
Burke School Set to Celebrate 75th Anniversary
The Burke School is turning 75. The building at the corner of Burke Lake and Lee Chapel Roads, dedicated in 1940, was built to accommodate the student population overflowing older three-room schoolhouse that was first built in 1912. The new school project benefited from the Works Progress Administration under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal.”

Robinson Junior Nominated to Join Future Medical Leaders
Natalie Hessler, a junior at Robinson Secondary School, has been nominated to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Boston, on June 24-26.

Northern Virginia Nereids Send Synchronized Swimming Duet of Woodson and Robinson Students to Nationals
High school juniors Margot Baden and Jackie Hafner, students at W.T. Woodson High School and Robinson Secondary School respectively, and their coach chose to set their duet synchronized swimming routine to a medley of music from the “Batman” franchise.
Fairfax County School Board Votes Down Veterans Day School Holiday
Fairfax Station resident Steven Hunt, retired U.S. Navy, put it bluntly: “Votes count, words don’t.” That was following a vote in which all but two members of the Fairfax County School Board voted against an amendment to the 2015-2016 calendar that would have made Veterans Day a school holiday.

West Springfield High School Hosts Job and Opportunity Fair
Robinson graduate Jackson Muse was looking for some professional direction. Currently a junior political science major at Shepherd University in West Virginia, he’s worked at Barnes & Noble but is potentially interested in counseling for the Fairfax County Park Authority, or helping open the new Wegmans at Hilltop Village Center.
Classes Canceled after Bomb Threat at Lake Braddock Secondary School
Lake Braddock Secondary School staff received a bomb threat via email, according to the school and Fairfax County Public schools representative John Torre.

Students From Around Fairfax County Recognized for Promoting Peace
After a friend of South County High School senior Sakira Coleman was sexually assaulted while running on a local public path, Coleman decided to take action and started the “Fight for Your Right to Run at Night” program.

Burke Freshman Team Wins Top Honors at Robotics Contest
“It’s a big deal,” said Doug Desrochers, coach of the Burke robotics team The Blockheads. He said, “The competition was fierce” at the First Tech Challenge Virginia Championship held in Richmond on Saturday, Feb. 28. But what gave freshmen Sam Bove, of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Roger Clanton, David Desrochers, Paul Han, and Amanda Nguyen, of Lake Braddock High School, an advantage was their use of 3D printing technology.

Fairfax County Swimmers Shine at States
Swimmers from 36 high schools from around Virginia competed in the Virginia High School League 6A state championship held in Richmond on Feb. 20.

Inaugural Celebration of Gospel Event Held in Burke
Last Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Lake Braddock Secondary School (LBSS) welcomed the Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University (HGC) to headline its first musical Celebration of Gospel. The concert was sponsored by the Minority Parents for Excellence in Education (MPEE), a parent-led organization that has been active at LBSS for almost 30 years.

Good Citizenship Honored
The Daughters of the American Revolution's Thomas Lee (Fairfax) chapter, in an event held at the Army Navy Club in Fairfax, awarded their 2015 Good Citizens award to Clifton resident and Robinson senior Elizabeth Telford. The award recognizes a high school senior who stands out among their peers and possesses the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.
MATHCOUNTS Regional Winners Announced
The Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS competitions were held on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Glasgow Middle School in Alexandria, and at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Arlington. This year, because of the exceptionally large number of students participating, the Regional competition had to be split between two venues.

Colonial Day at Cherry Run Elementary
Cherry Run Elementary School fourth graders in Burke held Colonial Day on Jan. 16. Students dressed in the styles of the 1700s. They learned the Virginia Reel and invited their parents in to the dance. Parents put together stations where students could stencil on cloth, hammer tin punch decorations, shake cream to make butter, and play games such as hopscotch, jacks, marbles and cat’s cradle.
First Art Steffen Scholarship Awarded to student in Centreville
For nearly three decades, Edward Arthur “Art” Steffen taught at Fairfax County Public Schools.

Lake Braddock Band Goes National
Lake Braddock Secondary School Symphonic Band has been invited to perform at the 2015 Music for All National Festival, presented by Yamaha, the nation’s most prestigious festival for school instrumental music ensemble. The 24th annual Festival will take place in Indianapolis, March 12-14.