Schools

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.

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

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

Kent School Hires Jennifer Matthews

headshotKent School Hires Jennifer Matthews

Jennifer Anthony Matthews, a 2001 graduate of Kent School was recently hired as the Director of Development and Alumni Relations. Matthews comes to Kent School from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum where she was Development Manager. She begins her term at Kent on October 3.

Ms. Matthews was born and raised in Chestertown, MD. She attended Kent School from Kindergarten through eighth grade and then attended The Gunston School in Centreville, and continued on to St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she graduated cum laude in 2009 with a BA in Theatre, Film, & Media Studies.

After graduating, Jen worked for five years in fundraising for Washington, DC-based nonprofit organizations, including Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and a Policy Nonprofit. She returned to the Eastern Shore in 2013 to bring her experience and passion home, working first with Eastern Shore Land Conservancy as the Philanthropy Specialist, and most recently as Development Manager for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

Jen, her husband, and their two dogs live in Stevensville, MD. When not working, she enjoys playing and coaching field hockey, and is an avid traveler having visited 19 countries on four continents so far.

The hire of Matthews completes the reorganization of Kent School’s Advancement team. Early this year, Brittany Hester added the role Marketing Assistant to her duties as Librarian and Tricia Cammerzell, formerly Director of Admission and Development was named Assistant Head of School for Advancement. Nancy Mugele, Kent School’s Head of School said, “We are thrilled that Jen is joining the administrative team. She brings more than pertinent experience. She brings a passion for Kent School that will serve us well as we look ahead to our 50th anniversary. I am excited to see the wonderful things our Advancement team can do for the long term vitality of the entire Kent School community.”

Kent School, located in Chestertown, MD is an independent school serving children from Preschool through eighth grade. The School’s mission is to guide our students in realizing their potential for academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence. Our school’s family-oriented, supportive, student-centered environment fosters the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world. For more information, visit www.kentschool.org or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110

Sheriff’s Update: Back to School Safety

sheriffs-updateBack to School Safety

Sheriff Hofmann encourages parents to review these great Back to School safety tips with your children so that they have another safe and happy school year!

Tip #1 − Walking Safely
Pedestrians 10 and younger must be accompanied by an adult or young adult on their way to and from school. Show them how to cross the street by stopping at the curb and looking left-right-left for traffic before crossing. In 2010, one fifth (19%) of all children 5 to 9 who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians.

Tip #2 − Biking Safely
The two best protections when biking to and from school are a properly fitted bicycle helmet and a good grasp of traffic safety rules. Let your child choose the helmet, and explain it’s “just part of the gear,” like football, skiing or hockey equipment. In 2010, 18 percent of the bicyclists injured in motor vehicle crashes were 14 and younger.

Tip #3 − Riding the Bus Safely
School buses are the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth to school. Even so, your kids need to be especially careful around the school bus “danger zone” − 10 feet in front, 10 feet behind, and on each side of the bus.

Tip #4 − Riding in the Car Safely
Did you know children in the front seat are 40 percent more likely to be injured in crashes? If your kids are 12 and younger, make sure they ride in the back seat. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children 3 to 14 years old.

Tip #5 − Driving Safely
As a parent, you’re the #1 influence on the kind of pedestrian, bicyclist and driver your child will become. Set a positive example and keep your children safe. Whether walking, biking or driving, stay completely focused on the road and put your cell phone away when in traffic.

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.

Kent School Students Accepted to METS Program

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Kent School Students Accepted to METS Program

Four middle school students from Kent School were accepted into the METS Guild of Chestertown at the Washington College Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program. Eighth grade students Dylan Conner and Evan LaPointe and seventh grade students Reed Ferguson and Sage Cookerly will be participating in this ten-week training course. This is the second consecutive year that Evan has participated. He, along with Sage and Reed will be in the 3-D and Gaming track while Dylan will be in GPS Mapping.

