Bowie 050715

CHARITY 5K Upper Marlboro students step up to fight cancer. A-4

NEWS: Insect projects to take flight at international science fair in Pittsburgh. A-3

Gazette-Star

SPORTS: Top colleges recruit Wise softball player as Pumas prepare for the playoffs. B-1

SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNT Y DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T

Thursday, May 7, 2015

25 cents

Youth gives, receives new lease on life County

looks at layoffs, furloughs

Rare transplant results in two life-saving operations n

BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

Korey Scott’s liver may be toxic to his own body, but that doesn’t mean it had to go to waste. After undergoing a harrowing 12-hour organ transplant at Georgetown University Hospital, Scott was able to save another life by donating his liver to another patient only a few doors down the hall.

Scott, 6, of Temple Hills suffers from a rare, but serious genetic disorder Maple Syrup Urine Disease. The condition prevents the body from metabolizing proteins, leading to a build up of certain acids in the body.

Eventually this build up can lead to seizures, coma and even death.

The name comes from the distinctly sweet, syrupy smell this process gives a child’s sweat, earwax and even urine.

“You could smell it in his sweat glands,” said Andrea Scott, Korey’s mother. “He’d be laying with me and you could smell it.”

The condition also dramatically affected Korey’s diet, rendering him unable to eat normal protein-based foods like chicken or hamburgers.

Anything he consumed, even breast milk, had to be tightly monitored and regulated down to the milliliter.

“I couldn’t eat what my friends did,” said Korey. [My food] tasted like nothing.”

The disease is exceedingly rare, affecting only one in 185,000 infants, according to the National Institute for Health.

Reductions expected to save $14.8 million

n

BY JAMIE

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Korey Scott, 6, sits with his mother, Andrea Scott, on Monday in Temple Hills. Korey recieved and donated a liver, which helped save his life.

When Children’s National Medical Hospital called her a few days after she gave birth to ask that she bring Korey in for further testing, she said shivers went down her spine. She said hospital officials would not tell her over the phone why they wanted to test Korey further.

“I think I cried for almost 24 hours because I didn’t want to leave him in the hospital,” Andrea said. “Everything was new to me and I didn’t know why this was happening to my baby, basically.”

Three years ago, Scott learned of a new procedure where a liver trans-

plant could give Korey enough new genes to keep the condition in check.

In another body, Korey’s liver would function normally since the organ recipient does not have the disease.

Scott said she finally worked up

See TRANSPLANT, Page A-10

Bowie nonprofit pushing for anti-bullying program Resident’s two-way texting hotline seeks to turn the tide against abuse n

BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

Alvin Butler of Bowie said the best way to talk to Prince George’s County teens about harassment and intimidation in schools is by communicating through their favorite medium: texting.

That’s why Butler formed Text2StopIt, a nonprofit organization that wants to implement their twoway texting hotline for students in

ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

Prince George’s County schools and the rest of Maryland.

“If you try to talk verbally with a teenager, you’ll get one word answers, but if you text them, they don’t stop talking,” said Butler.

Text2StopIt works similar to a phone hotline, but with two-way texting interaction between a student who wants to anonymously report an incident of bullying or harassment and a call center operated by Butler’s Bowie-based organization. After collecting details of an incident as well as information about witnesses, Text2StopIt operators pass the relevant information along to school officials for follow

up and potential disciplinary action.

The program is already being implemented in high schools and middle schools Queen Anne’s County.

Butler said he originally reached out to Prince George’s County Public Schools in 2012 and 2013 to pitch the program, but said the county passed citing budget concerns. Butler said his organization charges $1.25 per student, just north of $156,000 per year, to operate the program.

Prince George’s County Public Schools responded to requests for comments with this statement: “Prince George’s County Public Schools has a comprehensive structure in place to curb bullying

and provide a safe and supportive environment for students. This includes use of the MSDE reporting for bullying incidents and the Crime Stoppers hotline, along with other school-based initiatives and training for our pupil personnel workers and team members. In 2012 and every year, the school district meets with a number of vendors and hears a number of presentations; however the district does not always choose to pursue opportunities that are brought to us.”

Earnest Moore, executive director of the teen mentoring network Men Aiming Higher, said cost as well

See TEXTING, Page A-10

Despite a proposed property and telecommunications tax hike, Prince George’s government is looking to eliminate 110 jobs and institute five-day furloughs for most county employees.

“The increase in the property taxes can only go to the schools. It can’t be used to save anyone’s job,” County Executive Rushern L. Baker (D) said during an April 14 forum in Capitol Heights.

The proposed FY16 budget includes $7.4 million in savings due to a Reduction in Force, or elimination of positions.

Thomas Himler, Baker’s chief budget officer, said the budget office estimates that amount would equal approximately 110 layoffs.

“That’s an estimate. The actual number could go higher or lower,” Himler said.

Himler said that if that portion of the budget is approved by the council, each department will be asked to evaluate where cuts can be made, and what positions can be eliminated.

See LAYOFFS, Page A-10

Officials take heat on permitting, contracting n

Prince George’s small business owners plead for streamlined process BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

Leaders see growth, challenges as Principal for a Day Over 200 community members take part in event n

BY JAMIE

ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU/THE GAZETTE

Victoria Samuels of Educational Systems Federal Credit Union and Leah Williamson of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration speak Tuesday with students at the Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George’s Community College in Largo during Principal for a Day.

INDEX Automotive Calendar Classified Entertainment Opinion Sports

NEWS B-10 A-2 B-7 B-4 A-11 B-1

Victoria Samuels said she discovered that walking in a principal’s shoes isn’t easy, particularly when those shoes belong to Kathy Richard-Andrews, principal of the Academy of Health Sciences at PGCC. “With Dr. Richard-Andrews, I’ve learned I must wear flat shoes because keeping up with her is a real challenge in and of itself,” said Samuels of Anne Arundel County, vice president of community relations for Greenbelt-based Educational

ON A ROLL Chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions recognized for the 11th year in a row.

A-5

Systems Federal Credit Union.

Samuels was one of approximately 260 business, nonprofit and government leaders who shadowed actual principals Tuesday in Prince George’s County Public Schools’ “Principal for a Day” community event.

The program begun in 2004 and is held in collaboration with the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce.

“From the eyes of the principal, you’re seeing everyone they work with, you’re seeing how they interact with the students, and you’re really getting a chance to see the value in the whole education process,”

Prince George’s officials are facing criticism from local small business owners, some of whom complain that the pace and complexity of county operations is hindering their ability to win contracts.

Representatives from county government and major business partners met April 27 in the first in a series of public meetings with countybased and minority business owners. The meetings are designed to educate local companies about the contracting and procurement process and field questions about the current business climate. Some residents took the opportunity to plead for simpler, faster methods of doing business with the county.

Shane Warren, owner of Warren Brothers Construction in Upper Marlboro, said that while he likes the county’s vision and leadership regarding business development, he feels that sense of urgency doesn’t always trickle down to the county officials he deals with when applying for permits and other needs.

See PRINCIPAL, Page A-10

See CONTRACTING, Page A-10

Volume 18, No. 16, Two sections, 24 Pages Copyright © 2015 The Gazette Please

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EVENTS

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952-7900; TTY 301-952-7998.

MAY 7 National Day of Prayer, 7 a.m. to 8

p.m., Largo Community Church, 1701 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville. Time and activity is your choice. Event starts 7 a.m. with the drive thru prayer and noon is conference calling 1-712-432-3066 code #375437. Our theme: Lord, Hear Our Cry. Check out our other activities at www. largocc.org. Contact 301-249-2255 or largocc1@aol.com.

Lego®: Creative Club, 3:30 p.m., Bowie Library, 15210 Annapolis Road, Bowie. Ages 8-12. Enjoy freestyle building.

Lego parts will be provided. Children, let your imaginations run wild. Registration required; call branch to register at 301262-7000.

Girls Who Code Club, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Bowie Library, 15210 Annapolis Road, Bowie. Girls will enjoy a computer science education and tech industry exposure.

This club will work on collaborative curriculum based technology projects. Registration preference will be given to Bowie residents. Registration required. Contact 301-262-7000.

Promise 2020 Discussion, 6 to 8 p.m., Ernest E. Just Middle School, 1300 Campus Way North, Mitchellville. In these community discussions you will: Interact with members of the Board of Education, Learn about the Promise of 2020: The PGCPS Strategic Plan, Understand the PGCPS mission, vision and core values, Provide feedback about the Board of Education budget. Contact 301-952-6115.

MAY 8 The Subdivision and Development Review Committee Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Room

4085—fourth floor Boardroom, County Administration Building, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro. This meeting is open to the public, but is not a public hearing. SDRC is a coordination and interagency meeting early in the development review process with the applicant and M-NCPPC staff, where the public can be invited to speak. Contact 301-9523520, TTY 301-952-4366.

WETA Kids: Ready to Learn, 11 a.m., Oxon Hill Library, 6200 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill. This workshop will demonstrate for parents and childcare providers how to use children’s television programs such as Sesame Street, Between the Lions and Clifford The Big Red Dog on PBS to help young viewers learn to read. Registration required; contact branch for details at 301-839-2400.

MAY 9 BEST Horse Show Series, 8 a.m.,

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

The Show Place Arena, 14900 Pennsylvania Ave., Upper Marlboro. The Prince George’s Equestrian Center will host the BEST Horse Show Series. Contact 301-

International Migratory Bird Day at Oxon Cove Park, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oxon

Cove Park/Oxon Hill Farm, 6411 Oxon Hill Road, Laurel. All bird lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, both young and old, are invited to come out and help celebrate IMBD. The day will be packed with a variety activities such as bird walks, demonstrations, and lot of children’s activities.

Woodsy Owl will be on hand to give our youngest bird watchers conservation tips.

Contact 301-839-0503 or adam_gresek@ nps.gov.

People and Pups Hike, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Watkins Nature Center, 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro. A park naturalist will guide you and your pup during a hike on our grounds, taking routes along multiple trails. This free course requires that all dogs are accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older. Dogs must be on a leash, must be people and dog friendly, and owners should bring a water dish for their dog. Contact 301-446-3313.

Read to Rover, 2 p.m., Bowie Library, 15210 Annapolis Road, Bowie. Ages 7-10.

Build your child’s confidence in reading.

Bring a favorite book or choose one from the library and Read to Rover. Specially trained therapy dogs will be glad to listen.

Each child will read for 15 minutes. Registration required, call branch for details at 301-262-7000.

Companion Planting of Herbs, Vegetables and Flowers, 2 p.m., South Bowie Library, 15301 Hall Road, Bowie. This program is presented by the Prince George’s County Master Gardeners. Contact 301850-0475.

Kayak Kaper, 5 to 8 p.m., Patuxent River Park, 16000 Croom Airport Road, Upper Marlboro. Explore the natural beauty and cultural history of the Patuxent River on a guided kayak trip. SMARTlink #: 1623468. Cost is resident: $16; non-resident: $20. Contact 301-627-6074; TTY 301-203-6030.

MAY 10 Mother’s Day Tours, Noon to 4 p.m.,

Darnall’s Chance House Museum, 14800 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro. Mothers and grandmothers will receive complimentary tours of the museum when accompanied by a paying child or grandchild. No reservations necessary. Contact 301-952-8010; TTY 301-699-2544.

Bicycle Nature Tour, 1 to 3 p.m., Patuxent River Park, 16000 Croom Airport Road, Upper Marlboro. Take an ecologist guided nature tour by bike and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Patuxent River wetlands, birds and more. Bring sunscreen, water and a snack. Use one of our bikes and helmets or bring your own.

Bikes are limited, call the park to reserve one for your trip. SMARTlink #: 1623662.

Resident: $2; non-resident: $3. Contact

Trebor’s 1st Charity Walk for Alzheimer’s, 9 a.m., Watkins

Regional Park, 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro. Donate or sponsor to help support the development of the Trebor Center for the care and support of those with Alzheimer’s and help provide services to help people manage Alzheimer’s and to help the care givers better handle the tasks of daily life. Contact 301-218-4600 or info@ treborcenter.org.

MORE INTERACTIVE CALENDAR ITEMS AT WWW.GAZETTE.NET 301-627-6074; TTY: 301-203-6030.

Mother’s Day Explosion, 6 p.m., The Show Place Arena, 14900 Pennsylvania Ave., Upper Marlboro. Concert featuring Jeffrey Osborne, Enchantment, Intruders and Persuaders. Cointact 301-952-7900; TTY 301-952-7998.

MAY 11 Accokeek Women Writers Group, 1 p.m., Accokeek Library, 15773 Livingston Road, Accokeek. This program is for women who aspire to write. Contact 301292-2880.

Promise 2020 Discussion, 6 to 8 p.m., Oxon Hill High School, 6701 Leyte Drive, Oxon Hill. Contact 301-952-6115.

A&E

University of Maryland Pops Concert presents a broad slice of Americana.

The 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Lusitania, 7 p.m., Bowie Library,

Playoffs begin this week in baseball and softball.

Keep up with the tournaments daily at Gazette.net.

SPORTS

15210 Annapolis Road, Bowie. Join us on May 11, as Alexander Strachan performs a violin concert to memorialize the 1,198 people, including 128 Americans, who lost their lives when the Lusitania sank in under 20 minutes. Contact 301-262-7000.

Why is the pollen count high? What causes thunder?

Email weather@gazette.net with your weather-related questions and they may be answered by an NBC 4 meteorologist.

MAY 12 Book Discussion, 2 p.m., Oxon Hill Library, 6200 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill.

