Latest news with #OakdaleElementary
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
School notes: Oakdale Elementary student wins state chess title
A second grade student from Oakdale Elementary School won the Third Grade and Under Maryland State Scholastic Chess Championship. Shlok Srivastava had four wins and a draw in April at Hammond High School in Ellicott City. The Oakdale Elementary chess team was crowned the state primary champions. The team members are Srivastava, Kavish Kelam, Advaith Kalluri and Gopal Komatlapalli. Srivastava said it felt great to be named the state champion. 'This feeling got even better when my contribution helped my school team win the first position,' he wrote in an email response to questions. Srivastava said his goal is to become a better chess player 'by learning new tactics and strategies.' 'I practice every day to improve my game,' he wrote. Daniel Weissbarth, the chief operating officer of the Silver Knights Chess Academy, wrote that Srivastava started in Oakdale Elementary's after-school chess club. Silver Knights coach Uthra Pakkirisamy has been coaching Srivastava. Weissbarth wrote that Srivastava, 'a model student,' moved up to the Silver Knights' Online Academy program where he 'trains weekly with hundreds of kids from all over the country.' 'Shlok is such a nice kid and a great chess player,' Weissbarth wrote. 'It's gratifying to be in a position to introduce him to chess and then help him grow his skill set.' Mount St. Mary's faculty appointments Mount St. Mary's University has announced some appointments and promotions for faculty members. Barbara Marinak, the former dean of the School of Education, was promoted to interim provost for a two-year period beginning July 1. Boyd Creasman, who was provost for seven years, decided to return to the classroom as a university professor for the Department of English. Mount President Gerard 'Jerry' Joyce said in a press release that Marinak's 'dedicated work on the Strategic Planning Committee is one of many factors that will make her a strong interim provost.' Stacey Brown-Hobbs, the former chair and director of teacher education at the university, will replace Marinak as dean of the School of Education on July 1. Angela Mucci-Guido was promoted to chair and director of teacher education. Joyce said in a press release that Brown-Hobbs and Mucci-Guido 'are creative leaders who will continue to train exceptional educators and confidently explore new opportunities.' Hood College bioscience workshop The Hood College Bioscience Research and Education Center is scheduled to host an immersive two-day workshop titled 'From Science to Startup: The Entrepreneurial Journey.' The workshop is designed for students interested in exploring a business career in the biosciences, according to a press release. The workshop is scheduled for June 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and June 27 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Hood's campus. It is sponsored and supported by entities such as Kite, Frederick County Economic Development, and Federal Lab Consortium. There will be lectures and a networking social. Registration costs $349. Go to to register. Lucy School boat race The arts-based Lucy School held a cardboard boat race for students, a longtime tradition for the school that has evolved over the years. Students work in teams to create boats out of cardboard and duct tape. Students raced in those boats last month across Willow Pond on Lucy School's campus. The students were not graded on the effectiveness of their boats and were instead graded on how well they listened to their peers and worked as a team. Dan Buck, head of school for Lucy School, said in an interview that the fastest boat crossed the pond in one minute, 13 seconds. He added that older students partnered with the younger students. 'They had an amazing time,' Buck said. Frederick Classical Charter places at global competition The Frederick Classical Charter School middle school Destination Imagination team placed seventh at the global competition. The global competition was held last month in Kansas City, Missouri. Teams from across the United States, China, Korea, Mexico and other countries competed. The team, whose name is Teh Piepol Hoo Cayn Spel, competed against 23 other teams in their service-learning division. The Frederick Classical Charter team was the only Destination Imagination team from a public school in Frederick County to attend the global competition. The team's service-learning project featured the students organizing a trash clean-up in Baker Park in February and creating a presentation about environmental hazards. Send school-related news to Esther Frances at efrances@
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
School notes: FCPS student wins 'If I Were Mayor' contest
A student from Frederick County Public Schools was named a winner of the 2025 'If I Were Mayor' essay contest. Eliza Wood, a student at Middletown Elementary School, was recognized alongside 10 other students in the state by the Maryland Municipal League and Maryland first lady Dawn Flythe Moore. The 2025 essay contest theme was 'Building Community for a New Generation.' Students wrote the essays as if they were mayors of their cities or towns. Students wrote about concepts like 'building inclusive and safe communities' and 'making sure basic needs are met so residents can reach their full potential,' according to a press release. During the ceremony, Moore said to the students: 'There is not a single room you don't belong in.' 'You are the future of our state, and we cannot wait to see all that you achieve,' she said. The contest was sponsored by Maryland Municipal League and the Maryland Mayors Association. Oakdale Elementary to host STEM summer program Oakdale Elementary School is scheduled to host the Camp Invention enrichment program over the summer. The nonprofit STEM program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade is scheduled to be at Oakdale Elementary from June 23 to 26. The program is from the National Inventors Hall of Fame in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Camp Invention features student activities that 'tap into their natural curiosity and use their creativity to solve problems,' according to a press release. This year's program called 'Discover' will feature hands-on activities, such as building a claw machine out of cardboard, assembling a custom control panel and building an animation device. Registration for this summer is available at West Frederick, Whittier earn Purple Stars West Frederick Middle School and Whittier Elementary School are the first two schools in Frederick County to receive the Maryland Purple Star School designation. The Maryland State Board of Education recognizes schools with this award for 'outstanding support of military-connected students and their families,' according to a United States Army press release. The schools also demonstrated a 'strong commitment to easing the educational and social-emotional transitions faced by children in military families,' according to the release. Schools had to meet four criteria to qualify for a Purple Star award: appointing a military liaison, creating online resources, implementing a peer-led transition program and providing staff training on military culture. Randi Gonzalez, a special education program assistant at Whittier Elementary, was named the military liaison for the elementary school. 'It's more than a symbol, it's a representation of our community's resilience and inclusivity,' Gonzalez said in the release. Frederick High alumni plaque The Frederick High School Alumni Association donated a cast bronze plaque to display outside the front door of the school. The plaque features the school's motto, 'Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve.' Thomas Sterner, the founder of Art Factory studio near Union Mills, was commissioned to create the plaque. The high school's alumni association was incorporated in 1944, according to association President Debbie Richmond. She wrote in a statement that the association has provided student scholarships as well as held spring and Christmas dances for decades. 'The plaque is donated with fond memories and hope for future generations,' Richmond wrote. Send school-related news to Esther Frances at efrances@
