Send your school's announcement to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to loudoun@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is two weeks before publication. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
Eun Son Ju, a student at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, triumphed over more than 2,300 artists aged 12-15 across the country to win the grand prize in auto insurer GEICO's national safety belt poster contest. In addition to being creative, the winning posters had to portray belt use. Ju received a grand prize of $600, while her school was presented with $500 for art supplies.
Katherine Mims, a senior at Potomac Falls High School, has won a national Merit Scholarship. A recipient of $2,500, Mims is the captain of the volleyball team, secretary of the Student Council Association, and a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma during her junior year of high school. She has been accepted by both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard.
Jennifer Andrews, an earth science teacher at Park View High School, was one of 25 teachers selected from around the country to participate in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science Earthworks Program in Jamestown, Colo. The program allows teachers to design and conduct week-long field projects under the guidance of local research scientists. During the 2004-2005 school year, Andrews will have the chance to implement her research into her classroom and disseminate what she has learned to her colleagues.
Musical groups from Farmwell Station Middle School competed in the Parks Program on May 22, at Hershey Park, Pa. The Concert Band, under the direction of Jennie Grimes, placed second in the middle school AA division. The Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Nathan Simpson, placed first in its division. The mixed choir, under the direction of Jennifer Kauffman, placed first in its division and was awarded first place as the best overall choir in the competition. Diane Stanley, an eighth-grader at Farmwell Station, was selected as the outstanding accompanist for the entire competition.
Broad Run seniors Drew Landsberg, Nate Glenn, Amanda Ohlen and Britany Raymond attended the 27th Annual Robert H. Herndon Memorial Science Seminar on May 27, at The Aerospace Corporation, Chantilly. Landsberg won a $500 savings bond as part of a student competition at the event. Keynote speaker Francis Gary Powers, Jr. spoke on "The U-2 Incident: 45 Years Later."
The Department of Defense Education Activity office is accepting applications for the United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Two high school junior or seniors from each state and the District of Columbia will be chosen to participate in a week-long immersion program which introduces students to the functions of the federal government and, in particular, the United States Senate. Students will be selected for the program based solely on their outstanding ability and demonstrated qualities of leadership as elected or selected high school student officers of the 2004-2005 school year. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation is again making a $5,000 scholarship award available to each of the participating delegates. The foundation will also provide $1,000 to each state-level department of education to assist with the selection process. Interested students should contact their high school principal or Colleen Bryant at cbryant@mail.va12ed.edu or 804-786-4640 by Sept. 22. Students may also visit the USSYP website at www.ussenateyouth.org.
Amanda McNanley of Sterling was appointed by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) to the United States Merchant Marine Academy. McNanley, a recent graduate of Potomac Falls High School, reports to the academy in July.
The Loudoun County students attaining the dean's list for the spring semester at Virginia Tech included:
Allison Jarnagin of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in fine arts; Peter Lazarevich of Sterling, a junior majoring in civil and environmental engineering; Christopher McKenna of Sterling, a senior majoring in business information technology; Jason Pilchuk of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering; Alexei Riabtsev of Sterling, a senior majoring in computer engineering; Anna Riabtsev of Sterling, a junior majoring in mathematics; Alexander Scott of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in general engineering; Clint Steele of Sterling, an associate's degree student majoring in agricultural technology; Jennifer Stroup of Sterling, a senior majoring in psychology; Judith Toepfer of Sterling, a senior majoring in chemical engineering; William Toland of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in secondary education (physical education);
Shane Tucker of Sterling, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering; William Walbert of Sterling, a senior majoring in management; Aaron Wallo of Sterling, a senior majoring in physics; Christina Ward of Sterling, a senior majoring in communication; Erica Wible of Sterling, a senior majoring in psychology; Mazen Zaytoun of Sterling, a senior majoring in mining engineering; Jennifer Balla of Sterling, a senior majoring in human nutrition, foods and exercise; Shannon Begle of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in psychology; Jasmit Brar of Potomac Falls, a sophomore majoring in biology; Ashley Bristol of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in marketing management; Michael Diaz of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in computer engineering; Sara Dobes of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in accounting and information systems; Marios Epaminonda of Sterling, a junior majoring in accounting and information systems; Joanna Fox of Sterling, a junior majoring in accounting and information systems; Courtney Gjormand of Potomac Falls, a sophomore majoring in general engineering; Joseph Grefenstette of Sterling, a senior majoring in electrical engineering; Kathryn Jones of Potomac Falls, a freshman majoring in university studies interdisciplinary; Jules Kroehl of Sterling, a senior majoring in aerospace engineering; Janice Liddy of Sterling, a senior majoring in music; John Linn of Sterling, a senior majoring in accounting and information systems; Kenneth Logan of Potomac Falls, a sophomore majoring in general engineering; William Lovely of Sterling, a junior majoring in accounting and information systems; Heather Maiuri of Sterling, a senior majoring in political science; Lauren Manns of Sterling, a junior majoring in finance; Carin Miller of Sterling, a senior majoring in animal and poultry science; Rachel Mitnick of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in communication; William Mook of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in human nutrition, foods and exercise; Mitra Mortazavi of Potomac Falls, a sophomore majoring in biology; Brian Munse of Sterling, a senior majoring in business information technology; Kimberly Munson of Sterling, a senior majoring in human nutrition, foods and exercise; Morgan Rezac of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in psychology; Jacob Richkus of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in business information technology; Lindsey Robison of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in marketing management; Justin Sadler of Potomac Falls, a senior majoring in marketing management; Gregory Sagstetter of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in philosophy; Marc Saint Raymond of Sterling, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering; Starla Stiles of Sterling, a senior majoring in biology; Daniel Stone of Sterling, a senior majoring in finance; Autumn Wacker of Sterling, a senior majoring in secondary education (physical education); Victoria Wilson of Potomac Falls, a freshman majoring in English; Xiaoyi Zhong of Potomac Falls, a sophomore majoring in university studies interdisciplinary; Elizabeth Entsminger of Sterling, a senior majoring in international studies; Joseph Shipman of Sterling, a sophomore majoring in biology; and Virginia Syptak of Lansdowne, a senior majoring in biochemistry.