Education

Cookies, Cookies Everywhere

Centreville High SGA members brought in and packaged 6,240 cookies on Dec. 12 to donate to Our Neighbor’s Child for local families in need.

Field Trip Grant Program Exposes Children to Nature

Grant brings local elementary and middle schools to Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clifton.

The Dominion Foundation’s grant of $10,000 to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority will allow for children from local elementary and middle schools to attend field trips at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park in Clifton as part of the Field Trip Grant Program.

Wrapping up Joy for Christmas

Students, Scouts, police brighten holiday at Hanley Shelter.

The children living in the Katherine Hanley Family Shelter may not have many possessions; but on Christmas Day, they had presents. The gifts were donated by a variety of groups, including the Fair Oaks District Police Station and Chantilly High’s photography students.

South Lakes Choral Department Presents Winter Concert

Reston students display their musical skills.

The Little Theatre in Reston’s South Lakes High School was packed the evening of Thursday, Dec. 19 as families and friends gathered to hear the music of the South Lakes Choral Department.

Achievements Remain High At Langley, McLean Pyramids

Janie Strauss, Fairfax County School Board, Dranesville Representative "Major events – 2013: *Dr. Karen Garza has become the new FCPS Superintendent *Voters approved the 2013 school bond "Student academic achievement remains high in the McLean/ Langley pyramid schools. Our schools are ranked among the tops in the nation in terms of academics, arts and extracurricular accomplishments. A few individual recognitions: Jason Cui from Langley was a Siemens Science Fair winner; Alex Stone, from McLean High, was named a YoungArts winner by the National YoungArts Foundation; Langley girls volleyball team won the state championship.

Colvin Run Elementary Students Donate Food for Those in Need

Boxes of non-perishable food that filled the trunks of eight large SUVs were donated on Monday, Dec. 16, by Colvin Run Elementary School families to a local Fairfax County elementary school.

DiCenzo Has Bright Vision for Fairfax

Getting to know the high school’s new theater director.

As theater teacher and director at Fairfax High, Erich DiCenzo is exactly where he wants to be. "I have a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater and dance and was a professional actor for eight years, so this is a second career," he said. "I knew I wanted to perform forever, but not make it my living."

Herndon Holiday Train Show Attracts Crowds

Train enthusiasts enjoy Train Show at Herndon Municipal Center.

"I have tons of train equipment, which I have kept since I was 5-years-old," said Larry Aronson, a Herndon resident visiting the train display at Herndon Municipal Center on Saturday with his daughter and his grandson. "It is nice to have layouts like this that can put on a display like this." On both Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of members of the community stopped by to see the model trains. Displaying their model trains were members of the Northern Virginia NTRAK and the Potomac Module Crew. Herndon Chamber of Commerce and the Herndon Historical Society sponsored the train show.

Herndon Elementary Holds Reflections Ceremony

Herndon Elementary School celebrated their Reflections participants on Wednesday, Dec. 4. PTA Reflections is part of the National PTA art competition in which participants enter in various artistic mediums. The theme this year was "Believe, Dream, Inspire." HES is very proud of the effort the students put into their artwork. A special thanks to the Reflections Committee Chair: Pavithra Rajesh.

Vienna/Oakton Students Perform in The Nutcracker

On Dec. 11 through the 15, 16 students from Vienna/Oakton elementary, middle & high schools took the stage to perform in the Conservatory Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker. Performances took place at the Reston Community Center’s CenterStage.

Fundraising for a Good Cause

The fourth graders at Vienna Elementary School raised $2,156.09 to donate to Jill’s House, a respite facility for children with special needs, by selling wrist-bands the students made. They also collected loose change at school and from friends. The students’ aimed to raise $500, but they ended up raising much more.

Family Science Night at Colvin Run Elementary

Colvin Run Elementary School (CRES) hosted its second annual Family Science Night on Dec. 6, with hands-on experiments from the Children's Science Center's Museum Without Walls Mobile Labs.

Local Lego Team Wins Grand Champions Award

A local, Great Falls-based, FIRST LEGO League Team Positive Aftermath won the 1st Place Grand Champions Award at the VADC Championship Tournament held at James Madison University, Harrisonburg on Dec. 7-8, 2013.

Alexandria Schools See Rising Poverty In the Classroom

City has the highest rates of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in region.

In the last decade, the percentage of Alexandria students who live in poverty has grown from 50 percent to 56 percent. That's the largest percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in the region, according to a recent analysis by the Washington Area Boards of Education.

Here They Come A-Wassailing

Robinson Singers selected to perform Candlelight Christmas concerts with The Washington Chorus.

While most of their peers are anxiously counting down the days until winter break, the 36 members of the Robinson Singers elite vocal group are focused on a different goal: performing with the renowned Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center and Music Center at Strathmore.

The Connection