Spiro: A real student leader

After completing his education at Montgomery College, Spiro plans to transfer to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, where he would major in political science and history. Spiro wants to teach history or government at a high school or community college.

His campus involvement includes the Debate Club, the First Year Experience Student Ambassadors and the Student Disciplinary Committee. He served on the Germantown Campus Student Senate in 2006 and 2007. He will lead the student organization as its president this fall.

Share your fair memories

Remember the first time you had funnel cake or the first blue-ribbon you won at the county fair? Remember your child’s reaction the first time he touched a sheep’s wool or rode the Tilt-A-Whirl? Tell us about it!

The Gazette wants to hear about all the fun times you had as a kid, and as an adult, at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which celebrates its 60th anniversary next month. So send your photographs and share your favorite fair story with us. Photos and stories will be considered for print and online.

E-mail us at memories@gazette.net or write to The Gaithersburg Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877.

Super summers

*Laytonsville resident Jen Hoffman, 19, daughter of George and Ellen Hoffman, is participating in a 10-week college internship program in the communications and marketing department of The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

A 2006 graduate of Covenant Life School, Hoffman is a junior at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pa., where she majors in English literature.

*Cameron Harrison of Laytonsville, a rising junior at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Rockville, attended the Carleton Liberal Arts Experience, a week-long academic program for 11th graders at Carleton College outside Minneapolis and St. Paul. Students in the program take courses in subjects such as biology, literature and technology.

 Campus Congratulations

Carissa Moore of Gaithersburg made the spring dean’s list at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa.

Cartooning for kids

JJ Express Magazine, a local children’s publication, is sponsoring ‘‘Art-spiration: A Cartooning Workshop for Local Youth” from 3 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 1 at Metropolitan Center for the Arts, located at 155 Gibbs St., Room 300 in Rockville.

The afternoon workshop for middle or high schoolers aged 12 to 15 will include brainstorming, drafting, and finalizing cartoons as well as a sneak peek into the publication process.

JJ Express Magazine was started more than a year ago by two Thomas S. Wootton High School students. The magazine, started with a $1,000, aims to inspire youth to participate in social change through art.

Students have worked with artists from around the world to publish two issues of their full color, quarterly magazine. Space is limited. To register, call JJ Express at 301-762-3534 or e-mail editor.jjexpress@gmail.com.

Spider stories

The Rainbow Company, an interactive children’s theater group from Burke, Va., will present ‘‘Anansi the Spider” at 2 p.m. on Thursday at the Quince Orchard Library, located at 15831 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg.

The spider is a wise and funny fixture in traditional Ashanti tales in Ghana, West Africa, as well as the focus of ‘‘Anansi the Spider,” a Caldecott Honor book by Gerald McDermott. Admission is free. For more information, call Angelique Simmons at 240-777-0200.

Thank you

Dr. Carolyn Coleman of Derwood, president of the Xi Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, organized a Gospel Fest at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church for the Jackson family in Poolesville.

The homeless family of 15 was chosen for ABC television’s ‘‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Money raised during the Gospel Fest will go towards long-term care, real estate taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance.

‘‘No matter what your socio-economic status, you could come, you could take part in the music,” Coleman said. ‘‘It also served as a reminder that none of us live in this community alone.”

Swinging through summer

Hot summer nights will turn cool when the Apothecary Band plays at 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 at the City Hall Concert Pavilion, located at 31 S. Summit Ave. in Gaithersburg. The Apothecary Band plays original music ranging from ‘‘driving rock-fusion” to jazz and classical, as well as jazz standards.

At 7 p.m. Aug.7, classic rock and country singer Patty Reese will give a ‘‘backyard concert” at Diamond Farms, located at 857 Quince Orchard Blvd. in Gaithersburg. The concert is sponsored in part by Bugaboo Creek Steak House. Reese’s style has been compared to Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Etheridge and Janis Joplin.

The concerts are free. For more information, visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov⁄onstage.

Kids’ concert

Parent’s Choice Gold Award winner Steve Roslonek of Connecticut brings his original ‘‘SteveSongs” to Gaithersburg for a three-hour ‘‘Summer Safari” concert. The concert runs 3 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 9 at the City Hall Concert Pavilion, at 31 S. Summit Ave.

Roslonek performs kid numbers such as ‘‘Kindness” and ‘‘the Pirate Song.” The day will also feature crafts, games and food. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov⁄onstage.

The ‘‘Summer Safari” festival will also have a mini-carnival by Fun Four Hours, a petting zoo by Squeals on Wheels, a musical performance by the Little Maestros of Kidville and food by Carvel and Potomac Pizza.

A new twist on a classic

The Sandy Spring Theatre Group will perform ‘‘My Emperor’s New Clothes,” a musical takeoff of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays from Aug. 8-24 at the Arts Barn, at 311 Kent Square Road in Gaithersburg.

The tale takes place in mythical Mango-Chutney, a kingdom of ‘‘daily parades, diabolical plotting and fun,” according to a city statement. Admission is $14 for nonresidents, $12 for residents. For tickets, call 301-258-6394 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov⁄artsbarn.

Submissions for People and Places must be received by 10 a.m. Thursday. Send submissions to Patricia M. Murret via e-mail at pmurret@gazette.net, fax at 301-670-7183 or mail to The Gaithersburg-Montgomery Village Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.