Governor's School News

Congratulations to David Mooney '00

2011-03-15T09:52:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to David Mooney '00, who recently married Rebecca Hudson in Birmingham, Alabama.

A number of Governor's School alumni from the class of 2000 were in attendance. Pictured from left: Ben Treanor, James Rotchford, Heather Lennon, Lindsey Pagano, Emily Stegmaier, Nina Patel, David Mooney, Rebecca Mooney (bride), Brittany Averette, Taylor Beall, Melissa Beck Carroll, and Nathan Carroll.

Alumni Volunteer at BoB Tournament

2010-12-10T11:01:00.005-05:00

Six alumni returned to the Governor's School this past Saturday, December 4, to volunteer as readers for GSAC XVIII, the Academic Team's annual invitational tournament. Thirty-two teams from as far south as South Carolina and as far north as New York participated, and the tournament was won by a team from St. Anselm Abbey School in DC.

"I was very pleased with how efficiently the tournament ran and with the quality of the questions the team wrote," said tournament director J.R. Roach '11.

Pictured above, from left to right, are John Barnes--BoB Squad coach, Josh Crockett '97, Tim Maness '99, Matt Weiner '00, Sarah Angelo '10, Evan Adams '07, Greg Tito '10, Juanita Lasswell--BoB Squad assistant coach, and Hal Waller--former BoB Squad coach.

All questions for the tournament are written by members of the BoB Squad, the school's academic team.

Alumna Awarded Monroe Scholar at William & Mary

2010-12-01T08:58:00.002-05:00

Gillian Byles (’09) has been accepted as a Monroe Scholar at The College of William and Mary. Gillian plans on using her summer scholarship to travel to Jamaica to conduct a cross cultural study of body image in young woman both at The College of William and Mary and at the University of the West Indies.

Each year, rising sophomores who have outstanding academic records in the freshman year are invited to apply for seats in the Monroe Scholar Program. This year 124 rising sophomores were invited to apply for 54 spaces in the class of 2013.

Monroe Scholars are the most academically distinguished undergraduates at William and Mary. They demonstrate a concern for community, intellectual depth, curiosity, and devotion to learning for learning's sake.

The most significant component of the Program is the $3,000 summer scholarship that is awarded to every Monroe Scholar. Students may use the scholarship to conduct a serious research project of their own design following the sophomore or junior year.

(The program description above comes from www.wm.edu.)

Art Teacher Wins R.E.B.

2010-11-12T15:25:00.003-05:00

Fine Arts Department Chair Jeff "Coach" Hall just received a $10,500 R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence. Coach Hall will use his award to travel to Europe this summer to compare and contrast contemporary art and architecture across the continent.

"Winning this award is a very humbling experience," said Coach Hall. "The quality of the teachers with whom I was competing was exceptional, and this opportunity will be a highlight of my career."

R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence were established in 1988 to recognize public school teachers in the metropolitan Richmond area who “have distinguished themselves by their inspiring classroom performance.” Each year, grants of up to $12,000 are given to approximately fifteen teachers to support their professional development activities.

Current Governor’s School teachers who have received this award in the past include Denise Yagel, Lisa Williams, and Kerry Sheppard from the English department; John Barnes from the Mathematics department; and John Wilkes from the Social Studies department.

Math Teacher Featured in Richmond Magazine

2010-11-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

MLWGS Math teacher John Barnes is recognized as one of the "Standout teachers from around the region" in the November 2010 issue of Richmond Magazine.

The article, which highlights "6 Teachers Who Inspire," gives kudos to Dr. Barnes not only for his teaching but also for his coaching of the academic and math modeling teams.

Bailey Thomson '06 Wins W&M Carr Cup

2010-05-25T09:20:00.002-04:00

from William & Mary Press Office

Richmond’s Thomson Wins Carr Memorial Cup At W&M Commencement Ceremony
(Williamsburg, Va.) – Kathryn Bailey Thomson (goes by Bailey), daughter of Audrey and Gordon Thomson of Richmond, Va., received the College of William & Mary's James Frederic Carr Memorial Cup during Commencement ceremonies on May 16, 2010.

The Carr Cup is presented annually to the graduating senior "who best combines the qualities of character, scholarship and leadership." It is named for James Carr, who came to W&M in 1914, served with distinction in World War I, and lost his life before he could return to the College.

Thomson, a Monroe Scholar and member of Phi Beta Kappa among several honors societies, graduated with a double major and departmental honors in Middle Eastern Studies and Government. She was honored for her roles as Chair of the Undergraduate Honor Council, Resident Assistantship, NAACP membership, and leadership in international service.

“Bailey has been a faithful steward of the College’s highest values,” W&M President Taylor Reveley said. “She represents the best of William & Mary, not only for exemplary character, scholarship and leadership, but also for her deep commitment to bringing our diverse community together and seeking understanding across our lines of difference.”

Robotics Team Completes Successful Season

2010-03-25T09:39:00.001-04:00

The Maggie L. Walker Robotics Team, the Mech Tech Dragons, ended their season at the FIRST Virginia Regional Competition at VCU on March 18-20. The team made it as far as the semi-finals in the soccer-inspired challenge entitled “Breakaway.”

Congratulations to the team for their outstanding performance this year!

Former UN Ambassador to Present at MLWGS

2010-03-25T08:44:00.003-04:00

Ambassador Jacques Paul Klein, Under Secretary General of the United Nations (ret.), is coming to MLWGS on Monday, March 29, to speak on "Brutal Wars, Negotiated Peace and the Pursuit of Justice: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Liberia and Sierra Leone And the Role of the United Nations."

Presentations will be made to Maggie Walker students during the school day. A previously-schedule evening presentation is now canceled.

The program is co-sponsored by the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and Interantional Studies and Bridging Boundaries International (BBI).

Alumnus Speaks on Experiences in Haiti

2010-03-12T14:10:00.002-05:00

William and Mary freshman Danny Yates '09 spoke to MLWGS parents and students about his experiences during Haiti's January earthquake. Danny presented in the Forum twice on Wednesday, March 10--once during the day to students and then at an evening presentation to parents and visitors.

Danny was a translator for a mission trip at the time of the quake, and he saw first-hand the devastation in Port-au-Prince.

Since returning to the US, Danny has worked tirelessly to educate Americans about the continuing problems in Haiti, as well as how we can help. For more about Danny's experiences, please visit his website at www.hincherelief.wordpress.com.

BoB Squad Wins State Championship

2010-03-05T15:45:00.003-05:00

Pictured (left to right): Coach Juanita Lasswell, Sarah Angelo ’10, Eric Tyler ’10, Captain Greg Tito ’10, Tommy Casalaspi ’11, and Coach John Barnes.

Maggie Walker won the VHSL AAA State Scholastic Bowl Championship in Williamsburg on February 22. The winning team was comprised of seniors Sarah Angelo and Greg Tito of Henrico and Eric Tyler of Chesterfield, along with Tommy Casalaspi, a junior from Chesterfield. The team was coached by Ms. Juanita Lasswell and Dr. John Barnes.

The team defeated Langley High School 290-135, Ocean Lakes High School 315-130, and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 235-170 to advance to the tournament finals. This was a double elimination tournament, which required Maggie Walker to play TJHSST a second time. Maggie Walker defeated TJHSST in the final game by a score of 280-150, giving The Green Dragons their 4th state Scholastic Bowl championship.

FOVGS Day at the General Assembly a Success

2010-03-05T14:11:00.003-05:00

Pictured (left to right): Director Fred Morton, Dylan Kolhoff '10, Siobhan Rigby '12, Claire Porté '12, Delegate Bill Janis, Johnny Mac Yates '13, Mikey Valacer '13, Kelsey Miller '12.

The annual "Capitol Day" sponsored by Friends of Virginia's Governor's School was a major success again this year. On Wednesday, March 3, students and parents from MLWGS and other governor's schools visited the General Assembly and Senate to ask legislators to be kind to our schools during the budget-cutting sessions.

The Friends of Virginia's Governor's Schools is an the advocacy organization that represents all 18 state-wide schools. Special thanks goes to the FOVGS leadership team: Sara Hillgrove, Martha Young, and Jane Scheibe.

Pictured (left to right): Lobbyist Joseph Stanley '05, Callie Guy '10, and Director Fred Morton.

School Hosts German Convention

2010-03-05T13:19:00.010-05:00

Pictured (left to Right): Melissa (Edwards) Hogarty ’03, Frau Grois, and Amy Weiss ’03.

The annual convention of the Virginia Organization of German Students (VOGS) took place at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School on February 26-27, 2010. The theme of the convention was “Einigkeit” or unity.

The event was organized by the co-presidents of the German Club, Kelsie Taylor ’10 and Logan Ferrell ’11, and their sponsor, Frau Dawn Grois.

Twenty three high schools and middle schools from across Virginia participated in a variety of workshops and competitions, such as the Battle of the Brains and forensics. Most of the twenty-five workshops were conducted by MLWGS students, teachers, and parents.

In addition to the 250 + students and teachers, eleven Governor's School alumni attended the Saturday session: Chris Highley, ’97, Arrus Farmer ’99, Jackie Kruszewski, ’02, Philip O’Brien ’02, Adam Snodgrass '02, Melissa (Edwards) Hogarty ’03, Gisela Hornberger ’03, Amy Weiss ’03, Steven Bailey ’08, Matthew Gizzi ’09, and David Reed ’09.

