Know something that should be featured in School Notes? Awards? Special events? School fairs? Send an e-mail to greatfalls@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-917-6449.
The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) Educational Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications from Virginia college and university students for the 2006-2007 academic year. The application deadline is April 17. VSCPA offers undergraduate, and graduate scholarships. To qualify for an undergraduate scholarship, recipients must have completed a minimum of three hours of accounting course work, be enrolled in three additional accounting credit hours and have an accounting GPA of 3.0. Graduate scholarship applicants must be currently enrolled or have been accepted in a graduate accounting program at an accredited Virginia college or university. The Foundation also offers the Goodman and Company Annual Scholarship to a junior or senior accounting major enrolled at a Virginia college or university who demonstrates academic excellence and financial need to pursue a career in public accounting.
Other selection criteria for all awards includes overall academic performance, entry essay, faculty recommendation(s), and community and/or extracurricular activities. For more information on these scholarships, including a downloadable application, or to make a tax-deductible contribution to the foundation, visit www.VSCPAFoundation.com, e-mail foundation@vscpa.com or call 800-733-8272.
Rachel Varney a student at Cooper Middle School, was among 12 students from Fairfax County Public Schools who won an Outstanding Interpretation award in the Virginia PTA Reflections competition. Varney won in the Middle-Junior Division for literature. The theme for the 2005-2006 competition was “I Wonder Why.” The winning entries will be forwarded to the National PTA competition.
Lauren Hunt, a junior at McLean High School, won the U.S. Army Orchestra’s first Young Artist Competition. Hunt, who plays the cello, performed as soloist with the orchestra in concert on Sunday, April 2, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland-College Park.
Kate Sednew, of McLean was named to the merit roll for the second trimester of the 2005-2006 school year at St. Margaret’s School. Sednew, a senior, is the daughter of Margaret Jenny.
McLean and Great Falls students took top honors in the Virginia Scholastic Chess Championship held in March.
The team of Aryan Khojandi, Leitianyi Shi, Craig Saperstein, Victor Nguyen, and Daniel Nothaft of Longfellow Middle School won the middle school division.
In the elementary division, the team from Kent Gardens Elementary School took fifth place.
In the primary school division, Spring Hill Elementary School took fifth place, and Kent Gardens Elementary School took 10th place.
Kent Gardens Elementary School teachers, parents and alums will hold a basketball fundraiser on Friday, April 21, at McLean High School, 1633 Davidson Road. Proceeds will benefit the Kent Gardens' technology program. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. Students will compete for prizes and bragging rights in a "hot shot" contest at 5:30 p.m. The school's faculty and staff, including former teachers, will take to the court to challenge parents and Kent Gardens' corporate sponsor, IMC of Reston. The evening will also feature appearances by George Mason University basketball players and the Herndon High School Step Team. Admission is $5 per person or $20 per family. There will be food, prizes and a raffle. Call Kent Gardens School at 703-394-5600.
Chesterbrook Elementary School is planning its 100th anniversary celebration and is looking for alumni, former faculty and staff members, and community residents who have memories to share about the school or the McLean community.
An open house birthday celebration is planned for June. Alumni, former faculty or staff members, or community members with memories or photos of the school are asked to send their information to Chesterbrook Elementary School, 1753 Kirby Road, McLean, VA 22101, attention: Amy Hill.
The school is using its 100th anniversary to make history come alive for current students, using the event to teach what life was like in the early 20th century. Daily Centennial Moments are included on the school’s morning newscast, featuring fun facts from each of the last 100 years.
Learning Fun Day School offers an enrichment program to supplement half-day kindergarten. Curriculum includes phonics, reading, writing, math, social studies, science and art projects. German, Hindi, Japanese and Spanish offered. There is also an on-site music and language teacher. Three-hour morning and afternoon sessions are offered with three-, four- and five-day options. Accepting students ages 4 and up. Transportation to Great Falls schools is available. Located on Georgetown Pike near the Village Center. Call 703-757-9560 or visit www.learningfunkindergarten.com.
Learning Fun Day School also offers Hindi and German classes. Weekend Hindi classes are offered for ages 5 and up. Minimum requirement is basic understanding of English phonics. Specifically designed for kids with no previous experience. Integration of phonic sounds into Devanagari (Hindi) script, flashcards and verbal techniques are used. German language instruction is offered for children ages 7-12. Small group classes promote interaction and practice in an informal setting. Classes will be held twice a week and will last for an hour. Located on Georgetown Pike near the Village Center. Call 703-757-9560 or visit www.learningfunkindergarten.com.
Starshine Theater Summer Drama Camps will again be offered at The Langley School Summer Studio in McLean this June and July for student actors ages 3-17. For ages 8-17: "The Adventures of Zorro," an original musical drama written and directed by Patricia Budwig, will premier this summer. This full-production play includes a speaking character role for every student, with action/dance roles and singing leads on the professionally produced CD soundtrack for those interested. Rehearsals take place from July 10-22, with gala evening performance on Saturday, July 22. For Ages 5-9 (Starshine Young Actors) and 3-5 (Starshine Little Theater): Starshine camps will be offered in June; each student will have the opportunity to perform as their favorite character in the original play they will create and perform together. Call 703-790-9050 or visit StarshineTheater@aol.com.
Colvin Run Elementary School is one of five Fairfax County schools named as winners of the sixth annual Best of the Web contest, sponsored by the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Office of Community Relations. The school's Web site is www.fcps.edu/colvinrunes. The winners were judged on the quality of Web-based communication between each school and the community it serves. Web sites were assessed for the usefulness of content, clarity of design, frequency of updates, ease of navigation and adherence to FCPS Web policies. Three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school are selected for the annual awards. Winners were recognized at a reception on April 7 at Falls Church High School.
Village Green Day School, 790 Walker Road in Great Falls, has openings in their Kinder Club enrichment program. Structured to challenge young minds, this program is for morning kindergarten-age students who are looking to extend their half-day public school experience. The Kinder Club meets from noon-3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with transportation offered from local elementary schools. Subjects include: mathmatics, science, geography, reading, art and Spanish. Call 703-759-4049 or visit www.villagegreendayschool.com.
Summer Art Camp 2006. The Great Falls Art Center is now taking registration for classes which will be held through July and August for ages 6 to teen. Campers attend Monday through Friday from 10-3 p.m. For applications call 703 759-3867 or email greatfallsart@yahoo.com.
Langley High School choir received awards for their performances in San Diego at the Heritgae Music Festival on March 25. All four choirs recieved gold medals with a first place winning in the Concert Choir, Women's Choir and Madrigal/Chamber Choir categories. Lagley's Madrigals won Most Outstanding and Adjudicators Award for being the higest scoring choir at the festival. Additionally, they brought home the award for Choral Sweepstakes for having the two highest scorng choirs in the festival and an intation to return to the Festival of Gold competition next year.