Lee High School student Vernisha Sellers is the winner of this year's Senior Soloist Competition at the Music Educators National Conference. She will perform a flute concerto with the Wind Ensemble on the spring band concert, May 12.
TOT Preschool, a ministry of Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, is accepting registrations for three- and four-year-old children. For more, call 703-644-6384 or send an e-mail to tot@sumcdisciples.org. The Sydenstricker United Methodist Church is located at 8508 Hooes Road, Springfield.
West Springfield High School’s Class of 1980 celebrates its 25-year reunion on June 25, at the Hyatt Arlington. For more information, visit www.greatreunions.com.
Springfield’s Hidden Pond Nature Center offers various summer camps for youngsters. For more, call 703-451-9588.
* Pond Pals, open to ages 4-5; children explore Hidden Pond Park’s forest and wetlands through hands-on activities, nature crafts and games. The session takes place from July 6 to July 8, from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost is $60 per child.
* Pohick Peepers Camp, open to ages 5-6; children take part in field study, crafts, games and stories. Session takes place Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost per child is $60 for the three-day session.
* At the five-day Junior Naturalist camp, open to ages 9 to 11, children can participate in a variety of outdoor activities designed to stimulate their interest in the natural world and breathe life into history. The camp takes place July 11 to July 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $85 per child.
* Pohick Ranger camp allows children ages 9 -12 to explore the park’s wetlands and forests in search of all that lives there. This will be an active, hands-on program, with the emphasis on outdoor field study. This camp takes place from July 25 to July 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $85 per child.
St. John's Center for Early Childhood Education is taking registrations for the 2005-06 school year. St. John's offers classes for 2,3 and Pre-K 4 year olds, and before and after school care for K-5. St. John's is located at 5312 Backlick Road, Springfield. Call 703-256-7748.
Hayfield senior Laura Spurlock won an “Award of Merit” from the Virginia State Parent Teacher Association for her Reflections literature entry.
Caitlin Butler of Hayfield Secondary received one of two $2,000 Northern Virginia Fellowship of Christian Athlete Student Leadership Scholarship Awards. She will be attending Bridgewater College, playing softball, and working toward a degree in Health & Exercise Science.
Hayfield Secondary social studies teachers Ken Halla and Debbie Sullivan, math educators Liz Morris, Ginny Yeager and Thomas Johnson, as well as family and consumer sciences teacher Patti Heller were nominated for Who’s Who Among American Teachers.
Hayfield Secondary students recently participated in the Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Winning first place was Rishi Singh for his project titled “The Effect of the Amount of KCL on V. unguiculata.” Second-place winners included Ashley Kennedy, Kashaf Chagala, Alex Wakim, Taslima Choudhury, Julianna Smith, Jason McCormack, Andrew Melim and Tamar Roomian. Third-place honors were given to Dimelza Gonzales-Flores, Elena Tenore, Payam Abedi, Eric Nelson and Jeffrey Zub. Philip Beisel, Rebecca Scarborough, Laura Puterbaugh, Matthew Faggion, Stephen Woody, Jon Mayer, Corey Thomas and Danny Southard all earned honorable mentions.
James Messenger and Megan Carey of Hayfield Secondary placed second in “Duo Interpretation” at Virginia High School League State Forensic Championship. The entire Forensics Team placed third for the “Sweepstakes” at the Washington Arlington Catholic Forensic League Metrofinal Championships. James and Megan along with Angie Castillo, Karissa Castillo and Molly Dickerson will travel over the Memorial Day weekend to Milwaukee to compete in the National Catholic Forensic League National Championship Tournament.
Hayfield Secondary students Esther Rhee and Alicia Farley have been selected for the Foreign Language Governor’s School this summer. From all of Virginia, only 60 students per language are selected to participate in these programs. Esther will attend the Latin program, while Alicia will attend the Japanese program. In addition, Jessica Johnson was selected as an alternate to the Latin Academy.
Sara Aultman of Hayfield Secondary will have her review of Woodbridge High School’s production of “Damn Yankees” published by the Washington Post.
Cheryl Foil of Lake Braddock Secondary School has recently been selected as a recipient of corporate-sponsored merit scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Jennifer Wax of Lake Braddock Secondary School has recently been selected as a recipient of corporate-sponsored merit scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Led by Hayfield Secondary co-presidents Andrew Pham and Jonathan Yu and sponsor Chiaki Rochkind, the Japanese Club participated in the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Seventeen of Hayfield's Japanese students, including Tammy Dao, Tiffany Dao, Alicia Farley, Lauren Hanchin, Monique Whaley and Vinh Khong, were part of the parade carrying “mikoshi,” a portable shrine.
Hayfield Secondary Latin students have participated against other public and private Virginia schools throughout the spring in a competitive classical trivia game called Certamen, the Latin word for “contest.” Winners are:
* Level I team received two seventh-place and two sixth-place trophies. Members included Christopher Pilcher, Dimelza Gonzales Flores, Justin Kirkland, Josh Hanson, Agnes Rhee and Ellie Rhee.
* Level II team earned two first-place trophies, a second-place trophy, two third-place trophies, and a fourth-place and fifth-place award. Competitors included Milton Weatherhead, Chris Kenedy, Andrew Roth, George Drakeley and Andrew Ofsonka.
* Level III team brought home two first-place awards, a second-place trophy, two third-place awards, and a fourth-place and fifth-place trophy. Team includes Ben Henkel, Esther Rhee, Leanne Hanson and Lindsey Swansen.
Hayfield Secondary students Greg Channon and Alan Dao competed in the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Quality Care Challenge Written Examination against more than 2,000 other automotive students from Virginia. Greg and Alan’s scores were among the top 10 highest examination scores in the state.
Sara Ronken, a senior at West Springfield High School, has been accepted to Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Sara, who intends to major in mass communications, is the daughter of Rolf and Maureen Ronken.