MLWGS Makes Newsweek's Public Elites List Again

For the fourth consecutive year, Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies (MLWGS) has been recognized by Newsweek magazine as one the “most elite public high schools” in its recent ranking of the nation’s high schools.

These 16 schools were excluded from the list of the “1,500 top U.S. high schools,” said the publication, because “their sky-high SAT and ACT scores indicate they have few or no average students.”

These top performing schools are listed in alphabetical order at http://www.newsweek.com/id/201138.

The other Virginia school listed as one of the 16 “most elite public high schools” is Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Arlington.

MLWGS, located in Richmond's Carver neighborhood, draws about 700 students from 12 districts, including Richmond, Hanover, Henrico, and Chesterfield.

The word “elite” may be used to describe the rigorous and accelerated college preparatory program that MLWGS offers its students, but not the distinctive learning community at the school. MLWGS represents a culturally, socioeconomically, ethnically, and geographically diverse population.

The common denominator for the students who are selected to enter into this academically challenging program is that they are risk-takers who leave behind home schools and friends in search of a “broad-based educational experience that develops their understanding of world cultures and languages, as well as the ability to lead, participate, and contribute in a rapidly changing global society.”

MLWGS students are selected for admission and undergo a highly competitive process coordinated by a regional planning team. However, students who are selected come from diverse backgrounds and accept the challenges offered, including the opportunity to learn in 22 Advanced Placement courses, more than 28 university dual enrollment courses, honors courses, mentorships, and research seminars.

Alumnus '05 Valedictorian of Morehouse College

Anthony Roberts '05 graduated valedictorian of Morehouse College's class of 2009 with a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average.

Roberts is an economics major, and he not only distinguished himself as a scholar, but as a championship sprinter on the Morehouse Track and Field team. As a member of the track and field team, he earned the title of SIAC Scholar Athlete. He also has served as president of the Morehouse Business Association and is a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

After graduation, Roberts will begin his career as an associate consultant for Bain & Company, a management consultant firm in Atlanta.

Alumna '00 Wins MCV Pharmacy Award

Melissa Beck Carroll ’00 won 2 major awards at the recent MCV/VCU School of Pharmacy Graduation Ceremonies held Friday May 15th and Saturday May 16th. At the Friday Night Awards Banquet Melissa took home two of the School’s top honors, the MCV Alumni Association Award and the MCV/VCU School of Pharmacy Professionalism Award. On Saturday afternoon Melissa received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the School’s Hooding and Diploma Ceremony.

The MCV Alumni Association Award is presented to a pharmacy student based upon academic excellence, leadership, and/or service to the community/university and the recommendation of the Dean’s Office.

The MCV/VCU School of Pharmacy Professionalism Award recognizes the ideals of professionalism and excellence in patient care in all aspects of the recipient’s academic pharmacy career. The recipient must have demonstrated exceptional service and commitment to the profession through involvement in professional organizations and other extracurricular learning opportunities.

During her four years at the School Melissa won several scholarships and participated in many activities including serving terms as Class Vice-President and Treasurer and a two-year term as President of the Student Association of Community Pharmacists. During her third year of school, she served as Vice-President for the Student Government Association for the entire MCV campus.

In July, Melissa will be moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan to begin a Pharmacy Practice Residency program at the University of Michigan Medical Center.

Senior Showcase 2009

Here is a sampling of some of the presentations for this year's Senior Showcase.

Schreiber Retires after 16 Years of Teaching

After sixteen years of service to the Governor’s School, David L. Schreiber (“Les”) will retire in June from the Social Studies Department. Mr. Schreiber arrived in the fall of 1992 after a lengthy career as an international bond and foreign exchange trader in New York and Europe. He entered the program in its second year of operation along with the first full class admitted to the institution, the Class of 1996. Les’ length of service to the program is matched by only six current staff members.

Upon his arrival, Mr. Schreiber helped pioneer the Global Studies curriculum, which is still the core of the freshman year experience at the Governor’s School. As the school matured, Mr. Schreiber created the AP Economics program and the AP Comparative Government course. He taught the AP American Government class for many years and was responsible for a collaborative effort with Mr. David Barnes of the Science Department which focused on the interrelationship between environmental and economic policy. The latter is still one of the few co-taught, interdisciplinary classes ever offered at the Governor’s School. Mr. Schreiber also originated the first-ever History of Richmond seminar at the school.

Beginning in the late 1990s, Mr. Schreiber guided a group of Governor’s School students to the first of two district championships in the “Fed Challenge” competition sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank. Through extensive study and rigorous questioning by Fed officials, Fed Challenges probes student understanding of macroeconomic and national bank policies. “District” championships are awarded for first-place in the Federal Reserve Bank’s multi-state districts of which there are twelve nationally. In 2000, The Governor’s School team took fourth in the country earning each student participant a $4,000 cash gift and $11,000 for the school. In 2002, Maggie Walker secured the national championship after withering questioning from the Fed’s Board of Governors, including then-Chairman, Alan Greenspan. Team members earned $5,000 each and the school accepted a gift of $10,000.

Mr. Schreiber received his B.A. from the University of Tennessee and his Master’s in Education from New York University. His also earned certification from the University of Amsterdam (Neth.) for completing a year-long program in European monetary and economic integration.

He looks forward to never missing another Yankee game on television.

--John Wilkes, Global Studies Department Chair