mytime blog

Kids Helping Kids: A positive experience

MyTime — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:06:00 +0000

The students of Crofton Elementary School recently participated in the annual "Kids Helping Kids" food drive. Students brought in donations Oct. 22 through Nov. 9 with great excitement and generosity.

The drive was a huge success and far exceeded expectations. In the end, students donated a whopping 2,111 pounds of food to the Anne Arundel County Food & Resource Bank to benefit all those in need statewide.

This experience provided students at Crofton Elementary School with the genuine opportunity to show compassion and caring toward others, which was an opportunity they eagerly embraced. It was most definitely a positive experience for all involved. Way to go, Crofton Cubs!

-- Mrs. Aimee Brown, second grade classroom teacher; Mrs. Heather Webster, elementary guidance counselor

Marilyn Hugg in Maryland Horse Shows Association Hall of Fame

MyTime — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:55:00 +0000

Congratulations to Marilyn Hugg who at the age of 78 was inducted into Maryland Horse Shows Association Hall of Fame on Nov. 25 at the Renaissance Harbor Place Hotel in Baltimore at the annual meeting and awards banquet.

This association was founded in 1932 and is one of the oldest, continuous horse show associations in the United States.

With her achievements, training and showing her horses and ponies in the hunter division in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York, she showed her horses and ponies from 1945 to 1987.

Her greatest achievement was her small pony, "Pixie," who was grand champion of the Maryland Horse and Pony Show in 1964 at Maryland State Fairgrounds in Tinomium.
Rancho, her large pony, placed in the ribbons at Madison Square, Pa., National as well as Washington International.

Daniel Gray, her horse, was champion in the Working Hunter Division in Maryland and Virginia most of the time.

Many children that she taught to ride went on to show with their own horses and ponies. Marilyn retired after 42 years of showing in 1987.

-- Charles Hugg

Fun and fitness at Severna Park Elementary

MyTime — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:12:00 +0000

MyTime — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:55:00 +0000

MyTime — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:53:00 +0000

Severna Park Elementary School recently hosted its third annual Family Fun and Fitness Night.

The event was held over two days last month, with kindergarten, first and second grades participating Nov. 6 and third, fourth and fifth grades participating the following evening.

The event was hosted by the Severna Park Elementary Physical Education Department and coordinated by physical education teacher Rich Wiles.

Students and their parents had the opportunity to come in to try out more than 35 activities from the school's physical education program. Stations included bowling, cup stacking, crab walking, and scarf juggling.

The goal of the evening was to get both the kids and the adults moving and to build active, healthy learners of all ages. More than 80 percent of the student body turned out with their parents to join in the fun. And, fun was most certainly had by all.

-- Alyson Figlioli, SPES PTA

Gettysburg comes alive for Rockbridge students

MyTime — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:30:00 +0000

Rockbridge Academy sixth-graders charge across Oak Hill at Gettysburg National Military Park. Photo courtesy Michael Lent

Imagine you're a soldier charging toward a cannon only moments after it was fired, desperately trying to reach and stop it before the next blast. Sixth-graders from Rockbridge Academy in Millersville got just a little taste of that on a recent field trip to Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.
After an early morning tour bus ride which featured doughnuts, juice and a talk on Civil War history, students stepped onto the battle site to the theme music from the Turner film "Gettsyburg." Their tour guide was Rockbridge's secondary school principal, Ralph Janikowsky.

Mr. Janikowsky, a retired naval officer, is no rookie when it comes to teaching about soldiers and battles; he is formerly a professor of military history and strategy at National Defense University in Washington D.C.

But the trip wasn’t all talk. Students were placed in columns of four and shown how the men would have marched into battle. They sampled hard tack prepared by one of the parents before setting out to follow the one-mile route of the infantry assault known as Pickett's Charge.

They ate a picnic lunch at Devil's Den, terrain littered with piles of rocks and boulders, which was the site of fierce fighting and sniper activity during the war. And they stopped at the cemetery to listen to a reading of the famous address delivered by President Abraham Lincoln several months after the Union victory at Gettysburg.

Teacher Christina Cawley noted a number of differences from last year's trip, including new peach trees and fencing, as the park attempts to replicate the way the site would have appeared in 1863.

