urbana teen wins student peace award - the town...

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Vol. 13, No. 4 www.towncourier.com April 26, 2019

Urbana’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Urbana, Sugarloaf, Flint Hill, Green Valley, Landsdale, Windsor Knolls & Kemptown

Urbana Teen Wins Student Peace Award

By Gina Gallucci-White

U rbana High School junior Dabitha Taylor has been named a 2019 recipient

of a Student Peace Award of Frederick County.

The award honors students who have aimed to make the world a better place by promoting the values of peacemaking, conflict resolution and respect for all. All 11 public high schools as well as two private high schools each select a student to receive the award. Taylor was named as UHS’s award winner.

“Honestly, I was quite shocked,” Taylor said. “I didn’t really expect (the award) but I am really happy about it.”

The idea for the award was brought before the spiritual life committee at Friends Meeting School five years ago. A committee member had seen a program in Virginia that gave student peace awards and thought it could work in Frederick, too.

After getting information about the program, including ideas on sponsorships and guidelines for winners, the group started the awards for Urbana, Linganore, Oakdale high schools and Friends Meeting School. The next year,

UHS Honored as Blue Ribbon SchoolBy Pam Schipper

U rbana High School (UHS) was recognized by the state on Wednesday, April 17 as

a Maryland Blue Ribbon School. State Superintendent Karen Salmon and Frederick County Superintendent Theresa Alban, in addition to elected officials and other dignitaries, visited UHS as part of the Blue Ribbon School Tour of Excellence.

“We’re proud of Urbana High School on being named a Maryland Blue Ribbon School, the only

high school to earn the honor this year. Way to go, Hawks!” Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner said.

“The Blue Ribbon award honors UHS as an exemplary high performing school where students achieve at very high levels,” according to a Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) press release. “… Urbana High was selected for the exceptional educational opportunities the school provides.”

According to FCPS, “By their senior year, 97 percent of students have taken rigorous offerings

in Inter national Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses or career technology courses leading to industry certifications. UHS students have a longterm track record of giving back to the community, having raised over $150,000 for pediatric cancer research and $100,000 to support special education programs such as the Rock Creek School. Scholar athletes and coaches earned UHS the Spires Division Principal’s Cup a third

Photo | Submitted

Junior Dabitha Taylor was selected as this year’s recipient of the Student Peace Award of Frederick County, representing Urbana High School.

n BLUE RIBBON Continued on page 13 n PEACE AWARD Continued on page 4

HAWK Kids Recognized by Sustainability Commission

By Pam Schipper

T he numbers are stunning. Since Jan. 15, Urbana Elem entary at Sugarloaf

has generated 11,132 pounds of lunchtime waste—and has diverted

5,779 pounds of organic material and 2,577 pounds of liquids to composting, a whopping 75 percent.

This takes it away from the landfill where most food waste is

Cinco de Mayo OpensBy Marylou Bono

C inco de Mayo has come to be known in the U.S. as a celebration of Mexican

American culture, and it is more popular here than in Mexico, where the holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Cinco de Mayo is also the name of the newest restaurant in Urbana’s quickly expanding variety of dining choices. Owner Antonio Ulloa’s fifth location—others are in Westminster, Columbia, Martinsburg and Middletown with a sixth location planned in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands—is a tastefully done wood and brick

corner with a long, partially secluded bar and a metal sun

n HAWK KIDS Continued on page 6 n CINCO DE MAYO Continued on page 15

Photo | Pam Schipper

The Urbana Elementary HAWK Kids were recognized for their composting pilot program on April 17 at Winchester Hall.


Cinco de Mayo’s sangria is a popular complement to the restaurant’s signature dishes made from family recipes.

Photo | Frederick County Executive Jan H. Gardner

State Superintendent Karen Salmon, Urbana High School Principal David Kehne and Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner participated in the Blue Ribbon School Tour of Excellence at UHS on Wednesday, April 17.

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First Frederick Walk to Cure Arthritis PlannedBy Pam Schipper

I t’s been a real Urbana effort. Urbana High senior Emily Mogel organized the firstever Frederick Walk

to Cure Arthritis, planned for May 18, 10:30 a.m. in Baker Park, as part of her

internship with the Arthritis Foundation in Rockville. Mogel, who was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of two, has volunteered with the Arthritis Foundation for a number of years and also brought a juvenile arthritis platform to the Miss Maryland

Outstanding Teen competition in 2018.“This has been a wonderful

experience, coming from someone who has arthritis,” she said of the walk. “Doing all I can has helped me and my family to cope with the disease. It affects 54 million Americans and 300,000 children.”

The walk is also the designated beneficiary of the Superintendent’s Cup, a challenge activity program sponsored by the Frederick County Association of Student Councils (FCASC). Launched in 2017, the Superintendent’s Cup is open to all FCPS secondary schools and seeks to raise awareness of an issue and inspire students to give back to the community.

For the past two years, Relay for Life has been the beneficiary. This year, UHS senior Tyler Kendall, who is the 20182019 FCASC president, suggested the

Pre-Mother’s Day Opening for Farmers’ MarketBy Pam Schipper

F or its 13th season, the Urbana Library Farmers’ Market is trying something new—opening before

Mother’s Day so patrons can purchase locally grown flowers, baked goods, bath and beauty products and oneofakind gifts from local artists. “We keep growing and evolving,” Jan Wickline said. “The market keeps doing its thing.”

Jan Wickline and her husband, Ray, of Blue Faerie Farm in Middletown founded the Urbana market in 2006, and it operated at Landon House for two years before moving to its longheld location in the Urbana Library parking lot.

The Sunday, May 5 opening will bring 14 or 15 vendors out, Jan Wickline said. Since it’s early in the growing season, the opening market will feature lots of local artisans—like CloudGeode by Christina Clark of Ijamsville (tiedye shirts and onesies for little ones, succulents and geode jewelry), Rob van Rens of EarthtoTable Pottery (longtime Urbana market artist), NKU by Joyce KwamenaPoh (shea butter and jewelry featuring beads created in Ghana) and artist Denis Clifford (Urbana High senior who paints magical landscape scenes). Rebel Kitchen and Golden Rose Bakery of Frederick will bring sweet and savory creations. And for those who like to

spice things up, “Uncle Bobby should be back with his hot pepper plants,” Wickline said.

Blue Faerie Farm plans to bring baked goods, hopefully some strawberry jam and storage apples to the opening market. The first weeks of the market “are mainly about being there, talking to people and finding out what they’re interested in,” Wickline explained. “We do mostly fruits, and people will ask if we have a certain kind of peach or apple.”

Green Acres Family Farmstead will bring eggs, chicken and pork to the opening market, and Red Hawk Rise Organics is returning as well. Wickline

is especially happy to feature small farmers who are just getting started. “We like to do that,” she said.

Look for flowers on Mother’s Day, May 12, from Anne Bertinuson of Rosebud Estates in Monrovia. She has been selling local, freshcut flowers for more than 15 years.

Vendors are not required to be at the market every Sunday. “We’re more relaxed than some farmers’ markets,” Wickline said. Vendors “come when they can” as long as they tell organizers about their plans.

Compiled by Pam Schipper

Living Grace’s Community Service Beautifies UHS

In honor of Earth Day and to beautify Urbana High School before its Blue Ribbon Tour of Excellence visit on Wednesday, April 17, members of Living Grace Lutheran Church cleaned up trash at UHS on Saturday, April 13. Children from Living Grace’s Confirmation class also worked on the community service project earlier that week.

UHS was visited by the state superintendent and other dignitaries on April 17 in recognition of its Blue Ribbon School award.

Urbana Volunteers Receive Fire and Rescue Awards

Three Urbana Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department members—Cheryl Hipkins, Thomas “Frank” Hipkins and Russell “Jake” Lenhart—were honored April 15 by the Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association (FCVFRA). The FCVFRA’s Annual Volunteer Fire and Rescue Awards, held at the Walkersville Volunteer Fire Department social hall, recognized the brave, dedicated men and women who have worked diligently putting forth extraordinary efforts and lifetime achievements in support of the volunteer fire and rescue service.

Cheryl Hipkins is the recipient of the Robert L. Renner Departmental Service Award. Cheryl Hipkins handles many of the administrative duties for the company. She works the majority of the fundraising events. She is an active member of many of the committees introducing new and inventive ideas, and she spends many hours at the station checking on and purchasing supplies for maintaining the station and for fundraising functions.

Thomas “Frank” Hipkins was named Firefighter of the Year. Frank Hipkins is consistently one of the top five responders. He has served as a line officer for both fire and EMS. Frank stays current on all protocols and training. He attends inhouse training to help the new members learn the basic skills. Frank Hipkins, who is currently the engineer, uses his vast mechanical knowledge to keep the apparatus and the equipment on the trucks and ambulances in good working order.

Russell “Jake” Lenhart received the Heart of a Volunteer Award. Jake Lenhart has been an active member for over 45 years. He has responded to emergencies, helped with the physical construction of the fire station, served in elected office, chaired the Kitchen committee and done just about anything else he was asked to do. In 2018 Lenhart worked his magic in the kitchen, feeding 700 people when he had only planned for 600 at the Breakfast with Santa. He also volunteers at New Midway Fire Company.

AROUNDTOWNVol 13, No. 4

CONTENTS3 COMMUNITY7 ARTS

10 EDUCATION14 BUSINESS

17 FEATURES22 SPORTS

COMMUNITY

n ARTHRITIS Continued on page 5

n FARMERS’ MARKET Continued on page 6

n AROUND TOWN Continued on page 4

Photo | Living Grace Lutheran Church

Members of Living Grace Lutheran Church cleaned up trash at UHS on Saturday, April 13. Pictured are (back, L to R) Ray Kuntz, Linda Kuntz, Cole Galloway, Connor Metz, Pastor Michael McQuaid, and (front, L to R) John Barnhart, Brian Barnhart, William Barnhart, and Jeanne Ruddock.


Longtime Urbana Library Farmers’ Market artist Rob van Rens of Earth-to-Table Pottery will be returning this season.

