Parenting/Kids

Children’s Council Brings Smiles and Joy to Area Families

Children’s Council Brings Smiles and Joy to Area Families

In December, the Queen Anne County Council for Children and Youth holiday committee successfully provided another year of it’s traditional Holiday Party for the county’s families in need.  The children were from Head Start, Family Center in Sudlersville, and other County Agencies.   

To pass some time before Santa’s arrival, the children and families enjoyed dinner, games, and a craft table where they made a frame to display their family picture with Santa.  Cookies, were provided by Centreville students, Daisy Troop and Cub Scout Pack 496 Den 3, and enjoyed for dessert and take home.  A fresh fruit selection was provided by Lynn Engelmeyer.  Children were able to choose a book to take home, get their face painted, and  choose a pair of mittens, scarf, and hat,   Over a dozen door prizes were donated by council members, including a 7 ft Christmas tree donated by Kmart.  A mother of twins thanked us for providing this event where they not only got to visit Santa but also received a meal.

Excitement heightened when Santa (aka Warren Prender) came through the door.  Photographs, by Brandy Bouchat, were taken as each child  took turns sitting on his lap, and received a gift, were provided by members of the Grasonville Senior Center and the Council.   Over 100 children and families enjoyed the evening of fun and excitement.  Students from Centreville Middle, Queen Anne’s High School, and a Daisy Troop from Stevensville helped with food, games, craft, face painting, and handing out gifts.  A monetary donation from Nancy Hammond provided the additional funds for this event.     A father told us that his family has come for several years now, and that they would never be able to take part in an event like this without being invited to this wonderful party.

The Children’s Council goal is to identify the met and unmet educational, health, and social needs of the county’s children and their families.  The group also sponsors the “Month of the Young Child” and takes part in the back to school supplies Back Pack Program.  The council meets monthly, and welcomes community involvement and donations, for further information please contact Membership Chair Lynn Engelmeyer,  email: lengelmeyer@gmail.com or call: 443 336 4677.

Scholarships for Kent Island High School students announced

julianne-roselaScholarships for Kent Island High School students announced

Following a successful first annual golf tournament held last August at Queenstown Harbor Golf Course, the Julianne Rosela Memorial fund announced that it will award two $5,000 scholarships to Kent Island High School seniors who will be graduating in June 2017.

To be eligible for consideration, students must demonstrate good academic standing and leadership and involvement in community services. To apply, students are required to submit a scholarship application package by the April 15, 2017 deadline. The scholarship applications can be found on the Julianne Rosela Memorial web page at http://chesapeakecharities.org/fund/julianne-rosela-memorial or by contacting Carrie Rosela at littlejmemorial@gmail.com.

At age 7, Julianne Rosela lost her life in a tragic boating accident. The Kent Island community surrounded and supported the Rosela family as they dealt with their loss. The family established the Julianne Rosela Memorial to preserve Julianne’s memory and to give back to the community in her name.

Julianne’s mother, Carrie Rosela, said “We are dedicated to raise money in Julianne’s name to provide scholarships for Kent Island High School seniors and provide continued support for victims and families of tragedy.”

The second annual Julianne Rosela Memorial golf tournament is scheduled for August 25, 2017 at Queenstown Harbor Golf Course.

The Julianne Rosela Memorial is a component fund of Chesapeake Charities, a community foundation. Donations can be made on their Chesapeake Charities web page at http://chesapeakecharities.org/fund/julianne-rosela-memorial.

Photo: Julianne Rosela, in whose memory two $5,000 scholarships will be granted to Kent Island HS students.

Kinera Foundation and Parents Place of Maryland to Host “From Emotions to Advocacy” Study Discussion, January 21 – March 18

feta-study-jan-2017-jpgKinera Foundation and Parents Place of Maryland to Host “From Emotions to Advocacy” Study Discussion, January 21 – March 18

Kinera Foundation and Parents Place of Maryland have partnered to offer the free study discussion course “From Emotions to Advocacy” (FETA), for parents and caregivers of children with special needs, from January 21 through March 18, 2017.