C. J. Box’s “Breaking Point.” Contact 301839-2400.

Afternoon Tea Book Discussion, 2:30 p.m., Surratts-Clinton Library, 9400 Piscataway Road, Clinton. Mary Higgins Clark’s “Daddy’s Gone A Hunting.” Contact 301868-9200.

Cookie Decorating, 4 p.m., Baden Library, 13803 Baden-Westwood Road, Brandywine. Ages 8 and up. Registration required. Contact 301-888-1152.

Friends of Oxon Hill Library Meeting, 7 p.m., Oxon Hill Library, 6200 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill. Contact 301-839-2400.

Get complete, current weather information at NBCWashington.com

GAZETTE CONTACTS The Gazette-Star – 13501 Virginia Manor Road Laurel, MD 20707 Main phone: 240-473-7500, Fax: 240-473-7501 Jeffrey Lyles, managing editor: 240-473-7508

The Gazette (ISSN 1077-5641) is published weekly for $29.99 a year by The Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Periodicals postage paid at Gaithersburg, Md. Postmaster: Send address changes. VOL. 18, NO. 16 • 2 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES

MAY 13

CORRECTION

Sing, Sign and Play, 10:30 a.m., the South Bowie Library, 15301 Hall Road, Bowie. This storytime is an opportunity for social engagement with songs, books and signs to encourage peer interaction and communication between toddlers and their families. Presented by Prince George’s County Infant and Toddlers.

Contact 301-850-0475.

An April 30 article, “Tree rebates available for Bowie residents,” misstated the height of trees eligible for the rebate. Ten tree species are available for rebates.

Three species that will grow up to 30 feet in height are eligible for a $50 rebate.

Seven species that will grow to exceed 30 feet in height qualify for a $100 rebate.

Additionally, the Web address in the print edition was incomplete. To learn more about the tree rebate program, visit http://www.cityofbowie.org/treerebate.

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Call 301-670-7100 / LNO@gazette.net Sponsors 1931179

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

Page A-3

Insect projects to take flight at international science fair Bowie student to present bug research in Pittsburgh n

BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

Insects rule in Prince George’s County Public Schools, where two students will be presenting their entomological research at an international science fair this month.

Emma Thrift, 17, of Bowie, a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, and Oreoluwa Aluko, 16, of Upper Marlboro, a senior at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale, were the top two PGCPS high school winners in the 2015 Prince George’s County Area Science Fair, held at Flowers on March 21.

The two will go on to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair starting May 10-15 in Pittsburgh.

The week-long event features 1,700 projects from students from 70 different countries, where they will get to meet college professors, professionals and Nobel laureates as well as compete for $5 million in prizes and scholarships, according to the ISEF website.

“I’m very excited. The overall experience is going to be a real eye opener,” Aluko said.

“I’m going to get to meet various leading scientists and that is the part I’m looking forward to the most.”

Thrift said she is looking forward to the competition.

“Competing against so many great projects is so awesome,” Thrift said.

Thrift’s project focused on protecting crops from the harlequin bug, an invasive insect that ravages collard greens, broccoli, cabbage and other crops in the South.

Thrift’s research, conducted with the USDA Agricultural Center in Beltsville, looked at the use of harlequin bug pheromones to attract the pests to plants they would not otherwise be interested in.

“It’s really cool how you can literally trick it into doing something that is not conducive to its natural tendencies,” Thrift said.

Thrift said the goal of her research is to help develop a more economic and environmentally sustainable method of controlling the harlequin bug.

This is the fifth year in a

DEREK JOHNSON/THE GAZETTE

Bowie Police Chief John Nesky plays guitar April 30 for residents at the eighth annual Taste of Bowie at Boswell Hall on Columbian Way.

City officials wind down, tune in to provide a Taste of Bowie Annual gathering gives community chance to mingle

n

BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

PHOTO FROM EMMA THRIFT

Eleanor Roosevelt High School senior Emma Thrift of Bowie stands near her science fair project, “Pheromone Aided Trap Cropping of the Harlequin Bug.” She will present her project at an international science fair. row that Eleanor Roosevelt has sent a student to the Intel ISEF, said Jennifer Massagli, ERHS Science Fair coordinator and Thrift’s science teacher.

“We couldn’t more excited and proud of Emma carrying on the tradition of representing our school at ISEF,” Massagli said.

Aluko’s project looked at the effects of fatty acids on honeybees’ chances for overwinter survival.

Aluko also worked with the USDA Agricultural Center in Beltsville to conduct her research. Her study found that honeybees fed coconut oil food, a saturated fatty acid, had increased tolerance for winter temperatures.

Aluko said she hoped her

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According to Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce officials, proceeds from the raffle went to benefit the Women in Business scholarship and Soroptimist International’s women scholarship fund.

While the crowd of about 200 was largely made up of members from the Commerce or part of the city government, many in attendance said it was the less formal nature of the event that kept them coming back year after year.

“It makes you appreciate the small town-ness,” said

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research would lead to more studies in preserving managed honeybee colonies.

“Honeybees are a very important pollinator, and important to agriculture,” Aluko said.

Flowers Principal Gorman Brown said Aluko is a trailblazer for the school.

“As a school we are very proud of Oreoluwa. As she is the first student in CHFHS history to qualify for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, we are sure that her hard work will pave the way for even more of our students to receive this prestigious honor,” Brown said.

When Bowie residents entered Boswell Hall on Columbian Way for this year’s Taste of Bowie, they were greeted by an unusual sight that would set the tone for the night’s festivities: Bowie Police Chief John Nesky sitting on a chair, soulfully belting out cover songs while playing guitar.

The eighth annual foodtasting event, featuring food stations set up by Bowie restaurateurs along the walls of the ballroom, was a chance for businesses and city officials to interact in a more casual setting.

Smaller restaurants like TJ Elliot’s, Chesapeake Grille and Deli and Samosa Supreme doled out sample entrees such as chicken wings, pasta and crab soup to guests alongside larger franchises like Safeway, Little Caesar’s, and Texas Roadhouse.

Guests purchased raffle tickets for 15 prize bags each worth at least $100.

“It’s an opportunity to reach out to [officials], and they get a chance to hear what people on the street think.”

Brenda Pettus-Bellamy, a Bowie resident for 20 years.

Others cited the camaraderie and playful tone.

“These are mostly adults, and it’s a business event, but we get to play,” said resident/ volunteer Michelle Johnson.

Members of city government and the chamber took part in a fashion show, another annual tradition in the town that stretches back 20 years.

Nesky and Deputy Police Chief Dwayne Preston strutted down the aisle while wearing athletic apparel, business attire and formal wear as Mayor G. Frederick Robinson and City Councilwoman Diane Polangin emceed as guest hosts.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship. The mayor and council are here,” said resident Rob Van Rite. “It’s an opportunity to reach out to them, and they get a chance to hear what people on the street think.”

That and the chance to catch surprises like Nesky’s impromptu crooning.

“Who knew the police chief had pipes?” said PettusBellamy.

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1931155

1952224

Obituary 1935866

Katharine Furgang Gardner of Bowie, MD, died on April 29, 2015, at the age of 102. She was born on July 31, 1912 to Ernest Duley Furgang and Blanche Garner Furgang and reared on the farm of her grandparents, Laura Duley Furgang and Morris W. Furgang at Cheltenham, MD. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert B. Gardner, and three brothers, Leonard, John and Francis Furgang and their wives. Two nieces, Bette McKown and Linda Kelly, survive her.

She enjoyed gardening, sewing, and travel.

Private burial at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery.

1884686

A memorial service will be held on May 30, 2015 at 3 pm at the Cheltenham United Methodist Church, 11111 Crain Highway, Route 301 South, Cheltenham, MD, 20625.

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-4

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

Arrowhead Elementary students participate in charity 5K School partners with organization to help fight cancer n

BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

This year, the charity 5k walk and run at Arrowhead Elementary School in Upper Marlboro looked a little different as it was the students and not the teachers and parents that were walking and running.

For the last five years, the school has partnered with The American Cancer Society’s “Relay Recess” program, designed to promote healthy living and raise money for cancer medical research.

Thus far, school officials say their efforts have raised more than $25,000.

The American Cancer Society had representatives attending and a DJ to announce the walk and run.

School counselor Lauren Sipe said the school chose to donate proceeds to The American Cancer Society because it is a well-known national issue that most people can relate to as its effects have been far reaching in the school community.

“Almost all of us have been touched by cancer at some point in our lives,” Sipe said.

The “Relay Race” program is a na-

Fathers featured in county summit Leaders hope event will kick-start programs and initiatives engaging males

n

BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

LAUREN SIPE/ARROWHEAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Students (from left) Naomi Uiyoshioria, Ashley Feagan, Chelsea Nnebedum, Zingwa Alem and Fatima Flores from Arrowhead Elementary School in Upper Marlboro participated Saturday in the school’s annual Relay Recess 5K walk and run to raise money for The American Cancer Society. tional initiative with The American Cancer Society, which partners with individual schools to host educational activities warning students about the dangers of tobacco use, nutrition, sun safety and other healthy life choices.

Sipe said the decision to feature students in this year’s race was made in

order to better invest themselves in the process.

The 60 students who have signed up to participate so far have canvassed family members and friends for donations.

Sipe said the school raised just over $500 dollars in advance of Saturday’s race and are looking to raise between

$2,000 and $3,000 overall.

“We felt this was kind of a fun, hands-on way for kids to see how they could prevent diseases in their own life and also promote a healthy lifestyle,” Sipe said. dejohnson@gazette.net

A coalition of local and national organizations are coming together to tackle a problem they say is holding the sons and daughters of Prince George’s County back: fatherhood.

County Council Chairman Mel Franklin (D-Dist. 9) of Upper Marlboro, the National Initiative and Medstar Southern Maryland National Hospital are partnering together to host a free summit from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at The Colony South Hotel and Conference Center in Clinton. Organizers say they hope the event will lead to a community-wide effort at the grassroots level to combat absent fatherhood.

“It’s clear that when you look at fatherhood absence, not just in Prince George’s County, but particularly in the minority community, it’s a problem,” Franklin said. “It leads to wayward men, it leads to wayward women and unfortunately it leads to broken families.”

The summit marks the second in a three-phase plan to tailor a community-wide approach to the problem. The first phase took place in October and involved a detailed assessment of Prince George’s County’s needs and assets, conducted by the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Among its findings: Prince George’s County’s rate of absent fatherhood is 35 percent, 10 percent higher than the stage average; that children growing up without fathers are two to three times more likely to experience poverty, drug use and engage in criminal behavior and that a majority of fathers believe that they can be easily replaced by either a mother or another man.

“We need to help fathers understand that they do have a unique and irreplaceable role in the life of their children,” said Erik Vecere, vice president of program support at the National Fatherhood Initiative.

The event will feature opening remarks by Franklin and a keynote address by Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr. of The First Baptist Church of Glenarden.

Marti Worshtil, executive director of The Prince George’s Child Resource Center in Upper Marlboro, said that issues like teen pregnancy and young adults who aren’t ready for parenthood are some of the root causes her organization sees behind the issue.

Worshtil said the most important thing a family can do to combat absent fatherhood is to get the father engaged as soon as possible.

“When you’re involved early, you tend to stay involved,” Worshtil said. “When we work with moms we tell them it’s OK that you’re not together. He’s still the father of the baby.”

Franklin said the event was designed to do more than just raise awareness about the issue. He said he is hoping the culmination of phase three will result in a detailed action plan that community leaders will be responsible for executing, “This isn’t just a simple people-raiser, its not an event to bring a bunch of people in to talk and read. We see that way too much, not only in our county, but across the country,” Franklin said. dejohnson@gazette.net

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Page A-5

Youth join business program County girls selected for mentoring sessions

n

BY

DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU/THE GAZETTE

Joanne Read, sponsor of the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Students Against Destructive Decisions group, receives a plaque and a check May 1 from Kurt Erickson (left), president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, for the Greenbelt school’s efforts to prevent underage drinking and drinking and driving.

Roosevelt High School’s SADD chapter receives regional award Honor marks 11th year in a row group recognized n

BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

The Eleanor Roosevelt High School chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions, or SADD, has been recognized for the 11th year in a row by a regional nonprofit and automobile insurance company.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program, or WRAP, a nonprofit that works to prevent drunk driving and underage drinking, and automobile insurance company GEICO, presented its 2015 GEICO Student Award to the Greenbelt high school’s SADD group

May 1 at Schrom Hills Park in Greenbelt.

The award is one of only five presented in the region, and the only one presented to a group in Prince George’s County.

The award, which has been presented for 23 years, comes with a $1,000 donation to the group, said WRAP president Kurt Erickson.

Erickson said judges, who come from regional public safety and public health groups, were very impressed with the school’s entry.

“It was specifically your year-long effort, the constant drum-beat of the message that you were relentless throughout the year in championing the message of safety,” Erickson said to the students.

Erickson said it is a huge

accomplishment for this group to receive the award 11 years in a row, and that much of the credit goes to the group’s sponsor, Joanne Read.

Read said the students deserve the credit for holding events throughout the year, including a mock accident, seminars on teen dating, violence awareness, anti-bullying and suicide awareness, a Homecoming pledge and a prom promise not to drink, and other events.

