Education

You’re Never Too Young for Poetry

Local educators say exposing children and even babies to rhyme and rhythm can help develop reading and language skills.

Though Keith Ward's son is still a baby, the young child is already being exposed to exposed to not just silly stories, but poetry, and a variety of poetic forms at that.

Rocky Run Odyssey of the Mind Team Heads to World Finals

Rocky Run Middle School’s Odyssey of the Mind “Driver’s Test” team are advancing to the World Finals at Iowa State University from May 28-31, where they will compete against hundreds of teams from across the U.S. and more than 25 other countries.

DAR Presents Junior ROTC Medal

Marsha Price of Providence Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), presented the DAR ROTC Bronze Award to Cadet Major Tanya Kumar at the Air Force Junior ROTC Pass-in-Review ceremony on May 10.

Tutors Choose Gift Books for Students

Reading tutors for Alexandria students celebrated the completion of a year-long tutoring program by selecting gift books for the Alexandria City Public School kindergarten and first grade students they tutored.

Cycling on National Bike Day

Students and teachers bike to school.

Walt Whitman Middle School was one of more than 30 Fairfax County public schools participating in National Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 7. National Bike Day is part of the national program Safe Routes to School.

Reminiscences and Remembrances

Chantilly High celebrates its 40th birthday.

Chantilly High celebrated its 40th birthday, Friday evening, May 2, and alumni from several different graduating classes returned to participate in the festivities. They took SGA-guided school tours, viewed exhibits of current programs and learned Chantilly trivia. They also saw displays of Charger sports accomplishments while enjoying both chocolate and vanilla birthday cakes. The Robotics Team exhibited its award-winning technology and the SGA presented a Powerpoint of the school’s history.

Back from Atlanta with More Than 25 Awards

At 6 a.m., the morning of April 24, more than 120 students, 19 chaperones, three teachers, and one administrator, arrived at Walt Whitman Middle School to take three buses and head to Atlanta to participate in the 2014 Music Showcase Festival.

Cappies Review

Mount Vernon Players presented a fascinating production of “Aida” School Edition on April 25. With simple but timely sets and an enthusiastic ensemble the Mount Vernon players created a memorable play. The cast’s energy in numbers and their exuberant facial expressions shine through to create a vivid story and make the musical come alive through the singing, the dancing and the acting.

2012 Woodson Grad Wins Scholarship

Cochlear implants help him overcome deafness, find success.

Fairfax’s Will Andes lost his hearing as a newborn. A preemie, he developed an infection, and a high bilirubin level plus treatment with the antibiotic gentamicin caused a profound hearing loss. But he didn’t let it hamper his desire to accomplish to lead as normal a life as possible and accomplish worthwhile things. And now, he’s one of just five students in North America to receive a Graeme Clark Scholarship from Cochlear Americas.

‘Disguised Learning’ with Bricks 4 Kidz

Lorton residents use Legos to reinforce education, fun.

It’s no secret that kids love building with Legos. But the fun can also be educational, as Lorton residents Jenny and Paul Ahn have recently discovered. The Ahns have been integrating the fun of Legos with educational concepts since starting a Bricks 4 Kidz franchise in the area in March.

How Will School Board Candidates Handle Crush of New Students?

What will they do if elected to tackle spike in enrollment?

The three candidates seeking the Democratic endorsement for School Board all say they are opposed to increasing class sizes, and all three say the School Board is probably going to have to consider boundary changes to handle the crush of new students. Beyond that, though, the candidates have a wide array of opinions about how the county schools should handle the enrollment spike.

Young Musicians, Safety Patrols Awarded

Woman’s Club honors middle- and elementary-school students.

The musicianship of four students at Cooper and Longfellow Middle Schools in McLean was recognized by the Woman’s Club of McLean at a ceremony on Tuesday, May 6, where the students also performed on their instruments. Tracy McConnaughay, of Cooper Middle School, played “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” by Edvard Grieg, on the euphonium. Min Lee, also of Cooper Middle School, played Concerto No. 3, k. 216, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, on the violin, accompanied by Myunghee Lee. Ji In Park, of Longfellow Middle School, performed the Concerto in G, 1st Movement, by Carl Stamitz, on the flute, accompanied by Hee Ra Son. Finally, Nadia Jo, also of Longfellow, performed the Concerto in A Minor, 1st Movement, by Camille Saint-Saens, on the cello, accompanied by Jade Sohn. The four students each received an award of $100 from the Woman’s Club.

Hilarious Comedy in 19th-Century England

Oakton High presents ‘The Pirates of Penzance.’

Ahoy, mateys! There are pirates on the horizon – but this bunch sings, dances and makes people laugh. And they’re all in Oakton High’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance.” It’s a satiric operetta about a group of inept pirates off the shore of Cornwall, England in the 1880s. And they’ll commandeer the stage, this Thursday-Saturday, May 15-17, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Langston Hughes Middle Celebrates Poetry

Poetry contest inspires creativity.

At the end of April, Langston Hughes Middle School held an after school award ceremony for the annual poetry contest. Approximately 80 poems by students were entered in this year’s annual poetry contest, and winners were announced. The contest, sponsored by Northwest Federal Credit Union (NWFCU) and the school’s PTA, offered students an arena to express ideas poetically. Representing NWFCU was Nicolette Watkins. “It has been a wonderful opportunity for the credit union to work with this school,” said Watkins.

Do Your Best; Raise the Bar

Chantilly High named a Virginia Honor Band.

Being designated a “Virginia Honor Band” is the most prestigious title bestowed upon school bands by the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association. And Chantilly High’s band has just received this recognition for the 12th time.

The Connection