Many parents want to advocate for their child with special needs, but hold back due to lack of knowledge, information and confidence. This program will explore skills, methods and strategies parents can use to become more effective advocates for their child with a special need and/or disability. Parents will learn how to harness their emotions and use that energy to become an effective advocate for their child. This is a nine-session program facilitated by Bonnie Larrimore, a parent educator with Parents Place of Maryland who serves families on the Eastern Shore. The Pete and Pam Wright’s book, From Emotions to Advocacy, will be used and provided free-of-charge to registered parents.

Bonnie Larrimore is a parent educator with Parents Place of Maryland working with families on the Eastern Shore. A graduate of the National Leadership Institute on Developmental Disabilities, she has served as a Maryland Partner for Policy Making. She is also a trained mediator and a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Psychological Disaster Training focusing on the special needs population.

The program will take place on Saturdays, January 21 through March 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Kinera Foundation Hub, 115 Sallitt Drive, Stevensville, located at the Chesapeake Bay Business Park. This is a free program, but registration is required and space is limited. For more information about this program and to register, please visit: http://www.kinera.org/feta-study-registration.html or contact Christy Russell at christy@kinera.org, Julie Vallecillo at julie@kinera.org or the Kinera Foundation office at 443-249-3126.

 

Sheriff’s Update – Seat Belt Entanglement & Vehicle Rollaway

sheriffs-updateSeat Belt Entanglement

A child within reach of a seat belt may become entangled if he or she pulls the seat belt all the way out and wraps the belt around his or her head, neck, or waist.

The majority of seat belts have a locking mechanism that is activated when the seat belt is pulled all the way out from the retractor. This feature is designed for child seat installation. In instances when the locking feature activates, the child may not be able to free him or herself. This can happen if you do not properly restrain your child, for example, if you let the child lie down or sleep on the vehicle seat, instead of being properly restrained. Older children who are no longer in a child restraint system, can become entangled by pulling a seat belt all the way out of the retractor, or by playing with an unused seat belt.

If you used your vehicle’s Lower Anchors and Tether for Children (LATCH) system to install the car seat, your child may be able to reach an unused belt.

Sheriff Hofmann encourages you parents to read and share these prevention tips to make sure our children stay safe.
Prevention Tips

  • Do not let children play in or around cars.
  • Never leave a child unattended in or around a vehicle.
  • Always ensure children are properly restrained.
  • Teach children that seat belts are not toys.
  • Be aware that some seat belts have a retractor that locks if pulled all the way out.
  • If a child has an unused seat belt within reach:
  • Buckle unused seat belts. Pull the seat belt out all the way to the end without yanking. Then, feed the excess webbing back into the retractor.

• If a child seat is installed with LATCH, consider completing the steps above before you install the child seat. Always consult your child seat and vehicle owner’s manual for installation instructions.

Vehicle Rollaway

With the key in the ignition, automatic transmissions may be shifted “out of park” even if the vehicle’s engine is off and the driver’s foot is not on the brake. If you leave the key in the ignition and turned to the accessory mode (to listen to the radio, open/close the windows, etc.), your vehicle’s automatic transmission may be shifted out of “Park”. If you or a child moves the gear selector.

If you leave a child alone in a motor vehicle, whether the engine running or not, it doesn’t take long for a child to unintentionally set your car in motion.

Sheriff Hofmann is encouraging parents to please read these prevention tips and share them with your neighbors so that we can keep our kids safe.
Prevention Tips

  • Teach children not to play in or around cars.
  • Supervise children carefully when in and around vehicles.
  • Keep vehicle locked when unattended.
  • Never leave keys in the car.
  • Engage your emergency brake every time you park.
  • Verify whether or not your vehicle has a Brake Transmission Safety Interlock (BTSI). Read the owner’s manual or check HERE to find BTSI-equipped vehicles. What You Need To Know, Now.

    When the vehicle is set in motion, children may become scared and jump out of the vehicle only to be injured or run over. They can also be hurt inside the vehicle, especially if they are unbelted and the vehicle is in motion. Sometimes, the vehicle may end up running over someone else.