Students weren't the only ones to benefit from Mr. Janikowsky's enthusiasm and knowledge; nearly 20 parents came along to participate in the day's activities.

Mr. Janikowsky believes that field trips such as the visit to Gettysburg are a great way to make the dates and names students learn in the classroom come alive. And, consistent with Rockbridge's method of classical education, it integrates many subjects including history, theology, literature, and government.

The field trip may be over, but students will no doubt be eager to charge ahead, learning about the next era in U.S. history.

:::

-- Angie Brennan

Rockbridge Academy, a K through 12 Christian and classical school, is located at 911 Generals Highway in Millersville. For more information, call 410-923-1171 or visit the school's Web site at www.rockbridge.org.

The Peace Conference: My Day

MyTime — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:51:00 +0000

A student's perspective

It's a little after five o'clock at night, and I'm walking beside the road. I'm cold, and hungry. The sidewalk is wet with rain, and there is a light fog. A mile or two ahead looms my destination: the Naval Academy stadium.

That was how my night began on Nov. 26, 2007. The very next day was the Annapolis Peace Conference, to be held at the Naval Academy. And incredibly, I was going ... me, a 20-year-old student from St. John's College. The news magazine that I write for, The Epoch Journal, wanted to cover the meeting of Middle East leaders, and I volunteered to report it. As no one else from my school was going, I headed alone toward the stadium to get my press credentials.

A seemingly mile-long line of reporters was queued to get theirs as well.

Unfortunately, everyone needed a picture taken, and there was only one camera. So we waited in line. And waited.

The White House Press Corp had gotten special permission to cut ahead of the other reporters (i.e. me) and get their press credentials.We were irritated by this fact, but bit our tongues. And then there was the Frenchman, a reporter from Le Monde, a short man with an explosive temper. Storming around the line, he shouted "How are we supposed to find ze truth, if we are not all treated as equals?" The Americans smirked at the man's attempted protest, and the Brits just rolled their eyes. Two-and-a-half hours later, I got my credentials, and went home.

At nine in the morning, I boarded a shuttle with the other reporters and took the route to the Naval Academy. Walking through the imposing doors, I was ushered into the main hall, where hundreds of reporters with their laptops crowded the arena floor. President Bush was giving the opening remarks on a giant screen.

Journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio were cranking out their stories. Camera crews were rushing about. And there I was: a 20-year-old student with only a tape-recorder and no idea what to do. No microphone, no producer, no big name to get me attention. Just a press badge with a publication that no one had heard of, and a very confused look on my face.

A bright light flashed from a camera, and I squinted to see a journalist interviewing someone who turned out to be a spokesman for the Israeli delegation. When the interview ended, I mustered my courage, and made my move. Tapping the man on his shoulder, I politely asked, "Sir, could I please have a word with you. I'm from my publication, The Epoch Journal." I flashed my press badge, and prepared for rejection.

But the man quickly nodded his head, and proceeded to answer the couple of questions that I managed to sputter out. "What are your hopes for the conference today?" "Was there any discussion about dividing Jerusalem?" "Would you be willing to talk to Hamas?" I finished with the interview, totally amazed that he had been so receptive.

My confidence grew. I began to actively seek out more interviews. I hurried over to a crowd of reporters clustered in a corner and was whisked along into a small room. Standing behind a table was a soft-spoken man, the ambassador from Saudi Arabia. He made a brief statement, and proceeded to take questions. I stretched my tape recorder as close to him as possible, hoping that it would pick up some of his words. Before long, a bodyguard pushed me back, and the diplomat moved out of the room, back to a part of the academy where reporters were not allowed. Still, I had managed to get the interview.

Then came a lengthy lull. Three more hours passed. There was no hustle, no bustle.

Finally, a spokesperson for the State Department stood up and announced that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would be coming soon to make the closing remarks. The Condoleezza Rice. Speaking live, on the stage in front of me.
She was scheduled to arrive at 5:30, but came at 6:45.

There was no ceremony, no music. No pomp and circumstance … just an attractive, dignified woman standing alone not 15 feet in front of me. She made so brief closing remarks, thanked us,and turned to head home to Washington. The conference was over.

