School news roundup: Winners, walkouts, and a princess

Annandale High School students took a field trip to Northern Virginia Community College to learn about college programs.

New STEM graduation seal – The Virginia Board of Education has announced a new graduation seal, available to students in the graduating class of 2019 and beyond. The Diploma Seal for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) will be awarded to students who earn either a Standard Diploma or Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all math and science requirements for the Advanced Studies diploma with a “B” average or better in all course work.

A student displays her project at the Columbia Elementary School Science Fair.

Additionally, students must successfully complete a 50-hour or more work-based learning opportunity in a STEM area, satisfy all requirements for a Career and Technical Education concentration, and pass either a Board of Education CTE STEM-H credential examination or an examination approved by the board that confers a college-level credit in a STEM field.


Student walkouts – About 52 students walked out of Jackson Middle School at 1 p.m. on March 22 to honor the victims of the mosque terrorist attacks in New Zealand. Staff members escorted the students to the field, and the event occurred in an orderly fashion, reports Acting Principal Rohini Tohan.

Students create posters for display at Glen Forest Elementary School’s International Night.

Meanwhile, the school board is considering a proposal from at-large school board member Ryan McElveen to allow middle and high school students an excused absence to take part in a walkout or other form of protest or activism.

Spelling champ – Will Hemmens, an eighth-grader at Glasgow Middle School, tied for second runner-up at the Fairfax County Spelling Bee March 17. The competition included a 15-word written test and oral spelling rounds.

Princess Elena

Junior princess – Elena Leopold, a ninth-grader at Annandale High School, has been selected by the National Conference of State Societies as a 2019 Junior Cherry Blossom Princess.

Elena, age 14, will participate in the upcoming National Cherry Blossom Festival Week, April 7-13. She will tour embassies, meet international representatives, and join dignitaries at the official lantern lighting at the Tidal Basin. Junior Princesses will receive their sash and tiara at a Princess Orientation event on April 6.

Elena is on the Annandale High School Honor Roll, the National Junior Honor Society, and the JV volleyball team. She also plays volleyball on the St. James 15’s Silver Team, enjoys riding horses, and has been on the North Springfield Swim Club’s dive team.

Hunger Games – Students at Glasgow Middle School are taking part in the Glasgow Hunger Games, a school-wide service learning project in which students compete in “districts” as they learn about hunger as a global and local issue. As part of this activity, students collect and donate non-perishable food items for a local food bank.

Students at Bailey’s Elementary School.

Student superhero – Mason Crest Elementary School, in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helped a student fulfill his wish to be a superhero. A police escort and other important guests were at the school March 22 to carry out the first stop on his mission. A film crew from NBC Washington was there, as well.

Wind power  – Glasgow students Arthur Prudius, Darren Nguyen, and Dylan Cronin won a second-place award at the Northern Regional Dominion Energy KidWind Challenge. As a result, they qualified to attend the national wind turbine design competition and also won the Geek Award for getting the highest score in the middle school division knowledge test.

Mason Crest Elementary School’s outdoor classroom is ready for spring weather.

Community hero – Maria Demarest, the parent liaison at Bailey’s Elementary School since 1991, was honored as a community hero and featured on Telemundo 44 on March 19. Demarest assists the Hispanic community with classes in English literacy, health, and nutrition; created a clothing boutique at the school; and recruits parent volunteers.

Top librarian – Marcie Atkins, the librarian at Belvedere Elementary School was named the Potomac Region 2019 Librarian of the Year. The award is sponsored by the Virginia Association of School Librarians.

Star educator – Jayme Harris, an instructional assistant at Glasgow Middle School, was named the Region 2 Outstanding School-Based Support Employee of the Year. Harris builds exceptionally strong relationships to motivate students to learn, especially those who have the least trust in adults.

Art festival – Westlawn Elementary School invites parents to an Art Festival April 9, with free pizza, an art parade featuring sixth-graders and their puppets, a silent auction, maker stations for all students, an art exhibition, and frame sale. Proceeds will benefit the school’s art department.