Pictured (left to right): Philip O’Brien ’02, Frau Grois, Chris Highley, ’97, Steven Bailey ’08, Arrus Farmer ’99, and David Reed ’09.

Math Modeling Team Wins Highest Award

2010-02-18T13:48:00.001-05:00

Caption: The winning Math Modeling team is recognized by the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Regional School Board. From left to right, Dr. John Barnes, Ashish Makadia, Dianne Pettitt (Regional School Board Chair), Eric Tyler, Susan Ballentine, and Will Farmer.

One of Maggie Walker’s Math Modeling teams was one of only eight teams in the world (top 3%) to be awarded the highest designation of “National Outstanding.” The National Outstanding team members, who are all seniors from Chesterfield County, were Susan Ballentine, Will Farmer, Ashish Makadia and Eric Tyler.

“This was the 15th Maggie Walker team to win the National Outstanding designation,” said Coach and instructor Dr. John Barnes, “more than any other high school in the world.”

Last November, 277 teams from around the world participated in a 36 hour long contest in mathematical modeling sponsored by the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP).

The team addressed the problem of predicting the devastation caused by tsunamis in various international cities. In particular they were asked to: “Build a model that compares the devastation of various-sized earthquakes and their resulting Tsunamis on the following cities: San Francisco, CA; Hilo, HI; New Orleans, LA; Charleston, SC; New York, NY; Boston, MA; and any city of your choice.”

The team researched the problem, created a mathematical analysis, and wrote up their results in a 30 page report.

Two other Maggie Walker teams were designated Regional Outstanding, putting them in the top 8% of participants. One of these teams consisted of seniors Adam Bivens (Hanover), Matthew Gill (Richmond), Cameron Napps (Chesterfield) and Emily Qiu (Goochland). The other Regional Outstanding team consisted of seniors Erica Cousins, Laura Goodfellow and Matt Nguyen, all of Henrico, along with Cody Talmadge of Chesterfield.

Four other Maggie Walker teams also participated in the contest, two of whom were designated “Meritorious,” placing them in the top 30%. One of the Meritorious teams consisted of senior Hennessy Fraher, along with juniors Tommy Casalaspi, Juan Garavito and Jason Kong all of Chesterfield County.

The other meritorious team consisted of seniors Kyle Herman of Chesterfield, along with Niklas Philipsen, Jocelyn Powelson and Virginia Young all from Richmond. The latter team chose a different problem. They were asked to “devise an effective, feasible, and cost-efficient national water strategy for 2010 to meet the projected needs of the United States in 2025.”

The full results of the contest can be found at http://www.comap.com/highschool/contests/himcm/2009results.html. The full problem statements can be found at http://www.comap.com/highschool/contests/himcm/2009problems.html.

MLWGS Senior Wins State Volunteering Award

2010-02-16T09:35:00.002-05:00

from press releases

Samantha Halle, 18, of Richmond was named one of Virginia's top two youth volunteers for 2010 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 15th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Samantha was nominated by Maggie L. Walker Governor's School in Richmond. As a State Honoree, Samantha will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where she will join the top two honorees from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2010 at that time.

Samantha, a senior at Maggie Walker Governor’s School, has played a key volunteer role at a children’s bereavement camp over the past three years, after attending the camp as a daughter grieving for her father. Samantha came reluctantly to Comfort Zone Camp in Richmond following her father’s death in 2002.

“Prior to camp, I bottled up my emotions, was angry, and very guarded,” she said. “But by the end of my first camp weekend, I was smiling again.” In fact, Samantha found the camp so beneficial that she could hardly wait until her 15th birthday, when she could become a junior counselor.

“I knew I would be able to put a smile on a camper’s face while showing them that they’ll be okay – I’m living proof,” said Samantha.

Since then, Samantha has worked at nearly 20 camp sessions and advanced to the position of head junior counselor. In addition to helping to make the camp a fun and safe place for kids who have lost a parent or sibling, Samantha trains other volunteers, speaks frequently at recruiting and fund-raising events, and offers to stay in touch with campers after their sessions are over. During one of her speeches, she persuaded a women’s club to adopt the camp as one of its projects, resulting in a $30,000 donation.

Samantha was chosen as one of only five volunteers to help start a new Comfort Zone in California, and helped select the site of another new camp in Texas. Also, Samantha has been assisting with publications, video production, and other communications projects, including the creation of a teen resource section on the Comfort Zone website.

“As it gets closer to the seven-year anniversary of my Dad’s death,” said Samantha, “I’m reminded that losing him has given me a chance to make a difference. I’m grateful.”

Science Teachers Attend Energy Technology Conference

2010-02-12T15:40:00.002-05:00

Science teachers Anna Shore and David Barnes recently received a grant from the Governor’s School Foundation to attend the RETECH (Renewable Energy Technology) conference in Washington DC on February 3-5.

“This experience will be especially valuable as we plan our next units in AP Environmental Science,” said David Barnes.

The 3-day conference brought together industry, government, and academic leaders in cutting-edge clean energy technology. The conference featured speakers, panel discussions, and exhibits from across the alternative energy spectrum.

At the conference Anna and Dave were able to catch up with fellow attendee Chad Ellis '99, who is now completing his PhD in Green Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University.

Senior Mentorship Spotlight on Natalie Wong

2010-02-04T14:00:00.004-05:00

from Sharon Parker, Senior Seminar/Mentorship Program Coordinator

Natalie Wong has been an amazing and impressive mentorship student this year. Natalie is undertaking a mentorship with Kathy Gillis, Head of Sculpture and Decorative Arts Conservation at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Natalie sought out this mentorship because it combined her interest in chemistry and art. As she aptly pointed out in her mentorship proposal, “in objects conservation, art, history and science are united in one studio.”

The Arts Conservation Department is responsible for cleaning, preserving and presenting 3-dimensional objects on display at the museum. Natalie quickly learned that objects conservation is like a puzzle – each object is different and, as a conservator, one must come to know the object…the historical, chemical and artistic aspects of each object.

Throughout her mentorship, Natalie’s journal entries have been filled with beautifully descriptive experiences that are having a profound impact on her future career goals. Her enthusiasm in writing about the handling and treating of a beaded Egyptian necklace dating back to around 4000 BCE (with supervision, of course) or treating a Louis XV box in three-color gold speaks to the level of trust she has gained by her mentor and others that she is working with at the VMFA.

She has also enjoyed the many networking opportunities provided at the museum, not to mention the countless conversations she has engaged in about the field of art conservation. Recently Natalie wrote this in her research journal: “…[trading] stories about conservation graduate school rejection letters; the programs are limited, competitive, and require extensive portfolios in conservation, studio art and chemistry. Uncertain of where my own college experience will take me, these real experiences re-assure me of the world’s endless possibilities. While participating in this mentorship could accelerate a career in conservation, I’m not locked into any decision. There are many routes to the same end, and a struggle here or a rejection there are not the apocalypse. Dreams, desires and passions are resilient to failure, and I should not be afraid of an uncertain future.”

While reading the mentorship research journals is a time-consuming process, I am fortunate to frequently witness a growth in self-confidence and maturity of thought that can be found through a student’s hard work and dedication to their mentorship. Kudos to Natalie for a job well done!

Alumni Address Peer Mentors

2010-01-15T14:15:00.003-05:00

Nine alumni returned to the Governor's School for the Leadership Lunch sponsored by the Peer Mentors Program. The goal of the lunch was to connect African-American students with alumni who have started their careers and who are interested in offering advice and act as role models for current Governor’s School students.

Pictured above from left to right are Tania Bolden '07, Counselor Joy Davis, Britney Robinson '07, Latonya Johnson '98, Ashante Smith '95, Rasheeda Creighton Matthews '95, Michael Wilson '96, Stacy Lee '02, Tiffany Preston '98, and Kathryn Brown '07.

Uruguay Teacher to Visit MLWGS

2010-01-07T19:09:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Spanish teacher Donna Bennington and MLWGS for being selected by the U.S. Department of State to host Ana Maria Szephegyi Striegl, a high school teacher from Montevideo, Uruguay.

Ms. Szephegyi will be an integral part of our school community from the 5th to the 18th of February, 2010.

The Uruguay Teacher and Principal Educational Seminar Exchange Program is administered by America Councils for International Education and the Commission for Educational Exchange between Uruguay and the United States. The goal of the program is for the participating schools to exchange professional expertise, increase cultural knowledge and establish lasting ties between the host schools in the U.S. and Uruguay.

Alumna Publishes Political Science Text

2010-01-07T18:43:00.004-05:00

Andra Gillespie '95, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Emory University, edited Whose Black Politics? Cases in Postracial Black Leadership, which was just published by Routledge Press.

Here's from the book's website [http://www.whoseblackpolitics.com/]:

The past decade has witnessed the emergence of a new vanguard in African American political leaders. They came of age after Jim Crow segregation and the Civil Rights Movement, they were raised in integrated neighborhoods and educated in majority white institutions, and they are more likely to embrace deracialized campaign and governance strategies. Members of this new cohort, such as Cory Booker, Artur Davis, and Barack Obama, have often publicly clashed with their elders, either in campaigns or over points of policy. And because this generation did not experience codified racism, critics question whether these leaders will even serve the interests of African Americans once in office.

With these pressing concerns in mind, this volume uses multiple case studies to probe the implications of the emergence of these new leaders for the future of African American politics. Editor Andra Gillespie establishes a new theoretical framework based on the interaction of three factors: black leaders’ crossover appeal, their political ambition, and connections to the black establishment. She sheds new light on the changing dynamics not only of Black politics but of the current American political scene.

