More News

Holiday concerts are set this month at several area schools.

The Damascus High School winter chorus and orchestra concert is set for 7:30 p.m. today in the school auditorium.

The Clearspring Elementary School band and string winter concert will be held 7 p.m. Dec. 8 in the school all-purpose room.

The John T. Baker Middle School chorus and orchestra will perform a winter concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at Damascus High School. The John T. Baker Middle School bands will present their winter concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at Damascus High.

Food drive going on

at Baker

The John T. Baker student government is teaming with the Damascus Lions Club for a canned food drive.

The drive began Monday and will continue through Dec. 16. Students should drop off donations in their fifth period classes. The class that collects the most canned and boxed goods will receive a celebration party. The school's goal is to collect 10,000 canned and boxed items.

All donations will be given to Damascus Help for distribution.

Clarksburg High holding weekly fundraiser

Applebee's in Germantown will donate 15 percent of all guest checks on Monday nights to Clarksburg High School.

Patrons must obtain a flier from the school to present at the restaurant.

CHS offers informal

parent meetings

Clarksburg High School parents and guardians are invited to attend an informal gathering in the principal's conference room the third Thursday of each month from 8 to 9 a.m.

The get-together is an opportunity to engage in open dialogue with Principal James Koutsos and find out what is happening at the school. The school will provide a continental breakfast.

Koutsos will also hold four evening ice cream socials in lieu of four of the breakfast meetings. The ice cream socials will occur once per quarter from 8 to 9 p.m. The next one is Dec. 4.

To attend, call Lana Ryan at 301-444-3008 so the school can plan sufficient refreshments.

Find help paying

for college

Financial aid workshops are being offered at county high schools throughout December.

The workshops are open to all parents and students who wish to attend, but are targeted at graduating seniors and their parents.

During the workshops, information will be available about grants, loans, scholarships and work-study programs that are available to help pay for college.

Workshops in the upcounty include:

Dec. 8, 7 p.m., Clarksburg High School, 22500 Wims Road

Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m., Gaithersburg High School, 314 South Frederick Ave.

Students sponsor used car and computer sale

Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation and Network Operations students will sell used cars and computers 9-11 a.m. Dec. 6 at Gaithersburg High School.

The snow date for the event is Dec. 13. Gaithersburg High School is located at 314 S. Frederick Ave.

For automotive information, call Mike Snyder at 301-962-4810. For computer information, call John Brewer at 301-929-6975. 

Pricing information will be available at www.autocareers.org and www.itfcareers.org later this month. All proceeds will go directly to each respective nonprofit foundation. 

Students seek vehicle donations

The Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization, is accepting vehicle donations.

The donations, which are tax deductible, will be used to teach the county school system's automotive technology students.

To donate, call Mike Snyder at 301-962-4810 or e-mail Michael_C_Snyder@mcpsmd.org. For additional information, visit www.autocareers.org.

‘Drawing the Line' commercial contest

Drawing the Line on Under 21 Alcohol Use is sponsoring a Commercial Challenge Contest for county high school and middle school students.

Participants are asked to create a 30-second video message directed at their peers. They may choose from one of three topics: how media influences teen thoughts about underage drinking; what teens can do to help a friend who drinks; and "Drawing the Line: Il/Legal, Un/healthy, Un/Acceptable."

The two top winning middle school groups will receive $500 for first place and $250 for second place. The two top winning high school groups will receive $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place. Each participating student will receive a certificate of achievement. 

The deadline for video projects is 5 p.m. Jan. 27. Entries can be mailed or delivered to: Drawing the Line on Under 21 Alcohol Use, Room 225, 2424 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD 20902.

Visit www.drawingtheline.org or www.montgomeryschools

md.org/departments/safe for an application and more details.

Drawing the Line is a project of the Maryland Alcohol & Drug Abuse Administration, Montgomery County Health and Human Services and Family Support Center.

Items appropriate for School Notes should be sent to Susan Singer-Bart at ssingerbart@gazette.net, by fax to 301-670-7182 or 301-670-7183, or mailed to School Notes, The Damascus/Clarksburg Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday for consideration for the following week's paper. Items will be used on a space-available basis.

Literacy Council seeks English teachers

English for Daily Living, a classroom program for parents of children in Montgomery County Public Schools, is seeking volunteer teachers and assistant teachers for spring classes.

Classes are held on weekdays, usually in the evenings, at schools in Silver Spring and Gaithersburg.

Lead teachers should have classroom teaching experience, experience teaching adults for whom English is a second language, enthusiasm for working with adult learners and be available to teach eight two-hour weekly classes.

Assistant teachers should have an interest in working with adults for whom English is a second language and be available to assist during the weekly classes.

For more information, call Jayne Klein at the Literacy Council of Montgomery County at 301-610-0030 or e-mail jayne@literacycouncilmcmd.org.

Thomas Edison to host open house

Thomas Edison High School of Technology in Wheaton will hold its annual open house 5-8 p.m. Thursday.

The open house will serve as an opportunity for students and parents to learn about the 19 career programs available to high school students.

In the event of inclement weather, the date will be changed to Dec. 10.

Thomas Edison High School of Technology is located at 12501 Dalewood Drive in Wheaton. For more information, visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/Edison/.

Homework Hotline Live!

is back

Homework Hotline Live!, a Montgomery County Public Schools Instructional Television (MCPS-ITV) program, began its 22nd year of broadcasting last week.

Since 1986, the program has provided homework help to hundreds of students in grades kindergarten through 12. It offers one-on-one homework help in most academic subjects from kindergarten to 12th grade. MCPS teachers take calls from students live on-the-air and assist them with homework problems.

Homework Hotline Live! is broadcast 5-6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays on Comcast Channel 33, Verizon Chanel 35, and RCN Channel 88.

For more information, visit montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/itv/ITV_Programs_HHL.shtm.

American Legion oratorical contest coming up

It's the time for local high school students to begin preparation for competing in the annual American Legion Oratorical Contest.

For students at Damascus, Clarksburg and Seneca Valley high schools, the contest will be held Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. at Damascus American Legion Post 171, 10201 on Lewis Drive. Students in state-accredited home-schooling programs are also eligible.

Contestants should prepare and present an 8- to 10- minute oration about any aspect of the United States Constitution and recite the 3- to 5- minute oration on one of four topics relevant to the Constitution assigned in advance.

The post winner will compete in the Montgomery County contest in early February. The county winner will compete at the district level in early March and the district winner will compete at state level later in March. The state winner will represents Maryland in the national contest in Indianapolis April 17-19. All expenses are paid for the state winner and an adult chaperone.

Winners compete for more prize money at each level. Cash prizes at Post 171 are $500 for the winner, $200 for second place and $100 for third place.

The national winner may receive as much as $23,000 in total scholarship money.

Registration for the Post 171 contest must be completed by Dec. 15.

Interested students need to contact one of the following: Cliff Elgin at Clarksburg High School, Ed Martin at the Damascus High School career center, Lt. Cmdr. Hernandez at Seneca Valley High School NJROTC at 301-353-8018, or George Bolling for home-schooled students 301-898-7119.