Bradley started the program in 2015 at Watkins Mill and in just three years, it has been used by over 500 teams 10,000 + athletes throughout the country.
Lead ‘Em Up has been featured at some of the top camps and clinics nationally, including, Nike, Spalding, Glazier, PGC Basketball and the Committed Combine.
Lead ‘Em Up focuses on these 8 points:
- When the leader improves, everybody wins.
- Leadership is a skill– and like any skill, it needs practice in order to improve.
- Great leaders can make the “uncool” into the new “cool”
- Leadership isn’t sometimes, it’s all-the-time.
- Better people make better athletes
- Leading by example is not enough; there needs to be more.
- The more you pour into your players, the more they have to give.
- We want players as excited about leadership development as they are about skill development.
Adam was born and raised in Montgomery County and works closely with many business owners and coaches in the county.
Kayla Smith and Chick-Fil-A Germantown are currently sponsoring the program at Clarksburg, Northwest, Seneca Valley, and Watkins Mill High Schools, while Ryan Mollet and M&M Builders are sponsoring the program at B-CC, Walter Johnson, and Walt Whitman High Schools.
MoCo schools that have used Lead ‘Em Up:
• Seneca Valley
• Northwest
• Clarksburg
• Gaithersburg
• Watkins Mill
• Springbrook
• Walter Johnson
• Walt Whitman
• Einstein
• B-CC
• Good Counsel
• Churchill
• Quince Orchard
• Damascus
He told me that he recently went to a place in Bethesda that was able to use a procedure called SMP (scalp micropigmentation) to make it appear as though he had a full head of hair.
It looked great, and I could tell how happy and excited he was. He told me the place was called Scalp Allure and I knew I had to check it out.
I called Scalp Allure and spoke with owner, Daniel Yerenburg. We set up a time for me to stop by and see what this was all about.
Scalp Allure is located in a quiet office building in Bethesda (10411 Motor City Drive, just behind Montgomery Mall). Daniel has been there for 5 years. In that time, he has completed over 5,000 procedures and claims a 100% satisfaction rate.
He moved to the United States with his family when he was just a kid, back in 1989. In the early 90s his family moved to Gaithersburg and Daniel has been there ever since (he’s a 1997 graduate of Gaithersburg High School).
Daniel began his battle with hair loss when he was just 18. He even joined the hair club for men, but didn’t know if having to worry about a hair piece was any better than being bald, so he shaved his head completely.
He ended up finding out about scalp micropigmentation online and went to a local tattoo artist. It was a big mistake. Daniel ended up with a blue head filled with massive dots. He later got this fixed in New York, but he knew he found something he was passionate about and wanted to change lives the same way his was changed.
After being trained in New York he came back to the area and began performing the scalp micropigmentation procedures himself.
Of his 5,000 procedures have been, approximately 85% have been men, but he has worked on hundreds of women as well. In addition to clients with thinning hair, he’s executed procedures on clients with alopecia, scars from injuries, surgical scars, cancer patients, and almost any type of hair loss you can think of.
Daniel prides himself on being able to complete these procedures with minimal pain. He says the feeling is more of a slight discomfort than pain and that he’s never had to stop a procedure due to pain.
The procedures are semi-permanent and require touch-ups every five years or so. Without any touch-ups, he estimates the procedures would last about a decade or longer.
His patients have included over a dozen doctors, CIA agents, dancers, teachers, mma fighters, and a lot more.
More than anything, he loves being able to give people the confidence that hair loss has caused them.www.instagram.com/danielyerenburg
You can check out the official Scalp Allure website, or join one of his many followers on Instagram where he highlights hundreds of his procedures.
Herson Reyes, 25, was born in San Miguel, El Salvador. He moved to Silver Spring, MD with his mother, his two brothers, and his sister when he was 7 years old. He attended Glen Haven Elementary School and Parkland Middle School. His family moved to Wheaton and finally Gaithersburg, where Herson graduated from Quince Orchard High School.
Herson wanted to work from a young age. His older brother Ever, who was already working as a bar back at the Capitol Hill Cava Mezze location, told Herson and his twin brother Edward that there was one bussing position available at Cava Mezze in D.C. The twins played a game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to see who the opportunity would go to…Herson won.
As a junior in high school, Herson began his almost daily commute from Gaithersburg to D.C. each day after school. A little over a month later he was told there was a position available at the Rockville location; an opportunity he was quick to accept.
After spending over a year and a half as a busser, he added bar back to his resume. At this point, Herson’s twin brother, Edward, had also started working at the restaurant.
Cava Mezze founder, Ike Grigoropoulos, would tell him “the faster this table is cleaned up, the faster we can get another customer to their table…the happier the customer, the better the tip.” Bussers also relied on the gratuity of the customers, as they would receive a small portion of tips from servers, so Herson heeded this advice.