The book is also available in Kindle format from Amazon.com at this address.

Senior Mentorship Spotlight on Erica Cousins

2009-12-18T09:50:00.002-05:00

from Sharon Parker, the Senior Seminar/Mentorship Program Coordinator

Erica Cousins is undertaking a mentorship with Sarah H. Elsea, Ph.D., F.A.C.M.G. at the VCU Human & Molecular Genetics Lab. A few of the goals Dr. Elsea had for Erica included an understanding of the research process, learning cell culture and molecular biology techniques, and research record-keeping. The following snippet from Dr. Elsea’s webpage will explain the work being undertaken:

“The work in Sarah Elsea’s lab focuses on the molecular genetic basis of genomic disorders. The work primarily focuses on the molecular and biochemical analyses of a disorder called Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS). SMS is a multiple congenital anomalies/mental retardation syndrome associated with a deletion involving chromosome 17p11.2. Features include mental retardation, speech delay, obesity, craniofacial and skeletal anomalies, sleep disturbance (including an inversion of the circadian rhythm of melatonin), significant self-abusive and aggressive behaviors, and a variety of visceral anomalies. The lab identified a single gene from within 17p11.2, called RAI1 (retinoic acid induced 1), that when mutated or deleted causes SMS. Studies in the lab are currently focused toward understanding the function of RAI1 and its role in development and behavior using a variety of approaches, including mouse and zebrafish model systems, bioinformatics, genotype:phenotype correlation, and identification of new loci for disorders with phenotypic overlap to SMS.”

From Erica’s journal, it is obvious she is learning a great deal about the research process in a lab setting. She is also making connections between her studies here at Maggie Walker and her mentorship experience. Recently Erica wrote this in her mentorship research journal:

“At this point, I thought it pertinent to point out how much my mentorship has helped me have a deeper understanding of my classes and vice versa. In biopsychology, a topic of study was animal experiments and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). During the summer [in her mentorship], one requirement of training to work with the mice was taking a lesson and a quiz about IACUC regulations. Animal models have also been discussed in my genetics class. I could contribute much to the lesson after having worked with mice, but also came to a greater understanding of the other projects in Dr. Elsea’s lab working with zebra fish.”

Erica later mentions that another important relation between class and mentorship took the form of a field trip to a clinical genetics lab.

“One of the techniques that the class observed was called FISH. In articles Dr. Elsea gave me during the summer, it is stated the FISH is one of the main tools for diagnosing SMS; however, I was always somewhat unsure about the process. The field trip gave me a clear view of the steps involved and the exact science behind the procedure.”

Erica is learning far more than I can share with you in this posting and, while she is having doubts about whether this type of research is what she wants as a career, she now has a point of reference to help her make that decision. She has expressed that she is very grateful to have had such a unique opportunity.

Recommendations Given to the Regional School Board

2009-12-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

The MLWGS Administration and the Planning Committee formally submitted the Recommendation Report on the UVA Study at the Regional School Board meeting on Thursday, December 17. The report outlines a plan of action regarding the recruitment, identification, and retention of students at MLWGS.

The Recommendation Report is available here: http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us/document/BoardMeetings/RecommendationsUVAStudyReport.pdf

The PowerPoint presentation accompanying the Recommendation Report is available here: http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us/document/BoardMeetings/OverviewReportUVAStudy.pdf

Pat Taylor to Resign in June

2009-12-17T10:26:00.006-05:00

Pat Taylor formally announced today that she will be retiring at the end of this school year.

Mrs. Taylor, the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School's Coordinator of Curriculum, came to the Governor's School 19 years ago as one of the four full-time teachers when the school opened in August of 1991.

"I have wonderful memories of the students I have gotten to know as a teacher and as an administrator, parents who have provided support over the years, and educational leaders who have guided and supported the growth of this special school," Mrs. Taylor wrote in her letter to the Regional School Board.

“Pat Taylor, as one of the original planners or Maggie Walker, has been part of the heart and soul of this institution," said Director Fred Morton to the Regional School Board. "While we celebrate her opportunity to have more quality time with her family, we also will greatly miss her insights and wisdom. Over the next few months, we look forward to a number of occasions to celebrate her extraordinary gifts to this school.”

The staff, PTSA, and the Governor's School Foundation are in the processes of planning events to honor Mrs. Taylor's service to the school.

English Students Write to Soldiers

2009-12-16T14:09:00.004-05:00

MLWGS English students have written 180 cards to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. The project is in cooperation with the Richmond branch of Blue Star Families, a support group for military families.

Special thanks go to English teachers Celie Boswell, Kerry Sheppard, Michele Surat, Denise Yagel, Bear O'Bryan, Sherri Arnold, and Lisa Williams.

Senior Hosts Fan Website; Meets Glee Cast

2009-12-14T13:10:00.006-05:00

Story by Virginia Cross '10 / reprinted from the Jabberwock, vol 7, issue 6

By the time the Glee cast broke out into “Don’t Stop Believing” during the show’s first episode last May, Robert Black (’10) decided that he wanted to be more than a once-a week fan of the show: he began planning how he could promote the show with fans all over the world.

“[After that episode] I remember sitting there thinking, ‘This is going to be huge,’ ” Black said. “I had never before seen a show that so perfectly walked the line between hilarious and heartwarming.”

While searching the Internet for a possible route to establish a fan community, Black stumbled upon GleeFan.com. Black “went out on a limb” and contacted the owner of the website, a man named Travis Yee, to see if he could help contribute anything to the site.

Out of the six fans who contacted Yee to contribute time to the site, Black was the only person who had the computer knowledge necessary to work with the blogging software. Within a week, Yee had news for Black: he was going to let Black manage the entire site.

“I’ve been running GleeFan.com on my own ever since,” Black said.

This past summer, Fox sent the members of the Glee Club in Glee on a 10-city mall tour across the U.S. Yee obtained press passes for Black and another editor of an affiliated Glee fan site for a cast visit at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax VA.

Meeting most celebrities would involve only the expected quick hello and autograph, but Fox gave Black thirty minutes to interview Cory Monteith (Finn), Lea Michele (Rachel), Mark Salling (Puck), Amber Riley (Mercedes), and Chris Colfer (Kurt).

“Luckily for us, this was over the summer, before Glee had officially premiered, so it was mainly just us and then a few people from the local Fox station,” said Black. “We got to talk to record our interviews with the cast for half an hour before they started signing [autographs].”

Throughout the day, Black videotaped portions of the event, and he later posted several interviews and a cast performance on GleeFan.com.

Since the summer, the popularity of the show has exploded, and in turn, so has Black’s GleeFan.com.

“Usually, I get anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000 unique hits a day,” said Black.

With updates about three to four times a week, Black adds previews of upcoming shows, news about the cast members, and video interviews released by sites like AOL. In addition, Black has even compiled questions submitted by followers of GleeFan.com, and he has arranged Q&A’s with Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Amber Riley, and Chris Colfer.

Black hopes to conduct interview with more of the cast members, but he also has plans at the moment to further the connection between the site and the fan members.

“I have been sent a lot of fan art by some very talented artists, so I think a fan art contest would be pretty successful, Black said. “I have a few signed posters as well a few signed “I’m a Gleek” t-shirts stashed in my room that I can use as giveaway prizes.”

Black currently has 470 followers on his twitter account (@GleekRob), and Fox Broadcasting, ABC News, the Rachel Ray Show, TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly, and Parade Magazine have all contacted Black about GleeFan.com.

“I want to go into public relations, preferably doing publicity for something entertainment based like a television/film company or magazine,” said Black. “I’ve been practicing my networking skills, and making a lot of connections. I’ve been using this whole adventure as a learning experience.”

Top photo: Robert Black '10 (left) poses with Chris Colfer.

Bottom photo: Robert Black (front right) meets the cast of Glee at a mall promo tour.

Alumni Return for BoB Tourney

2009-12-14T11:04:00.005-05:00

Eight alumni returned to the Governor's School this past Saturday, December 12, to serve as readers for the Academic Team's annual invitational tournament. Thirty teams from as far away as South Carolina participated in GSAC XVII, which was won by the team from State College High School in Pennsylvania.

"This is my fifth tournament here at Maggie Walker, and I am really happy that it went well," said tournament director, Sarah Angelo '10.

Pictured above, from left to right, are Hal Waller--former BoB Squad coach, Andy Goodfellow '08, Evan Adams '07, John Barnes--BoB Squad coach, Annalisa Adams '07, Allen Bristow '04, Tim Maness '99, Matt Weiner '00, and Josh Crockett '97.

Not pictured are Lydia Powell ’06, who read at the tournament, and Mehdi Razvi '07, who assisted with the editing of the questions.

All questions for the tournament are written by members of the BoB Squad, the school's academic team.

Yearbook Wins Honor

2009-12-10T11:10:00.001-05:00

The 2008-9 Yearbook from the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School was selected by Herff Jones for inclusion in “Ideas that Fly,” a publication that showcases best practices in yearbook design.

Congratulations to the entire 2008-9 yearbook staff, including Editor-in-Chief Susan Ballentine ’10, Senior Section Editor Caroline Wren Martin ’09, and Adviser Michael White.