“The kids have worked very hard, and the officers have been very detail oriented,” Read said. “They’ve all worked very hard to make a positive difference in the lives of their peers.” janfenson-comeau@ gazette.net

five are from Prince George’s County: baker Amora General, 13 of Clinton; fashion and makeup artist Ashlee Robinson, 13, of Clinton; author Courtney Diggs, 15, of Upper Marlboro; baker Jasmyn Rector, 13, of College Park and speaker/author Jayana Wood, 11, of Clinton. dejohnson@gazette.net

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Young women in Prince George’s County looking for guidance on starting their own business are getting an assist from a local source. Speaker and business coach Cheryl Wood of Clinton announced 11 winners slated to participate in her “Girlpreneur” coaching and mentoring program. Wood said she chose girls between the ages of 10 and 18 because she believes it is a critical time period for young aspiring businesswomen.

“They’re discovering what they want to do, who they want to become,” Wood said. “Most of them already have ideas as far as entrepreneurship.”

Wood said the mentoring program is expected to take place over six months and the selection process targeted young girls across the country growing up in environments of poverty, crime and drug abuse.

Woods plans to meet twice a month for 45 minutes with each member of the program in person, through a conference call or Skype. The sessions are designed to discuss career

goals, refine existing business plans, the basics of starting your own company, networking and projecting confidence. .

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-6

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

POLICE BLOTTER

District 2 Headquarters, Bowie, 301-3902100 Glenn Dale, Kettering, Lanham, Largo, Seabrook, Woodmore, Lake Arbor, Mitchellville and Upper Marlboro.

APRIL 27 Vehicle stolen, 13600 block

Captain Marbury Lane, 5:28 a.m.

Theft, 10100 block Campus Way S, 8:21 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 8400 block Greenbelt Road, 8:37 a.m.

Theft, 10400 block Campus Way S, 8:42 a.m.

Assault, 3900 block Town Center Blvd, 11:19 a.m.

Theft, 8500 block Greenbelt Road, 1:04 p.m.

Theft, 3100 block Barcroft Drive, 2:25 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 10000 block Juniper Drive, 3:06 p.m.

Assault, 5400 block Barker Place, 5:33 p.m.

Theft, 12200 block Malin

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Theft from vehicle, 5000 block Woodford Lane, 8:18 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8800 block Lottsford Road, 11:25 p.m.

APRIL 28 Theft from vehicle, 100 block College Station Drive, 12:08 a.m.

Theft, 4600 block Lake Ontario Way, 8:57 a.m.

Theft, 1100 block Shoppers Way, 8:59 a.m.

Theft, 15600 block Emerald Way, 5:31 p.m.

Residential break-in, 12900 block Marquette Lane, 11:38 p.m.

APRIL 29 Theft from vehicle, 14800 block Arabian Lane, 6:26 a.m.

Theft, Access Road/Moores Way, 7:27 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 15600 block Everglade Lane, 8:59 a.m.

Theft, 9800 block Martin Luther King Jr Highway, 2:01 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 800 block Largo Center Drive, 2:14 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 600 block Castlewood Place, 6:42 p.m.

Theft, 2000 block Golden Morning Drive, 7:11 p.m.

Break-in, 10000 block Howell Drive, 8:06 p.m.

Theft, 300 block Largo Road, 9:50 p.m.

Assault, 9900 block Good Luck Road, 10:55 p.m.

APRIL 30 Theft from vehicle, 9900 block New Orchard Drive, 7:56 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 9300 block Largo Drive W, 10:04 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9600 block Lottsford Court, 11:56 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 800 block Largo Center Drive, 12:05 p.m.

Residential break-in, 7300 block Westwind Court, 12:17 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 8800 block Annapolis Road, 1:00 p.m.

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Break-in, 700 block Risa Road, 1:22 p.m.

Theft, 10500 block Campus Way, 2:49 p.m.

Residential break-in, 15400 block Pine Tree Court, 3:24 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 17200 block Usher Place, 5:31 p.m.

Theft, 15900 block Alameda Drive, 6:01 p.m.

Residential break-in, 10500 block Storch Drive, 6:12 p.m.

Residential break-in, 7100 block Hanover Pky, 9:18 p.m.

MAY 1 Theft from vehicle, 1100 block Shoppers Way, 12:38 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 7100 block Hanover Pky, 10:19 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 11100 block Rodeo Court, 11:17 a.m.

Theft, 4100 block Chelmont Lane, 2:43 p.m.

Commercial property breakin, 8600 block Springfield Road,

3:23 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 4500 block

Havelock Road, 4:13 p.m.

Theft, 9700 block Summit Cir, 4:50 p.m.

Theft, 15500 block Annapolis Road, 6:30 p.m.

Theft, 8400 block Red Wing Lane, 6:40 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 3700 block Northview Road, 6:52 p.m.

MAY 2

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This activity report is provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department as a public service to the community and is not a complete listing of all events and crime reported.

Theft from vehicle, 7200 block Greenspring Lane, 3:21 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 10100 block New Orchard Drive, 1:00 p.m.

Theft, 10100 block Martin Luther King Jr Highway, 1:07

p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9200 block Rolling View Drive, 3:56 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 7800 block Penn Western Court, 5:49 p.m.

Assault, 3300 block Crain Highway Nw, 6:16 p.m.

MAY 3 Theft from vehicle, 4800 block Bartletts Vision Drive, 1:52 a.m.

Robbery, 10200 block Prince Place, 4:31 a.m.

Theft, 14500 block Delcastle Drive, 7:40 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9900 block Chessington Way, 9:15 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 900 block Pleasant Hill Lane, 10:47 a.m.

Theft, 1600 block Robert Lewis Ave, 10:47 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9900 block Greenbelt Road, 5:59 p.m

District 4 Headquarters, Oxon Hill, 301-749-4900. Temple Hills, Hillcrest Heights, Camp Springs, Suitland, Morningside, Oxon Hill, Fort Washington, Forest Heights, Friendly, Accokeek and Windbrook (subdivision in Clinton).

APRIL 27 Vehicle stolen, 3400 block Brinkley Road, 5:13 a.m.

Theft, 100 block Farmington Road W, 8:34 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 5600 block Kenwood St., 8:54 a.m.

Theft, 5500 block Livingston Terrace, 11:38 a.m.

Theft, 300 block Waterfront St., 11:56 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2000 block Alice Ave, 12:21 p.m.

Residential break-in, 11700 block Forest Green Lane, 1:24 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 12700 block Parker Lane, 3:00 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 5900 block St. Moritz Drive, 3:10 p.m.

Theft, 1400 block Southern Ave, 4:46 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2500 block Oxon Run Drive, 4:55 p.m.

Theft, 6800 block Oxon Hill Road, 6:05 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 300 block Potomac Ridge Drive, 7:54 p.m.

Residential break-in, 5600 block Livingston Terrace, 9:12 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 2400 block Berkley St., 11:40 p.m.

APRIL 28 Theft, 2200 block Alice Ave,

7:42 a.m.

Assault, 4900 block Blk Wheeler Road, 9:44 a.m.

Theft, 7400 block Livingston Road, 9:57 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 4600 block Dallas Place, 10:52 a.m.

Residential break-in, 600 block Carson Ave, 12:31 p.m.

Residential break-in, 8400 block Clay Drive, 12:56 p.m.

Robbery, Good Hope Ave/ Oxon Park St., 2:41 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 6700 block Oxon Hill Road, 3:17 p.m.

Theft, 3700 block Branch Ave, 3:55 p.m.

Residential break-in, 3400 block Brinkley Road, 5:42 p.m.

Assault, 4900 block Allentown Road, 10:46 p.m.

APRIL 29 Vehicle stolen, 1600 block Lee

Road, 8:27 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 4500 block Wheeler Road, 9:30 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 300 block Waterfront St., 9:30 a.m.

Theft, 11100 block Fort Washington Road, 9:34 a.m.

Theft, 3500 block 32nd Ave, 11:36 a.m.

Vehicle stolen and recovered,

1100 block Owens Road, 12:35 p.m.

Theft, 2700 block Gaither St., 12:37 p.m.

Theft, unit block of Audrey Lane, 6:30 p.m.

APRIL 30

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Robbery, 6900 block Bitternut Court, 6:10 a.m.

Break-in, 11500 block Piscataway Road, 6:20 a.m.

Carjacking, 2100 block Alice Ave, 6:22 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 5100 block Deal Drive, 8:19 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2100 block Border Drive, 8:49 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9900 block Caltor Lane, 9:04 a.m.

Theft, 2400 block St. Clair Drive, 10:15 a.m.

Residential break-in, unit block of Alexandria Overlook, 10:27 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2000 block Belfast Drive, 11:30 a.m.

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

Couple conquers cancer fight together Husband and wife encouraged each other through treatments n

BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

Being married for over 50 years, Hyattsville residents Joseph and Vivian Whalen have shared so much of their lives together; bowling, travel and attending Baltimore Orioles games, but they never expected to undergo cancer treatment together.

“I asked God, please give me the strength to be there for her, and she asked for the same thing,” said Joseph Whalen, 71.

“We understood what the other was going through, because we were both going through it.”

In August 2014, a lump was found in Vivian Whalen’s breast that turned out to be cancerous.

“You stand back, and you hear the words, and you just say, okay, do what you have to,” Vivian Whalen said.

In September, Joseph Whalen was diagnosed with prostate cancer after his blood work came back showing high levels of prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, and a biopsy was performed.

“When Joe was diagnosed, we said, well, we’ll just make it a two-for-one,” Vivian Whalen said.

Both went for radiology treatments at Greenbelt Radiation Oncology Center. Vivian said the center was able to work with the couple to schedule their daily radiation treatments together, so they would only have to make one trip per day.

Vivian received a clean bill of health in February, and Joseph’s blood work came back normal late April.

“Theirs was a very unique situation,” said Dr. Vladimir Ioffe, Joseph Whalen’s oncolo-

JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU/THE GAZETTE

Joseph and Vivian Whalen of Hyattsville wait for a checkup April 30 at the Greenbelt Radiation Oncology Center. gist. “But they both did very well with their treatment and we expect them to continue to do well.”

“One of us would be going in as the other one was going out, and we’d pass each other and give high-fives,” Vivian Whalen said.

Dr. Denise Gooch, Vivian Whalen’s oncologist, said the couple kept their spirits up and encouraged others during their visits.

“They brought the sunshine every day they came in,” Gooch said. “They just had such a positive attitude about their treatment, everyone loves them.”

Vivian Whalen said she was very grateful for the care and support she received from the clinic.

“The first time you walk through those doors, you know fear. When you go in the back and you go through that door with the radiation symbol, you know panic,” Vivian Whalen said. “But they put you at such

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The free event was organized to support local artists and celebrate creative expressions of female beauty, strength and power, said EmpowerTalk founder Opare Densua.

Featured artists are illustrator and painter Rose Jaffe, abstract artist Kimeko Torres, painter Jenai Asemoa, and abstract artist Sharron Johnson, who are all from Prince

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ease, it was amazing, and when you came out, you felt comfort.”

Joseph Whalen said he and his wife were able to support each other through the radiation treatment process.

“The symptoms are very similar for almost everybody with the radiation. When she

was low, I was low, and we both knew what the reason was,” Joseph Whalen said.

Joseph and Vivian Whalen married May 16, 1964, and settled in Hyattsville. Joseph Whalen worked for the Merkle Press printing company as a printer and bookbinder from 1962 until it closed in 1981, and then for the Washington Post until his retirement in 2003. Vivian Whalen was a stay-at-home mother and worked as a secretary at St. Jerome’s School in Hyattsville from 1971 until she retired in 2012.

Sandra Whalen of Rockville said her parents have remained very close over a half century of marriage.

“They don’t get out a lot anymore, but when they do, they’re never far apart, even if it’s just a trip to CVS,” Sandra Whalen said. “Whatever they do, they do together.”

The couple said they are grateful to be able to celebrate their 51st anniversary together after their shared ordeal.

“It was hell going through it, but at least we had each other,” Vivian Whalen said.

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George’s County or Washington, D.C. “It speaks to the song, which is about four distinct women from four different paths who have different visions but can relate because they’re all female,” Densua said.

The art on display will also be available for purchase, Densua said.

The Studio Gallery is located at 3808 34th St. in Mount Rainier.

—KIRSTEN PETERSEN

Page A-8

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

Municipality celebrates 70 years Town explores new projects, more annexation n

BY

KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER

As Landover Hills celebrates 70 years since the town was incorporated, officials say the “Small Town Thinking Big” is looking to expand its reach while keeping its close-knit feel.

Lee P. Walker, the town’s mayor since 1995, said Landover Hills is planning to build upon the accomplishments of the past 70 years with new projects and community initiatives. Walker said the town secured a bond bill to refurbish the Town Hall, which was a firehouse in the 1940s, and is exploring tutoring programs for youth in and outside of the town limits through the Landover Hills Community and Learning Center Coalition.

“Some have said it is the best kept secret around,” Walker said of the town, which is comprised of 500 single-family homes. “It’s a great town to live in.”

More than 200 people came out Saturday to Town Hall 2 to celebrate Landover Hills, which

was incorporated in 1945. The event featured vendors and performances from students at New Hope Performing Arts Center in Landover Hills.

The town’s population has grown steadily in the past 25 years, now reaching 1,700 residents, said town manager Kathleen Tavel. She said Landover Hills is like “an old fashioned little town, tucked back off the main highway,” but the annexation of commercial businesses along Annapolis Road has made it more important for the town to establish its own identity.

“Right now you’ve got a bunch of little shopping centers that are all different. Try to get some sort of consistent architecture so it all looks like it all belongs together,” Tavel said.