Photo | Submitted

Urbana High School’s Student Government Association’s Executive Board (L to R) Celine Liptrot, Ember Carrera, Abigail Crosby, Emily Mogel, Ashley Hull and Zoe Assasi are part of Hawks on the Hunt for a Cure, the UHS team participating in the inaugural Frederick Walk to Cure Arthritis.


the awards expanded to include the entire county.

The committee sends each school guidelines, and each school chooses the student in different ways. Annette Breiling, award committee member, noted some schools will have guidance counselors meet with teachers to discuss nominees. “We’ve gotten some very lovely nominations from different schools,” she said.

While many schools honor students for academics and/or athletics, Breiling noted one recipient was thrilled to be recognized for peacemaking skills as it is not a common accolade. “I would like to see more attention going to peacemaking,” Breiling said. “I think we have so much attention on upholding solutions of force and violence to problems rather than upholding peaceful approaches to our conflicts. ... It seems increasingly important to (recognize peace). We have so much violence surrounding us nationally and hate speech and people being hurtful to one another. We want to counter that by promoting cultures of respect for one another and caring for one another.”

For the past two to three years, Taylor has worked with Mount of Prayer Apostolic Ministries to raise money for local homeless shelters. “They are just really kind and encouraging people,” she said. “The things they do, the volunteer work that they do, I really appreciate it. I like what they do.”

The group raises money through donations and an annual bake sale. Taylor said the money donated might be the little boost

someone needs to make a better life for themselves and their families.

The 17yearold also volunteers at Frederick Regional Health System (FRHS) and Homewood retirement community. “I’ve always wanted to be a doctor,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of the health profession.”

Working the front desk at FRHS, she does clerical work and sometimes escorts patients to destinations. On Saturdays, she volunteers at Homewood, helping take residents to different activities, and loves to listen to the stories of their lives.

“I always feel like it is necessary to give back to the community,” the Urbana resident said. “I just think it is a good thing. I feel happy. I feel like I have done something worthy of my time when I give back to the community, when I help, when I volunteer. ... I get to help others without them paying me back.”

Each award winner receives a $200 check for themselves and $100 contribution to the charity of their choice. Taylor, who is also on UHS’s Step team, is saving her check to help pay for future college expenses and asked that her contribution be given to Mount of Prayer.

Each winner met at a Pizza for Peace event in midFebruary and were formally recognized at a ceremony at Friends Meeting School in late March.

“I appreciate the award,” Taylor said. “Honestly, I am just happy that the little things that I do, just simple volunteer work could give me such an amazing opportunity to have this award.”

New Vendors at VOU Pools

Popular food truck In10se Bbq will be the new concessions vendor at the Harris Street pool. In10se Bbq will be working with longtime Villages resident Lisa Kennedy Mitchel, who will be the new concessions vendor at the Shafer’s Mill pool.

Urbana CDA Expansion Approved

The Frederick County Council approved expansion of the Urbana Community Development Authority (CDA) by 96.16 acres on April 16. Originally created in 1997, the CDA sets up a special taxing district to generate funds for infrastructure improvements like roads and sewers. Frederick County has issued bonds to the CDA over the years in 1998, 2004 and 2010. Boundaries of the Urbana CDA have also been expanded since its inception in 1997.

The 96.16 acres comprise Natelli’s new 55plus active adult community across Urbana Pike from Urbana High School and bordering the Urbana Corporate Center and Urban Green.

The addition will not increase payment to the CDA and does not change the term of the current CDA, according to Lori I. Depies, CPA, Frederick County Division of Finance director.

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For Editorial: 240.418.4350Also on the Web at www.towncourier.com.

©2019 Town Courier LLCThe Town Courier is an independent newspaper published once a month that provides news and information for the communities of Urbana, Sugarloaf, Flint Hill, Green Valley, Landsdale and Kemptown in the state of Maryland. The paper is published by Town Courier LLC, which is responsible for the form, content and policies of the newspaper. The Town Courier does not espouse any political belief or endorse any product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signed and may be edited for length or content. The Town Courier is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. Letters to the Editor and Commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, management or advertisers of The Town Courier.

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Frederick SHP Builds Bunkbeds for Kids Who Need Them

By Pam Schipper

A growing group of dedicated volunteers are spending their waking hours building bunkbeds so

that kids who need them may sleep. The Frederick County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) was launched in October 2018 by Lou Stavely, an Ijamsville resident and lifelong woodworker. The chapter president has spent intervening months coordinating with the SHP national nonprofit headquartered in Twin Falls, Idaho, assembling a leadership team, soliciting donations and getting the word out.

Following a corporate build on Saturday, April 27, the Frederick chapter will be completely up and running—and open to requests for beds in the 21701, 21702 and 21703 Frederick zip codes.

“As the word gets out, it just snowballs,” Stavely said. “The guys in Idaho are doing 80bed builds a day and they’re behind. They have 200 requests backed up. It’s unbelievable. Apparently, there’s a huge need for this out there. A lot of people don’t know that these kids are sleeping on the floor.”

The April 27 build is sponsored by the Maryland International Harvester Tractor Club, Barron’s Lumber in Gaithersburg, and the Montgomery County Police Alumni Association. The Maryland International Harvester Club meets at Jerry Murphy’s farm in Ijamsville, and the Murphys have donated the use of their barn to the April 27 SHP Frederick corporate build and a March 25 team build so far.

“They’re fantastic people,” Stavely said of the Murphys and the Maryland International Harvester Tractor Club. For the March 25

team build, Mrs. Murphy brought out 50 ham sandwiches and homemade cookies. The club donated $2,000 to SHP Frederick and invited Stavely to their Feb. 23 banquet at the Libertytown VFD Hall.

“They’re my biggest donor so far,” he said.But many have pitched in. “People who

hear about it are very receptive,” Stavely said. From the woman at the banquet who was

inspired to donate five pillows, two sheet sets and two blanket sets and the volunteers who haul supplies in their pickup trucks to the Frederick Lowe’s, Baltimore Stanley Black & Decker/DeWalt and Gaithersburg Barron’s Lumber—many have stepped up to donate labor, material and tools.

To get bunkbeds to the children who need them, the process is pretty straightforward, Stavely said. Each bunkbed costs $350, and that includes stained wood frame, mattress, bedding, delivery and setup. A build is typically 10 bunkbeds and can be sponsored by a business, club, church or community

n BUNKBEDS Continued on page 6

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Arthritis Foundation as the beneficiary of the Superintendent’s Cup.

“This was a special moment for me,” said Mogel, who is UHS Student Government Association president and part of FCASC. “We had to vote on this, and people chose the Arthritis Foundation.”

“I’m glad FCPS is a part of it,” Mogel added. “We’re looking to get more schools to participate.” The UHS team, Hawks on the Hunt for a Cure, currently has 22 members. Urbana Middle also has a team participating in the Walk, the Heroic Hawks.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, one in four Americans has arthritis. “The fact is it’s the #1 cause of disability in the United States,” Emily Mogel’s mother, Cindy, said. “Arthritis is a term for over 100 inflammatory diseases. There are over one million Marylanders with doctor diagnosed arthritis.”

One of the walk’s honorees, UHS science teacher Dr. Suzanne Dashiell Elder, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 14 and has fought the disease for 36 years. “This is not a disease with people of old age. It affects everyone of all ages, and you can’t always see it,” she said.

Emily Mogel was in her class this fall. To be an honoree “definitely is a blessing,” Dashiell said. “It’s very, very humbling to

have a student of mine nominate me. … I’m really humbled and honored.”

Dashiell has seen advancement in treatment over the years. “When I was diagnosed, they didn’t have biologics. … Now they use biologics and immunotherapy.” Whereas years ago, doctors would treat the symptoms, “now they go after symptoms and the disease,” she said.

Dawn Nguyen, UHS class of 2017, is another walk honoree. Nguyen was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of 15. Currently studying at Emory University, Nguyen is part of the Emory Weightlifting Club and has found the best combination of medication, physical therapy and exercise to manage her arthritis.

Local Urbana businesses are supporting the walk. Sage Physical Therapy & Wellness in Casa Bella Commons and Massage Envy in the Giant shopping center have registered teams.

“Come out and support us,” Dashiell urged.“There is no registration fee,” Mogel said.

“Anyone can sign up, and the walk is free.” For more information, visit www.

walktocurearthritis.org/frederickmd. To support the UHS team, visit www.facebook.com/mogelsona.mission. A UHS team fundraiser will be held on Thursday, May 16 at Westview’s Café Rio with 20 percent of your purchase donated to the team.

n ARTHRITIS from page 3


group. On the scheduled build day, volunteers come out to work specific stations. No experience is required.

“We walk the people through. It doesn’t take much,” Stavely said. “They’re real easy stations like basic sanding. It works really well. … I’ve been to seven builds in Harford

County. They just explain it to everybody, and they just start doing it.”

For more information, visit the SHP Frederick Facebook page—search “Sleep in Heavenly Peace MD, Frederick Co”—or contact President Lou Stavely at [email protected]. Volunteers are welcome at the April 27 build. Information is on the SHP Frederick Facebook page.

Some—like New Horizons Apiary of Ijamsville—come later in the season when their products are available.

This results in a group of mainstay vendors and others that cycle in and out, meaning that there’s often something new to discover at the market. Wickline is excited about new vendors Bear’s Quilting & Bear’s Bath Shoppe, as well as Maple Cottage Studio multimedia artistry.

“This year’s lineup of musicians is really good,” Wickline added. “And we have a couple of surprises.” Urbana musician Casey Friedberg will perform at the opening market

on May 5. Once it’s set, the music schedule will be published on the Urbana Library Farmers’ Market Facebook page. While most musicians live in Frederick and Urbana, some hail from West Virginia and DC.

A new food truck will be in town, too. The Pham food truck will bring Korean food this season.

The 2019 Urbana Library Farmers’ Market will run Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 27. Last year’s market featured 35 vendors, and Wickline said this season is shaping up with that number of vendors or more. Visit www.facebook.com/UrbanaLibraryFarmersMarket for more information.

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buried and emits greenhouse gases, including methane which is 25 to 30 times more destructive to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

Add in a cleaner recyclable stream, and only 12 percent of Urbana Elementary lunchtime waste now makes its way to the landfill.