Great-Grandson of Maggie Walker Visits School

2009-12-04T13:13:00.004-05:00

Mr. Johnny Mickens, the great-grandson of Maggie Lena Walker, was honored by the MLW Civic Society at a reception on Wednesday, December 2, 2009. Mr. Mickens made a generous donation to the funding of a MLW Civic Society project, erecting a historical marker at Evergreen Cemetery, the burial site of the Walker family.

Teachers Travel to China

2009-12-03T10:14:00.006-05:00

Barrett Brown, International Languages Chair, and Jeff Hall, Fine Arts Chair, are traveling in China as part of a week-long delegation sponsored by the College Board and the Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters. The "Chinese Bridge Delegation: Taking the Next Step" is designed "for educators to strengthen their institution's Chinese programs and partnerships."

Coach Hall and Ms. Brown are documenting their travels on the web at http://web.mac.com/elearn/china/coachinchina.html, and they will present to colleagues and students upon their return.

"I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to learn about this fascinating country," said Ms. Brown. "I hope to be able to make some personal contacts that will result in a relationship between Maggie Walker and a Chinese school."

"This is a wonderful opportunity for our staff, students and school community," said Director Fred Morton. "This type of partnership is critical to the mission of our school ,and we are grateful to have this national and international connection for our faculty."

Funding for the teachers' registration fee was provided by the Governor's School Foundation. The rest of the funding for this delegation was provided by the Hanban and College Board.

2008-9 Annual Giving Report Published

2009-12-02T15:10:00.004-05:00

Please be on the lookout in the mail for the 2008-9 Annual Giving Report from the Governor's School Foundation. The report is also posted on the Foundation's website at www.governorsschoolfoundation.org/images/2008-9_Annual_Giving_Report.pdf

A special thanks goes to Jane Scheibe and a cadre of parent and Student Ambassador Volunteers who prepared the bulk mailing. (See below.)

Teachers Achieve National Board Certification

2009-11-25T08:39:00.006-05:00

Lynn Reed of the Mathematics Department and Dr. Janet Spencer of the English Department received National Board Certification this month. The year and a half long application process includes expert external evaluation, self-assessment and peer review.

"This is one of the most challenging things that teachers can engage in as a professional activity," said Director Fred Morton. "To be selected as an NBCT is a high recognition, and we are very proud of both Ms. Reed and Dr. Spencer and delighted to have them as teachers at Maggie Walker."

For more information about the National Board Certification process, see www.nbpts.org.

MLWGS Students Beautify Walker Gravesite

2009-11-17T11:48:00.001-05:00

Student members of the Maggie L. Walker Civic Society recently spent their Saturday morning working on the upkeep of the gravesite of Maggie L. Walker at Evergreen Cemetery. Students cleared weeds around the headstone and planted a flower bed on November 14.

“Parts of the cemetery are overgrown and not maintained,” said Merci Best ’13. “We will probably go back next month to continue [our work].”

The MLW Civic Society’s efforts are in partnership with the National Park Service and with Virginia Roots, a non-profit organization overseeing the restoration efforts at Evergreen. The Civic Society has also supported fundraising efforts to erect a National Historic Marker for Maggie Walker.

Pictured from left to right are D’monte Pittman ’13 (seated), Ms. Joy Davis, Sasha Jervay ’11, Emily Sloane ’11, Kia Jordan ’13, Merci Best ’13, Johnny Mac Yates ’13, and Mrs. Lisa Williams. Not pictured are Mr. Irvin Charles and Mr. Karl Zweerink

Teacher Wins R.E.B.

2009-11-12T08:34:00.002-05:00

English teacher Lisa Williams just received a $10,000 R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence. Mrs. Williams plans to use her award to visit Africa and the American Midwest to further her study of the impact of slavery and the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.

“I am honored to be the recipient of this award, which will allow me, as a teacher, to continue in the pursuit of life-long learning,” said Mrs. Williams.

R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence were established in 1988 to recognize public school teachers in the metropolitan Richmond area who “have distinguished themselves by their inspiring classroom performance.” Each year, grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 are given to approximately fifteen teachers to support their professional development activities.

Current Governor’s School teachers who have received this award in the past include Denise Yagel and Kerry Sheppard from the English department, John Barnes from the Mathematics department, and John Wilkes from the Social Studies department.

School Beautification

2009-10-30T09:06:00.006-04:00

Work has begun on the large, square bed in front of the Lombardy Street entrance. Thanks so much to the PTSA Landscaping Committee, especially co-chairs Lynn Carruth and Chamie Valentine.

Thanks also to Ginny Morrow of Morning Glory Gardens, who created the landscape design.

World Dodgeball Record Set

2009-10-26T09:54:00.003-04:00

162 students and faculty members from the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School set the world record for largest dodgeball game this past Friday, October 23, on the Maggie Walker athletic field. Evidence of the game will be sent to the Guinness Book for official verification.

The game was organized by two seniors, Wil Van Winkle from Richmond and Carter Hadley from Chesterfield. Both have been active in the school’s annual charity dodgeball tournaments.

For more information, please see the article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, as well as the accompanying photo essay: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/DODG23_20091022-220407/301072/

Photo by Ginny Cross '10.

Class of '69 Tours School

2009-09-30T14:46:00.002-04:00

Graduates of the Maggie L. Walker High School Class of 1969 toured their school on Saturday, September 26, as part of their reunion weekend festivities.

The tour was led by Head of Security Irvin Charles, a Maggie Walker alumnus from the Class of 1974. Refreshments were provided by the Governor's School Foundation and Alumni Office.

Students Help in Neighborhood Clean-Up

2009-09-30T14:39:00.002-04:00

11 students from the Maggie L. Walker Civics Society participated in a Jackson Ward community clean-up for National Public Lands Day on September 26th.

The event was sponsored by the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site.

AP Science Students Take Trip

2009-09-22T12:05:00.002-04:00

Students in AP Environmental Science classes participated in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Canoe Program this past Saturday, September 19. According to Science teacher David Barnes, "This program is a unique hands-on educational opportunity in which students investigate, first-hand, issues that affect the quality of the Chesapeake Bay."

During this one day trip to Pocahontas State Park, students learned to canoe, collect invertebrates, use a Seine net, and conduct chemical tests to ascertain the quality of the Bay’s watershed.

The textbook for the AP Environment Science class is The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman, a book that explores "how our planet would respond without the relentless pressure of the human presence."

Both the trip and the books were purchased, in part, with funds provided by the Governor's School Foundation.

Delegates Visit for Constitution Day

2009-09-17T11:21:00.007-04:00

Del. John O'Bannon (R) and Del. Jennifer McClellan (D) addressed the MLWGS student body for Constitution Day. The forum, entitled "The Constitution and Election 2009," gave the speakers a chance to talk both about public policy issues and about some interesting concepts in Constitution Law.

Questions were posed by four seniors enrolled in this year's We the People class: (left to right) Maryam Patton, Dylan Kolhoff, Dallen McNerney, and Elsa Schultze.

Additional questions were submitted earlier this week by students through their Social Studies classes. The event was moderated by student body co-presidents,Charlie Shobe and Emily Bird.

Faculty Welcomes Class of 1999

2009-09-11T15:54:00.002-04:00

There will be a Faculty and Alumni Reception for the classes of 1999 and 2004 at the Maggie L. Walker building (1000 N. Lombardy St.). Alumni are invited to meet teachers, classmates, and current students as well as take a Student Ambassador-led tour.

Family of 2007 Alumnus Featured in RT-D

2009-09-11T13:16:00.003-04:00

Sudan Abdur-Rahman '07 and his family were featured in a recent Richmond Times-Dispatch article about the observation of the Muslin holy month of Ramadan: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/lifestyles/faith_values/article/RAMA05_20090904-215606/290808/.

Class of 1999 Reunion Planning September 2009

2009-09-11T11:00:00.003-04:00

2003 Alumnus Weds

2009-09-09T08:41:00.003-04:00

Michael Reed '03 was married this past August, and a number of Governor's School alumni turned out for the event.

Left to right: Lynn Reed (math teacher at MLWGS), Michael Reed '03, Megan Partridge '03, Stephanie Petrina '03, Kendra Wergin '03, and Saul Mutchnick '04.

Left to right: Ashish Jain '03, Lynn Reed, Stephanie Petrina '03, and Kendra Wergin '03.

Freshman Orientation for the Class of 2013

2009-09-02T09:50:00.003-04:00

Freshmen arrived September 1st for a two-day orientation to MLWGS. The Class of 2013 participated in a plethora of activities, including meeting their teachers through a mock schedule, locating their lockers, participating in a community service fair, and holding a mini-dodgeball tournament.

“A lot of the new students seemed enthusiastic, knew where they were going and what was going on,” said McKenzie Osborne ’11, Student Ambassador.

Peer Mentors Picnic at Byrd Park

2009-09-02T09:22:00.005-04:00

Incoming freshmen and their parents were welcomed by the Peer Mentors, their parents, teachers, and administrators at a cook out held on Tuesday 1 September at Byrd Park.

The Peer Mentors program assists African-American and other under-represented minority freshman and sophomore students with their MLWGS transition by providing personalized support and an upperclassman student to whom he or she can turn to with questions.

Farewell to Mr. Hunt

2009-09-01T15:15:00.004-04:00

MLWGS faculty and parents wished a fond farewell to former Director N. Douglas Hunt on his last day of service, Monday 31 August.

After being surprised at a faculty meeting with a cake and presents, Mr. Hunt was forced to run the gauntlet down the front steps while being saluted with silly string. Mr. Hunt was then "awarded" with decorations that had been added to his car.

