Jennifer Koenig, an employee at Kingstowne Library, and Katherine Jarmon, an employee at Richard Byrd Library, are among the first graduates of a master's of library science degree program offered through a partnership between Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) and the Catholic University of America (CUA). Koenig and Jarmon participated in the Fairfax cohort program and worked toward the degree as a group. CUA offered reduced tuition to the participants from FCPL, and FCPL offered partial tuition reimbursement and paid educational leave.
Jamie Boelens, a graduate of West Springfield High School, recently won the American Fire Sprinkler Association's Seventh Annual National Essay Contest. Boelens wrote an essay on the topic "How do fire sprinklers work and where are they required in your community?" and received $1,000 in scholarship funds for her efforts.
Paula Evans, a Dining Services Department student worker at Greenspring Village, was a recent winner in the Second Annual Metro Washington Essay Contest, presented by the John J. Barcklow Foundation. More than 250,000 students representing all high schools and academies in the Metro D.C. region were invited to participate in the context. Evans' winning composition, titled "Little Things," described what she had learned throughout her three-year employment at Greenspring, a campus for people over 62 years of age. She was also honored for her ten hours of voluntary work for the elderly and will be considered an official youth advisor to the Barcklow Foundation on the subject of eldercare from June 1, 2003 to June 1 2004. Evans will be attending Norfold State University next fall.
Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) recently appointed John D. Strother of Springfield to the Council on Human Rights. Strother is an investigator with the Office of the Inspector General at the Central Intelligence Agency.