Send announcements to the Alexandria Gazette Packet, by e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Friday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos are encouraged. Call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6407 with questions.
Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner presented Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy with the 2007 Governor's Gold Award for Best Practices in Nutrition and Fitness during a student assembly. Lyles-Crouch is one of only two schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia to receive this year’s Gold Award, and is the first school to earn a Governor’s Award at a progressively higher level during each of the program’s three years. The school received a Silver Award in 2006 and a Bronze Award in 2005.
Five T.C. Williams Career and Technical Education (CTE) students received awards during the 43rd annual Skills USA competition, held recently in Richmond, Va. Alex Fithian won first place in Technical Drafting and will represent the state in the national Skills USA competition in Kansas in June. Other winners include Tyler DeCourt, Taylor Pearson and John Wilson IV, second place in T.V. Productions; and Jamal Berry, fifth place in Graphic Communications. Other T.C. Williams students who participated in the competition include Vamsee Gunduboina in Architectural Drafting, Janae McLemore in Customer Service; and Brooks Eaton, Reid Scholar and Will Shankles in TV Productions. Cosmetology student Amber Mills joined the group as a voting delegate representing T.C. Williams.
Drew Smith received the second place award in the 8th Congressional District Art Competition for her photography image titled "Sunset of the Soul" and Nora Dickert received Honorable Mention for her photo titled "The Red Stairs."
The Francis C. Hammond Middle School Admirals Band, directed by Sean Kirchhoff, received the Best Overall Band award in the Middle/Junior High division at the "Music In The Parks Festival" at Kings Dominion on Friday, June 1. The band also received first place in its band division, as well as a rating of "Excellent" from a panel of judges. Hammond’s Symphonic Choir, directed by Brittney Wolff, and Symphonic Orchestra, directed by Barbara Morrow, also received "Excellent" ratings. The choir also received a trophy for fourth place. Each group performed three musical selections.
Stefan Allicock, a T.C. Williams High School advanced marketing student, won four awards in Quick Serve Restaurant Management at the DECA (an association of marketing students) International Career Development Conference (ICDC). The event took place April 28 through May 1 in Orlando, Fla. Allicock was one of 20 students to be recognized internationally in Quick Serve Restaurant Management as an overall winner.
Brooke Wilson, a fourth-grade student at William Ramsay Elementary School, received the 2006-2007 Outstanding American Automobile Association (AAA) School Safety Patrol Award for Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) during a recent luncheon ceremony held by the Mid-Atlantic Foundation For Safety and Education. She received a plaque, a savings bond and a certificate.
Alexandria City Public Schools, Food and Nutrition Services, will sponsor the USDA Summer Food Service Program at all of the summer school sites. Free breakfasts will be provided to all enrolled elementary summer school students weekdays from June 25 through July 20. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided to all enrolled secondary and high school summer school students on weekdays June 25 through July 27. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided to all enrolled Kindergarten Prep students weekdays Aug. 8 through 19.
Free breakfasts will be served to any child under age 18 in the community at the following elementary sites from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. Monday through Friday: James K. Polk, John Adams, Jefferson-Houston School for Arts and Academics, Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology and William Ramsay. Free breakfasts will be offered to any child in the community at Minnie Howard School and George Washington Middle School between 9:40 and 10 a.m.; lunches will be offered from 12:35 to 12:50 p.m. daily.
Katherine Clark, a student at T.C. Williams High School, was selected to be a member of the National Society of High School Scholars. The society recognized the top scholars in the nation and invites only those students who have achieved superior academic excellence.