Falls Church Teen Wins Gertrude S. Brown Memorial Concerto Competition
On January 7, Sophia Lin, a junior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology that lives in Falls Church, won the Gertrude S. Brown Memorial Concerto Competition held at the University of Maryland. Lin is now invited to perform as a piano soloist with New England Youth Ensemble of Washington Adventist University (NEYE) on Sunday, January 28 at Sligo Seventh Day Adventist Church in Takoma Park, Maryland. Lin is also a National YoungArts Winner, and in July 2023, she won second prize with a $5,000 scholarship at the MostArts Competition. As the winner of multiple concerto competitions, since 2019 Lin has been invited to perform as soloist with four symphony orchestras in Virginia, New York, and Maryland. She has won first prize in numerous international, national and state piano competitions. As a National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Youth Fellow, Lin has been performing chamber music at the Kennedy Center since 2022. Her next concert at Kennedy Center Millennium Stage will be held on January 25. A dedicated Chief Intern volunteer at the Tacy Foundation, Sophia organizes performances regularly for her community.
Middle School GIVE Day Ambassadors Hold Hair Salon and Pie Face to Raise Food Insecurity Money, Awareness
Middle school GIVE Day ambassadors have been learning about food insecurity locally and globally for months. They have been raising awareness around the school about the event and helping raise funds for it. The goal of GIVE Day is to give back to the community and to help people less fortunate. It aligns with the IB Service as the foundational element of MYP. From the IB Website: “Service as action is a foundational element of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). It seeks to develop caring community members who act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and their environment. Service as action requires students to engage with their local community through community or personal projects. It provides opportunities for students to explore, design, implement, and reflect on their efforts to impact their local environment positively.”
Last week, the Middle school ambassadors hosted Hair Salon and Pie Face to raise money and awareness.
Meridian High School Celebrates Achievements of 2023 IB Diploma Graduates with Special Ceremony and Panel Discussion
On Friday, January 5, Meridian High School welcomed the 44 IB Diploma recipients from the class of 2023 back to receive their IB Diplomas. Current students in the Sophomore through Senior Classes were on hand to celebrate the 28 graduates who could attend, listen to a speech from writer and advocate Pete Davis (GMHS ’08), and hear a panel discussion moderated by current Seniors Sean Lewin and Lexi Ries. During the panel, the graduates shared how their IB Diploma experience impacted them during their high school years and since graduation.
Mustangs Make a Mark: Impressive Debut at First Indoor Track Meet at CNU Showcase
The Mustangs experienced their first indoor meet at the CNU Showcase on Saturday and achieved great results! Overall, they had 11 personal records or season bests and will take the experience of competing in an indoor facility with them as they enter the postseason. Next, the Mustangs take on the Northwestern District at Shenandoah University on February 5.
Personal Records/Season Best:
Mateo Ratheau- LJ
Girl’s 4x800m
Catherine Bucholz- 55m
Hayden Micheal- 1600m
Boy’s 4x200m
Lizzy Secrist- 500m
Fawn Songsiriarcha- 500m
Michelle Malheiro- 1000m
Julia Micciche- 1000m
Nathan Walker- 1000m
Rohan Krishna- 1000m
7th Graders Spark Civic Engagement with Creative Election Project in Falls Church
Last month, 7th-grade Civics students held elections. The premise of this project is to have students come up with ideas to improve the Falls Church community and develop an action plan. Each class had 3-4 political parties presenting their ideas, and each had a presidential nominee who gave a speech at the end of the presentation. Proposed improvements included more bike lanes in FCC, increased solar panels in the city, and increasing the school’s electric bus fleet. Action plans included steps for implementation such as budgeting, presenting proposals to administration, and raising funds to implement.
Middle Schoolers Create Games to Dive Deeper into World Religion Unit
Last month, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School students learned about the origins, beliefs, practices, and spread of various religions (and philosophies), including Zoroastrianism, Shinto, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daosim, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. They then transitioned to project-based learning to extend their learning and assess IB Criteria A, C, and D. Students created a game (using a physical or digital format) highlighting the origins, beliefs, practices, and spread of a religion they chose. Before the break, the students had the opportunity to play the games and argue that their game effectively teaches “x” religion using evidence from the game itself.
Getting Back into the Swing of Things!
In Ms. Conrad’s first-grade class at Mount Daniels Elementary School, students are getting back into the swing of things and are gearing up for a great 2024! Morning Meetings are an excellent time for students to settle in after a long break. This time also helps to transition the classroom back to a supportive learning environment.
