People

Hamelburg Selected for Diller ‘Tikkun Olam’ Award

Teen launched “Operation 18,000.”

“Tikkun Olam” is a Hebrew phrase which means “Repairing the World.” The concept suggests that all share in the responsibility to heal, repair and transform the world. Potomac’s Katie Hamelburg has adopted the phrase as her mantra and is on a fast-track to inspiring other teens to become involved in volunteerism to make their communities, nation and world a better place for all.

Whitman’s Hatch Pursuing College Basketball Dream

Rising junior feels “infinitely better” than during freshman year.

Marie Hatch was one of the 2012-13 Whitman girls’ basketball team’s best players as a freshman prior to a shoulder injury that forced her to miss a large portion of the season. The following year, Hatch earned all-division honors and led the Vikings in scoring, helping the team win 20 consecutive games. Now a rising junior, Hatch feels much improved mentally and physically as she chases her dream of playing college basketball. She recently participated in a Q&A via email.

Foreign Nationals Immersed in Local Lifeguarding

For some, it starts out on two wheels.

Every day, Vasyl Smolii uses two different routes when he bikes to and from work at the Belle View pool in Alexandria. Coming down the hill on Belle View Boulevard is an easy ride in the morning but going back up in the evening is not as easy on the bicycle Smolii rents from his sponsor High Sierra Pools, an Arlington-based pool management company. "I must buy this bike for the summer," said 19-year-old Smolii from Ukraine.

Serving Families For 90 Years

Pushing the boundaries has led to success, says Northern Virginia Family Services CEO.

An organization does not thrive for 90 years by chance. Northern Virginia Family Services, a county institution, has impacted families throughout the region for nearly a century with no sign of slowing down.

Week in Vienna

Farmers markets, bike lanes and police.

‘They’re Thinking Beyond Themselves’

They’re of Indian descent, so they’re helping Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), which works mainly in India, Pakistan and Nepal.

My Day at Fort Hunt

Fort Hunt Elementary is a joyful place.

School Notes for 1/1/14

School Notes for 1/1/14.

Vinehaven Under Construction

Homes will fit character of downtown.

The three-level, 17 properties currently being built at the corner of Vine and Center streets will be finished as soon as early next year.

Northwest Federal Launches Six Ton Challenge

Northwest Federal Credit Union has set a goal to collect 12,000 pounds of non-perishable food items – or six tons of spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, canned juice and cereal boxes – by Aug. 15 for its annual food drive.

Oak Hill Resident in ‘Shrek the Musical’

A big green ogre, a princess, a wisecracking donkey and a love-struck dragon – they’ll all be onstage when The Alliance Theatre’s Summer Stars program presents “Shrek the Musical.”

Preserving Great Falls Giants

Residents encouraged to contribute to planting of white oak trees.

When the early settlers came to what is now Great Falls and cleared the land for farms, they often left one type of tree to provide shade: the white oak.

Great Falls Creamery Opens

Local family runs business.

Great Falls Creamery, the newest ice cream shop in town, opened earlier this summer to give locals an in-town option for their favorite scoops.

From Great Falls to South Africa

Two local high school students, Julia Chirite from Langley High School and Arthur Tisseront from Thomas Jefferson, will travel to South Africa this September as participants in the World Youth Rhino Summit, an international anti-poaching and conservation initiative sponsored by the Kashmir World Foundation where the two students currently intern at.

Snake? Snake?!

Lewis family cares for four-foot female corn snake.

Indiana Jones may not enjoy slithering serpents all that much, but the Lewis family, on the other hand, welcomed corn snake Cory into the house 10 years ago, and has been caring for her ever since.

The Connection