Local student gets a spark to volunteer

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Janay Elizabeth Byers, of Fort Washington, attended the Spark the Wave’s Wave Week from July 16-21 at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Penn.

The six-day program gives students a chance to meet other students from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. They have peer-learning and small group activities. The mission of the Spark the Wave organization is to provide diversity awareness, and equip students with the ability to get a group to work more effectively, motivate team members and take the lead in a group.

At the end of the six days, students will receive Community Service hours. Byers, a junior at Elizabeth Seton High School, said she was selected by her school counselor.

‘‘I’m getting service hours, which I’ll need when school starts,” she said.

‘‘I feel this was a great opportunity for me because it gave me the chance to meet new people, stay on a college campus and get kind of a college tour,” she said.

She said it also gave her a chance to learn more about service, leadership and communication.

Oxon Hill High School gives presentation at conference

Family and consumer sciences teacher Hope Lee recently presented her work, ‘‘Something to Crow About” and ‘‘Sneakers, Boots and Shoes” at the 97th Annual American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences conference in Charlotte, N.C.

Lee, who teaches interior and fashion design, said she came up with the idea for her presentation ‘‘Something to Crow About” because ‘‘people are always talking about lack of family and consumer sciences teachers.”

‘‘We need to let people know what we are doing,” she said. ‘‘We need to talk to administrators, college students, parents, anybody that can support out cause.”

There were more than 1,000 family and consumer science teachers who attended the conference. She said a lot of networking goes on and ‘‘there is definitely an exchange.”

‘‘One of the best ways of getting information is to go to these conferences,” she said.

She said the conference attendants talked about improvements teachers could make in their classrooms. She has 30 students in each of the four classes she teaches at Oxon Hill High School.

It was Lee’s second time giving a presentation at the conference. She said it was a lot easier than it was before.

‘‘I felt a lot more confidant than I did before, the people are so receptive,” she said.

She said she would probably present at next year’s conference because ‘‘I am a glutton for it now.”

Local college studentreceives first place award

Mary Huang, of Fort Washington, editor in chief of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s The Point News, received a first place award from the American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual Review and Contest.

‘‘We weren’t really expecting it at all,” she said.

Huang, a senior computer science and math major, has been on the Point News staff since her freshman year. She said she joined the newspaper, which comes out every two weeks, because she wanted to do layout. Her junior year she became the editor in chief of the paper and that same year the faculty advisor, Zach Messitte, entered the newspaper in the contest.

‘‘We work on the paper every two weeks and it takes a lot out of us,” she said.

Huang said after college she would like to get a job in computer science since that is her major.

‘‘I do like the way a paper is run, but I would only consider doing layout⁄production,” she said.

Huang, a graduate of Oxon Hill High School, was the editor in chief of The Clipper’s Log, the school’s yearbook.

Clinton woman graduates magna cum laude

Celeste T. Stanley, of Clinton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tyrone Stanley, graduated from Washington College, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in business management and a minor in creative writing.

Stanley graduated magna cum laude with departmental honors, and was the recipient of the Department of Business Management Senior Obligation Award. Washington College is a private, independent college of liberal arts and sciences located in Chestertown. This year’s commencement ceremony was the 224th in the school’s history.

PGCC graduaterecognized for research paper

Jennifer Whipple, of Camp Springs, a 2006 graduate of Prince George’s Community College, has been named outstanding panelist at the Beacon 2006 Conference for student scholars at two-year colleges. The conference was held at the Dutchess Community College in June. Whipple was recognized as the outstanding panelist on the Natural and Physical Sciences panel. One winner was chosen from each of the 18 panels.

‘‘I enjoyed my experience at the conference,” said Whipple. ‘‘I received a lot of support from my professors and mentors at Prince George’s Community College. I hope that more students at the college get involved in the conference.”

Whipple received an associate’s degree in forensic science from Prince George’s Community College and will attend Smith College in Massachusetts to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in forensic anthropology.

Surrattsville senior chosenas ROTC Wing Commander

Donna Berry, of Clinton, has been selected as the Air Force ROTC Wing Commander for Surrattsville High School for her senior year. As Wing Commander, Berry will have the responsibility to mentor the incoming ROTC freshmen, and make certain the unit represents itself in a positive light.

Chosen by a panel of four officers, Berry will be in charge of more than 500 student cadets. In addition to her ROTC duties, Berry, who has a 3.57 grade point average, is also the vice president of the student government association, and the senior class president. Berry plans to apply for a ROTC scholarship for college and hopes to attend either Howard University, or the University of Maryland at College Park. She plans to study mass communications and marketing management, and is interested in pursuing a career in radio, television and film.

Local student getsa spark to volunteer

Janay Elizabeth Byers, of Fort Washington, attended the Spark the Wave’s Wave Week from July 16-21 at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Penn.

The six-day program gives students a chance to meet other students from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. They have peer-learning and small group activities. The mission of the Spark the Wave organization is to provide diversity awareness, and equip students with the ability to get a group to work more effectively, motivate team members and take the lead in a group.

At the end of the six days, students will receive Community Service hours. Byers, a junior at Elizabeth Seton High School, said she was selected by her school counselor.

‘‘I’m getting service hours, which I’ll need when school starts,” she said.

‘‘I feel this was a great opportunity for me because it gave me the chance to meet new people, stay on a college campus and get kind of a college tour,” she said.

She said it also gave her a chance to learn more about service, leadership and communication.

County searchesfor election judges

The Prince George’s County Board of Elections is currently searching for election judges to work polling stations for the Sept. 12 primary election and the Nov. 5 general election.

In order to qualify as an election judge you must be 18-years-old, a U.S. citizen, a registered Maryland voter and be able to read and write in English.

Election judges are paid $125 and chief judges, who serve as supervisors, are paid $200. Election Day kicks off at 6 a.m. and lasts well into the night, until all the results have been tallied.

Election workers are required to attend a two to three hour training seminar prior to Election Day. Workers will receive $25 for attending the training session.

For more information on becoming an election judge contact the county’s Board of Elections at 301-430-8020.

Soldier returns homeafter deployment

Army Reserve Maj. Algela M. Wannamker recently returned to Upper Marlboro after being stationed overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During Wannmker’s mission, the soldier participated in freeing and securing Iraq. Wannamker also helped during peacekeeping missions, stabilization efforts and security missions during the Iraqi government’s transitional period.

Operation Iraqi Freedom includes servicemen from all the branches of the U.S. military.

Wannamker, who’s served in the military for 17 years, is assigned to the 1398th Division Support Battalion, in Baltimore.

Wannamker is a 1984 graduate of Forest Glen High School in Suffolk, Va. Wannamker is also a 1989 graduate of Norfolk State University.

Students celebrate graduation

Malaika Solange Golden of Forestville, Kimberly Danielle Sheehan of Upper Marlboro and Raina Lorelle Frye of Upper Marlboro, recently graduated from McDaniel College.

Golden, Sheehan and Frye each received master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction from the private, four-year liberal arts college.

The college is located in Westminster, about 56 miles from the District.

Menkeh Nyamusa, of Upper Marlboro, recently graduated from Messiah College, in Grantham, Pa.

Nyamusa, one of 700 students to recently graduate from the Christian college, received a bachelor’s degree in social work.