The ACT-SO Competition

The Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics is a major initiative of the NAACP. Students from around the Country participate in county and regional competitions. Students are judged in the areas of drawing, classical & contemporary vocals and instrumental music, sculpture, biology & microbiology, computer science, math, earth and space systems, physics, medicine & health, music composition, poetry, essay, oratory, entrepreneurship, dramatics, film making, photography, dance, and painting. On April 19, 2009 Springbrook had the largest number of MCPS students to register and participate in the Montgomery County ACT-SO competition. Out of 125 registrants, Springbrook had 40. Of the 40, 20 competed. The gold medalists from Springbrook are Rekara Neal Gage in the area of poetry, Jessica Njong in the area of photography, and Braxton Cook in the area of contemporary instrumentals. They will represent Montgomery County at the national convention in New York this summer. Other medalists are: Reynaldo Roberts who received a silver medal in biology, Ragan Negassa won a bronze medal in biology and microbiology, Etah Jayne Harris earned a silver medal in classical vocals, and Rekara Neal Gage received a bronze medal in photography. Please congratulate the students along with Tammy Patterson for getting them involved in this historic event.

Mr. Mann Wins Money for Digital Art Classes

Jonathan Mann was one of 32 artist/art teachers selected from hundreds around the country to be awarded by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to attend the 16th annual Power of Art: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities workshop at The Lab School of Washington on May 1, 2009. As well as having the opportunity to work with Mr. Rauschenberg’s son and the Lab School faculty, Mr. Mann was given a special reception at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. received a check for $500 worth of art supplies for his Digital Art classes at Springbrook High School.

Our SERT Strikes Again!

High schools throughout the county participated in SERT's Lead by Example Energy and Recycling Awareness Campaign where they were charged with a mission to create an energy and recycling awareness campaign. Our judges were quite impressed with the portfolios submitted and the apparent leadership abilities exhibited while carrying out these campaigns. The students worked together to achieve a common goal, inspire others, and lead MCPS further into an environmental awareness. We are pleased to announce that components of each campaign will be used to develop a best practices manual for high schools. Our students are leading by example! These campaigns presented strategies for success in creating not only energy and recycling awareness but showed a global awareness of our impact on the environment. First Place: Seneca Valley High School Second Place: Springbrook High School Third Place: Montgomery Blair High School Honorable Mention: Walt Whitman High School Poolesville High School

Dr. Rock Wins a Grant!

Dr. Melanie Rock, a chemist and teacher here at Springbrook, won a grant to support chemistry students. On behalf of the American Chemical Society and the Hach Programs she was awarded about $1500. The funds will be used to purchase 30 Prentice Hall Molecular Model Kits for use in the science department. We are very excited because she was one of 400 applicants. We share this honor along with Thomas Wooten High School.