Five prize-winning high school orators gathered at American Legion Post 191 in Mount Airy Tuesday evening to compete for the honor of representing Carroll County at the district level of the American Legion's 1995 National High School Oratorical Contest.
Carla J. Snook of Westminster took top honors in the county competition with her prepared nine-minute oration, "The Voice of a Nation."
Carla, who is a senior at Westminster High School, received a $100 prize in the county contest and the $100 first prize at the post-level contest held by American Legion Post 31 of Westminster.
Mary Ellen Seraydian, a student at Francis Scott Key High School, representing American Legion Post 120 of Taneytown, took second place in the county contest.
Other contestants were Andria Huffil, a Liberty High School student who represented Sykesville Post 223; Stacey Heffernan, South Carroll High School student who represented Mount Airy Post 191; and Benjamin Globus, a North Carroll High School student who represented Hampstead Post 200.
Judges in Tuesday's contest were Janet and Paul Smith of Westminster, Ruth Edwards of Taneytown, Richard Gardner of Sykesville, and Thomas Hiltz of Mount Airy.
Mount Airy resident Andrew Mason chairs the state contest, which will be held in Annapolis on March 5.
The annual event culminates April 7 with the National Finals in Harrisburg, Pa., where four students compete for scholarship prizes ranging from $12,000 to $18,000.
*
Congratulations to Cathy Hood, who has been promoted to the position of teaching assistant principal of Sykesville Middle School.
Mrs. Hood has served as the reading resource teacher at Mount Airy Middle School for many years. She began her teaching career at Mount Airy Middle in 1976 after earning a graduate degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
An active volunteer in the Mount Airy community, Mrs. Hood's son,
Jamie, is a fifth-grader at Mount Airy Elementary School.
She is an emergency medical technician with Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company, where she has served in various
positions, including fund drive and carnival chairwoman.
Mrs. Hood is also a past president of the Carroll Reading Council and served as co-chairman of Middle School/Secondary Committee of the State of Maryland International Reading Association.
She was named Outstanding Teacher from the South Carroll area by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce in 1990. She and her husband, Walt, live in Mount Airy.
*
American Legion Post 191 will hold an all-you-can-eat bull and
oyster roast Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m. at 801 Prospect Road in Mount Airy.
Oysters served four ways -- stewed, steamed, fried and raw -- will be featured, as well as pit-cooked beef and side dishes.
The feast will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
A dance, featuring Pure Country Band, will follow from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Tickets to the Post 191 fund-raiser cost $20 per person. This is an event for adults only; patrons must be at least 21 years old.
For information, call (301) 829-9161.
*
Just a reminder that Mount Airy's SHARE (Self Help and Resource Exchange) registration and exchange will be held at the Mount Airy Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Feb. 25.
SHARE sign-ups and distributions, which are sponsored locally by the Mount Airy Lions Club, will be held every fourth Saturday of the month unless there is a holiday, according to club member Martha Paisie.
The national program is designed to allow people to save money on groceries while providing volunteer service to their community.
:. For more information, call (301) 829-LION.