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online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Opinion, Page 6 Entertainment, Page 10 Classifieds, Page 14 April 26 - May 2, 2017 Photo by Donna Manz/The Connection Incumbents Seek Re-election on Vienna Ballot News, Page 3 Better Said Than Done at Jammin’ Java Entertainment, Page 11 Stemtree founder Dr. Abdelghani Bellaachia and his staff engages STEM learners with hands-on, interactive projects that inspire creativity and resourcefulness through fun science and technology applications. Summer Camps Education&Activities Summer Camps Education&Activities Summer Camps Education&Activities Inside Inside Inside Vienna/Oakton Connection April 2017 Summer Camps Education & Activities 1 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Local Media Connection LLC and Oakton and Oakton Vienna Vienna Education&Activities Summer Camps Education&Activities Summer Camps 2017 Vienna Vienna and Oakton and Oakton Making Science and Technology Fun for Students Making Science and Technology Fun for Students News, Page 12

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Better Said Than Doneat Jammin’ JavaEntertainment, Page 11

Stemtree founder Dr. Abdelghani Bellaachiaand his staff engages STEM learners withhands-on, interactive projects that inspirecreativity and resourcefulness through funscience and technology applications.

Summer●CampsEducation&Activities

Summer●CampsEducation&Activities

Summer●CampsEducation&Activities

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ● April 2017 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● 1

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Education&Activities

Summer●CampsEducation&Activities

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Making Scienceand TechnologyFun for Students

Making Scienceand TechnologyFun for Students

News, Page 12

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2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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News

Northern Virginia Family Service(NVFS) will host 19th annual Roadto Independence Gala, celebratingNVFS as the leading resource forfamilies in need in Northern Vir-ginia. It also will acknowledge theindividuals, civic groups and com-panies who are committed to thecommunity and the work of NVFS,as well as honor the vision anddedication of community leadersthrough its Legend of NorthernVirginia and Community Cham-pion awards.

This year, NVFS will recognizeFrank Wolf and Karen Clevelandfor their extensive service andcommitment to Northern Virginia.

Former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, the2017 Legend of Northern Virginia,has been widely recognized as the“conscience” of the Congress. Astaunch supporter of those whocannot defend or speak for them-selves, Wolf founded and servedas co-chairman of the Tom LantosHuman Rights Commission, a bi-partisan organization made up ofnearly 200 Members of Congresswho work together to raise aware-ness about international humanrights issues.

During his 17 terms in office,Wolf also authored legislation thatfought against hunger in the UnitedStates, promoted prison reformsand aided Mothers Against DrunkDriving to lower the national bloodalcohol limit to .08 BAC.

Now retired, Wolf focuses hiswork exclusively on human rightsand religious freedom and hasbeen awarded the PresidentialEleanor Roosevelt Award for Hu-

man Rights, the Christian LegalSociety’s William Bentley Ball Lifeand Religious Liberty DefenseAward and more in recognition ofhis work.

2017 Community ChampionKaren Cleveland is the presidentand CEO of Leadership Fairfax(LFI), a community leadership de-velopment organization, whereshe specializes in working with ex-ecutives and emerging leaderswho have already attained a highlevel of personal and professionalsuccess, yet recognize their needfor continued leadership develop-ment and personal growth. Cleve-land is also the principle of Cleve-land Group, LLC, and ClevelandCoaching Group.

She previously served as presi-dent and CEO of Habitat for Hu-manity of Northern Virginia,where she was known as a vision-ary leader and credited with grow-ing the organization into one ofthe most respected charitable or-ganizations in the metro D.C. area.

“This year’s honorees demon-strate a tireless commitment to thefamilies in our community,” saidStephanie Berkowitz, NVFS presi-dent and CEO. “Leaders such asFrank Wolf and Karen Clevelandare a critical part of this commu-nity. Their vision and dedicationare an inspiration to those aroundthem.”

The event will take place Friday,May 12, at 6 p.m. at the HiltonMcLean Tysons Corner, 7920 JonesBranch Drive, McLean. Individualtickets are available for $300 atnvfs.org/gala.

Northern Virginia Family Service toHonor Frank Wolf, Karen Cleveland

Faith Notes are for announcements andevents in the faith community. Send [email protected] is Friday at noon.

Church of the Holy Comforter,543 Beulah Road, NE, Vienna offers amonthly Healing Eucharist with the Lay-ing on of Hands and Anointing forHealing (first Sunday of the month, 5p.m. at St. Mary’s Chapel. The HealingMinistry is led by the Rev. Valerie Hayesand Alexandra MacCracken and in-cludes a team of lay healers who havegone through intentional training andformation. Contact the Rev. ValerieHayes at [email protected].

Yoga Class with a Christian Fo-cus is held Saturdays, 3-4 p.m., McGillHall or the Library at the Church of theHoly Comforter, 543 Beulah Road, NE,Vienna. This group is suitable for thosewith beginner and/or intermediate yogaexperience. Dress comfortably and bringa mat. Feel free to bring a towel,block(s) or strap if you have them. Con-tact the Church Office at 703-938-6521.

Mom’s Group meets second andfourth Thursday of the Month, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Church of the HolyComforter, 543 Beulah Road, NE,

Vienna. Join the group for coffee andfellowship. The group meets in theLillian Croy Room, near the Church Of-fice. Childcare will be available justacross the hall in the Childcare Center.If you are interested in joining thegroup, contact the Church Office at 703-938-6521 so that we can planappropriately for materials andchildcare.

St. Francis Episcopal Church,9220 Georgetown Pike in Great Falls,has Sunday services at 7:45, 9 and 11a.m. with nursery care provided. In thesummer, they offer musical, educa-tional, outreach and fellowshipministries in addition to worship ser-vices, including an 8 a.m. worshipservice without music and a 10 a.m.worship service with nursery care. 703-759-2082.

The Jewish Social ServicesAgency (JSSA) offers a wide variety ofsupport groups for those with emo-tional, social, and physical challenges.www.jssa.org/growth-learning.

HAVEN of Northern Virginia offersa variety of free bereavement supportgroups, meeting on a weekly basis. 703-941-7000 or www.havenofnova.org.

Faith Notes

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Vienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

According to the Fairfax County’s2017 Election Calendar, theTown of Vienna will hold theirGeneral Election Tuesday, May 2,

at which time three Town Council memberswill be elected. For many Vienna voters whogo to the polls that day, the General Elec-tion may be a deja vu experience. That’sbecause the names on the 2017 ballot willbe the same as those on the 2015 ballot. InMay 2015, Howard J. Springsteen, Carey J.Sienicki, and Tara L. Voigt sought election,unopposed, each of the three trying for oneof the three available Vienna Town Councilmember seats due to expire June 30 of thatyear. Springsteen and Sienicki were re-elected; Voigt elected. The Virginia Depart-ment of Elections reported the candidatesreceived 383, 389 and 386 votes respectivelywith 10,483 voters registered in Vienna.

Springsteen, Sienicki, and Voigt took theirseats on the Town Council as official two-year term councilmembers on July 1, 2015.In March 2017, Fairfax County officials re-ported Springsteen, Sienicki, and Voigt werethe only candidates who met certain quali-fications and filed required documents toappear on the Town of Vienna May 2, 2017,ballot. Once again, each of the three is seek-ing one of the three Town Councilmemberseats.

Candidate InformationTown of Vienna reports Springsteen has

been a resident of Vienna since 1997 andelected to Council in 2009. He served onthe Transportation Safety Commission foreight years and currently works for FairfaxCounty Department of Vehicle Services aslogistics manager. Active in many commu-nity service roles, he has been a member ofthe Vienna Volunteer Fire Department,served with the Boy Scouts and been in-volved at local schools. Springsteen servedas a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, WestAfrica. He earned a master’s degree in pub-lic administration from New York Univer-sity.

Sienicki has been a resident of Viennasince 2000. She was first elected to TownCouncil in 2011 and serves on the WindoverHeights Board of Review. Previously sheserved as Vice Mayor in 2013-14, MayorPro-Tempore and on the Planning Commis-sion. A member of the VA Municipal Leaguesince 2011, Sienicki attained AdvancedCertified Local Government Official, serv-ing on the General Laws Committee. Locally,she is a member of Vienna Arts Society andHistoric Vienna, Inc. Professionally, she is abusiness owner, registered architect, a mem-ber of the American Institute of Architects,and is a charter member of the Vienna Busi-ness Association. Sienicki received a bach-elor of architecture degree from TempleUniversity and a bachelor of science from

Incumbents Seek Re-election on Vienna BallotNews

Town Council elections to be held May 2.

Elected to the Vienna Town Councilin 2009, Howard J. Springsteenseeks his fifth two-year term ascouncilmember. When asked for aplatform statement, Springsteenwrote that if re-elected, “I plan oncontinuing my strong support inmaintaining the integrity ofVienna’s residential neighbor-hoods in terms of encouragingtraffic and pedestrian safety,adequate tree coverage when lotsare re-developed and keeping acautious eye out on developers. Iwant to continue to encouragewhen there is community support,realistic and common sense re-development when possible alongthe Maple Avenue corridor.”

