Kindergarten Orientation
Area elementary schools have scheduled their orientation days for Kindergarten. Children born in 1997 are eligible to begin school at the start of the 2002-2003 academic year.
Bells Mill: Wednesday, May 22. Call 301-469-1046.
Beverly Farms: Thursday and Friday, April 25-26. Call 301-469-1050.
Carderock Springs: Thursday, April 18. Call 301-469-1034.
Cold Spring: Monday, May 13. Call 301-279-8480.
Potomac Elementary: Thursday and Friday, April 18-19. Call 301-469-1042.
Seven Locks: Wednesday, April 17. Call 301-469-1038.
Wayside: Thursday and Friday, April 25-26. Call 301-279-8484.
Youth Commissioners Sought
Montgomery County is seeking applicants under the age of 21 to fill seven vacancies on its Commission on Children and Youth. Two incumbents are eligible and intend to apply for reappointment. The 27-member Commission advises the county on policies, programs and services which support children, youth and their families. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month in Rockville. Members are expected to serve on Commission committees and these meetings are held as needed. The deadline for applying is March 15. Send a letter of interest to County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville, MD 20850. Include a home and school address with telephone numbers.
Classroom Behavior Symposium
Ross W. Greene, PhD., will address members of the classroom community including teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, special educators and school psychologists and psychiatrists on Thursday, March 21, from 8:30 a.m.-4:40 p.m. "Explosive/Noncompliant Students: Meeting the Needs of All Members of the Classroom Community" will be held at the National 4-H Center, 7100 Connecticut Ave in Chevy Chase. The professional symposium, sponsored by Jewish Social Services Agency, is eligible for six state Social Work Category I CEU credits. Registration fee is $95 and includes lunch. Deadline to register is Thursday, March 14. Onsite registration will be $105. Call 301-816-2682 or visit www.jssa.org.
WWII Essay Contest
Students in grades 11 and 12 in Montgomery County may enter an essay contest for a chance to win a two-week trip to China, including airfare and accommodations in Nanjing, Beijing and Shanghai. Sponsored by the Truth Council for WWII in Asia based in Wheaton, the contest seeks to raise awareness of events during the war from a Chinese perspective. Five judges will pick a winner, including two persons nominated from Montgomery County Public Schools; two persons with living experiences under Japanese occupation; and a senior from the Walter Johnson High School team that organized an exhibit at the school, "Forgotten Holocaust," in Bethesda.
The question for students to answer: "To what extent did the Imperial Japanese use biological weapons such as anthrax and typhoid to mass murder Chinese civilians before and during World War II? How many people died? Why has there been little publicity, or even a mention in history books about this forgotten tragedy?"
Send essays to: Essay Contest Committee, Truth Council for WII in Asia, 11228 Georgia Ave., Suite 9, Wheaton, MD 20902.
All essays must be postmarked by March 18. The winner will be announced on April 18.
Scholarships Available
The Maryland Bankers Association (MBA) is offering a statewide scholarship award program to assist students in post-high school education expenses. Open to any student currently a senior in a public or private Maryland high school, the annual contest will award a $1,000 scholarship to the State Winner. Three students will be awarded Honorable Mention scholarships of $250 each. Awards are based on a panel evaluation of a written essay, which is judged on originality, content and grammar skills. This year's essay theme asks entrants to answer the question, "If you were given one million dollars, what would you do with it, and why?"
All entries must be received by the MBA no later than Friday, April 26. Contest entry forms are available at schools and in many MBA member bank lobbies. Information is available at http://www.mdbankers.com/community/index.htm. Call Pat Holle at 410-269-5977.
Student Art Competitions
* Yellow Barn Gallery. The Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery, in cooperation with the National Park Service is sponsoring the "Best of Montgomery County High School Student Art Exhibition and Competition." Winning works will be on display Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, from noon-5 p.m. Junior or senior art students in county public or private schools may submit one two-dimensional piece (a drawing or painting in any medium). Work will be accepted Saturday, March 9, from 8 a.m.-noon. Forty works will be selected. Cash prizes for the top three award winners include $500 to the first place winner donated by the Chevy-Chase Branch of the National League of American Pen Women; $200 to the second place winner; and $100 for third place. All finalists will receive gift certificates to purchase art supplies from a local art store. Call Robyn for information and application at 301-371-5593.
* Women's Clubs. Art students from Montgomery County middle and high schools, public and private, may submit their work for competition and display on Saturday, March 23. The Montgomery County Youth Art Competition, sponsored by the Maryland Federation of Women's Clubs, will be held at Leisure World, Clubhouse 1, on Georgia Avenue between Bel Pre and Norbeck, from 9 a.m.-noon.
Cash prizes will be award in categories: $100 for first; $50 for second; and $30 for third. Winners of this competition will go on to the state level in Baltimore where cash awards are doubled.
Rules and entry forms may be obtained from county art teachers. Entry forms will also be available at the door. Call Dorothy Davis at 301-598-9657.
Teen Readers Online
Teens will be able to preview the latest teen books, with a new online service from the Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). Beginning March 15, an email-based book club from Chapter-a-Day will be accessible from Cyberteen, MCPL's teen Web page. Students will be given the first few chapters of a different book each week through emails and may then reserve the book from local libraries. Call Susan Levine or Larry Dickter at 301-565-7689.