Glassmanor joins local businesses for services

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006

Diane Jones, principal of Glassmanor Elementary School in Oxon Hill, has found that partnering with local organizations and businesses is a good way to help the school connect with the surrounding community.

Currently, 7-Eleven in Oxon Hill, Target in Landover, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Seat Pleasant chapter of Las Amigas and City of Peace Enterprises, Inc. are partners with the school.

Last school year, City of Peace Enterprises, Inc. sponsored a field trip for the students to see ‘‘Akeelah and the Bee.” On the first day of school, Las Amigas helped students navigate their way to their classrooms.

‘‘These partnerships are a big help,” she said.

She said the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Las Amigas help with parent workshops.

‘‘One of our main goals is to increase parental involvement she said,” she said.

She said the groups also help tutor the students after school. She said the tutoring is not only instructional, it is motivational. She said the tutors give the students moral support, something they really need.

‘‘Whether you’re building a village or a chain link, you need that support,” she said.

Area students makeSouthern Maryland dean’s list

Frances Legapsi of Accokeek, Rudolph Thomas of Accokeek, Shannon Tompkins of Fort Washington, Demestrise Parker, of Brandywine, Mary Nirdlinger of Upper Marlboro, Denise Adams of Clinton, and Stephanie Chappell of Clinton, made the dean’s list for the summer 2006 semester at College of Southern Maryland.

Students make the dean’s list after completing 15, 30, 45, or 60 credits. Those students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

Incoming freshmen attenddinner in their honor

Quincy Jackson, of Fort Washington, was one of the incoming freshmen from Fisk University in Tennessee at the incoming freshman dinner hosted by the Washington Fisk Alumni Association.

Taurean Major, of Upper Marlboro, also attended the dinner for Washington-area incoming freshman to Fisk University.

County-based authorsmeet with readers

Nathania A. Branch Miles and Jane Taylor Thomas, authors of the book ‘‘Images of Oxon Hill” and ‘‘Images of Fort Washington,” were highlighted on August 10 at the Oxon Hill Library for the Meet the Author series.

Taylor Thomas and Branch Miles talked about their books, where they gathered their information and some of the interesting things they discovered while writing the book.

The next Meet the Author showcase at Oxon Hill Library will feature Juan Williams, senior correspondent for National Public Radio, on Sept. 28. He will talk about his book ‘‘Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That are Undermining Black America-and What We Can Do About It.”

Middle School studentcompletes aviation challenge

Dominique L. Perry, of Clinton, recently completed the ‘‘Aviation Mach II” training program at the U.S. Rocket and Space Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Perry, an eighth grader at Stephen Decatur Middle School, spent eight days with other students from around the country. The students participated in a simulated military-style combat mission, ‘‘Operation Archangel” as CIA Special Ops with the Delta Force team. The students learned about flight physiology, water survival, search and rescue, land survival, escape and evasion. On the last day of camp there was a graduation ceremony for the students.

Perry is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol at Andrews Air Force Base, the Andrews Cadets. He is assigned to the National Capital Wing composite squadron. Cadet 1st Lt. E.B.T. Muse is his squadron cadet commander. CAP is the volunteer auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.

Perry is in enrolled in the honors track at Decatur. He has taken Honors English, Honors Science and Honors U.S. History. He also plays football for the Clinton Boys and Girls Club.

Clinton church awardscollege scholarships

Devaughan Moore, Raiona Bailey, Daniel Duncan, Darnell Moore, Larry Garvin and Ericka Kelly have been awarded college scholarships from the Minnie Camper Scholarship Fund of the Greater Refuge Ministries Church of God in Christ, in Clinton. Each student was awarded a scholarship between $500 and $1,000 to attend the college of their choice. All students earned 4.0 grade point averages during all or parts of their senior years of high school, and all are members of the Greater Refuge Ministries Church. The Minnie Camper Scholarship is named for a former member of the church, now deceased, whose daughter, Earlene Sawyer, currently serves as president of the scholarship fund. In addition to the scholarship program, the church is expanding its Minnie Camper Learning Center and is in the planning stages of developing a computer training program.

Clinton Grove Elementarystudents earn ‘‘Panda Bucks”

Twelve students at Clinton Grove Elementary School earned between five and 11 ‘‘Panda Bucks” during the first week of school for outstanding achievement in the school’s PBIS efforts. PBIS is a process for creating safer and more effective schools by following the Four R’s, which stand for respectful, responsible, ready, and resourceful. Students can earn ‘‘Panda Bucks” from any faculty member by displaying one of the Four R’s.

Students earning more than five ‘‘Panda Bucks” the first week of school are: Newell Rand, 11 bucks, Benjamin Drayton, five bucks, Antonio Pettiford, five bucks, Malanii Mines, five bucks, Giovanni Hayes, five bucks, Sydney Carr, five bucks, Trinity Jones, five bucks, Kayla Pasteur, seven bucks, Jaden Franks, 10 bucks, Justin Owens, six bucks, Aalilyah Cohen, six bucks, and Jermolly Douglas, five bucks.

The PBIS program is entering its second year. Both students and teachers are able to earn bucks through this program for displaying the Four 4R’s. Posters are displayed throughout Clinton Grove Elementary School displaying the elements that comprise the Four R’s.

Under the category of respectful, the rules listed are: Keeping all body parts to yourself, listening when others are speaking, do not disturb others, and do not destroy school property. Under responsible, listed are: take responsibility for your actions and staying organized and on task. Under resourceful, students are encouraged to be good problem solvers. Under ready, students are encouraged to come to school prepared every day, be on time for school and come to school with a positive attitude and ready to learn.

Upper Marlboro residentcompletes service project

Carol Fields, of Upper Marlboro, recently completed a year-long stint with the service program Volunteer Maryland.

Fields was placed with Prince George’s County’s Court Appointed Special Advocate program, which seeks to place children in permanent households.

For her service to the county’s court system, Fields was awarded the governor’s citation. Fields was credited with signing up nearly 50 new volunteer advocates with the Court Appointed Special Advocate program.

Fields, who retired in 2005 from the Department of Agriculture, said that she discovered the program from a newspaper article and decided to sign up.

‘‘The reward for me was to understand the importance of what a volunteer can do and how they can impact a child’s life,” Fields said. ‘‘That gave me the energy to just go forth and do as much as I could.”

Marlton community receives beautification award

The Marlton Control Commission, Inc., (MCC) was awarded a Livable Communities Initiative award this summer during the second annual Community Awards reception.

The event, held at the Newton White Mansion, in Mitchellville, recognized municipalities and homeowner associations throughout the county that promote healthy living environments.

Communities usually are awarded a grant to help with trash removal, tree planting and other beautification projects.