“To me, then it would help with an identity.”

Town Councilman Robert Bullock (Ward 3) said the population growth may call for more annexation and more community services, such a recreational center.

While the town has become more diverse and younger families are moving in, current and former Landover Hills residents

say Landover Hills has remained a friendly community.

Linda Harris, who served as mayor from 1987 to 1991, said she sees the town as a “safe community place to live that values its people,” and said she was glad the town is thriving.

“I see that for the most part, the condition of the homes, the town, looks really good,” Harris said. “It’s a vibrant neighborhood and I think this is good. I hope it stays that way.”

Kevin Fuentes, 13, of Landover Hills said he would like to see homes remodeled, sidewalks added and potholes fixed, but he also called the town a “big peaceful place” where nonEnglish speaking families are welcome.

Resident Oswaldo Ruiz, 22, said living in and attending church in Landover Hills have given him opportunities to make a difference, such as participating with the Royal Rangers mentoring program.

“I want to see the people coming together, cleaning the town of Landover Hills,” Ruiz said. kpetersen@gazette.net

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-9

THE GAZETTE

Page A-10

LAYOFFS

Continued from Page A-1 “That process will be a couple months at least, if the council approves it,” Himler said.

Himler said there are no specific limits at this point as to how many positions might be eliminated from a department, other than not eliminating public safety positions.

Himler said that actual filled positions will be eliminated, as opposed to vacant positions that have not been filled.

“There will be actual layoffs,” Himler said.

The budget also includes $7.4 million in savings from a five-day furlough of all General Fund county employees. General Fund employees, of which there are 6,097 in the proposed budget, do not include full-time positions with the school system, Prince George’s Community College or the Prince

George’s Memorial Library System.

Himler said the furloughs would be spread out over the 12-month period between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

“We’re not going to tell everyone in the first five days of the fiscal year to go home,” Himler said. “They’ll be spread out to minimize the impact.”

Archie O’Neil of Fort Washington, president of the Indian Head Highway Area Action Council, or IHHAAC, a nonprofit south county association of civic groups, said it is unfortunate the county is considering furloughs after providing a 2.6 percent Cost of Living increase this year.

“The county is giving with one hand and taking with the other,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil said any furloughs will be felt by employees and county residents.

“It’s sort of a double whammy. Not only are you not getting paid, but you’re not getting work done,” O’Neil said. “If you’re not at work and you can’t do the public’s business, then that is definitely going to have a

negative impact on residents.”

The matter is now in the hands of the Prince George’s County Council, which concluded public hearings on the budget May 4 and began a series of work sessions on the budget May 5. The County Council must approve a budget by June 1.

Having served as the council’s legislative officer from 2007 until his election to the council in 2014, Councilman Todd Turner (Dist. 4) of Bowie said he’s personally aware of the impact furloughs can have.

“Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of things we can do in regards to funding options,” Turner said.

Turner said he would like to find other options to layoffs.

“Most of the departments don’t want to do this, and the council doesn’t want to do this either, but we have to be mindful of fiscal realities,” Turner said.

TRANSPLANT

PRINCIPAL

the courage to call Georgetown University Hospital to request the procedure.

From there a “domino” transplant was scheduled for January. In the same day, hospital staff flew out to pick up the organ, replaced Korey’s liver and inserted his liver into another patient, a Virginia Beach woman, whom the hospital declined to identify.

“Normally the liver you take out is trash, you can destroy it as you take it out,” said Dr. Thomas Fishbein, who oversaw both procedures. “This was very different because in this case the organ was our patient.”

After the surgery, Korey got a chance to meet the woman now using his liver. She thanked him and gave him an Old Dominion University teddy bear T-shirt, Korey said giving another person the same opportunity he had to live healthy was gratifying.

“It felt good. I helped someone else feel better,” Korey said.

Andrea said the two exchanged information and promised to stay in touch over the years.

“It was an emotional exchange,” Andrea said. “I believe there will be a long time for us to get better acquainted.”

Samuels said.

Samuels and Leah Williamson of Landover, lead pharmacologist for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, followed Richard-Andrews as she went about her day at the Academy of Health Sciences. The academy is a high school held in cooperation with Prince George’s Community College in Largo.

Students attend high school and college classes on campus and can graduate with both a diploma and an associate degree.

The school began in 2012, and is preparing to graduate its first class of 92 students later this month.

Richard-Andrews said it was a great opportunity to show members of the community what is going on at her school.

“The Principals for a Day get to see the real world in our schools,” RichardAndrews said.

Kimberly Washington, principal of Hyattsville Elementary School, said the Principal for a Day event helps show what a principal’s day is like.

“I try to give them as much of the

Continued from Page A-1

djohnson@gazette.net

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

Continued from Page A-1

janfenson-comeau@gazette.net

experience of what the work looks like, the best that I can in a day,” Washington said. “I try to be transparent. I talk about the challenges we have, we’re 84 percent Free and Reduced Lunch, I talk about the growth we’ve had over four years, things of that nature.”

Hyattsville Middle’s visiting principal was Pastor Jacqueline Tyson of Citadel of Prayer International, a nondenominational Christian church in Hyattsville. It was Tyson’s first time as Principal for a Day. Tyson followed Washington throughout her day, touring the halls, attending teacher planning sessions and visiting classrooms. She said the experience was an eye-opener.

“She is very hands-on with the teachers as well as the students. She doesn’t just stay in her office and send someone else to do things,” Tyson said.

Tyson said the experience helps to counter negative media portrayals of young people in poverty.

“I see young people here who are respectful to her and the other leaders, they’re eager to learn and they’re working hard,” Tyson said. janfenson-comeau@gazette.net

DEREK JOHNSON/THE GAZETTE

Bowie resident Alvin Butler is trying to bring his anti-bullying program to Prince George’s County Public Schools.

TEXTING

Continued from Page A-1 as privacy concerns are two potential concerns he would like to see addressed before endorsing the program.

“I think that any resource which benefits the overall parent-student community is something we are open to, but we’re looking for resources that can be sustained.” Moore said.

Part of the reason the program hasn’t made its way to Prince George’s County may be the relatively low prevalence of reported bullying in schools.

According to a 2015 report to the Maryland General Assembly, Prince George’s had the fourth-highest number of reported incidents of bullying in the state over the past year, out of 23 school districts and Baltimore City. However, the

county also boasts the second largest student population.

When measured by incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, the county had the third-lowest rate of school related bullying (3.3 incidents per 1,000) in the state.

Kent County (29.8), Dorchester County (19.1) and Talbot County (17.4) had the highest.

Jerry Park, co-director of the nonviolent advocacy nonprofit Little Friends for Peace in Mount Rainier, said his organization would welcome the use of Text2StopIt, provided it had adequate safeguards in place to prevent misreporting and abuse.

“What we like about [Text2StopIt] is it gives the people who are bystanders a chance to not just watch something happen but stand up to defend the people who are being abused,” Park said. dejohnson@gazette.net

CONTRACTING

Continued from Page A-1 “If I have a project where I need to bring in outside resources, a lot of times I get resistance,” Warren said. “[Outside companies] don’t want to come and work with Prince George’s County because the permitting process takes three to four times longer than Anne Arundel and Howard County.”

Other small business owners defended the county’s practices.

“We’re not using the resources that are available. The government is doing their part,” said Mark A. Johnson, president and CEO of MOA Enterprises, a research and investing firm based in Fort Washington.

County officials said improvements to the overall culture were being made and pointed to several existing resources like the Business Development Reserve Program, which provides training and workshops to local businesses on the county’s contracting process.

“We are working much harder at what we do ... People who don’t get with the program will get out of the program,” said Roland Jones, Office of Central Services director.

Touting the county’s most high profile project — the MGM casino at National Harbor — officials said the deal with MGM came with a Community Benefits Agreement, which outlines county goals to steer at least 30 percent of MGM construction contracts to minority-owned businesses and 12 percent to county-based minority-owned businesses. In the first quarterly compliance report published April 15, the county stated that it reached both of these goals in 2014.

County Council Chairman Mel Franklin (D-Dist. 9) of Upper Marlboro said that while laws like the Jobs First Act ensure that local and minoritybased contractors are given preferential treatment during the bidding process, feedback from these meetings will help county legislators determine whether their efforts have been successful or need to go further.

“Where we still have big problems is that a lot of our companies that are based in the county still feel like they’re not involved,” Franklin said. “They still feel like they are on the outside looking in when it comes to county contracts.”

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dejohnson@gazette.net

Gazette-Star All too often, in the many debates and discussions about the school system, one very important group gets overlooked: the educators.

The reason, possibly, is because their job seems fairly straightforward on the surface.

They work with youths, teach a pre-planned TAKE TIME TO and ACKNOWLEDGE curriculum, generally get to EDUCATORS’ enjoy summer EFFORTS and spring break, right?

The truth, however, is that teachers have quite a difficult task — and the many changes in society are making their jobs even tougher.

In the past few years alone, Prince George’s County teachers have had to implement an entirely new statewide curriculum, Common Core. Not only did they have to learn to teach the lessons, but they also were on the frontlines as parents complained and students struggled to adjust to the changes.

Dwindling resources are taking their toll, as well. Let’s remember that teachers are the ones who ensure each student has a pencil

Forum

Thursday, May 7, 2015

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Thank you, teachers

OUROPINION

(glue, paper, tissue, etc.) to use for class work, even when a child forgot to bring the item or simply can’t afford to purchase it. Making sure all students and schools have the supplies and equipment needed for successful learning has been a growing battle, especially as technology increases have made the playing field even more uneven and budget cuts have spurred teachers to use their own money for classroom needs.

The challenges become even more obvious when you add in the pressure of high stakes standardized tests, overcrowded classrooms, disciplinary issues, school safety concerns, parental involvement challenges, after-school activities and meetings, lesson preparations, and the many other physical, financial and emotional demands of the job.

Teachers spend several hours nearly every weekday with our children, addressing issues that can range from untied shoelaces to severe behavior problems — all while working to ensure students get the needed curriculum lessons for the day.

Their work cannot and should not be

JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU/THE GAZETTE

Renee Roth, a third-grade teacher at Tulip Grove Elementary School in Bowie, is announced as Prince George’s County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year on April 23. With her on stage are finalists (from left) Samantha Kornegay of Allenwood Elementary School, Kimberly Wilson of Accokeek Academy and runner-up Dana Olfus of Benjamin Tasker Middle School. taken for granted.

While it’s important that we take time to express our gratitude to the county’s teachers year-round, it’s even more significant this

week. Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4 through May 8. Take this opportunity to say thank you to county educators for their many efforts, large and small.

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

Improving public schools will boost home values

Lost in the debate over school funding and property taxes in Prince George’s County is the fundamental relationship between home values and improved public schools. Clearly, there is a direct correlation between public school quality and home values. And this correlation exists for all homeowners.

It doesn’t matter if our children attend public, parochial or private schools. All homeowners have a direct stake in the success of our public schools. The value of your home is tied in large measure to the quality of the public schools.

County Executive Rushern Baker has proposed a small increase in property taxes to complete the improvements underway in Prince George’s County schools. An analysis of the plan shows tremendous potential results for a relatively small investment. The budget proposes an increase of 15 cents per $100 of a property’s assessed value. The revenue generated would infuse over $130 million directly into Prince George’s County public schools. The additional funding will assist in advancing the public schools from being consistently ranked 23rd out of 24 public school systems in Maryland to being in the top 10 by 2020.

The proposal to increase funding for education will allow the school system to make real the commitment found in the system’s Strategic Plan of “outstanding academic achievement for all students.”

The Strategic Plan invests in evidence-based programmatic strategies across five focus areas: Academic Excellence, High Performing Workforce, Safe and Supportive Schools, Family and Community Engagement, and Organizational Effectiveness.

For those who argue that Prince George’s taxes are too high, context is critical. First, property values in the county are lower than in surrounding jurisdictions. Second, the county’s commercial tax base is smaller than other jurisdictions, which means that the county must rely more heavily on residential property taxes to fund essential services. Finally, the county has greater service demands than other jurisdictions.

A comparison between education spending in the county and Montgomery County provides a useful benchmark. Relative to Montgomery County, Prince George’s is spending $2,000 less on each student per year. Furthermore, Montgomery County funds 61 percent of its $2.5 billion education budget from local funds, while Prince George’s funds only 39 percent of its $1.9 billion education budget from local money. And the staffing ration in the county is 47 teachers per 1,000 students, while it is 63 teachers per 1,000 students in Montgomery County.

Not to be overlooked is the importance of public schools in attracting and retaining a growing middle class. Employees (and employers) want to live closer to their places of employment, and avoid long and arduous commutes in search of quality schools.

Building a great public education system in Prince George’s County makes sense for all members of the community, parents, students and, especially, homeowners.

H. Patrick Swygert, Mitchellville Swygert is president emeritus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Send us your letters Share your thoughts on Prince George’s topics. All letters are subject to editing. Letters must include the writer’s first and last name, address and telephone number. The phone number will not be published; it is for verification purposes only. We do not run anonymous letters.

Letters selected may be shortened for space reasons.

Send letters to: Editor, The Gazette, 13501 Konterra Drive, Laurel, MD 20707. E-mail them to princegeorges@gazette.net.

Gazette-Star Vanessa Harrington, Senior Editor Jeffrey Lyles, Managing Editor Glen C. Cullen, Senior Editor, Copy/Design Jessica Loder, Managing Editor, Internet

County Council should reject Baker’s tax increase

There is no guarantee whatsoever that Rushern Baker’s proposed $133 million tax increases will result in $133 million in additional dollars for education.

