Education

FHYAA Names Jackson Casey Memorial Scholarship Winners

Clare Spitnale and Darien Pickett were named the winners of the 2014 Jackson Casey Memorial Scholarships, according to The Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association. The two were selected from a pool of applicants, all of whom were asked to describe in 750-1,200 words the life lessons they learned through their participation in Fort Hunt youth athletics.

Week in Springfield

Weekly happenings in Springfield.

New Principal at Laurel Ridge

Tonya Cox, who has worked in Fairfax County Public Schools for 23 years, began her role as principal of Laurel Ridge Elementary School in Fairfax on July 1.

Saying Goodbye at Halley Elementary

School says goodbye to a ‘true humanitarian.’

Since Halley Elementary School opened in the 1990s, Phoebe Boatright has been at the school inspiring students and helping the Lorton community. This June, Boatright retired after 46 years in education. Students, staff and parents at Halley say they will miss Boatright, who worked as a counselor at the school.

Financial Education for College Students

Local experts offer budget tips to keep students out of debt.

As the summer wanes, many recent high school graduates are preparing to head to college. For those who are living away from home for the first time, this means newfound independence. But that freedom brings responsibility — especially when it comes to money.

Eight FCPS Students Win College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships

Eight Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) graduates from the class of 2014 have been named winners of college-sponsored scholarships by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Recipients of college-sponsored scholarships from the NMSC, with their probable career fields in parentheses, are:

Arielle Mewou Receives Regirer Nurse Scholarship

Mewou is a certified nursing assistant at Vinson Hall Retirement Community.

Peter Pan Jr. at Forest Edge Elementary

The cast and set/stage crew consisted of 64 students from grades 4 through 6.

Students Keep Bows Moving

Summer Strings Camp preserves students’ musical skills.

This is the 26th year of the camp, which is and has been attended by students from different Fairfax County elementary schools.

‘Really Fun and a Great Experience’

Local students enjoy summer computer camp.

In the morning, Bijoy Thomas taught seven students, ages 12-14, how to make DS, or hand-held, video games. And in the afternoon, he taught them about BattleBots and Raspberry Pi.

Teens Learn the Law

Youth academy teaches teens law enforcement.

The students got to sit in the front seat of a police car, learn about crime scene investigation, see a real court case and meet some of the police dogs who also report for duty at the station.

School Board Decreases Suspension Time

Student Rights and Responsibilities revised.

The school board voted unanimously at the end of June to change the discipline handbook, which will now focus on in school suspensions to preserve time in school.

Wolfe Elected President of Principals’ Association

Wolfe served on the VAESP board of directors for the past six years, and served as an at-large member and president-elect before being elected president.

RRMS Science Team Wins Grant

A team of four seventh graders from Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly — Ravi Dudhagra, Diego Gutierrez, Rishabh Krishnan, and Adityasai Koneru — won a STEM-in-Action grant worth up to $5,000 in the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program’s eCYBERMISSION

School Note: Potomac Elementary Student Competes Nationally

Shirin Ghorbani, a second grader at Potomac Elementary School, won the state of Maryland's PTA Reflections art contest in the literature division with her story "Hoppy's Big Dream," and will now compete for the second time in two years at the national competition this summer. Fourteen of Potomac Elementary’ s students placed at the Montgomery County level of the PTA Reflections Art Contest, and three of those students made state rankings. This year’s national Reflections theme is “Believe, Dream, Inspire.”

The Connection