The Frederick County Sustainability Commission recognized the Urbana Elementary HAWK (Helping All With Kindness) Kids for their composting program on Wednesday, April 17 at Winchester Hall.

“This is great to see so many young people interested in these topics,” said Ron Kaltenbaugh, chair, to a hearing room packed with students, parents, teachers and administrators.

BarT Mountainside’s Joe Richardson leads the Food Waste and Composting pilot program at Urbana Elementary, a followup to the Urbana High composting program begun in January 2018. “The data has really been pretty compelling,” he said.

“Some of our HAWK Kids every day have gone into the lunch room after the lunch period. They pull the bags out of the bins. … They weigh it on a daily basis,” Richardson explained. “They weigh everything. They weigh the trash, they weigh the recyclables, they weigh the organics and the liquids. So, they have been doing this every day after lunch period since Jan. 15.”

Urbana Elementary Principal Tess Blumenthal said, “We are so proud of our students and how they have embraced this. It started with Joe coming for a visit and his enthusiasm … our staff was immediately caught up with it.”

Meghan McKeever, one of the Urbana Elementary teachers who spearheaded the school’s composting program, said, “The kids have been awesome delegating jobs and taking charge of it. It wouldn’t have been possible without them. They show up and they collect the data. … We’ve talked about becoming waste warriors, and I really feel like that’s what we’re doing.”

HAWK Kids, who are third, fourth and fifthgraders, were honored by grade and

shared their thoughts on the composting program. Eight students from Brunswick High were also honored by the Sustainability Commission for their pilot program that involved trash sorts and data collection at Brunswick High, Brunswick Middle, Brunswick Elementary and Valley Elementary.

Senior Loretta Donoghue, who initiated the program in Brunswick, said, “It was really eyeopening for us to see how much we really go through and throw away, and I think it was disappointing how little information our peers had about it—so seeing so many elementary and middle schoolers with us today is really exciting.”

“The data that they (the Brunswick High students) gleaned from this supported what we were seeing at Urbana, and all of this data is critical,” Richardson said.

The Southern Frederick County Rotary has been funding organics removal at Urbana High and Urbana Elementary. Next year, the composting program will be expanded and operate in at least 14 schools. “Rotary clubs are going to band together to fund organics removal at these schools with the intent of proving that … it can be done within the budget of the school system by reducing the number of dumpster pulls,” Richardson said.

“FCPS pays $106 per dumpster pickup,” he added. “The organics removal is about $54 a week. If we can reduce one dumpster pull between two schools, the school system can afford to implement this program systemwide.

“We want to prove that this doesn’t cost more, that this can be done within the budget. All we have to do is properly sort … and if you also reduce waste by 85 percent, it would more than cover the cost at all schools. So what started at Urbana High School last year, what’s been ongoing at Urbana Sugarloaf this year is going to spread and within two years we anticipate this will be systemwide.”

This would make Frederick County Public Schools the first school system in the country to embrace a systemwide composting program, Richardson said.

n HAWK KIDS from page 1

n BUNKBEDS from page 5


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Through My Lens: The Photography of Erin Tacheny

S pring brought its images of renewal in the form of pho

tography to the Delaplaine Art Center’s satellite gallery at the Urbana Library through digital photographer Erin Tacheny’s calming and contemplative lens. With about half black and white and half color, the show is both active and contemplative in its images of everyday rural life.

Thurmont resident Tacheny, a fulltime research biologist with a photographic hobby, lets it shine in the stories her photographs spin evoking thoughts of the past and calming glimpses of nature. She has called photography her hobby since high school. “I don’t consider myself a professional photographer—it is definitely a hobby—a fun outlet. I shoot what I like.”

She joined the Frederick Camera Clique about 10 years ago and was president for three years. She has participated in a number of juried shows at the Delaplaine and Frederick Community College, and she is just getting back into photography after a lapse to study for her master’s in biotechnology, which she completed a year ago. The Delaplaine invited her to show in their library series.

Her professed fondness for landscapes and abandoned buildings shows itself in “Tangled,” with vines wound around an old barn door. Its black and white shadows give a sense of loneliness and abandonment. “Old Idea” ponders the light bulb in sepialike tones. Several others in this vein include reminisces of pastoral life—tractors, old machinery, a work bench. “I prefer black and white, of course depending on my mood, but I can get on a color kick.”

My favorite is “Foggy Mountain Path”—ethereal and smoky, deep in the woods as if looking through a dream. “In Silhouette” is also appealing—a great blue heron on the shore at sunset. “Georgia Mill” is a spring landscape while “Autumn in Motion” shows just that. “I love to travel and have other

photography friends who I shoot with,” Tacheny revealed. “If it is a foggy day or it looks like a good sunset around Frederick County, I will go out and shoot.”

Two years ago, she went to Iceland and Scotland. “The trips are usually photographydriven. We make our schedule around photo shoots,” she said. A favorite site is Death Valley. “I love all the varying landscapes—dunes, rocks, wide open spaces, textures.” She is also taken by Alabama Hills in California. “The area is used in a lot of Western movies,” she said. “’Django Unchained’ was filmed there. I love the rock structures.”

Upcoming for Tacheny are several juried shows and a photography trip to Tuscany in May. “Through My Lens” is on view at the lower level of the Urbana Library through May.

Midwest-Influenced Photographer Michael Berry Captures Nature

By Marylou Bono

I llinois native and Ijamsville resident Michael Berry’s deep, moody black and white landscapes, encompassing the

advantage of nature’s expanses, are thoughtful landscape masterpieces composed by a patient and discerning eye. His childhood in central Illinois formed the inspiration and love of open spaces and the unexpected beauty nature unfolds for those willing to take the time to observe.

Though Berry works primarily in landscapes, he also works with still life—usually with a naturethemed background of found objects. His first passion is clearly black and white, although the primarily neutralcolor romantic landscapes of J.M.W. Turner, an English painter active in the early 1800s, as well as Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer and others provide particular inspiration to the lifelong photographer.

Berry earned a BFA in studio art from Millikin University in Illinois and a BA in photography from the Art Institute of Colorado. He ran a photography studio in northern New Jersey specializing in photographing products for national accounts in the food, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods industries, and taught large format photography as an adjunct professor at The College of New Jersey.

He traces the point that his interest in photography really took off to the time he spent doing screen printing in college creating serigraphs. The process involves making a Kodalith negative from a camera negative in the darkroom, which produces images of varying degrees of dark, light and color through different degrees of exposure. Images are projected onto a silkscreen, creating positive/negative areas, and then printed through the screen onto watercolor paper. This was all hand work, and he loved the process.

Since relocating to Maryland in 2002, he has participated in several juried shows at the Frederick Arts Council and the Delaplaine and, most recently, a solo show at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown. He uses 35mm, medium format, large format film and a digital singlelens reflex camera (DSLR).

“When out running errands and I see something of particular interest and don’t have all my gear with me, I’ll use my phone as a sketch, and geotag, that allows me to return to the scene. Sometimes I will view that one scene from a variety of angles if the initial response isn’t ‘it’ and perhaps return when the lighting and/or weather has changed entirely,” Berry said. This is a slow process that may require him to revisit his chosen site multiple times, often taking into account specific weather conditions.

He develops his own film, then scans each negative on a drum scanner before adjusting contrast in the digital darkroom. He watches weather apps to see what is happening nearby and takes advantage of any photo ops. In Illinois, he could see storms approaching near the farms and flat landscapes. In Maryland this is a more calculating endeavor, but with no lack of unusual weather patterns. “Where was I a few days ago? Tramping around in the snow. ... The crazier the weather the better the photos!” he said.

Berry sees the art of photography as a combination of skills—the “left brain, right brain paradigm”—a crossover/cross pollination of parallel interests and talents that coalescence behind the camera. He said, “Photography has lots of technology involved. ... It is not strictly a visual medium—you have to apply several sciences.” Clearly his formal teaching and the technology of developing film has formed the left brain. The right brain is heavily influenced by an

ARTSEYEON ART

By Marylou Bono

Photo | Submitted

Ijamsville photographer Michael Berry works primarily in landscapes and explores the unexpected beauty nature unfolds for those who are willing to take the time to observe.

Photo | Erin Tacheny

Thurmont resident Erin Tacheny exhibits images of everyday rural life in the “Through My Lens” show at the Urbana Regional Library.

n BERRY Continued on page 8


as well as a dress rehearsal with an audience. Wills, who said she loves performing,

admitted that “it was a little scary at first, but in the end, it was amazing.” She treasured most “the opportunity to work in a professional setting and perform on the Kennedy Center stage.”

“It was even better than what I expected,” Wills added. “Not only did I tumble, but I got the chance to act, which I also really like doing.”

The girls’ performances made Davis proud. “The kids acted like professionals and learned a great deal from this experience. They shined on stage,” she said.

But it was no surprise to her. “Our dance team students are very talented dancers and tumblers who are involved in school activities, their communities. They are honor roll students, and they juggle a very heavy dance education and competitive schedule.”

All dance team members were invited to take part in the United World Games Dance Tour. Kate Wills, along with Brooke Burns, Abby Talmage and Ellie McCleaf, will take the June 16 to 25 trip, which will include stops in Munich, Salzburg and Venice. The girls will have “an opportunity to learn from other instructors in the different countries, learn about different cultures, and most importantly, perform in front of thousands of people,” Davis said.

Chelsea Cooper, a choreographer, teacher and performer who works at both Urbana Dance and the Vienna, Virginiabased Adrenaline Dance Studio, was selected to choreograph the opening number for the World Games, Davis explained. Cooper assembled a group of 26 dancers, ranging in age from 7 to 18, to perform her piece.

“The dancers all come together on Sunday nights for two hours at Adrenaline,” Davis said. “If they can’t make the rehearsals, they attend a scheduled makeup class at Urbana Dance. We want these dancers to be successful, so Chelsea and I work together to create the opportunity in their busy schedules to accommodate them learning the choreography.”

