Blake set to hold Arts and Humanities Festival

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 also will 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 studentshonored at media festival

Fifty-five Paint Branch High School students won awards April 20 at the annual Montgomery County Media Festival at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Silver Spring.

Sequential Stills: Simone Brown, Jasmine Giles – first place, Informational, ‘‘Black History;” Dayon Arrington, Yasirrah Gomez – first place, Persuasive, ‘‘Social Issues;” Simbarashe Marufu – second place, Informational, ‘‘Save the Environment.”

Animation: Claudia Alfaro, Sarah Chang, Emily Dematatis, Molly Hubscher, Ti Ti Huynh, Shoaib Khan, Erika Long, Jyna Maeng, Kebba Marenah, Hector Neira, Ruby Park, Sophia Park, Rajna Swaminathan, Samantha Myers – first place, Stop Motion Persuasive, ‘‘Don’t Trash Your Plastics – A Public Service Announcement;” Heather Applewhite, Mario Araya, Rachel Fricke, Andrew Heskett, George Kamau, Joel Uchidi, Albert Valencia, Samantha Myers – first place, Stop Motion Persuasive, ‘‘Don’t Trash Your Papers – A Public Service Announcement;” Femi Fadeyi, Temi Fadeyi, Rachel Heiss, Alfred Huynh, Sherlena Lucus, Casey McGrath, Asia Norris, Ben Rirksopa, Reginald Steele, Ganish Subha-Rau, Joseph Tumaku, Dawei Wang, Gerrell Williams, Christopher Yeh – first place, Stop Motion Entertaining, ‘‘Paint Branch High School Summer Institute 2006;” Simbarashe Marufu – second place, Computer Generated Entertaining, ‘‘Revolutions.”

Digital Art and Design: Duyen Nguyen — first place, Digital Photography, ‘‘Flower;” Christine Tang, Hirdesh Matta, Cherise Lesesne, Jahphia Griffin — third place, Web Page Design, ‘‘Mainstream.”

Live Action: Michael Twigg — first place, Entertaining, ‘‘Intelligent Scriptwriting;” Michael Ellis — second place, Informational, ‘‘Winter Concert;” Becca Hale — second place, Procedural, ‘‘How to be a Successful Student.”

Photography: Becky Larrabee – first place, Photo Essay Monochrome, ‘‘Foresight;” Becky Larrabee – first place, Portraiture Monochrome, ‘‘Erin;” Danny Lethbridge – second place, Experimental Monochrome, ‘‘Cherub;” Ashleigh Carter – second place, Real Life Monochrome, ‘‘Lolita;” Michael Brown – third place, Studio⁄Location Monochrome, ‘‘Becky.”

Thornton Friends School takes Peace Parade on 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 multi-faceted 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.

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, winners will take the 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.

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.

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.

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.

‘Big Phat’ concert at Blake

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, an 18-piece jazz ensemble, will perform 8 p.m. June 1 at James Hubert Blake High School, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring. The Eubie Blake Jazz Ensemble will perform as well. Tickets are $40. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit http:⁄⁄montgomeryschoolsmd.org⁄schools⁄blakehs⁄ or contact Director of Bands Brian Damron at 301-879-1339 or Brian_A_Damron@mcpsmd.org.

Billboard hits top Northwood’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.

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 under 12 years of age are free.

Strathmore ES conducts 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 visit www.diabetes.org⁄schoolwalk.

Kennedy holds community yard sale

A yard sale sponsored by the John F. Kennedy High School PTSA will be held 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the high school, 1901 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. Space is $20 and tables are not provided. To participate or for more information, call Caryn Turner at 240-242-3701 or e-mail caryn_turner@yahoo.com.

Kennedy HS to hold basketball camps

The John F. Kennedy High School sports program will hold its Jr. Cavs Summer Basketball Camps for boys and girls ages 8-12 (grades 3-7) June 18-22, June 25-29 and July 9–13 at the school, 1901 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. The fees are $150 per session and after-camp care is $25 per session. Deadline to register is May 26. Call Ken Cudd at 301-962-5936.

Carnival at 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 Consortium to hold meetings for 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. Meetings will be held:

7 p.m. today, A. Mario Loiederman Middle School, 12701 Goodhill Road, Silver Spring

Spring performances at area middle schools

Benjamin Banneker: ‘‘Rock ‘n Soul Revue 6,” Friday, Saturday at the school, 14800 Perrywood Drive, Burtonsville. Call 301-989-5747 for cost and times.

Francis Scott Key: Talent show June 1 at the school, 910 Schindler Drive, Silver Spring. Call 301-431-7630 for cost and times.

Mario Loiederman: ‘‘Annie Jr.” May 18 through 20 at the school, 12701 Goodhill Road, Silver Spring. Call 301-929-2282 for cost and times.

Sligo: ‘‘Don’t Drink the Water” May 18 and 19 at the school, 1401 Dennis Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-649-6181 for cost and times.

Arts organization honors area youth

YoungARTS, a program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, has chosen 141 high school seniors as this year’s national finalists for the prestigious arts awards initiative, which gives out more than $500,000 annually for emerging talent. The students were evaluated in a dramatic series of final auditions and showcase performances during youngARTS Week in Miami, Jan. 8 through 14.

Students not named finalists were recognized with either a $250 Honorable Mention Award, given to those in the top 5 percent of the youngARTS registrant pool, or with a $100 Merit Award, given to those in the top 10 percent of the registrant pool.

Area finalists and merit winners include Lillian DiPiazza of Silver Spring, finalist in dance, ballet, Washington Christian Academy; Ka Lai Lou of Silver Spring, merit winner in visual arts, Albert Einstein High School; Tony Martinez of Silver Spring, merit winner in visual arts, Albert Einstein High 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.