Field Trips

Program teams honor students, special needs students By TARA REILLY tarar@herald-mail.com A group of friends sit together in the Rebel Cafe at South Hagerstown High School, coloring signs for a weekend fund-raiser. Several times a school year, the 20 special needs and honor students can also be found together, sometimes working on projects or pairing up for day trips to museums, zoos and plays. The students say they're learning from each other and enjoy spending time together.

High school students with an interest in natural resources are encouraged to apply now for the July 20-26 Natural Resources Careers Conference at the Hickory Environmental Center in Garrett County. The Washington County Forestry Board encourages any local high school student with an interest in natural resources to apply. Each county is able to sponsor as many as two students with a scholarship to attend the conference at no cost. Student spaces are limited, and the deadline for applications is near.

High school students with an interest in natural resources are encouraged to apply now for the July 20-26 Natural Resources Careers Conference at the Hickory Environmental Center in Garrett County. The Washington County Forestry Board encourages any local high school student with an interest in natural resources to apply. Each county is able to sponsor as many as two students with a scholarship to attend the conference at no cost. Student spaces are limited, and the deadline for applications is near.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Two Martinsburg City Police officers got the blessing of the Martinsburg City Council to start a new Police Explorer Post through the department. Patrolmen Erick Heavener and Dave Stevens told the council Thursday night that they were in the early stages of starting an Explorer Post for young people with an interest in law enforcement. They said they wanted to get the council's permission and pledge of support. The Explorer Post program is an upper-level program within the Boy Scouts of America for both sexes ages 14 to 20. Between 95 and 100 local young people have expressed interest in participating, they said.

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society is offering a new Master Birder program. The program is intended for experienced birders who want to take their knowledge and skills to a higher level. Instruction will be provided through workshops that include both classroom time and field experiences, with the emphasis on the latter. Each workshop will focus on a specific group of birds or a topic that cuts across groups, such as bird song. Applicants must be graduates of PVAS's "Birding 101" course or have commensurate experience (3 or more years of birding)

Name of business: Pump It Up, The Inflatable Party Zone Owners: Kim and Kevin Cunha Address: 10310 Governor Land Blvd., Suite 6015, Williamsport MD 21795 Opening date: April 2009 Products and services: Private parties for children ages 2 to 17 years old; field trips; team parties; and youth group outings. Parties are two hours in length and include 90 minutes in the inflatables play area and 30 minutes in the party room for food and cake. Inflatables area includes four oversized inflatables, two slide/obstacle course combinations and a moonbounce.

By DAVE McMILLION Staff Writer Fort Ritchie donated $12,500 worth of computer equipment to Boonsboro High School after completing technology upgrades at its site. The Hagerstown Coca-Cola Bottling Works donated $3,500 to North Hagerstown High School, an endowment from a long-time landowner in the county left schools with more than $35,000 and Citicorp Credit Services Inc. and the Citicorp Foundation donated thousands of dollars for computer equipment for schools and to pay for upgrades to the school system's planetarium.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - In Carol Whittington's kindergarten classroom at South Jefferson Elementary, several educational processes are at work at the same time. Because kindergarten is traditionally the start of a child's educational journey, it is where teachers gauge what type of students they will be. Some will learn fast, others will learn at slower paces. Once Jefferson County's Teacher of the Year finds out names and faces, she sets about her work.

Students, teachers and visitors would no longer be able to smoke on school grounds after hours or on field trips if the Washington County School Board adopts a proposal to change 1982 drug policies. The proposal also would require police to cite and possibly fine smokers who are caught for a third time, would add look-alike drugs to the policies and would solidify the current practice of trying to help students kick bad habits instead of just punishing them. [cont. from front page ]

There are no assignments or grades. But for two semesters every year, senior citizens go back to school. It's the Institute for Retired Persons (IRP), a program dedicated to lifelong learning. Some weeks, participants might discuss American history. Other times, they're on field trips, exploring museums or heading to the theater. And the only requirement, said Pat Chickering, interim director, is a natural curiosity. IRP was founded in 1983 by several Chambersburg residents who were looking for ways to stayed involved and informed.