Carey J. Sienicki, first elected toTown Council in 2011, and servedas Vice Mayor in 2013-14, seeksher fourth two-year term ascouncilmember. Asked for a plat-form statement, Sienicki wrote,“Maintaining the delicate balancebetween preserving the small towncommunity and fostering purpose-ful growth, so that the futureneeds of Vienna’s citizens andbusinesses are met, is my mainpriority. I hope to see you all atTuesday’s upcoming election. It isa true honor to live in Vienna andrepresent you as a member of yourTown Council since 2011.”

Photos courtesy of Town of Vienna

Councilmember Tara L. Voigt whopreviously served on the Town ofVienna Planning Commission andas chair of the TransportationSafety Commission seeks hersecond two-year term ascouncilmember. As for her plat-form, Voigt wrote, “The Town ofVienna is a wonderful place to liveand work in Northern Virginia.Maintaining the small town feel byimproving traffic flow while en-couraging visitors to stop and seewhat we have to offer keeps us asone of the best places to live inVirginia.”

Georgia Institute of Technology.A resident of the Town of Vienna since

2000, Voigt was initially elected to TownCouncil in May 2015. Voigt previouslyserved on the Town of Vienna PlanningCommission and as chair of the Transpor-tation Safety Commission. She is a teacherand assistant director at FB Meekins Pre-school in Vienna. Voight has served in vari-ous community leadership roles, amongthem PTA President at Marshall Road El-ementary School and James Madison CrewParents. Voigt received a Bachelor of Artsdegree in early childhood education fromAshford University.

Voting InformationThe polls are open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. for the

May 2 Town of Vienna Elections. The solepolling location is the Vienna PresbyterianChurch, located at 124 Park Street NE,Vienna. Only qualified Town of Vienna vot-ers are eligible to vote. A voter must be aVienna resident, at least 18-years old byElection Day, a U.S. citizen and be regis-tered to vote. To determine eligibility visitVirginia Department of Elections atwww.fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-0776.

Virginia Dept. of Elections reports all vot-ers need to show one acceptable photo IDcard whenever voting in person. Photo IDscan be used to vote up to one year after the

ID has expired. Acceptable forms of valididentification are VA driver’s license, VADMV-issued photo ID, U.S. passport, em-ployer-issued photo ID, student photo IDissued by a school, college, or universitylocated in VA, other U.S. or VA government-issued photo ID, tribal enrollment or othertribal photo ID and VA Voter Photo ID card.

For more information on Town elections,call 703-255-6303 or visit the Town’swebsite at www.viennava.gov. UnofficialElection Results will be available after thepolls close on Election Night and updatedas reports come in. Results will be avail-able at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.

Vienna Drug Center Goes GreenVienna Drug Center, an independent

retail pharmacy owned by the Borgattifamily since 1965, takes pride in beinga small business dedicated to providingquality health care support. The staffprovides immunizations to customers,delivers medication and supplies to lo-cal doctors’ offices and patients, and sellsdurable medical equipment (DME) sup-plies (walkers, canes, wheelchairs, os-tomy supplies, compression stockings/sleeves, and more).

The pharmacy is taking care of the Earthas well: Vienna Drug Center has alreadytaken the initiative to switch over to LEDlights throughout the entire store to helpconserve energy and waste less electricity.LED lights do not contain toxic chemicalslike fluorescent light strips, provide betterlighting, and last much longer resulting inless replacements over the years.

New 60-80 gallon recycling bins will bereplacing large trash bins where the phar-macy will be able to recycle all of its scrap

paper, shredded paper, manufacturerbottles, etc. Recycling bins will be addedinto the break room, office, and through-out the pharmacy. They will be convert-ing 95 percent to 5 percent trash.

Finally, they will be changing liquidprescription bottles to more Earthfriendly, biodegradable bottles. The newbottles will contain an organic additivethat will help the bottle degrade 850 per-cent times faster than conventional liq-uid bottles.

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4 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Empowering young women is the themeof The Madeira School’s day-long, publicevent to celebrate 50 years of its transfor-mational Co-Curriculum Program, anaward-winning effort that blends academicexcellence with real world experiences bytaking students into the community for ser-vice, onto Capitol Hill for internships, andinside organizations for career placements.The event, to be held April 28 from 8:30a.m. to 6 p.m. features an exceptional lineup of speakers and panelists — many ofwhom are alumnae — to offer personal sto-ries and discussions of successes, chal-lenges, and discoveries.

Select sessions and speakers include:❖ 10 a.m. — Keynote: Cokie Roberts,

NPR’s Morning Edition host and ABC Newspolitical commentator, will discuss “Found-ing Mothers: The Women Who Raised OurNation.”

❖ 11:30 a.m. — Design Thinking in RealLife: How to bring design, creativity, andinnovation into your everyday life with EmiKolawole, founder Dexign LLC.

❖ 11:30 a.m. — Earth in Crisis: Bold strat-egies to effect social change with LucyBlake, president, Northern Sierra Partner-ship; Catharine Gilliam Burns, conservationconsultant; and Meg Goldthwaite, CMO,NPR.

❖ 3 p.m. — Backstage! Professional ac-

tors share the good, bad, and ugly of a ca-reer in show business, with Fatima Quander,dancer; June Schreiner, actress; and HollyTwyford, actress.

❖ 3:30 p.m. — Necessity is the Mother ofAll Invention: Seizing opportunities in themodern marketplace with Samantha MeyerduPont, head designer and proprietor, SamDuPont; Brandon Holley, CEO, Everywear;and Katherine Petty MacLane, Director atPi Executive.

❖ 3:30 p.m. — Pandas Gone Wild: A pho-tographic journey inside China’s efforts tosave the giant panda from extinction withSadie Quarrier, National Geographic SeniorPhoto Editor; and Ami Vitale, Nikon Am-bassador and National Geographic maga-zine photographer.

❖ 3:30 p.m. — Running for Office: Navi-gating the course from volunteer to candi-date with Oregon State Rep. Janelle IrickBynum and Sylvia Larsen, former memberof the New Hampshire Senate.

❖ 5 p.m. — Keynote: Julia Reed, contrib-uting editor at Elle Décor and at Garden &Gun magazines, to discuss how internshipsand service shaped her career.

The conference will be held at MadeiraSchool, 8328 Georgetown Pike, McLean. Theevent costs $100 and is open to the public. Toregister, visit www.madeira.org.

Cokie Roberts, Other WomenShare Success Stories at Madeira

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

See Connolly, Page 7

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

“I’m going to be political, becausewe have to be,” U.S. Rep. GerryConnolly (D-11) began askeynote speaker and panel

member at a luncheon forum hosted by theU.S. Global Leadership Coalition on April18. Better known for starting off hisspeeches with a few humorous quips, onthis occasion Connolly wasn’t joking.

A member of the House Committee onForeign Affairs, and the co-chair of the Con-gressional Caucuses on Korea, Georgia andTaiwan, he said, “The world counts onAmerican leadership. To retreat is risky.Damage has already been done,” referenc-ing recent Executive Orders by PresidentDonald Trump, and statements by the Presi-dent and other members of his administra-tion. “Words have consequences. To retreatnow is to open the door to grave situations.”

While acknowledging that criticism of theTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was notwithout validity, the Connolly called thepull-out of the United States from the tradeagreement as “an incredible gift to China. Ibet they’re still drinking champagne inBeijing.” According to Connolly, at least theTPP imposed certain conditions and setstandards that had to be met by all coun-tries doing business with the partners.“That’s all been zeroed out now.”

With tensions running high in the Asianregion, Connolly also worries that the U.S.has no regular diplomatic presence therenow, with no ambassadors in Japan, Chinaor Korea. Without these portals to theAmerican president and to other high-rank-ing American diplomats, the stage is set formisunderstandings, and decision-making —by all parties — while operating in avacuum.

Connolly recently returned from a trip toSouth Korea where he visited the Demilita-rized Zone (DMZ) separating the countryfrom North Korea, an hour’s drive fromSeoul. The capital city and its environs arehome to more than half of the country’spopulation of 50 million people. “The SouthKoreans [and the Japanese] are apoplectic”being about 30 minutes from potential an-

nihilation by North Korean nuclear missiles.In the view of Connolly and the members

of the USGLC, a large part of tackling

today’s diplomatic issues and the increas-ing threat of terrorism is to maintain andenhance the U.S. role on the world stage,

and to keep funding intact for the Interna-tional Affairs Budget. It’s also critical to theeconomic health of the nation, and to theCommonwealth of Virginia, he said.

Most people don’t know what is includedin the International Affairs funding. “Every-one just automatically thinks handouts toforeign countries,” said USGLC ExecutiveDirector Jason Gross, but the budget, whichhas been placed in the reduction crosshairsin recent days, funds U.S. embassies, thePeace Corps, global health threat watchesand research, and assistance for start-upcompanies in emerging markets. The pres-ence of NGO’s (non-governmental organi-zations) and official organizations promotesdemocracy and a “rule of law” environmentthat helps develop new trade partners andeconomic opportunities for workers here athome, he said.

The speakers provided data showing that8,000 companies in Virginia do businessaround the globe. The state exports morethan $18 billion in goods to foreign mar-kets each year and trade supports more than1 million local jobs. “It’s a win-win. It’s theright thing to do as human beings, and ithelps make our own economy stronger,”said Ambassador Barbara Stephenson,president of the American Foreign ServiceAssociation and a speaker at the event.

“Ninety-five percent of the world’s cus-tomers are outside the U.S.,” saidStephenson. “Using only 1 percent of thefederal budget, these programs and grantshelp grow more customers and create jobs.It’s a great return on the investment.”

