Students earn awards at Maryland History Day

In eastern Montgomery County, winning students in were:

*Riva Fairhall, Eastern Middle School, first place, Junior Individual Performance, ‘‘The Voices inside My Head: Franklin Roosevelt and the People Who Influenced His Evian Conference Decision.”

*Catherine Liu and Alekhya Reddy, Eastern Middle School, second place, Junior Group Documentary, ‘‘The 1944 GI Bill: Making Its Mark on the American Economy.”

*Rosanna Kim, Richard Montgomery High School, first place, Senior Paper, ‘‘The March First Movement: A Suppressed Movement That Made Its Mark in History.”

*Caitlin Perdue, Perdue Academy, second place, Senior Individual Performance, ‘‘Marie Curie and the Killing Cure.”

Special prizes for eastern Montgomery students:

*Kellie Chafin from A. Mario Loiederman Middle School received the Maryland Historical Trust Award for Historic Preservation, sponsored by the Maryland Historical Trust for the Junior Individual Exhibit, ‘‘Maryland’s Golden Leaf.”

*Melissa Mergner from Montgomery Blair High School received the Special Prize in Legal and Constitutional History, sponsored by Paul Mogin, Esquire, Williams and Connolly LLP, Washington, D.C., for the Senior Individual Documentary, ‘‘Speaking Truth to Power: The Story of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee.”

*Rosanna Kim from Richard Montgomery High School received the Special Prize for Best Senior Paper, sponsored by the Ann of Arrundell Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century for the Senior Paper, ‘‘The March First Movement: A Suppressed Movement That Made Its Mark in History.”

The Maryland Humanities Council also recognized outstanding teachers. In Montgomery County, Kimberly Johnson of Paint Branch High School received the Montgomery County District History Day Teacher of the Year award.

Billboard hits topNorthwood’s charts

Northwood High musicians will perform ‘‘Billboard Magic,” featuring hit songs from the 1960s through 2000s 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the school, 919 University Blvd. W. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and children. Call 301-649-8293.

Sligo Players to perform

The Sligo Players will perform the Broadway comedy ‘‘Don’t Drink the Water” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Sligo Middle School, 1401 Dennis Ave. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children younger than age 13. Call Marcia Kolko at 301-681-7652.

Thornton Friends School takes Peace Paradeon the road

The students in Thornton Friends School in Silver Spring are holding their Peace Parade at various sites and a number of schools during May. The parade is a multifaceted celebration of peace, presented by the sixth- seventh- and eighth-graders at Thornton Friends Middle School, according to a news release from the school.

The parade highlights events and people throughout history whose actions have promoted equality, integrity, and peace in America and the world. It is funded through a grant from the Friends Counsel on Education.

Students have made floats with cardboard, collages, papier-mâché, and other media. They will perform their own compositions and dramatic readings.

For more information on times of performances, call Barbara Wille at 301-384-6672.

Blair student honoredin math contest

Brian Lawrence, a senior at Montgomery Blair High School, was one of 12 winners of the 2007 USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO). The students were the best of the more than 225,000 students who took part in a series of challenging contests put together by the Mathematical Association of America’s Mathematics Competitions program, which culminated with the USAMO exam.

On Tuesday and May 23, the winners will take the rigorous team selection test to try to qualify for the U.S. team, which will compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 19-30. That team will consist of the six students with the highest combined scores.

Lawrence, a Kensington resident, is attempting to make the International Mathematical Olympiad team for the third time. He received a gold medal for an individual perfect score at the IMO in 2005.

High schools recognized for HSA performance

Twelve Montgomery County High Schools received awards in the 2006 Maryland School Performance Recognition Program. The awards are based on overall high performance on the 2006 High School Assessments (HSA) and⁄or for improvement among subgroups from the 2005 to the 2006 HAS, according to a news release from Montgomery County Public Schools.

Damascus and Winston Churchill high schools were recognized for both subgroup improvement and overall performance. Subgroup improvement recognition went to Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood, and Wheaton high schools. Overall performance honorees were Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Poolesville, Richard Montgomery, Thomas S. Wootton, Walt Whitman, and Walter Johnson high schools.

Special education awards

The Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations hosted its annual Special Recognition Ceremony April 30 in Rockville.

The event paid tribute to parents, students, educators and programs that have contributed to the success of special needs students in the Montgomery County Public Schools system.