As I headed home after my 10-hour day, I thought about the surreal quality of the whole experience: how I had attended this important, international press conference; how I had been eyewitness to a major news event; how I had gotten my interviews, seen the most famous cabinet member, and rubbed elbows with the great and not-so-great. The most impressive thing, though, was that I am still in college. It looks like the Frenchman wasn't so right after all.

- Daniel Lewkow

St. John's president opens his home to students at Thanksgiving

MyTime — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:03:00 +0000

Photos 1 and 2 - Students sing "America the Beautiful" outside of President Nelson's home before dinner.

Photo 3 - President Nelson with Katherine Armitage '09, Willis McCumber '08, Nick Callahan, Anne Frazier '10, Bradley Van Uden '10 and Michael Stokely '09.

Photo 4 - Thanksgiving buffet in the Nelsons' dining room.

For over a decade St. John's College President Chris Nelson and his wife have welcomed St. John's students who are not traveling home over Thanksgiving for a festive gathering at their West Annapolis home. This year was no exception.

The more than 70 guests included approximately 50 national and international students as well as members of the faculty, a few friends, and many family members; many students, such as St. John's junior Sara Luell of Texas, brought along a sibling.

The Nelsons eagerly open their home on Thanksgiving. "My wife Joyce and I want to share our home with those who don't have a home over the holiday," says Nelson, "Thanksgiving is a time to share what we have."

Nelson along with students, tutors, family and friends, rolled up his shirt sleeves to chop walnuts for the Waldorf salad, peeled some 75 potatoes, and sliced mounds of apples for pies. Several students arrived early to carry wood, make a fire, and have fun lending a hand in the kitchen. "I'm getting my exercise," says Nelson who chopped a stack of wood.

Everyone gathered for a traditional, old-fashioned celebration - accompanied by inspiring readings and conversation rather than television. Along with the many turkeys and trimmings - most of which the Nelsons prepare themselves - guests savored readings that include excerpts from American authors who celebrate democracy, tradition, and food. By 3 p.m. dinner was served.

MyTime — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:55:00 +0000

Photo 5 - (From left) Sara Luell '09, Elizabeth Burlington '08, Jason Ritzkie '11, and Christopher Goodness (College of Wooster, '08, he was a guest of Justin Lee '08) eating in the Nelsons' living room.

Photo 6 - (From left) Robert Stewart, Pauline Stacchini, and My Nguyen (all '09) in the Nelsons' living room.

Photo 7 - (From left) Justin Lee '08, Philip Mohr '10, Erica Stratton '08, and Paul Thompson '09 outside of the Nelson home before dinner.

Photo 8 - (From right foreground backward) Corinne Peters '08, Philip Mohr '10, Jason Ritzkie '11 listening to the Thanksgiving readings.

Photo 9 - Raphaela Cassandra and Bradley Van Uden (both '10) in the Nelsons' back yard.

Bull Dogs 80 lb. rec team wins title

MyTime — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:39:00 +0000

We did it!!!

Southern Bull Dogs won the Anne Arundel County Rec Team 80 lb. championship against undefeated GORC.

Final score: Southern 14 GORC 12

Here are some highlights:

Going into the playoffs, We (Southern) were 7 and 2. We played Maryland City who was 8 and 1. We won the playoffs with a score of 14 to 13. Very good, very competitive game. To win, we held Maryland City from getting an extra point.

Going into the playoffs GORC was 9 and 0.

Although GORC was able to score 2 touchdowns during the game, our defense held them (both times) from getting the extra point (at this league, they don’t kick, but run another play from the 5- or 10-yard line).

This may be the first championship that Southern has won since the organization was created.

Bottom line, our kids played hard and each one contributed to this win! As our coach always said - we lose as a team and we WIN as a team.

A good job to our head coach - Curtis Holland. He brought our team to the championship with excellent coaching, but also stressed the values of a good/solid family, always being the “good” kid, and reminded the players that school comes first - yes, even before football. Coach Holland is a definite value to Anne Arundel County’s football organization.

— Proud parents

World-renowned storyteller visits Glendale Elementary

MyTime — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 05:17:00 +0000

Fifth-graders at Glendale Elementary School have been studying the book, Molly Bannaky by Alice McGill.

Molly Bannaky, winner of the 2000 IRA Picture Book Award and the 2000 Jane Addams Award, is the story of a former indentured servant who not only staked out land which eventually became a successful 100-acre farm but also married a former slave. Both feats were unheard of in 1683 Colonial America.

