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Automotive Tech students donate van to nonprofit

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006

Seneca Valley High School Automotive Technology students and Thomas Edison High School of Technology Automotive Body students of the Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation Inc. reconditioned and donated a seven-passenger van to Team River Runner.

The Montgomery County non-profit organization helps disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars to recuperate in health and healing by providing new challenges through whitewater kayaking on the Potomac River.

Team River Runner, founded by Walt Whitman High School teacher and veteran rafter Joe Mornini, created the volunteer activity to assist the disabled veterans regain some control of their lives. Team River Runner will use the van to transport disabled veterans from Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospitals for rafting activities.

‘‘Today I am in the presence of youth and I feel thankful and very inspired,” Sgt. 1st Class Diane Cochran, one of the disabled veterans on hand to accept the van during the Nov. 9 ceremony. ‘‘Students, please know that as you go through life, as you grow and mature, always remember that what you give to others will come back to you.”

Seneca Valley High School automotive students, their instructor John Mayer, Principal Suzanne Maxey, foundation president Harold Redden and others gathered for the donation ceremony⁄

The foundation is a nonprofit organization established cooperatively by the Montgomery County business and professional community and the Montgomery County Public Schools to provide a method of training high school students for skilled positions in the automotive field. For more information, call 301-929-2190 or visit www.autocareers.org.

Record number of students named AP Scholars

A total of 224 Montgomery County Public Schools students — surpassing last year’s all-time high — have been named National Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars by The College Board for the highest level of performance on AP exams last spring.

Students become National AP Scholars by scoring an average grade of 4 or higher (out of a possible 5) on eight or more AP tests. Twenty of the school system’s eligible high schools had National AP Scholars.

MCPS had 20 National AP Scholars in 2003, 121 in 2004 and 160 in 2005.

In addition, students set an MCPS record for the total number of AP test takers who met or exceeded the requirements for the four categories of AP awards recognized by The College Board. In order of increasing difficulty, the categories are: AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar with Distinction and National AP Scholar.

The number of graduating seniors named AP Scholars or higher has grown by almost 6 percent since 2002.

In total, 1,416 students were designated AP Scholars with Distinction for earning average scores of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more AP tests. The 760 designated AP Scholars with Honor earned average scores of at least 3.25 and scores of 3 or higher on four or more AP tests. The 1,492 AP Scholars earned scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.

Names and schools of the 224 National AP Scholars are on the MCPS Web site at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org⁄info⁄apscholars.

Walk for the Homelessraises big bucks

During the Clearspring Obstacle Walk for the Homeless on Oct. 27, students raised more than $2,600 to help the homeless.

Help is available for gifted and magnet programs

The county school system is offering an application workshop for parents and students planning to apply to one of the following programs — elementary Highly Gifted Centers; Takoma Park, Eastern or Roberto Clemente middle school magnets; or Montgomery Blair magnet, Richard Montgomery International Baccalaureate program or the Poolesville Whole School Magnet program.

The workshops will be held Thursday at Gaithersburg High School, 314 South Frederick Road, and Dec. 4 at Wheaton High School, 12601 Dalewood Drive.

Workshops will be held 7-9 p.m. in the schools’ auditoriums.

The workshop will provide assistance in completing the application forms. Specific questions about the application process will be answered. The workshops will be offered in English, Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese.

For more information, call Elizabeth Alcoba of the Division of Consortia and Application Programs at 301-649-8081.

See ‘Get Smart’ at Baker

The Baker Players of John T. Baker Middle School will perform ‘‘Get Smart” Dec. 9 and 10 at the school, 25400 Oak Drive in Damascus.

‘‘Get Smart” is the story of Maxine Smart, an inept, but fun-loving spy who hopes to save the world, a Scandinavian prince and the chief’s tropical fish all at one time.

The play will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 and 3 p.m. Dec. 10. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children and students and will be available at the door.

Items appropriate for this column may be sent to Susan Singer-Bart, Assistant Editor, The Damascus⁄Clarksburg Gazette, 1200 Quince Orchard Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878; faxed to 301-670-7183; or e-mailed to ssingerbart@gazette.net. Include a telephone number for clarification purposes. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday. All items are subject to space availability and editing.