Students honored from eastern Montgomery County are Alison Rutsch, Albert Einstein High School; Buki Olefutobi and Emi Vo, Dr. Charles Drew Elementary; and Evgeni Ralev, White Oak Middle School.

One parent from eastern Montgomery County who was honored is Jeanne Taylor, Galway and Cloverly elementary schools.

Educators honored from eastern Montgomery County are Mark Divita and Israelle Resti, White Oak Middle School; Helen Weisel and Patricia Sigley-Shaleh, Dr. Charles Drew Elementary School; and Somers Knight, Galway Elementary.

Kay Romero earned a special recognition award for advocacy for special education.

Community carnivalat Forest Knolls ES

A community carnival will be held noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Forest Knolls Elementary School, 10830 Eastwood Ave., Silver Spring. Call John Maisto at 301-681-0022.

Downcounty Consortiumto hold meetingsfor choice options

Montgomery County grade 7 students and their parents⁄guardians who reside in the Downcounty Consortium area may attend information meetings to learn about the high school options. The five high schools in the consortium are Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Northwood and Wheaton.

The information meetings at three middle schools will provide parents and students with overviews of the consortium model and the academy programs at each of the high schools, an overview of the choice process, and information about transportation, according to a news release from Montgomery County Public Schools.

The same information will be presented at each meeting. A meeting will be held 7 p.m. today at A. Mario Loiederman Middle School, 12701 Goodhill Road, Silver Spring.

Loiederman Middle School presents ‘Annie, Jr.’

Students from A. Mario Loiederman Middle School will perform the musical ‘‘Annie, Jr.,” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the middle school auditorium, 12701 Goodhill Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are available in advance or at the door for $5 for students and $7 for adults. For more information, call Brian Betts at 301-929-2282 or e-mail brian_betts@mcpsmd.org.

School to host musical

Paint Branch Montessori School’s spring musical, ‘‘Carnival of the Animals,” will be performed 7 p.m. May 23 at the school, 3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi. Tickets are $10 adults and children age 12 and younger are admitted free.

Strathmore ESconducts diabetes walk

Strathmore Elementary School in Silver Spring on May 4 conducted its School Walk for Diabetes, an event of the American Diabetes Association.

The walk was a fund-raiser designed to support research, information and advocacy efforts of the American Diabetes Association, according to a news release from the school. The school receives a percentage of the funds raised for the American Diabetes Association back to purchase physical education equipment and school medical supplies.

Students are also actively learning lessons about the seriousness of diabetes and how eating healthy and exercising can help prevent the disease, according to the school’s Student Government Association coordinator, Jessica Kohn.

For more information on School Walk for Diabetes and how your school can get involved, call 1-888-DIABETES (342-2383) or visitwww.diabetes.org⁄schoolwalk.

Blake to hold Arts and Humanities Festival

The Arts and Humanities Festival at James Hubert Blake High School will be held 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. throughout the school, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring.

The festival will feature displays of student artwork and performances by students as well as an awards recognition assembly.

The event will include a visual art show of student work, and performances by various groups including The Stage Company, Improvisation Company, Highlights from Blake’s production of ‘‘High School Musical,” and the Blake Forensics Team’s pieces from ‘‘The Glass Menagerie,” ‘‘My Name Is Alice ” and ‘‘Time Flies.”

Blake’s dance program will have a showcase of pieces, the Blake Choral Program including the Jazz Choir and the A Cappella Choir will present barbershop, pop, and jazz vocal numbers. Bands from the Instrumental Music Program will also perform.

Blake’s English, Foreign Language and Social Studies departments will be highlighting student humanities projects.

The Blake PTSA will be serving a dinner 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. catered by ‘‘TomChef” for $10. Call the school at 301-879-1300.

Paint Branch Web site, webmaster honored

The Paint Branch High School Web site was one of five finalists in the county nominated for the Best High School Website at Webmaster Convocation April 25, at the Montgomery County Board of Education in Rockville. Webmaster Brian Eichenlaub was awarded a 2007 Web Builders Award for his leadership in integrating student-created video of the daily announcements into the Paint Branch Web site, supporting student learning and improving parent access to school news, according to a news release from the school.

Send school news to The Gazette, 13501 Virginia Manor Road, Laurel, MD 20707. They may be sent by fax to 240-473-7501 or by e-mail to jbrocker@gazette.net.