Alice McGill is an award-winning author and professional storyteller who also is the grandmother of a second-grade student at Glendale, Darryl Anderson. Darryl and his mother arranged for Mrs. McGill to pay a special visit to Glendale students on Nov. 7.

Storytelling is an art form. Storytellers become characters of the books as they act the story out and Alice McGill is extremely adept at that. At the assemblies, she entertained a total of 447 students with her stories and books. Not a student moved during the two one-hour assemblies!

- Elaine Hambly and Paula Itnyre

Boy Scout Troop 115 takes high adventure trek in New Mexico

MyTime — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 03:29:00 +0000

Troop 115 Scouts on the trail at the Philmont Scout Ranch are, seated, from left, John Saunders, Mark Rose and Sam Durfee. Standing are Casey Shea, Jonathan Brown, Michael Anderson, Andy Johnston, Patrick Johnston and Tyler Wates.

Twelve members of Boy Scout Troop 115, chartered by the Community United Methodist Church in Crofton, recently returned from a high adventure trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch, the Boy Scouts of America's premier high-adventure base located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Cimarron, New Mexico.

Our crew spent nine days away from home - six of which were on the trails in the back country. We had nine Boy Scouts and three adult advisers on the trek. Jonathan Brown, a Life Scout and a senior at South River High School, served as our crew leader.
- Steve Rose
Scoutmaster, Troop 115

Monday, Aug. 13: Day 1 - Crofton to Philmont

Our journey began as we said goodbye to our loved ones in Crofton and were dropped off at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport at 6:30 a.m., which should have been plenty of time to make an 8 a.m. flight. But with the long lines at the airline check-in counter and security, we just barely made the plane. But make it we did, and we were soon winging our way westward. We landed in Denver, marveling at the circus tent-like roof on the airport terminal.

After some wandering around and a few phone calls, we then caught our Ramblin Express bus for the five-hour ride to northeast New Mexico and Philmont. As we headed southward along Interstate 25, we began to see some of the spectacular scenery of the American West. There were mountain ranges that appeared to leap up out of nowhere, as well as major cities like Colorado Springs and Pueblo that contained all the usual malls, restaurants, and trappings of what we were used to seeing in the Baltimore-Washington-Annapolis corridor.

After stops for food and gas, we arrived at Philmont right before dinner time, at which time we began the "hurry up and wait" process of making final preparations to go out on the trail. We got ourselves checked in, then began discovering how to deal with life as a temporary resident of Philmont's Tent City. Tent City consists of rows upon rows of literally hundreds of tents with campers either returning from the trail or getting ready to depart. After stowing our gear in our tents, we then made our way to the dining hall to enjoy the best dinner since, well, lunch. We even had some time to start searching for souvenirs in the Tooth of Time Traders trading post before turning in for the evening.

Tuesday, Aug. 14: Day 2 - Base Camp

At Philmont, every crew is assigned a professional ranger, who stays with you for the first two days of your trek. The ranger's primary mission is to teach you how to keep from getting yourselves into bad or unmanageable situations in the back-country. We met our ranger, Paul Morrison, at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Paul is from a town near Anchorage, Alaska and attends school at the University of Minnesota. After meeting with Paul and introducing him to the crew, the rest of the day was spent going through the remainder of the registration process - medical rechecks, finalizing our route, and stowing our extra gear that we wouldn't need on the trail.

We also received our initial food rations and crew gear (tents, dining fly, and cooking gear) that we'll need to begin our trek. This took up the entire morning and most of the afternoon. After another fine dinner in the Philmont dining hall, we took part in the opening campfire, which told the story of Philmont - from the history of the land itself to how the camp came to become the nation's premier Boy Scout high adventure camp.

Wednesday, Aug. 15: Day 3 - Base Camp to Vaca Camp

Day 3 of our journey began with us making final preparations with our backpacks - including packing food for the first four days of the trek, along with as much water as we could carry. While waiting for a bus to take us to the starting point of our trek, we found a large scale that allowed us each to weigh our packs. Against our better judgment, each of us weighed out our pack. The "winner" was Matt Hokanson, whose pack topped 55 pounds. Somehow, John Saunders managed to keep his pack weight under 40 pounds, but almost everyone else's pack weighed between 40 and 50 pounds.