Stephenson also warned that if the U.S.didn’t take advantage of these opportuni-ties, other countries certainly will.

Connolly pointed to China’s growing pres-ence in Africa. “They’re building everythingin sight, getting contracts and spreadingtheir influence.” He said that the Chineseknow how to play “the long-term game” andthat they are slowly winning over theemerging market in the world’s economy.

Other countries may also step in militar-ily “if the U.S. fails to lead,” cautioned ViceAdmiral William Sullivan, U.S. Navy (Ret.),

Connolly addressesGlobal Leadership Forum.

Leading Globally Matters Locally

U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) addresses the audience at the U.S. GlobalLeadership Coalition forum. “Diplomacy can work miracles,” he said.“More than ever the country needs to stay engaged on the world stage.”

The panel at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition forum advocated forU.S. leadership around the world, and adequate funding of the Interna-tional Foreign Affairs budget and USAID. From left are John Mennel,managing director with Deloitte Consulting; Vice Admiral WilliamSullivan, U.S. Navy (Ret.); U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11); and modera-tor Jason Gross, executive director of USGLC.

Photos by Andrea Worker/The Connection

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6 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Opinion

By Sharon Strauchs

It’s summer. The rigors of homework,youth clubs and team-scheduled Satur-days are over. No more carpools. Nowit’s your turn to make empowering

choices to impact your child’s life and eventu-ally the lives of their children.

While our kids are young, the challenge ishow to find summer-perfect opportunities thatare fun, yet meaningful, and how to get thekids away from their electronic devices. Whenchoosing summer activities, this is your goldenopportunity to focus on your specific familyvalues. While swimming lessons, camp-outs,and sports are important, wouldn’t it be won-derful to incorporate activities that help yourchildren focus beyond themselves and to theworld beyond Northern Virginia?

We educators emphasize that the earlier yourchild engages in volunteer activities you findimportant, the more likely children will growup respecting your family’s values. In the D.C.Metro Area, there is a plethora of humanitar-ian programs for the under-18 age group thatwill get them into the habit of helping others.

College advisers all know that beyond APs,GPAs, and SAT/ACT scores, colleges today scru-tinize applicants’ activities, their “resumes,” tohelp determine acceptances and scholarships.

So start now, at a pivotal point in your child’slife and witness the hot, summer days of NOVAbecoming wondrous as you watch prioritiesslowly change. We recommend starting atwww.VolunteerFairfax.org (Opportunities Justfor Youth). Plus, in Virginia, kids have the op-portunity to earn service-oriented awards suchas the “Diploma Seal of Excellence in Civics”(www.doe.virginia.gov), or “The PrudentialSpirit of Community Award,” Virginia state-is-sued civics “diploma” for students in grades 5-12 who complete at least a 50-hour serviceproject.

Where could you possibly begin to invest 50or more hours, and for what cause? Our fam-ily discovered the famous “Meals on Wheels”program, started by former U.S. Rep. FrankWolf, and delivered meals to senior citizens forour 10-year, part-time family project.(www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org)

For our “foodie” kids who are cooking orgardening enthusiasts, The Food Network

sponsors “No Kid Hungry.” Proceeds from bakesales are donated to help end childhood hun-ger (www.bake.nokidhungry.org) and the Gar-dening for Good project encourages kids togrow vegetables to donate to senior centers,or help fight senior hunger by sharing a meal.This encourages kids to learn to cook, and helpsyour family bond with a senior while eatingand storytelling.(www.hunger.generationOn.org)

What about our animal-loving children?They can develop a Dog Park Clean-Up plan attheir favorite park or socialize with dogs andcats at local shelters with the Puppy and KittyLove programs. This is great for families wholove pets but can’t actually own one.(www.GenerationOn.org/parents/resources/projects/animal-welfare).

As always, we parents must insure that ac-tivities are safe and the charities are legitimate.The benefits of helping humanitarian organi-zations while taking advantage of your relaxedsummer schedule can create so many power-ful, long-lasting memories and family summertraditions. Aesop states, “No act of kindness,no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

Sharon Strauchs has been Director/Owner ofHerndon-based Cortona Academy in Northern Virginia.Visit www.CortonaLearning.com.

A time for parents to build humanitarian spirits.

Your Summer, Your Child, Your Values

infant’s heel can lead to early andsometimes simple treatments thatcan lead to a healthy child andadult. Without treatment numer-ous medical conditions can de-velop including severe develop-mental delays and chronic ill-nesses. Metabolic disorders affectthe chemical processes in yourbody that must work together cor-rectly for you to stay healthy.

I was honored to work on legis-lation that added most of the 30tests that are done in Virginia onthat same spot of blood from aninfant to detect these disorders.Last week I was reminded of theexperience that I had working withDr. Barry Wolf of the then MedicalCollege of Virginia who had discov-ered that the disorder in which thebody is unable to recycle the vita-min biotin can lead to developmen-tal delays in children, hearing andvision loss, breathing problems,and problems with balance andmovement. When discovered earlysuch as through a screening test,the disorder can be treated with nu-tritional supplements that can re-sult in a normal life for the person.

With Dr. Wolf’s research and mylegislative proposal, in 1984 Vir-ginia became the first state in thiscountry to begin infant screeningfor biotinidase deficiency. Sincethat time every state and many for-eign countries have started the

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

Several weeks ago at the in-vitation of their leader Ispoke to a group of Boy

Scouts about government and theresponsibilities of citizenship.Talking with me helped the Scoutsmeet one of their requirements fora merit badge. One of the Scoutsasked me about the most impor-tant legislation I had ever gottenpassed. I told him about multipleissues on which I had worked, butI focused on one that I thought hemight know little about but wouldshow the range of issues withwhich legislators deal. I told himabout my work to expand infantscreening in the Commonwealth.

Prior to my election to office Iserved on the Fairfax-Falls ChurchCommunity Services Board. Amember of that Board whose adultson was a resident at the North-ern Virginia Training Center toldme of the great hope there was indetecting health issues in infantsat the time of their birth withblood screening. At the time Vir-ginia had only three tests, one ofwhich was pku testing. I remem-bered our conversation after I waselected, and I got new tests addedas scientists developed them.

Metabolic disorders that can bediscovered from a pin prick of an

Infant Screening Saves Lives

To the Editor:This past Tax Day, citizens across

our nation demonstrated to de-mand that President Trump re-lease his tax returns, as all his pre-decessors have done for the past40 years. Clearly, Trump is tryingto hide something, and the publichas a right to know what it is.

The call for Trump to release histaxes even came from Virginia’s10th District U.S. Rep. BarbaraComstock, whose voting record inthe current Congress shows her tobe a staunch Trump supporter. Ina statement, RepresentativeComstock noted that Trump’s taxreturns might possibly shed lighton Trump’s ties to Russia.

But Comstock can, and should,do more. She should cosponsor the

Presidential Tax Transparency Actbill that requires the President andcandidates for president to dis-close the last three years of theirfederal tax returns.

Even more important thanTrump’s taxes is the Russian attackon our democracy during the lastelection. Comstock should cospon-sor the Protecting Our DemocracyAct that establishes an independentbipartisan commission to investi-gate Russian interference in ourelections. Comstock’s statementdemanding that Trump release histax returns is welcome, but com-pared to everything that is in herpower to do it is a timid gesture.

Richard MarkeloffHerndon

Comstock Should SupportProtecting Democracy Act

screening. The March of Dimesrecognized us for that accomplish-ment. The reminder of this storycame from a local doctor in Restonwho was a medical student at MCVat the time and knew of Dr. Wolf’sresearch and my bill. She wrote tous both telling us of a teenage pa-tient she had just met who at birthhad been found to have the defi-ciency but with treatment was liv-

ing a normal life. She wrote toboth of us that “because of re-searchers like you and advocateslike you…our world is made alittle better for all, and lives aresaved for some precious few.That’s something to be proud of.”

I hope the Boy Scouts under-stood why I consider the work oninfant screening to be among themost important I have done.

Letter to the Editor

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

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Kemal Kurspahic Editor ❖ 703-778-9414

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Donna ManzContributing Writer

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Kyle KincaidEditorial Assistant

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Don ParkDisplay Advertising

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Debbie FunkNational Sales703-778-9444

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Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Executive Vice PresidentJerry Vernon

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Editor in ChiefSteven Mauren

Managing EditorKemal Kurspahic

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Vienna & Oakton

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

From Page 5

“and we may not like who steps in to fillthe void.” Sullivan advocates for “thought-ful diplomacy” to complement a preparedmilitary force. “I strongly believe in prevent-ing violence rather than resorting to vio-lence,” and he agrees with the USGLC mem-bership and his fellow speakers that con-tinuing to support an adequately funded in-ternational affairs program is the way for-ward to success.

AMERICAN LEADERSHIP on the militaryand the diplomatic fronts is key to combat-ing terrorism in action today, and fightingthe root causes that keep the problem grow-ing, he said. Failure to act and stay engaged,especially in “failed or failing states” just“fertilizes the breeding grounds of terror-ism,” in the opinion of Sullivan.

According to the speakers, there are stillmore reasons to stand against cuts to theInternational Affairs and USAID budgets.Connolly brought up another threat toworld interests if the Administration’sthoughts on foreign policy don’t change di-rection. Proposed international aid budgetcuts could mean the loss of “first warningbeacons against pandemics.”

