Around South County: School kids show how it's done

Writing grant proposals is tedious work usually done by college students or adults. But two fifth-graders from Central Elementary School decided to get a jump-start on their writing careers.

Stephanie Biondi, daughter of Marisa and Steven Biondi of Riva and Victoria Preston, daughter of Elizabeth and Matthew Preston of Edgewater, spent four weeks at the end of the school year working with Assistant Principal Carolyn Keenan on a proposal to raise money and goods for Maryland's hungry.

The state program, Harvest for the Hungry, added a writing contest last year. Stephanie and Victoria's proposal placed second out of more than 50...