Valley View meets visitor from Guatemalan Embassy

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006

Miriam Bolaños, Tourism Attaché for the Guatemalan Embassy, came to Valley View Elementary on Nov. 20 to talk to students in the school’s Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program about the people and places of the Central American country.

Fifth-grader Khala Corley enjoyed hearing that Guatemala has many volcanoes. ‘‘I liked that I learned a lot about volcanoes in Guatemala,” she said, ‘‘and I finally learned that Guatemala is a country. I didn’t know what it was.”

‘‘Children were fascinated with the different populations of people they have in Guatemala,” said Ebony House, Valley View’s foreign language specialist.

Valley View’s TAG students are studying Spanish-speaking countries as part of a new year-long foreign language program that includes art, food, field trips, and other embassy visits. A representative from the Guatemalan Embassy is the first to come to the school this year. The Costa Rican Embassy will send a visitor in January. In December, the students will see a performance of Spanish flamenco dancers.

Corley said that so far she has learned how to pronounce her name and greet people in Spanish.

Indian Queen Elementaryrecognizes high achievers

Indian Queen Elementary School congratulates the students who made its principal’s honor roll in the first academic quarter, a list of students who received all A’s on their first report card. They are fifth-graders Jeremy Caison, Arianne Cuevas, David Egbufoama, and Adrian Han and sixth-graders Noah Anderson, Raxce Eclar, Arnechia Harper, Keyona Islar, Miguel Obaudo, Armani Stewart, and Dawnly Weston.

Each student will receive a certificate, a ribbon, and a $10 McDonald’s gift certificate in recognition of their achievement.

Brandywine Elementary School congratulates its math winners Ellis Freeman, Alexys Long, Malik Lavarn, Tony Rich and Tray Ogg were the top five players in ‘‘The 24 Game”, an on-line math contest. ‘‘The game definitely helps our students improve math strategies and skills. They get very excited when they see their sticker scores increase,” said Assistant Principal Michelle Pegram.

Henry Ferguson Elementary School releases honor roll

Henry Ferguson Elementary School congratulates Kokwi Aryeetey-Tamaklo, Rachel Eddings, Meghan Kiehl, Jasmine Namata and Grant Rice for making the principal’s honor roll in the first academic quarter. The award is given to students who receive straight A’s on their report card.

The school also congratulates the 73 students who made honor roll. They are Asia Johnson, KyVauaghn Jones, Kelsey Nail, Dajaih Bias-Johnson, Dillon Breedig, Tylor Clayborn, Benjamin Costley, Stephen Goodly, Jennifer Rodriguez, Cana Curtis, Abigail Duff, Jalen Green, Kent Greene, William Hunter, Gunnar Keenan, Travis Moseley, Collin Murray, Ava Perry, Amber Pirson, Dennis Whitley, Jason Amoah, Isaiah Burroughs, Jordan Campbell, Pamela Carr, Kayla Catlett, Robert Jackson, Vaurice Jackson, Isaiah King, Jordyn St. Holder, Catherine Taylor-Wilks, Alana Thornton, Lenai Wilkerson, Renee Banks, Azaria Kelly, Diara McDougal, Kinson Smith, Maurice Brown, Raven James, Chanel Taylor, Kreig Wiggins, Brandon Nock, Jaire Roberson, Karri Albanese, Aaliyah Burns, TaKayla Ellis, Logan Glascoe, Triere Green, JaNea’ Hailey, Ashleigh Leonard, Xavier McCoy, Tyler Moseley, Oluwagbotemi Olafunmiloye, Oluwatamilor Olafunmiloye, Dre’Von Reid, Elania Tait, Bria Townsend, Ishmael Turay, Nicholas Young, Kayla Roberson, Corrice Davis, Rashad Atkins, Amani Barard, Jeremiah Curtis, Kailyn Ebb, Bryanna Ellis, Allen Flythe, Jason Johnson, Areil Roland, Ashley Watkins, Roger Botock, Sajevonne Crudup, Joel Hilario, and Armani Whitfield.

Upper Marlboro residentcompletes basic training

Shartae J. Rush of Upper Marlboro, an Air Force airman, has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. During basic training Air Force trainees study the Air Force mission, organization, and military courtesies and customs, perform drill and ceremony marches, and participate in physical training exercises, rifle marksmanship, field training and human relations. Airmen who complete basic training also earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Rush is the daughter of Cecilia Rush of Upper Marlboro and a 2004 graduate of Frederick Douglass High School.

Gateway Lions Club announces contest winners

Nicholas Acors, Leicy Shrouder and LaDaisha Kerr are all winners of a savings bond and certificate from the Gateway Lions Club International for their Lions International Peace Poster Contest for Arrowhead Elementary School in Upper Marlboro.

Acors was the first-place winner, Shrouder was the second-place winner and Kerr was the third-place winner. The entire sixth-grade class at Arrowhead Elementary School participated in the contest, for a total of 84 pupils.

The theme of the contest was Celebrate Peace. The winning poster selected will be sent to the next level of the competition, with the winner of the Peace Poster Contest to be named as the International Grand Prize winner. The winner chosen will be given a trip to New York for the Awards Ceremony at Lions Days with the United Nations scheduled for the spring of 2007, and receive an engraved plaque and a cash award of $2,500.

Clinton resident completes basic training

Charalene I. Watson, of Clinton, an Air Force airman, has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.

During basic training, Air Force trainees study the Air Force mission, organization and military courtesies and customs, perform drill and ceremony marches and participate in physical training exercises, rifle marksmanship, field training and human relations. Airmen who complete basic training also earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Watson is the daughter of Patricia Watson and the granddaughter of Mae Ruth Proctor of Temple Hill Road in Clinton.

Clinton Air Force Captain deployed overseas

Vincent E. King Jr., an Air Force Captain from Clinton, has been deployed overseas to support Operation Enduring Freedom. Deployed troops from all branches of the military serve in South, Central and Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, islands in the Pacific and Europe.

King is a public affairs chief who had been serving n the 95th Air Base Wing at Edwards Air Force Base in Rosamond, Calif. King is the son of Vincent King Sr. of Landover and the grandson of Delores C. King of Clinton. King is a 1996 graduate of Central Senior High School and a 2001 graduate of Howard University.

Surrattsville High students are finalists for scholarship

Kenisha Boone, Sacsheen Scott, Brittany Jones and John Scott are among four finalists chosen for the Posse Foundation Scholarship. The four students were nominated by the principal and guidance counselors.

Applicants who qualify as Posse Foundation Scholarship finalists must display leadership skills, the ability to work in a team with people from diverse backgrounds, and a desire for success. Students must participate in situations that highlight public speaking, listening, negotiation and communication skills. Winners are awarded four-year leadership scholarships by the universities who partner with the Posse Foundation. Each Posse partner university recruits students from one to two of the Posse Foundation’s five sites and offers scholarships worth up to $100,000.