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Andrew Joseph is a father with mixed feelings.

Joseph, of Germantown, is excited that his daughter Emily will be in Argentina for her junior year of high school. But he is also a bit sad that Emily will not celebrate her Sweet 16 birthday with the family.

He is also not too happy about not seeing his daughter in person for 10 months.

"It's kind of frightening to think about," Joseph said Thursday by phone. "The program discourages parents from going to visit, to allow the students to get immersed in the culture."

Emily, 15, is a student at Northwest High School in Germantown. The junior lacrosse and field hockey player learned in January that she was accepted into the Rotary International Exchange Program and would be heading to Argentina. She said her teachers at Northwest are excited that she has the opportunity to study abroad for a school year.

Rotary International arranged about 8,600 exchanges from 2008 to 2009, the organization's spokeswoman Elizabeth Minelli said. More than 70 percent of those were student exchanges for an academic year.

"I was really excited when I found out I was in," Emily said. "I was anxious to learn more information about Argentina."

Emily said she has reached out to her host family through e-mail and Facebook. They have a 16-year-old daughter who will be coming to the United States as an exchange student, but not with the Joseph family. Emily is already making plans to visit local art galleries in Argentina when she gets there, she said, but she will miss her family and friends.

"I know I am going to be homesick," Emily said. "I'm going to do my best to communicate through Facebook and call when I can."

History talk series to focus on upcounty

A series of three history talks discussing the historical significance of the upcounty will begin today. The series is sponsored by the Seneca Creek State Park.

At 6:30 p.m. today, a talk on the Legacy of the American Civil War will be held at the park's visitor center at 11950 Clopper Rd. in Gaithersburg. The discussion will focus on the impact of the war on the area in and around the park. Civil War stories and events in the area will all be discussed.

At noon Aug. 1, the park staff will offer a second talk at the visitor's center, this one focusing on the History of Seneca Creek State Park. The discussion will review both the history and geology of the park.

The final talk will be at the Black Rock Mill at 16500 Black Rock Rd. in Germantown. On Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m., the park's staff will discuss the Historic Mills in the park and the surrounding area. Visitors will learn how a mill works, the history of the Black Rock Mill and other mills in the upcounty.

The series is free and all ages are invited to attend. For information, contact Julie Gilson at 301-924-2127 or by e-mail at scspnaturalist@gmail.com.

Campus congratulations

Peter Murray of Germantown was named the spring semester dean's list at Gettysburg College.

Rebecca Grimes of Germantown graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in May with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology.

Aria G. Remondi of Dickerson was named to the spring dean's list at the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus. Remondi is enrolled in the school's College of Liberal Arts.

Andrew Halley, Sarah Howard, Longster Kemngang, Laure-Ines Nassara-Wellibang, Michael Privot, Derek Sheely, Peyman Shirani, Joshua Volpe and Rudy Yung-Hoi, all of Germantown; Robert Noor of Darnestown; and Mallory Veillette of Poolesville were named to the spring dean's list at Frostburg State University. Kemngang and Privot earned 4.0 grade point averages.

Survive the heat

Montgomery County health officials encourage residents to find places to go to keep cool and find ways to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Anyone suffering from heat cramps (painful muscle spasms in stomach or legs), heat exhaustion (cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, dizziness, nausea and weakness), or heat stroke (red, hot or dry skin, weak pulse, fast breathing changes in consciousness) should get to a cool, shaded area, loosen clothing and drink plenty of water. If that doesn't work, call 911.

The following precautions will help residents avoid heat-related illnesses and keep them cool:

-Stay inside if possible and avoid strenuous activities that could keep you in the sun for long periods of time. If you have things to do outside, do them during the morning. That's the coolest part of the day.

-Wear light colored clothes when outside. A hat and sunscreen are also recommended.

-Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water to avoid cramps, heat stroke or exhaustion.

-Do not leave young children or pets in the car, even with the windows cracked.

-To find public places where residents can cool off, visit www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mymontgomery and type in your location.

Prepare for storm season

Tropical storm and hurricane season has started and forecasters are predicting an active year.

Residents should heed hurricane watches and warnings and plan for a more active hurricane season. Forecasters predict as many as eight major storms in 2010.

Storm preparedness tips:

-Keep flashlights, battery-powered radios, extra batteries, a basic first aid kit, emergency food, water and a nonelectric can opener on hand.

-Sign up for electronic weather and emergency alerts at alert.montgomerycountymd.gov.

-Have enough food, water, medication and batteries to last two to three days.

-Make sure portable radios, smoke detectors and flashlights work.

-Check with neighbors who may require special assistance.

-Listen to the radio or television for weather reports.

-Bring in outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, toys and garden tools; anchor objects that cannot be brought inside but could be tossed by high winds.

-Clean out gutters.

-Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting in case of a power outage. Open the door only when necessary and close quickly. Frozen food in a half-full freezer will remain safe for up to 24 hours, and in a full freezer, up to 48 hours.

-Do not put out trash cans for regular pickup the night before a storm.

Grill safety

'Tis the season to fire up the grill, and county fire officials have released safety tips to keep your next barbecue from going up in flames.

-Clean the grill; scour the grate with a wire brush if it has not been used in a while.

-Use nonstick cooking spray to keep food from sticking to the grill.

-Make sure the grill has not been recalled due to safety problems.

-Place the grill on a flat, well-ventilated surface away from houses, overhangs, deck railings, tree branches, shrubbery or anything else that can burn.

-Never use a grill indoors or leave a grill unattended; always supervise pets and children around the grill.

-Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.

-For gas grills: follow manufacturer's instructions for checking the connection to the cylinder; check grill hoses for cracking, corrosion, brittleness, holes and leaks; make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing; hire a professional for repairs; always keep propane containers upright; open the lid of a grill before igniting it; regularly remove grease and fat buildup from trays below the grill; store propane tanks in well-ventilated areas; if you smell gas, turn off grill immediately and do not use until it is repaired.

-For charcoal grills: use proper starter fluid; store can away from heat and children; do not store grill indoors with freshly used coals.

This column is for you! Share your good news! Send items to Germantown reporter Andre L. Taylor at ataylor@gazette.net and send Poolesville, Boyds and other upcounty items to Meghan Tierney at mtierney@gazette.net. Or mail to The Germantown-Boyds-Poolesville Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Don't forget to send us photos!