By 19, he was picking up occasional bartending shifts. At 20, after three years with the company, he became a server.
Herson has always prided himself in being a hard worker. “From the time I started working, I did my job as if the restaurant was mine…I always treat the customers as if they are guests in my own home.”
His work ethic led to him gaining some managerial training and picking up a few shifts managing in his early 20s. By this time his older brother Ever had already become a manager at the D.C. location on Capitol Hill. His twin brother, Edward, had also become a server and was receiving the same training necessary to become a manager.
Many bussers Herson worked with would leave for a new job when they were offered a few cents more per hour elsewhere, but he and his brothers always put the company first and could tell that good things would happen in return.
The Reyes brothers now all play a tremendous role within Cava Mezze. Herson is the general manager at the Rockville location in Traville Gateway. His twin brother, Edward, is the general manager at the Baltimore location. His oldest brother, Ever, is the general manager at the D.C. location on Capitol Hill.
In his 10 years with the company, Herson Reyes has enjoyed watching the company grow. “I have been here since I was 17 and I have grown with Cava. I want to help Cava continue to grow.” he said.
“This Cava Mezze location is special [Cava Rockville]. It’s the original location, it has a feel to it.” he told me. “It’s almost impossible for me to pick a favorite dish, but I can tell you that nobody does scallops risotto and octopus like we do.” Herson said with pride.
Herson Reyes and his brothers are living the dream…some might say the American Dream.
We recognize that the process of going to court can be costly and even scary for most, which is why we make sure that it is used only as a last resort for resolving your dispute. Our goal is to find the most amicable, reasonable and cost effective solution to your problem without the court’s intervention.If you think you may be in need of assistance with a legal matter, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation, so that we can evaluate your matter and determine whether or not we can help.
“Muhammad Ali helped me realize that being outspoken can be a good thing.” – Robin Ficker
He’s definitely outspoken. Robin Ficker’s name is synonymous with local elections. He hasn’t won since 1978, when he was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican (he has run as a Democrat, Republican, and as an independent candidate), but he is confident that he will get this one.
I spent about an hour at Mr. Ficker’s Boyds home on Sunday morning. We discussed everything from his friendship with Muhammad Ali to Charles Barkley flying him out to the NBA Finals so he can heckle Michael Jordan to why he thinks he will be the next Montgomery County Executive. Check out this Deadspin article for more on Ali and Jordan: https://deadspin.com/what-the-most-infamous-nba-heckler-learned-from-his-fri-1652413080
Here are some of the main points Mr. Ficker made during our discussion:
On Business
– He thinks MoCo has a realistic shot at landing Amazon. He says he put ads out about it well before the county council started putting their bid together.
– He says helping get term limits passed shows that the county wants change. He believes he is that change.
On Traffic
– He put up “Widen I-270” signs back in 2015 well before it was on Hogan’s radar. He’s not against transit, but he feels as though “drivers in MoCo are being Takoma Parked.” He agrees with Hogan’s plan and supports doing something to “fix the problem some candidates have been unable to fix for 12-16 years.”
On Education
– He wants to get “MoCo moving” by having every student run, jog, or walk a mile at school daily. “A healthy way to start the day.”
– He thinks schools are getting too top heavy (administration). More good teachers are needed, he’d like to let the teachers teach.
On $15 Minimum Wage
– He thinks it was a wimpy move because it wasn’t put into effect immediately. He views it as a feel-good PR move by council members for the democratic primary. “We don’t know what’s gonna happen. By the time it goes into effect, none of them will be around for the consequences.”
– At the rate they’re raising taxes (property, energy, etc.), tripling parking rates in Bethesda, and hinting at soft drink taxes…$15 an hour won’t be nearly enough.
On Why He’ll Win/What He’ll Do When He Does
– He’s in touch with voters. He plans on visiting every neighborhood in MoCo by November of 2018.
– He’s a debater. He wins jury cases all the time. He’s right on the issues.
– If he wins he will move the office to the ground floor. Every Monday morning he will give MoCo residents the opportunity to come talk to him about the issues for an hour or two (5 minutes a piece).
– He noticed that all of the candidates were sitting during the Democratic candidate debate. He says if he was debating, he would not be sitting because he is standing up for Montgomery County.
On Who He’d Vote For (if he had to choose one of the current candidates other than himself)
– Rose Krasnow. If elected, he would fill at least half of his positions with women. He thinks Rose is “very smart.” He also likes that she’s from Rockville, which is different than “The Beltway Boys.”
My tour started with a tasting at Moorenko’s, a place that I believe has the BEST ice cream in MoCo. I tried all 30 flavors they had on hand and in a couple weeks I’m going to give you an in-depth look at what Moorenko’s has to offer.