Despite the toll taken by the Ebola out-break that began in 2014, the congressmannoted that in the United States, “we stillkind of dodged a bullet.” Cutting aid tosome of the programs cuts a first line ofdefense against many deadly viruses, “thatare only a plane-ride away. These are cutsto worldwide mechanisms that we all relyon” for citizens’ very lives.

Sullivan agreed, saying that so much ofthe military’s work is humanitarian, andthat the military provides security to helpresearchers, medical personnel and othersget to difficult and often dangerous places.

The session ended with USGLC NortheastRegional Field Manager Colleen Bowmanurging the attendees to stay informed andget engaged.

“We really don’t have a choice,” saidConnolly. “It’s our responsibility to speakup. It’s in our best interest,” and with onemore parting shot, he added to the citizenryat large, “you voted to make America greatagain. Live up to that.”

The USGLC is a network of 500 busi-nesses, NGOs, national security and foreignaffairs experts, military, academics, faithleaders, and more. For more information,see www.usglc.org.

Vienna PoliceDepartment to JoinDrug Take BackInitiative

On Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to2 p.m. In conjunction with the UnitedStates Drug Enforcement Administration(D.E.A.) and state and local law enforce-ment agencies, the Vienna Police Depart-ment will again participate in a one-dayinitiative to remove potentially danger-ous controlled substances from areahomes.

The Department will have a collectionsite for old, expired, unused, or un-wanted medications. Prescription medi-cations, controlled or non-controlled sub-stances, and over the counter drugs maybe turned in anonymously at the collec-tion point inside the Vienna Police De-partment located at 215 Center Street,South, Vienna.

Historic Vienna:Upcoming Events

Historic Vienna has announced the fol-lowing upcoming events:

❖ The annual Plant Sale and GardenFaire will be held on the lawn of the Free-man Store and Museum, 131 ChurchStreet, NE in Vienna at 8 and 9 a.m., re-spectively, Saturday, May 6. Vienna’s his-toric Little Library will be open on Sun-day, May 7.

❖ Vienna’s biggest event in May is VivaVienna, with carnival rides beginning onSaturday, May 28, and all of ChurchStreet full of vendors on Sunday andMonday, May 29 and 30.

❖ The Freeman Store and Museum at131 Church Street, NE in Vienna is openWednesday through Sunday from 12-4p.m., and on all special event days inVienna, offering a selection of gifts,games, books and old-fashioned candies.There are two continuing exhibits, thefirst on the American Suffrage Move-ment, and second Vienna’s HistoryThrough Time. The Used Book Cellar isopen whenever the Store is open. Enjoybrowsing through books, DVDs, Books onCD and vintage prints covering manytopics. All profits support HistoricVienna, Inc. events and museum exhib-its. Used book donations are welcome;bags or boxes can be placed on the Free-man Store porch or brought into thestore. Textbooks, encyclopedias, maga-zines, dictionaries and romance novelsare not accepted.

❖ In June Vienna’s Little Library willbe open Sunday, June 4. On Friday, June16, Vienna will recognize FairfaxCounty’s 275th Anniversary and will holdthe summer’s first Chillin’ on Churchfrom 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17,will be History Day in Fairfax City, and,on Wednesday, June 28, the first of thesummer’s Stories and Sprinklers will beheld on the lawn behind Vienna’s LittleLibrary at 1:30 p.m. Children will listento a children’s story then, with parentpermission, run through the sprinklerson the Vienna Town Green.

Week in Vienna

Connolly addresses Leadership Forum

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8 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Tim Peterson

The Connection

Volunteer Fairfax marked an his-toric 25th annual Service Awardsceremony April 21 with 193 indi-vidual and group nominations.

Nominees and award-winners were recog-nized at a morning event held at theWaterford at Springfield for their hundredsof hours volunteering.

Board of Supervisors Chairman SharonBulova said the trick of putting people whowant to help into action is harnessing themin a given direction. “That is the work ofVolunteer Fairfax,” Bulova said.

Bulova read a proclamation from the su-pervisors declaring April 21, 2017 an offi-cial day to recognize all volunteers aroundFairfax County.

“Each one of our 2017 nominees hasstrengthened the community with their self-less service and we honor them today,” Vol-unteer Fairfax CEO Elise Neil Bengtson saidin a statement. “May their service inspireothers to join the network of strong com-munity roots.”

Senior, family youth and group volunteerswere recognized, as well as CommunityChampions selected by each magisterial dis-trict supervisor.

Volunteers from the Friends Groups ofHuntley — Friends of Huntley MeadowsPark and the Friends of Historic Huntley —won a handful of awards at the event.

Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee) called thepark “the crown jewel in the county,” andthat the care and vitality of the park couldn’thappen without the volunteers.

“It’s great to see them recognized andawarded,” McKay said. “The natural envi-ronment is great for people — it’s serene,peaceful.”

Springfield resident Marie Monsen wonthe Volunteer Fairfax Lifetime Achievementaward.

Monsen co-founded the Interfaith Com-munities for Dialogue after September 11,2001 and for years has volunteered with theAnnandale Christian Community for Action.

Along with Rebuilding Together,they help low-income homeownersin the Annandale, Lincolnia,Bailey’s Crossroads and Culmoreareas of Fairfax County.

Monsen said giving back was justsomething she learned from thegood values of her Scandinavianimmigrant parents, being a childof the 1960s, as well as her faith.

She said she was attracted to thediversity in Fairfax County, andappreciates its tradition of govern-ment agencies working togetherwith people.

“We have an opportunity tomodel,” Monsen said.

Monsen added it was exhilarat-ing to “see so many people doingso many things.”

For more information, visitwww.volunteerfairfax.org.

Volunteer Fairfax honors serviceaward-winners at 25th annual ceremonySeeds of Change

Members of the Wolf Trap First Time Campers Program receive theVolunteer Fairfax Service award for Volunteer Program on April 21.

Fairfax County supervisors and their 2017 Community Champions posedtogether after being announced at the 25th annual Volunteer FairfaxService awards on April 21.

Right, Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville)with his district’s Community ChampionPenny Halpern. Halpern has been an adultvolunteer with the Girl Scout Council of theNation’s Capital since 1980 and was behindthe Herndon Village Network that supportsseniors in the area.

Right, Gary Pan wins the Volunteer Fairfax Ser-vice award for Adult Volunteer over 250 hours.Pan is Scoutmaster of Troop 55 in Great Falls andhas put more than 1,000 hours into the programsince 2016.

Left, Supervisor Linda Smyth (D-Providence) with herdistrict’s Community Champions, members of the OaktonLibrary. Smyth acknowledged the group for being an activeorganization before there was even a building or books,saying they have “built a library that has been the focalpoint for the Oakton community for the last 10 years.”

Photos by Tim Peterson/The Connection

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10 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Entertainment

Spring is an exciting time tobe an artist in Great Falls. Notonly does it give local artists theopportunity to get out andabout with cameras, brushesand paints to work “plein air,”but their April ArtFest, the startof the Great Falls Studios showseason, enables them to sharetheir artistic creations from thewinter months and early spring.Many of the works on displaywill be brand new.

The Great Falls artists havebeen inspired to paint and pho-tograph both locally and inter-nationally: some fortunate topaint on their travels while WaltLawrence has been observingand photographing the fascinat-ing lives of a pair of Bald Eagles,nesting on an island offRiverbend Park. Others havebeen painting the bluebells andother blooms, recently an-nouncing that spring is trulyhere in Great Falls. BegoñaMorton has sketched commu-nity landmarks, now depictedon her new tea towel.

Great Falls StudiosArtFest April 29-30

Oil painters have portrayedgraceful ballet dancers, lushgreen landscapes, intricate stilllifes, realism and abstraction.Irrum Merill has designed ex-quisite pearl jewelry, VadMoskowitz presents her one ofa kind woven purses, and pot-ters display decorative andtableware pieces.

Visit and talk with memberartists on this year’s expandedSpring ArtFest, in four locationsin town: the Grange and OldForestville Schoolhouse, next tothe library, and a three groupstudios in the Village center:The Artists’ Atelier, the Loft andArtists on the Green.

Several of Great Falls artiststeach and there will be a dis-play of the winning art of stu-dents at The Arts of Great Falls,in The Grange during the week-end.

Great Falls Studios Artfest willbe held Saturday and Sunday,April 29-30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visitgreatfaslsstudios.com.

Send entertainment announcements toconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/.Deadline is Friday at noon for the follow-ing week’s paper. Photos/artworkencouraged.

ONGOINGEd Behrens’ Photographs. Various

times through April 30 at Katie’sCoffee House, Village Centre, 760Walker Road, Great Falls. Theshowing will celebrate Ed’s ten yearsas a member of Great Falls Studios,his very active 80th birthday. Call703-759-0927 for more.

Free Tai Chi. Every Saturday, from7:55-9 a.m., Introduction andBeginners’ Practice, meet on theoutdoor basketball court locateddirectly behind the Dolley MadisonPublic Library, 1244 Oak Ridge Ave.in McLean Central Park, McLean.

The Golden Girls of NorthernVirginia, a senior women’s softballleague, is looking for players. Anywoman over the age of 40 isencouraged to join. All skill levels arewelcome. Play on Wednesdayevenings and Saturday mornings inVienna. Visit www.goldengirls.org.