At 9 a.m., we boarded the bus to take us to the beginning of our trek. The bus dropped us off at the Turkey Creek turnaround (about 20 miles from base camp), then left us to begin our own adventure. After Paul gave us some basic instruction on orienting a map with a compass and learning how to take a bearing, we were off. The first day on the trail was not a long hike (less than 5 miles), but the experience of toting 50 pounds on your back, uphill, for any appreciable distance is something that has to be felt to be believed - especially for the over-40 crowd.

The first day's trail lunch consisted of graham crackers and squeeze peanut butter, which was actually pretty good. After compacting our trash and repacking it into our packs (no trash cans on the trail), we were off once again. By mid-afternoon we arrived at Vaca, our first night's destination, and set up camp. As part of setting up camp, we learned how to hang a bear bag, which contained all of our "smellables" - food and anything else with an odor that is likely to attract bears.

After camp was set up, we took a quick side hike to nearby Harlan camp to learn how to reload shotgun shells. Everyone got to load and shoot three shells, and most of the boys managed to hit at least one clay. By the time we got back to Vaca, made dinner, and cleaned up, we were all completely spent.

Thursday, Aug. 16: Day 4 - Vaca to Sawmill

We left Vaca at 8 a.m., hiking uphill for most of the morning. This was our first opportunity to see some absolutely awe-inspiring views of the entire valley, including the Tooth of Time Ridge in the far distance. Amazingly enough, given how far away it seems, we will be hiking along this ridge in just four days. We found a nice shady spot at the juncture of two trails to make our lunch stop.

Patrick Johnston's epic "battle of the bees" over his lunch will be remembered for a long time. At least he kept the bees away from the rest of us. Although the morning hike was mainly out in the open, the afternoon was spent hiking along a gorge in lush, shady forest. We had to stop along the way to refill our water bottles from a stream - it was a good thing that they gave us lots of water purification tablets.

We reached Sawmill Camp around 4:30 p.m., and boy were we tired! We arrived at camp too late to shoot the .30-06 rifles, and had to hike about 100 yards straight uphill from the main cabin to reach our campsite. But after dinner, Ranger Paul had a pound cake and icing for dessert for us - a delicious treat to cap off a very exhausting day.

Friday, Aug. 17: Day 5 - Sawmill Camp to Lamberts Mine Camp

Several of the more adventurous (or insomniac) of us got up in the wee hours of the morning (okay, it was only 5:30 a.m.) to watch the sunrise over the valley. Even though it was cloudy, the sunrise was still breathtaking. After breaking camp, we had to say goodbye to Paul, as he was due to leave us right after breakfast.

Everyone agreed that he was the best ranger we could have hoped for, teaching us the skills that we'll need to survive the rest of our trek. Our goal for today is Lamberts Mine Camp - not a far distance (less than 10 miles), but we have to go up and down in elevation quite a bit to get there. We hit the trail by 8 a.m. We continued to gain altitude (and lose our breath many times) all the way up to our peak elevation of 10,500 feet, after which we began our descent.

Along the way, we were hiking along trails that were both narrow and rocky - and you couldn't stray off the side without going on a rock sliding adventure, which one or two of us did - fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. During the day, we had some rain and even some hail, but overall the weather was very pleasant.

We arrived at Cyphers Mine around 3 p.m. - unfortunately, the mine tour and blacksmith were both booked through the rest of the afternoon. So after taking a rest to pan for gold (everyone came up empty, to the disappointment of our retirement accounts), we proceeded to our camp at Lamberts Mine. As we were preparing dinner, a very curious deer strolled through our camp - it came within about 10 feet of us and appeared to be totally unafraid, unlike some of our adult advisers.

Saturday, Aug. 18: Day 6 - Lamberts Mine Camp to Cimarroncito Camp

Today's hike is along a mainly downhill slope beside the Middle Fork of Cimarroncito Creek. We saw lots of lush vegetation, along with several waterfalls. After crossing the creek for what seemed to be the 20th time, we arrived at Cimarroncito Camp by 10:45 a.m., which allowed us to do our conservation project at 11 a.m. We were helping the Philmont conservationists return an overgrown pine forest to its original meadow state, in order to help relieve the stress on the groundwater aquifers.