Working with Adrenaline’s dancers has taught Urbana dancers “to learn that other studios can work together and not worry

about the competition between us,” said Davis. “Adrenaline and Urbana Dance are both providing a wonderful opportunity for our future artists to be educated, exposed to and be successful in the industry. It is all about teaching and preparing our students for different experiences.”

Kate Wills “couldn’t pass up the chance to represent my country doing what I love to do every day,” she said. “I am so excited to be able to see places in Europe and also perform in front of 80,000 people.”

Despite her substantial commitment to dance, Wills “honestly doesn’t know” what she will pursue as a career. Still, she believes that the Kennedy Center shows and the Dance Tour “are developing me personally and as a dancer. Personally, it’s teaching me time management by helping me learn to keep up with all of this and my regular dance/school schedule. It’s also helping me develop skills working with other teachers/professionals. which will help me later in life with college and my career.

“As a dancer, I am growing, learning from new choreographers and directors and performing with new people.”

idyllic childhood in the Midwest surrounded by farms, sprawling prairies and the power of contemplation. He reminisced about childhood memories that resurfaced when he lived in New Jersey and visited the Pinelands at night with a view of the strip of lights that is Atlantic City. “It reminded me of being back in Illinois where I grew up—in the farmlands.”

He typically works in a series, likening it to a band as they put together an album, always with a thread of continuity in it, a similarity. The recent show at BlackRock featured more of his grander work with

multiple exposures. His “Louvre/Pei Pyramid” photo was published a few years ago in Black & White Magazine along with a collection of his black and white work. Each series is approached within a context, and he is currently focusing on infrastructure, making a statement. “We’re getting crowded out,” he said. In the Midwest, the perspective is vastly different.

One of my favorite photographs is “Ijamsville Moonrise.” You can check out all of Michael Berry’s work and find out about upcoming exhibits on his website, www.michaelberryphotography.com, and on Instagram at michaelberry1213. Contact Berry via his website or call 301.874.3853.

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n BERRY from page 7

By Ellyn Wexler

T eens who train at Urbana Dance Studio are making their mark in the wider world.

In March, three dance team members performed in the Washington National Opera’s production of French composer Charles Gounod’s opera “Faust” at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In June, four dancers will perform at the United World Games in Klagenfurt, Austria.

Urbana High School ninthgraders Kate Wills and Taylor DeGirolamo, junior Eliza Tews plus senior Cali Davis (who trains elsewhere) auditioned successfully for roles as acrobats/tumblers in the opera.

“This is the first time the girls have been presented with this kind of opportunity,” said Sonja Davis, Urbana Dance’s owner and artistic director. “One of my guest teachers is working at the Kennedy Center, and she reached out to the girls to audition. My ballet teacher, Robin Griffin, works at the Kennedy Center parttime helping backstage, so she was able to help the girls get to and from after school.”

Kate Wills, who has 13 years of dance training, the past two at Urbana Dance, takes classes and/or attends rehearsal six to seven days a week. Her application included still photographs and “videos of me doing particular tumbling and acrobatic moves.” She and her fellow acrobats did six performances

Photo | Submitted

Taylor DeGirolamo, Eliza Tews, Cali Davis and Kate Wills performed in the Washington National Opera’s production of “Faust” at the Kennedy Center this March.

Urbana Dance Studio Offers Dance Team Members Opportunities to Shine

For more news, follow us on Twitter and Facebook at:@UrbanaCourier and Facebook.com/UrbanaTownCourier


flute and eventually I didn’t really like the piccolo as much, so I never really studied the piccolo. I stuck with the regular flute.”

With a love of music and a desire to share melodies with children, she became a music teacher and taught for many years in FCPS including Urbana, Walkersville and Glade elementary schools before retiring.

Kelsey stayed with the group for so long because of her love of playing. “The music that we do is challenging and it is aesthetically pleasing,” she said.

Glenn, who is in his 70s, has been playing the flute since seventh grade and holds a master’s degree in flute performance from the University of Tennessee. In 1989, he was hired to teach at the Arts and Communications Academy at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School. “Instrumental folks (know

that) if we don’t have something to prepare for, we don’t practice,” he said. So, he decided to start the flute choir knowing “if I don’t find some other folks to play with, I am not going to do any more playing.”

Most members are local to the county but some travel from as far away as Carlisle and Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, and Stevensville, Virginia. Individuals must try out to become members and practices are held once a week on Wednesdays in Frederick from September to May.

Because the choir has grown over the years, Glenn now directs the choir instead of playing. “Everybody is equal,” he said. “I move the parts around so all the players get to play. Nobody always plays first flute. Nobody always plays fifth flute. Everybody gets a chance, and they love it.”

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Frederick Flute Choir to Host 30th Anniversary Concert

By Gina Gallucci-White

T hirty years ago, Norma Kelsey, then a music teacher for Frederick County Public Schools, received a memo

asking if she would want to participate in a new flute choir forming in Frederick.

“I remember thinking ‘This sounds like fun,’” the Urbana resident said. “It gave all of us an opportunity to play in a serious group like an orchestra but unlike an orchestra we would be playing most of the time. Usually in an orchestra there are lots of times when the flutes just sit there, and there is only room for two or three flutists in the orchestra because that’s how the composers write the music whereas in a flute choir you are playing pretty much all the time. I just thought this just really fits the bill. I was delighted to join.”

Kelsey was one of six people to join in 1989 and has remained in the choir ever since. “I think that making music with other musicians who enjoy it so much is very important, and we are all friends,” she said.

To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the group will be hosting a concert at 3 p.m. on May 5 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick. There will be donation boxes there to support Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership—Frederick.

Currently made up of 16 members who range in age from mid20s to mid70s, the choir will play a wide variety of pieces

including “Memories of East Tennessee in the 1940s” by Austin Allen Scott, “Blue Train” and “Songs of the Ocean” both by Ryohei Hirose, and “Golliwog’s Cake Walk” by Claude DeBussy. “The pieces are basically the music that we have played over the years that we have really come to love,” said choir founder Jennings Glenn.

The event will also feature three other groups made up of current and former members. Four of the six founding members are still in the choir but will be joined by the two other founders to play Gustaf Holst’s “The Jig from the St. Paul Suite.” The low flute choir, made up of alto, contrabass and bass flutes, will be playing two selections, and the final group will feature current and former members playing patriotic songs called the “American Flute Salute.”

“If you would have said then (in 1989 that) you guys are still going to be doing this 30 years from now, I would have laughed at them,” Glenn said. “... Flute choirs were beginning to grow and expand nationwide in terms of having quality music written for them back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, and it has just exploded since then nationwide.”

Kelsey was first drawn to the flute as a child. Growing up in Boston, her parents would take her and her sister to see the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. “I just loved the piccolo,” she said. “I found out you can’t really just start on the piccolo. You have to start on the flute. I started studying the

Photo | Submitted

The Frederick Flute Choir, directed by Jennings A. Glenn, will present a gala concert celebrating their 30th season on Sunday, May 5, 3 p.m. at the historic Evangelical Lutheran Church, 31 E. Church St. in downtown Frederick.


• The Show Choir received the Adjudicators Award for professionalism, a wellplanned program and overall achievement/performance.

• The UHS choirs received the Choral Sweepstakes Award for the highest combined score of two choirs from one school.

• The Show Choir received the overall top choir award, recognized as the best choir of the weekend’s competition with the highest score.

• Three students received Maestro Awards for solos. They were Bella Cowley and MacKenzie Ford for best duo in “Creep” and Spencer Whims for baritone solo in “Ain’t Got Time to Die.”In addition, the Concert Choir was

awarded the “Golden Ticket,” an invitation to perform at one of the Festivals of Gold next year, including a performance at Carnegie Hall.

UHS FFA Students RecognizedUrbana High’s FFA Veterinary Science

team placed first in the state with Laura Antizzo and Holly Myers placing first and second respectively in individual scores. Jaclyn Bryant and Ryanne Thereault also placed.

Urbana High’s FFA Milk Quality and Product Evaluation team placed second in the state with Erinn Sanders placing second in individual scores. Other students placing were Sarah Woo, Arianna Yi, Clayton Hedin and Christian Johnson.

Goddard Celebrates 10 YearsThe Goddard School celebrated 10 years

in Urbana with cake from Sage Cakery, pizza, pony rides from Stone Eagle Stables, balloon artistry, face painting, a moon

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EDUCATIONASSIGNMENTEDUCATION

n ASSIGNMENT EDUCATION Continued on page 11

Compiled by Pam Schipper

UHS Choirs Bring Home GoldUnder the direction of Alicia Cosby,

Urbana High’s Concert Choir and Show

Choir traveled to Atlanta April 12 through 15 for a WorldStrides OnStage Competition and brought home numerous awards.

• Concert Choir and Show Choir achieved the highest Gold rankings.

Photo | Submitted

UHS Choir Director Alicia Cosby (second from L, first row) and seniors (first row) Julia Bui, Megan Celi, Rachel Martin, (second row) Jackie Hubbard, Zoe Thomas, Megan Sweeney, Sarah Solender, Cassie Ball, (third row) Hailey Chambers, Tommy Truitt, Jack Baumgarten, Peyton Ambush and Natasha Jafari pose with the many awards the UHS Concert Choir and Show Choir won in the WorldStrides OnStage Competition.


Owners John and Jill Pelicano celebrated 10 years at the Goddard School Open House on March 30.


bounce and more. Former Goddard teacher Laura Hoptak sold Usborne books at the open house and donated 50 percent of the day’s proceeds to Goddard.

Goddard plans a second location next door to the new Sugarloaf Elementary School in Stone Barn Village. Owners John and Jill Pelicano anticipate an early 2020 opening.

UHS Students Medal at State SkillsUSA

UHS students enrolled in Career and Technology Center programs competed and won at the State SkillsUSA competition. They are Grace Neff (first place), Lilly Stephens (first place), Nathan Nardini (first place), Haleigh Tucker (first place), Matthew DiPasquale (second place), Sergei Travis (second place) and Jerry Huang (third place).

Shred It for a Good CauseThe UHS Marching Band’s annual

shredding event is planned for Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring your documents to the UHS auditorium parking lot and see them shredded before your eyes. Just $10 for a medium box (about the size of a ream of paper box).