What it will do is put $133 million more into the hands of politicians to use it any way they want.

Money is fungible. Any dollar can substitute for any other dollar. I don’t doubt that every penny of the tax increase will go to education. But we will never know how much of that would free up other money to be spent on other things.

We cannot look into the hearts and minds of the members of our County Council and know what they would allocate to education without the tax increase, although I hope we will find out when they reject Mr. Baker’s tax increases.

Baker seems to be puffing up the egos of the council, telling them that their nine votes (really five is all they need) are more important than the thousands of votes that we citizens have consistently cast for TRIM — that they know better than we do what is good for

us. Yes, in a representative government, we usually permit our elected officials to make decisions for us. When it comes to tax increases, however, we have reserved that power to ourselves.

The honest and honorable thing to do would have been to put the tax increases on the 2014 election ballot, as called for in the County Charter. But even though Baker was unopposed for re-election in November, he and his crew must have been afraid of a voter backlash and surely a rejection of higher taxes in these difficult times. So he decided to go around the people.

His cronies in the General Assembly already made it possible for him to break his oath to uphold the County Charter, as long as he pretended that the money would go to education, but the County Council does not have to be complicit in his charade. The honorable members of the council should be just that — honorable — and reject Rushern Baker’s tax increase.

is the third largest system in the greater Washington metropolitan area. It takes an extraordinary amount of resources to address the myriad needs of a school system this large and diverse. As our region continues to grow and we attract new businesses and families, the demand on resources also grows. However, the amount of money the county has contributed toward education has remained almost the same for over the past nine years.

Our school system simply cannot compete with other school systems in Maryland and the Washington metropolitan area at current funding levels. If you ever wonder why the Montgomery County Public Schools system is nationally recognized, look at the resources allocated to public schools. Montgomery County spends 65 percent of their local county budget on their school system.

Prince George’s County? Only 35 percent.

I urge every member of the County Council to vote “Yes” on the budget proposed by County Executive Baker. We only need five votes. But, a unanimous vote would speak volumes to every Prince George’s County resident about the quality of life and economic development we plan to achieve in our county with a great public school system as the driver for every neighborhood. More important, think what a yes vote would say to every public school-aged child.

As I join the nation in reeling from the horrific events in South Carolina that resulted in Walter Scott’s death, I remember Kimani Gray, Kendric McDade, Timothy Russell, Ervin Jefferson, Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond, Ousmane Zongo, Timothy Stansbury, Sean Bell, Orlando Barlow, Aaron Campbell, Victor Steen, Steven Eugene Washington, Alonzo Ashley, Wendell Allen, Ronald Madison, Travares McGill, Romarley Graham, and Oscar Grant — all AfricanAmerican men who were shot countless times for minor infractions, resulting in their deaths. As an educator, I can’t help but think about the implications that these events have on the education community and my students.

Research shows that African-American male students are referred to special education services at a disproportionately higher rate than their peers. They are also suspended more frequently and placed in alternative school settings.

As a reading specialist in a correctional setting that houses juvenile males with adult charges, I have seen how much angst, frustration, anger, resentment and fear this places upon students.

These racial disparities and the resulting outcomes are not always addressed in the education community, because educators are often uncomfortable with this conversation or unsure how to talk about it.

Many of my colleagues who are not of color express concern and frustration when they work with students and “the most effective way to interact with the police” becomes a hot topic of discussion in the classroom. Many of my fellow teachers have had experiences that were far removed from the experiences of the students we teach, and they found it difficult to look at a situation through a lens other than the one they were comfortable with. However, it is imperative when creating classroom environments that teachers make connections with all students and their experiences.

To help teachers establish this rapport and build connections, schools need to provide school-based and district-level workshops, forums and dialogue sessions that will help teachers better navigate these difficult discussions and help their students feel relevant and respected. Teachers need to have honest discussions with their peers and take time to self-reflect, so that their personal feelings don’t become a barrier to their being an impartial moderator in classrooms when these topics come up.

Taking time to research, reflect and then relaying to students that issues of race impact all of our communities will help foster a more collaborative and connected classroom, where students are excited, engaged and encouraged to excel.

Barbara Michelman, Cheverly

Angelique Kwabenah, Hyattsville

David L. Cahn, Upper Marlboro

County executive’s plan is needed to ensure school success Great public schools don’t become so through some magic or by accident.

Great public school systems are the result of planning and vision, individual school leadership, highly effective classroom teachers, parental and community support, and targeted fiscal resources. All these pieces must work together toward a common goal: excellence and achievement for all students.

For the first time in nearly a decade of living in Prince George’s County, I can begin to see that our school system is on the right path toward sustained, acrossthe-board success. Our schools CEO is in the job for the right reasons, our school board supports his strategic plan for education success, and our county executive has created a serious funding stream for PGCPS through his proposed budget.

However, more improvement is needed to ensure academic achievement for every student.

As the president of the Prince George’s Association for Talented and Gifted Education (PGTAG), I’ve spent countless hours researching the pros and cons of Dr. Maxwell’s strategic education plan and County Executive Rushern Baker’s budget to fund our school system.

After much evaluation, I’ve reached the conclusion that it’s critically needed to move our system from islands of excellence to a great countywide system.

With more than 120,000 students, Prince George’s County Public Schools

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THE GAZETTE

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SPORTS

GAMES GAZETTE.NET IS STAFFING

County tennis teams change lineups to maximize playoff success. B-2

Posted online by 8 a.m. the following day.

TRACK: County championships, 11 a.m., Saturday at Oxon Hill. Flowers’ Donnell Holloway (pictured) and the county’s other top athletes compete to see who wins the Prince George’s County championship.

BASEBALL: WCAC championship series, Saturday.

BOWIE | LARGO | UPPER MARLBORO | CLINTON

SOFTBALL: WCAC championship, Saturday.

www.gazette.net | Thursday, May 7, 2015 | Page B-1

Field conditions a cause for concern Coaches say safety and player development affected by playing surfaces n

KEN SAIN/THE GAZETTE

Ned Sparks, the executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, is retiring effective Aug. 1.

State considers making school transfers sit

Editor’s note: Ned Sparks, who has been executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association since 1981, is retiring effective Aug. 1. This is the first of three columns looking at his tenure and the big issues facing high school sports today.

It’s bad, but it’s probably going to have to get worse before the state steps in, Ned Sparks said.

I interviewed Sparks last week to look back at his tenure as he enters the final three months on the job before retiring as executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, a position he’s held for 34 years.

I asked about the recent increase in high school students who find changing schools to be as easy as switching jerseys.

“Yeah, that might be an issue,” Sparks said. “In the Eastern Shore, I know they have ... a sit-out period, if you transfer you have to sit out. It might KEN SAIN come to that, in the near SPORTS EDITOR future, if it seems to be the case that the motivation for transferring is for athletics and not academics.”

Sparks said those conversations among decision-makers have already started, but, to make that kind of change, many more people would need to recognize that there is a problem.

One reason for the recent increase in transfers is education reform. The consortiums in Montgomery County and clusters in Prince George’s County have made it a lot easier for students to switch schools. All you need to do is claim that you want to be part of a program that is only offered at that school, and you’re in.

“It’s complicated matters, but it’s something that is here to stay,” Sparks said. “In some states, they have school choice throughout the whole state.”

I brought up the subject because of a recent thread on the MoCoFootball.com message board where it names 11 football players who have, or will be, transferring schools and playing for new teams in the fall.

I confirmed most of those transfers through the players’ Hudl.com pages. There are probably more transferring that I haven’t heard about.

I usually don’t hear about Prince George’s County transfers until August.

The Bayside Athletic Conference on the Eastern Shore has a 45-day waiting period starting from the day of enrollment for students who transfer between schools in that league.

They may not participate in practice or games during that time. There are exceptions (foreign exchange students, freshmen, change of residence).

Not sure that would have much an effect statewide. Most of these transfers have already made the decision, and some have already changed schools. But the state could adopt a longer waiting period.

The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference has long had a rule that stipulates any athlete who transfers to a WCAC school after the start of his sophomore year is ineligible to compete in athletic competition for one year.

DeMatha Catholic Athletic Director Ed King said that the league is currently revamping its bylaws, and the transfer rule could change.

“We’ve had talks about that, you know, if you transfer how long do you have to sit out, how long do you have to wait,” Sparks said. “I know my colleagues in other states have some of those rules.”

Sparks said that they have to be careful in setting any rules. Now, a student can claim he wants to learn Latin and switch schools. How can the state know what’s truly in his heart?

“What’s the motivation? It’s never to play sports, but it is,” Sparks said. “How do you separate the kid who is really sincere from the person who is just doing that to get their way into the school because they want to play for this coach?”

A mandatory waiting period might be the answer. If a kid is willing to miss half a season or more, that should discourage some of these transfers. ksain@gazette.net Listen to my interview with Ned Sparks at Gazette.net.

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

It doesn’t seem like much but High Point High School softball coach Mike Wisniewski might consider just a bag or two of dirt to be quite the prized possession these days. While he spends five-plus hours each week tending to the Eagles’ field, which is situated at the lowest point of the Beltsville school’s campus, there’s not a whole lot he can do to fix the long and rather deep indentation — a likely water runoff — that runs between first and second base without a good supply of dirt.

“This is the fourth or fifth year with-

out dirt,” Wisniewski said. “The unfortunate situation is every time [the county’s contracted company] has come to drop off dirt, they haven’t dropped off dirt. ... They say the field is too wet to drive it down. I’ve tried to relay the message that if they even want to drop it off at the top of the hill, I will get it down to the field. To my knowledge they’ve only come once this season.”

There is a wide range of softball field conditions across Prince George’s County — and High Point’s isn’t even at the bottom of the list — and while coaches agreed safety is their No. 1 concern, uneven infields and outfields — which are more difficult to do anything with — provide a number of obstacles.

Among them, coaches said, are players’ ability to learn proper fielding and base running techniques and having an over-

See FIELD, Page B-2

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

High Point High School’s softball team practices in its outfield on Tuesday. The lip between the infield and outfield has eroded away enough that in some places the height of the sod is higher than the diameter of a softball.

Making the jump from running Seton senior tires of running, makes switch to field events n

BY

ADAM GUTEKUNST STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE

Wise High School’s Lorrin Turner throws during Monday’s game against Bowie. The two-sport star has chosen to play softball in college.

Colleges catching on to senior Division I recruit embraces leadership role as playoffs begin n

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

Wise senior softball star Lorrin Malerie Turner was admittedly apprehensive the first time she played behind the plate to catch for her under-14 travel team. She had played just about every other position on the field and had no idea what to do but the move ended up being an important turning point for the current NCAA Division I softball and soccer recruit; Turner said at this point she plans to play softball in college.

“I was more of an outfielder or a second baseman but my team needed a catcher and I didn’t want to be on the bench,” Turner said. “I told my

coaches to just tell me what to do and I’d do it. I was lost, confused and scared at first. But as a catcher, you need to take control of the game.”

At the time Turner said she was more of a follower, but she quickly embraced the role of a leader and the skills necessary to manage the field from behind the plate. The caliber player Pumas coach Jason Gordon said is typically lost to a private school program or found at Prince George’s County’s top teams, Eleanor Roosevelt and Bowie, Turner’s leadership and patience while working with her teammates of lesser softball experience have been integral for Wise’s middle-ofthe-pack program. The Pumas are scheduled to face Flowers Thursday in the first round of the Class 4A South Region tournament.

While catching quickly be-

See SENIOR, Page B-2

Wise High School’s’s Lorrin Turner throws at Bowie on Monday.

Four years ago, eighthgrader Autumn Robinson was dominating the middle school track scene, collecting District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association titles. After winning the 400 meters the year before, Robinson followed with a sweep of the 100, 200 and 400 in her final year of middle school, even adding in a solid performance in an event she had never really tried before: long jump.

“I actually did it my eighth grade year just to get points,” said Robinson, now a senior at Elizabeth Seton High School. “I came in fourth — I don’t even remember what I jumped.”

The jump was not a priority then for Robinson, who said she intended to continue her stellar track career at the all-girls Bladensburg school.

“When we talked with Autumn and her mom, knowing that she was coming, it was clear to see that she was multi-talented,” Seton coach Omar Wilkins said.

“We didn’t really put field into the equation when she first came. It was pretty much running.”

It wasn’t until her sophomore season that Robinson’s admittedly “love-hate relationship” with track events reached a tipping point.

She loved the competition aspect, but couldn’t stand practice; struggled to get solid starts on the short-distance events, but hated the

See JUMP, Page B-2

Baseball coaches work to overcome inexperience n

Many county players know very little about the game when they start BY

PRINCE J. GRIMES STAFF WRITER

Northwestern High School junior baseball player A.J. Hardy tracked down a fly ball in right field, preparing to secure the final out of a win against Crossland on May 1. A year ago, the ball might have dropped,

allowing the game to continue, but on that day Hardy settled under the ball as it fell into his glove in shallow right.

For a seasoned baseball player, the catch may have seemed routine, but Hardy, similar to many other players on Prince George’s County teams, didn’t start playing until high school. Hardy didn’t start until his sophomore year.

“That kid couldn’t be happier he just made that catch. The biggest play of his life,” Northwestern coach Chris Burrows said of his refined

right fielder. “Last year, he couldn’t throw a ball and he couldn’t field a ball and he couldn’t swing the bat.

But he worked hard in the offseason.”

