SUMMER of THE
&
SUPERHEROES
The season assembles with Free Comic Book Day, box office blockbusters and local guy-turnedterminator J. August Richards as the cyborg Deathlok in “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
The Gazette POTOMAC | NORTH POTOMAC
DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net
B-4
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
25 cents
Students march to close gap ‘Historic statement’ on Rockville streets
n
BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
In a procession of purple and black shirts led by a small but thundering drumline, Montgomery County students and others marched Sunday in a symbolic call to close achievement gaps in their schools. The hundreds who participated in the March to Close the Gap started at the school system’s Carver Educational Services Center in Rockville and marched down a busy Hungerford Drive and other Rockville streets to the Montgomery County courthouse on East Montgomery Avenue, eliciting supportive honks from passing cars as
they cheered, chanted and waved signs for their cause. Students from the Minority Scholars Programs at about 10 county high schools organized the march to both raise awareness about the issue and about their program’s efforts to close the gap. The county school system faces long-standing gaps in performance between student groups, especially those between African-American and Hispanic students, and their white and Asian peers. As he marched, Yannick Alexis — a 17-year-old junior and scholars program leader at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School — said he sees a big disparity between minority and non-minority students at his school, but that the program is helping more and more students.
Kanga team seniors Brian Kelley, Matt Peel, Rayna Tyson, Dan Ayre and Cody Branchaw, from left, present their product at Bullis School.
“You can’t close the gap in one day or even one year, so just changing the culture at our school I think has made a big difference,” he said. Alexis said he thinks the march served as a memorable event to highlight the gap. “They’re kind of a historic statement you can make,” he said. Michael Williams, a teacher and the Minority Scholars Program coordinator at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, said he was “overjoyed” by the number of participants who joined the march — evidence of the power of “positive peer pressure.” “They’re seeing something positive happening led by their peers and they’re being attracted to it,” he said. Many of the students joined the
BULLIS SCHOOL
Bullis seniors sink their teeth into product ideas New Entrepreneurship Signature Program sparks creativity, competition n
See GAP, Page A-11
Horsing around
BY
STAFF WRITER
Sometimes we don’t know what we need until someone tells us we need it. Do you need the Noti app on your smartphone to find a friend at a sports event, or the Check It Out app to find a certain product in a grocery store, or a Kanga bag to get rid of trash at the movie theater or stadium? These were some of the ideas that students from Bullis School in Potomac created and presented on April 22 at the school’s first-ever “Shark Tank”-style program. It was based on the ABC television series
Potomac Horse Center opens its barn doors; pony rides, more offered
n
BY
PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
The Potomac Horse Center will hold its annual open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, with pony rides for children, a hay ride, moon bounce and riding demonstrations among the planned activities offered. “It is to let people know what we are and what we are about,” said office manager Deb Burger. “It’s also a lot of fun.” Visitors are invited to tour the center’s barn and learn about riding classes and other programs the center offers. The open house is free, with refreshments available for
Bethesda stores stay open while 1980s shopping center undergoes a major renovation n
BY
Visitors to the Shops of Wisconsin in Bethesda these days will see construction workers and some heavy equipment overhauling the front of the building on Wisconsin Avenue. But despite the flurry of activity, the eclectic mix of stores in the shopping center, including Trader Joe’s, FITology, Gymboree Play & Music and T.K. Martial Arts, is still open for business. Shannon Jones, a spokeswoman for Douglas Development, which owns the property, said the construction is part of a multimillion-dollar facade renovation. “[It’s] under construction now, and we’re trying to keep the impacts to shoppers minimal,” she said. The shopping center, at 6831 Wisconsin Ave. just north of Bradly Lane, was built in 1988 and acquired by Douglas Development in 1996, according to the company’s website. Jones said she was unable to provide specifics about the renovation, and other messages left for Douglas Development were not returned.
n What: Open house n When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday n Where: Potomac Horse Center 14211 Quince Orchard Road, North Potomac n Cost: Free n Information: 301-2080200
Left: Flynn Snyder, 14, of North Potomac gets Geronimo ready for a ride Monday at the Potomac Horse Center. At top: Horses enjoy a gentle rain at the center. PHOTOS BY DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
NEWS
SPORTS
Adventist HealthCare gets a new leader as Terry Forde takes on role as president and chief executive officer.
More advanced high school softball pitchers risk increased injury.
1910244
ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER
IF YOU GO
A-3
See BULLIS, Page A-11
Shops getting an overhaul
See HORSE, Page A-11
FAMILIAR FACE
PEGGY MCEWAN
in which entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of potential investors. The Bullis program highlighted businesses developed during the private school’s new Entrepreneurship Signature Program. In September, 29 seniors divided into six teams began the steps to create a successful product. They developed the concept, tested it, refined it, defined a market and, finally, convinced backers to fund it, said Marc Steren, an entrepreneur instructor at the school. Just like in real life. In addition to Noti, Check it Out and Kanga, students created Helping Hands, a computer app for academic management and communication; Pearl Toothpaste, a toothpaste tablet; and Picshare, an app to let groups of friends or family put their pictures into shared collages.
NATURAL OR UNNATURAL MOTION? B-1
Automotive Calendar Classified Community News Entertainment Opinion School News Sports Please
Jones did say that the current plans call for a garden or patio area with seating, and the work should be finished within the next four or five months. Anita Moore, owner of Gymboree Play & Music, said work has been going on at the shopping center since last summer. She has seen a decline in customer traffic that she thinks is related to the construction, but her business is still open. “We’re actually excited for it to be completed, because we know it’s going to be better for the area,” Moore said. She hopes a renovated shopping center will bring in more business. Gymboree has been in the Shops of Wisconsin for almost 10 years, Moore said. The old design had a small courtyard well below street level, but new renderings show a courtyard at a higher elevation. Moore said Gymboree had to move from the bottom floor to the third floor of the building, but the move meant a bigger space, new equipment and an interior renovation, part of which was funded by the landlord. Despite the decline in customer traffic, the ongoing renovation is a good thing, Moore said. “Yes, it’s been frustrating, but we’re excited for the finished product,” Moore said. ewaibel@gazette.net
B-10 A-2 B-10 A-2 B-4 A-14 A-12 B-1
RECYCLE
Check out our Services Directory ADVERTISING INSIDE B SECTION