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Northwestern High School's marching band is closer to purchasing much-needed new band uniforms after the delivery of a $20,000 check from Post Properties.
Parent Teacher Student Association President Rachiel Durant said the school needs about $30,000 more in order to purchase the uniforms, a goal she hopes the PTSA can reach by the end of the school year.
Durant said the students need the upgrade because of the current state of the uniforms.
"They're constantly sewing them up," she said. "We actually have parents who are familiar with the sewing machine and they sew them up, patch them up with pieces, just so all of [the students] can have uniforms."
The band has traveled throughout the state and the country in order to compete and new uniforms are necessary because "they need to be presentable," Durant added.
Beacon Heights encourages families to read together
Riverdale's Beacon Heights Elementary School held its annual Family Reading Night on Nov. 5 as a way to encourage parents to read to their children.
About 110 parents and children attended the night, an increase from about 80 from last year, said parent liaison Karen Piner.
"It definitely encourages the children when their families are involved," Piner said. "We're trying to give them different activities and strategies to make reading fun for the whole family."
Teachers and the principal led seven different reading activities throughout the school, including reading jeopardy, making a book quilt and a silly sock puppet read-along. Parents and students were able to participate in each activity.
Toy drive
for Hyattsville children
The seventh annual Sonny Frazier Toy Drive has begun in the city of Hyattsville and will run until Dec. 9.
The drive benefits needy children living in Hyattsville. Residents can donate toys by placing them in boxes located at four locations: Safeway at 3511 Hamilton St.; CVS Pharmacy at the intersection of Belcrest Road and East West Highway; Hyattsville Elementary School at 5311 43rd Ave.; and the Hyattsville Municipal Center at 4310 Gallatin St.
Elementary schools within the city will select the children who will receive toys from this year's drive. The children will also be invited to a Christmas party, where they will meet Santa Claus.
Gateway plans
membership meeting
The Gateway Community Development Corp. is holding a membership meeting at 11 a.m. on Nov. 15.
The meeting will give a chance for residents to tour the new artist studios at the ezStorage building and to join the organization. Members will also vote for the 2009 board of directors.
The meeting will be held at the Gateway Artist Storefront Studios in the ezStorage building, located at 4301 Rhode Island Ave. in Brentwood.
Hyattsville preschool celebrates accreditation
On Nov. 2, Hyattsville's Greenwood School celebrated its recent accreditation that only 8 percent of preschools nationwide share.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children granted accreditation to the school based on its curriculum, health and safety standards. The Hyattsville school joined 113 other early childhood education programs in Maryland that have the accreditation.
The school, which accepts children as young as six weeks and holds until kindergarten age, held a party for parents and teachers to celebrate the accreditation.
The Greenwood School has been located on Belcrest Road in Hyattsville since 1987.
Hyattsville residents named to advisory commission
Two Hyattsville residents were nominated and confirmed to the county's Solid Waste Advisory Commission.
The commission evaluates and recommends programs, plans, and legislation that relate to solid waste management in the county.
Kawana Cohen-Hopkins is the special assistant to the office director in the Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science from Rutgers University and a master's degree in environmental science and policy from Johns Hopkins University.
Nicole A. Hinds is an engineer with the Department of Environmental Resources for Prince George's County. She holds a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park and a master's degree in civil engineering from the Catholic University of America. She also serves on the environmental committee as a Hyattsville City Councilwoman.
The two Hyattsville residents join other newly confirmed commission members. They include: Bruce Bates of Mitchellville; Douglas Edwards of Wilburn Estates; Henry Harris Sr. of Fort Washington; Howard Jackson of Mitchellville; Charles Renninger of Largo; Jack Sims of District Heights; Eva Throne of Washington, D.C.; Justin Thornton of Mitchellville; Lisa Williams-Payton of Upper Marlboro; and Tonia Wright of Upper Marlboro.
William Wirt Middle School mock election results in
Students at William Wirt Middle School in Riverdale participated in a mock presidential election on Oct. 21, and the results came in just a few days shy of the real election.
Students overwhelmingly chose President-elect Barack Obama over U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), 96 percent to 2 percent. Nationally, 60 percent of students voted for Obama and 36 percent voted for McCain.
William Wirt students were also polled on what which issue was most important to them. Topping the list is the economy, followed by education, health care, energy and the environment and homeland security.
Parkdale alum graduates Air Force training
Lorenzo Singh, a 2007 graduate of Parkdale High School in Riverdale, graduated basic training for the Air Force. He is the son of Riverdale resident Sharon Watson.
Singh completed the training at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Singh spent six weeks learning studying the Air Force mission and military customs, performing drill and ceremony marches and receiving physical training, rifle marksmanship and engaging in field training exercises.
Singh also earned credits toward earning an associate degree in applied science from the Community College of the Air Force.
