Beltsville school excels academically

Among the results: kindergartners showed a reading ability of fourth-graders and scored in the 99th percentile in reading comprehension and 97th percentile in spelling. First-graders showed an eighth-grade reading level in those areas, according to the statement.

‘‘With a solid curriculum, small class sizes and a dedicated team of parents and teachers working together, we know we have a quality educational opportunity to offer at Augsburg,” said head of schools Art Hebbeler, who is also pastor of the adjacent Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, which runs the school.

‘‘We should not have been surprised, but these results are simply amazing,” he added.

Established two years ago, the school is adding classes for second through sixth grade for next school year and will open its middle school in August 2008. Officials also are planning for opening a high school a few years later.

‘‘Parents looking for a quality education can find it here,” said Helen McAdory, admissions coordinator.

Student studying designin summer program

College Park resident Chelsae Blackman, a rising senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, is studying design for six weeks this summer at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Blackman also recently received a certificate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizing her artwork in its informational activity booklet.

She also has been accepted into Roosevelt’s Japanese Honor Society, has spent two summers in Japan and was nominated as a distinguished scholar in the fine arts.

University systemmakes transfers easier

The University System of Maryland has launched Maryland TransPort, a way to ease the transfer process for community college students to the University of Maryland College Park and other four-year state universities and colleges.

At the Maryland TransPort Web site, mdtransfer.usmd.edu, students can enter their course information online to determine which institutions and programs will accept their credits toward general education or specific program requirements, said John Buettner, a spokesman for the University System of Maryland, based in Adelphi.

More college freshmen enter community colleges as a first step toward earning their degrees. The number of community college students transferring to state universities has risen 20 percent since 2000 and now comprises 30 percent new undergraduate students at the universities, according to a system statement.

The system’s universities have worked with the state’s community colleges to simplify the transfer effort, Teri Hollander, the system’s associate vice chancellor of academic affairs, said in the statement.

Lawmakers earn high marks for environmental records

Three of four of the District 21 lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly earned a perfect score for their votes on environmental issues, according to the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.

Democrats Sen. Jim Rosapepe and Del. Ben Barnes, both of College Park, and Del. Barbara Frush of Beltsville all earned the distinction.

Democrat Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk of College Park earned a score of 88 percent, according to a statement from the league.

High Point graduatesearn scholarships

Twenty-one recent High Point High School graduates were among 51 recipients of scholarships from the Riderwood retirement community in Silver Spring:

Ernesto E. Batenga, Emelia Cole, Dana J. Coleman, Sean R. Eley, Pamela A. Enang, Christine P. Faria, Johanna Gonzalez, Jawara Hayden, Sean Isaac-Elder, Mary E. Kabia, Samantha L. Keane, Glynis W. Kobe, Symphorienne Kossangba, Karina G. Leiva, Jonathan M. Morales, Otto A. Munoz, Jovan Odom, Shameica T. Scarlett, Tareica S. Scarlett, Dekunle Somade and Yordanos L. Tesfay.

The Riderwood Scholars Fund supports student staff members as they continue their post-secondary education with awards of up to $4,000 for college, trade or vocational certificate programs. Eligible candidates are student employees who are graduating in 2007, performed their jobs in an outstanding manner and plan to attend school in this fall.

High Point had the largest number of recipients, according to a statement from Riderwood. Laurel, Parkdale and Eleanor Roosevelt were the other county schools to have recipients, as well as seven schools from Montgomery County.

Students inductedinto honor society

Seven students from Beltsville Adventist School recently were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society: Bryan Baldwin, Aaron Jordan, Kaylin Spicknall, Katie Yutuc, Naomi Pilkla and Kaitlyn Calhoun.

The children were chosen for their academic achievements and participation in school activities and community service projects in their communities.

School, community unites for international day

Calverton Elementary School and the Calverton Citizens Association held its first international day celebration last month as a way to recognize the diversity of its community.

Several students and community members helped with talent programs and other parts of the event:

Efrain Anaya from El Salvador played background music during dinner. Nancy Tai from China and Diane Lee provided calligraphy and bookmarks with the names of attendees written in Chinese.

Students from the Mei Hwa Chinese School danced Chinese folk dances. Calverton students danced to dances from African, Spanish and American cultures. Shilipi Den from Bangladesh played a violin solo. Roy Lacson and his family from the Philippines sang in English and Filipino as part of the Free Voices Chorale. Liz and Don Lacson, Roy Lacson’s children, played violin duets.

Myrben Benerayan, also a Filipino, sang solo and model clothes from her country.

Student performsin musical

Meghan Morris, daughter of Kathleen and Kevin Morris of Beltsville, recently sang and danced in Honk!, a musical retelling of the ugly duckling story, at Salisbury University.

Morris is a sophomore elementary education major, member of the university chorale, the fishing club, the Catholic campus ministry and Relay for Life. She graduated from High Point High School in 2005.