Faculty Professional Development

2009-08-27T14:55:00.001-04:00

MLWGS faculty professional development this year included presentations led by current faculty members and by visiting educators.

Workshops led by visiting educators include "Research for the Classroom and the Curriculum" by Dr. Robert Tai, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, and "Developing Scientific Communication Skills in Our Students" by Dr. Ann Penrose, Professor of English, North Carolina State University.

An overview of the summer revisions to the FIRC curriculum were presented by Jeremy Clark, Christie Riles, Celie Boswell, Wendy DeGroat, and Phil Sorrentino.

Funding for the sessions was provided by donations to the Governor's School Foundation.

Alumnus Writes in Science

2009-08-20T15:40:00.002-04:00

Paul Shaffer '96 was recently the first author on a scientific research report in Science entitled "Structure and Mechanism of a Na+ Independent Amino Acid Transporter."

To read the abstract, click here: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1176088.

Alumnus Reports from Indonesia

2009-08-10T09:03:00.003-04:00

Jonathan Leibovic '08 is traveling in Indonesia and has had a number of pieces published in the Jakarta Globe: "The Night Bus: Taking the Long Road to Denpasar, Bali," "Going With The Grain of Life in Bali," and "Behind-the-Scenes Bali Showman Comes to Jakarta."

To read these fascinating articles, go to http://thejakartaglobe.com/pages/search/index.php?keywords=leibovic.

MLWGS Makes Newsweek's Public Elites List Again

2009-06-11T09:38:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-05T11:01:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-05T10:54:00.004-04:00

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

2009-06-03T23:35:00.002-04:00

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

Schreiber Retires after 16 Years of Teaching

2009-06-03T10:51:00.000-04:00

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

Hunt in VA High School Hall of Fame

2009-05-27T12:45:00.000-04:00

Mr. N. Douglas Hunt, Director of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, was selected for the Virginia High School Hall of Fame.

Sponsored jointly by the Virginia High School League and the Virginia High School Coaches Association, the hall "is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of outstanding achievements by students and adults in sports and activities within Virginia’s public high schools."

Here's what the Virginia High School League had to say about Mr. Hunt:

No individual school principal has contributed more to the growth and progress enjoyed by the Virginia High School League than Doug Hunt.

As a principal of three high schools – Highland Springs, Hermitage and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School – he has made a positive difference that has benefitted thousands of participants in VHSL sports and activities.

During his 10 years on the VHSL Executive Committee, he served as Group AAA secretary, vice-chairman, and chairman and League chairman. He was instrumental in the development of new programs and services provided by the League. Through his leadership, he introduced the first catastrophic insurance coverage for students; oversaw the planning and construction of the VHSL headquarters and the formation of the Virginia High School Hall of Fame; served as steering committee chairman responsible for setting the overall direction of the VHSL; strengthened the VHSL Sportsmanship Rule; established the annual basketball officials camp and first coaches education initiative and created the first VHSL scholarship program – Col. Charles E. Savedge Scholarship recognizing the VHSL Journalist of the Year.

His distinguished legacy is unsurpassed by any other school administrator.

He is retiring this year as the principal at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School.

BoB Squad 4th in Nation

2009-05-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to the BoB Squad for finishing fourth place at the PACE National Scholastic Championship Tournament held at George Mason University this past weekend.

The team members are Greg Tito '10 (captain), Sarah Angelo '10, Tommy Casalaspi '11, and Matt Kluge '09. Tommy was selected to the all-star team.

(Pictured: Greg Tito '10.)

Alumna '05 to Receive Georgetown Law Fellowship

2009-05-14T11:06:00.000-04:00

Alice C. Hsieh '05 has been selected as a Georgetown Public Interest Law Scholar. Only eight students are selected to receive this fellowship from each entering class.

The list of recipients has not yet been published, but here's a link to more information on the award: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/clinics/pils/.

Italian-American Cultural Association Recognizes MLWGS Student

2009-05-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

The Italian-American Cultural Association of Virginia has awarded Norris Guncheon '10 a $1,000 scholarship toward his upcoming travel to Italy.

“The board members were very impressed by your (Norris’s) presentation, your scholastic and musical endeavors and especially your enthusiasm to learn more about the Italian language and culture.”

The international language department and especially Ms. Hefty are very proud of Norris’s scholarship.

Technology Student Association Recognizes MLWGS Students

2009-05-14T10:57:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

At the recent Virginia conference of the Technology Student Association (TSA) held in Tyson's Corner, Virginia, Andrew Le '09 and Josh Wilson '09 placed third in the State for their entry in Electronic Research and Experimentation.

In a field of thirteen teams, Andrew and Josh’s audio amplifier stood out for its design, attention to detail and craftsmanship. Andrew and Josh are now eligible to represent the State of Virginia at the TSA National Conference to be held this summer in Denver, Colorado.

Aileen Dollete '09 earned finalist recognition at the same conference for her entry in Fashion Design.

Han '98 Publishes New Novel

2009-05-11T13:35:00.000-04:00

Jenny Han '98 just published her second novel The Summer I Turned Pretty--"A story of love, friendship, and growing up." Jenny's first novel Shug was released in 2006.

Here's a short plot description:

Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad have vacationed at the beach with their families for as long as they can remember. For Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad have been her brother figures, crushes, and everything in between – until that one summer when everything changed. Through other relationships, through fights, and all those winters apart, and through the boy’s struggle with their mother's illness, she's always known that one of them will be hers forever. The question is, which one?

Maggie Walker in Anti-Smoking Ad

2009-05-11T10:17:00.000-04:00

A number of alumni have noted that the staircase facing Lombardy Street is featured in one of the recent Ydouthink anti-smoking ads. To see the commercial, go to the following website and click on "Off to School": http://ydouthink.com/tvandradio.php.

No Maggie Walker students were involved in the production.

(Please be forewarned that the commercial is aimed towards a young audience and employs somewhat crude humor.)

Morton Named VA Superintendent of the Year

2009-05-08T13:12:00.000-04:00

from the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Henrico schools' outgoing superintendent Fred Morton IV has been named Virginia's Superintendent of the Year by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright and the officers of four Virginia education organizations selected Morton from among eight regional Superintendents of the Year, who were selected earlier this year from a field of 133 school superintendents in the state. Morton holds the honor in Region 1.

Morton has served as superintendent of the 48,000-student Henrico County Public Schools since 2004. Prior to that, he was superintendent of Montgomery County Schools in Blacksburg. He also has served as principal of Western Albemarle High School in Albemarle County and of Covington High School in Covington.

"We're very proud. It's a validation of the great programs begun and ongoing under his leadership," School Board Chairman John Montgomery said.

In Henrico, Morton has begun a student congress made up of high school students who take part in proposing guidelines and changes to district policies. "We created a meaningful voice for students in School Board policy and decisions," Morton said.

He also created a program requiring administrators to "adopt" students identified as potential dropouts; the program reduced the dropout rate by nearly a third in one year.

Henrico schools also have increased minority hiring, developed a nontraditional-students division and created academic achievement teams.

"So many people have been part of the work," Morton said. "It's our award, not my award."

Morton will leave the Henrico school system in July. This fall, he will begin as director of the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School in Richmond.

Morton will be in the running for National Superintendent of the Year, which will be presented in February by the American Association of School Administrators.

By Lisa Crutchfield

Thespian Society Inducts Four Students

2009-05-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

The purpose of the International Thespian Society is the advancement of excellence in educational theater and the continuing enrichment of theater arts. To be eligible for membership, a student of drama must devote 300 hours of qualified service to the Drama Department.

On April 24, 2009, following the Picasso at the Lapin Agile performance at MLWGS, the following students were inducted into the group by society officers Matthew Gizzi (’09) and Eric Sawchak (’10):

Auri Caudill (’09)
Alicia Moore (’10)
Rose Werner ('10)
Ted Westrick ('10)

Auri, Alicia, Rose and Ted join 28 other current students and alumni who were previously honored with membership.

Alumna Named to USA Today All-Academic Team

2009-04-30T10:37:00.000-04:00

from NavySports.com:

Navy swimming standout Kelly Zahalka (Sr., Richmond, Va.) was named by USA Today to its First-Team All-USA College Academic Team. The entire list of first, second and third-team and honorable mention recipients was announced Wednesday by the publication.

This is the 20th year in which USA Today has selected the team, which is meant to honor undergraduate students at four-year colleges based upon their "intellectual endeavors, community service and campus leadership."

An honors history major with a Chinese minor, Zahalka is ranked third in Navy's Class of 2009 with a 4.00 cumulative grade-point average. She spent the 2008 fall semester as an exchange student at Capital Normal University in Beijing, China, and will be commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps upon graduating from Navy next month.

Zahalka has previously received both a Harry S. Truman and Gen. George C. Marshall Scholarship. Criteria for the Truman Scholarship included "leadership potential, intellectual ability and the likelihood of making a difference," while the Marshall Scholarship will allow her to study for two years in the United Kingdom.

Zahalka is the first women's swimmer in Patriot League history to have been selected as the league scholar-athlete of the year for her sport three times, and was named as the overall female scholar-athlete of the year in the league in 2008. She has earned Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America in both 2007 (third team) and `08 (first team).

Click here for the complete article: http://www.navysports.com/sports/w-swim/spec-rel/042909aab.html.

