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Clarksburg High School was recently awarded a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam grant to create a Pressure-Sensitive Illuminated Computer Cable.

InvenTeams are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. Clarksburg is one of 16 high schools nationwide to be selected as an InvenTeam this year. The Clarksburg team received $9,000.

Team members are are sophomores Michael Goodier, 15, of Germantown and Justin Roth, 15, of Germantown; juniors Shrey Tarpara, 16, of Boyds, Ian Grissom, 16, of Clarksburg, Alex Ivanov, 16, of Clarksburg, Christine Opiekun, 16, of Germantown, Micaela Larson, 15, of Germantown, Eric Hong, 16, of Germantown and Anik Saha, 16, of Clarksburg; and senior Elysa Marchicelli, 17, of Germantown.

Team sponsors are Sarah Costlow Debelius and Paul W. Koda.

Over the next nine months, students will create a prototype of their pressure-sensitive illuminated computer cable invention they have named the Torch Cord.

They will work with advisors and mentors, including individuals from Texas Instruments Inc. in Germantown and the law firm of Greenberg & Lieberman, LLC in Washington, D.C., who will guide the students through the development of their invention.

Getting through the cold

The Germantown Community Based Collaboration for Positive Youth Development is partnering with Linkages to Learning at Fox Chapel Elementary School to sponsor a Food and Winter-Wear Drive through Friday.

Food and clothing will be donated to 18 or more families from Fox Chapel Elementary. 

Items in need are: New or barely used coats, scarves, gloves for children and non-perishable food items. Items may be dropped off 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Upcounty Regional Services Center, 12900 Middlebrook Road, Suite 1000, Germantown or Plum Gar Recreation Center, 19561 Scenery Drive, Germantown.

For more information, call Sayira Ball at 301-601-1696.

Easing math fears

Second-graders at The Barnesville School carved jack-o'-lanterns recently as part of a Pumpkin Math Project.

Teachers Karl Kidd and Elizabeth Messerli taught estimations and measurements, according to a statement from the school.

Students worked in teams to design the jack-o'-lanterns and charted key facts about the pumpkins, such as weight estimates, height and circumference and then taking the actual measurements for comparison.

Bar graphs on the chalkboard contrasted estimates and actual counts.

"Talking about weights and measures is one thing. But when the kids use their own hands to dig out 3 pounds of ‘guts' from inside a 16 pound pumpkin, they really get it," Kidd said in a statement.

"I liked carving the best," Emily Kaminski, 8, of Laytonsville said in the statement. "When we dug all the seeds out, it weighed less."

Preparing for success

A free seminar to help high school girls prepare for college and the workforce is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Montgomery College's Germantown campus, 20200 Observation Drive.

The seminar will be in the Humanities and Social Science Center,

The program includes remarks from motivational speaker Erricka Bridgeford and workshops on resume writing, interviewing and college admissions and financial aid. The program will conclude with a fashion show.

Free bus service is available at several high schools. Buses will pick up passengers at 9 a.m. at Watkins Mill, 10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg; 9:15 a.m. at Montgomery Blair, 51 University Blvd. East, Silver Spring; Gaithersburg, 314 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg; and Paint Branch, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville; and at 9:30 a.m. at Quince Orchard, 15800 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg; Einstein, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington; and Blake, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring.

More information is at www.preparingforsuccess.org or by calling Lilli Khozeimeh at 301-340-9090.

SVHS accreditation

Seneca Valley High School is scheduled to be evaluated for accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools. An evaluation visit is scheduled this week.

The Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is accepting comments from those with first-hand information regarding the school's ability to meet the accreditation. Standards for accreditation can be viewed at www.css-msa.org/

pdfs/Standards_for_Schools_with_Indicators.pdf.

Comments must be in writing, include the printed name, address, and telephone number of the writer, and must be signed by the writer. Send comments to: Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools, 3624 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Send story ideas by 10 a.m. Thursdays to Melissa A. Chadwick via e-mail at mchadwick@gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7183 or by mail to 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.