According to their website, “The Washington College Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program operates a very successful experiential learning program for college students (and some high school students) in a guild environment where students learn by working on funded projects. We will extend this program to reach 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students from the region in what we will call the METS Guild of Chestertown. Our goal is to turn STEM education around by providing an innovative out of class environment where students learn by working on real world project hence our use of the term METS, which stands for Mathematics, Engineering, Technology, and Science.

The METS Guild will be led by Journeymen Leaders from the Washington College GIS Guild and will have three METS tracks in web design, 3d visualization, and GIS. Participants will be competitively selected from local schools and each track will have up to 16 students led by a Journeymen Leader with a qualified Apprentice II providing assistance. The Guild will utilize existing computer lab resources at Washington College and will meet on the weekends starting in October 2015. All participants will start at the Junior Apprentice guild level and will have to successfully complete an eight-week training program. Once the training program has been completed, they will then start to work on real world projects within their given technology track.”

Nancy Mugele, Head of School said, “We are extremely proud of Reed, Sage, Evan and Dylan and their commitment to seek new academic challenges. The students completed a rigorous application process which required recommendations from the faculty. They truly demonstrated maturity and personal responsibility throughout the process.” Mugele continued, “At Kent School we are committed to four core values of integrity, respect, responsibility and friendship. These young men clearly demonstrated all of those values in the application process and I know they will continue to represent themselves and Kent School in an exemplary manner throughout this learning adventure. The Kent School community is eager to share in the successes of their involvement in the METS Guild.”

Kent School, located in historic Chestertown, MD is an independent day school serving children from Preschool through eighth grade. The School’s mission is to guide our students in realizing their potential for academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence. Our school’s family-oriented, supportive, student-centered environment fosters the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world. For more information, visit www.kentschool.org or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110.

Kent School Students Participate in Global Collaboration

screen-shot-2016-09-13-at-9-33-15-amKent School Students Participate in Global Collaboration

For the second year in a row, students at Kent School participated in Global Collaboration Day (GCD), an international effort to connect classrooms and students from around the world. This year, Kent School expanded its participation from two to four programs and included seventh grade Geography and Spanish classes as well as second grade students. Each class contributed to a different global activity.

Kent School Spanish students shared “Back to School Traditions Around the World” describing the School’s annual first day courtyard gathering and flag-raising. The students shared this tradition in Spanish and in English. Seventh grade Geography students participated in Global Collaboration Day project, entitled, “One Wish for the School Year.” Kent School students crafted the following statement: “Our goal is to learn about other cultures around the world. We hope to understand how others live and learn. We want to see how we are all connected, even though we may be many miles apart.” These students are also participating in the “Eleven Days of Peace” program in which they share their ideas for peace among students near and far. “Second Graders of the World Unite” was the perfect program for Kent School’s second grade class in which they shared something special about their community.

According to the Global Collaboration website, “The primary goals of this whole day event are to demonstrate the power of global connectivity in classrooms, schools, institutions of informal learning and universities around the world, and to introduce others to the tools, resources and projects that are available to educators today.” According to Global Collaboration Educational Consultant, Lucy Gray, “At my last count, we have 178 unique schools/organizations from 33 countries participating in 64 events! The range of activities offered is really amazing.” Students and educators have the option and ability to stay connected with other participating schools throughout the coming months.

Kent School students also celebrated International Dot Day on September 15 by creating an array of art using dots. Lower School students created “dot art” in the style of classic modern artists Mondrian and Kandinsky. Middle School students created a mural of dots that decorate the glass walls of the Arts wing on the school campus.

Nancy Mugele, Head of School at Kent School said, “We talk about global citizenship with all of our students but nothing is more powerful and memorable than actually introducing our students to their peers from around the world. Through GCD our students interact with children in classrooms in India, Hong Kong, Argentina and beyond and they realize that they are not very different from one another. It is a meaningful step towards fulfilling our School mission to foster the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and diverse world.

Kent School, located in Chestertown, MD is an independent day school serving children from Preschool through eighth grade. The School’s mission is to guide students in realizing their potential for academic, artistic, athletic, and moral excellence. Our school’s family-oriented, supportive, student-centered environment fosters the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world. For more information, visit www.kentschool.org or call 410-778-4100 ext. 110