Alumna Starts Global Development Major at UVA

2009-04-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

from UVA Today:

In 2006, Kendall Wallace saw a gap in the University of Virginia's curriculum. But instead of just complaining about it, Wallace, along with more than a dozen other students and faculty, did something about it.

The gap involved the study of global development. While students have been able to major in foreign affairs or in programs studying various regions of the world, there wasn't an interdisciplinary offering that focused on the problems of developing countries. Until now.

On Monday, the University's newest major, Global Development, was officially unveiled at the Colonnade Club.

"We saw an incredible, growing interest among students at the University in international development issues, based on class registrations, clubs and research projects," Wallace said. "We also saw an incredible gap in the curriculum, which had relegated the topic of development to particular departments, such as economics and anthropology. But you can't understand the economic development of a location without multiple perspectives."

To read the complete article, go to http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=8496#.

We the People Finishes in Top Ten

2009-04-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

This year's We the People team finished in the top ten in the national competition! The top three spots went to Colorado, Alabama, and California.

This was Matt McGuire's first year coaching the team, and here are the student participants:

Unit One: Kaitlan Lawrence, Nitya Rao, & Danny Yates
Unit Two: Thomas Howard, Ana Martinez de Andino, & Ashley Taylor
Unit Three: Casey Cordry, Conor Farrell, & Hillary Hurd
Unit Four: Kevin Xiao, Ellen Graham, Mallory Noe-Payne, & Caroline Vines
Unit Five: Megan O’Donnell, Emma England, Abbie Pettigrew
Unit Six: Leaf Elhai, Cory Hoogakker, and Peter Slag

Congratulations to all on a job well done!

Spring Concerts: Music In The Movies

2009-04-23T12:43:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

On April 29th & 30th, 7pm, the Maggie Walker Governor's School Music Department presents "Music in the Movies"! Please plan on joining us for two musical evenings not to be missed! The Spring Music Concert will be held on two evenings in order to showcase the many talents of our students. Please plan on attending both nights for fantastic entertainment and to show your support for all of the students. Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. New this year - professional audio recordings will be made each evening and CD's will be available for purchase!

4/29, Wednesday evening - Jazz ensembles
4/30, Thursday evening - Orchestra and Chorus

Sophomore and senior students are requested to "return the favor" and bring cookies for the receptions following the concerts, as the freshman and junior students supplied the desserts at the winter concert.

Spring Play: Picasso At The Lapin Agile

2009-04-23T12:41:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

MLWGS Drama Takes On Steve Martin on April 23-25

It's 1904--in a Paris café we find Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, in their youth, just before each would alter the course of history. Through them, Martin's play examines the connections between art & physics and looks at the very meaning of "genius." Picasso at the Lapin Agile is about a young generation searching out the possibilities of a new century. It's the kind of thing we know at Maggie Walker.

Don't miss this irresistible comedy -- "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" runs for just three performances, and features Jerry Carlson ('09), Arun Mohge ('09), Jimmie Jarvis ('10) , and a slew of other MLWGS students.

Showtime 7:00pm, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 23, 24, and 25 in the MLWGS auditorium.

'05 Alumna Wins Outstanding Graduating Senior Award

2009-04-23T12:11:00.000-04:00

from the Virginia Tech website:

BLACKSBURG, Va., April 21, 2009 -- Virginia Tech has named Ritchie Vaughan, of Richmond, Va., as the Outstanding Graduating Senior in the College of Natural Resources for the 2008-09 academic year.

Vaughan is expected to receive a bachelor’s degree in forestry in the College of Natural Resources in May 2009. She has excelled both inside and outside of the classroom, and has participated in a wide range of extracurricular, leadership, and service activities.

Among her numerous awards and scholarships, Vaughan is the recipient of the Stuermann Memorial Scholarship, the Colonial Agricultural Educational Foundation Scholarship, the Virginia Tech University Honors Award and Scholarship, and the National Merit Award and Scholarship. She has conducted undergraduate research at Virginia Tech, where she studied wetland mitigation, as well as at the Catawba Sustainability Center, located in Roanoke, Va.

Vaughan is active in a variety of extracurricular and service activities. She is a member of the Virginia Tech Wildland Fire Crew, where she held the role of assistant fire management officer in 2007. Vaughan is a former teacher’s aide for a Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship course. Vaughan has participated in many service activities, including volunteering with the Christiansburg Humane Society and The Rock Climbing Gym, contributing to the Claytor Lake State Park Forest Management Plan, assisting with trail work and maintenance in Montgomery County, and working as the Blacksburg Bicycle Cooperative’s head mechanic.

For the rest of the article, please see http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php?relyear=2009&itemno=338.

Alumnus Sits on Student Panel with Bernanke

2009-04-16T12:07:00.000-04:00

Anthony Roberts '05 was snapped in this WSJ photo when Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke visited Morehouse College.

For a write up, see http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123975237751018765.html#mod=testMod.

Alumnus Wins Emmy Award

2009-04-15T11:17:00.000-04:00

Joey Accordino '07 traveled from Elon University to California on March 21 to accept a College Television Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation. The Elon Student Television show “One on One Sports” took third place in the newscast category.

To see the Emmy-winning episode, click here: http://org.elon.edu/estv/videos.html.

Two Juniors Accepted Into Sorenson Institute

2009-04-15T11:08:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Charlie Shobe and Callie Guy (both '10) have been accepted into the Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia for the summer High School Leaders Program.

From the Sorenson Institute website [www.sorenseninstitute.org/programs/hslp]:

The Sorensen Institute's High School Leaders Program (HSLP) offers concentrated study in Virginia politics and government for high school students from across the state. The HSLP is based on a firm belief that young people not only can make a positive difference in their communities, they should be strongly encouraged to do so. Our High School Leaders Program gives students the practical skills and political knowledge to become effective advocates in their communities and schools. Participants engage in substantive debate about the public policy challenges facing the Commonwealth and interact with Virginia's political and business leaders. The two-week HSLP is held each summer on grounds at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Sophomore Featured In Style Weekly

2009-04-15T10:59:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Sophomore Lindsay Maguire has been selected as one of the Richmond area's most extraordinary kids for Style Weekly's 16 Under 16. She will be featured in the April 15, 2009 issue of Style Weekly.

Style Weekly is available throughout the Richmond Metro area at local Ukrop's stores, libraries, and online at: www.styleweekly.com.

Lindsay was selected for her overall accomplishments and performance at school and in the community. Lindsay has a GPA of 4.3, plays on the varsity basketball and varsity softball teams at Maggie Walker. She has been a Girl Scout for 11 years and is working on her Gold Award, (building a picnic area for the Five Lakes and Patriot's Landing community), she volunteers at the Science Museum, Caritas, Salvation Army Tree, and the Junior Assembly Cotillion. Lindsay also teaches piano and works as a lifeguard.

Senior Awarded UVA's Jefferson Scholarship

2009-04-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Hillary Hurd has won and is accepting the prestigious Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia! The Jefferson Scholarship is awarded to up to thirty students annually after a rigorous nomination and selection process. Demonstrated excellence and exceptional potential in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship are the selection criteria used. Please congratulate Hillary on all of her hard work in achieving this great honor!

GSMUN XII Hosts 350 Delegates

2009-04-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

GSMUN XII, held on March 27th and 28th, was a huge success. This is the annual conference for the Maggie Walker Model UN Club, and it is one of the largest Model UN conferences run by a high school in Virginia. This year was our largest conference yet. We had over 350 delegates from 16 different schools coming from all over the Commonwealth. It attracted students at both the high school and middle school level.

Many faculty sponsors from other schools complimented our Chairs, Officers, and Secretariat on their professionalism, enthusiasm and preparedness. They were also pleased with the topics, organization, speakers and depth of the experience. Many faculty sponsors commented that the experience surpassed those from a variety of college-hosted Model UN conferences.

In addition, the conference raised over $2,500 for Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos, which supports orphaned and abandoned children in Latin America.

We would like to thank the faculty of MLWGS as well as the administration for their tireless support. In addition, this weekend’s success could not have been possible without the assistance of Gene Roland, Deborah Snagg, Irvin Charles and a host of other volunteers.

Though dozens of MLWGS students are involved, the following were key contributors:

Nitya Rao – Secretary-General
Jessica Chen – Director-General
Hannah Cockrell – Undersecretary-General External Affairs
Frances Davenport – Undersecretary-General Logistics
Kevin Xiao – Undersecretary-General Crisis Simulations
Megan O’Donnell – Charge d’Affairs
Kaitlan Lawrence – Director of General Assembly Committees
Sabeen Ahmed – Director of Specialized Agencies
Ellen Graham – Director of Press and Publications
Karthik Ilukkavan – Director of Technology
Hillary Hurd – Director of Charitable Giving
Samantha Halle & Adrianna Scheer-Cook – Chairs, World Health Organization
Nathaniel Mason & Tommy Surma – Chairs, Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee
William Shimer & Adam Zedler – Chairs, Disarmament and International Security Committee
Madison Bush & Maggie Chambers – Chairs, Ad Hoc Committee on Latin America
Susan Ballentine & Kris Kusnerick – Chairs, International Olympic Committee
Peter Slag & Scott Clark – Chairs, British House of Commons
Ryan Akens – Chair, Joint Crisis – USA
Charles Hearn – Chair, Joint Crisis – Iran
Elsa Schultze – Chair, International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia
Travis Hall – Press Corps

Lindsey Strachan '05 Wins ODAC Swimmer of the Year

2009-04-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Washington and Lee senior Lindsey Strachan, an honorable-mention All-American from Midlothian, was named swimmer of the year in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for the second straight year. Her coach, Kami Gardner, was named coach of the year, and the Generals' Lauren Starnes was chosen as rookie of the year. Strachan won the 200 backstroke in an ODAC-record 2:05.71 and the 200 butterfly in the conference meet. Starnes won the 200 and 500 freestyle in the league meet, and Gardner led the Generals to their 19th ODAC title.

