Tomorrow night, Glenelg Country School will graduate its sixth senior class.
Headmaster Ryland O. Chapman characterizes this group of 17 students as diverse, well-balanced, hard-working and intelligent.
He says, "They've got what it takes. As college students they will explore all their opportunities."
In the National Merit Scholarship competition, the group boasts two finalists. Their college placement record is strong, with acceptances at more than 42 schools. This year, they've led the school in academics, newspaper, athletics and fine arts. They contributed to the school's first full-scale musical this spring.
Tomorrow, Mr. Chapman will tell the new graduates to "Slow down and listen to all the advice you'll be getting today."
Mr. Chapman arrived at GCS four years ago with this class, and he has enjoyed seeing them mature. He is proud of the work this class did in their integrative seminars, which every senior takes.
Each student studies a problem, writes a paper and makes an oral presentation to three faculty members.
According to Mr. Chapman, the students gave much time, effort and thought to show how they could synthesize their high school learning. He believes they did real integrative thinking, drawing their own meaningful conclusions.
At tomorrow's graduation, Mr. Chapman will speak to the guests about each student as they leave Glenelg Country School.
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Six Howard County boys joined their team in a victory lap Saturday after they won the Snickers Maryland Cup, symbolic of being the best Under 12 Boys Soccer travel team in the state.
Greg Allen and Todd Tedrow of Glenwood Middle School; Kevin Berberich of St. Louis School; Chris Clickner of Mount View Middle School; Greg Hinkle of Clarksville Middle School and Bryce Yetso of Harper's Choice Middle School and their teammates won six games in a tournament of 19 teams from Maryland that started play in the fall.
The team, called the Laurel Wildcats, will wear their Maryland State Champion shirts in the parade of State Champions in the Eastern Regional tournament in Princeton, N.J., in July, where 13 teams from Maine to Virginia will compete. Coached by Jose Florez, these players practiced and played in the fall and again this spring, beginning in February.
They are a disciplined team with a strong defense. Greg Allen and Todd are defensive specialists; Chris divides his talent on offense and defense. Kevin, Greg Hinkle, and Bryce Yetso are among the offensive specialists on the Wildcats.
We wish them well in the regionals.
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"Everyone's a star in this show," announced Debra Bernstein, director of the Clarksville Elementary School play "Standing Room Only."
Last Friday, 70 students from the school's PTA-sponsored after-school drama club and CATS (Clarksville's Amazingly Talented Singers) sang, danced and entertained with medleys from four entertainment eras.
Accompanied by pianist Kim Baccaglini, the players from grades kindergarten through five took the large audience on a tour of vaudeville, the big band era of the Forties, the silver screen and Broadway.
Barbara Doster coached the CATS group, while Mrs. Bernstein, a fourth grade teacher at Clarksville, worked as the drama instructor.
Her daughter, Sara Dodaro, a Sophomore at Mount Hebron High School acted as assistant director and supplied much of the choreography for the play.
After the play, Mrs. Bernstein commented, "The kids were fantastic! They were so lively and fun to work with and watch." To the supportive parents who assisted the directors, they send their thanks. Now they are planning next year's program.
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Get ready for the St. Andrew's Church Flea Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 18. At Union Chapel at the corner of Route 97 and Union Chapel Road, church members will offer treasures to benefit the Cheryl Primrose Nursing Fund, which is nearly out of money.
Mrs. Primrose of Woodbine is paralyzed from an accident last fall, and she and her husband, Mickey, need help paying for nursing care.
If you'd like to donate some collectible clutter from your home, call Janice Stanton at (301) 854-6418. If you would like to contribute to Cheryl's nursing fund, make a donation at Citizens Bank in Glenelg or at the St. Andrew's Flea Market.
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Do you have a product or service you would be willing to share with the community? Folks who donate products and services find that their donations bring them good will and a kind of free advertising.
Here is a place to start. Each fall the Shepherd of the Glen Lutheran Church sponsors a lovely church fair. This year they will add a raffle to the activities, which include a live auction, a flea market, and a white elephant table.
If you'd like to make a donation to the raffle or auction or rent a space at the flea market, call Carole Kramer at 442-2475. Ticket sales for the raffle of some very substantial prizes begins in a month. This year's fair is Sept. 10.
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Betsey Swancar started a silent auction at the Clarksville Picnic at St. Louis Church last year, and it was such a success that she is repeating it.
She doesn't need any donations, but she invites you to find the green and white tent behind the chapel to see the baseball signed by Cal Ripken and the 1992 Orioles Opening Day program.
She has tickets to ball games, horseback riding lessons, and lots of collectibles to auction, including a one-of-a-kind mohair teddy bear. There are large things and small things, such as a porch rocker and a compact disc of chants by the Benedictine monks of France.
We hope to win the catered champagne and dessert.
The Clarksville Picnic starts at 11 a.m. June 25. Bids will be posted until 4 p.m., and you may make your final bids until 5 p.m.
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When Cub Scouts earn the group's highest rank, the Arrow of Light award, it's time to celebrate.
Alan Arndt, Adam Frangioni, Michael Lloyd, Paul Gagnon, Tim Weiss and Carl Zimmerman of Cub Scout Pack 702 received their Arrow of Light awards recently and filed outside by torch light for their bridging ceremony into Boy Scouts Pack 702.
Each boy crossed an eight-foot high rope bridge and was welcomed at the end by their new scout master and fellow boy scouts.
Other cubs in Pack 702 also advanced, and Cubmaster Wes Earp led the advancement ceremony for the boys.
Patrick Arndt, Troster Byrne, Russell Bumgarner, Michael Clements, Michael Jacobsen, Andrew Leishear, Devin Rhoad and Jack Wilson became Bear Scouts. Advancing to Webelos were Matthew Biegel, Richard Brenton, Leif Ellingson, Adesh Francis, Jesse Kramer, Adam Lowman, Seth Matheson, Michael Matzner, Jimmy Patterson, Ricky Small, Nicholas Sohr, Daniel Stahovic, Daniel Steil, Michael Vogt, Shawn Ward, Davis Wood, Dustin Wortman and Trevor Youngman.