Attempting to field a top team in Prince George’s usually requires a lot of hard work, not only from the players but their coaches as well. Inexperience is not a challenge exclusive to Northwestern. The majority of county teams have to deal with this imbalance. Coaches find themselves having to teach small aspects of the game that most casual fans know, let

alone prospective players.

“There’s things they don’t know that I knew when I was in Little League. Just the nuances of the game,” Burrows said. “It’s a lot more coaching, but it’s also a lot more reward.”

Generally, bringing students up to speed on the game is met with positivity by coaches, but it isn’t without the frustration of growing pains.

Some teams find a niche in

See BASEBALL, Page B-2

THE GAZETTE

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Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

County tennis teams switch up lineups for districts n

Roosevelt’s top singles players makes the move to doubles BY

ERIC GOLDWEIN STAFF WRITER

The Eleanor Roosevelt High School coed tennis team is wrapping up yet another undefeated season, and it’s been as dominant as ever, dropping just three individual matches as of Tuesday.

But while it ain’t broke, there’ll be some lineup fixing going into the Prince George’s County district tournament, scheduled to begin Monday.

Though the Raiders thrived in the regular season, coach Paragi Shah said that the top girls singles players (Kristin Watson and Jasmine Jack) will be teaming up and playing doubles like they did a year ago. Having them play together, rather than individually, may give them the best shot at getting back to the state tournament. (The final four singles players/doubles teams in each district draw qualify for regionals, and the regional champions/runner-ups qualify for states.)

Switching up the lineups — merg-

BASEBALL

Continued from Page B-1 pitching, with a few guys who can throw strikes and maybe even a defense that can make the routine plays. Other teams find a way to put the ball in play with good swings, either connecting for solid hits or taking advantage of a defense at the beginning of its own learning curve. One thing almost every team has in common is athleticism.

Basketball and football dominate the athletic world in Prince George’s County. Often times, these are the same players coming out to play baseball.

“This year, we got maybe eight football players that never played baseball,” Fairmont Heights coach Louechie Wiggins said. “They’re athletes so they pick up things very well.”

These multi-sport athletes often have skills that can translate well on the baseball diamond, but only after they learn the game. Aside from the basics such as throwing, catching and

Continued from Page B-1 all sense of pride in their facility — something coaches agreed can have a major affect on performance.

“It means a lot to the kids when they can take pride in their field,” said firstyear Bowie coach Luanne Smith, who spent 15 years at Central. “It makes a difference when kids feel good about their field. I always want the girls to have the best field possible. I did the same thing at Central.”

Wisniewski, who said anything he does to even out the peaks and valleys of High Point’s infield is just a temporary fix, is not the only coach who spends much of his or her free time working to make his or her softball field playable.

And while Smith said field maintenance largely comes down to coaches’ and athletic directors’ investment, Prince George’s County Public Schools programs are supposed to have help.

Five or six years ago, PGCPS Director of Athletics Earl Hawkins estimated, the county entered into contracts with two facility management companies. Representatives are supposed to get out to every school once a week to drag and line the fields and deliver dirt, if necessary.

But several coaches expressed concern

Continued from Page B-1 came Turner’s primary position, she plays all over the field for Wise, including in the pitcher’s circle depending on where Gordon most needs her playmaking ability. Remaining versatile, she said, has been a conscious effort as it will make her more useful to a college coach and will likely provide her more playing opportunities, especially early on in her collegiate career.

“She’s my best pitcher,” Gordon said. “She’s my best catcher. She’s my best infielder. She’s my best outfielder. If a team likes to run a lot, I’ll put her behind the plate.

Otherwise she is at shortstop [so she can manage the middle infield]. She also comes in relief duty if our other pitcher [is struggling]. When I need a play, she’ll come up with a

ing the No. 1 and 2 singles players — is common practice in Prince George’s County, where state tournament cali-

hitting, players have to learn intricacies of the game such as how to run bases — tagging after an out was a recurring theme coaches mentioned — how to get a lead, how to work a pitch count and who’s the cut-off man. Even traditions of the game such as wearing caps, what’s acceptable to say on the sideline, calling the umpire “blue,” are unknowns Forestville coach Carlton Smith said.

“It just takes time to get them to remember a lot of the things we do, and why we do the things we do,” Smith said.

“So I try to keep it light now. A lot of encouragement. Just take it one player at a time.”

Whichever teams are coached up the quickest have the opportunity to be the aggressors and take advantage of underdeveloped teams.

“You see where the arms are that you can run on,” said Crossland coach Gregory Aiken, who coached at Bluefield College. “You see where you can put little gimmick plays in to take extra bases. You, unfortunately, sometimes have to

FIELD

SENIOR

Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s Kristin Watson practices on Monday.

ber athletes are few and far between.

Though Watson and Jack had success in the regular season, the competi-

take what you would call a Little League play, pull it out because you know it’s going to be successful. And you gotta do what you gotta do to win.”

Burrows also said he gets aggressive, but only if players are doing it the right way. Wise coach Andrew Gilliam agreed, but said it’s a limit because he doesn’t want to run the score up.

Aiken, who doesn’t yet have a junior varsity program, said he doesn’t cut anyone who comes out for baseball. Everyone makes the team for the experience, and for life lessons that can be learned through the sport. He said he’s noticed an increase of players with experience prior to high school at Crossland thanks to the county restarting the middle school baseball programs last year. Aiken and his coaching staff are working with the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a Little League program.

In the meantime, as current high school players still need more coaching, Gilliam thinks the state should allow

over the frequency of these visits.

Hawkins said to his knowledge every school’s field is tended to once a week.

But he did admit this spring’s inclement weather has made it more difficult for the companies’ employees to get on the fields — the use of heavy equipment on a wet field and dragging it will worsen conditions.

“I think some of the coaches get upset because they don’t know the scope of the contract,” said Shawn Nance of Washington, D.C.-based Community Bridge, Inc. “On Mondays and Tuesdays we cut the fields and on Wednesdays and Thursdays we drag and chalk. We send two different crews out there. The only time anything changes, is if the field is wet. ...If the coaches want [more] it would be up to them to get together and put together another contract. We do everything we’re supposed to do and I know the other company [TruGreen] does the same.”

Largo coach Keith Hutchins, whose pitchers spent the early portion of the season pitching out of a hole in the middle of the infield, said the Lions’ field went two-plus weeks earlier this month without service but since asserting himself, his field has been a lot more wellmaintained.

Flowers coach Molly Bender said even if the playing surfaces can’t always be up to par, they could at least look more

play. With a game like softball, you have to be around it a lot in order to be really good. Her year-round play definitely helps her focus and know the inner nuances of the game.

On top of that she’s extremely coachable.”

Turner’s softball knowledge is quite extensive, especially for someone who didn’t start playing competitively until she was 11 years old — rather late for such a high-caliber player. Though soccer was the first sport she played — she started when she was 5 — she’s been around softball diamonds basically since she was born.

It runs in her family — both her mother and grandmother played, competitively.

While Turner said many young children are first introduced to baseball and softball through throw-and-catch with their fathers, it was Turner’s mother, Renee, who took her out. The elder Turner still plays

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

tion is different outside the district (the county is split into two districts), and significantly tougher outside the region when they compete against Maryland’s best.

“Prince George’s County is very deceiving,” Shah said.

Coaches’ lineup decisions vary depending on their circumstances. At Fairmont Heights, coach Brian Wilson said he plans on having his No. 1 boys singles player, Enoch Adekola, enter the doubles draw with Prince Tchokouani. But the No. 1 girls singles player, Eden Gregory, will try to defend her region title. She may have to get by Suitland’s Yasmin Eubanks, the 2014 runner-up. “[Eden is] going to represent, I have a strong feeling she’ll represent the county,” Wilson said.

Flowers coach Rob Vinson said he is ambivalent about changing lineups for the district tournament. This spring he’ll have his top boys and girls players (Nuku Monu and Ngozi Alia) enter the singles draw, which will give the two juniors — neither of which are favorites — additional tournament experience. Last year, though, he said his top singles players played doubles.

egoldwein@gazette.net

more time for coaches to work with players “out of season.”

Under current Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association rules, “any school group or team gathering consisting of three or more players that has assembled for the purpose of drilling or instruction would constitute a violation” outside of the season.

Spring sports season is from March 1 until the final date of the local conference, district, regional or state championship.

“We need more time to work with them, to teach them the game,” Gilliam said. “Because a lot of kids, some of them don’t play in the summer.

Some kids play two sports. So they don’t get all of the things they need in 20 days. That’s what needs to be revisited. I think if we were able to rectify that, as far as when we can participate, when we can work with these kids, you would start seeing quality baseball all the way around.” pgrimes@gazette.net

like softball fields. True fastpitch softball fields have fences, she said. Even a portable fence would do, and they’re typically set about 220 feet from home plate.

Without them, there’s no telling how far a ball can roll if it hits an uneven patch and gets past an outfielder.

During her team’s win at High Point earlier this month, Bender expressed concern over an abundance of uncharacteristic defensive errors. Then her players pointed out the water runoff line through the middle of the field and the major lip where the outfield meets the infield. Wisniewski said it was several weeks into the season before he could work on base running and sliding with his players.

Wisniewski and his coaching staff spend their planning periods and even hours before school starts to make their field as playable as possible. And so do many coaches across the county. But there is only so much that can be done without proper means; like dirt.

“It’s the constant use of a shovel, rake and dragging,” Wisniewski said. “I have a drag with big teeth that I use to try and dig into the hard dirt, it’s almost like clay. ... [The contracted company] has only come once this season and only came one last season. All I want is a chance to work on [the field].” jbeekman@gazette.net

some softball — she plays both fastpitch and slow pitch — but has slowed her participation down in recent years as her daughter’s travel schedule has picked up.

The younger Turner said she was reluctant to try anything other than soccer at first but since she was at virtually all her mother’s practice, it only made sense. And it was well worth the jump, Turner said.

The versatile switch-hitter — she can slap bunt from the lefthanded side of the plate but Gordon said he likes to have her hit for power — is currently batting a team-high .692 with no strikeouts and a .765 onbase percentage. She has stolen 18 bases in 13 games and has not made a defensive error.

“My mom is the catalyst for me doing so well,” Turner said. “[Her being a softball player] is one of the great things that has brought us together. Every time I’ve had a tournament,

At Roosevelt, the top boys player, Elliot Tapscott, will be in the singles draw while Bruno To and Lance Jewell are playing doubles. On the girls side, seniors Jack and Watson are teaming up after winning the 2014 district tournament and then reaching the region finals and losing to Bowie sisters Maddy and Tori Simmons (Class of 2014). Jack has a strong forehand while Watson — a UMBC volleyball recruit — has a dominant serve, and the two had success despite playing mostly singles prior to the district tournament.

“Kristin and I just clicked. It was really fun and we got really far doing that,” Jack said. “... The chemistry should still be there.”

This time around, with Bowie’s sibling duo graduated, Watson said she’s hoping they can take the next step.

“Our mentality is to go in and try to win as many matches, hopefully get back to states again,” Watson said.

she’s always there. If I have a question about the game ... it’s been special, most people are not able to see their parent be good at a sport and compete.”

There was a time — before she put on a catcher’s mask for the first time — when Turner would’ve shied away from her role as a leader and a standout her team relies on for production. Now, she said, she relishes in it. Gordon said she’s become an excellent teacher of the game and has viewed her like a second coach on the field this spring.

“Every opportunity I have to help someone, I think it’s good to hear things from a player’s perspective,” Turner said. “I like to give player to player perspective. ...I hope the underclassmen see my passion for the game and hopefully I’ve been able to help them develop a passion for the game.” jbeekman@gazette.net

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Seton High School’s Autumn Robinson owns the state’s best mark this spring in the long jump.

JUMP

Continued from Page B-1 endurance required of anything much longer. And so, Robinson came to her coaches with an idea: she wanted to try jumping.

Two years later, the senior has the state’s top long jump, one of the state’s best triple jumps, and a spot on the track and field team at Michigan State University awaiting her in the fall of 2015. Needless to say, Robinson has no regrets in changing the path of her athletic career.

“Oh no, I came to love jumping,” Robinson said. “I do not regret leaving the running behind at all.”

While her success wasn’t immediate, Robinson’s talent for the jumping events was noticeable from the very start to Wilkins and his coaching staff. The first step, the longtime Roadrunners coach said, was convincing the thensophomore she had a place in the event.

“Her [jump] coach, Rafiu [Barkare], definitely said she can be a good — a great — long jumper,” Wilkins said. “I think we just had to convince her because at that time we had a couple good jumpers as well and she was trying to fit in somewhere. But she fit in great. By the time her junior year came, she really embraced it. I think she said this will be my ticket to getting out of running.”

Not only have jumps proven to be Robinson’s ticket out of running, they’ve also provided a ticket to the next level, as the Seton senior’s leaping ability drew the interest of a number of colleges be-

fore she ultimately selected Michigan State. And it’s not hard to see why the schools were interested.

In early April, Mile Split Maryland named her the “Performer of the Week”, as her long jump mark of 18 feet, 8 inches and triple jump of 38-2 1/2 were both best in the state by a significant margin.

Since then, Robinson’s jumping feats have only grown. Though she no longer holds the state’s top mark in the triple, her long jump of 19-4 at the Taco Bell Classic (S.C.) in mid-April only increased her already state-best distance.

For the former basketball and lacrosse player that quit all her other sports upon enrolling at Seton, the summers and winters of perfecting her craft are paying off.

