“I love my job,” says Stephen Raff, principal at Centerville Elementary School (CES). To the staff, students and parents at CES in Urbana, his passion shows. The community was equally enthusiastic, supportive and appreciative of Raff — so much so that they nominated him for the The Washington Post Educational Leadership Foundation’s annual Distinguished...
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Triz Pardo loves to help students at Urbana Middle School (UMS) by talking with them and taking time to listen to their problems. An Urbana mother of two children, Pardo volunteers every day at the middle school’s store, which sells a wide variety of school supplies and other items such as pens, books, erasers...
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Urbana resident Claire Grabowski is one of many parents in Frederick County who home educates their children. Grabowski said her and her husband, John, chose homeschooling for her five kids to help them through their formative years. The couple homeschooled each child for about three years, primarily during middle school. “We really felt those...
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Urbana High School’s (UHS) Mock Trial team has been the best in the county for the past nine years, this year advancing to the semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Annapolis High School on April 18. Last year, UHS advanced to circuit finals from a resounding win at the county level before being...
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As part of her studio art elective class at Friends Meeting School, Grace Hotung decided to illustrate two of her favorite things — her dogs. “I see their facial characteristics in my work,” Hotung said, explaining how much she enjoys using her dogs as subjects for her drawings. This spring, each student had to...
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From May 22 – 25, a team of four Urbana High School (UHS) students are slated to travel to Knoxville, Tenn., for the Global Finals for Destination ImagiNation (DI). DI is an international group that hosts a number of competitions each year to foster a problem-solving, teamwork environment for students. Each team, comprised of...
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UHS in Nation’s Top 10 percent All eligible Frederick County public high schools rank in the top 10 percent of about 22,000 high schools nationwide, according to The Washington Post 2013 Challenge Index. Urbana High School (UHS) had the highest ranking of Frederick County Public Schools high schools in the Challenge Index. UHS came...
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What provided the impetus for Hawkfest, the mammoth Urbana High School (UHS) bash slated for April 27? “I’m crazy,” said Stephen Ward, an English teacher at UHS, with a laugh. “Wait — are you going to write that down?” Ward, the originator and organizer of UHS’s impending end-of-year celebration, has a real and better...
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On March 11, a newly installed front-door buzzer system was activated at Centerville Elementary School (CES). Principal Stephen Raff said this system was added in response to the Newtown, Conn., shootings. “The school system as a whole after the Newtown tragedy was reevaluated,” he said. “The front door buzzer being installed was in response...
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This spring, Madison “Maddie” Reefe starred in the classic play “Annie Jr.” as the charismatic, big-hearted orphan, Annie. During this role, played Feb. 9 – 24, the 12-year-old Villages of Urbana resident said she learned some new things about her abilities as an actress. “Sometimes there are roles I take on that are difficult...
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