Profile: Janene Robinson
How would you describe yourself?
“Ambitious and intelligent.”
Key ties to your community, community involvement:
“Tutor at Newington Forest and Hayfield Elementary.”
One thing you like about your community that you don't think most people know about, or that newcomers should know:
“It’s quiet and peaceful.”
List a few of your favorite places in your community.
“The basketball court and the school playground.”
If you were king of your community, everyone would ...
“Keep their kids’ toys in their own yards.”
One thing you would change about your community:
“The limited amount of parking.”
What is your favorite TV show?
“‘Family Guy.’”
List your hobbies.
“Basketball, shopping and talking on the phone.”
Where was your last or favorite vacation?
“Disney World.”
Describe how you would most like to spend one day.
“Sleeping and playing basketball.”
If you could be anyone else, who would you be?
“Theresa Wetherspoon (basketball player).”
Mr. and Mrs. John S. Albanese of Springfield are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Suzann Marie, a May 2002 graduate of Oral Roberts University, to Nathaniel Ivan Stiefel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Stiefel, of Virginia Beach. Stiefel is also a graduate of Oral Roberts University in May 2001 and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Communications at Regent University in Virginia Beach. The wedding is planned on July 13 at Word of Life Assembly of God in Springfield. The couple will reside in Virginia Beach.
Forty-four Girl Scouts from West Springfield Elementary School (WSES) “bridged” to the next level of scouting in a school-wide ceremony at the end of May This was the largest group of girls to bridge in one ceremony in the school’s collective memory. Of these 44 girls, nineteen were 6th graders bridging to Cadette scouting for middle school-aged girls. More than 100 parents, siblings, and Girl Scouts, as well as WSES Principal Kathy Woodley, and school teachers were there to lend support to this important event in the life of these Girl Scouts.
During the event, girls walked across a wooden bridge, signifying their promotion to the next level of scouting. The girls shared a recipe for making a Girl Scout and conducted a special Scouts’ Own ceremony at the conclusion of the bridging event. This is the last formal event for Girl Scouts for the school year, although many girls continue to be active during the summer by attending resident and day camps, supporting long term service projects and pursuing individual badgework.
Troop leaders thanked Woodley and the teachers for their support and encouragement of the Girl Scout program at WSES. The school supports the scout program by allowing the five troops, which include almost half of the girls at WSES, to host meetings and events at the school.
Shannon Garcia, first grade student at Fairview Elementary School, received third place in WETA’s 2002 “Reading Rainbow” Young Writers and Illustrators contest for her story “Rainbow Story II.” Over 1,000 Washington Metropolitan area children from kindergarten to third grade participated in the contest.
The intellectual property (IP) law firm of Banner and Witcoff has announced that the firm is donating funds in support of an IP scholarship drive at George Mason University School of Law in VA. The gift of $5,000 is in addition to the time that several attorneys at the firm serve as faculty at the school. The Washington D.C. office of the firm has also donated computer equipment to local charitable organizations, including Just Say No and the Computer Distribution Center.
Dr. Linda Miller, history teacher at Fairfax High School, will be awarded the World History Association Teaching prize at the annual conference of the World History Association, held in Aug., in Seoul, South Korea. She has been recognized for this award because of her lesson on Japan in Korea, 1910-1945, which incorporated recent scholarship into a classroom lesson.
Three Fairfax County women won national honors at the National League of American Pen Women’s 41st Biennial Convention which was held in April in San Francisco. The awardees include: Barbara L. Nunes of Springfield, president of the Alexandria Branch of the National League of American Pen Women installed as treasurer of the national League; Laura J. Bobrow of Leesburg, organizer and storyteller Liason of LAUGHS, Loudoun County’s Annual Unforgettable Gigantic Story Fest, won 2nd place in the Anne Marx sestine Contest with her poem “Slave Ship”; Pauline Lorfano of Vienna won national honorable mention for her water color “Twilight Silver.”
The West Springfield District Station Crime Prevention Unit will be distributing informational handouts to parents as they drop their children off for school. These handouts provide specifics on the new Virginia child safety seat law, which goes into effect on July 1. The new law will require that all children under age 6 be secured in a child safety seat or a booster seat appropriate for their age and size. The West Springfield District Station offers free child safety seat checks and installations every Tuesday night by appointment. Call 703-644-7377 for an appointment.