To have an item listed, mail to the Gazette-Packet, 1604 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314; fax to 703-917-0991 or e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Friday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. If you have any questions, call Elizabeth Orr at 703-917-6449.
Thornton Friends School has chosen Eric Goldman as their new principal. Goldman voluntarily taught a class for three yet three years, he was the National Field Director of Project 540, a program in civic education administered by Providence College (RI) and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Prior to that, Goldman spent 25 years at the Close-Up Foundation, the last six as vice president for Outreach.
Goldman is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, with a BA in Sociology and a Master's degree in Education. The school is located at 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria. For more information, call 703-461-8880 or visit http://www.thorntonfriends.org.
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) has re-elected Mary Jo Rasmussen and Dr. Jeff Tarbert as chair and vice chair respectively to the NVCC Board.
Rasmussen, representing the City of Fairfax for the past nine years, has served through two NVCC presidential searches (1998 and 2002), a re-accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the opening of the new Medical Education Campus in Springfield. Rasmussen also serves as the board's representative to the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation.
Tarbert represents the City of Falls Church and is senior vice
president of American Public Power Association where he oversees member service programs and APPA's for-profit subsidiary Hometown Connections. He is the former mayor of Falls Church and two-term Falls Church School Board chairman.
Eleven board members represent the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park, and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William. Duties involve overseeing college operations and ensuring that NVCC is responsive to the needs of its service region, procedures and regulations of the State Board for Community Colleges.
United Community Ministries (UCM)’s Youth in Action program will distribute school supplies for children to more than 500 children this year. Parents and children in need can register at 7511 Fordson Road. Supplies will be distributed in late August. When registering, parents are asked to bring their child’s fourth quarter report cards and free lunch letters and proof of address or UCM client ID number.
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) has named Dr. John T. Dever as executive vice president. Dever has a bachelor’s degree from Bellarmine College, Louisville, Ky., master’s in English from the University of Kentucky; and a doctorate in English literature from the University of Virginia. Dever previously served as vice president for academic and student affairs at Tidewater Community College and has 16 years experience in higher education administration. He will begin his duties at NVCC on Aug. 2.
Catherine Leigh Cristzer of Earlysville, Va., has been selected by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., for “Honors Admission” for the fall of 2004. Critzer is the granddaughter of Earl and Mary Gray Thomas of Alexandria and a graduate of Albermarle High School. The University of Mary Washington offers the “honors award” to a student who applies early and who has an outstanding high school performance record and SAT score. In addition, her grandmother, Mary Gray Thomas, is a 1949 graduate of the university.
Daniel Patrick Allen of Alexandria is among candidates for degrees this summer on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. Degree recipients are eligible to participate in commencement ceremonies in May 2005. Allen is pursuing a Master's in Public Administration.
Three Alexandria high-school students recently graduated from the week-long Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute sponsored by Volunteer Fairfax, which is designed to train students in community service and leadership skills. This is the third year it has been offered by Volunteer Fairfax in Fairfax County. Participating students were Jeein Ahn, Jason Kobielus and Kristina Rosales, all of Edison High School.
The Institute includes approximately 30 hours of classroom instruction, with segments on community analysis, goal setting, team building, project planning, decision-making and other leadership dynamics. For more information, visit the Volunteer Fairfax Web site at www.volunteerfairfax.org or
call Mary-Litton Thornton at 703-246-3460.
Sarah Elizabeth Goodrum of Alexandria has been selected by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., for "Honors Admission" for the fall of 2004. "Honors Admission" is offered to students who apply early and who have an outstanding high-school performance record and SAT scores. Goodrum is a graduate of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School.
Holly Lynn Najarian of Alexandria graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute on May 23. Najarian received a Master's degree in marketing and technology innovation.
The Virginia Home Education Association's Homeschool Conference & Curriculum Fair will be held at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond Saturday, Aug. 28. Longtime Alexandria resident Ann Cameron Siegal will lead a session on Congressbear. The conference is designed for experienced homeschooler as well as those interested in pursuing homeschooling. Hosted by the Science Museum of Virginia, this family-friendly conference will included sessions on getting started, homeschooling teens, hands-on teaching and more. For more information, visit www.vhea.org,
e-mail Conference@vhea.org or call 1-866-513-6173.