Herndon High political science teacher Doug Graney’s class will attend and participate in a naturalization-citizenship ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 4. One of Graney’s students will sing the national anthem, one will give a speech on the concept of "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many One), and other members of the class will hand out small American flags to the new citizens. Graney’s class is learning about immigration issues and the process of becoming a citizen. Contact event liaison Doug Graney at 703-810-2264 or douglas.graney@fcps.edu.
Project Whiteout is a parent-led initiative to support Fairgrade at the FCPS School Board meeting Dec. 4. The initiative is to persuade the FCPS School Board to adopt Fairgrade's recommendation of a 10-point grading scale with weighting for Honors/AP/IB classes and retro-actively correct all current FCPS student grades to reflect the new grading scale. Parent advocates are requesting parents attend the School Board meeting, wear white and register to speak at the meeting. To register to speak at the Dec. 4 meeting visit http://www.fcps.edu/schlbd/requestspeak.htm.
Matthew Johnson, Oakton High School, has received a certificate for superior writing in the 2008 Achievement Awards in Writing by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Each participant submitted a sample of his or her best writing in any form or genre as well as an impromptu essay on a subject determined by NCTE.
Herndon High School students and Symphonic Orchestra members Tova Yampolsky and Patrick Miller auditioned for and were accepted into the prestigious Senior Regional Orchestra.
Josh Hagstrom, Maggie Osburn and alternate Kate Merryman of Herndon High School were selected for the 2008 Virginia Honors Choir. Hagstrom and Osburn and 56 other Fairfax county students performed as part of a 132-member choir at the Virginia Music Educators Association convention on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Homestead.
Shannon Storey, a senior at Herndon High, is the first recipient of the Teen Volunteer of the Year Award presented by the Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic. Shannon has volunteered at the Clinic since 2007.
Events at Herndon High School:
Dec. 4 Tag Day Band Concert, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 Children’s Theater Production, 7 p.m.
Dec. 13 Children’s Theater Production, 2 p.m.
Dec. 16 Winter Chorus Concert, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 Returning Grad Panel
Dec. 18 Band Winter Concert, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 8 Rising Senior Parent Night, 7 p.m.
Jan. 14 PTSA Meeting, Cafeteria, 7 p.m.
Jan. 15 Hispanic Parent Committee, Neighborhood Center, 7 p.m.
Jan. 22 Cabaret Performance, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 24 Cabaret Performance, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 29 Rising Sophomore and Junior Parent Night, 7 p.m.
Stephanie Woo of Herndon, a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering was selected to be a member of Virginia Tech's a cappella group, Mixed Emotions. Students must audition at the beginning of each semester for all voice parts including vocal percussionist to become a member.
The 2008-2009 PTA Reflections Program Herndon High School Award Recipients: Outstanding Interpretation: Literature: Sarah Goughnour, 12th grade; Visual Arts: Julian Rosarro, 12th grade; Photography: Ryleigh Swiatowy, 11th grade; Music: Christopher George, 11th grade. Award of Excellence: Literature: Sonya Frostad, 12th grade; Visual Arts: Jake Schlosser, 12th grade; Photography: Stephanie Soleto, 11th grade. Award of Merit: Literature: Josh Roberts, 11th grade; Visual Arts: Thu Bui, 12th grade; Photography: Sarah Goughnour, 12th grade. Honorable Mention: Photography: Sonya Frostad, 12th grade, Lindsay Woff, 11th grade.
Matt Breuer of Herndon High School was named to the All State Jazz Band.
Ben Leventhal of Herndon High School was selected for the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. Ben, who plays the Euphonium, will be in San Antonio, Texas in January for a televised performance on NBC with other high school musicians from across the nation.
The Floris Elementary First Lego League team, GRRRR, won the Team Presentation–Project Award during the Division 1, Sterling 1 regional qualifying tournament. Team members Nate Cruley, Shubham Gupta, Timothy Logan, Annabelle Marsh, Nick Romano, Patrick Ryan, Rohan Saini, Stephen Shiao, and Sarah Worthington competed in the contest, which involved building an innovative robot and attachments, doing research on climactic conditions, talking to experts, performing a skit, and doing a team building activity.
The Herndon High School Navy Junior ROTC unit finished first overall at the Osbourn Park Drill meet Saturday, Nov. 15. Twelve high schools from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., competed in the event. The team, led by Cadet Sienna DeSantis, finished first in Unarmed Standard Drill and Personnel Inspection. Herndon finished second in Color Guard and third in Unarmed and Armed Exhibition.
The League of Reston Artists (LRA) announced the opening of their 2009 scholarship program. The scholarships are open to aspiring artists who are seniors at any Fairfax County high school. Applicants must be an art/photography student at his/her high school and must have applied to, or been accepted at, an art school or program at a college or university, for the summer or fall 2009 term. Completed applications must be received by the LRA at P.O. Box 2513, Reston, VA, 20195-2513 no later than Feb. 28. Visit www.leagueofrestonartists.org for details.
Herndon Elementary School’s Student Council Association had its annual canned food drive. Kindergarten through sixth-grade students brought in canned food for 2 weeks and filled over 10 boxes. The food was donated to LINK.