River Hill High School band director Michael Blackman was named one of the 50 Directors Who Make a Difference in the United States by School Band and Orchestra magazine. Blackman, who has taught at River Hill for more than a decade, was recognized as the honoree from Maryland.
“My proudest moments are seeing kids share their passion and their gifts, without the expectation of any type of tangible reward,” Blackman told the magazine.
Blackman teaches music and directs the bands, ensembles and marching band at the high school. He also sponsors Songs for Seniors, a club of students that performs in nursing homes and retirement communities. His teaching philosophy extends beyond helping students master the finer points of musicianship. He believes it is important to help students focus on big-picture issues, such as “how they treat each other, what it means to be happy, and what kind of people they hope to be.”
In addition to teaching music for nearly three decades, Blackman has directed the Columbia Concert Band, a group of 90 local musicians, since 2000. He holds degrees in music education from the University of Maryland, College Park, and the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He was honored as Howard County’s Music Educator of the Year in 2007.
Local students have been doing noteworthy things as well. Clarksville Middle School student Max Yu won the school’s Geography Bee. The sixth grader will now have the opportunity to take a qualifying test for the statewide competition. Fellow Clarksville Middle student Gavin Oros submitted the winning entry for the Seventh Grade Short Story in the Howard County Young Authors’ Contest. His piece will be judged at the state level.
Student artists had their work chosen for display at the Columbia Art Center. The Why Art graphic design exhibit includes the creations of Clarksville Middle School students Mia Duffy, Athena Devashish, Dylan Patel, Carly Greenberger, Saniah Barnes, Collin Blackman, Dallin O’Neal, Justin Blackman, Mnayle Mohammed, Trisha Singh, Lillian Graham, Sophie Levine, Charlie Hitzel, Dominic Cruz, Lincoln Tripp, Maximo Romero, Zaki Siddiqui and Sofya Agrawal.
The Common Kitchen food hall has reached full capacity with the opening of Foodfricana, a West Africa eatery. Offerings include popular Nigerian dishes such as jollof rice, often called one-pot rice, and yam porridge, each available with beef, turkey or chicken. Foodfricana will be open daily for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Yetunde Olaleye is the owner and chef behind Foodfricana. A mother of four and a part-time nurse, she is transitioning to become a full-time chef. As a first-time retail business owner, she had been searching for the perfect space.
“I love the concept of sharing the cost and burden of management and maintenance of a food service establishment,” Olaleye shared. “The Common Kitchen was exactly what we were looking for, and the support and love that the Clarksville community has shown us since our opening has been amazing.”
The Common Kitchen includes 11 independent counters that range from international cuisines to traditional favorites, like coffee and ice cream. The tenants share a commercial kitchen, allowing for lower overhead for the start-up businesses. Display spaces for shelf-stable merchandise provide offerings from local residents, such as honey, hot sauces, jams and salsas.