Community Ag Day Brings Fun, Learning

The Urbana FFA will be hosting “Ag Day” on Saturday April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free community event brings children’s activities, music, a petting zoo, a dog demonstration, a plant sale and more. This event will take place at Urbana High School, near the greenhouse and gymnasium.

UHS Plant Sale Benefits Horticulture Program

The Urbana High School Horticulture program will be holding its annual Plant Sale on Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to noon. The plant sale will be located in the greenhouse next to the gymnasium. You’ll find flowering annuals, perennials, vegetables, house plants, patio planters and hanging baskets for sale.

Mini-THON Events Raise Funds to Battle Pediatric Cancer

The MiniTHON Community Hour & Dance is Saturday, April 27, 5 to 7 p.m. There will be many activities, including face painting, lifesize checkers, arts and crafts, raffles and more. Admission to the Community Hour is by donation. All funds raised support pediatric cancer research and families battling the disease.

Spring Dinner Theater PlannedThe UHS Drama Department presents

“The Great AllAmerican Musical Disaster” by Tim Kelly, described as a “hilarious, fastpaced, eyepopping farce” by Samuel French publishers, on May 3 and 4 at Urbana High. Enjoy a fullcourse dinner at 6 p.m. served by the actors, followed by the comedy at 7 p.m. Visit www.uhsdrama.org for more information. Tickets are $25.

Keep Urbana as OneFCPS Board President Brad Young will

attend a Keep Urbana as One meeting on Tuesday, April 30, 6 p.m. at the Villages of Urbana Natelli Center, 9023 Harris St. Young will answer some questions regarding the redistricting proposals and listen to the com munity and the different alternatives to keep Urbana students attending schools in Urbana.

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Children enjoyed balloon artistry and more at a recent Goddard School Open House.

n ASSIGNMENT EDUCATION from page 10

Photo | UHS Drama

Jack Baumgarten starred as J. Pierrepont Finch in Urbana High’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” staged April 4, 5 and 6.

Photo | Urbana High School

Urbana High’s Academic Team won the “It’s Academic” quarter-final match on April 6 in Baltimore. The team returns on May 5 to compete in the semi-final match.


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Urbana Elementary Student Council Positive Force in New Nest

By Pam Schipper

W hen Urbana Elementary moved into the new Urbana Elementary at Sugarloaf this academic year,

the transition got a boost from a new source—the Urbana Elementary Student Council.

The Urbana Elementary Student Council, guided by Assistant Principal Marc Clausen, launched in October, but with a twist. In addition to four elected officers from the fifthgrade class—President Madeline Gibbs, Vice President Umaiza Syed, Secretary Lo McAnaw, and Communications Director Meibelle Wiesmann—the student council includes two representatives from each third, fourth and fifthgrade class. These representatives bring ideas from the entire student body, and they are empowered to initiate their own classroom projects with their teachers.

“I am very proud of these kids,” Clausen said. “These girls here, these are kids that make me feel good about when I get older. I know we’ll have kids like this be leaders and take care of us.”

Clausen, who came to Urbana Elementary during its last year in the old building, said that his inspiration for launching the student council was “new school, new building.” He had started HAWK (Helping All With Kindness) Kids in 20172018.

Gibbs, Syed and McAnaw echoed his

thoughts when asked why they stepped up to run for student council.

“I wanted to make the school better than it already is,” McAnaw said. “Since we were moving into a new nest as Hawks, we needed to start helping each other and all the teachers.”

“I wanted to have a chance to make the school a better place and kind of feel like I’m part of the changes and things that are happening in a positive way, and I wanted to have some say in the ideas and things that we’re going to do,” Gibbs said.

In addition to helping the school transition into a new building, Syed said she was interested in being a leader and helping others.

The four officers lead a student council of 32 representatives. The reps manage classroom suggestion boxes and bring suggestions from the student body to the officers. Officers also go around to the classrooms and facilitate discussions.

Drawing involvement from across the school is not a common student council structure, but Clausen said, “That’s the main thing I wanted to go into it with—as much involvement as possible.”

He and elected officers worked together to create an organization that works for Urbana Elementary.

“We went in not knowing exactly what would happen, no outline. … We really opened up discussion—how do we envision this working, what are we going to do,

what’s going to be our purpose—so we started this completely ground up.”

In his 22 years in primary education, Clausen said that he has never been part of a student council. “It took a lot of consideration, a lot of research,” Clausen said. “There’s not a lot of stuff out there for elementary, a lot of it was geared toward middle and high school and that’s not relative to what we do here.”

Officers agreed that their year leading the new student council has been a meaningful one. They appear on morning announcements, each week sharing the names of students recognized for going above and beyond. These students receive scratchoffs with special winnings like l unch with the principal and a ride in the school’s elevator.

“It was really fun, and we got to do a lot of things,” Syed said.

“It was a great experience to be on the student leadership council,” McAnaw said.

“I would definitely do it again in middle school,” Gibbs said.

They hope that next year’s student council follows their lead and continues to make Urbana Elementary all that it can be. “A hope would be that what they take from us is how much hard work we put into this,” McAnaw said.

The Urbana Elementary Student Council plans a dance fundraiser for the Greater Urbana Area Food Bank on May 24.


WKMS Students Advance to Destination Imagination Global Finals

By Ronald A. Robisch

A team of Windsor Knolls Middle School seventh graders—Duncan Ways, Nicole Simmons and Skylar

Robisch—competed at the Destination Imagination Maryland State Tournament held at UMBC on March 30. Known as Team Woah! (intentionally misspelled), the trio took first place in a field of 15 teams competing at the middle school level in the Improvisational Challenge, Heads Up! In addition, the team also earned a Destination Imagination Renaissance Award for excellence in performance.

Destination Imagination (DI) is an international, projectbased educational program that encourages innovation, teamwork and creative problemsolving. Students choose one of seven different openended DI challenges and work together in teams to plan, create and present their solution.

The Improvisation Challenge Heads Up! requires each team to quickly incorporate numerous required improv elements that are judged by the appraisers. Just before their performance, teams are randomly assigned two “Figure Heads” that must be included into the basic “Tale” that they are randomly assigned. Also, a “Flip” event is revealed during the performance and must be included, and at the same time the whole performance switches genres from comedy

to tragedy (or viceversa) and also switches from verbal to nonverbal.

The Team Woah! skit began as a sitcom style comedy (complete with a quick rendition of the “Friends” theme song and use of a laugh track) where where Victor Hugo, author of “Les Miserables” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and China’s Gold Panda were working at an amusement park and selling cotton candy. After unveiling the Flip, which demanded that “a dog walking itself ” enter the story, the skit turned both nonverbal and tragic as the Gold Panda soon became sick while riding the rollercoaster.

Teams competing at States advanced from Regional Tournaments held in early March. The Windsor Knolls students placed first at DI’s Western Regional Tournament as well.

Winning the Maryland State Championship now qualifies the team for participation in DI’s Global Finals, which will be held May 22 to 25 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The team is now actively fundraising to help pay for the expense of the trip, which is estimated to be approximately $10,000 including team registration, lodging and travel. On Monday, May 6, they are holding a fundraiser at the Mt. Airy Chipotle from 5 to 9 p.m. Also, the team has established a GoFundMe page where donations directly to the team can be accepted: www.gofundme.com/windsorknolls destinationimaginationglobals.

Photo | Submitted

Duncan Ways, Nicole Simmons and Skylar Robisch, members of the Windsor Knolls Middle School Team Woah!, and their team managers Ron Robisch and Andrea Morley will be at the Destination Imagination Global Finals in Kansas City May 22 to 25.

consecutive year in 2018 for sports manship and athletic achievement.”

Following the Blue Ribbon School Tour of Excellence ceremony, Principal David Kehne tweeted to the school community, “Humbled to be a part of an incredible school! Thanks to the staff and students who attended the celebration today. Thanks, too, to those who joined us from all over Maryland to celebrate UHS! #unity #pride #integrity.”

UHS is currently in the running for national Blue Ribbon School status. Only 12 Frederick County public schools have received national Blue Ribbon School awards. They are Urbana Elementary (2018), Centerville Elementary (2017), Kemptown Elementary (2015), New Market Elementary (2010), Windsor Knolls Middle (2002), Middletown Middle (1998), Yellow Springs Elementary (1994), Frederick High and Linganore High (1993), Gov. Thomas Johnson High (1991), Middletown Elementary (1990) and Middletown High (1987).

n BLUE RIBBON from page 1


Kannavis Holds 4/20 Celebration

Kannavis, 8709 Fingerboard Road, celebrated 4/20 with storewide discounts, free swag bags, tshirts and more. 4/20 is a holiday celebrating marijuana, now becoming more mainstream in states where medical marijuana is legal.

Sierra Grand Opening PlannedSierra, 5425 Urbana Pike, plans a grand

opening on Saturday, April 27, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. with music, giveaways and more. Sierra carries everything from discounted brand name active apparel and footwear for men, women and kids to kayaks and camping equipment.

Groundbreaking for Soccer Complex This Sunday

A new soccer complex will break ground Sunday, April 28, 12 p.m. at 3348 Big Woods Road in Ijamsville. Toca Juniors Soccer Complex will feature four fields, four openair pavilions, four parking lots, restrooms and storage—with a clubhouse to be added at a later date. Owner Christian Noguera founded the Toca Juniors Football Club in Potomac 16 years ago, and he envisions the Big Woods location as a club for the Urbana neighborhood, much like the neighborhood

soccer club he grew up with in Cordoba, Argentina. For more information, visit “Urbana Soccer” on Facebook.

Online, Local Pickup Farmers’ Market Club Launches

Fingerboard Farm Market is partnering with 1000ecofarms.com to bring free and easy pickup for local farm goods purchased online. Proprietor Dawn Gordon explained that 1000ecofarms.com is “a very popular food buyers’ club model that is growing fast! Local farmers can sell without each buyer coming to their farm.”

Customers purchase through the 1000ecofarms.com website. Then their purchase is delivered to the Fingerboard Country Inn, 10240 Fingerboard Road, in cooler bags marked for each family and ready for outdoor pickup.