After meeting up with Dan, the first thing he took me to see was Acorn Park. It’s historically significant because it is thought to be the home of the mika-flecked spring that led Francis P. Blair to name his estate “Silver Spring.” The acorn shaped gazebo was built in 1842 by Benjamin C. King. Samuel Phillips Lee built the grotto at the site of the Spring, which is still there (the grotto), in 1894.
As we walked past NaiNai’s, a place I visited a couple day prior to this tour, we saw the old Canada Dry bottling plant. The plant was restored and added to Montgomery County’s Index of Historic Sites. There’s just something cool about the big Canada Dry towards the top of the building.
I visited NaiNai’s a few days before my tour because I saw an article that stated NaiNai’s had the second best baos in the DMV. I went and I wasn’t disappointed. My favorite baos were the Thou Shalt Not Bao (pork belly) and the Ni Hao Bao (braised duck).
As we continued to walk, we passed Denizen’s. Denizen’s is a local brewery that I also visited a few days before this tour. When I went, it was a warm day and I got to enjoy two very different beers on their patio. The Gruit and the Big Red Norm. It was a good time and a fun place to hang out for a bit.
”Mayor” Norman Lane was our next stop. Here’s who he is, courtesy of www.SilverSpringDowntown.com:
The unofficial “Mayor” of Silver Spring was a homeless man who collected hand-outs of money and food. Norman Lane walked the streets of Silver Spring for almost 25 years, doing odd jobs around the neighborhoods and handing out flowers to women on the street picked out of the Bell Flowers dumpster. Norman Lane was a mainstay in the community, and his enjoyment of life has been immortalized in a bronze bust created by artist and friend, Fred Folsom. The plaque beneath Norman Lane’s likeness reads, “Remembering the Caring Kindhearted Forbearance of the People of Silver Spring.” This is a tribute, not only to this local legend, but to the citizens of Silver Spring like Robert Phillips, owner of the Silver Spring Auto Body Shop, who kept a cot and a hot plate in the garage as a permanent home for Lane.”
Dan’s plan was to try some sambusas at one of the many (and I do mean many) Ethiopian restaurants in DTSS, but the place we chose didn’t have any! We kept it moving and went straight to Urban Butcher. This is always one of the most recommended restaurants when dining in DTSS comes up. They let me into their meat locker prior to eating and I was able to take a 360 video of the options (available on our Twitter account @TheMoCoShow). I had the meatball appetizer and it was really good. Their lavender margaritas were awesome, and they even have a MoCo Mule on the menu. I have to come back for a full dinner.
We walked past the new Silver Spring library. It’s a really cool looking building and the big opening at the base will allow for the Purple Line to run right through it!
I caught a lot of flack for this on Twitter, but a lot seemed to love it. I referred to the Ellsworth Place part of DTSS as the “Times Square of MoCo.” In terms of lights, it’s the closest thing we’ve got. It gives Silver Spring a big city feel. I was also able to get some of the skyline from the top floor of a nearby garage. When we reached the top there were four security guards that approached us and told us we needed to leave the garage since we don’t have a car parked. I got a quick picture and headed out 🤷🏻♂️
Let me throw in a rumor while I have your attention. I’ve been told that the corner of Wayne and Fenton might soon become the home of a brand new Ted’s Bulletin. Take that with a grain of salt though. Here’s where it would be if it came.
As we headed towards our next spot for food and drink, we walked past two pretty important DTSS locations; The Fillmore and Silver Theater. The Fillmore is one of the most popular music venues in the area and offers big name artists and national acts. Third Eye Blind will actually be there tonight…they’re a personal favorite. AFI Silver Theater has been around for nearly 80 years. A restoration project allowed it to re-open in 2003.
It was once again time to fill up our bellies. The next stop was La Malinche, a Spanish and Mexican tapas spot. Though I didn’t expect it, I think I may have liked this food the most. The papas rellenas and croqueta de pollo are pictured and both taste phenomenal.
DTSS is Home to 4 record shops. I’m not sure there are even 4 record shops in the rest of MoCo combined. We stopped in The Record Exchange. The employees were really cool and it was a fun place to look around.
Arepas Pues was described to me as a hidden gem. This was my first time having arepas and I really enjoyed them. I was pretty full so I was barely even able to finish one. Very filling and not expensive at all…tasty too!
The last stop of the evening was Lina’s Diner & Bar. Located where Piratz Tavern used to be (and where Quarry House moves to temporarily), this French spot has a great vibe. I loved everything about the patio in the back and they pork belly poutine was legit.
That concluded my tour of DTSS. I’d like to thank Just Up The Pike’s Dan Reed for showing me around and I know I wasn’t able to see everything, but I was glad I got to see what I did. Until next time, DTSS!
