To have an item listed, mail to the Gazette, 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.
Fairfax County Public Library is offering live homework assistance for students in grades four through early college. The service, online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library, will be available from 2-10 p.m. seven days a week. The service features live tutors who can help students with math, science, social studies and English.
The Guiding Our Children Home Alliance invites the general public and home schoolers to bring and play games at the Sherwood Hall Library the second Tuesday of every month from 3:30-5 p.m. The Sherwood Hall Library is located at 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria.
Del. Kris Amundson, 44th District, is sponsoring a children’s art contest, “What I like Best About Living in the 44th District,” for children in grades kindergarten-sixth.
The original two-dimensional artwork should highlight an area landmark, activity or event that symbolizes what is best about living in the 44th District. Label the back of each piece of art with the title and medium of the work, as well as the student’s name, address, telephone number, school and grade level. Students selected for this program must live or attend school in the 44th District. Every participating student will receive a certificate. Four first-place winners will each receive a $100 savings bond, donated by Holly, Woods, and Vines; Hollin Hall Automotive; Power Video; and Grant Schneider II, DDS.
Artwork must be delivered by Thursday, Dec. 16, to Kathye Geary, 1503 Wake Forest Drive, Alexandria, VA 22307.
The entries will be judged by professional artists Jane Andrle Gillette, a graphic artist; Gretchen Raber, a goldsmith and jewelry designer; and Kelly St. Clair, a freelance artist and former FCPS art teacher. Students with entries selected for first-place awards and honorable mention will be contacted by Sunday, Dec. 19.
The first-place winners will be introduced at Amundson’s Town Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 15. Their artwork will be framed and displayed in Amundson’s office in the General Assembly Building in Richmond for one year.
Artwork chosen to receive honorable mention will be exhibited in the Sherwood Regional Library for several weeks.
For additional information, contact Kathye Geary at 703-765-2395 or kathye.geary@verizon.net.
Del. Kris Amundson will select up to six juniors and seniors who live or attend school in her district to attend a Young Leaders Program in Richmond at the House of Delegates. The trip is scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 1. The students will observe the General Assembly in action and meet with leaders in state government. The students will also work on individual leadership projects of their own choosing. This year the program will be supported by a contribution from Cox Communications. For further information, contact Kathye Geary at 703-765-2395 or kathye.geary@verizon.net.
The Mount Vernon Marching Majors are proud to be a collection site for the Toys for Tots Campaign. New Unwrapped Toys will be collected in the band room at Mount Vernon High School, 8515 Old Mount Vernon Road, Nov. 3-Dec. 14.
Eric Henderson has been named the Virginia recipient of the James Madison Fellowship for 2004. Henderson is a social studies teacher at West Potomac High School. James Madison Fellowships support the graduate study of American history for secondary school teachers of American history, government, and social studies.
Recipients must teach American history or social studies in a secondary school for at least one year for each year of fellowship support. The fellowship funds up to $24,000 of each person's course of study toward a master's degree.
The West Potomac High School Crew Boosters will hold its annual Christmas wreath and garland sale beginning Saturday, Nov. 27 and running daily through Thursday, Dec. 16, or while supplies last. There are two sales locations: Carl Sandburg Middle School and Belle View Elementary School. The hours at Carl Sandburg are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday/Sunday and 5-8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Belle View is open only on weekends, Nov. 27-28, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., remaining weekends, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Balsam and boxwood wreaths are available ranging in price from $16 for a plain wreath to $50 for the lavishly decorated ones. Honey baked ham and turkeys are also for sale. Local pick up for the Honey baked products is Dec. 20. All proceeds will directly benefit West Potomac's crew program.
Kristen Garaffo, Christen Nguyen, Danny Yoerges and Daniel Paris, of Alexandria's Hayfield Secondary School, were selected as members of the Virginia Educators' Association Senior Honor's Choir. Garaffo had the highest audition score of any student in Virginia. Nick Peterson and Latham Gunn were selected as alternates.
Kristen Garaffo, the Hayfield Madrigal president at Alexandria's Hayfield Secondary School, was selected as one of 12 Washington metropolitan area students by the Washington Post for its $1,500 music and dance scholarship.
Phyllis Gron, Hayfield Secondary School ESOL teacher, had one of her lessons, "Moccasins Are Made for Dancing," featured on the Artsedge which is the National Arts in Education website. A regular lesson writer for Artsedge, she also has published a 10-lesson unit on Frank Lloyd Wright titled "The Wright Way."
The Hayfield Secondary School newspaper, The Orange Peel, and the yearbook, The Harvester, were recently awarded the Virginia High School League's top award, the "Trophy Class" rating for their 2004 works.
Molly Dickerson, Angie Castillo and Karissa Castillo of Hayfield Secondary School finished third at the first forensic competition of the year. In addition Kristen Garaffo, James Messenger, Brian Gartland and Alex Bergersen qualified for the D.C. Metropolitan competition.