“We are starting very small with some select items so we can grow and learn on a small scale,” Gordon said. She urged local farmers of lamb, pork, chicken or vegetables to reach out to her for more information by emailing [email protected]. A May 5 open house, 2 to 4 p.m., is planned. Visit Fingerboard Country Inn on Facebook for more information.

Salsa Saturday Is the New Taco TuesdayBy Maureen Friedman

T ired of heading to MoCo or DC every time you want to get your groove on? Now you can learn to dance—or

just practice your moves—every other Saturday at The Greene Turtle in Urbana.

La Mezcla Entertainment began biweekly Latin dance lessons/dance socials on

Wednesday, Feb. 13. The Wednesday events were met with excitement and enthusiasm, and all four socials were well attended.

However, customer feedback was clear: Attendees and wouldbe attendees alike would prefer the events to occur on Saturday nights, when they could be less rushed

n SALSA SATURDAY Continued on page 15 n SHOP TALK Continued on page 16

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La Mezcla Entertainment is bringing the Latin dance scene to Urbana at the Greene Turtle. Irving and Martha Figueroa performed on opening night in mid-February.

SHOPTALK Compiled by Pam Schipper


from work and have more energy to dance later into the night without worrying about having to wake up early for work the next morning.

La Mezcla, headed by Jojo La Peruchita and with the help of Greene Turtle Manager Shirley Murphy, listened to this feedback and decided to move the events to Saturday nights beginning in midJune. In the interim, there will be a hiatus from dances while the team focuses on “creating a dance community,” said La Peruchita.

The mission of La Mezcla Entertainment, which translates to “The Mix” in Spanish, is to showcase all Hispanic cultures by providing ways for individuals to “learn, grow and dance” in a way that welcomes both beginners and dancers looking to improve and meet other dancers in the community.

La Peruchita, who used to live in the Frederick area, disliked having to drive all the way to Montgomery County or DC to enjoy a night of dancing. She had worked with local and regional business Seniõr Marketing, which is very connected to the Hispanic community and now runs all the media and marketing for La Mezcla Entertainment. La Peruchita was out driving one day with an eye out for a potential dance location when she noticed the still relatively new Greene Turtle and stopped in.

As it happened, Murphy has a lot of experience with these kinds of events from her years spent working at various restaurants in Texas. She had already been considering how to start a salsa night when La Peruchita came in. “It was a huge coincidence,” noted La Peruchita.

The first event was a big success with many attendees, and there have since been

many repeat customers. The social dance portion of the evening is 18 and older, but the lessons are open to younger teens as well. The last lesson in March, before the hiatus and transition to Saturdays, counted teens in the majority. Attendees learned Bachata, a Latin dance from the Dominican Republic.

After alternating couples to learn the steps for the first portion of the evening, instructor Marsha Bonet taught “lady styling” to female participants. Lady styling is “the embellishment of the dance,” said Bonet, and usually reserved for women. It is when you add “your flavor” to the steps.

La Mezcla Entertainment invites you to join them for Latin dancing on Saturday nights starting in midJune. The Town Courier will post an update when exact days and times for the events become available.

sculpture that lights up. It’s not your usual red and green decor.

Over a huge burgundy glass of housemade sangria—light and refreshing and not too sweet—Ulloa said, “We try to be a different kind of Mexican restaurant. We avoid frozen foods, use a special longgrain converted rice and add garlic to dishes that traditionally don’t use it.”

Ulloa grew up in North Carolina where his father owned restaurants, so he has been part of the restaurant business his entire life. When he was a teen, Ulloa recalled that his father would say, “You want some money, go clean some tables!” He quickly learned the value of money and also how to develop and grow businesses.

Ulloa and his older brother moved to Virginia and opened three Mexican restaurants in the Blacksburg area. After his brother moved on, Ulloa was travelling in the Hagerstown area and really liked it. He researched options and opened his first Cinco de Mayo there three years ago. Soon, however, the area became glutted with restaurants and business suffered, so he closed that location and opened others.

He came to Urbana about three years ago and said it reminded him of Raleigh, North Carolina—growing like crazy. He kept the idea of an Urbana location in the back of his mind for when the time was right. “I really liked the area. ... That is what was attractive. It’s growing and is familyoriented.”

Cinco de Mayo is currently operating in softopening mode with a grand opening date pending. Ulloa wants to continue to prepare and get training exactly right before its officially opening.

The menu is large, has a lot of standards but some standouts as well. The recipes are those passed down from Ulloa’s father. Signature Arroz con Pollo is made with boneless marinated chicken strips, grilled with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes and served over rice topped with a special cheese sauce. Another signature is Camarones al Mojo de Ajo—garlic shrimp with a nice bite served with rice, beans, pico de gallo and sour cream. It features their homemade garlic sauce. The guacamole is also made onsite with the addition of garlic. The cheese sauce is their recipe, and they also add chorizo to it. Ulloa said that the bowls are popular, with varied seasonings and additions. He plans to change the menu every 18 months.

He has a tough schedule and visits each restaurant twice a week. “I can’t be complacent,” he said. “I’m constantly trying new areas.” One of those is the Kentlands in Gaithersburg where he working on a site in the retail center currently undergoing renovation. The location will be larger than Urbana, and he hopes to open there in late fall.

Ulloa lives in Westminster with his wife and four small children. He emphasized the desire for the restaurants to be family friendly but also appeal to all. “We want to stand out for our individuality,” he said.

Once officially open, happy hour will be Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 pm. Cinco de Mayo is located at 3501 John Simmons St. on the corner next to Manhattan Pizza and offers an outdoor patio. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for the grand opening date.

n SALSA SATURDAY from page 14

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n CINCO DE MAYO from page 1


Almost Show Time at Saddleview Ranch

Saddleview Ranch, 2719 Thurston Road, kicks off its first show of the season on May 5. All are invited to see the show, which begins at 10 a.m. Snacks will be available for purchase.

Urbana Pediatrics Coming Soon to Casa Bella Commons

Dr. Jennifer Burns will open Urbana Pediatrics at 3534A Urbana Pike in Casa Bella Commons this July. Look for more information at www.urbanapediatrics.com in early May.

JHCP Opening Soon in UrbanaJohns Hopkins Community Physicians

(JHCP) will be coming to the 7,091squarefoot space above the Greene Turtle in the Giant shopping center. According to Jessica Segall, JHCP marketing administrator, an August opening is anticipated. JHCP has more than 40 locations throughout Maryland and D.C.

Taco Eating Contest PlannedThe Greene Turtle, 3501 John Simmons

St., will hold a Taco Eating Contest on May 5, 3 p.m. Ten contestants will eat as many grilled chicken tacos as possible within 5 minutes to win cash prizes. The registration fee is $9.99. Visit thegreeneturtle.com for more information.

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Is This Tick Season?

W e are now entering tick season … or so we

think. Unlike many other parasites, ticks are not killed by freezing temperatures. They are not active unless the temperatures are above freezing. We rarely have prolonged periods of freezing temperatures that eliminate the need for prevention.

Maryland has the American dog tick, deer tick, brown dog tick, lone star tick and rarely the Gulf Coast tick. Some have no seasonality to active periods, while others are more active spring to fall with lower activity in winter. Lyme disease is the most common tickborne disease here. Ticks come with other diseases—Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick paralysis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis. Preventing bites is critical, even after Lyme vaccination.

Dogs are the main focus. Outdoor cats get ticks, but groom most off and rarely develop tickborne diseases. Dogs need more help from us. There are many effective products for tick prevention. The choice is based on

lifestyle risks, health, budget and personal preferences.

Topicals (oil based and applied over the back) are still the best option. There is a collar that provides a more continuous topical oil over eight months (nothing like the traditional collars). The topicals stay in the oils against the skin and in the hair follicles and are not absorbed systemically. Ticks crawl through it and die or have their mouth paralyzed before they are able to bite.

Oral preventatives (pills) are effective, but these have downsides. Ticks have to bite to get the product and it can take eight to 48 hours to kill them. Unfortunately, ticks transmit disease in 24 hours. There is more risk of disease transmission even if you kill the tick. These products can trigger seizures in dogs prone to them. Pet owner concerns over exposure to humans with topicals and greater ease of administration drive interest in these products. These products are generally more expensive than topicals.

Managing your environment can also decrease the risk for tick exposure. Keep grass mowed under three inches, keep wood piles in dry areas, clean up yard waste, keep plants trimmed to avoid higher moisture on

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Curtis Sittenfeld Brings the Bennets to the 21st Century

A few reasons inspired me to pick up Curtis Sittenfeld’s

2016 novel “Eligible.” Most important, I felt something light to read might alleviate the stress of my newscycle obsession. Also, I had loved the St. Louisbased author’s four other novels, and I somehow missed this one when it was published.

An additional bonus: I had not read Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the classic Sittenfeld adapted in “Eligible,” since high school, and thus was motivated to reacquaint myself with the wonderfully romantic 1813 novel.

“Eligible” is one of six Austen books that are part of publisher HarperCollins’ The Austen Project, launched in 2013. Thus far, in addition to Sittenfeld, three authors (Joanna Trollope, Val McDermid and Alexander McCall Smith) have taken on the task of reframing a beloved Austen novel in modern times. Sittenfeld is the only American writer thus far—“Eligible” takes place in her native Cincinnati suburbs—and the

only one to change Austen’s original title.“Pride and Prejudice” satirizes the

sheltered 19thcentury British world—

FEATURESTHE CONSTANTREADER

n CONSTANT READER Continued on page 18 n TICK SEASON Continued on page 18

By Ellyn Wexler

PAWSITIVEINSIGHTS


the ground, and avoid attracting deer and rodents. Choose hiking paths that are not lined by tall grasses and stay on the path. Yard treatments are also available at home improvement stores or can be professionally applied to reduce ticks.

Dogs can still get exposed even if you do everything correctly. Every dog should be checked for tickborne disease once a year.