MISTER Maggie Walker 2009 Results

2009-04-02T08:51:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Norris Guncheon won the coveted title of "Mr. Maggie Walker. He wore tennis attire for sportswear, sang and played Tiptoe Through the Tulips on the ukulele as his talent, and wore a top hat with his formalwear. Ramin Haidari took second place, and Travis McCall took third.

This year's contestants for were Seniors Ramin Haidari, London Reinhard, and Jason Oh; Juniors Travis McCall, Norris Guncheon, and Ted Westrick; Sophomores Jonathan Kim and Jack Miller; and Freshman Matt Pittman.

All competed in three categories: sportswear, talents, and formalwear.

The judges were Mr. White, Senior Lindsey Toiaivao, Junior Rose Werner, Sophomore Cheta Emba, and Freshman Meg McMahon. SCA Co-Presidents Scott Clark and Charles Hearn were the hosts and announcers. (The event was organized by the SCA and was free to attend.)

This is the third year of this highly entertaining event and the first year that the title has been awarded to a junior.

Senior Seminar Team Wins Model Judiciary

2009-04-02T08:50:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

We are pleased to congratulate the Law Senior Seminar students in winning the Model Judiciary Program competition.

Megan O’Donnell and Madelaine Spangler made the actual presentation before the Virginia Supreme Court, with LeTonia Kelley, Arun Moghe, Sheria Pettis, Meredith Ritko, Carson Wang and Courtney Wynn instrumental in case law research in preparation for the final round.

We would also like to thank our assigned attorney, John Erbach from the Williams Mullin law firm, who provided valuable time and assistance in working with the Law Senior Seminar students. Kudos to Dayna Paxton (Law Seminar instructor) and Matt McGuire for their contributions in preparing these students throughout the various stages of this mock trial competition.

More info on the MLWGS Senior Seminar/Mentorship program: www.gsgis.k12.va.us/ourdepartments/seniorseminars.html.

Students Place at Metro Richmond Science Fair

2009-04-02T08:48:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

The Metro Richmond Science Fair (an affiliate of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair) was held at Powhatan High School on March 20&21.

Recognized MLWGS students include:

Anthony Hennig ('11) - 1st place Earth & Space Science, US Navy Research Prize, Astronomy Society Prize and selected as alternate to the culminating ISEF competition (held this year in Reno, NV), should one of the fair's two overall awardees not attend
Leon Hu ('11) - 3rd place Microbiology and the Stockholm Water Prize
Emily Ko ('11) - 3rd place Chemistry
Ishani Premaratne ('11) - 3rd place Medicine & Health
Evan Wang ('11) - 3rd Environmental Science
Margaret Benson ('11) - Honorable Mention Engineering
Michael Viray ('11) - Honorable Mention Chemistry

Because of his first place category win with his project, "The Effect of the Entry Angle of a Projectile on the Amount of Ejecta Expelled," Anthony will be competing at the state ISEF competition at George Mason University on April 3&4 for a possible invitation to the fair in Reno.

English Teachers Attend Gilder Lehrman Institute

2009-04-02T08:46:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

This summer Lisa Williams will attend a seminar on “Jim Crow and the Fight for American Citizenship” at Yale University, and Sherri Arnold will attend “The Sixties: A Historical Perspective” at Georgetown University.

These weeklong seminars provide opportunities for collaborative learning and the context for developing practical resources and strategies to take back to the classroom.

Each summer since 1994, the Gilder Lehrman Institute has offered selected teachers the opportunity to devote a week of intensive study with distinguished experts of such subjects as George Washington, slavery, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Cold War, and the civil rights movement.

Field House Project Progress Report

2009-04-02T08:36:00.001-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

In February, the Regional School Board approved the PTSA's request for a feasibility study for the construction of a field house that would include bathrooms, concessions, ticket booth, and first aid treatment area. PTSA President Belle Bronner assembled a committee of talented current and alumni parents to lead this project. The project chair is Sandy Whitehead.

A field house was originally planned as part of the Maggie Walker renovation but never constructed because of insufficient funding. The PTSA and Athletic Boosters have committed funds for the feasibility study.

The Governor's School Foundation is collecting donations honoring Mr. Hunt that, at his request, will be directed to this project.

Senior Wins Gold Medal At Scholastics Art Competition

2009-03-24T09:44:00.000-04:00

from the Art Department:

Please congratulate Senior Leaf Elhai for winning a GOLD MEDAL for her Mixed Media painting at the NATIONAL LEVEL of the Scholastics Art Competition!

This is an extremely rare honor (one that I had not experienced in 13 years prior to teaching at MLWGS) but Maggie Walker has now had a student win it TWO YEARS IN A ROW!!! Last year, Sarah Thrower won it for her amazing dress.

Leaf will receive her award and have her work on display in New York City in early summer. Last year's award ceremony took place at Carnegie Hall and was hosted by Academy Award winner, Kathy Bates!!!

Please join me in congratulating Leaf for this outstanding accomplishment. All of Maggie L. Walker is so proud of her!

--Jeff Hall, Fine Arts Department Chair

Senior Wins Poetry Challenge

2009-03-24T09:43:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

The MW Library is pleased to announce that senior Chris Richardson is the winner of the recent Voices of Civil Rights Poetry Challenge.

Over the next few weeks, Chris will be working with Ms. Sellors to design a book featuring his original photographs and poems about the 1968 riots in Washington, DC, a collection he entitled Fires:Set. The book should arrive during April, just in time for National Poetry Month. Congratulations, Chris!

Music News

2009-03-24T09:42:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Congratulations to members of the Orchestra for receiving an overall rating of Excellent at the District Orchestra Festival March 20th. By combining wind, brass, and percussion players from members of Jazz ensemble classes, they were the only group in the area to enter as a full orchestra in the festival.

Members of the Orchestra, Chorus, Jazz Improv class, and Senior Seminar group, The Fall Line, provided entertainment for the Night of the Dragon benefit auction March 21st.

Emily Ko performs on the violin with the All Virginia Orchestra April 4th at 1:30 p.m. at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Virginia.

Members of the Jazz Improv class perform March 28th from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Metro Space Gallery on Broad Street.

Mech Tech Dragons in FIRST* Robotics Competition

2009-03-24T09:39:00.000-04:00

from Smoke & Scales:

The Maggie Walker Mech Tech Dragons, Team 422, participated with 60 high school teams from the United States, Canada, and Brazil at the NASA/VCU Regional competition, this past weekend at the Siegel Center. The three day event included one day of practice rounds and two days of seeding matches and championship rounds. After competing in their 7 seeding matches, Team 422 was in 11th place. They qualified for the championships rounds when they were chosen by the 6th place team to join their alliance. Despite two hard fought matches, they lost to the 3rd place alliance in the quarter final rounds.

Team 422 ends their season after two exciting and very successful regional competitions. The team would like to thank the administration, team sponsors, mentors, and their families for their support!

*FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology!

2009 Auction Raises Over $65,000

2009-03-24T09:37:00.000-04:00

from Debbie Sawyer, current/alumni parent '05, '09, '11:

THANK YOU to one and all for making this year's auction a huge success. In this economy, we truly beat the odds. We had record donations, almost a sell-out crowd, awesome food and great entertainment. A huge thank-you to the "Faculty Lounge Lizards" (Karl von Klein, Sherri Arnold, Hal Waller, Karl Zweerink, Jeremy Clark and Michael White) who became an overnight sensation with their performance donation which brought in approximately 10% of the auction profits. For those who missed it, we hope you buy a ticket next year.

Thanks to the GENEROUS support of parents, MLWGS staff, students, and other school friends, early numbers indicate that the gross proceeds this year are over $65,000 to benefit the PTSA, Booster groups (Visual Arts, Academic, Athletic, Drama, and Music) and the Governor's School Foundation. The final accounting is still in process.

We appreciate everyone that attended, donated auction items, and/or volunteered to make this event happen. We particularly thank the auction co-chairs Karen Akens, Julie Weissend and Deb Sawyer plus committee members: David Henderson, Belle Bronner, Melissa Shaw, Margie Swart, Beverly Cline, Karen Kasprzak, Maresa Spangler, Ellen Walk, Terri Clifton, Roxanne Sawchak, Bart Mebane, Laura Carr, Amy Goodrich, and Bob Cervarich. A special thank you to the donation solication chairs from each booster group: Reginald and Carla Quick, Dave and Becky Henderson, Missy Benson, Virginia Muse, Rose Ann Janis, Kathleen Hallahan, Mary Kellner, Ann Chenoweth, Ellen Walk, Debbie Sawyer, and Bob Cervarich.

If you are interested in helping with the 2010 auction please contact Debbie Sawyer at Debbiethetwin@yahoo.com.

New Digital Media Lab on WCVE

2009-03-20T09:08:00.000-04:00

These pieces about the new Digital Media Lab at the Governor's School aired on WCVE this morning:

Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School will cut the ceremonial ribbon on its new, state-of-the-art digital media lab during its Arts and Technology Exhibition from 6 to 7 PM on March 20.

