Blair students perform well in business competition

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Three Montgomery Blair High School students placed first and second and earned one of three runners-up placements in the Regionwide Business Plan Competition held May 19 by the greater Washington, D.C. office of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship.

The three students each received seed capital investment totaling $4,800 to start and grow their businesses after participating in this year’s competition, sponsored and hosted by AOL LLC.

NFTE, a nonprofit organization that teaches entrepreneurship and business skills to low-income high school students, holds this competition at the end of each school semester as the culmination of its 80-hour ‘‘Mini-MBA” entrepreneurship curriculum.

Throughout the year, NFTE provides school-based and after-school programs to teach youth how to start and operate their own businesses. After each program holds an ‘‘In-class Business Plan Competition,” those winning students go on to compete in the Regionwide Business Plan Competition, where top finalists vie for $150 to $1,500 in seed capital investment.

Placing first in this year’s competition and winning $3,000 was Aaron Sacks, 15, a sophomore at Montgomery Blair High School and the owner of You’re On Deck, a start-up business providing customized and quality playing cards featuring the names and⁄or logos of businesses on the back of each card.

The other winners include: Thomas Dent, owner of Fine Foto, Montgomery Blair High School (second place, $1,500), and Ryan Andrews, owner of Tank Solutions, Montgomery Blair High School (runner-up, $300)

The competition’s finalists had 10 minutes to present their business plans to the judges, including AOL vice president Ted Leonsis, who scored them on such criteria as professionalism⁄passion, competitive edge, business financials, goals⁄vision and marketing.

Graduation schedules

Several eastern Montgomery County high schools will be hold graduation ceremonies in the next few weeks.

*Bethesda-Chevy Chase: 7 p.m. today, DAR Constitution Hall, 18th and C streets NW,Washington, D.C.

*John F. Kennedy: 10 a.m. Thursday, DAR Constitution Hall.

*Paint Branch: 2:30 p.m. Thursday, DAR Constitution Hall.

*Montgomery Blair: 9:30 a.m. Monday, Prince George’s County Equestrian Center, Routes 4 and 301, Upper Marlboro.

*James Hubert Blake: 10 a.m. Monday, DAR Constitution Hall.

*Springbrook: 2:30 p.m. Monday, DAR Constitution Hall

*Wheaton: 10 a.m. Tuesday, DAR Constitution Hall.

*Einstein: 10 a.m. June 8, DAR Constitution Hall.

Georgetown Visitation students perform well on Spanish exam

Seventeen Georgetown Visitation students scored in the 99th percentile on the National Spanish Exam, according to a news release from the school.

Junior Karen Campion, a Silver Spring resident, scored first in the nation in her category. Other Maryland metro residents scoring in the top 1 percent nationally include senior Jessica Traylor, also from Silver Spring.

Items appropriate for School News may be mailed to The Gazette, 8650 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. They may be sent by fax to 301-562-3262 or by e-mail to jbrocker@gazette.net. Deadline is Wednesday for the following week’s paper.

Rock View ES honored for improvement

Rock View Elementary School in Kensington is one of 25 schools in the nation selected as a finalist in the Seventh Annual National School Change Awards program, sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators, Pearson Education, and the Fordham University Graduate School of Education.

The award was created in 1999 to recognize formerly underperforming schools that have become exemplary. In the seven years of the award, 474 schools have been nominated from 42 states.

Rock View’s school improvement efforts and status as an award finalist will be recognized at the national awards ceremony July 10 at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center Campus in New York City.

Sierra Leone ambassador scheduled to visit Kennedy HS

Ibramhim A. Kamra, the ambassador of Sierra Leone, accompanied by First Secretary Shaku Mesali was scheduled to address a group of John F. Kennedy High School world history May 24, according to a news release from the school.

Woodlin to hold 60th anniversary

Woodlin Elementary School’s 60th anniversary picnic will be held 3-7 p.m. Saturday at 2101 Luzerne Ave., Silver Spring. Call 301-589-7527.

Blake newspaper named best by national organization

The Blake Beat, the student newspaper of James Hubert Blake High School, was named the top high school newspaper in America by the Association of Educational Publishers, according to a news release from the school.

The Blake Beat had finished among the top five high school newspapers in the nation as East Regional Winner the past two years. This year’s tops-in-the-nation award was based on the judges’ evaluation of the December issue.

Beat staff will be recognized along with other national winners at the AEP’s annual luncheon at the J. W. Marriott in downtown DC on June 8.

Top editors and outgoing seniors on this year’s staff include Editors-in-Chief Corrina Jacobs and Grace Livingstone; Associate Editors Kameko Jacobs, Caitlin Keeley, Jaclyn King, Adam Purucker, Stephanie Richard, and Nicole Sloane; Director of Photography Matt Boyle; and Graphics Managing Editor Emily Toy.