After three hours of sawing, stacking, and spreading, we set up camp for the night. By this time, we had begun to wonder why our packs seemed like they were getting lighter when we realized that we were out of food. So, half our crew (the lucky half, as it turned out) had to go up to the Ute Gulch commissary in order to get the rest of our food for the remainder of the trip.

Since the commissary was in the process of shutting down for the season (we were the last crew to get food), they were having a sale on just about everything. The commissary staff taught the guys how to turn a boxed apple juice into an apple "shotgun" - what a way to get an apple juice rush.

After the "food run" group returned with our food, we made dinner and then went down to the main Cimarroncito lodge for evening activities. They had an outdoor climbing wall and an indoor climbing adventure as well. While at the lodge, we celebrated Casey Shea's 15th birthday with brownies and milk - a very welcome treat provided by the camp staff.

Sunday, Aug. 19: Day 7 - Cimarroncito to Clark's Fork

We left Cimarroncito Camp by 7 a.m., in order to get to our next destination of Clark's Fork and our horseback trail ride as early as possible. The journey was mostly downhill and along a very easy trail. As we approached the camp, the specialty of Clark's Fork became apparent, as we were constantly dodging evidence of horses along the way. We arrived at Clark's Fork by 8:15 a.m., were introduced to the camp staff, who then showed us to our campsite. We quickly set up camp, then proceeded to the corral so that we could take our scheduled trail ride.

Our crew got to ride some horses with very interesting names (Tonto, ChoPo, Apache, etc). It was on this ride that we discovered that "Tonto" (my horse's name) actually means "stupid" in Spanish (look it up!) The ride began on a rocky trail through the woods, then opened up into a meadow with some great scenery. There's nothing like experiencing the great New Mexico outdoors on the back of a fine horse - even one with a "stupid" name. But Tonto really was a wonderful horse - he seemed to always know what to do, even if his rider did not. After the trail ride, we returned to camp and chilled out for the afternoon - playing chess, branding hats.

We had a very fine chuck wagon dinner - it beat the pants off of our "one pot" dinners of the past few nights. We had beef stew, biscuits, and peach cobbler - yumm!

Monday, Aug. 20: Day 8 - Clark's Fork to Base Camp via the Tooth of Time

For our last day on the trail, we were left with the greatest challenge. We need to hike all the way from Clark's Fork back to Base Camp by way of the Tooth of Time. "The Tooth," as it is known, is the rock formation that is most associated with Philmont, as it is visible from Base Camp and many other places along Philmont's many trails. This day was to be both the longest (around 12 miles) and the greatest elevation change (+1,500 feet, followed by -2,500 feet) in our entire trek.

In order to get back to Base Camp at a reasonable hour, we started on the trail before 7 a.m. Immediately, we began to climb a series of switchbacks to gain altitude. After stopping for pictures and rest several times along the way, we reached Sheafers Peak camp, where we found a natural spring to refill our water bottles. Our goal was to reach the base of the Tooth of Time in time for lunch. Well, several "false Tooth" sightings later, we finally reached the base of the Tooth by 1:30 p.m.

One of our Scouts, Tyler Wates, was so full of enthusiasm that he just bounded right on up the series of boulders - practically straight up - that you need to climb to reach the summit of the Tooth. About half of the rest of our crew were right behind him. When we reached the top, in addition to the most spectacular 360 degree view of our entire trek, we were greeted by swarms of gnats and ladybugs - the protectors of this lovely vista. While several of the boys had lunch, those of us with cameras filled them with all the images that our digital memory cards could hold.

After topping off our minds and hearts with views that will last a lifetime, we knew that we had to continue our trek if we were to make it back to Base Camp by dinner time. So we sadly descended from the top of the Tooth and rejoined the rest of our crew that had used this opportunity to rest and eat. We then began the long journey back to base camp.

This so-called "Trail of Tears" is named because you can see Base Camp for about 3 hours before you actually get there. We descended along switchback after switchback, but each time the camp never seemed to get any closer. Finally, when you realize that you really are getting close to ground level, you can see that Base Camp is just over the next ridge. After passing through the "You Made It" arch, we quickly unloaded our packs, turning in all of our crew gear just as the office was closing up for the season.

