Berwyn Heights Elementary hosts ‘Hello Huskies' BBQ

"This is our annual Hello Husky event that we hold the first Tuesday of school," said Principal Karen Singer. "It's on Tuesday because that's our monthly PTA night. We have fabulous activities offered for the school community which kicks off with the Hello Husky night and ends with our Berwyn Heights pool party. It's a great way to really kick off the school year."

Singer estimates that about 500 people usually come out to the event.

"It gives us a chance to get to know our families and other members of the community like the police and fire department and the Town Council," Singer said.

The PTA is asking for attendees to bring store-bought food items for the barbeque. There will also be a raffle.

For more information, call the school at 240-684-6210.

Win free tickets to a show at the Smith Center

Due to a community partnership between the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the city of Greenbelt's Department of Recreation, a drawing is being held at the Greenbelt Community Center for two free tickets to performances at the Smith Center.

Tickets will be awarded for puppeteer and satirist Paul Zaloom's "From the Jolly and Insane Mind of Zaloom" at 8 p.m. on Oct. 8 and for a jazz performance by Gretchen Parlato and Esperanza Spalding at 8 p.m. on Oct. 10.

The drawing is now being conducted at the Greenbelt Community Center, located at 15 Crescent Road. The winner will be announced at the Greenbelt Artful Afternoon event at 3 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the center.

For more information about the performances, visit www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu or call the Greenbelt Community Center at 301-397-2208.

Lake Artemesia

gets a new bird trail

Lake Artemesia in Berwyn Heights now has a new bird trail in memoriam to Prince George's County resident Luther Goldman, which bears his name. Goldman was a wildlife biologist, refuge manager, avid birder and the first official photographer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The trail was dedicated to him earlier this summer.

The trail circles Lake Artemesia and is part of the 2.2 mile trail loop around the lake. Bird walks around the lake are conducted regularly. For more information, call 301-927-2163.

Greenbelt initiates new Web site Action Center

The city of Greenbelt has launched a new feature on its Greenbelt CityLink Web site (www.greenbeltmd.gov). The feature has been designed to enhance the city's ability to communicate and respond to residents. The new feature, the Greenbelt Action Center, will allow city residents to search Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), submit their own questions and request services from city departments.

The city's Public Works department is the first to have its FAQs posted on the site, but additional departments will be added in the near future.

For additional questions or comments, contact Dale Worley at 240-542-2021.

University Park theatre company gains recognition

Active Cultures, a theater company based out of University Park, won the STAGE International Script Competition for the best play about science and technology.

"Photograph 51," a play written and developed at Active Cultures, won the award on Aug. 5 from a pool of over 150 other submissions.

Active Cultures is currently in its first year of operation and "Photograph 51" was the third production ever put on by the local theater group.

"Photograph 51 gave the local scientific community theatre something to be proud of," said Mary Resing, the play's artistic director. "We are thrilled and quite a bit surprised that Photograph 51 has received this level of international recognition."

For more information on Active Cultures, visit its Web site at www.activecultures.org.

UMD Alum wins Beltsville Garden Club scholarship

University of Maryland, College Park Alumni Lindsay Halterman won the 2007-2008 Beltsville Garden Club Scholarship in May.

The award is given out by UMD's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Scholarship Committee to a student from Prince George's County with a sincere interest in horticulture.

Halterman graduated from the UM in May with a degree in Landscape Management. Halterman, originally from Huntingtown, graduated from Calvert High School in 2003.

Halterman was also a member of UM's PLANET (Professional Landcare Network) team chapter during her time at the University.

During her senior year, Lindsay traveled with the team to North Metro Tech in Atlanta to compete in the PLANET national competition. Members of the Maryland team competed in 25 different events including business management, and woody identification to landscape design and estimating.

A total of 64 teams from schools across the country were on hand in Atlanta.

Halterman placed first in the sales competition while the Maryland team placed 17 in the team competition.