“It just shows that I’m capable of doing big things,” Robinson said. “Starting 10th grade year of the outdoor season, just to be where I am now it shows that my hard work and dedication paid off because I never would have imagined being No. 1 in long and triple.”

Though she may make it look easy at times, Robinson’s efforts in the field certainly aren’t lost on the coach of the eight-time defending Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions. But Robinson has weathered the pressure of being the favorite quite well, as Wilkins noted, providing a consistent scoring boost along the way that he called, “very needed.”

“We can always count on Autumn to do what she needs to do,” Wilkins said. “She’s not a person who will fold under the pressure.” agutekunst@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

Page B-3

SportsBriefs

Roosevelt poised to make up for early 2014 exit If there is one thing the Eleanor Roosevelt High School softball team will not be doing this postseason — scheduled to begin with Thursday’s section quarterfinals — it is taking opponents for granted.

Parkdale High School wing basketball player Joe Adedayo said he committed to Brown Mackie College in Kansas last week. Adedayo, who transferred from Theodore Roosevelt (D.C.) midseason, averaged 12.1 points per game his senior season for the Panthers.

1. Roosevelt 2. Seton 3. Bowie 4. McNamara 5. Flowers

SOFTBALL NOTEBOOK

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN

— ADAM GUTEKUNST

DeMatha, McNamara baseball players make All-WCAC teams

n Best bet: Class 4A South Region Section II final; TBD Wednesday.

Raiders coach Delton Fuller has been vocal all season about his top-seeded team’s lack of focus before last season’s Class 4A South Region Section II final against rival Bowie, which it had defeated during the regular season.

The result was Roosevelt’s worst loss in at least a decade.

The Raiders have learned their lesson, senior pitcher Joya Grillo said earlier this season, and are hungry to erase the bitter taste of last year’s disappointment with their second trip to the state tournament in three years.

section — the Panthers didn’t have to play any of the county’s top teams — No. 2 Laurel looks like the favorite to get back to the region final for a second straight year.

The Spartans have tested the top teams — and defeated Flowers in the teams’ first regular-season meeting — and are on the cusp of top 2 status but haven’t broken through against Bowie or Roosevelt yet.

Darkhorses

Favorites Eleanor Roosevelt (16-0) has proven to be the best team in the Prince George’s County this season.

The Raiders have shut out 50 percent of their opponents and have not allowed more than four runs in a single contest.

Roosevelt boasts a three-pitcher rotation — Grillo, Renee Rogers and Nora Snyder — that features complementing throwing styles and three of the Washington, D.C. area’s top home run hitters in senior shortstop Alannah Baiyina (6), Lauren Brooks (4) and Grillo (4).

Baiyina, who leads the team with 36 runs batted in, is also dominant in the middle infield.

Parkdale senior makes college choice

HOW THEY RANK

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Elizabeth Seaton High School’s Erica Hawkins delivers a pitch against Bishop McNamara last week in a softball game at Riverdale Recreation Center. Seton held on to defeat the Mustangs, 5-4.

Contenders The county’s second- and thirdbest teams, Bowie and Flowers, have the misfortune of residing in the region’s bottom section with Roosevelt. The Bulldogs will again

likely be the Raiders’ biggest obstacle in the region and young Bowie has matured a lot since the teams’ regular season meeting that went to Roosevelt, 12-4.

While Parkdale earned the top seed in the 4A South Region’s top

Crossland nabbed the top seed in the Class 3A South Region’s bottom section but will have to get through a slew of talented out-ofcounty programs just to get to the region final.

Gwynn Park may not have benefitted from its top seeding in the Class 2A South Region’s bottom section as a second-round meeting with Anne Arundel’s Southern — the only non-county team — likely looms ahead.

Middle-of-the-pack teams such as High Point and Wise — which recently lost by only one run to Bowie — should not be overlooked, either.

jbeekman@gazette.net

Several athletes from the DeMatha Catholic and McNamara high school baseball teams were recognized by the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

From the Stags, Jack Alkire made first team All-WCAC; Andy Rozylowicz made second team; Aaron Brooks, Jarrett Faunce, Chris Jeletic, Ellis Jones, Andrew Keith and Brad Thaxton and were honorable mwwentions.

From the Mustangs, Kyle Benjamin and Chase Ragsdale made second team; Tim Hanible, Will Vickers and Nicholas Washington were honorable mentions.

— ERIC GOLDWEIN

DeMatha guard headed to NFL DeMatha Catholic High School graduate Arie Kouandjio will get an opportunity to play professional football in the same county he grew up. In the fourth round of the National Football League draft, Kouandijo, an offensive guard who attended the University of Alabama, was selected by the Washington Redskins. His younger brother, Cyrus Kouandijo, was drafted by the Buffalo Bills last year.

— PRINCE J. GRIMES

College Park teen earns French Open wildcard Appearances in two semifinals and a quarterfinal in three clay court tournaments this past month helped College Park native Frances Tiafoe, 17, earn the U.S. Tennis Association’s French Open wildcard berth.

Tiafoe is scheduled to make his Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland Garros later this month. The second Grand Slam of the year begins May 24. Tiafoe, who turned pro last month, is currently ranked No. 293 in the ATP Tour world rankings, up from No. 1,136 at the end of 2014.

— JENNIFER BEEKMAN

Juniors take lead at Gwynn Park Last season, the Gwynn Park High School baseball team proved to be too good for its other 2A counterparts in the county to topple. Only Friendly was able to beat the Yellow Jackets, and that was

BASEBALL NOTEBOOK

BY PRINCE J. GRIMES only once out of three meetings.

This season, Gwynn Park fields just two seniors, but much hasn’t changed in regards to how it has fared against not just other Class 2A teams but the entire county.

Gwynn Park remains one of the

HOW THEY RANK 1. Riverdale Baptist 2. DeMatha 3. Roosevelt 4. Wise 5. Bowie n Best bet: Playoffs

toughest teams to beat, and went undefeated against 2A competition — an indicator that it is once again the favorite to advance out of the gauntlet of county teams in the 2A South Region.

“We’re very, very young, but I think we’re very talented as well,” coach Matt Cooke said. “I would say that hitting is probably the strength of this team.”

Junior center fielder Jacob Wade leads off for the Yellow Jackets. Dylan Turner, also a junior, is Gwynn Park’s top pitcher. Juniors Fernando Figuero, a transfer from New York, and C.J. Miller have been doing well in the infield.

“All four of them are juniors and they’re carrying this team,” Cooke said. “And should continue to carry it next year.”

TRACK NOTEBOOK

BY ADAM GUTEKUNST for many coaches trying to keep their athletes fresh.

Wise High School coach Fardan Carter, in his eighth year at the head of the Pumas program, has figured out his own strategy.

With Penn Relays, season-ending invitationals and championship season crammed into an action-packed month of track and field, Carter has often used the county championship meet as a brief respite for some of his top athletes.

“Trying to keep the kids as fresh as possible is the way to do it,” Carter said. “For the county championship, I try to let everyone on my team run. I don’t want to put as much stress on my kids for the county championship. [The] regional final is what makes you go to states, so I want my kids to peak at the regionals and the states.”

HOW THEY RANK

Girls track

Boys track

1. Seton 2. McNamara 3. Flowers 4. Bowie 5. Wise

1. DeMatha 2. Bowie 3. Douglass 4. Oxon Hill 5. Flowers

dynasty team and being a part of that legacy. They don’t like to lose. They come prepared.

“One thing that they will do as a whole without us coaches is come together, especially if they

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Seton’s dynasty comes with intense pressure Defending one championship is enough pressure to make most teams sweat.

Heading into May’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference track and field championships however, the Elizabeth Seton High School team will feel that pressure once again — for the eighth straight spring.

The Roadrunners are gunning for their ninth straight WCAC title this spring; a task coach Omar Wilkins said requires an immense amount of focus and drive from his athletes.

“Our girls have been through a lot of pressure, but they handle it well,” Wilkins said.

“One of the things that get them motivated is trying to be a

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Wise coach has a postseason plan The sport of track and field is unique in many ways, but the postseason format — or championship season as many call it — presents an interesting dilemma

RAIN OR SHINE!

Arts & Entertainment www.gazette.net | Thursday, May 7, 2015 | Page B-4

TOP

of the

POPS

UM bands unite to present a slice of Americana n

BY

ANIKA REED

SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Musicians of all forms will come together to perform and conduct popular musical pieces when the annual Pops Concert returns for its 39th year Saturday at The Clarice.

The concert will feature performances from the University Band, the Maryland Community Band and the UMD Wind Ensemble. Each piece fits this year’s

theme of Americana music, with selections that have themes laced with quintessential American values.

“You get to see and experience three levels of performer[s],” said assistant conductor Craig Potter. “You have everyone from the community in the community band of any age ... the university band is made up of primarily nonmusic majors and then the wind ensemble is made up primarily of undergraduate music majors.”

Each musical group has a different conductor, with Eli R. Osterloh conducting the University Band, John E. Wakefield

See POPS, Page B-5

PHOTO FROM ALISON HARBAUGH

The annual Pops Concert will take place this Saturday at The Clarice in College Park.

‘A Raisin in the Sun’ comes to the Greenbelt Arts Center

Theater’s staging of Broadway classic places emphasis on story n

BY JOE ANTOSHAK SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Rikki Howie Lacewell just wants to tell a story.

As the director of the Greenbelt Arts Center’s upcoming production of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” that’s what she’s boiling this play down to.

“This entire show really is just about the ability to tell a story,” Lacewell said.

“You’re telling an outright story about what’s happened in other people’s lives.”

Her job is made easier by widespread familiarity with the play’s storyline, she said. Since its debut on Broadway in 1959, it’s been twice adapted to film, twice revived on Broadway and once made into a musical.

“It’s very well-known, so it’s a real easy one to kind of put out there,” Lacewell said. “Even as an actor, if you forget your line ... you know the storyline.”

“A Raisin in the Sun” follows the story of the Youngers, a black family struggling in 1950s Chicago to hold its spot in a world that hands them steep adversity and the consistent weight of racial prejudice.

Lacewell was approached with the offer of directing this production last

year, when the Greenbelt Arts Center was constructing its season show list. She recommended they push it back several months to follow the February run of “Clybourne Park,” a play that premiered in 2010 as a sequel to “Raisin.”

“People like history, so if you tell them the end story, they’ll all of a sudden want to come back to see how it all started,” Lacewell said.

Assembling the cast for this show began earlier this year, she said. The cast and crew — a group of people Lacewell said helped to make this “the easiest production I’ve done in a long time” — have been in rehearsal since the beginning of March.

“It has been a really good mixture

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

2015 COMMUNITY GUIDE

of people that are new to theatre and people that are seasoned to theatre,” she said. “So to see them pull all their talents together and make it a really believable family unit that you’re watching on stage has been amazing for me. It’s been a rather smooth process all the way through.”

Because Lacewell has focused so heavily on the story aspect of the play, she said she and the cast have spent a lot of time discussing different scenarios of backstory.

“We’re layering in more of the interpersonal relationships and how they affect the choices that these people are

See RAISIN, Page B-5

‘A RAISIN IN THE SUN’ n When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, May 15 to June 6; 2 p.m. May 24 and May 31 n Where: Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway, Greenbelt n Tickets: $20 for general admission, $16 for students, seniors and military, $12 for ages 12 and younger with adult n For information: 301-441-8770, greenbeltartscenter.org

Another fun filled event from The Gazette!

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THE GAZETTE

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

IN THE ARTS For a free listing, please submit complete information to wfranklin@gazette.net at least 10 days in advance of desired publication date. Highresolution color images (500KB minimum) in jpg format should be submitted when available.

THEATER & STAGE

through June 14, 21 C Street, Laurel. venustheatre.org.

NIGHTLIFE New Deal Café, Beggars Tomb, The Moxie Blues Band, May 8; Stream & the Blue Dragons, May 9; Djesben, May 10;113 Centerway Road, 301-474-5642, newdealcafe.com.

Old Bowie Town Grill, Wednesday Night Classic Jam, 8 p.m. every Wednesday, sign-ups start at 7:30 p.m., 8604 Chestnut Ave., Bowie, 301-464-8800, oldbowietowngrille.com.

DANCING Ballroom dance and lesson, with instructor Dave Malek at 7 p.m. every Thursday. A beginner’s lesson precedes the dance, which starts at 8 p.m. Cost is $10.

The dance is located at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 6111 Columbian Way, Bowie. For more information, email dave@dancin-dave.com or call 410-370-8438.

OUTDOORS Dinosaur Park, Dinosaur Park programs, noon to 4 p.m. first and third Saturdays, join paleontologists and volunteers in interpreting fossil deposits, 13200 block Mid-Atlantic Blvd., Laurel, 301-627-7755.

Mount Rainier Nature Center, Toddler Time: handson treasures, crafts, stories and soft play, 11 a.m. to noon Thursdays, age 5 and younger free, 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier, 301-927-2163.

Prince George’s Audubon Society, Bird Walks, 7:30 a.m. first Saturdays, Fran Uhler Natural Area, meets at end of Lemon Bridge Road, north of Bowie State University, option to bird nearby WB&A Trail afterward; 7:30 a.m. third Saturdays, Governor Bridge Natural Area, Governor Bridge Road, Bowie, meet in parking lot; for migrating and resident woodland and field birds, and waterfowl. For beginners and experts.

Waterproof footwear and binoculars suggested. Free.

410-765-6482.

ET CETERA College Park Aviation Museum, Peter Pan Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m. second and fourth Thursdays of every month, activities for pre-schoolers, $4, $3 seniors, $2 ages 2-18, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park, 301-864-6029, collegeparkaviationmuseum. com.