There is a great test available to run at your vet’s office in under 10 minutes. It screens for Lyme, two strains of anaplasmosis and two strains of ehrlichiosis. This test will catch it early and give your dog a chance to avoid more serious effects. Your veterinarian is a great resource to help you evaluate your dog’s risk level and which products are the best and safest for your dog and your family.

Greta Stamberg, DVM, is owner of Clarksburg Animal Hospital and an Urbana resident.

characterized by pride in status and wealth, and prejudice against social inferiority—in which Austen lived. It focuses on the efforts of socialclimbing Mrs. Bennet to marry off her five verydifferentfromeachother daughters, and the tempestuous relationship between one of them, protagonist Elizabeth (known as Eliza or Lizzy) and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy aristocratic landowner.

“Eligible” deals with many of the same themes—romance, society’s emphasis on marriage and having children—and has mostly the same cast of characters, often with updated nicknames, ages and professions. Mrs. Bennet seems a bit sillier, snobbier and more selfpitying, with Sittenfeld adding her unacknowledged addictions to shopping and reality television. The Bennets here are heavily in debt, their house going to ruin, and Mr. Bennet’s health is precarious.

Jane, the eldest daughter, is approaching 40; she teaches yoga and resorts to artificial insemination for her chance to bear a child. Clever, responsible New York Citybased Liz writes for the magazine Mascara. Middle child, the reclusive Mary, collects online academic degrees, and the youngest girls, Kitty and Lydia, are unemployed, live with their parents and are obsessed with CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets until they find relationships—transgender and interracial—that distress their mother.

Charles Bingley, Jane’s suitor, here known as Chip, is a handsome doctor who has come to town after appearing on a “Bachelor”like

show called “Eligible.” Like his friend Chip, Fitzwilliam Darcy, too, is a handsome doctor. They are caricatures of what socialclimbing mothers like Mrs. Bennet want for their daughters: rich, attractive doctors from good families.

In terms of form, Sittenfeld uses even shorter chapters than Austen—181 of them, in fact, within 481 pages compared to Austen’s 61 in 314 pages. Amid ample white space, they are almost too easy to consume and create the illusion that the plot is advancing quickly. At times, I found it choppy.

Some of the 21stcentury updates were effective as well as amusing. Sittenfeld aged the sisters some two decades, adjusting “spinster” age to a modernday 35plus. Her Jane, without marital prospects as her biological clock ticks away, resorts to artificial insemination. The lowlife characterrevealing backstory to Jasper, Liz’s philandering ex, features a misogynistic racist incident while he was in college. And “hate sex” is the basis of Liz and Darcy’s formative relationship.

I felt that other changes were too bizarre. The TV dating show, “Eligible,” factors largely into a somewhat ridiculous “happily ever after” ending. Kitty and Lydia tend to speak like 5yearold boys. I was baffled by the character Willie, Liz’s very odd, affluent and singularly unattractive in every way stepcousin, who marries her bestie Charlotte Lucas.

Still, Sittenfeld is a wonderful storyteller—and “Eligible” provided the chick lit chuckles this constant reader needed.

n CONSTANT READER from page 17

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Black Bears on Sugarloaf Mountain

W e typically think of black bears occupying the

Blue Ridge Corridor, that is, the ranges west of Sugarloaf Mountain. And even though I have never seen a black bear on Sugarloaf, I have seen bear scat, which, to me, is proof enough of their presence. To confirm it, I contacted Harry Spiker, Game Mammal Section leader at the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife & Heritage Service. According to Spiker, “all of Frederick County, including the Sugarloaf Mountain area, is in our ‘occupied’ bear range,” meaning that there are bears on Sugarloaf and throughout the county. Spiker also confirmed that black bears are in the area yearround, including the denning period that takes place from midNovember through to the end March.

Black bears den along steep cliffs, brush piles, blowdown, and will even den in large trees. Female black bears, called sows, are delayed implanters, which means that even though they breed in June and July, the fertilized egg is not implanted in the uterine wall until November. Furthermore, the entire gestation period lasts about two months, concluding with the sow giving birth to a cub that weighs less than a pound—all while hibernating.

By midDecember, most black bears in the area are denned; however, it is possible to sight a bear during the winter. Spiker said that if a black bear is “healthy and well fed with a continued food source, they may stay active all winter,” adding that some bears have “been known to go ‘in and out’ of hibernation throughout the winter, waking up and moving, perhaps getting a meal somewhere,” then going back to hibernate. So, where does a black bear get a meal in Frederick County? Ideally, in the woods.

Bears and foodAcorns are the main food source for black

bears, and they prefer white oak over red, but they also enjoy hickory nuts, black cherries, black walnuts, birdseed from your bird feeder, and your trash if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, they won’t politely open the feeders and empty out the seeds (of course not, they’re bears!); so, if your feeders are broken, turned over and have large tooth punctures, you’ve probably been visited by a bear. “There are a lot of animals that will take advantage of an available trash bag,” Spiker said, such as cats or dogs, “but one sure sign that a bear got into the trash is that they tend to carry the bag to a ‘safe’ area,” away from the scene of the crime. Not unlike Yogi Bear and a picanic basket, I suppose.

Jokes aside, there are steps you can take to discourage black bears from visiting your home. The best deterrent, according to Spiker, “is to eliminate any food sources that may attract bears.” That means figuring out how to secure receptacles is key to keeping bears away from your home. Spiker recommends building or buying bearproof trash cans, keeping trash cans in a garage or shed,

frequent trash pickup, and washing trash cans with ammonia to rid them of food smells. Cleaning grills after use is important, too. If you’re aware of a bear in the area, take down your bird feeders. Birds do not require supplemental feeding and will be just fine without extra food.

Another smart way to keep bears away from your home is to feed your companion animals indoors. If you must feed them outdoors, leave enough for one meal. “Bears are extremely intelligent with great longterm memories,” explained Spiker. “Once they have access to food, they will remember and likely revisit the area looking for another easy meal.” Never put food out for bears. Doing so is dangerous and puts your community at risk for encounters.

SafetyWhen it comes to dogs, Spiker pointed

out that when walking in the woods, “it is always better to have your dog on a leash and under your direct control.” The reason for keeping dogs leashed is to prevent the dog from startling a bear, chasing it, or worse, inciting a bear’s chase reflex and leading the bear back to you.

Should you come across a black bear the best response is to let the bear know that you’re in the area. Stand up, make yourself large by extending your arms and speak to the bear in a firm voice. Even though the vast majority of humanbear encounters end with the bear fleeing the area, Spiker warned, “in the very unlikely case of a black bear making physical contact, fight back with anything that you have available.” It could be a stick, a rock, a backpack or your fists.

The black bear population in Maryland is healthy, and I am looking forward to a sighting, beyond scat, on Sugarloaf Mountain this summer. Nature and wildlife can be joyous experiences when interacted with responsibly. Please visit dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/hunt_trap/bblivingwith.aspx for more exciting information on black bears and to find out how to report a sighting.

Send your questions about birds and wildlife around town to [email protected].

By Orietta C. Estrada

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Black bears occupy all of Frederick County, and are sometimes active during the mid-November to late March denning period.


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MIKEAT THE MOVIESPenguins (G) *****

T he Disney magic is on high beam in this charming look at

Steve and Adeline, two Adélie penguins who find each other and mate. This is quite an achievement given the fact that in their colony alone, there are millions of Adélies and they mate for life—sort of.

It seems that penguins of this breed mate, raise a brood, get back to sea and separate, only to find each other the next winter if they survive the summer at sea. That they survive at all is a miracle as predators such as the skua—a gulllike bird that preys on smaller and weaker penguin chicks—and elephant seals, frightening beasts.

Ed Helms is the versatile narrator for the film and he has lots of moods to reflect: Fear as the leopard seal sneaks up on unwary chicks and adults, joy when the penguins escape, and humor as when he describes the almost perpetual hunt for food on the part of the mother and father penguin.

Steve and Adeline have two in their first brood and they both make the 100mile roundtrip to get them fish. The feeding process is several times described as “Barf on the chicks and keep them on the rocks.” Uncomfortable as it sounds, Adeline’s main job early on is to keep the chicks comfortable on the small group of rocks that Steve

assembles as a nest. Even that is fraught with problems as lazy neighbors tend to steal the best rocks for their own nests.

As with most Disney films, the photography is stunning. In this film the most brilliant work is done by underwater cameras. Shooting up, they isolate ice formations against the sky, giving you an entirely different sensation than seeing them above water. The only part of the film that might give the youngest kids the heebiejeebies are those scenes in which the leopard seals succeed in picking off the smaller, weaker penguins. They kill millions of mostly chicks each year, and they are frightening to see as they are huge and fast killing machines. For the most part, however, this is an utterly charming and—dare I say it, knowing that it can cause shudders—educational film about a funny, charming and resourceful little bird. It took three years to make, and material during the credits explains a bit of how they did it in often funny scenes of penguin antics.

Shazam! (PG-13) *****Yeah, I know, it’s a comics superhero

movie and they’re supposed to be lame. The writers and producers of this film know that as well, so they play the superhero for somewhat of a dunce.

Zachary Levi (Shazam) hits the pot of gold that franchises bring to lead actors and has a terrific time doing all of the stunts except flying. He cannot quite manage that for some time but his attempts are very funny, especially when his coach, Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), challenges him to “leap tall buildings at a single bound” and Shazam makes it to the 17th floor of a 25story office building before crashing into a window.

The film is really more about Billy Batson, Shazam’s young alterego. It is he who is Freddy’s friend and who is forced to try all these impossible tasks to prove he is a superhero. If there is a fault in the film, it is that the exposition is far too long. The action really starts with Shazam’s superhero, crimefighting antics. Freddy records all of it as “Visual Proof of Authenticity,” even when Shazam’s powers are more ordinary than super. The fact that Shazam/Batson can switch characters at the utterance of the word “Shazam!” comes in handy when Shazam, in red costume with a gold thunderbolt, wants to hide from Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) whose only function seems to be getting Billy or Shazam to tell him the secret word while holding a

powerful old staff. Doing so will transfer all Shazam’s powers to Sivana who then can wreak destruction on an innocent world.