    Many vehicles today have a BTSI which is a safety technology intended to prevent vehicles from accidentally being put into gear.

    All vehicles with automatic transmission with a Park position, manufactured for sale after September 1, 2010, must have BTSI.

    If you have any questions please feel free to email Sheriff Hofmann at Sheriff@qac.org or visit our website at www.queenannessheriff.org. Our Sheriff’s Office Facebook page is under Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff. Follow us on Twitter @QASheriff.

Wye River Upper School’s Board Chair Issues $50,000 Challenge Grant

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Wye River Upper School’s Board Chair Issues $50,000 Challenge Grant

Alexa Seip, Board Chair of Wye River Upper School, announced a challenge grant to increase financial aid in honor of John and Susan Devlin. She made the announcement at the school’s fall fundraiser celebrating the geographic diversity of its students, who come from eight Maryland counties east and west of the bay. The Devlin Family Financial Aid Fund challenge will match dollar-for-dollar gifts up to $50,000 before December 31, 2016.

This tuition assistance program will go to the heart of Wye River Upper School’s mission––to provide outstanding opportunities for bright students with learning differences, regardless of their ability to pay. When fully funded, the Devlin Fund will enable students, who would otherwise not be able to attend this extraordinary school, to receive the financial support they need to prepare for success in college, career, and life.

The Devlins were honored for their long-time commitment to the school. Serving as Board Chair since 2010, John led the school through two strategic planning processes. Under his leadership, the school conducted a Capital Campaign that relocated the school from Chesapeake College to its home in Centreville, the historic Maryland National Guard Armory.

With several years of fundraising experience, Susan became the first chairperson of the Wye River Upper School Resource Development Committee and played an important role on the committee for the school’s grand opening gala in 2014.

“John and Susan are always motivated by the kids––they work to change the course of a deserving student’s life. Sending a student to WRUS is the ultimate game-changer for a teenager, so the Devlin Family Fund is a perfect way to honor them”, said Chrissy Aull, Executive Director of WRUS.

“The opportunity to fund the Devlin Family Financial Aid Fund with $100,000 is awe-inspiring and very motivating. So many more students will have the door opened to success and a lifelong love of learning. Wye River Upper School will meet this challenge and I hope to beat it,” said Seip.

Contributions can be made here or by check to the Devlin Family Financial Aid Fund at

316 S. Commerce Street, Centreville, MD  21617.

Pledge forms are also available at www.wyeriverupperschool.org/support/financial-aid/  

For more information, contact Chrissy Aull at chrissyaull@wyeriverupperschool.org

 

Twenty-five Gunston School Students Honored at National Honor Society Induction

dsc_0736-copyTwenty-five Gunston School Students Honored at National Honor Society Induction

On November 15, twenty-five students were inducted into the National Honor Society at The Gunston School. The National Honor Society (NHS) is a prestigious organization for juniors and seniors, which requires them to hold a grade point average of at least 88 and to exhibit four core values—leadership, character, service, and scholarship.

The morning began with the inductees and their parents, and current NHS members attending a breakfast in the Ryan Library. The induction ceremony followed in the Field House with welcoming remarks made by Headmaster John Lewis. Mr. Lewis spoke about the importance of the word “honor”, and noted that “we are only defined by certain terms, if we allow ourselves to be; and, we have the power to control the terms we use to define ourselves.”

Following Mr. Lewis’ remarks, the keynote address was delivered by, Robert J. Etgen. Mr. Etgen has been the Executive Director of ESLC since October 1990. Etgen congratulated the students on excellence, doing more than the expected. All students at Gunston participate in athletics and complete community service, but to be selected for NHS requires academic excellence and greater engagement in all areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. He concluded his address stressing the importance of land conservation and how every individual can make a difference.

To highlight the core values of NHS, four candles were lit by current members, as senior and NHS president Olivia Sherman spoke about the meaning of each value. As inductees were called up one-by-one, they received a certificate, pin, and rose, and signed their names into the NHS registry. To make them official members of the society, current members pinned the inductees with a pin bearing the NHS logo and the pledge was recited, led by Natalie Prochaska. To conclude the ceremony, Mr. Michael Kaylor, the NHS advisor, shared words of wisdom and high praises to the students for their accomplishments.

