Awards Abound At The John Carroll School

Members of the Freshman class at the Freshman breakfast, held on the last day of school before Easter break.

Located on a 72 acre campus in Bel Air, MD, THE JOHN CARROLL SCHOOL (TJCS) provides a high school education for 668 coed students in grades 9 to 12. Among the specialized programs that this school provides is a financial literacy program, a requirement during sophomore year; entrepreneurial exploration, an elective in junior or senior year; a STEAM Academy program, with its own curriculum, for students interested and with the academic capability in sciences and/or mathematics; a senior project available in several areas, providing a concentrated in-depth exploration of the chosen area, mandatory for graduation; the St. Joseph program, geared to students with learning differences; a dance program; and academic honor societies.

On February 24, students from the Future Scientists and Engineers Club competed in the 2nd Maryland Science Olympiad, which was held at the University of Maryland. Prize-winning students were: Optics - Sarah Xiang and Ivy Ding, 1st place; Helicopters - Leo Chang and Young Shin, 3rd place; Rocks and Minerals - Christina Zhang and Gabrielle Lambert, 4th place; Anatomy - Cherie Ndungu and Yue Yue Xiong, 6th place. Congratulations on a job well done!



Every year the Bel Air Knights of Columbus #4714 chooses a teacher to honor as its Catholic High School Teacher of the Year. Specifically, the award honors a servant community leader who is motivated by both love and humility. This year the organization has chosen Gary Scholl, who has been working at TJCS for 44 years as teacher, coach, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and acting interim Principal. Over the years, he has remained dedicated to serving the students, faculty and staff of the school. He has also led many service field trips for TJCS students.

Principal Tom Durkin noted, "Gary Scholl is a brillant educator and administrator. He has spent over four decades of his life in Catholic school, and his work at The John Carroll School is absolutely first rate. Gary is all about helping our students succeed. In short, Gary Scholl has made the John Carroll School a much better school through his dedication, sacrifice, generosity, and spirit." An awards dinner is planned for Mr. Scholl and his guests, where he will receive a plaque and a monetary award.

Here's one TJCS student with whom you might have trouble catching up. No, it's not because she's particularly elusive, either. But Senior Caitlyn Trent is one very busy adolescent. In fact, most people are stumped about how she does it all.

Some of her activities include youth ministry, SADD club, Speech and Debate Club, youth leadership camps, altar server, Eucharistic minister, mission trips to Appalachia work camps, peer leader, camp counselor, and volunteer. She even led a fund-raising drive that raised $1,500 for a local family in need. In the midst of all that activity, she also maintains a 4.125 GPA. Simply astounding!

The John Carroll School's winning participants in the Maryland Science Olympiad.

So, it's no surprise that Ms. Trent was the recipient of a Bel Air Student Achievement Award by the town commissioners. Mayor Susan Burdette stated in recognition, "This is one of the most amazing ones I've read. I can't believe she had five minutes to come to the meeting tonight. When you read this, you'll see why." The plaque by which Ms. Trent was honored lists all of the activities in which she has been engaged. Mayor Burdette continued, "[Ms. Trent] is the epitome of what a good citizen who contributes to her community in a positive way should be."

Caitlyn Trent is an example of the type of student and human being who is prepared through the education provided by The John Carroll School. Certainly, the community of Bel Air is fortunate to be the location of this wonderful school.

Students can volunteer at Patriots' Corner, which is the school store.

Thanks for information from this page on TJCS: https://johncarroll.org/about; this page on TJCS: https://johncarroll.org/news/2018/03/28/maryland-science-olympiad-winners; this page on TJCS: https://johncarroll.org/news/2018/03/17/gary-scholl-named-teacher-year-bel-air-knights-columbus; this page on TJCS: https://johncarroll.org/news/2018/03/08/caitlyn-trent-18-honored; and the above link.

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Improving The Appalachian Region Through Partnerships

ARC Governors' Quorum meeting in DC.

Let's take a look at an area of the country that covers 420 counties in 13 States and follows the Appalachian Mountain region, known as the Appalachian region. While containing some of the most beautiful areas of the Eastern US, the area has also been home to people who aren't so economically well off. Back in the 1960s, 31 percent of its residents were living at the poverty level, but today that rate has fallen to 17.1 percent.

One of the major forces in the positive changes that have come to the area is the APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION (ARC), which was established in 1965 through an act of Congress, and which combines federal, state, and local governments in a common partnership. The Commission supports activities in five areas - economic opportunities, a ready workforce, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural assets, and leadership and community capacity.



One of the areas in which ARC has been active has been in "gateway" communities, those communities that sit at the border of the Appalachian region. In a sense these communities act as gateways, or places of entry, for those who travel to, and through, the area. In partnership with the Conservation Fund and National Endowment for the Arts, ARC has been helping these communities develop tourism, the arts, and other types of economic development.

In pursuit of this initiative, ARC and its partners have offered technical assistance, assessments pertaining to community tourism, workshops to help with tourism planning, and small grants for implementation projects. The entire effort has come to be the APPALACHIAN GATEWAY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE (AGCI). In total, it has involved 1,000 communities and 100 counties. Not only has it worked in the communities; it also involves conservation of bordering national and state forests and parks.

One example involves the community of Tracy City, TN. Officials and representatives started out by attending an AGCI workshop that provided key information to connect the Mountain Goat Trail and other trails as part of the community and develop a community park, complete with a gathering space. Because of the workshop, Tracy City was able to enhance their trail system with aspects of nature, culture,  the arts, and active living.

A map of Mountain Goat Trail with Tracy City's downtown project route.

The Conservation Fund is planning a 3-day Advanced Project Implementation Workshop For Appalachian Gateway Communities to be held in Sheperdstown, WV in August. Specifically designed for communities that have already participated in other AGCI activities or are at the implementation stage, the workshop is designed to share information about reassessing and building capacity and planning efforts, along with technical assistance and how to develop an action-based roadmap to completion. National and regional experts will be present to share their expertise.

Some of the participants at the Appalachia Health Investment Design Forum, including Kentucky ARC alternate, Sandy Dunahoo, center.

Thanks for information from this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ARC.gov/about/?ref=page_internal; this page on ARC: https://www.arc.gov/appalachian_region/TheAppalachianRegion.asp; this page on ARC: https://www.arc.gov/appalachian_region/TheAppalachianRegion.asp; this newsletter: https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=9bfa82f6fd59f9f14e40259c1&id=206404ffb8; and the above links.

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Click Here: A LIFETIME OF HOMEWORK