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Local Author Wins Book Award

The Nautilus Book Award has named its 2013 Gold Winner in Religion/spirituality: “Faith Beyond Belief: Stories of Good People Who Left Their Church Behind.” Author Margaret Placentra Johnston holds degrees from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (BS, OD 1982), and the Catholic University of America (BA, 1973. MA, 1974.) From 1983 to 2003 she operated her own private optometric practice in Springfield and currently sees patients part-time in Alexandria and Georgetown.

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Keys to Mobility

Keifer Wolfe receives a free car from Progressive.

Through the collaborative efforts of several local companies, Keifer Wolfe, a local military member training to be a Navy SEAL, was presented with a free Ford Escape at the Progressive Insurance building in Springfield on Wednesday, June 12, in order to replace his current transportation means—running, public transportation, and borrowing his friend’s cars—with a car of his own.

‘Mountain View Dramatically Changed My Life’

Students overcome adversity and persevere to graduate.

Student Ana-Lycia Pena was just about to sing the last word of the National Anthem during Mountain View High’s graduation last Friday at Oakton High, when the auditorium went dark.

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Lee Graduates Encouraged to Explore

Lancer Award to Madison Curtis and Nahom Fissaha, Faculty Award to Adeli Block and Carlos Toro.

The 417 graduating seniors of Robert E. Lee High School gathered together for the final time Monday, June 16 for the school’s annual commencement ceremony at George Mason University’s Patriot Center. Family, friends and honored guests were in attendance to celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s seniors as they received recognition, rewards and finally, their diplomas.

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Spartans Come Together for a Bittersweet Last Time

West Springfield High graduates urged to be “the best you possible.”

West Springfield’s Class of 2013 graduated at the Patriot Center on Friday, June 14, in front of a packed crowd of families, friends and teachers, receiving inspirational words for the future, as well as bittersweet, nostalgic memories from the past. Principal Mark Greenfelder, a fellow Spartan himself, began the graduation with words of wisdom from his favorite book “The Element,” explaining to students that in order to be happy and successful, they needed to find the intersection between what they were passionate about and what they were good at.

Celebrating 180th Anniversary of Gum Springs’ Founding

At the annual Gum Springs Community Day, a resolution passed by the Board of Supervisors at the request of Supervisor Gerald Hyland (D-Mount Vernon) and a House Joint Resolution passed by the House of Delegates and the Senate, introduced at the request of state Del. Scott Surovell, were read at the community day celebration in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Park on Saturday, June 15.

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Identity Theft a Real Threat

Thanks to the generosity of BB&T Bank through its Lighthouse Program, Senior Services of Alexandria wrapped up its 2012/2013 speaker series with a special session on a topic that everyone thinks will never affect them — identity theft and fraudulent schemes.

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SSSAS Graduates Class of 2013

St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School celebrated the Commencement of the 111 members of the Class of 2013 on Saturday, June 8.

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Farewell to Class of 2013

Drama director Leslie Jones gives Satta Lahai a congratulatory hug

Calendar-Alexandria and Mount Vernon

Ongoing Summer Classes. Art at the Center, 2804 Sherwood Hall Lane. Children ages 6-10 can participate. Register at www.artatthecenter.org or 703-201-1250. Student Design Competition. Come see Woodlawn transformed from a historic house museum into a comfortable and stylish home for 21st century living. Through Sunday, June 16. $20. Call 703-780-4000.

Boy Dies at Fox Mill Elementary School 

Bennett Rill, 14, fatally electrocuted behind school.

Fairfax County Police and Fire personnel were called to Fox Mill Elementary School shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. Upon arrival they discovered 14-year-old Bennett Rill of Herndon electrocuted and pronounced him dead on arrival. 

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A Day to Remember at Edison High

Thomas Edison High School graduates urged to be “doers and not watchers.”

After an array of silver and light blue caps and gowns filled Constitution Hall at Thomas Edison High School’s graduation ceremony on Friday, June 14, the commencement began with Principal Pamela Brumfield at the podium.

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Lobbying for Children’s Cancer Treatment

Centreville’s Crossett lobbies Congress to improve children’s cancer treatments.

It’s too late to save her own child. Meg Crossett’s daughter Rachel died of a cancer called neuroblastoma on July 3, 2001, at age 6. But she’s doing her best to improve the quality of care for other children battling the same disease that took Rachel’s life.

Clifton Holding Outdoor Weekend Painting Festival

The Art Guild of Clifton is hosting the first annual Clifton Plein Air (outdoor) Painting Festival, rain or shine, Saturday-Sunday, June 22-23. That Saturday, concurrent with the Clifton Wine Festival, artists may set up anywhere in the corporate town limits, except for the Town Park, where the wine festival is being held.

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What Students Have Taught Us

Good Morning. On behalf of the students and staff of TC Williams High School I would like to welcome our distinguished guests, our parents, families, friends and most important, our graduates from the class of 2013.