Send announcements to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
Brittany Smith, a junior at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, won the title of Miss StarQuest at the StarQuest International Performing Arts Competition regional held in Woodbridge. Her lyrical dance performance of "Blood & Feathers," choreographed by Elizabeth Boehnlein, director of The Dance Academy of Loudoun in Leesburg, also won her a Platinum Award and First Place Overall Senior Soloist at the competition.
The steering committee of the 2006 Loudoun Summer Music Fest, held interviews in late February with representatives of many Loudoun-based charities and chose three, which will benefit from a portion of the 2006 Loudoun Summer Music Fest proceeds. Those 501 (c ) (3) non profit charitable organizations are Loudoun Habitat for Humanity, Loudoun Soccer and the Loudoun Foundation.
The Loudoun County Government served as a classroom for more than three dozen high-school students from across the county during Youth in Government Day Tuesday, March 21.
The students got a firsthand look at the workings of local government by attending portions of the Board of Supervisors meeting in the morning and afternoon. They heard presentations from county human services agencies. The students also participated in a "Fund the County Budget" exercise and attended a luncheon with the Supervisors.
The students who participated in the event are, from Broad Run High School, Christina Becker, Katy Peterson, Meagan Tydings; from Dominion High School, Emmy Joseph, Judy Qiu, Veronica Carlan; from Heritage High School, Kristen Brown; from Loudoun County High School, Christopher Neto, Hannah Pettit, Amy Sarver, Ethan Vaughan; from Loudoun Valley High School, Beth Babcock, Will Cinelli, Phillip Harper, Christopher Novitch, Stephanie Richards, Amanda Virts; from Notre Dame Academy, Paris Henderson, Will Hendrick, Molly Troha, Taylor Welsh; from Park View High School, Laura Jones, Lisa Mulloy, Sarah Raynes, Gladys Reyes, Lauren Sisson, Molly Walter; from Potomac Falls High School, Brandon Ballentine, Andrew Blackmer, Chris Hansen, Katie Hofer, Laura Hoffman, Elizabeth Townsend; and from Stone Bridge High School, Lauren Beerman, Jennifer Borman, Steven Galer, Kristen Ruh and Kaitlyn Zwolak.
Loudoun Volunteer Services (LVS) has selected Gabrielle Ubilla, an eighth-grade student at Seneca Ridge Middle School, as the March Student Volunteer of the Month.
Gabrielle has been an active volunteer for several years, giving much of her time to Girl Scouts through camps and recruitment events. In the summer of 2004, Gabrielle was a key volunteer, giving more than 45 hours of her time, to Campamento Amistad, an outreach camp hosted by the
Loudoun County Girl Scouts. Also in the summer of 2004, she was a volunteer for Riverside Camp at the Sterling Public Library, donating more than 64 hours of her time. Gabrielle enjoyed her time spent at both camps in 2004, and contributed more than 46 hours combined at both camps in the summer of 2005.
At school, Gabrielle helps at band nights and assists other baritone band students during resource period. She has been instrumental in helping organize the school Spring Fling and Fall Dances.
A local nonprofit organization of Gabrielle's choice will receive a $100 contribution in her honor. This is a continuing effort made by Loudoun Volunteer Services, which plans to make a monthly contribution to a local nonprofit organization chosen by each Student Volunteer of the Month. Funds for this program are raised by the Loudoun Volunteer
Services Board.
To nominate an outstanding student volunteer or group of volunteers, send a paragraph describing the student's volunteer efforts to the Loudoun Volunteer Services Board, Student Recognition Committee, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, fax 703-771-5841, or e-mail pivs@loudoun.gov.
The Northern Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association's (NVNLA) annual membership dinner was Feb. 27, at Maggiano's in Tyson's II. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Byron Wates Award, presented annually by the NVNLA to a professional in the industry. This year's recipient was Kevin Warhurst of Merrifield Garden Center.
Warhurst grew up in the nursery/garden center business. After graduation from Virginia Tech, Warhurst spent several years working on Capitol Hill on the staff of Sen. John Warner as press secretary and liaison with the Virginia and national press corps. In addition, he continued to work with the family business on weekends. He has used his experience to elevate the nursery and landscape business by helping Fairfax County officials rewrite the language in the zoning ordinances as they relate to plant nurseries. He has served for several years on the board of Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association and has served as NVNLA president.
Warhurst and his wife, Chris, have two young daughters, and live in Clifton.
Booz Allen Hamilton a global strategy and technology firm, and Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association of Northern Virginia (AFCEA NOVA), co-sponsored the National Capital Region Girl Scout Day, at Udvar-Hazy National Air and Space Museum Saturday, March 25.
More than 2,500 Girl Scouts, between the ages of 5 and 18, participated in the event, which is part of an ongoing effort by the Girl Scout Council of the NationÕs Capital to offer girls exposure not only to science and technology itself, but also to the female role models who work in these fields.
