.

Watch county planning meetings from home

The Prince George's County Planning Board is now airing its weekly public hearings live online.

Visit the county planning department's website at www.pgplanning.org to watch the board meetings, which are held most Thursdays at the County Administration building in Upper Marlboro. The site also contains links to the board's meeting agendas and staff reports for individual cases.

Contact the board's Public Affairs Office with any questions or difficulties in accessing the web streaming service at webteam@mncppc.org or 301-952-4314.