We got to the dining hall just in time to enjoy one more fine Philmont dinner when we realized that we still needed to retrieve our valuables (including our return airline tickets) from the safe in the administration building, which was now closed up tight. After surviving a minor panic attack, we got ahold of Mark Anderson, Philmont's program director, who was able to get us into the building and return our stuff.

The closing campfire was particularly moving, both for participants and staff, as it was the final campfire of the 2007 Philmont season. We were all sad, tired, and relieved that we had survived and thrived upon returning from our week in the back-country.

Tuesday, Aug. 21: Day 9 - Philmont to Home

The final day of our journey dawned early, as we were on a 6:30 a.m. bus from Philmont back to Denver. There is an old saying at Philmont that - as you leave - if you look over your shoulder at the arrowhead-shaped rocks in the side of the mountain, you will someday return to Philmont. We all looked. We'll all return someday.

I would like to thank all the Scouts in our crew - Jonathan Brown, crew leader; Michael Anderson; Sam Durfee; Andy Johnston; Patrick Johnston; Mark Rose; John Saunders; Casey Shea; and Tyler Wates - as well as my fellow adult advisers - Cheryl Brown and Matt Hokanson. We truly shared an experience of a lifetime.

Students learn leadership skills and charity in Raising For Reasons

Nick Lundskow - Administrator — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:12:00 +0000

How can you help out local charities, plus help provide leadership and philanthropic skills to local high school juniors and seniors?
Donate to Raising for Reasons, formally known as the Anne Arundel Youth Charitable Initiative Inc.
R4R is in its fourth year, and has donated more than $7,000 to local charities, including Food Link of Anne Arundel County, Partners in Care and the Organization of the Hispanic Latin Americans of Anne Arundel County.
Just as importantly, though, more than 100 Anne Arundel County students have been involved in the program, which essentially teaches them how to function as a board of directors, plus exposes them to fun, interactive ways to serve their community.
Officers for the new year are: Alison Rogers, Key School, president; Josh Mink, Arundel High School, vice president; Katherine Johnson, Meade High School, treasurer; and Michelle Austin, South River High School, secretary.
Other schools represented by members are Annapolis, Southern, Broadneck, St. Mary’s, Severn, Archbishop Spalding, Indian Creek and Mount de Sales.
Along with an Adult Board of Directors that oversees, a Youth Board of Directors meets monthly at the Anne Arundel County Board of Education in Annapolis. Each member joins a committee — either fundraising, grant giving, membership or public relations — on which we will serve for the entirety of the year. We spend the majority of the meetings with our committee trying to accomplish both short- and long-term goals. The students determine the membership and who receives the grants. We are responsible for all the fundraising, and soliciting for both members and grant applications. All these activities provide great opportunities to learn and exercise leadership.
The area of focus for 2006-2008 is People in Poverty.
Check out our Web site www.raising4reasons.org for more information!
— Public Relations Chairman Laura Bardman

Nick Lundskow - Administrator — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:07:00 +0000

RIGHT: Jolie Furrow, with the AAMC Bloodmobile Program, takes a short health history from potential donor Kelly Mahr.

Give the gift of life this holiday season

Nick Lundskow - Administrator — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:03:00 +0000

AT RIGHT: Taking a break during the Spooktacular Halloween Blood Drive at the School of the Incarnation in Gambrills are, from left, organizer Maureen DeMar; Selma Otto, mobile coordinator with the Anne Arundel Medical Center Blood Donor Center; and organizer Christie Thibeault.