Brought to you by Trapezaria Greek Restaurant’s all you can eat brunch! Normally $25, it’s just $15 THIS Sunday only, 10/29/17.
After school last week I noticed my students using an app that I was not familiar with so I asked them what it was. They told me it was called MyMCPS+ (Download here: itunes.apple.com/us/app/mymcps/id1291038640?mt=8) and that they were using it to see what grade they would need on an upcoming test in order to move up a letter grade or maintain the one they had. Then they showed me how it worked and I was amazed at how simple and easy to use it was.
I reached out to the developer, Solomon Sapiro, and found out that he was a recent graduate of Wootton High School (class of 2017). I ended up meeting with Solomon in College Park, where he attends the University of Maryland, and he told me a little more about the app and himself.
MCPS has moved away from EdLine, which was used by students and parents/guardians to monitor grades. A program called MyMCPS is now used by the county and the website allows students to view their grades. MyMCPS+ (Solomon’s creation) is a grade manager app that allows students and parents to view current grades and see how specific grades on upcoming assignment can affect the overall grade. It uses a color coded system that clearly identifies each different type of grade and is simple enough for anyone from an elementary school student to a grandparent (and everyone in between) to use. Solomon told me that student usernames and passwords are secure and not even he has access to them. The app has over 4,000 downloads in just over two weeks. Oh, and most importantly…it’s FREE.
Solomon was born and raised in Montgomery County. He’s now a freshman at the University of Maryland, where he majors in computer science. He swims, plays tennis, and even has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He created his first iOS app: Classic BrickBreaker, a remake of the popular Blackberry game, when he was just 16 years old…he has been coding since he was 12! He came up with the idea for the app when his sister wanted an easier way to manage her grades and didn’t want to have to do the math on what future grades were needed to maintain her GPA. His friend and classmate at Wootton, Matthew Bottiglieri, designed the logo for the MyMCPS+ app.
Though the app runs smoothly and looks great, Solomon is always looking for ways to upgrade his app in order for it to be as useful as possible. In the near future, he plans to develop an app for popular local winter weather website, MoCoSnow.
Solomon and the App are not affiliated with MCPS
Download the app here: itunes.apple.com/us/app/mymcps/id1291038640?mt=8
Before we get started, I’d like to state that there are many great spots I didn’t get a chance to go to and I’d love to get a chance to stop in the next time I’m there. Here are the places I was able to get to:
I stayed for most of the first half of the game against Poolesville. After getting a couple first downs on their opening drive, Poolesville was stifled the rest of the way as Damascus cruised to a shutout victory. The atmosphere was electric.
I don’t really get the opportunity to write much about Poolesville, but I don’t want the small town of about 5,000 people to think that it’s because there isn’t much to say…there’s plenty.
What many people outside of Poolesville don’t know is that the legal name of the town was “The Commissioners of Poolesville” until 2010 when it was changed to “The Town of Poolesville.” The town was founded by brothers John and Joseph Poole, who owned a lot of the land within the boundaries of what is now Poolesville (about 160 acres or so). Though the area was settled in 1760, the town was’t incorporated until 1867…Happy 150th Anniversary, Poolesville!
A fun fact about Poolesville is that it’s home to a direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln. Here’s more on that from the local Poolesville newspaper, the Monocacy Monocle www.monocacymonocle.com/images/issues_2017/MM_2017-03-24.pdf
I also had the chance to ask town Commissioner Jim Brown a few questions about Poolesville Day and the town itself. Here’s what he told me…
The Historic Town of Poolesville, Maryland (located in Montgomery County) will host its 25th Annual Poolesville Day celebration this Saturday, September 16 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm(rain or shine). “This is an event where we invite over 10,000 of the town’s most closest and personal friends to celebrate all that is Poolesville.” The full-day, FREE celebration features activities for all ages, including a morning parade, an antique and electric vehicle car show, rides and games, food and vendor booths, a skate contest, and live entertainment. The event will take place along Fisher Avenue (Rt. 107) in Poolesville, with the main stage and other activities being held at Whalen Commons, in front of the Poolesville Town Hall. There will be over 180 vendors/exhibitors and food trucks. We have new rides this year including – Extreme Air In Line Jumper, Trackless Train, Turbo Tubs, Dixie Twister Swing Ride, Aqua 5 in 1, Triple Lindy 3 Lane Slide, Fun Express Train Station; Hippo Chow Down, Moonbounce, Trackless Train, Calleva Rock Climbing Wall and more!
I also asked him about Cugini’s. He said “It’s one of the best places in town for pizza and wings and a favorite with Trivia Night and craft independent beer selections.” I recently went and had some of the wings I consider among the best in MoCo. The pizza was really good too…I highly recommend it.
So if you’re looking for something to do this Saturday, check out Poolesville Day. It’s a great taste of what the Town of Poolesville is all about.