Women’s Chamber Choir Auditions, by appointment for the concert season of women’s chamber choir Voix de Femmes, 7:45-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, 402 Compton Ave., Laurel, 301-520-8921, annickkanter@ gmail.com.

11th Annual Gateway Open Studio Tour, May 9, Gateway Arts District located along Route 1 (Rhode Island Avenue). An after-party will take place at the Gateway Art Center from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Theater Project Beltsville presents “Two Across,” Fridays and Saturdays, May 8 through May 23 at 8 p.m. and Sundays May 10 and May 17 at 3 p.m., at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 10774 Rhode Island Ave. in Beltsville. There is limited seating and reservations are encouraged by contacting producing director Franklin Akers at frankakers@comcast.net.

Payment may be made at the door. Tickets are $10, $8 for seniors and students.

POPS

Continued from Page B-4 conducting the Maryland Community Band, and Potter and Anthony Rivera conducting the University of Maryland Wind Ensemble.

In preparation for the performance, the bands practice three times a week for an hour and a half. The Maryland Community Band and the University Band will each play four pieces, while the Wind Ensemble will play two pieces.

“I think what most inspires us is the music itself and what message the music tells us and what message we create with the ensemble to give to the audience,” said assistant conductor Rivera.

The show, presented by the University of Maryland School of Music, features more accessible and likeable song choices, which typically draws a large audience. One of this year’s most popular selections will probably be the music from “West Side Story,” the famous musical about star-crossed lovers and the pressures they face from their warring families and friends.

“I think the Pops Concert is a celebration in itself,” Rivera said. “It’s the final concert of the season and we get to share music that we normally don’t get to do on every concert, and I think it goes back that we chose pieces ... because of the story [they] tell.”

All of the conductors have musical backgrounds, which contributes to their love for the musical numbers they conduct.

“I think that’s what excites me most about this concert is in this 23 minutes is how can I tell this story about love and struggle and triumph and defeat in one go,” Rivera said.

Osterloh is the assistant director of the university’s athletic bands, and aids in the direction of “The Mighty Sound of Maryland” Marching Band, Basketball Pep Band and the University Band. He is an accomplished clarinetist currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind instrument conducting.

Wakefield is director of bands emeritus at the University of Maryland, and was a member of the School of Music for 40 years before retiring in 2005. He led a Pre-Olympics Massed Band Festi-

RAISIN

Continued from Page B-4 actually making in their lives,” she said. “Which makes the story more believable not only to the actor but also makes it more believable for the people watching it, because there’s more depth in the character.”

And while there is a racial element within “A Raisin in the Sun” — at one point, a white man tries to buy the Youngers out of their new home to avoid the neighborhood’s integration — Lace-

PHOTO FROM ALISON HARBAUGH

The annual Pops Concert will take place this Saturday at The Clarice in College Park.

POPS CONCERT n When: 8 p.m. Saturday n Where: The Dekelboum Concert Hall at The Clarice, Stadium Drive, College Park n Tickets: $10-$25 n More information: 301-405-7794, theclarice.umd.edu

val with concerts in Beijing and Shanghai, China, before the 2008 Olympic Games.

Potter and Rivera are both enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts program, with Potter studying tuba performance and Rivera studying wind conducting. For both men, it is their first time conducting in the Pops Concert.

“When dress rehearsals go awry,” Potter said jokingly when asked about what makes him the most nervous prior to a performance of this magnitude.

“I think we’ve been fortunate this year in that, building up to our performances, we’ve been in a good position to explore the music without having to worry so much about, ‘Are they going to play the right notes today?’ And we can think more of, ‘Are we going to make good music today?’” Potter said.

“My mindset is let the music speak and let the music tell the story, especially in this piece that I’m conducting,” Rivera said.

well noted that recent tension across the country, including the recent unrest in Baltimore, did not provide the main impetus for the production.

The story shouldn’t be tied to one political theme, she explained. “‘A Raisin in the Sun’ isn’t really about racial inequality, it’s about people that are struggling to live and making do, and how choices they make on a daily basis can affect not only their future, but other people’s futures,” Lacewell said. “And that happens

1952206

Bowie Community Theatre, “Whose Wives Are They Anyway?” July 17 through Aug. 2, call for prices, times, Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Dr., Bowie, 301-805-0219, bctheatre.com.

The Clarice, “The Human Capacity,” May 7; Opera Scene Study, May 7; “The Human Capacity,” May 8; Opera Scene Study, May 8; Eyes Wide Open: Kreativitiy’s End of Semester Performance, May 8; UMD Women’s Chorus & UMD Men’s Chorus Spring Showcase, May 8; “The Human Capacity” (two shows), May 9; Annual Pops Concert, May 9; Ballet Company M, May 10; Honors Chamber Music Recital, May 10; UMD Percussion Ensemble, May 11; Hair, Health and Neighborhood Stories: Installation Unveiling, May 13; My Fancy Late and Early: A Springtime “Greeriade, May 13; University of Maryland, College Park, theclarice.umd.edu.

Hard Bargain Players, “Down the Road,” June 12-June 27, Theater in the Woods, 2001 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, 240-766-8830, hbplayers.org.

Harmony Hall Regional Center, Be’la Dona, May 9; Cuba Gooding and the Main Ingredient, May 16; 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, 301-2036070, arts.pgparks.com.

Greenbelt Arts Center, “A Raisin in the Sun,” May 15 through June 6; call for prices, times, Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway, Greenbelt, 301-441-8770, greenbeltartscenter.org.

Joe’s Movement Emporium, Home Decor Party, May 9; “BOXES the Play,” May 15; Design Your Distress, May 16; 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, 301-699-1819, joesmovement.org.

Laurel Mill Playhouse, “Little Shop of Horrors,” through May 17, call for ticket prices, times; Laurel Mill Playhouse, 508 Main St., Laurel, 301-452-2557, laurelmillplayhouse.org.

Montpelier Arts Center, Pen & Pose: A Workshop in Yoga and Writing, May 9; 9652 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, 301-377-7800, arts.pgparks.com.

NASA’S Music And Drama club (MAD), Barney & Bea Recreation Center, 10000 Good Luck Road, Bowie. For ticket sales and additional information, call 240-475-8800 or visit madtheater.org.

Prince George’s Little Theatre, “Suite Surrender,” through May 16, call for tickets and show times, Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Drive, Bowie, 301-937-7458, pglt.org.

Publick Playhouse, Maestro Khan and Sistah Mafalda & The Kuumba Performers, May 9; 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly, 301-277-1710, arts.pgparks.com.

2nd Star Productions, “Kiss Me, Kate,” May 29 through June 27; Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Dr., Bowie, call for prices, times, 410-7575700, 301-832-4819, 2ndstarproductions.com.

Tantallon Community Players, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” May 22 through June 7; Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, 301-262-5201, tantallonstage.com.

Venus Theatre, “Dry Bones Rising,” May 21

Page B-5

156392G

across any type of color line.”

When asked about who would benefit the most from seeing the production, she said families.

This will be the second time Lacewell has staged this play, but that doesn’t mean it is any less appealing to her.

She said she’s still excited and interested by the story.

“No matter how many times you do the show, there’s actually something new that you learn or gleam from it each time as you’re putting it on,” she said.

THE GAZETTE

Page B-6

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

The push to remain human

“The Human Condition,” a play by Jennifer Barclay, will continue its run through May 9 at The Clarice’s Kogod Theatre in College Park.

The drama, written by Barclay, centers in on East Berlin before and after the wall was torn down.

The show follows Alonza — a fictional character — who is tortured in 1972 after she is discovered trying to scale the Berlin Wall to get to her newborn son on the other side. The officer in charge of punishing her, the character Dietrich Richter, finds himself deeply troubled by Alonza’s persistence, but he follows through on his orders to destroy her family. He sentences her husband to 10 years in solitary confinement and informs the two that their son has died in West Berlin.

Jump ahead 18 years, and the wall has been leveled. The country dissolves and Dietrich finds himself out of a job. To maintain some anonymity and limit the number of secrets revealed, he volunteers at a newly opened library.

Looking to piece together her past, Alonza visits this library and comes faceto-face with Dietrich again without recognizing him. He, however, because his conscience has been plagued all these years by her will to find her son, remembers her. The play then explores the dynamic between the two.

Tickets for the show are $25, $10 for students. For more information, visit theclarice.umd.edu or call 301-405-2787.

ROY PETERSON

Jenn Robinson as Dora and James McDaniel as Dunlap in Prince George’s Little Theatre’s production of “Suite Surrender.”

Never ‘Surrender’

It’s 1942, and the luxurious Palm Beach Royale Hotel is under siege as two of Hollywood’s biggest divas vie for the same suite. Mistaken identities, overblown egos, double entendres, and one pampered little lap dog round out the farce “Suite Sur-

render,” currently in production by Prince George’s Little Theatre in Bowie.

The show follows legendary singer Claudia McFadden, and star of stage and screen Athena Sinclair, as they descend on the hotel for a USO

benefit. Craziness ensues when both fight over the same room.

Tickets for the show are $20, $15 seniors/ under 18, $13 for groups of 10 and up. For more information, visit pglt.org or call 301-937-7458.

Taking flight PHOTO FROM UMD SCHOOL OF THEATRE, DANCE AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES

The Berlin Wall.

Roger Connor, curator of the Vertical Flight and Unmanned Aircraft Systems at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, presents “From Queen Bee to Drone Fever: The Strange Evolution of Unmanned Aircraft,” at the College Park Aviation Museum at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 14.

This is the final lecture in a three-part series focusing on exciting innovations and their impact on aerospace and our lives.

The cost is $4 for adults and free for museum members.

Connor curates the vertical flight collection (helicopters, gyroplanes, and vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), Army ground

force aviation aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, ground effect vehicles, along with aircraft instruments and avionics, bombsights and gun sights, air navigation, air traffic control, as well as infrastructure, airports, and ground support equipment.

Connor is an experienced fixed wing commercial pilot with more

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Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

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LAUREL: Lrg furn or unfurn room w/priv Ba, nr Marc train, NP/NS, int & TV, nr Rt 1 & beltway 301-792-8830 OLNEY: 15x12 bedroom, 1 person, $650 incl FIOS utils Smoking outside/NP Call 301-924-9108

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Page B-7

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City Hall 6301 Addison Road Seat Pleasant, Maryland 20743-2125

grnd flr steps to beach Sleeps 8.

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The Prince George’s County Department of Family Services, Children, Youth & Families Division, and the Prince George’s County Local Management Board (LMB), is seeking qualified applicants to provide afterschool programs for children/youth ages $857/week 8 - 14 years old. Applicants who can demonstrate the need and 301-774-7621 ability to outreach to younger and/or older at-risk children/youth may vary from the age range above. The intent of after school programs is to provide expanded learning opportunities that Waterfront support developmentally appropriate cognitive, social, physical, Property and emotional outcomes.

These programs should offer a balanced program of academic support, arts and cultural SPECTACULAR 3 enrichment and recreation after school, or during evenings, TO 22 ACRE LOTS weekends, summer vacations, and holidays. These activities WITH DEEPWAshould be inclusive of the community at large, as well as TER ACCESS- Loincorporate parental involvement activities.

Approximately cated in an exclusive $360,000 is available for Fiscal Year 2016 beginning July 1, 2015. development on Virginia’s Eastern Shore , The average award for past after school programs have ranged south of Ocean City. from $32,000 to $227,000. The Request for Application (RFA) will Amenities include be available for download from the DFS website at: North 129th Street 2BR, 1BA, AC, large Porch, Ocean Block, Sleeps Family of 6.

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ARE YOU FACED MEDICAL BILLING LEAP INTO TRAINEES NEED- SPRING with the use WITH MOVING OR CLEARING AN ED! Train at Home to of our full-service furniture upholstery become a Medical OfESTATE? Feeling fice Assistant! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training at CTI gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer/Internet needed.

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Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo Full Time Help Wanted

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We are seeking a highly motivated and result-oriented individual to assist small businesses in marketing their products and services. This is an outside sales (print, online & mobile advertising) position based in our Laurel office with a Prince George’s County territory assignment.

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Hard working, enthusiastic applicants with previous sales experience please email your resume to Chauka Reid, creid@gazette.net EOE

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THE GAZETTE

Page B-9

Page B-10

Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

CA H

Cars Wanted

DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS, RV’S. LUTHERAN MISSION SOCIETY. Your donation helps local families with food, clothing, shelter, counseling. Tax deductible. MVA License #W1044.

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2010 Nissan Versa.................V558039B, Red, 71,867 Miles..................$8,991

2012 GLI.....................................V048230A,Gray,45,301 Miles...................$16,991

2010 Ford Focus SEL.............V051211B, Blue, 72,358 Miles..................$10,991

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2012 Jetta Sedan...................V304285A, Gray,18,289 Miles..................$12,591

2014 Golf 4Dr...........................VP0129, White,18,424 Miles.....................$17,991

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Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

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Thursday, May 7, 2015 bo

CA H

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AFTER $750 REBATE

2 AVAILABLE: #572171, 572172

4 CYL., AUTO, 4 DR

AFTER TOYOTA $750 REBATE

WHO DRIVES A TOYOTA

DARCARS

$0 DOWN

2 AVAILABLE: #577509, 577476

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4 CYL., AUTO, 4 DR

$

2015 PRIUS C II

$

139/MO**

4 DR., AUTO, 4 CYL

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