Starshine Theater at the Langley School Summer Studio in McLean is offering a summer Drama Camp for actors aged 9-16. All those enrolled in the camp will receive speaking roles in Starshine's original production of "Hang-Gliding Through the Sky of Mind — The Life of Leonardo da Vinci." Students will also receive solo/lead opportunities in singing (live and recorded), action/dance choreography, battle sequences and assistant director roles. This intensive performance program combines set and costume design, coaching in stage movement, voice and acting techniques and a CD soundtrack for each participating family. Rehearsals, recording session and performances take place at from July 11-23. Contact Patricia Budwig, play director, at StarshineTheater@aol.com or 703-790-9050 to enroll.
McLean High School has formally begun plans to commemorate its 50th anniversary this Oct. 21 and 22 with the launch of www.mclean50.com and the announcement of several festivities to take place throughout its milestone weekend.
The biggest event will be the HBL McLean High School 50th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, Oct. 22. The gala will have live and DJ music, dancing, food, a cash bar, individual class reunions and more. In addition to Saturday's Homecoming football game and evening gala, the first-ever McLean High School Golf Classic will take place at Reston National Golf Course on Friday, Oct. 21, at 11:30 a.m. Corporate sponsorships are encouraged. Friday night will feature tailgate party-style festivities at McLean High School, including a pep rally, bonfire, food, drinks, class reunions, fine arts performances and tours of the newly renovated facilities. On Saturday afternoon before, during and after the football game "A Taste of McLean" will feature local restaurant owners and other merchants who will be on hand to allow attendees to sample various foods, beverages, and other services.
The community is also encouraged to donate to the school. Individuals can earmark their contributions to athletic boosters, band, chorus, drama, PTSA, or one of their own choice. Donations can be made at www.mclean50.com, and those who contribute over $100 will have their names engraved on a commemorative plaque that will be housed in the school lobby.
The students at Spring Hill Elementary held a read-a-thon and, thanks to sponsorships, raised $6,546 that was donated to Orphans International to benefit victims of the December tsunami in southeast Asia. The school’s Student Council Association also elected to donate half its proceeds from annual Valentine Candygram sales — $1,000 — to the group. As a result, one of three new orphanages to be built in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, will be named Spring Hill.
Potomac Adventure Camp offers children ages 12-15 the chance to explore the Potomac River. Campers can discover the mysteries of this naturally and historically unique waterway by rafting, hiking and biking at different locations. This year’s camp will feature an overnight camping excursion in Maryland. Potomac Adventure Camp is offered by Riverbend Park, 9200 Old Dominion Drive, Great Falls, from July 25-29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Overnight camping will be Thursday, July 28. Five-day session is $300. Phone in or walk in registration begins April 13 at 9 a.m. Call 703-759-9018.
The Paladin Program at Chesterbrook Academy is now accepting registration for the Paladin Academic Summer Camp, a program for students in need of educational intervention, enrichment, and/or retention of previously learned concepts. It is a highly structured program with a very small student-to-teacher ratio. The camp will run from June 20-August 12, and students can sign up for two-week increments. Contact Katie McGahan, Paladin program director, at 703-397-0555 or 703-404-0202, or email Katie.McGahan@nlcinc.com.
At the five-day Junior Naturalist camp, children ages 9-11 can participate in a variety of outdoor activities designed to stimulate their interest in the natural world and breathe life into history. Junior Naturalist Camp will be held at Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills St., Great Falls, from July 18-22, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Also, at Riverbend Parks’ Night Prowlers camp, children ages 7-10 will explore wildlife of the night such as insects, amphibians, bats and more. This five-day session will be held August 1-5, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost for both camps is $85. Phone or walk-in registration for both camps begins Wednesday, April 13 at 9 am. Call 703-759-9018.
Junior Ranger Summer Camp. Great Falls Park offers an adventurous, two-day program including a variety of activities such as hikes and nature-related projects that educate young people about the park and the natural environment they live in. For children 8-11. The four sessions are on June 28/29, July 13/14, July 27/28 and Aug. 10/11 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is required. Openings are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 703-285-2965.
The Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund honors Americans in the armed forces who have sacrificed life or limb by providing college scholarships to their children. Freedom Alliance is now accepting applications for the 2005-2006 academic year. The application deadline is June 30. Freedom Alliance is accepting applications from dependent children of U.S. military personnel who have been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty during the War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines, etc. Students must be enrolled, currently or by September, at an accredited college, university or vocational school. For more information about the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund or to download an application, visit www.freedomalliance.org or call 800-475-6620.
