McLean Church to Host Faith and Public Policy Breakfast
"One percent and 99 percent - Trends in US income inequality and why we should be concerned" will be the topic of a Faith and Public Policy breakfast at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church at 1724 Chain Bridge Road in McLean on Saturday, March 31 from 8:30 to 10:15 a.m. Everyone is invited to this free breakfast with a presentation and discussion inspired by the Occupy movement. The speaker is political scientist Adam Wasserman.
While the recent Occupy movement has called attention to these polarizing numbers – 1 percent and 99 percent - there are a lot of myths and misinformation behind them. But there are also some troubling truths that highlight apparent trends toward more polarity in income and wealth in America today. Are these trends something about which the faith community should be concerned? If so, what can we do to reverse them? Wasserman, a political scientist and member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF), has been following the troubling trends in income inequality in America and analyzing their causes and consequences. He belongs to an informal group at UUCF called the 99 Searchers that meets regularly to discuss inequality and related issues. For further information or directions contact Lewinsville, 703-356-7200, or Phil Church 703-534-9729, pechurch@yahoo.com.
Teen Character Awards Nominations Sought
Nominations are now being accepted for the annual McLean Citizens Association (MCA) Teen Character Awards. To be eligible to apply for these awards, students must live:
In McLean zip code 22101 or 22102, or
In a neighborhood which feeds into McLean HS or Langley HS, or
In an area served by the McLean Citizens Association.
This award recognizes teens (ages 13 - 19) with exceptional ethical and compassionate character who have "contributed significantly to the welfare of a family or community member and who inspire other teenagers to demonstrate exemplary behavior toward their families and neighbors." The award certificate will be presented at McLean Day on Saturday, May 19, 2012.
Nomination forms are available at the McLean Community Center and at McLean area middle schools and high schools. They also can be downloaded from the MCA web site at:
http://www.mcleancitizens.org. The deadline for submitting nominations is April 21, 2012.
Arts Scholarship Competition
High school students who want to further their interests in the fine arts are invited to enter the 2012 James C. Macdonald Arts Scholarship Competition. Sponsored by the Alden Theatre and the McLean Community Center, the scholarship competition encourages artistic achievement and promotes study in the arts by high school students who reside in or attend school in Dranesville Small Tax District 1A. The deadline for applying for this year’s competition is Friday, March 30.
The competition is open to 9th-12th grade students who reside in the Center’s tax district and who are enrolled in and attending a local high school on a full-time basis. A $1,200 scholarship prize will be given to first-place winners in each of the following categories: Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. Second-place winners in all four categories will receive $800 and third-place winners each receive $400. All finalists will be required to show proof of age and residence or school affiliation before they can proceed to the final stage of competition. Finalists must be present and prepared to perform at the final competition in the Alden Theatre at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, to be eligible to receive an award.
Application forms are available online and at the reception desk of the McLean Community Center. A non-refundable, $15 fee is required for each application form submitted. For more information, or for an application form, call the Center at 703-790-0123/TTY: 711, or visit: www.aldentheare.org.