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Students at The Lucy School, an arts-based private school located in Middletown, planted 207 trees last year, helping them to win the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Marylanders Plant Trees 2009-2010 School Challenge.

Lucy School is located on a 17-acre farm on Frostown Road in Middletown, and educates about 100 students in preschool through third grade.

It was one of 82 schools that participated in the competition last year, which asked students and their families to plant trees and register them with the Department of Natural Resources. Trees planted at any time between April 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010 were counted toward a school's goal, according to a press release.

First place was awarded to the school that planted the greatest number of trees.

"They were excited," Director Victoria Brown said of student involvement in the competition. "We have a pretty strong environmental curriculum ... They really love trees, and they can name several trees. When they learned about the competition they were excited about it."

The school planted 45 trees on school grounds; the remaining 162 trees were planted elsewhere by students and their families.

The state program offers a $25 coupon to purchase any native tree costing $50 or more from participating nurseries throughout the state, of which Lucy School students took advantage, Brown said.

"We [also] had a parent who donated some trees, some saplings, so we handed those out to children to take home," Brown said.

As the grand prize winner, Lucy School won a Department of Natural Resources Field Day, which was held Oct. 19. State staff visited the school and offered hands-on activities dealing with trees, animals, watersheds, wetlands and more.

For more information on the state program, go to www.trees.maryland.gov.

Braddock Heights

native honored

Army Sgt. Teng Lin has been named brigade noncommissioned officer of the 1st Quarter, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Selection was based on the Lin's exemplary duty performance, job knowledge, leadership qualities, teamwork, significant self-improvement, personal achievements, notable accomplishments, and community service and support.

Lin, a visual information equipment operator-maintainer, is assigned to the 114th Signal Battalion, at Fort Detrick in Frederick. He has served in the military for eight years, and is the son of Kui Lin and Ruiying Chen of Braddock Heights.

Myersville man graduates

Wassem Y. Juakiem of Myersville recently graduated from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda. He received a medical degree and was commissioned to the rank of captain, with a minimum seven-year active duty service commitment.

The university is a tuition-free institution which manages a graduate nursing school, a graduate school with doctor of philosophy and master's degree programs, and a medical school that prepares men and women to be outstanding health care practitioners, physicians and scientists for careers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and U.S. Public Health Service.

The medical school curriculum includes a concentration of preventive medicine, primary care, military medicine, and emergency medicine. The curriculum programs are related directly to force health protection, tropical diseases, disaster medicine, military and public health medical readiness and adaptation to extreme environments.

Juakiem is assigned to the U.S. Air Force, and is the son of Yousry H. Juakiem and Marie Therese Elias of Myersville.

Lewis wins first

‘Frederick Idol' competition

Though she lives in Washington County, Kenise Lewis took the title of the first-ever "Frederick Idol" during a singing competition sponsored by CALM, Frederick Community Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center on Saturday night.

Twelve contestants participated in the grand finale, called Frederick's Shining Star, at Frederick Community College, which benefitted CALM. The audience ultimately chose the winner from three finalists chosen by a panel of judges.

Contestants included Julia Banks, Willie Barry, Liz Corsa (second place), Scarlet Fannin, Stephanie Hernandez, Lewis, Luke Moorman, Chelsea Phebus, Harold Powell (third place), Brittany Pratt, Wally Worsley and Ashlee Smith.

The idea for the musical competition came to CALM's Executive Director Kate Palmisano when she attended a similar event in Anne Arundel County last spring.

"I thought it would be cool and a very different thing to do," Palmisano said. She and her staff decided to spread the word through the community and see what kind of response they got.

Ultimately, almost 20 hopefuls showed up to audition.

"We were surprised and pleased by the response," Palmisano said. "We hope to get even more next year when more people hear about it."

During initial auditions held in September, judges pared down the number of contestants to 16, 14 of whom attended the semi-finals on Oct. 16. By the time the evening was over, 12 singers had moved forward to the grand finale.

With a mix of men and women of varying age, the "Idol" competition attracted a wide array of musical styles — from opera to country to rock.

According to Palmisano, the competition's grand prize consists of eight hours of recording studio time, a makeover from a local beauty school, a photo shoot and additional surprises.

The Frederick Idol finale will also feature a silent auction of items donated by various CALM volunteers, she said.

"Our budget's been cut, so this is a great way to make up some of that shortfall and provide a service to the community," Palmisano said. The nonprofit organization provides free mediation, peer mentoring and anger management classes to people of all ages in the community.

During the finale, contestants performed two prepared songs. After performing the first, judges selected three finalists to move on to a second song.

Bethany Lutheran Church

holds fundraising raffle

Bethany Lutheran Church, located on the corner of First and A streets in Brunswick, held a fundraising raffle earlier this month to help pay for the upkeep of its 103-year-old building.

Proceeds helped pay for recent brick cleaning and mortar replacement and restoration work at the church. The church sold 915 raffle tickets for $1 apiece, raising $915 for the restoration according to the Rev. Andrea Ernest.

The drawing was held Oct. 3 at Railroad Days, and all winners have received their prizes.

Tricia Jarrell won the grand prize, four tickets to First Mariner Arena. First prize ($100 gift card to Long Horn Steak House) went to Kathy Price, second prize ($100 gift card to Head-Quarters Barber & Styling Salon, Brunswick) to Nancy Learnard, third prize (filled Longaberger cake basket) to Susan Nelson, and fourth prize (reciprocating saw and jigsaw) to Travis McCrory.

For more information about the church, call 301-834-8003.

Have an item for the Valley Voice? E-mail Tripp Laino at tlaino@gazette.net. Call 301-846-2130.