White Oak Middle School brings funds for Uganda

Students at White Oak Middle School are turning out their pockets to help a worthy cause – bringing relief to the war orphans of Uganda. White Oak SGA President Aurelia Akpan said the weeklong fundraiser started May 23, and was inspired by the documentary film ‘‘The Invisible Children of Uganda.” The funds will go towards providing the children with food, clothing and an education, Akpan said.

Blake’s choral department recognizes performers

The James Hubert Blake High School Choral Department concluded their successful year with a May 10 concert, featuring the Chamber Singers and 175 members of the Bengal Chorus, Festival Chorus, Show Choir, Women’s Chorale and Jazz-Show Choir.

The Star Recipient Awards were presented to seniors completing four years of Chorus: Imani Brown, Alicia Brown, Clayton Campbell, Elizabeth Clapp, Allison Cox, Chantae Crossman, Ariana Frangou, Jessie Garretson, Tabatha Harkins, Gil Hasty, Chelsea Hayes, Alexandra Howell, Gabrielle Hurley, Michelle Kim, Rebecca Lynch, Alyssa Manzanero, Brittany Matthews, Patrick McCabe, Kathryn McGinn, Kegan Mosier, Maria Myatt, Nicole Richardson, Rachel Shepherd and Sheila Smith.

The Trophy Awards were given to the following students: Victoria Corona, Outstanding Tri-M member; Taivon Giles, Bengal Choir Class Award; Anna Baker, Festival Choir Class Award; Ashley Treutelaar, Chorale Class Award; Gabby DeLuca, Show Class Award; Jarrett Thompson, Jazz-Show Choir Class Award; Krista Flickinger, Chamber Singers Class Award; Lisa Staples, Outstanding Freshman Female; Graham Flessas, Outstanding Freshman Male; Vera Klimchenko, Most Improved; Sophia Ju, Pianist Award; Shayla Roberts, Pianist Award; Clayton Campbell, Outstanding Recording Technician; Chantae Crossman; Outstanding Female Dancer; Patrick McCabe, Outstanding Male Dancer; Kristina Broadie, Outstanding Classical Vocalist; Michelle Kim, Outstanding Classical Vocalist; Elizabeth Clapp, Outstanding Popular Female Vocalist; and Kegan Mosier, Outstanding Popular Male Vocalist.

Takoma Park MS finishes seventh in national Mathcounts competition

Takoma Park Middle School’s Mathcounts team finished seventh in the national competition May 12 in Arlington. Captain Anand Oza, Angela Choi, Mario Choi and Dzi Do were the team members.

Blake business entrepreneur students place first at competition

James Hubert Blake High School business students participated in the MCPS-Montgomery College Entrepreneurship Competition, and one team earned a first place in one of the categories.

Student teams researched and created new start-up business plans, executive summaries and presented their proposals to a panel of Montgomery County business leaders serving as judges.

Blake Entrepreneurial students Sam Blackwood, Jennifer Lee, Maria De-graft Johnson and Corwin Glixon placed first in the Finance category of the competition for their Bengal Landscaping business. Other Blake teams participating in the competition included: Anjie Martin, Robby Gilroy and Deshanea Williams in the category of Business Operations (The Bengal Café); Sean Gieser, Carlos Fuentes and Mallory Mamakos in the category of Marketing (Bengal Calculator Service); and Oliva Lawson, Lindsay Travis and Wayne Jordon in the category of Marketing (Blake Custom IPOD). Students Sean Gieser and Carlos Fuentes also won Dell PDAs at the event.

Blake student earns scholarship

Alexander Sacco of Silver Spring, a senior at James Hubert Blake High School, has received an academic excellence award and a Talent in the Arts award from Frostburg University. Sacco is in the school orchestra, symphonic band, marching band and woodwind quintet, and plans to major in music at Frostburg.

German ambassador speaks to Springbrook students

German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth spoke to students at Springbrook High School May 9 as a part of the European Union Commission’s Europe Day.

On this date commemorating the founding of the European Union in 1950, EU ambassadors speak to classes at Washington area schools, according to a news release from Springbrook.

Springbrook offers classes in German 1 and 2, and has also received educational grants through German cultural organizations in this country.

After the presentation of the colors by the NJROTC color guard and the playing of both countries’ national anthems, Scharioth spoke to a group of about 60 Springbrook students and staff, and then answered questions about the future and the ideals of the EU. He urged the students to learn other languages in order to understand other cultures, pointing out that about one-third of the people in European Union countries speak German in addition to their native languages.

Bill Caldwell of the German Orphans Home, a philanthropic group, also presented the school with scholarships for two students to attend the Waldsee German Language Village summer immersion program, in conjunction with Concordia College, in Moorhead, Minn.