First Sunday Jazz Brunch 11-2 p.m.Recurring monthly on the 1st Sundayat Bazin’s on Church 111 Church StN.W., Vienna. Enjoy brunchaccompanied by the soft jazz soundsof Virginia Music Adventure. Visitwww.fxva.com/listing/bazins-on-church/1686/

The Freeman Store & MuseumWednesday through Sunday noon-4p.m. 131 Church St. NE, Vienna. TheFreeman Store & Museum isdedicated to Preserving andpromoting Vienna’s heritage throughthe identification, preservation, andinterpretation of history significantplaces, events, and persons.Historicviennainc.org

Weekly Storytime. Wednesday andSaturday. 11 a.m. Barnes & Noble,7851 L Tysons Corner Center,McLean. Themes and titles vary. Freeadmission.

Bingo Night. Sundays. 4 p.m. FlameRoom, Vienna Volunteer FireDepartment, 400 Center St. S,Vienna. $10. www.vvfd.org/bingo.html.

Gentle Yoga. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.Emmaus United Church of Christ,900 E Maple Ave. E., Vienna.Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. UnitarianUniversalist Congregation of Fairfax,2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton.Gentle Kundalini Yoga, one freeintroductory session, seniordiscounts. Increase flexibility,improve breathing and health, reducestress. Ravi Kaur has 15 yearsexperience teaching yoga. $15 persession. www.edimprovement.org.571-213-3192.

Fishing Rod Rentals 8700 PotomacHills St., Great Falls. Rentalsavailable during visitor center hours.Fishing tackle and live bait areavailable for purchase. Reservationsrequired for group rentals. $6/rental(2 hour max). Valid driver’s licenserequired. Rod/reel combinations areperfect for beginners and children. AVirginia or Maryland freshwaterfishing license is required for those16 years or older. The park does notsell fishing licenses.www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park/

Colvin Run Mill open 11 - 4 p.m.daily, closed Tuesday. 10017 ColvinRun Road, Great Falls. FairfaxCounty’s operational 19th centurywater powered gristmill, offersrecreational and educationalactivities for all ages through dailytours, school programs and specialevents. Fees: $7/adult, $6 students16+ with ID, $5 children & seniors.Admission to park is free except forsome special events.

Fundamentals of Watercolors.Mondays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at The Arts

of Great Falls, 756 Walker Road,Great Falls. Artist Lorrie Herman willhelp students get comfortableworking with watercolors andunderstanding this medium. Visitwww.greatfallsart.org for more.

Still Life Painting. Tuesdays 10:30a.m.-1 p.m. at The Arts of Great Falls,756 Walker Road, Great Falls. Stilllife provides a great tool to honeskills. Recommended for students ofall levels. Visit www.greatfallsart.org.

Evening Painting. Tuesdays 6:30 -9:30 p.m. at The Arts of Great Falls,756 Walker Road, Great Falls. JillBanks focuses on oil paintingfundamentals with two sessions eachof still life, landscapes, and portrait/clothed figure from a live model.Visit www.greatfallsart.org for more.

Intro to Jewelry Design. Tuesdays 9a.m.-noon at The Arts of Great Falls,756 Walker Road, Great Falls. JJSingh teaches a class for anyoneinterested in exploring the world ofmetal clay and its design possibilities.Visit www.greatfallsart.org for more.

APRIL 22-MAY 31Artists Show. Various times at the

Broadway Gallery, 1025-J SenecaRoad, Great Falls. “Levels ofAbstraction,” show featuring theworks of Hiromi Ashlin, GennaGurvich, Sandi Ritchie Miller, andBuck Nelligan. Visitwww.broadwaygallery.net or call703-450-8005 for more.

THURSDAY/APRIL 27Blood Drive. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Long

and Foster, 1355 Beverly Road,McLean. Long and Foster ispartnering with Children’s Nationalfor a blood drive, the blood mobilewill be located in the front of thebuilding. Call 703-790-1990 or visitwww.cnmcblooddonor.com.

Tree Celebration. 4:30 p.m. atMeadow Lane Park, 400 CourthouseRoad SW. In celebration of ArborDay, Mayor Laurie DiRocco will bejoined by Cub Scout Pack 1116 toplant an oak tree. Visitwww.viennava.gov for more.

Dinner and Whisky. 7 p.m. at Ruth’sChris Steak House in Tyson’s Corner,8521 Leesburg Pike. Introducing a

Bluebells by Layla Gray Pottery by Robin Smith

See Entertainment, Page 13

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Entertainment

By David Siegel

The Connection

With first-hand story-telling ofobstacles, survival, and em-powerment, the FairfaxCounty-based Better Said

Than Done, a community of professionalstorytellers, presents “Roar: True Tales ofWomen Warriors.” The event will centerupon 10 women sharing their personal sto-ries about everyday challenges that areuniquely female.

“The stories women will be sharing in‘Roar’ cover topics such as domestic vio-lence, workplace discrimination, heartbreak, rape, and illness,” said JessicaRobinson of Fairfax, founder of Better SaidThan Done. The stories will be true and real.

“When I read or hear a story that I canrelate to, I feel like I’m connected to an-other person through that experience,” saidRobinson. “Sometimes, that connection isbased on laughter, and sometimes on tears.”

Area storytellers appearing live at the“Roar” event will include Stacy Crickmer,

Sharon Few, Sandra Hull, Felicia Reed, Jes-sica Robinson, Ellouise Schoettler, KathyStershic, Allison Stevens, Anne B. Thomas,and Brandy Walker. The “Roar” event willbe held at Vienna’s Jammin’ Java.

Few, of Springfield, said, “No matter howsad a situation is, we must find laughterwithin the walls of our lives.”

Hull of Arlington noted that telling a storyto a live audience can help someone in theaudience to “know she’s not alone in herpain.

The “Roar” storytelling show will benefitthe National Network to End Domestic Vio-lence (NNEDV) and the launch of the newbook, “Roar: True Tales of Women War-

riors.” The book includes 21 stories writtenby women from Northern Virginia andthroughout the United States.

“At the center of our work are stories —stories of pain and sadness, but also ofstrength, triumph, and empowerment,” saidKim Gandy, NNEDV President and CEO. “Weare thrilled to partner with Better Said ThanDone to lift up women’s voices and storiesof empowerment.”

Northern Virginia writers in the book in-clude, Bushra Jabre of Vienna, UrmillaKhanna of Annandale, Mary Nicol Lucas ofFairfax, Kim O’Connell of Arlington andReston’s Mary Supley Foxworth. NationalStorytelling Festival Slam Champion Anne

Better Said ThanDone to perform atJammin’ Java.

‘Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors’

Where & WhenBetter Said Than Done presents “Roar: True

Tales of Women Warriors” at Jammin’ Java, 227Maple Ave. E., Vienna. Performance: Sunday,April 30, 2017. Doors open 6:30 p.m., show at7:30 p.m. with full dinner and drink menuavailable. $20 general admission. Visitwww.bettersaidthandone.com or call 877-987-6487. The stories are intended for an adultaudience. Some of the stories in this show includeportrayals of sex, abuse, and traumatic events.

Jessica Robinson Sandra Hull

Sharon Few

Thomas, of Washington, D.C. also appearsin the book.

“Storytelling is powerful. By hearing apersonal story, we learn from that person’sexperience, empathize with that person,and, often, change our own thoughts af-ter sharing in their experience,’ saidRobinson. “It’s my hope that by sharing,in some cases, very difficult stories aboutchallenges women face, we can promoteunderstanding and enact change.”

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12 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Donna Manz

The Connection

The term “stem” is, seemingly, everywhere, from school lobbies toop-ed columns in the media. Anacronym for “science, technol-

ogy, engineering and math,” STEM pro-grams aim to ignite a passion for inventionand scientific advancement. Some STEMprograms are school-based; some offer sum-mer camps. Some are centers equipped withsophisticated scientific equipment.

The STEM center voted the “best” in theregion by Washington Family magazinereaders – Stemtree Education Center – hasmade its home in Vienna since 2014. It isunique in the industry, as founder Dr.Abdelghani Bellaachia says, because thecenter assesses each student’s level ofknowledge and competency to accuratelytailor a program to each student’s level ofmastery. “We customize a learning planbased on each student’s level; every studentis different, at different places of skill, and,our programs are self-paced.”

Located in a small shopping center in theheart of Vienna, Stemtree focuses on bring-ing science and technology to life in a man-ner that engages the young child’s instinctto have fun while learning, as well as stimu-lating the higher critical thinking skills ofteens. Bellaachia himself has a lifetime ofscientific achievement in his resume. Heearned a BA and MS in electrical engineer-ing, an MS in computer science, and a Ph.d.in software systems. He taught college formore than 25 years before turning his at-tention to nurturing science and technol-ogy to the youngest students. Bellaachiacreated Stemtree in 2010 as an academicresource; in October 2014, he and his staffintroduced the existing model, a center-based program. “We work closely withschools,” said Bellaachia. “We never say ‘no’to anyone who comes in for donations [forschool fundraisers].”

STEMTREE partners with Westbriar El-ementary School. This summer, theWestbriar-sponsored STEM summer campwill be moved to Freedom Hill Elementaryas Westbriar continues its new construction.Stemtree designed the camps to offer aday’s-full of activities but with flexiblehours; campers can sign up for a full day, ahalf-day, single days or weekly participation.