Congratulations to this year’s inductees! Grade 12: Sophie Cooper, Nick Desai, Tim Hesford, Xinying (Elaine) Jiang, Lizhi (Cliff) Peng, Rachel Pettit, Jo Wanner. Grade 11: Heidi Barcus, Kangcheng (Max) Cao, Simiao (Grace) Dai, Rongjie (Rose), Fan, Gillian Felton, Susie Fordi, Steven Goss, Lila Ingersoll, Sam Johnson, Mary Macmillan, Chris Newberg, Henry Parkhurst, Ryleigh Paskoski, Neel Patel, Lily Phipps, Joey Smith, Alli Webb, Baoyi (Betty) Zhou.

Photo: First row left to right: Lizhi (Cliff) Peng, Baoyi (Betty) Zhou, Simiao (Grace) Dai, Kangcheng (Max) Cao, Jo Wanner, Sophie Cooper, Lauren Covell, Rachel Pettit, Ryleigh Paskoski, Maddy Romberger, Lily Phipps. Second row left to right: Gillian Felton, Lila Ingersoll, Shiqi Xie, Tong Shen, Tianqi (Stacey) Shi, Nuobing (Amy) Fan, Rongjie (Rose) Fan, Natalie Prochaska, Alice Agee, Joey Smith, Olivia Sherman, Mary Macmillan. Third row: Heidi Barcus, Emma Johnson, Steven Goss, Chris Newberg, Huixin (Emily) Teng, Ben Byerly, Henry Parkhurst, Tim Hesford, Nick Desai, Susie Fordi. Top row left to right:Ben Jones, Ethan Boone, Abigail Miller, Ryan Redding, Sutter Phillips, Sam Johnson, George Bowie, Neel Patel, Alli Webb, Nikki Blades

Missing: Chad Angelini, Jamie Caron, Xinying (Elaine) Jiang

Near Space Balloon Launch

corsica-riverNear Space Balloon Launch

On Friday, Nov 18 The Gunston Science and Engineering Club successfully launched and retrieved a near space balloon. This high altitude balloon, dubbed “Heron 4” as it is the fourth in a series of balloon missions launched by Gunston students, reached an altitude of 18.5 miles above the Earth’s surface. At that point the balloon burst as planned and the instrument package was delivered safely to Earth via parachute. The instrument package contained tracking equipment which reported the balloon’s position every 60 seconds to the tracking team at Gunston and to a chase and retrieval team that was following Heron 4 from below.

The goal of the mission was to photograph the Chesapeake Bay area from an altitude “near space”, above 95% of the Earth’s atmosphere. At these altitudes the sky becomes black as there are few molecules to scatter the sun’s rays. The curvature of the Earth is also notable in our photographs, although the wide-angle camera lens exaggerates the effect. The instrument package returned to earth after its 2 hour journey at Hooper’s Landing, a golf course in Seaford, DE. The package landed in a small pond.

Dr. Ken Wilson and Dr. Mariah Goodall mentor the Science and Engineering Club and Mrs. Alison Vooris lead the chase and retrieval team. Freshman Owen White prepared the payload. Twenty-four student are participating in the club this year including President Ryan Redding ’17, Vice president Alli Webb ’18, and Secretary Garrett Rudolfs ’18. Dale Wegner, father of Gunston Alum Jay Wegner, also provided invaluable assistance for this launch.

Goals of previous missions:

Heron 1 mission: high altitude photography

Heron 2 mission: measurement of pressure and temperature changes at the boundary of the ozone layer.

Heron 3 mission: measurement of cosmic ray radiation above the Earth’s atmosphere.

Heron 4 mission: high altitude photography

Calling All Youth – Are You a Community Change-maker?

screen-shot-2016-11-28-at-2-25-58-pmCalling All Youth – Are You a Community Change-maker?

