Send announcements to the Alexandria Gazette Packet, by e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos are encouraged. Call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6407 with questions.
Members of the T.C. Williams Honor Club, and Key Elementary are working with Wheels To Africa volunteers to host a collection site for bikes at T.C. Williams High School. The drop-off date is Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Along with Alexandria, there are six other sites throughout the region: two in Arlington, one in McLean and two in Washington D.C. Bikes do not have to be fully operational, as volunteers will help fix them prior to being shipped to Africa. Tax-deductible donations are also encouraged. An estimated $10 per bike is needed for the shipping costs. More information can be found at http://WheelstoAfrica.wordpress.com.
Students entering grades nine through 12 are invited to spend a day with a student host at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, Upper School campus, 1000 St. Stephen’s Road, Alexandria. Call for reservations: 703-212-2706. Visiting days are Dec. 8, Jan. 12 and Feb. 9.
Kindergarten Tours at Stephen's & St. Agnes School, Lower School campus, 400 Fontaine Street, Alexandria. Call ahead to reserve a spot for Dec. 11. Tours run from 8-11 a.m. 703-212-2705.
T.C. Williams High School students Makda Aman and Alexander Amaniel are Semifinalists in the 45th annual Achievement Scholarship Competition.
Two Alexandria students have been promoted to the top leadership ranks of the Air Force Junior ROTC detachment at Randolph-Macon Academy. Junior Margaret Strain, 16, the daughter of David and Charlotte Strain, was awarded the position of Alpha Flight Sergeant, with the rank of cadet technical sergeant. Senior Victor McKoy, 18, the son of Yvonne McKoy, was awarded the position of Second Squadron Executive Officer, with the rank of cadet first lieutenant.
T.C. Williams High School senior Sarah E. Noll is one of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists nationwide in the 54th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
The staff of “Theogony,” the T.C. Williams High School student newspaper, has inaugurated an online edition at http://www.acpsk12.org/theogony. Senior Editors Virginia Bledsoe, Evan Metz and Sarah Younes lead the “Theogony” staff of 23 students.
Theresa Gillespie of Alexandria, a graduate student pursuing a degree in public and international affairs, is representing the graduate school at Virginia Tech as a student ambassador for the 2008-09 academic year.
The following students were named to the High List, Episcopal High School’s academic honor roll, for the first quarter of the 2008-09 school year: Elizabeth Stuart Agnew, freshman; Pendleton Clark Agnew, Jr., sophomore; Claire Gratz Battis, senior; Quinn Topper Caslow, freshman; Peter Angus Markoski, senior; Paige Anne Micklem, senior; Angelique Lynn Phillips, sophomore; Armour Mellon Shaw, freshman; Charles Davidson Snow, junior, and William Winkenwerder III, junior.
Alexandria Tutoring Consortium needs volunteer tutors to work with 1st and 2nd grade ACPS students. Tutors focus on improving literacy skills in one-on-one sessions with students. 703-549-6670 ext. 119, www.alexandriatutors.org.
Messiah Lutheran Church is offering pre-school for children ages 2-4. Call 703-765-5003 or visit messiahelca.org for more.
Campagna Center introduces Afternoon Adventures for children in half-day preschool to receive childcare at John Adams Elementary, 5652 Rayburn Ave. or Jefferson Houston Elementary, 1501 Cameron St., from 3-6 p.m. $14/day. To register, visit www.campagnacenter.org or 703-549-0111 ext. 112.