Suneeta Rana’s daughter Renuka, aWestbriar third-grader, has been a part ofStemtree for more than a year and a half.Coming from a family of information sci-entists, Rana wants her daughter to havethe confidence that “she can do anythingand not be intimidated” by the technologi-

cal environment typically seen as a boys’realm.

Stemtree’s after-school science, technol-ogy, and engineering programs are coordi-nated through the PTA/PTO of local elemen-tary schools. In these school-sponsored pro-grams, children learn key scientific conceptsin an atmosphere that Stemtree and par-

ticipants call fun.“Robotics and sci-

ence are my favor-ites,” said Renuka Rana, who just turned 9years old and comes to the Stemtree centerevery week to “have fun.” There are lots ofgirls and boys at the Stemtree center andRenuka does not think about who is a boy

and who is a girl.“I do a lot of robotics there, building with

Legos and telling it what to do,” Renukasaid. “It’s inspiring to build something Ilike.”

TELLING THE ROBOT what to do, writ-ing commands, is programming, SuneetaRana said. “They don’t realize that they areprogramming but they are; they just knowthey are having fun.”

At Stemtree, there is an open setting andparticipants profit from one-on-one instruc-tion. The center’s activities and experimentsare hands-on and the children apply basicscientific processes to their activities.

Bellaachia and his staff go a step furtherthan simply providing a center for learn-ing; Stemtree also offers homework andSOL support, and tutoring services in chem-istry, biology, physics, and computer pro-gramming.

Stemtree’s summer camps do not run ona session schedule; it is open participation.Campers engage in technology, science, and

engineering activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Extended hours, up to 6 p.m., are available.

To learn more about Stemtree’s programsand camps, call 703-281-7836 or visitwww.stemtree.com/

Stemtree focuses onone-to-one customizedSTEM programs inVienna center.

Making Science and Technology Fun for Students

Photo courtesy of Stemtree

Third-grader Renuka Rana conducts an experiment with Stemtree scien-tist Krystyna Larkham. Stemtree, the first of its model-kind in the re-gion, opened in Vienna in October 2014.

Photos by Donna Manz/The Connection

While Vienna mom Suneeta Rana sees secure futuresin science and technology careers, her daughter,Westbriar ES third-grader Renuka Rana, sees fun.

Stemtree founder Dr. Abdelghani Bellaachia hasmultiple engineering and information science de-grees, including a Ph.D. in software systems.Stemtree staff engages STEM learners with hands-on,interactive projects that inspire creativity and re-sourcefulness through fun science and technologyapplications.

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 13www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF VIENNA450 ORCHARD STREET, NW

VIENNA, VA 22180703-938-8525

email: [email protected]

SUNDAY WORSHIP, 7:45 AM & 10:00 AMCHRISTIAN LEARNING ACADEMY (SUN.) 9:00AM-9:45AM

MIDWEEK SERVICES, WED. 7:00 PM

Visit TheseHouses of Worship

To Highlight YourFaith Community, call Karen at

703-778-9422

7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Sunday School: preschool - grade 2Music: grades 3 - 7

10:25 a.m. Sunday School Grades 3 to 6Music 4 years to 2nd grade

11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II5:00 p.m. Come Just as You Are Contemporary Service

Nursery care provided at 9:00 a.m. service

The Rev. John C. N. Hall, RectorThe Rev. Laura Cochran

703-437-6530www.stannes-reston.org

1700 Wainwright Dr., Reston

ST. ANNE’SEPISCOPALCHURCH • Reston

Welcoming, Diverse, Progressive

LITTLE CHURCH WITH A BIG HEART

Antioch Christian Church1860 Beulah RoadVienna, VA 22182

An Independent CongregationSunday Worship at 10:30 AM

Visit our website:

antiochccvienna.orgfor youth, child, and other adult services

To honor Mom on Mother’s Day, send us your favorite snapshots of youwith your Mom and The Mount Vernon Gazette will publish them in ourMother’s Day issue. Be sure to include some information about what’sgoing on in the photo, plus your name and phone number and town ofresidence. To e-mail digital photos, send to:

[email protected] prints will be returned to you if you include a stamped, self-addressed envelope, but please don’t send us anything irreplaceable.

“Me and My Mom”

Entertainment

five-course dinner paired with JohnnieWalker Whisky. Call 703-848-4290 orvisit www.ruthschris.com/Restaurant-Locations/tysons-cornerfor more.

FRIDAY/APRIL 28Community Service and

Scholarship Awards Gala. 7 p.m.Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, 7920Jones Branch Drive, McLean. UrbanLeague honoring champions in thecommunity for leadership andcommunity service and awardingstudent scholarships. Call 703-836-2858 or visit www.nvul.org

Fairfax Genealogical Society. 7:30p.m. at Dunn Loring Volunteer FireStation Hall, 2148 Gallows Road,Vienna. Sarah R. Flemingpresentation “From the Ashes—ABurned County Case Study,” effortsto piece together evidence todetermine ancestors; reviewsstrategies and records used despite acourthouse fire. Call 703-644-8185or visit www.fxgs.org/events.

APRIL 28-30Spring Art Show. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at Vale Schoolhouse, 3124Fox Mill Road, Oakton. ValeArts“Fresh Paint,” Spring Art Showfeatures guest artists Mary BethGaiarin and Andrea Cybyk amongothers. Visit www.valearts.com.

SATURDAY/APRIL 29Rummage Sale. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the

Church of the Good Shepherd, 2351Hunter Mill Road, Vienna. Donategently used items in the FellowshipHall April 24–28 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Call 703-281-3987 or visitwww.GoodShepherdVa.com.

Fairfax County Anniversary. 8:30a.m.–3 p.m.,Virginia Room, City ofFairfax Regional Library, 10360North St. “A Place Called Home:Fairfax County. A 275th AnniversaryEvent” is a day-long exploration ofthe history of Fairfax County. Free.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/libraryor 703-293-6227, ext. 6.

Korean Culture and Food Forum. 9a.m.-2 p.m. at the Korean UnitedMethodist Church of GreaterWashington, 1219 Swinks Mill Road,McLean. Cultural programs such asKorean dance performances, paperfolding, trying on traditional Koreancostumes and games for children.Call 703-863-2259 for more.

2017 Summer Farmers Market. 9a.m.-1 p.m. Opening Day, Great FallsFarmers Market, 778 Walker Road.Visit greatfallsfarmersmarket.org.

“Preserving Family Heirlooms”. 10a.m. at Dunn Loring Volunteer FireStation Hall, 2148 Gallows Road,Vienna. Tina Beaird presents a briefhistory of paper manufacturing andphotography while describing how tostore and preserve such items, andtechniques for preserving historic andmodern scrapbooks. Call 703-644-8185 or visit www.fxgs.org/events.

Community Shred Day. 10 a.m.-1p.m. at the AOG Wealth ManagementOffice, 10130-E Colvin Run Road.Free. Email [email protected] call 703-757-8020.

Taste of Vienna. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at theVienna Volunteer Fire Departmentfire station at 400 Center St. S. Freeadmission and live entertainment.Proceeds from the sale of food andbeverages will benefit the ViennaVolunteer Fire Department. Visittasteofvienna.org for more.

Homeless Community Forum. 1-4p.m. at Unity of Fairfax, 2854 HunterMill Road, Oakton. Representativesfrom local government, nonprofits,and faith groups gather for acommunity forum on homelessness in

Fairfax County. Call 703-281-1767,or visit unityoffairfax.org for more.

SUNDAY/APRIL 30Green Expo. 2-5 p.m. at the Windover

Heights Historic District, 277Windover Ave., Vienna. The yardsand gardens of approximately 50homes in the Town’s northwesthistoric district will be open tovisitors as part of the annual Walk onthe Hill. Open air artist, jazzensemble, Hickory Groveperformances and historic tour. Visitwww.viennava.gov for more.

MONDAY/MAY 1Love Your Baby Day. 11:30 a.m.-3

p.m. at Beloved Yoga, 1137 WalkerRoad, Suite 2, Great Falls. Learnabout the many aspects of theprenatal and postnatal journey andsupport available to have a healthypregnancy, and raise a healthy andhappy baby and family. Visitwww.belovedyoga.com for more.

Willy Porter in Concert. 7 p.m. atJammin’ Java, 227 Maple Ave. E.,Vienna. Performing with his singing/songwriting partner, CarmenNickerson. Visit jamminjava.com.

Spiritual Practices Class. 7-9 p.m. atUnity of Fairfax, 2854 Hunter MillRoad, Oakton. Explore the world ofspiritual practices in this experientialsurvey class. Call 703-281-1767 orvisit unityoffairfax.org for more.

TUESDAY/MAY 2Girls Night Out and Social. 5-8 p.m.

at Kona Grill, 11724 Fair Oaks Mall,Fairfax. [email protected].

WEDNESDAY/MAY 3Great Falls Historical Society. 6

p.m. at L’Auberge Chez Francois, 332Springvale Road, Great Falls. 40thAnniversary Celebration. Call 703-759-3800 for more.

SATURDAY/MAY 6Oak Hill Fun Run. 6-10:30 a.m. Oak

Hill Elementary School, 3210 KinrossCircle, Oak Hill. Support the schoolor earn service hours by running theannual Oak Hill 1K or 5K. Call 703-467-3535 or email

[email protected] Hill Garden Club. 8 a.m.-noon on

the lawn next to the Freeman Store,131 Church St. NE, Vienna. Thisyear’s sale, which features plants thatcome largely from club members’gardens, will emphasize benefits ofnative plants to the local ecology.Garden flea market items also will beavailable. [email protected].

