To have an item listed mail to 10220 River Road, Suite 303, Potomac, MD 20854, e-mail to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com, or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. Unless otherwise noted, all events are in Potomac. If you have any questions, call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6476.
Junior Ranger Camps for children 9-12 years old will be held Aug. 8-9 and Aug. 22-23 from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Glen Echo Park. Campers will learn about Clara Barton’s life, the National Park Service and more. Free. First come first serve basis. Call 301-320-1410 for reservations.
Middle and high school students in Montgomery County can have a cool summer at a series of pool parties planned by the County’s Department of Recreation. Water sports, sand volleyball, music and prizes will be offered at the following four parties scheduled on Friday nights, from 8:30-11 p.m., during the month of July. Students must show their school ID cards or be accompanied by a parent. $3. Refreshments available. 240-777-6985.
* July 28 — Western County Pool, 20151 Fisher Ave., Poolesville.
School-aged children can participate in the annual Summer Reading Club offered by Montgomery County Public Libraries beginning in June. Children who sign up for the program will receive a “gameboard,” to keep track of the books they read and a suggested reading list. To fit this year’s mystery-related theme, “Clue into Reading,” the “gameboard” also includes a “secret formula” for making invisible ink, “forensic fun” on ways to lift fingerprints, a maze and some “codes to crack.” Throughout the summer, children will be able to receive various prizes and be able to purchase t-shirts with the “Clue into Reading” imprint for $5. Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library for more.
The Lutheran Church of the Cross, 12801 Falls Road, Potomac, offers a summer camp emphasizing prayer, faith, academics, creative activities and physical fitness for ages 6-12 from July 10 through Aug. 18. Call 301-762-7565.
Rock View Elementary School is one of 25 schools in the nation selected as a finalist in the Seventh Annual National School Change Awards program, sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators, Pearson Education and the Fordham University Graduate School of Education. The award was created in 1999 to recognize formerly underperforming schools that have become exemplary. Rock View's school improvement efforts and status as an award finalist will be recognized at the national awards ceremony on Monday, July 10, at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus in New York City.
The American Red Cross Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Region is seeking youth to work as Volunteer Ambassadors at blood operations this summer. Teens 14 years or older can earn Service Learning credits and develop job skills by assisting the blood collections staff. The volunteers will welcome donors in the reception area, and help care for them in the refreshment area after the donation process. Specific responsibilities include greeting donors and providing them with essential reading materials, serving refreshments, and offering an hospitable atmosphere to donors. Training is provided. A commitment of 30 hours over the summer is required. Blood operations last 4–6 hours, and are held daily throughout the Potomac area. Training is held in late May and throughout June. To register for training, please call the American Red Cross Volunteer Office at 1-800-272-0094, Ext. 1, or e-mail karlofft@usa.redcross.org.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Head Start and Prekindergarten programs are recruiting income-eligible children who will be 4 years old by September 1, 2006. There also are a limited number of openings for Head Start-eligible children who will be 3 years old by September 1, 2006. These classes will begin in fall 2006. MCPS Prekindergarten and Head Start programs provide comprehensive family programs including preschool education, health and social services, and parent involvement for low-income families, including children with disabilities. Contact the Montgomery County Public Schools Head Start Unit at 301-230-0676 or visit the MCPS Web site at http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/earlychi/index.shtm
Andrew Moynihan, eighth grade, son of Mr. And Mrs. David C. Moynihan of Potomac, received honors for the second trimester at Saint James School.
The Churchill Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) varsity team, placed third in their division for the state of Maryland at the annual competition held at George Washington University. Team captain Kevin Lee, and members Michael Krug, Vikram Kulkarni, Atul Luykx, Jeremy Ong, Michelle Sim, Seong Sim, and Shusaku Uesugi answered college-level engineering related questions, earning a school trophy for sponsor/science teacher, Paul Kang, for display at Churchill.
Susan D. Thompson, currently acting principal at Carderock Springs Elementary School, has been named principal of Carderock Springs Elementary School.
Arvin Grover of Potomac graduated from St. James School in Maryland. He will attend Franklin and Marshall College.
Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast was named "Educator of the Year" by the Cable Telecommunications Association of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia for his efforts in creating the Ruth Rales Comcast Kids Reading Network in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). More than 800 Grade 2 students in 56 high-poverty schools are learning to read fluently in this one-on-one tutoring program. On average, students in the program have shown gains of at least one grade level in reading fluency and comprehension by program completion. The program currently has more than 650 volunteers serving as tutors and is actively recruiting more. More information on the Reading Network is available at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/readingnetwork.
Ivymount School in Rockville was the recipient of a grant to create or expand their library book collection. The grant comes from the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries.
The following students were finalists in the 2006 Letters about Literature contest:
* Avi Kallmeyer of Rockville, wrote about Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull."
* Abigail Newburger of Rockville, wrote about Lisi Harrison's "The Clique."
*Megan McAndrews of Potomac, wrote about Marilyn Singer's "All We Needed to Say: Poems about School from Tanya and Sophie."
* Hailey Blain of Bethesda, wrote about Peg Kehret's "Small Steps."
A Maryland state all-star team consisting of six members of the Montgomery County Public Schools Class of 2006 won the national championship at the 19th annual Panasonic Academic Challenge. The final round of the quiz bowl competition was played on June 13 at Disney World's Contemporary Resort, where Maryland defeated teams from Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Tennessee in the six-team title game. Championship team members are team captain Chris Ray (Richard Montgomery High School), Zach Klitzman (Walt Whitman High School), Rajib Quabili (Paint Branch High School), Alex Price (Walter Johnson High School), David Chen (Thomas S. Wootton High School) and Jeff Cao (Montgomery Blair High School). The players each won $2,500 Panasonic scholarships and Herff Jones national championship rings. Maryland went undefeated in the tournament by beating teams from Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee in the first round and teams from Connecticut, Wisconsin and Tennessee in the semifinals. The team was prepared by James Hubert Blake English teacher Joseph Caulfield, retired Mongomery Blair chemistry teacher Michael Kravitz and Walter Johnson physics and astronomy teacher Mark Whipple.
Christopher D. Kim, a Potomac resident, has been put on the honor roll at Philips Academy. In order to receive this honor students but maintain at least a 5 point average on a 6 point scale.