MCPS Archives - Page 177 of 275

Quince Orchard Alumnus Brings ‘LavaBox’ to Shark Tank on Friday Night

Published March 29, 2023 at 8:27AM

Josh Thurmond, a 1994 graduate of Quince Orchard High School and Gaithersburg native, is the inventor of LavaBox Portable Campfire– a new style of portable fire pit that’s built in a military-style ammunition can and was “created to combat climate change and reduce wildfires.” LavaBox has made waves, or fires, since its inception in late 2020, and now Thurmond will take it into the Shark Tank on Friday, March 31st at 8pm.

In addition to being the inventor of LavaBox, Thurmond is also the “Chief Eruption Officer” and in charge of making sure every LavaBox gets out the door to you. Per the LavaBox website, “When he is not making LavaBoxes, he develops outdoor adventure programs for people with disabilities at the National Sports Center for the Disabled. He also volunteers for Team River Runner and sits on the Board for the Colorado Whitewater Association. Needless to say, if you are looking for him, he is probably surfing on his SUP or doing enders on a sweet eddyline.”

Student Leaders Elected and Honored at Annual Maryland Association of Student Councils Convention

By MCS Staff

Published March 28, 2023 at 10:27PM

Per MCPS: Forty-eight student leaders from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) participated in the annual Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) annual Convention held in Ocean City, Maryland this year. More than 500 student leaders from across the state of Maryland attended the conference to participate in leadership workshops, vote on the MASC officers for next year, hear program updates from across the state, and more. Convention Highlights:

New Principal Appointed at Watkins Mill High School and Two Elementary Schools

By MCS Staff

Published March 28, 2023 at 5:00PM

Per Montgomery County Public Schools: The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

Robert Sinclair Jr., currently Principal, James Hubert Blake High School, as Consulting Principal, Department of Professional Growth Systems, Office of Human Resources and Development, Office of the Chief Operating Officer

Media Access to Regular Season Athletic Events To Require MCPS Credentials

By MCS Staff

Published March 27, 2023 at 3:51PM

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is committed to administering spirited and safe athletic competitions consistent with the R.A.I.S.E. core values for MCPS Athletics. District athletics events are extremely popular and well-attended, requiring meticulous logistical preparation. Media credentialing ensures a safe environment for members of the press covering MCPS athletic events and are essential for easy identification and knowing who may be in our athletic facilities. As such, new protocols governing media coverage of MCPS athletic events will go into effect on April 1, 2023; including:

When: The application for athletic event credentials is open. Media representatives must have the official MCPS Athletic Event Credentials in order to attend and cover any regular season event.

The Richard Montgomery HS Mock Trial Team Wins State Championship

By MCS Staff

Published March 26, 2023 at 5:27PM

The Richard Montgomery Mock Trial team won the Maryland Mock Trial State Championships on Friday, March 24 in a close victory over North Point High School. The team went undefeated this season with an 11-0 record. The varsity team, made up of 7 seniors and 5 juniors, began preparing to argue the criminal drug conspiracy case in November 2022.

For the state finals, the defense team argued before the Maryland Supreme Court. Daniel Evans has been the coach of the RM Mock Trial team since 1989, and works closely with Jonathan Taylor, the team sponsor and Law teacher at RM, and Benjamin Vaughan, the attorney advisor, to support the students. The attorneys are seniors Shayyan Ahmed, Shairee Arora, Allison Howlett, Kit Kringel, Jake Lee, and Scout Pollack. The witnesses are senior Claire Johnson and juniors Marissa Boucher, Eva-Jessy Guech, Susanna Hubacker, Georgia Levine, and Emma McCarthy. All information above and photos below courtesy of Allison Howlett.

Clarksburg, Paint Branch Athletic Directors Win State Honors

By MCS Staff

Published March 26, 2023 at 8:38AM | Updated April 1, 2023 at 7:18AM

Two Montgomery County Athletic Specialist/Directors, Ed Dalton (Clarksburg) and Heather Podosek (Paint Branch) have earned state honors through the Maryland State Athletic Director Association (MSADA).