World Labyrinth Day Workshop.noon-4 p.m. at Unity of Fairfax, 2854Hunter Mill Road, Oakton, VA. Free.Call 703-281-1767 or visitunityoffairfax.org for more.

SUNDAY/MAY 7Community Open House. 10 a.m.-3

p.m. at Great Falls Animal Hospital,10125 Colvin Run Road. Tour thehospital and see the behind thescenes activities that keep your petshealthy. Visit www.GreatFallsAnimalHospital.com for more.

Jazz Concert. 7 p.m. at ViennaPresbyterian Church, 124 Park St.Featuring Duke Ellington’s “AlmightyGod Has Those Angels” sung byMetropolitan Opera soprano DanielleTalamantes Visit viennapres.org/ orcall 703-938-9050 for more.

FRIDAY, MAY 12Road to Independence Gala. 6-10

p.m. at the Hilton McLean TysonsCorner 7920 Jones Branch Drive,McLean. The Road to IndependenceGala celebrates Northern VirginiaFamily Service as the leadingresource for Northern Virginiafamilies in need. This prestigiousevent features live and silentauctions, and draws 600 businessand community leaders invested inlocal families. This year’s honoreesare Karen Cleveland and former U.S.Rep. Frank Wolf. $300. Call 571-748-2502, or email [email protected].

SATURDAY/MAY 13Love Your Baby Day. 11:30 a.m.-3

p.m. at Beloved Yoga, 1137 WalkerRoad, Suite 2, Great Falls. Learnabout the many aspects of theprenatal and postnatal journey andsupport available to have a healthypregnancy, and raise a healthy andhappy baby and family. Visitwww.belovedyoga.com for more.

From Page 10

Photo contrib-

uted

Ed Behrensphotos will beon exhibit inApril atKatie’s CoffeeShop, VillageCentre, 760Walker Road,Great Fallsduring themonth ofApril.

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14 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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ABC LICENSEBoard Room VA, LLC trading asThe Board Room, 925 N Garfield

Street, Arlington, ArlingtonCounty, VA 22201-2179. The

above establishment is applyingto the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGECONTROL (ABC) for a Brewery;

Wine and Beer On and Off; MixedBeverage Restaurant (seatingcapacity 151 seating or more)license to sell or manufacturealcoholic beverages. Mark R.

Handwerger, Managing Memberauthorizing advertisement. NOTE:Objections to the issuance of thislicense must be submitted to ABC

no later than 30 days from thepublishing date of the first of tworequired newspaper legal notices.Objections should be registered

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ABC LICENSEBoard Room VA, LLC trading asThe Board Room, 925 N Garfield

Street, Arlington, ArlingtonCounty, VA 22201-2179. The

above establishment is applyingto the VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGECONTROL (ABC) for a Wine and

Beer On and Off; Mixed BeverageRestaurant (seating capacity 151seating or more) license to sell ormanufacture alcoholic beverages.Mark R. Handwerger, ManagingMember authorizing advertise-ment. NOTE: Objections to the

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21 Announcements 21 Announcements

AT&T Mobility, LLC is proposing to modify existingantennas on an existing building located at 2121 CrystalDrive, Arlington, VA. The modification will consist ofremoving and replacing three existing antennas at tipheights not to exceed 151 feet above ground level on theexisting 147-foot building. Any interested party wishing tosubmit comments regarding the potential effects the pro-posed facility may have on any historic property may doso by sending such comments to: Project 6117001653-MRG c/o EBI Consulting, 6876 Susquehanna Trail S,York, PA 17403, or via telephone at 339-234-3535.

Do not wish to be anythingbut what youare, and try to be thatperfectly.

-St. Francis de Sales

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIEThe onslaught of radio and television adver-

tising for grass seed and riding mowers. I sup-pose if I was a responsible homeowner, given thetime of the year: spring/April, I might have aninterest in such timely offerings. However, sinceI’m not and since I’m still unable to manage thetwo acres that I own, affectionately referred to as“Belly Acres,” going on 25 years dating back toMay ‘92 when we initially took ownership, thebest I can do is borrow my neighbor’s ridingmower and spend a couple of hours every twoweeks or so trying to keep the grass below myknees. Cancer issues not totally withstanding.

Actually, aside from having little interest,minimal experience and multiple home/toolmaintenance issues/pre-existing conditions, I amthe perfect target: a homeowner who can’t doanything on his own and needs help all the timefor everything. Specifically as it involves my yard;I have grass, trees, bushes, shrubs, daffodils,flower beds, wild flowers, weeds and moreweeds. If I were so inclined and wanted to con-fide to someone in a Lawn & Garden store, Iwould have to admit that a novice looks experi-enced compared to me. I need to be taken bythe hand — literally — and instructed as if thewords being spoken to me were a foreign lan-guage. Which of course, they are.

This previous paragraph presumes howeverthat I have a budget and even a passing notionto attempt to improve upon the randomness thatcharacterizes “Belly Acres.” I can still remembera conversation I had with a local lawn and gar-den consultant when we first moved in. A gen-tlemen came by and together we walked aroundthe property. After ending up back at the house,he asked me what I wanted to do. I said some-thing like, “I don’t know, you tell me.” Heresponded with words I could semi understandbut mostly it was unintelligible — to me, so Iasked for a clarification.

After grasping the obvious, finally, I asked: “Iswhat you’re telling me that I could hire someoneto work full time for the rest of his life and stillthe work wouldn’t get done?”

“Yes,” he said.That’s when I fully understood the problem. I

then thanked him for his time and haven’t revis-ited the issue since. Talk about pointless. And so,all these years later, the property remains nearlyas it was. Oh sure, tress have fallen down,branches, limbs, sticks and stones have hit theground — and house, and together have clut-tered up the general appearance. However, anyeffort beyond paying people to clean up the mis-cellaneous yard debris has been lost in the pas-sage of time and in my lack of initiative. Throwin a “terminal” cancer diagnosis and at least forme, pulling weeds, etc., became a fairly lowpriority.

Still, it doesn’t mean that I don’t pay attentionto advertising aimed at homeowners, especiallythe ones promoting grass seed and riding mow-ers. Many of which are quite funny and clever.Not quite clever enough to get me off the couchand into a store to spend money on a project,especially on one whose timeline might notmatch mine. That’s not to say that I’m living likeI’m dying so why bother? No. it’s more aboutcommon sense and gratification. I don’t need towait for — anything. Oh sure, I need to plan fortomorrow but not at the expense (pun intended)of today. It’s not exactly akin to a fool and hismoney but when you’ve been diagnosed withcancer, priorities change, as do budget/timeallowances; in fact/feeling, everything changes.

I don’t mean to imply that I’m a closed book,unable to get out of my own way or incapable oftaking the good with the bad. As you regularreaders know, I’m really pretty flexible when itcomes to my less-than-ideal circumstances.Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that I don’t havemy moments. Hearing/seeing these lawn andgarden promotions has given me pause though.Not enough to change my mind but enough tomotivate me — to write a column.

And So ItBegins ...

EmploymentEmployment

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Educational InternshipsUnusual opportunity to learn many aspects ofthe newspaper business. Internships available inreporting, photography, research, graphics.Opportunities for students, and for adults consid-ering change of career. Unpaid. [email protected]

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 ❖ 15www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Schools

Senior Peter Holmes, astudent in The PotomacSchool’s Science and En-gineering Research Cen-ter (SERC) program, wasawarded third-place hon-ors at the regional JuniorScience and HumanitiesSymposium (JSHS), heldat Georgetown Universityin March. He received ascholarship and the op-portunity to present hisresearch, which focuseson a new method for pro-ducing ethanol as abiofuel, at the nationalJSHS in San Diego inApril.

This is not the first timePeter has been recog-nized for this research. InJanuary, he was namedone of 300 RegeneronScholars nationwide, aspart of the RegeneronScience Talent Search, aprestigious pre-college competition that alsoawards scholarships.

Peter began working on his project as ajunior. Having read about using algae tomake ethanol, he said, “I tried to think out-side the box about a new way that could bemore productive and more efficient. Thatwould be to have a single organism, or atleast one system, that can both ferment andphotosynthesize at the same time, makingthe whole process more effective.” Peter’sresearch advisor, Dr. Isabelle Cohen, said,“His scientific approach was one of thesoundest I have witnessed in my many yearsof research and teaching.”

Cohen’s support prompted Peter to nomi-nate her for the regional JSHS’s 2017Teacher Award, which she received at the

Potomac School Student, Teacher Honored

SOBER-RIDE FOR CINCO DE MAYOFree Sober Rides. Friday, May 5, 7 p.m. through

Saturday, May 6, 4 a.m. Area residents, 21 andolder, may download Lyft to their phones, thenenter the code CINCODC in the app’s “Promo”section to receive a no cost (up to $15) safe ridehome. The SoberRide code is valid for the first1,500 Lyft users who enter the code. Visitwww.soberride.com.

THROUGH SUMMERVienna Street-sweeping Program. The Town

of Vienna began its annual street-sweepingprogram beginning March 20. The Town isdivided into eight sections for purposes of thesweeping program. During the first pass throughTown, the Public Works Department asks thatresidents not park on the street. Find the“sweeping” sections at viennava.gov/sweeping. Additionally, signs will be placed onstreets marking a window of 7-10 days duringwhich the truck will come through. Contactpublic works at 703-255-6380.