Graduating seniors residing in or near Great Falls are invited to apply for two Alexander DeFilippis Scholarships being offered this spring. The Women's Association of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Great Falls is proud to award these college scholarships to young men and women who have served their community with their time and talent. Membership in St. Catherine of Siena Parish is not required. The opportunity is open to college-bound seniors residing in Great Falls, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, McLean, Sterling and Potomac Falls and or registered parishioners. The selection process will place major emphasis on the student's development of Christian character and demonstrated service to others by involvement in school, church or community projects. The student must also have a 2.5 or higher overall high-school grade point average. Two scholarships of $3,000 each will be awarded again this year. Scholarship packages are available in the St. Catherine of Siena Parish office at 1020 Springvale Road, Great Falls, 703-759 4350. The applications must be returned by May 15.
The 2005 Miss Virginia American Coed Scholarship State Pageant, Aug. 11-14 in Richmond, is looking for contestants.
This is an "all natural" scholarship pageant for girls 3-22. The pageant emphasizes academics and volunteerism and never allows makeup on contestants under 13. For an application, e-mail contact@msvaamericancoed.com, or call 804-305-4239. Visit www.msvaamericancoed.com.
Robert Crawford of McLean competed in Johnson & Wales University’s 16th Annual National High School Recipe Contest on Feb. 12 in Denver. He is the son of Robin and Charles Crawford and attends McLean High School.
Crawford is one of 20 students from across the nation selected as finalists out of a pool of more than 500 applicants. His recipe is “Seared Scallops with Purple Potato Puree, Corn Chutney and Red Pepper Coulis.”
Each year, Johnson & Wales invites senior-year high school and vocational students to participate in the recipe contest. The contest consists of two categories: (1) a healthful family dinner for four, and (2) healthful dessert. Contestants are asked to follow the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association nutrition guidelines when planning their menu entries.
Scholarship prizes are awarded for both categories, which are judged separately on the basis of taste, cost effectiveness, ease of preparation, presentation and appearance, nutritional value, originality, calorie content and creativity. The grand-prize winner in each category will be awarded a renewable full-tuition scholarship to Johnson & Wales, valued at over $75,000. Each first runner-up will be awarded a $7,500 renewable tuition scholarship (valued at up to $30,000), and each second runner-up a $5,000 renewable tuition scholarship (valued at up to $20,000). All other finalists will receive $3,500 renewable tuition scholarships (valued at up to $14,000).
Volunteer Fairfax and the ExxonMobil Foundation have selected 60 Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. nonprofit organization participants in the ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program (CSJP) for 2005.
The ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program provides full-time, undergraduate-level college students with an eight-week, paid internship to experience operations in a nonprofit community environment. ExxonMobil Foundation funds the intern salaries and Volunteer Fairfax's administrative expenses for the program. The program also trains participating organizations in how to recruit and select interns and how to organize their summer internships.
Participating interns also have the opportunity to attend developmental seminars on resume writing, interview tips, workplace ethics and etiquette, as well as to complete a group community service project.
College students interested in the ExxonMobil-funded internship may visit the Volunteer Fairfax Web site, www.volunteerfairfax.org, to obtain a list of participating local agencies, internship descriptions and agency contacts. Interested college students should apply directly to the selected agencies.
The Community Summer Jobs Program began in 1971 in New York City. Over the past decade, the program has committed more than $4.9 million to support almost 2,600 community summer internships. First offered in the Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia area in 2000, the ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program has funded more than 300 local internships.
Volunteer Fairfax was established thirty years ago to mobilize people and resources to meet community needs. The center is a vital community resource for volunteers and nonprofit organizations and public agencies. For more information, visit the Volunteer Fairfax Web site at www.volunteerfairfax.org or call Karla Ruiz at 703-246-3460.
Rosalind Fennell, a ninth-grade student at the Potomac School in McLean, attended an international science expedition, Jan. 31-Feb. 5, in the Louisiana bayou.
She is one of 12 “Student Argonauts” chosen from thousands to join the JASON Foundation for Education’s JASON Expedition team (formerly JASON project). The students work with researchers to explore the formation of the wetlands, what plants and animals depend on them for survival, why the wetlands are disappearing, and what is being done to restore them. JASON Expedition is a hands-on science and math curriculum program for grades 4-9 that culminated with millions of students around the world tuning in to live, interactive broadcast feeds of researcher-led expeditions.
Sponsored by National Geographic Society in Washington, Potomac School students and area students were able to interact with Fennell and the rest of the expedition team in real time via a two-way satellite link to National Geographic Society from the expedition site. Thousands more followed Rosalind’s journey through daily journals, streaming videos and photos at www.jason.org.
The Longfellow Middle School Chess Club took home the Scholastic First-Place Trophy at the 37th Annual Virginia Open, Jan. 28-30, in Springfield.
The team won first place among Scholastic teams at the tournament by scoring 8 1/2 points for the top four players on the team. The second place team (a high school) scored seven points.
This annual tournament is one of the most important in Virginia. In order of USCF rating, the members of the chess club are Aryan Khojandi (3 1/2 points), Victor Nguyen (2 points), Kevin Deisz (1 point), Shaan Ahmad (2 points), Arman Carter (1 point) and Rithvik Nagaraju.