Education

Thirty-six Thomas Edison High School of Technology students earned a chance to compete at the SkillsUSA regional competition coming up in February in Prince George’s County. Another 78 will compete at the state competition in April in Carroll County. SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Edison winners and their SkillsUSA categories were:

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Education

The Holiday Mall, initiated three years ago, offers students a chance to gift their family members during the December holiday celebrations. In January, teachers and staff contribute new and gently used gifts, ranging from toys and household items to jewelry and clothing.

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Event

Music. Art. Food. Community. The Takoma Park Folk Festival brings it all together for one free, unforgettable day. Discover six stages of live music from around the world, shop an acclaimed juried craft show, enjoy international cuisine, connect with local community organizations, and let the kids explore crafts and activities in the Children's Nook. It's one of the region's most beloved traditions, and a celebration of the creativity, diversity, and welcoming spirit that has long defined Takoma Park.

New this year! Jam at the Crossroads is a place for musicians of all levels to come together and be part of the music.


Gaithersburg

A couple months back, the Gaithersburg City Council approved the annexation of the Walnut Hill shopping center, which paved the way for Aldi to move in to part of the old grocery store space and a new Sheetz to be built. Aldi will be taking over a little more than half of the space that was previously home to Weis and now a new tenant has signed on to take over the remaining space as a junior anchor.

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Arts

Myles Frost graduated from Wootton High School in Rockville in 2017. In December of 2021, he took over the role of Michael Jackson on Broadway’s MJ and in 2022 won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Now, the young man has graduated from Bowie State University with a degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in Music Technology after being on Broadway for a year.

The 24-year-old was born in Silver Spring and spent time growing up between Montgomery County and DC. Per The NY Times, Frost was raised by his mother, Charmayne Strayhorn, a systems engineer, and his grandmother, a school teacher, he developed two enduring passions early in life: golf, beginning at the age of three, and piano, beginning at the age of five. He grew up singing and playing the piano and drums at church, and he performed in an R&B cover band in middle school at local shopping centers. While attending Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, he performed in school productions of the musicals Hairspray (as Seaweed), Legally Blonde (as Warner), and Cinderella (as Lord Pinkleton). In 2017, while still in high school at Wootton, he was a contestant on The Voice but was not selected by any of the coaches to move further in the competition.


Gaithersburg

Matan Companies, a real estate development and investment firm, recently executed a full-building lease agreement with AstraZeneca, a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company, for 198,000 square feet at 700 Progress Way in Gaithersburg. The development is currently the home of a recently opened Chick-fil-A and Sheetz, but it’s looking to add more to the retail side of things.

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