Springbrook student earns dance medal

Cedric Jacobsen, a Springbrook High School junior, was awarded a gold medal in dance at the NAACP ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Sciences Olympics) competition in March, according to a news release from the school.

Competitions are held by regional NAACP branches, and the gold medal winners advance to the national competition to be held in Washington, D.C., in July 2006. Jacobsen will compete at the nationals in interpretive⁄ethnic dance.

IB student earns distinction

Miriam Kirubel, a junior in Springbrook High School’s International Baccalaureate program, was a recognized scholar at the National Society of High School Scholars Day, held May 13 at the Dirksen Senate Building. The NSHSS is an organization headed by Claus Nobel, of the Nobel Prize family, to recognize achievement and promise in high school students.

Student finalist in essay contest

Springbrook student Steffi Cheng was a finalist in the first annual NBC4 Asian Pacific American Heritage Essay Contest. Cheng was among those honored at a reception at the NBC4 Studio on May 23, 2006. She is a junior in Springbrook’s International Baccalaureate program.

Student selected for seminar

Terica Adams, a sophomore at Springbrook High School, has been awarded a full scholarship to the 2006 Telluride Association Sophomore Seminar at Indiana University. The six-week educational program is centered around a college-level seminar for gifted and highly motivated high school 10th-graders. Fifty participants were chosen in a competitive process run by the not-for-profit Telluride Association to identify students of ‘‘exceptional promise,” according to a news release from Springbrook.

Proms, after-prom parties

Several eastern Montgomery County schools are holding proms and after-prom parties. Contact the schools to contribute to after-prom fund-raising.

*Montgomery Blair: Prom, June 3; After-prom, 1 a.m. June 4 at the school.

Board seeks nominations for distinguished service awards

The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking nominations from the public for its annual awards for distinguished service to public education. The awards are sponsored by the board to recognize and show appreciation to individuals, groups, and organizations that have made exemplary contributions over time to public education in Montgomery County.

Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:

*community individual

*community group

*business

*Montgomery County Public Schools staff

*individual pioneer

*school service volunteer

Up to three awards will be given in each of the categories.

‘‘Pioneer Award” nominees are individuals who, although they may not be active currently, have made extraordinary contributions in the past. The nominee’s contributions must have had a profound effect on the school system over a sustained period.

Nominations in other categories must be of individuals, groups, or organizations that have, within the past three years, provided service, support, and commitment to public education as demonstrated by:

*an outstanding contribution of time and expertise to school system programs

*development and⁄or implementation of an exemplary program or project, or

*a contribution that results in systemwide benefit.

Any person or group may submit nominations.

Nomination forms may be obtained from local schools or the Board of Education Office (Room 123). Additional forms are available on the Board of Education Web site at http:⁄⁄www.mcps.k12.md.us⁄boe⁄community⁄awards⁄.

To receive a nomination form by mail, call 301-279-3301. Deadline is 5 p.m. July 7.

Mail forms to Montgomery County Board of Education, Carver Educational Services Center, Room 123, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. The fax line is 301-279-3860. E-mail Becky_Gibson@mcpsmd.org or for more information, call 301-279-3301.

Summer trades program

Montgomery County Public Schools 2006 graduates are invited to apply for a summer program that involves getting a stipend, earning college credits for free, and preparing for a future career in the construction and building trades industry.

The National Labor College (NLC) Scholars Program is a collaboration among NLC, MCPS, Montgomery College, and the Building and Construction Trade Unions, supported by a grant from the Kellogg Foundation, according to a news release from MCPS.

The two-week program, to be held June 19-30, 2006, provides opportunities for a diverse group of highly motivated and high-achieving MCPS high school graduates to continue their educations at local colleges. At the same time, they can prepare for quality careers in one of the 17 building and construction trades. Any graduating MCPS senior is eligible.

Participants who successfully complete ‘‘Summer Seminar: Career Options in the Trades” provided at NLC receive academic credit from Montgomery College; training to qualify for OSHA safety certification; a stipend to defray participant cost; direct instruction in the areas of applied reading, writing and analytical skills needed for the range of career pathways offered; information about opportunities offered by joint apprenticeship and union-sponsored training programs; and an understanding of the linkages between these pathways and the various options in moving toward two- and⁄or four-year college degrees.

For more information and an application packet, contact Lisa Blevins, NLC Scholarship Coordinator, National Labor College Scholars Program, National Labor College, George Meany Campus, 10000 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20903, 301-431-5402.

Find the school that serves your neighborhood

A Web site offered by Montgomery County Public Schools is available to help people determine what schools serve a neighborhood or address.

The school system’s Web site www.mcps.k12.md.us features the school assignment locator. Once at the Web site, click on the school assignment locator, then type in the street address and ZIP code. A map will show the address, nearby schools and boundary lines.

Call 301-279-3331 weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for information.