Almost everyone gets into the spirit of giving during the holiday season. Unfortunately, many forget about one of the most important gifts of all — the gift of life.
"The winter season, November, December and January, is the most difficult nationwide for collecting blood,’’ according to Selma S. Otto, mobile coordinator for the Blood Donor Center at Anne Arundel Medical Center. AAMC in July launched a Bloodmobile Program, hoping that convenience will help more people become blood donors.
The bloodmobile will travel almost anywhere within the county. And unlike some other mobile programs, there is no quota. "Even five people make a big difference," Selma says. Schools, churches, communities and organizations are all good candidates for hosting a blood drive.
Bringing the bloodmobile to your site is as easy as calling Selma at 443-481-4272. She’ll pencil in a date, depending on estimated size and preferred time.
Most visits are scheduled Monday through Friday. Times are set based on what works best for the site. For example, businesses will set them during business hours to make it convenient for employees, but a community-sponsored drive might run from 4 to 7:30 p.m., because that’s when people are coming home for the evening.
The bloodmobile is available only two weekends per month, so those are reserved for larger drives to maximize the return.
After a tentative date and time have been set, a bloodmobile representative will visit the site, working with the coordinators regarding scheduling and logistics. Basically, the bloodmobile needs a place to park. Everything is done within the vehicle itself; the host site doesn’t have to do anything other than provide the donors. Selma does want to have a fairly accurate sense of the number of participants, so a workable schedule can be established. The mobile unit has stations for four donors at a time.
"We don’t have a quota, but we do want to make sure we have the resources and time needed," Selma said. If you’ve got six willing donors, for example, the unit would be there for about an hour.
Selma says that the weekend slots are already filled through January, but the schedule during the week is pretty open.
The bloodmobile’s first drive was July 16; as of Oct. 30, it had collected 856 units.
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To schedule a visit by AAMC’s bloodmobile, call Selma Otto at 443-481-4272 or 866-471-HERO (4376). For more detailed information about blood donation, visit the Web site at www.askaamc.org/services/blood.php.

School of the Incarnation hosts blood drive

Nick Lundskow - Administrator — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:45:00 +0000

AAMC Bloodmobile Program makes it easy

AT RIGHT: Renate Reed, a donor technician with AAMC, prepares Kelly Mahr for the blood donation process. The donation phase takes around 15 minutes.

There are many important lessons to be learned in school. But organizers of the Spooktacular Halloween Blood Drive at the School of the Incarnation in Gambrills hope everyone will learn just one lesson from their event: the importance of donating blood.
Maureen DeMar initiated the effort, and nearly 40 people turned out.
Maureen’s impetus was a strong desire to do "something to help" after the daughter of a good friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She coupled that with a strong belief in giving back to the community.
When she found out that Anne Arundel Medical Center had started a Bloodmobile Program in July, the choice was obvious, she says.
The important thing about donating to the AAMC Bloodmobile Program, according to Selma Otto, mobile coordinator, is that "One hundred percent of the blood that we collect comes back to the community through AAMC. ... It comes right back to our shelves and serves our patients. You are literally helping your friends and neighbors."
SOTI Assistant Principal Emily Mehler donated blood for the first time at the drive. She said her oldest daughter gives blood, and she felt this was a wonderful opportunity to help out such a worthy cause and follow her daughter’s good example. She had shied away from donating in the past because of a general dislike of needles, she said, but with the convenience of the bloodmobile coming to the school, she thought she’d give it a try.
Mrs. Mehler said she really felt good about what she did, and was impressed by the whole process. "I’d consider doing it again," she said with a smile.
Christie Thibeault, who helped Maureen with the drive, said she’s never liked needles either. But the convenience of donating at her son’s school convinced her, "I can suffer a little bit to help other people."
Selma says that’s her goal with the bloodmobile: great customer service and community satisfaction. "We really try to establish a relationship with the community, because the community has been so generous with us" at the Blood Donor Center at the Wayson Pavilion. With the addition of the mobile unit, AAMC is trying "to give people the convenience and the power" to help others through blood donation. "It really helps give people a sense of community and community service. It is so very important. Donors should be very proud of themselves."
She said a blood drive really works to bring a community together. She cited the School of the Incarnation’s drive as an example: "The outpouring by parents and teachers has been unbelievable."
Even though the students themselves couldn’t donate blood, seeing their parents take part can deliver a valuable lesson, Maureen says.
Jennifer Samuels is a second-grade teacher at the school. When she heard about the blood drive, she says it was a natural thing for her to sign up. "When I was a kid, my parents donated blood all the time. I just thought that’s what people did."
Because of her parents’ influence, she has been a regular blood donor since reaching the age requirement.
SOTI hopes to bring the AAMC bloodmobile back annually as part of the school’s Family Fun Day in the fall. And Maureen hopes that other schools, churches and groups will organize their own drives. "Think of the convenience. It is just so easy to help save a life."