Gradually other superheroes join Shazam in fighting evil—superhero Daria (Meagan Good), superhero Freddy (Adam Brody) and superhero Pedro (D.J. Cotrona). It gets so bad that a greeting goes like this: “I’m a Future Man. What’s your Super Power?” There’s a great sentimental finish to this film and a clear message that subsequent episodes are to follow. And yes, Zachary Levi is about 6’3” though perhaps not as well developed as Shazam, but it’s early in his career.

The Best of Enemies (PG-13) ****

Based on true events, this film tells the story of civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) and local Ku Klux Klan leader C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell). Theirs is an unlikely story because Ann pushed back against the disrespectful treatment of blacks in early ‘70s Durham, North Carolina, and C.P.’s “business” was hating blacks, Jews and anyone who was not white, AngloSaxon Protestant.

The film highlights the conflict. When a black person is late to an event, a white guy wisecracks: “You’re late. Must be on African time.” A bunch of redneck Klansmen shoot up a woman’s house because she is rumored to have a black boyfriend. C.P.’s wife, Mary (Anne Heche), reminds him gently that they would have no problems providing money for their son’s schooling if he would only open his gasoline pumps to black customers.

The turning point in the story is the burning of the black school in Durham, North Carolina. Activist and community organizer Bill Riddick (Babou Ceesay) is called in to see if he can find a solution. His way is the charrette way: Get the two groups to mix, exchange views and find a compromise. Wisely, he selects C.P. and Ann as his cochairs. They must not only share views but share a lunch table where they spend the first few days not speaking to one another.

The breakthrough for the charrette in general is whites listening to the gospel music that closes each meeting for the blacks. From that seed, and the kindness that Ann shows toward C.P.’s mentally handicapped son as well as a coffee break shared by Ann and Mary, ice begins to break.

The ice breaks slowly, though, as the Klan sabotages a local business, intimidates delegates to the charrette, an elder in the Klan justifies the shooting of a black home, saying “Sometimes there are necessary evils,” and C.P. is selected “Exalted Cyclops of the Year” by the North Carolina state KKK office. The tide relentlessly turns so that the final election of alternatives for the local black school voted on by the charrette is a bit of an anticlimax, but facts are facts.

The performances are first rate. Rockwell is an eventually loveable creep while Henson’s character softens enough to see both sides. I think you will like it and older kids, 12+, can learn a lot about race in America in the ‘70s.

Mike at the MoviesMike at the MoviesEnjoy more of Mike’s reviews

at www.towncourier.com.

By Mike Cuthbert

Photo | Disneynature

Ed Helms narrates Disney’s new nature documentary, “Penguins.”


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SAGEADVICE Managing Stress in a Healthful Way

W hat causes you stress? Is it your neve r end ing

“todo” list? Does your job cause you stress? Illness? A busy schedule? No matter what may be causing your stress, the most important thing is that it is managed in a healthy way.

According to many research studies, stress can affect the way our body functions. As stated in numerous publications, stress has an effect on memory, our cognition or ability to learn, the immune system, the cardiovascular system and more. The feeling of stress is overwhelming, the heart rate may increase, fatigue sets in, our memory begins to fade and things are forgotten. Stress can quickly spiral out of control and become disastrous. The harmful effects of stress on the body could be lifechanging, and therefore we must take care of ourselves in order to live out a happy, healthy and stressfree lifestyle.

To begin, pay special attention to what makes you feel happy and to what feels good. For many, managing stress may be as simple as spending more time with friends and family—but is this happening? We all need to take the time to actually schedule stressfree moments. Perhaps, you choose to take 30 minutes every evening before bed to take a bath or to meditate. Maybe what

works best for you is waking up early for quiet time or to practice yoga.

Simply put, we have to make it happen, otherwise there will be no improvement in stress levels. The fact is, we all know how to reduce our stress, but we simply aren’t following through. So, let’s make it happen.

Let’s effectively reduce stress. … Grab your phone, planner, some sticky notes or your computer. Choose one or all of the above and create reminders. Set an alarm for a specific time on your phone, or schedule yoga or meditation in your planner. Place sticky notes on your fridge, computer or elsewhere that remind you to breathe or to take a walk. The key is finding what works for you, and once you do, keep it up! You will find a reduction in stress in no time at all.

Editor’s Note: Laura Hartman is an exercise physiologist with Sage Physical Therapy & Wellness.

By Laura Hartman

Photo | StockSnap, Pixabay

Yoga is a great way to reduce stress.


SPORTSPotent Offense Propels Undefeated Urbana Boys’ Lacrosse

By Jennifer Beekman

T he Urbana High School boys’ lacrosse team’s eightgame unbeaten streak was in jeopardy against Frederick

County rival Linganore on April 16. Up 115 going into the fourth quarter, the Hawks found themselves locked in an 1111 tie at the end of regulation. But they didn’t flinch. The overtime win—and being battle tested—will likely end up paying major dividends as Urbana enters the final stretch of the season and playoffs.

“Even going into that overtime, when they had a five or sixgoal run, we all just kept our heads up in the huddle; we knew we were going to get the win,” said sophomore Jack Jozwiak, who leads the team with 59 points off 30 goals and 29 assists (through nine games). “The biggest thing for us is we all just really trust in each other’s ability to score and make plays, so none of us thinks we have to do too much when the ball is in our stick. I think that trusting each other and going through dogfights with each other is going to make us a better team.”

Urbana extended its winning streak to 11 with sound victories over Southern and Arundel, which both hail from lacrosse powerhouse Anne Arundel County. But early season wins over threetime state champion and seventime runnerup Glenelg (Howard County) and twotime defending state runnerup Winston Churchill (Montgomery) had confirmed what the Hawks entered the season believing—that they’re capable of beating anyone.

Despite being a fairly young offense, led in large part by two sets of sophomore twins—one of which only transferred in this year—Urbana’s offense has operated like welloiled machinery. With 196 goals, the Hawks are scoring an average of 17.8 per game and they’re not coming from just one or two players. Through nine games, 14 players scored at least one goal and five of

them tallied 18 goals or more. Sophomore Jason Kolar has racked up a teamhigh 37 goals, followed by classmates Jack Jozwiak and Jason Jozwiak (26), twin brother Eric (20) and senior Brendan Schmitz (18).

The Hawks’ offensive success has also hinged on unselfishness, their ability to play off each other and set one another up to score—62 percent of Urbana’s goals have been assisted. The Hawks are also mindful of taking the right shots, Jack Jozwiak said, moving the ball around until they have a good look at the goal, rather than settling.

“With so many weapons on the field, our kids could be selfish and worry about what type of points they get, who is scoring and who gets the assists, but they’re not,” Coach Gavin Donahue said. “They just care that we’re putting the ball in the back of the net and scoring 15, 16 or 17 goals a game. On a scale of 110, I think their ability to play with each other is at a 10.”

While Urbana has asserted its offensive dominance, one can’t forget how integral the Hawks’ defense has been not only in stifling opponents’ attacks, but in giving their own attacking players the freedom to move forward with confidence and take more risks. Led by senior goalkeeper Kevin Medina (63 percent save percentage), senior Steven Drabick and junior Joey Masson, Urbana’s defense has given up only 4.6 goals per game.

Though Urbana doesn’t get caught up in fantasizing about winning the program’s first state title, focusing only on the task at hand and improving each and every day, the Hawks, who are looking for their first state tournament appearance since 2014 and seventh overall, can’t deny something feels different this spring.

“Comparing our team to last year, it’s night and day, not necessarily (talentwise) but connection (with each other),” Medina said. “And I think because of those two together, we’re playing way better and hopefully can make a great run.”

Urbana Girls’ Tennis Celebrates 80th Consecutive Win

By Jennifer Beekman

T he Urbana High School girls’ tennis team improved to 80 this season with a 50 sweep of Tuscarora on

April 15. Remarkably, through eight matches this spring, the Hawks have dropped only two individual courts and four total sets.

But Urbana tennis is no stranger to such dominance. The Hawk girls’ victory over Tuscarora was their 80th straight dual match win dating back to mid2014—and Urbana’s boys are not far behind. While the girls are certainly mindful of the streak—and celebrate each milestone—the Hawks don’t put pressure on themselves when it comes to prolonging it, senior and No. 1 doubles player Aaliya Husain said.

“It’s fun to see how long we can keep this going, but there’s no pressure,” Husain said. “We just help encourage each other and help coach each other to achieve (success).”

Urbana’s rich history and depth makes breaking into the starting lineup a feat in itself, so once players are there, they know they hold themselves accountable, Husain added.

“Players work hard to be part of our team and earning a spot in our lineup is difficult,”

Coach AJ Stuart said. “Therefore, players know they have to be poised, confident and walk on the court with the mindset of playing smart (tennis).”

Urbana’s lineup is composed primarily of tennisfirst athletes, many of whom continue to hone their skills during the offseason, which gives the defending Frederick County champion Hawks an edge locally. But the goal this spring is to become more competitive at the state level, Husain said. Urbana’s boys and girls—which Husain said consider themselves one big unit—have the benefit of learning from some of the county’s most experienced U.S. Tennis Association tournament players.

Junior Sophie Geerneart is off to a 52 start in her second season as Urbana’s No. 1 singles player this spring after finishing third at last year’s county championship. In her five wins she lost only five games—six of her sets won were shutouts. Freshman Abigail Min has been dominant in the No. 2 singles position, compiling a 60 record, including a win at No. 1—no opponent has won more than four games in a single set. Husain and Sophie Nielsen, who won the Region I

Photo | UHS Athletic Boosters

The Urbana High School boys’ lacrosse team is on a winning streak, with 11 consecutive wins since March 21.

n GIRLS’ TENNIS Continued on page 23


mixed doubles title a year ago, are 70 and have won eight sets by a score of 60.

“I feel incredibly grateful to be a part of such a wonderful network of coaches and players,” Husain said. “Most of our lineup

has experience and trains outside of the regular season, which is really helpful in building a strong team. Those who don’t have as much experience are able to calm themselves when they’re on court and are really strong mentally.”

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The Hawk girls’ victory over Tuscarora was their 80th straight dual match win dating back to mid-2014.

n GIRLS’ TENNIS from page 22


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