THURSDAY/APRIL 27Autism Awareness Month. 10 a.m.-noon at

Dunn Loring Center for Parent Services, 2334Gallows Road, Entrance 1 - Room 100, DunnLoring. Individuals with Autism SpectrumDisorder and other cognitive disabilities may notrecognize danger, react well in an emergency or

be able to seek help. Attend this workshop tolearn safety risks for individuals with specialneeds, proactive steps to reduce the risk ofpotential dangers, information on the newYellow Dot Program and more. Register onlineat bit.ly/2ogNf84 or call 703-204-3941.

SATURDAY/APRIL 29Operation Medicine Cabinet Cleanout. 8

a.m.–2 p.m. at McLean District Station, 1437Balls Hill Road, McLean. Drop off unused orexpired medications at a Fairfax County Policedistrict station (pills or liquids only, nopressurized canisters or needles). Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/csb or [email protected] for more.

TUESDAY/MAY 2Town Elections. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. at Vienna

Presbyterian Church, 124 Park St. NE, Vienna.Town of Vienna residents will cast votes forthree Vienna Town Council seats. Visitwww.viennava.gov for more.

SATURDAY/MAY 6Document Shredding Event. 9 a.m.-noon at

Long & Foster 1355 Beverly Road, McLean. Free,secure document destruction for the community,bring your unwanted documents and TrueShredwill do the rest. Call 703-790-1990 for more.

Photo contributed

Peter Holmes ’17 and Dr. Isabelle Cohen

symposium. In his nomination, Peter wrote,“I would characterize Dr. Cohen as the

most intelligent, hard-working, and consid-erate person I know. Within her role as anadvisor in the SERC program, Dr. Cohenoversees approximately 10 students a yearin their independently crafted researchprojects.

…Dr. Cohen does much more than merelymonitor; she becomes a trusted confidantthroughout the whole process. …WithoutDr. Cohen constantly pushing me to mygreatest potential, I would not be where Iam scientifically, nor appreciate the fieldnearly as much.”

Cohen teaches science in Potomac’s Up-per School; she has been a member of theschool’s faculty since 1997.

Bulletin Board To have community events listed in the Connection, visitconnectionnewspapers.com/Calendar/. The deadline forsubmissions is noon on Friday.

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Monday Noon

703-778-9411

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16 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 26 - May 2, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Reston-HerndonLittle LeagueCelebrates NewSeason

Hundreds of Reston-HerndonLittle League (RHLL) players gath-ered at Reston Town Center onSaturday morning to celebrate thestart of the baseball season. Joinedby their coaches, the players woreuniforms provided by the Wash-ington Nationals and were enter-tained on the parade route downMarket Street by two of the Na-tionals racing presidents — Teddyand Abe. At the end of the paraderoute, high school players fromSouth Lakes, Herndon, and Madi-son high schools, many of whomwere once RHLL players them-selves, greeted the players withhigh-fives.

Joining the occasion, U.S. Rep.Gerry Connolly, said, “Forty-sixyears of baseball in Reston andHerndon — what a great thing”

Jason Walker, RHLL president,said, “You will make lifelongfriends through baseball.”

James Madison High School baseball team memberscame to support Reston-Herndon Little League (RHLL)players.

Madison High Head Coach Mark “Pudge” Gjormandhonors his daughter and long-time RHLL playerSamantha.

Pho

to

s co

ntributed

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ● April 2017 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC

and Oaktonand OaktonViennaVienna

Education&ActivitiesSummer●Camps

Education&ActivitiesSummer●Camps2017

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2 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● April 2017 ● Vienna/Oakton Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Now in its 16th year – in Annapolis, MD at the U.S. Naval Academy

Overnight Camp & Day CampJune 24-27 | June 19-23

(ages 10-17) (ages 6-12)

NAVY GIRLS SOCCER CAMP Summer●CampsiEducation&Activities

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

Summer often evokes images of pool splashingand backyardbarbequing. For some

educators though, warm weathermonths represent a potential lossof skills acquired during an aca-demic year. Known as “braindrain,” this concept refers to re-search that shows that, on aver-age, students lose one to threemonths of learning when they arenot engaged in academic activitiesduring summer months. Academiccamps can address this loss of aca-demic skills while allowing chil-dren to enjoy summer fun.

“… Students have the opportu-nity to explore a topic in depth,without juggling competing scho-lastic demands or intramural ac-tivities,” said Dr. Janine Dewitt,professor of sociology atMarymount University in Arling-ton.

For example, campers at Sum-mertimes Camp at St. Stephen’s &St. Agnes School in Alexandria willhave an opportunity to choosefrom a variety of specialized campsranging from physics and Frenchto zoology and rocket and spacescience.

“Specialty camps are great waysto try new things, to expand hori-zons and to challenge yourself,”said Jim Supple, associate dean ofstudents and director of summerprograms at St. Stephen’s & St.Agnes School.

Campers at 3E (Explore, Enrich,Enjoy) Summer Camp atMarymount University will ex-plore science through nature andelectronic gadgets, mathematicsthrough making boats and geode-sic domes, language arts throughwriting stories, and fine artsthrough creating dramas and car-toons.

For parents concerned aboutbalancing the need to maintainacademic skills with the need fordowntime, Dewitt says that, “Par-ents can prevent academic burn-out by limiting the number ofscheduled activities over thecourse of the summer, and select-ing only those that foster theirchild’s natural curiosity. Summercourses that allow students thefreedom to select different typesof learning activities can be bothenergizing and fun.”

CampsHelp FightBrain Drain

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Vienna/Oakton Connection ● April 2017 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

10310-A Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030

Summer●CampsiEducation&Activities

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

This summer a group of high school stu-dents with an interest in health care as aprofession will get a chance to experiencethe real-world work of nurses when they

attend a nursing camp at George Mason University.“Our goal has been to introduce high school stu-

dents to what nursing is, and what it is not,” saidCarol Urban, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor anddirector, School of Nursing George Mason Univer-sity. “We find that we have students come to Masonwho declare nursing as their major, but have neverhad any experience with nurses outside of theirhealth care provider’s office or the school nurse. Wewant to introduce them to nursing as a career, andthe many opportunities that exist in nursing beyondworking in a hospital.”

The camp will provide small group projects andhands-on simulation to introduce core concepts ofnursing. Nursing faculty hope to expose students tothe diverse career paths available to those with adegree in nursing.

Urban says that students will be taught healthcare

Campers will get areal-world view of thenursing profession.

Nursing Camp for HS Students

Photo by Alexis Glenn/Creative Services/George

Mason University

GMU College of Health and Human Ser-vices Nursing student Megan Holmesworks in the Simulation Lab at the FairfaxCampus.

skills, such as how to take a blood pressure and howto check a pulse. “We will provide … time in ournursing simulation laboratory where we have ourhuman simulators,” she said. “[Campers] will haveobservational experiences in a hospital with nursesand will be given an opportunity to talk with nurseswe have on our faculty who have been in uniquecareer fields including a forensics nurse, and a re-searcher who works globally in sub-Saharan Africa.”

The camp will also expose students to new trendsin healthcare. “Healthcare delivery is changing and

See Nursing, Page 4

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4 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● April 2017 ● Vienna/Oakton Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Introduction To NursingSummer●CampsiEducation&Activities

From Page 3

the camp is exposing the students to thechanging healthcare climate,” said ChristineM. Coussens, Ph.D., associate dean of Com-munity Engagement in the College of Healthand Human Services at George Mason Uni-versity. “In the newer healthcare models,nurses will have a significant role in howand when healthcare is delivered and theywill continue to be leaders for ensuring thehealth of patients and communities.”

DURING A TYPICAL DAY at the camp,students will spend several hours in thenursing skills laboratory learning basic skillsand techniques.

“They may also spend some time in oneof our Mason and Partners clinics, learninghow nurses care for patients in a clinic set-ting and how valuable educating patientsabout their health is to improving theirhealth.,” said Urban.

Students will also have an opportunity toengage in a dialogue with nurses to gaininsights into real world experience. “They’llhave conversations with nurses about theircareers and learning what education andexperiences they needed for that kind of ajob. For example, what does a forensicsnurse do?” asked Urban.

Coussens hopes that students will leave

the camp knowing the diversity of optionsthat a degree in nursing can offer. “A de-gree in nursing opens possibilities for stu-dents to work in hospitals, healthcare man-agement positions, policy positions … glo-bally in clinics and with aid organizations,in forensic roles [and] research institu-tions,” said Coussens. “There are limitlessopportunities. A degree in nursing can opendoors because of the clinical license andanalytical ability.”

Admission to the nursing camp is com-petitive because of the limited number ofavailable spots.

“We’ve run this camp before and it hasbeen well-received,” said Urban. “‘Gradu-ates’ of the camp have said that it reallyopened their eyes to everything a nursedoes, and the great career potential thatnurses have. They are amazed at the vari-ous opportunities a nurse can have. It alsomakes them aware that nursing is hard, butrewarding — it isn’t just what you see inthe media, it’s real work. But more impor-tantly, they see the passion that nurses havefor that work, and the reward of seeing apatient and family member helped by thework that nurses do.”

The camp will run from July 10-14. Thecost is $275. For more information, visitchhs.gmu.edu/nursing/camp/index.cfm.