The Queen Anne’s County Council for Children & Youth (Children’s Council) in partnership with the Queen Anne’s County Community Partnerships for Children & Families (Local Management Board) are announcing for the second year the Young People Who Care Award. Committee members believe in empowering our children and youth in expressing their voices and talents in helping their communities to thrive. Children and youth between the ages of 5 to 18 can apply for up to $500 to create a positive change in their community through volunteer and service projects. There will be a minimum of four winners chosen from these categories: elementary, middle, high school and an overall.

Access application at www.communitypartnerships.info. Completed applications can be mailed to QAC Children’s Council, P.O. Box 281, Centreville, MD 21617.

For more information contact Jacki Carter at 443-262-8138 or Msjac529@aol.com.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS JANUARY 24, 2017

WINNING PROJECT APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY FEBRUARY 16, 2017.

COMPLETION OF PROJECT DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 2017.

BE EMPOWERED! BE A CHANGE-MAKER!

Kent School to Welcome Guest Speaker Sam Drazin

30093501275_5ecc4ce11c_oKent School to Welcome Guest Speaker Sam Drazin

On Tuesday, December 6 Vermont educator Sam Drazin will lead two engaging speaking engagements at Kent School in Chestertown. Mr. Drazin will address Kent School’s Middle School students in an assembly at 1:30 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m. parents and the community-at-large are invited to hear Mr. Drazin speak. Admission is free and pre-registration is required.

Drazin was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome. Treacher Collins is a rare congenital disorder resulting in both facial anomaly and hearing loss. Drazin’s visit to Kent School coincides with the Middle School students’ (Grades 5-8) completion of their all-school read, Wonder  by R.J. Palacio. In the novel Wonder, the main character, Auggie has Treacher Collins syndrome. The story follows his transition  from the comfort of being home-schooled into a mainstream middle school. Sam Drazin and the character Auggie share many of the same struggles and triumphs as both endured several surgeries and progressive hearing loss.

In addition to his background as an educator, Mr. Drazin is the founder and Executive Director of Changing Perspectives. Changing Perspectives is dedicated to improving disability awareness and to inspiring empathy. According to their website, “Changing Perspectives Inc. was started to provide schools with a framework for improving disability awareness and is based on an understanding of the natural curiosity of children.  The ultimate goal is to help everyone recognize their own challenges and to help promote understanding, respect, and acceptance of all people.”

Nancy Mugele, Head of School at Kent School said, “It is an honor to have Sam Drazin visit Kent School. His journey and his message are an inspiration to our entire school community. Kent School is deeply committed to helping our students develop excellent moral character as well as to helping them achieve academic success. Sam’s visit supports both of these goals by helping our students find greater meaning and empathy from their reading of Wonder.”

Mugele continued, “This is event is made possible by Kent School’s Kudner Leyon Memorial Fund. This endowed fund enables The Kudner Leyon Visiting Writers Program and other events that support our students’ love of writing, books and literature.”

Photo: Fifth Grade student Eddie Gillespie reads Wonder during DEARS (Drop Everything and Read Silently)

Finding the Right College Fit – College Planning Expert Judith Bass to Speak at Wye River Upper School

judy_photo-original-2-1Finding the Right College Fit – College Planning Expert Judith Bass to Speak at Wye River Upper School

On November 17, 7pm at Wye River Upper School, Judith Bass, C.E.P. will offer a presentation on Finding the Right College Fit. This event is free and open to the public.

The process of choosing a college is daunting, especially if a student has a specific learning difference or simply may need some extra academic or social/emotional support. Nationally recognized college planning expert, Judith Bass, will present on the process of preparing students for colleges as well as tips on selecting the right one. Bass will highlight what college readiness means, the timing and importance of Psych-Ed testing, the different levels of support colleges can offer, and some pitfalls to beware of in college planning.

This presentation is appropriate for parents, students, educators, and other professionals who support students that need extra guidance in their transition to college.

Wye River Upper School is located at 316 S. Commerce Street, Centreville, MD 21617. To register, please visit wyeriverupperschool.org/tools/speakerseries