Funded in part by a $25,000 grant from the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, the lab offers students and faculty a variety of state-of-the-art digital resources, including video, music, photography, graphic design and Web design capabilities, which they can integrate into educational projects and curriculum.

Examples of students’ digital work will be on display during the exhibition, which will also feature the Maggie L. Walker’s Youth Art Month visual art displays.

Course Scheduling for 2009-10

2009-03-19T20:00:00.000-04:00

Law Seminar Students Advance To MJP Final Round

2009-03-19T16:21:00.000-04:00

From Smoke & Scales:

Congratulations to the Law Seminar students for their participation and success thus far in the Model Judiciary Program (MJP). The MJP allows high school teams to participate in a trial simulation, from the trial round to the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court of Virginia.

The trial round took place on January 13 at 5:00 p.m. and involved 16 teams from various high schools in the region. MLWGS’s team (consisting of Megan O’Donnell, Meredith Ritko, Sheria Pettis, LaTonia Kelley, Madelaine Spangler, Courtney Wynn, Arun Moghe and Carson Wang) successfully presented their case before a judge in the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond.

Subsequently, the appellant round took place on February 24th at 1:00 p.m. Each team was allowed to select one or two students to argue their case at the Richmond Court of Appeals.

Congratulations to Megan O’Donnell and Madelaine Spangler for successfully arguing the case, which allows the team to advance to the Virginia Supreme Court on March 17th at 1:00 p.m. A reception will follow and any interested students, parents or staff are invited. Please contact Dayna Paxton, Law Seminar Instructor [dpaxton@gsgis.k12.va.us] for information, directions and parking.

Chorus Earns Top Honors

2009-03-19T16:19:00.000-04:00

From Smoke & Scales:

Our small, but mighty chorus earned top honors in the VCDA District I Choral Festival held on Friday, March 13th at Tucker High School. Under the direction of Mrs. Storti and accompanied by Lizzie Barnett ('11) on harp and Alex Georgiadis ('12) on piano, the chorus received Superior (I) ratings from all three judges on the panel.

They performed Benjamin Britten's "This Little Babe" from the Ceremony of Carols and Sheldon Curry's arrangement of "Down to the River to Pray."

Comments included "very nice tone quality for a small group", "great sense of unity", "solid intonation throughout", "very good diction, especially vowels", and "very musical interpretation". Even our lone baritone, Tucker Dean ('11), received a commendation: "Way to go for your only guy! Great job!"

Debate Team Wins CFL State Championship

2009-03-19T16:15:00.000-04:00

From Smoke & Scales:

On Saturday, February 28th, the Maggie L. Walker Debate team won the Virginia Catholic Forensic League State Championships.

The following individuals placed in the VA Catholic Forensic League State Championship tournament and have qualified for the National Championships to be held over Memorial Day Weekend:

In Public Forum Debate Kelsie Taylor('10) and Logan Ferrell('11) finished 1st, Mitch Caudill('10) and Elsa Schultze('10) finished 2nd;
In Student Congress Dallen McNerney('10) finished in 1st Place;
In Lincoln-Douglas Debate Maryam Patton('10) finished 4th and Kimberly Quick('10) finished in 5th Place.

Kimberly Quick, Elsa Schultze, and Mitch Caudill also attended the prestigious Harker Invitational Debate Tournament in San Jose, California over the weekend of March 6th-8th. Mitch Caudill received a 4th Place finish in Public Forum Debate.

The team, coached by Dan Brown, will be competing in the VHSL Regional Tournament at Cosby High School on March 28th.

Alumnus Wins German Scholarship

2009-03-16T14:21:00.000-04:00

Erich Grois, class of 2004, and graduate of the College of William and Mary (’08) has received one of only 75 scholarships awarded by our Congress and the German Bundestag to study and work in Germany for a year.

This program is fully funded and includes two months of intensive German language training in Germany, four months of classroom instruction at a German university, and a five-month internship in a participant’s career field.

Here is a link to the website with more information: www.cdsintl.org/fellowshipsabroad/cbyx.php

Alumni Perform Shakespeare on the UVA Lawn

2009-03-12T11:09:00.000-04:00

Five Governor's School alumni will be acting in UVA’s Shakespeare on the Lawn production of All's Well that Ends Well on March 26, 27, and 28 (Th, Fr, Sa) in the Student Activities Building (next to the stadium):

Alison Walter, '08 (Stewardess)
Jordan Pridgen, '08 (Second Lord)
David Sawchak, '07 (Lafeu)
Angela Pirko, '06 (Helena)
Doc McConnell, '08 (Parolles)

Please come out and see the show!

Mentorship in Otolaryngology

2009-03-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

Natalie Zhao's senior mentorship is with Dr. Michael Armstrong of Advanced Otolaryngology, P.C. In a recent evaluation of Natalie, Dr. Armstrong has this to say: “My employees would like to hire her now! Her grasp of concepts as described in her journal exceeds what I have taught her. She has clearly done a lot of independent reading.”

In addition to observing patient appointments and surgeries,Natalie’s research objective was to “evaluate and compare the long-term overall efficacy in both subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy for reduction of symptoms and medication in patients with allergic rhinitis in Dr. Armstrong’s clinic by way of a retrospective study.”

In this regard, Natalie has been reviewing/analyzing original data. The research, guided by Dr. Armstrong, will provide a benefit in determining which treatment is most beneficial to individual patients and the practice as a whole.

Music Awards

2009-03-12T09:38:00.001-04:00

From Smoke & Scales:

Congratulations to Emily Ko ('11) who auditioned and qualified for the All Virginia Orchestra on violin February 28th at James Madison University. Emily placed 21st among a field of the state's top 121 violinists.

Congratulations to Steven Gizzi ('11) who won second place in the Lions of Virginia Bland Music Scholarship district competition, held on Sunday, March 1, in Chester, Virginia. Steven played "Three Piano Preludes", by George Gershwin, and competed against other pianists, cellists, violinists, and guitarists.

Math Team Ranked 2nd In State

2009-03-12T09:03:00.000-04:00

From Smoke & Scales:

The Maggie Walker Governor's School was second in the state in the VHSL AAA Scholastic Bowl tournament held on February 28 in Williamsburg. The team lost only to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, who won the state title.

The Maggie Walker players were seniors Matt Kluge and Alan Chang, juniors Sarah Angelo and Greg Tito, and sophomore Tommy Casalaspi.

Maggie Walker advanced to the state championships by winning the Central Region tournament last month. Henrico was runner-up at Regionals and also advanced to Williamsburg. The Final rankings of all the teams in the state championship tournament can be found at http://www.vhsl.org/files/schb-results-2009.pdf.

Eco-Friendly Banner Program for Businesses

2009-03-12T08:54:00.000-04:00

From Smoke & Scales:

The Athletic Boosters group is sponsoring a new eco-friendly banners program. Companies can choose an 8x3 ft or 4x3 ft. white banner with green writing that will be displayed prominently on the athletic field for the full academic year!

This opportunity will assist the Athletic Boosters in providing vital support to the Governor's School's athletic programs. It will be replacing the golf tournament that has been held in past years to allow for more community participation. Please help us to keep our athletic programs strong!

For more information, please see the following site:
http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us/document/SmokeandScales/SSLinks/DragonBanners.pdf

Or contact the Athletic Booster Representatives: Anne Napps [anne@anstonhouse.com] or Mathis Kirby Powelson [mathiskp@hotmail.com].

Swimmers Set School Record

2009-03-11T18:55:00.000-04:00

The boys swim team received a nice write-up in the Richmond Times-Dispatch recently, including some quotes from the members of the school record setting, 200-yard medley relay team: J.H. Vivadelli, Sam Rairden, Hunter Knight and Ben Catanese.

Here's the link to the entire article: http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/college/college_basketball/article/VIVA05_20090304-204203/221958/

Robotics Team Receives Motorola Quality Award

2009-03-05T08:48:00.000-05:00

from Smoke & Scales:

The Maggie Walker Mech Tech Dragons had an exciting and successful weekend at the 2009 New Jersey FIRST Robotics Regional Competition in Trenton, New Jersey. The competition included over 60 teams from across the East Coast and Canada.

After two days of competition, the team achieved an impressive 6-1 record and finished the seeding matches in 4th place, qualifying them for the tournament rounds. The competition was very tough as the team battled through five more matches to make it all the way to the semi-finals.

The team was also presented the prestigious Motorola Quality Award. This award recognized their robot, "Redemption", for exemplary robustness in concept and fabrication.

Congratulations Team 422!

Music Department Hosts Piedmont Style Blues Student Assembly

2009-03-05T08:47:00.000-05:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Following an astounding student assembly performance of Piedmont Style Blues on February 26th, Phil Wiggins (harmonica and vocals) and Rick Franklin (guitar and vocals) conducted a question and answer session for members of the Jazz Improvisation class.

The duo shared technique methods, personal musical influences, and anecdotes of their worldwide travels spanning the past thirty five years.

Scholastic Writing Awards

2009-03-05T08:46:00.001-05:00

from Smoke & Scales:

Two Maggie Walker seniors made a strong showing in the creative portion of the Scholastic Awards earlier this month. Kasia Clarke took an honorable mention in the area of creative non-fiction, and Natalie Zhao achieved Gold Key Award level with her Senior General Writing Portfolio.

Both students were honored at an awards ceremony in late February, and Natalie is awaiting word of her portfolio in the national judging. Congratulations to both seniors!