Project 2012 is a Girl Scout Council of the NationÕs Capital initiative designed to promote a better understanding of career options for tomorrow's leaders and give girls the skills and encouragement to compete in the fields of science, technology and corporate leadership. More than 9,000 girls and their families have participated in this event over the last 12 years at the National Air and Space Museum.
Army Spec. William B. Troie has been mobilized and activated for a future deployment to an undisclosed overseas location in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq. Mission objectives focus on force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counter-insurgency operations as the Iraqi transitional governing bodies assume full sovereign powers to govern the peoples of Iraq.
Members from all branches of the U.S. military and multinational forces are also assisting in rebuilding Iraq's economic and governmental infrastructure, and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq's sovereignty and independence as a democracy.
Troie, a flight operations specialist, is normally assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-224th Aviation Battalion, Sandston, Va. He has served in the military for five years.
He is the son of Bill Troie of Sterling, and brother of Bart D. Troie of Richmond. The specialist is a 1999 graduate of Potomas Falls High School, Sterling.
Sommer Long, junior, from Ashburn, was named to the President's List at the University of Mary Washington, which recognizes outstanding academic achievement by full-time students who attain a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. A total of 62 students were named to the President's List for the 2005 fall semester.The University of Mary Washington is a coeducational public institution with its residential campus in
Fredericksburg, Va.
Jesse Burns, senior, Ashburn; Kathryn Hershberger, senior, Sterling; Carrie Ingalls, senior, Sterling; Christine Keyserling, freshman, Potomac Falls; Jessica Kicha, senior, Ashburn; Andrew King, sophomore, Sterling; Ashley Kline, sophomore, Sterling; Bethany Phillips, freshman, Sterling; Angela Roth, senior, Potomac Falls; Brittany Short, junior, Ashburn; Christopher Siepmann, junior, Sterling; Elizabeth White, sophomore, Sterling, were named to the Dean's List at the University of Mary Washington, which recognizes outstanding academic achievement by full-time students who attain a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 out of a possible 4.0. A total of 640 students were named to the Dean's List for the 2005 fall semester.
The University of Mary Washington is a coeducational public institution with its residential campus in Fredericksburg, Va.
High-school seniors Katherine Sloan of South Riding, Melissa O'Hara of Leesburg, Natalie Davis of Sterling and Sebastian Saraceno of Ashburn were named the first Mary Elizabeth Miller Journalism Scholars April 8 at the annual Vintage and Vine Ball for Inova Loudoun Hospital. Alexandra Mannino of Ashburn received an honorable mention.
The scholarship was established in memory of the Loudoun Easterner publisher and Loudoun Healthcare Inc. board of directors secretary, the late Beth Miller. To be eligible, applicants must be a senior from a Loudoun County high school who intends to pursue a degree in journalism, shows extracurricular and community involvement, and financial need.
Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) of Northern Virginia honored six individuals at its 4th Annual Allies in Prevention Awards, April 5, including Pamela Brooks, who was appointed a judgeship with the Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court one year ago. Her commitment to children in the legal system began 13 years ago as a Guardian ad litem (GAL) in the county while she was in private practice. Brooks has always been an advocate for the children she has represented. As a GAL, she was more involved with her cases than most of her peers. She took the time to meet with children and get to know them before their court date. Now, as a judge, she continues to support the best interests of children and feels her own biggest accomplishment is raising five children, according to the SCAN release. She understands the position of Child Protective Services (CPS) and the reasoning that supports removals or protective orders, earning the respect of CPS and, in turn, fostering better results for the children in her courtroom. Brooks has also worked closely with the Foster Care/Adoption Unit, serving on a panel for prospective foster-care parents and assisting with foster-care training.
The Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association (LCVA) held its 10th annual meeting and 2005 Tourism Awards Luncheon, March 30, at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott.
The following award winners were honored during the awards presentation for their contributions to tourism promotion in Loudoun County: Tourism Employee of the Year, Management and Nonmanagement: Gilbert Charite, Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club, Nonmanagement and Jackie Gosses, Hampton Inn & Suites, Leesburg, Management; Volunteer of the Year: Kate Zurschmeide, Great Country Farms and Robert Gordon, chair, Zoning Ordinance Review Committee; Tourism Event of the Year, 2005 PONY East Zone National Tournament; Tourism Promotion/Campaign of the Year, Dodona Manor Opening Activities; Judy Patterson Tourism Award Ñ LCVA's highest honorÑ Linda Callagy, The Potomac Gallery.
In addition to the competitive awards, the LCVA gave the following awards to those individuals, businesses, and programs that made significant contributions to the LCVA and the tourism industry throughout the year.
LCVA Partner of the Year, Elizabeth Parker, BF Saul Company Hotel Division; LCVA Distinguished Service Award, Virginia Scott-Bey Kage, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development.