Per MCPS: Ed Dalton, athletics specialist/athletic director at Clarksburg High School, has been named the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association’s (MSADA’s) 2023 District 2B Athletic Director of the Year. He was selected by all 25 MCPS athletics specialists for the recognition. Heather Podosek, athletics specialist/athletic director at Paint Branch High School, was selected the 2023 MSADA Co-Athletic Director of the Year. They will receive their awards at the state conference banquet on Saturday, April 29.

MoCo Native Jordan Hawkins Hits Six Three Pointers As UCONN Beats Gonzaga to Advance to the Final Four

By MCS Staff

Published March 26, 2023 at 7:56AM

Yesterday we highlighted MoCo native Jordan Hawkins as UCONN prepared to play Gonzaga in an Elite Eight matchup. The young man led his team to a trouncing of Gonzaga, scoring 20 points and hitting six threes to take the #3 seed UCONN to the Final Four with an 82-54 win. Hawkins is a Montgomery County native who attended Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Germantown and Gaithersburg High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to DeMatha. UCONN plays the winner of Miami/Texas on April 1st.

Hawkins was a top 50 recruit, who came to UConn following two years at powerhouse program DeMathaCatholic (Hyattsville, Md.) under Coach Mike Jones. He played AAU for Team Durant under Coach Angel Hernandez, and as a senior at DeMatha, averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks, while shooting .636 overall and .464 from three-point range to lead DeMatha to an 11-0 record and was named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Hawkins was a two-time Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention pick and averaged 20.2 points per game as a sophomore when he was at Gaithersburg High School (per UCONN).

MoCo’s Jordan Hawkins Leads UCONN Into Elite Eight Matchup Tonight

By MCS Staff

Published March 25, 2023 at 2:06PM | Updated March 25, 2023 at 3:03PM

Jordan Hawkins, an All-Big East 6’5, 190 pound guard for the #4 seed UCONN Huskies, will lead his team against the #3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs tonight at 8:49pm as the teams compete in an Elite Eight battle to get into the Final Four. Hawkins is a Montgomery County native who attended Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Germantown and Gaithersburg High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to DeMatha.

Hawkins was a top 50 recruit, who came to UConn following two years at powerhouse program DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) under Coach Mike Jones. He played AAU for Team Durant under Coach Angel Hernandez, and as a senior at DeMatha, averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks, while shooting .636 overall and .464 from three-point range to lead DeMatha to an 11-0 record and was named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Hawkins was a two-time Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention pick and averaged 20.2 points per game as a sophomore when he was at Gaithersburg High School (per UCONN).

Two $5,000 Scholarships Available to Student-Athletes (Walter Hardy Memorial Fund)

By MCS Staff

Published March 25, 2023 at 8:23AM

Per MCPS: The Walter Hardy Memorial Fund will award two $5,000 scholarships to MCPS student-athletes. The scholarship honors the accomplishments of deserving student-athletes who have overcome challenges to achieve success in the classroom and in competition. To be eligible, applicants must be Class of 2023 graduating seniors, and:

Applications are available here and are due Monday, May 1. Hardy was an MCPS coach, teacher and athletic director for more than 25 years. He served as head boys’ basketball coach at Paint Branch High School for 17 years. He also was athletic director at John F. Kennedy High School and had been athletic director at Sherwood High School for less than two months when he died in 2017. He was named All-Met Coach of the Year in 2000 after leading Paint Branch to Maryland’s 3A state basketball title.

Kindergarten Registration Opens Monday for 2023-2024 School Year

By MCS Staff

Published March 25, 2023 at 8:17AM

Per MCPS: On Monday, March 27, registration will be open for parents who wish to register their child for kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year. Children must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2023. For more information about eligibility guidelines, registration or required documents to complete an application, call 240-740-4006 or visit the kindergarten enrollment website. Additional information available in the video below:

College Fair Set for April 18-19 in Germantown

By MCS Staff

Published March 25, 2023 at 7:54AM

The annual Montgomery County National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National College Fair will be held on Tuesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 19, at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown. This free event will feature representatives from about 300 colleges and universities, and provides resources to students and parents navigating the college admissions process. The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days and is open to Grade 11 students attending with their schools.

The fair is also open to all high school students and their families from 6:30–8 p.m. on April 18. Included are two workshops: “How to Finance College” and “Applying to College 101–Simple Steps to Get You Started.” Register to attend. Courtesy of MCPS. Video below: