Per the U.S. Dream Academy (located at 8807 Colesville Rd. in Silver Spring) : The U.S. Dream Academy, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that inspires and invests in the lives of children of incarcerated parents, celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a “Power of A Dream” celebration, presented by Amway, welcoming 400 supporters on Monday, October 2nd at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. The U.S. Dream Academy surpassed their fundraising goal, raising $3.5 Million to continue its programs and outreach to empower children (DreamKids) impacted by parental incarceration.
During the festivities, guests were surprised when Oprah Winfrey appeared in a video message praising the work of the team and the leadership of Dr. Wintley Phipps, ending the video pledging a $2.5 million donation. The gift is in line with the two decades of generous support from Ms. Winfrey, who has donated over $10 million to support the mission of The U.S. Dream Academy.
“Education is one of the forces that helped me be who I am in the world today. I’m a believer in helping children be the best that they can be, as this Academy has done for a quarter of a century,” said Oprah Winfrey in the surprise video message.
“The U.S. Dream Academy is so blessed to consider Oprah Winfrey as our biggest champion and supporter over the course of these 25 years,” says Dr. Wintley Phipps, U.S. Dream Academy Founder and CEO. “Words cannot express our deep gratitude to Oprah as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. This donation will be life-changing to so many more kids who will benefit from our afterschool and mentoring programs. We are grateful to Orpah, our corporate sponsors and the many individual donors who helped us exceed our goal!
The 25th anniversary gala had other evening highlights and special guest speakers such as:
Alumni Keynote Speaker: Withney Simons, U.S. Dream Academy Alum, Entrepreneur and Head Image Consultant at Connaisseur Paris
Entertainment: Jennifer Holliday, GRAMMY and TONY Award winning Broadway Actress, Recording Artist and Gospel Singer
Special video message from Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a long time supporter of US Dream Academy
Special Performances & Appearances: Wintley Phipps, GRAMMY nominated Gospel Singer, and Founder and CEO of U.S. Dream Academy with a special collaboration by award winning Takoma Academy Chorale and DC DreamKids.
Mentor of The Year Award (sponsored by QTS): DANIEL GUERRERO Daniel Guerrero, a mentor at U.S. Dream Academy Learning Center in Salt Lake City, was named the 2023 Mentor of The Year. Daniel has been in the mentorship program
since March of 2022. Growing up, Daniel lived in a single parent household with three other siblings. Looking back at his time in Mexico, Daniel said he “wasn’t on the right path” even at a young age. He believes without a doubt, had he been there longer, the trajectory of his life would have been much different. Comparing the parallels of his own life with the DreamKids, Daniel understands the importance of having a program to impact kids in a positive way.
“On behalf of the U.S. Dream Academy, we were pleased to award $10,000 at the gala to three students as well as receive a commitment for $32,500 per year in scholarships from Washington Adventist University for DreamKids who attend their college,” said Diane Wallace Booker, Founding Executive Director of U.S. Dream Academy. “These scholarships paired with Oprah Winfrey’s surprise gift announcement, really made our 25th anniversary celebration very special.”
Since 2001, the annual Power of a Dream Gala has raised more than $20 million to assist with the provision of high-quality after-school programs specifically tailored for children living in high-risk communities. About The U.S. Dream Academy
The U.S. Dream Academy, founded in 1998 by GRAMMY nominated gospel singer Wintley Phipps, is a national after-school program that aims to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration and help our nation’s children reach for their dreams. The mission of the U.S. Dream Academy is to inspire and invest in the lives of children of incarcerated parents and families in communities harmed by systemic inequities through high performance relationships with caring adults. We seek to maximize young peoples’ potential by building dreams, perseverance, academic skills, and character.
Through academic, social, and values enrichment, we empower children (our DreamKids) impacted by parental incarceration to believe in themselves and to succeed. The Academy is currently operating Dream Centers in 7 communities (Dream Cities) nationwide including: Baltimore, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, and Washington, DC, as well as through our safe, secure “Virtual Village” online platform, which enables mentors to connect with their mentees from anywhere in the world. More information at: https://www.usdreamacademy.org/
Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a multistate coalition of 17 Attorneys General in support of Hawaii’s request to the Ninth Circuit to rehear an appeal defending Hawaii’s ban on butterfly knives. The petition seeks en banc or panel rehearing of a decision, issued in Teter v. Lopez on August 7, 2023, that invalidated Hawaii’s butterfly knife ban under the Second Amendment. In its amicus brief, the coalition argues that the panel’s application of the Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen was inconsistent with the approach taken in other Second Amendment cases.
In Hawaii, it is a misdemeanor to manufacture, sell, transport, or possess a butterfly knife, which is a type of knife where a split handle can fully encase the blade and rotate open to expose it. In 2019, plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging the law, claiming it violated the Second Amendment. The district court granted Hawaii’s motion for summary judgment, and the plaintiffs appealed to the Ninth Circuit. After the Supreme Court issued the Bruen decision in June 2022, the Ninth Circuit heard oral argument in Teter and ultimately vacated the district court’s decision.
“The Bruen decision had a major impact on the way courts consider challenges to weapons safety laws under the Second Amendment, and it should be applied in a manner that leaves room for states to enact common-sense weapons laws,” said Attorney General Brown. “Protecting Marylanders from harm is a top priority for this office, and we will continue to defend state laws that enact those protections.”
In addressing the panel decision’s errors, the brief:
• Provides examples of the extensive historical analysis typically conducted in post-Bruen cases; and
• Identifies how the panel’s legal errors are inconsistent with Bruen, including its discussion about the plain meaning of the term “arms” and its misguided approach to the historical analysis.
In filing the brief, Attorney General Brown joins the Attorneys General of California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington
1. Applications Open Soon for High School Regional/Countywide Special Programs: On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Grade 8 students will have the opportunity to apply for Regional/Countywide Special Programs using the high school common application found in ParentVUE. Additionally, students in Grades 9-11 may apply for career readiness programs. Information sessions will be available for students and families, and all dates can be found on the special programs webpage.
Applications are due by Friday, Nov. 3. Programs-At-A-Glance, eligibility, frequently asked questions and October open house dates are available on this website.
2. Mental Health Awareness Week Set for Oct. 30–Nov. 4
MCPS and the Montgomery County School Psychologists’ Association (MCSPA) will host free events the week of Oct. 30–Nov. 4 to give youth and families the opportunity to hear from mental health experts on a variety of issues. A culminating virtual resource fair and expert panel will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4.
From 6–8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Richard Montgomery High School, former professional football player turned mental health expert and advocate, Dr. Jay Barnett, will speak in-person to students about the importance of mental health, breaking down stigma and seeking help. Read more.
3. Save the Dates: Upcoming District Events and Opportunities
Gaithersburg Wellness Fair: Families are invited to a FREE wellness fair from 1–4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Gaithersburg High School. The fair will be hosted by the Gaithersburg community schools. Join us for family fun, health resources, yoga, face painting and more! The high school is located at 101 Education Blvd. in Gaithersburg.
Out-of-School Time Oct. 9: If you need somewhere for your student to go on Oct. 9 when school is out, KID Museum and MCPS are here to help. Students in Grades 2-5 can spend the day at the museum’s Bethesda Metro Center or Davis Library locations from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The cost is $5.
The Second Annual Latina Legacy Conference will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.14 at the Montgomery College Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus. The free event empowers and inspires Latina female high school students. To register, interested students should reach out to their school’s representative on this list by Monday, Oct. 9.
The National Hispanic College Fair will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13 at the Bohrer Park Community Center in Gaithersburg. Students can register with their high school’s college and career information coordinator by Wednesday, Oct. 11. More information
4. Speak Up, Save a Life PSA Contest for Students
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office is hosting a contest that challenges teens to create an original video to promote awareness of the dangers of opioid abuse or overdose and fentanyl among teens. The contest is open to students in Grades 6-12. The top prize is $1,000, second place is $750, third place and fan favorite winners will receive $500. Prizes are being donated by Magnolia Plumbing in honor of two young men who lost their lives to illicit fentanyl. Students can earn up to 10 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours. Visit the contest webpage for more information.
5. Good News This Week
The Leadership Training Institute Turns 30
For three decades, John F. Kennedy High School’s signature program, the Leadership Training Institute (LTI), has empowered students through rigorous interdisciplinary experiential learning, community service projects and leadership theory and application. Hear from current and past students on how this program is changing lives.
Stone Mill Elementary School National Blue Ribbon Win
Hear from the principal and district leaders about the recent recognition.
Walk to School Day
Students strolled to success at Brooke Grove Elementary School for National Walk and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, Oct. 4! These kids are helping Montgomery County’s Vision Zero goal to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries and contribute to a healthy planet.
Clarksburg, Walt Whitman High Chorus Students Perform at World Culture Festival
On Sept. 29, 250 chorus students from Clarksburg and Walt Whitman high schools performed at the 2023 World Culture Festival. Nearly one million people from more than 180 countries are estimated to have participated in the three-day celebration of unity, diversity and peace on the National Mall.
The Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department is hosting their fall open house, along with a local vendor fair, this Sunday (October 8) from 12PM to 4PM at 19801 Beallsville Road Beallsville, MD 20839. According to the UMCVFD, the event will feature a pumpkin patch, hay rides, Fire & Rescue Service demonstrations, and police vehicles on display. Additionally more than 30 vendors will be present at this Sunday’s event. Visitors can enjoy free hot dogs, Cotton Candy, and giveaways for children.
At their newly-expanded Beallsville Road firehouse, the Upper Montgomery County VFD currently has an ambulance, Canteen Unit, several boats paired with support vehicles as part of their Swiftwater Rescue Team, Medic Unit, Brush Truck, Brush Engine, Rescue Engine, and Tanker. The units responded to more than 1,200 calls in 2022.
Three winning Powerball and one Bonus Match 5 lottery tickets, each worth $50,000, were sold this past week in Maryland. The tickets were sold at:
- Exxon located at 4040 Powder Mill Road in Beltsville (Powerball)
- Giant located at 2145 York Road in Timonium (Powerball)
- MGM National Harbor at 101 MGM National Avenue in Oxon Hill (Powerball)
- BP at 1601 York Road in Lutherville (Bonus Match 5)
The Powerball drawing scheduled to take place Saturday, October 7, has an estimated jackpot of $1.4 billion, with an estimated cash option of $643.7 million. Powerball drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million. The odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. Additional details below courtesy of Powerball:
The Powerball jackpot evaded players Wednesday night, after no ticket matched all six number drawn – white balls 9, 35, 54, 63, 64 and red Powerball 1. The Power Play® multiplier was 2X. The Powerball jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.4 billion for the next drawing on Saturday night. The jackpot has a cash value of $643.7 million. Saturday’s estimated jackpot ranks as the third largest in the Powerball game and fifth largest among U.S. lottery jackpots.”
Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EST from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.
Top 10 Powerball Jackpots
- $2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
- $1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
- $1.4 Billion (est.) – Oct. 7, 2023
- $1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
- $768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI
- $758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
- $754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 – WA
- $731.1 Million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD
- $699.8 Million – Oct. 4, 2021 – CA
- $687.8 Million – Oct. 27, 2018 – IA, NY”
Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.
Washington Parent readers name The Adventure Park (16701 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring) winner in 3 “Parents Picks” categories Sandy Spring, MD: After nearly 25,000 votes, Washington Parent Magazine announced its readers voted The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School the best Amusement Park and Climbing Destination in the greater Washington area in their Parents Picks competition for the second consecutive year. The Adventure Park also won the best “Date Night Venue” for the first time and placed as a finalist in the “Party Venue” competition.
“I am thrilled to hear that the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring has won the “Best Amusement Park” and “Best Climbing Destination” in the DMV area for the second year in a row. It’s a wonderful facility for outdoor recreation, family fun, parties and gathering for guests of all ages. My own family loves it there, our Scouts Troops just finished a troop outing there this past weekend – always a hit with the Scouts, and it gives me great pride in my district to have this gem right in our own backyard.
In addition to the Adventure Park being a convenient spot for the locals, it brings people to the greater Olney-Sandy Spring area from all over, and that’s a win for our entire small business community. Thank you, Adventure Park at Sandy Spring for your commitment to outstanding entertainment and recreation, and for also being a good partner to our local small business economy.” – Councilmember Luedtke, Montgomery County Council.
New state-of-the-art skate park to be developed at Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park
Montgomery Parks is hosting an in-person and online community meeting to brainstorm design ideas for a new skate park to be built at Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park in Clarksburg. It will be the first of five skate parks built in Montgomery Parks in the coming years. At the meeting, Montgomery Parks planners, and representatives from the private skate park design firm Spohn Ranch will take ideas from the public about the design of the skate park. Spohn Ranch a California-based firm well-known in the skating community for its unique and contemporary skate park designs.
What: Skate Park Design Meeting
When: Saturday, October 14, 2023
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Where: Hallie Wells Middle School Cafeteria
11701 Little Seneca Pkwy, Clarksburg, MD, 20871
or online: MoCoParks.org/OHWSkateZoom
Details: Registration is optional but encouraged, planners are asking interested parties to fill out this form to register and receive future updates. “Skate parks offer a place for community and activity that’s popular, especially with teens and younger adults,” said Montgomery Parks Engineer, Brian Lewandowski. “We hope everyone interested in skating or using this new skate park will contribute their ideas to the design process.” The area of the new Ovid Hazen Wells skate park will be 14,000—15,000 square feet, about the same area as three basketball courts. It will be designed for use by skateboarders, in-line and roller skaters, and other non-motorized, wheeled forms of recreation.
The meeting is the latest step in the Montgomery Parks Skate Park study, an extensive outreach effort to the local skateboarding community. Since July, Parks staff have contacted nearly 1,000 skaters via surveys, online, and at in-person events to determine what features they want in the new parks. The other new skate parks are planned for:
- Wheaton Regional Park
- Long Branch Local Park in Silver Spring
- Newport Mill Local Park in Wheaton
- South Germantown Recreational Park
Montgomery Parks currently operates three skate parks:
Construction on Ovid Hazen Wells Skate Park is expected to begin in the summer of 2024. Featured photo shows Olney Manor Skate Park
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Shalal Frazier, a missing 17-year-old from White Oak. Frazier was last seen on Monday, October 2, 2023, in the 11400 block of Steward Lane in White Oak. He is 5’9″, 180Ibs., with dyed blonde hair currently styled in short locs and has pierced ears.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Shalal Frazier is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).
Earlier this year Forbes released its annual “World’s Billionaires List”, which at the time had six Montgomery County residents on it. On Tuesday, Forbes released its list of the 2023’s 400 Wealthiest Americans this past Tuesday, with five Marylanders (four from Montgomery County) making the cut. The Montgomery County residents can be seen below.
Rank #161: Annette Lerner and family (Chevy Chase)
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- Industry: Real estate, Washington Nationals
- Net worth: $6.5 billion
Per Forbes:
- In 1952, Annette lent $250 to her 26-year-old husband, Ted Lerner, to start a real estate company, selling homes for developers.
- Today, Lerner Enterprises is among the largest owners of real estate in the Washington, D.C area.
- Since 2006 the Lerner family has owned the Washington Nationals baseball team. In June 2018, Ted passed control of the team to son Mark.
- The family donates to charities including Children’s National Hospital in DC, George Washington University and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
- In February 2023, Ted Lerner died, leaving Annette and her children as the heirs of his estate.
World Rank #244: Mitchell Rales (Potomac)
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- Industry: Manufacturing, investments
- Net worth: $4.7 billion
Per Forbes:
- Mitchell Rales and his brother Steven acquired a real estate investment trust in 1983 and merged it into the firm Danaher.
- Over the years they acquired more than three dozen companies and turned Danaher into an industrial firm with $29.45 billion in revenues.
- In July 2016, Danaher spun off its industrial technologies, measurement and petroleum businesses into Fortive Corporation.
- Mitchell Rales retired from his position at Fortive Corp. in 2021 but he is still chairman of Danaher’s executive committee.
- In June, he and his brother each transferred Danaher shares worth more than $1.5 billion to their charitable foundations.
- Mitchell Rales became part owner of the Washington Commanders, purchasing the team with majority partner and Montgomery County-native Josh Harris.
- Rales owns Glenstone museum, which can be previewed below.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cxv5nFlO4Yj/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
World Rank #278: Dan Snyder (Potomac)
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- Industry: Washington Commanders
- Net worth: $4.1 billion
Per Forbes:
- Dan Snyder initially made his fortune with a marketing business, Snyder Communications, that he started as a college dropout.
- After taking the company public in 1996, Snyder sold it to French firm Havas for $2.1 billion in stock in 2000.
- In 1999, he bought the NFL’s Washington Commanders for $750 million, borrowing $350 million to do so; it’s now worth $5.6 billion.
- After years of controversy over the Native American origins of the team’s former name, the Redskins, Snyder renamed the team the Commanders in 2022.
- In 2019, Snyder made waves with his new $192 million yacht Lady S, which has an IMAX theater.
- Snyder cleaned and mopped the floors at the cafeteria inside the National Institute for Health as a high school student.
- Snyder sold the Commanders earlier this year and has put his Potomac home up for sale as well.
World Rank #940: David Rubenstein (Bethesda)
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- Industry: Private equity
- Net worth: $3.5 billion
Per Forbes:
- David Rubenstein is one of three billionaire founders of private equity firm Carlyle Group, which is approaching $400 billion in assets under management.
- He cofounded Carlyle in 1987 with William Conway Jr. and Daniel D’Aniello. He now serves as non-executive co-chairman.
- Rubenstein got his start as a Carter Administration official and later became an attorney.
- In the early days Rubenstein raised the money and managed Carlyle’s stable of advisers, which included George H.W. Bush.
- He donated $18.5 million in 2016 to restore the Lincoln Memorial and expand exhibits and research there.
Featured photo shows Glenstone Museum, owned by Mitchell Rales
