Last Week of School, Flag Football Fever, Awards and More Good News!
Around MCPS, students and staff are celebrating the last week of the 2023–2024 school year. There are clapouts, promotion ceremonies, color runs, school dances and picnics. Congratulations on a successful year and have a relaxing summer!
Former BOE Member to be Honored as “Living Legend”
Dr. Judith Docca, former principal and longtime Board of Education member, is one of six African Americans Montgomery County will honor with a “Living Legend Award” during a Juneteenth celebration at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 14, at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
County Executive Marc Elrich will host the awards ceremony, which is part of the county’s 27th Annual Juneteenth celebration.
The award recipients are being honored for their lifelong dedication to service, advocacy and selfless acts of kindness. The event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Docca dedicated her career to advocating for education and civil rights, spending 38 years as an MCPS teacher and principal. Elected to four terms on the Board of Education, she chaired the Communications and Public Engagement Committee and served on the Special Populations Committee. Dr. Docca has been active in the Montgomery County NAACP, the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation and numerous educational associations. She was pivotal in saving Montgomery County's Head Start program and has been inducted into the County Human and Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Recently, she was appointed to the Montgomery College Board of Trustees by Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
The ceremony will also honor Eddie Dove, Janice Freeman, Roy Priest, Charles “Charlie Buck” Thomas Jr. and Henry Williams Sr.
Twenty-Three Seniors Win $1,000 NAACP Scholarships
Twenty-three MCPS graduating seniors were awarded $1,000 scholarships from the Montgomery County Branch of the NAACP at its annual Freedom Fund Dinner last month. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or above, participate in extracurricular activities, participate in faith-based, religious-based or volunteer activities, and were asked to submit a 300-word essay.
The student winners and their schools are:
- Maryanne K. Agyei-Obese, Paint Branch
- Hadassah N. Alabi, James Hubert Blake
- Peace O. Alayode, Paint Branch
- Hakawa A. Asso Hernandez, Clarksburg
- Sophia G. Blucker, James Hubert Blake
- Cai A. Green, Northwood
- Anais A. Jordan, Springbrook
- Joshua S. Joseph, Paint Branch
- Abigail M. Lakew, Bethesda-Chevy Chase
- Alioune S. Mbaye, Paint Branch
- Naomi E. Mensah-Brown, Walter Johnson
- Ava N. Milisits, Poolesville
- Khadija S. Ndiaye, Northwood
- Amarachi K Nwosu, Paint Branch
- Huswat O. Olajide, Watkins Mill
- Debora E. Oliveira Dos Santos, Col. Zadok Magruder
- Eniola A. Onabiyi, James Hubert Blake
- Naomi Peter, Richard Montgomery
- Ramya Sahu, Northwest
- Anne V. Sefen, Winston Churchill
- Kathy T. Tran, Paint Branch
- Yesly C. Ventura, Reyes Paint Branch
- Bethelhem A. Wonde, Paint Branch
Damascus Students, ATF, Family-Owned Company Donate Car to Local Family
Earlier this month, Damascus High School students, the Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF), MCPS staff and community members gathered together to donate a 2020 Kia Soul to a family in need.
The car was donated by the Hobbs family of ComTech Systems, Inc. and students did some work to refurbish it. ComTech is a local, family-owned company.
“I was thrilled to be involved with the gifting of a car to a family in need,” said Elaine Chang, MCPS director of partnerships. "Through our business partnerships and our work with the Automotive Trades Foundation, we found a way to support a local family.”
Catch the Fever!
Watch Sports Insight Extra to feel the excitement of girls' flag football coming to MCPS this fall, thanks to the Baltimore Ravens, who are partnering with the school district to offer the sport at all 25 MCPS high schools. Coaches attended a training session at the Under Armour facility in Owings Mills, Md., and hundreds of interested students attended skills sessions at Walter Johnson, John F. Kennedy and Seneca Valley high schools.
Westland Middle School in Bethesda Named Winner of Montgomery County’s ‘Paint the Plow’ Contest
Westland Middle School won first place in the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s “Paint the Plow” snowplow naming contest. The winning design featured the “Squirtle Squad” from the Pokémon franchise and a “Road Runner” theme.
The Paint the Plow contest is held each year as part of “Public Works Week” to honor essential workers. Teams from 16 county middle schools participated in the contest. Student teams had four days to name and decorate their snowplows. MCDOT provided the snowplows and paint supplies.
Winners were:
- First place: Westland Middle School for its Road Runner theme, “Beep Beep.” Awarded $500
- Second place: Redland Middle School for its Snoopy theme, “Scoopy.” Awarded $300
- Third place: Roberto Clemente Middle School for its decorated Zombie theme, “Zombinator.” Awarded $200
Residents will see the decorated plows in action during snow and ice events this winter.
Foundation Launches Child Savings Program at Jackson Road
Jackson Road Elementary School became the first school in Maryland to pilot The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Brilliant Futures program. Brilliant Futures is a children’s savings pilot program that will provide kindergarten students with up to $1,000 each year from kindergarten through 12th grade. Families of the rising first grade class were surprised with the news at the school’s kindergarten promotion ceremony on Monday, June 10. Upon graduating high school (or equivalent by age 24), the students will be able to put their savings toward ongoing education and training or to pursue other income- or wealth-generating opportunities, such as buying a home or starting a business. Read more.
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