More News

Greenbelt Elementary fifth-graders who received a 3.0 GPA and higher for the first quarter are: Mark Albright, Raya Ameir, Jonathan Bertiz, Andrew Dabbs, Winter Holmes, Deja Jackson, Salena Johnson, Anna-Kay Murray, Joseph Natoli, Patrick Nelson, Brian O'Neil, Jessica Pandohie, Forest Rawley, Amari Welch, Ruth White, Mira Willson, Norah Awad, London Bouknight, Jaylynn Battle, Hifza Sarwat, Nilam Patel, Rita Ndizihwe, Melannie Rodriguez, Furman Jones, Jennifer Jacobo, Anita Izihirwa, Shariah Dunwell, Jeremy Daniel, Gabriel Almirez, Ahmed Ashkar, Nia Brown, Michael Bugg II, Imani Canada, Ivan Eduardo Castillo, Paige Gibson, Autumn Holmes, Maimuna Lansana, Maya Lee, Marcos Lorenzana, Shahara Rahman, Gerald Roper, Achyutanand Tripathi and Octavia Wilson.

Greenbelt Elementary fourth graders who received a 3.0 GPA and higher for the first quarter are: Masuma Rahman, Lexi Onuoha, Jasmine Smartt, Se'Von Anthony, Daniel Bernier, Nicholas Crosby, Saidah Hawkins, Athena Jones, Jonathan Martinez, Ambe McKinney, Adil Choudhry, Sofie Dabelko, Britney Decompreh, Alexander Edwards, Muna Hassen, Hyung Joon Jang, Marvin Jenkins II, Melissa Johnson, Mia Joseph, Shania Miller, Grace Seo, Johnny Truong, Hector Velasquez, Yanaii Wilson, Jordan Bates, Evan Candey, Jaden Dirksen, Elizabeth Edet, Elizabeth Gardner, Edward Harper, Beatriz Jose, Sheka Kanu, Mathew Masih, Justin Mooney, Cyenna Nelson, Alanna Rall, Jamie Rogers-Sites and Kathryn Turnbull. Second and third grade honor roll students will be listed in the next issue of The Gazette.

Greenbelt Police commended by CALEA's Accreditation Programs

The Greenbelt Police Department was granted unconditional reaccreditation on Nov. 21 from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., or CALEA, at the organization's 19th conference held this past weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In April 2009, a team of CALEA assessors conducted an on-site review of Greenbelt's Police Department. Then, at the Salt Lake Conference, a team of Greenbelt commanders reviewed the on-site report with four CALEA Commissioners. After the review, the commissioners praised the department for meeting all applicable standards and 92 percent of the other-than-mandatory standards. The department gained its initial accreditation in November 2006.

The overall purpose of CALEA's Accreditation Programs is to improve a department's delivery of public safety services, primarily by maintaining a body of standards developed by public safety practitioners; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.

Bladensburg Elementary promotes parental involvement

Bladensburg Elementary School held its first family and staff field trip on Nov. 21. Parents, children and school staff boarded five buses to attend the Air and Space Museum. The trip was meant to promote parent involvement through meaningful activities and celebrated the end of American Education Week activities at the school, Principal Rhonda Pitts wrote in an e-mail.

College prep program comes

to Hyattsville Middle School

Prince George's Community College will be partnering with Hyattsville Middle School to offer a college prep program, thanks to a grant from the Maryland Higher Education Commission. PGCC received three grants, totaling $150,000, including the grant from MHEC to provide college awareness and career planning to minority Hyattsville Middle School students. The program, called Helping All Willing Kids Succeed, or HAWKS, will offer afterschool tutoring, financial literacy and will focus on increasing motivation for students to pursue careers in science, technology and math.

Holiday shopping

for a good cause

The University Park Church of the Brethren will host its annual sharing fair Saturday.

Vendors from non-profit and humanitarian organizations will sell gifts from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds from the event will toward the organizations and their efforts.

University Park Church of the Brethren is located at 4413 Tuckerman St. in University Park. For more information, call 301-864-4328.

Free small business seminar

in College Park

The Capital Region Small Business Development Center will hold a free workshop for retail and restaurant owners from 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday in College Park.

Casey Willson, a retail and restaurant specialist, will host the seminar and cover a variety of areas ranging from marketing and merchandising to financial operation.

The workshop will be held at the SBDC's local office, located on the fourth floor of 7100 Baltimore Ave. in College Park. Attendees are required to pre-register by 9 a.m. Monday.

For more information or to register, call 301-403-0501, Ext. 11, or visit http://www.capitalsbdc.umd.edu/

training.html.

Bladensburg councilwoman finalist for national award

Bladensburg Town Councilwoman Charlina Watson (Ward 1) was one of six finalists for the National League of Cities' Women in Municipal Government's annual leadership award. The award is meant to recognize a female municipal official's efforts to improve the quality of life for residents in her town or city. Other finalists included councilwoman from South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas and Washington.

"Of course I was surprised and elated at the same time to be [nominated] amongst women from all over the country," Watson said.

Watson has spearheaded a senior ball for the past three years and works with a committee of women volunteers to organize the event.

"It's to get the seniors together in a social setting where they could have a good time and not have to worry about paying or worrying about transportation to and from," Watson said.

Sedalia Sanders, a councilwoman from El Centro, Calif., was given the award.