Education

DMV Native Actor Sean Whalen Shares Story of the Milk Commercial That Changed His Life

By MCS Staff

Actor Sean Whalen who credits his 1993 “Got Milk?” Commercial for changing the course of his life, shared the story behind it on its 30 year anniversary. The actor, who is a Montgomery County, Maryland native and 1982 graduate of Sherwood High School also starred in various television shows including Shannon’s Deal and Grace Under Fire, as well as movies, including The People Under the Stairs and Twister.  The story he shared regarding the milk commercial (as well as the commercial itself) can be seen below:

“30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: On this day in 1993 a regional milk commercial came out that changed the course of my life. I went into an audition just a few weeks before where they gave me peanut butter and told me to try to answer the question of “Who shot Alexander Hamilton?” With my mouth full. Then they told me to improvise an ending. They said I got the job because everyone else screamed, yelled, got angry, and threw the phone! I was the only one who looked at the phone and essentially said, “My whole life led to this moment, and I failed… “ When I got to the set, they just said… “Do what you did in the audition” and Michael Bay shot it over and over for 12 hours. This job killed my commercial career, branded me as “the milk guy” for years, but was loved by Spielberg which got me the gig in Twister, which gave my theatrical career a huge boost. Less and less people know what I’m talking about when I mentioned it so it is fading out of the zeitgeist. But that’s OK. I really haven’t been able to eat peanut butter since but it was a good trade off.”

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16 MCPS Schools That Closed At One Point and Have Since Reopened (Some With New Names)

By MCS Staff

Below you will see a list of 16 Montgomery County Public Schools that were closed by the school system at one point in time, but have since reopened. Schools on this list were either reopened or built new on the site of a former school. In some cases the school was renamed. Full list below, with some additional information about/from the schools:

Arcola Elementary School (1820 Franwall Avenue, Silver Spring): Arcola Elementary School opened its doors again in August 2007. The original Arcola Elementary was opened in the 1950’s and closed in the 1980’s. Even though the “new” Arcola is twice the size of the original building with state-of-the-art technology and a diverse student population of over 600 students, the neighborhood is very happy to have the beloved school open again.

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MCPS and County Department of Environmental Protection to Host Student Environmental Volunteer Day on Wednesday, Nov. 1

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), will host a Student Environment Volunteer Day from 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Gaithersburg High School. Students will learn about sustainability and help beautify the community. They also will work to enhance the health of the environment by planting native plants and trees in the stormwater management gardens around the school.

The student environment volunteer day is part of the Out-of-School Time (OST) program offered by Montgomery County Recreation, in partnership with MCPS. The OST days are designed with free out-of-school programming for students throughout the 2023-2024 school year. 

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$4.7 Million Will Be Distributed to 213 Maryland Elementary Schools For Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables During School Day

By MCS Staff

More Maryland students will have access to fresh fruits and vegetables during the school day through a $4.7 million federal grant program. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is distributing funds to 213 elementary schools statewide from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), up from 196 participating schools during the 2022-23 academic year.

According to MSDE: The program provides a variety of produce at no charge and shows students that fresh fruits and vegetables can be a healthy and delicious snack. Additionally, the program enhances school-based nutrition education initiatives “Improving access to fresh fruits and vegetables helps to create healthier school communities,” said Dr. Carey M. Wright, Interim Superintendent of Schools. “Healthy minds start with healthy bodies. With more schools participating in this program, we can introduce more students to the benefits of smart eating and help establish the foundation for a lifetime of overall wellness.”

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Gov. Moore Launches Service Year Option, First-in-the-Nation Public Service Year Program for High School Graduates

By MCS Staff

Per the Office of the Maryland Governor: Governor Wes Moore today launched the historic Service Year Option, the first-in-the nation public service year program for high school graduates. The governor was joined by fellow service champions Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller; First Lady Dawn Moore; Department of Service and Civic Innovation Secretary Paul Monteiro and several cabinet members; University of Maryland President Darryll Pines; legislators, program host employers, and program participants for a festive kickoff event at the University of Maryland, College Park’s Reckord Armory.

“By calling Marylanders to serve – and serve together – we will ensure our citizens develop skills to meet society’s needs. I look on this inaugural cohort and I see courage, compassion, and vision. I am so grateful for your willingness to raise your hands and join this new endeavor,” said Gov. Moore. “You are the trailblazers who will define not just the future of these programs, but the future trajectory of our state. Service isn’t a vision we claim, it’s a tradition we inherit. Service will save us.”

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15-Year-Old Charged With Threats of Mass Violence in Connection With Paint Branch High School Bomb Threat

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 3rd District Investigative Section have identified a 15-year-old as the individual responsible for making the bomb threat against Paint Branch High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023.

At approximately 10:36 am, 3rd District officers, K-9 units, and Community Engagement Officers responded to the location for the report of a bomb threat that was made over the phone.

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