‘Hairspray JR’ at Opinion, Page 12 Langston Hughes...

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com May 2-8, 2018

Opi

nio

n, Pag

e 12

v

Enter

tai

nm

ent, Pag

e 8

v

Cla

ssifi

eds, P

age

10Photo b

y Kim

berly

Ber

ry

WellbeingPage 7

‘Celebrating the Magic of Giving Back’News, Page 3

Remembering and Honoring Nabra Hassanen News, Page 4

‘Hairspray JR’ at Langston Hughes Middle

Entertainment, Page 8

Edna Turnblad (played by Ireland DiBacco) and cast of Langston Hughes Middle School

production of ‘Hairspray JR’ in April.

2 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ May 2-8, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Reston native and veteran graphic de-signer Chris Rooney will present a talkon the print advertising campaigns ofReston during its first decade and howthey relate to the creative revolution ofMadison Avenue in the 1960s. Advertise-ments that originally ran in the Wash-ington Post and Washington Evening Starreveal a wealth of insights on the newtown as it sought to define itself to D.C.area readers – those same readers neededto populate Reston as well as businesseswilling to relocate or set up shop in whatwas formerly wooded farmland in theouter suburbs of Virginia.

The event will take place Thursday,May 10 at 7 p.m. at Reston Commu-nity Center (RCC) Lake Anne Jo Ann

Rose Gallery.Programs of the Reston Historic Trust

& Museum are supported in part byReston Community Center.

Curated from over 70 newspaper ad-vertisements, the talk will examine themin chronological order from the initialteaser ads in 1963 when construction ofthe Reston’s first village center began to1971 when the new town’s populationreached its first 10,000 residents. Theevent will be capped off with the presen-tation of leave-behind book to the RestonHistoric Trust & Museum that displays allof the presented advertisements, most ofwhich have not seen the light of day inover fifty years. For details, visit https://www.restonmuseum.org/programs.

Local History: Talk on Marketing of aNew Town Reston

Week in Reston

‘Comcast Cares Day’ CelebratedOn Wednesday, April 18, volunteers from Comcast gathered at the Wash-ington, D.C. Ronald McDonald House for a day of volunteering as part ofthe 2018 Comcast Cares Day. Comcast volunteers cooked meals anddesserts for families staying in the house and spent time organizingsupplies, doing yardwork and cleaning up the outside of the facility. TheRonald McDonald House provides a ‘home-away-from-home’ for familiesthat have sick children receiving medical treatment at local hospitals.Comcast Cares Day, which takes place each April during National Volun-teer Month, is Comcast NBC Universal’s companywide celebration oftheir year-round commitment to service and the nation’s largest single-day corporate volunteer effort in the country.

Reston Connection ❖ May 2-8, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsConnection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Steve Hibbard

The Connection

About 400 people attended the26th annual Fairfax County Vol-unteer Service Awards on Friday,April 27, at the Waterford in

Springfield where some 144 individuals andgroups were honored. With the theme“Once Upon a Volunteer, Celebrating theMagic of Giving Back,” the breakfast in-cluded the “Who’s Who” of Fairfax County’sleaders in business, education, governmentand nonprofits. It was sponsored by Volun-teer Fairfax, members of the Board of Su-

pervisors and Chairman Sharon Bulova. Thevolunteers, who do everything from help-ing with technology mentoring, supportingat-risk seniors and working to combathomelessness, gave a total of 328,760 hoursof service worth $7.9 million in support ofthe Fairfax County community. Peggy Fox,Virginia Bureau Chief at WUSA9/CBS af-filiate, served as event emcee.

Many different awards were given out,including 2018 Benchmark Awards for vol-unteering 100, 250, 500, or 1,000 hours;2018 Community Champions who wereselected by the Board of Supervisors hon-oring a volunteer in their districts who was

dedicated to improving life in the countyand beyond; and 2018 Competitive Awardsfor youth, adult, and seniors in individualsand groups.

“Today is all about recognizing the won-derful volunteers we have in FairfaxCounty,” said Elise Neil Bengtson, CEO ofVolunteer Fairfax. “We’re giving them a plat-form so the county can understand betterwhere volunteers fill gaps and meet theneeds of the community and nonprofits atthe same time. Without volunteers, wecould not get everything done that we do.We have a tremendous wealth of experienceand education in this area so even whenyou’re older and retired, you can do amaz-ing things and feel good and stay energizedin this county and be an active participant.”

Added Rick Garza, Volunteer Fairfaxboard president: “This is a signature event

for Volunteer Fairfax and Fairfax County andthe City of Fairfax to just honor so manypeople who devote their time outside oftheir working hours helping others, help-ing our community be a better place.”

Board of Supervisors Chairman SharonBulova, who offered a Fairfax County Proc-lamation to Volunteer Fairfax, which wasestablished in 1975, added: “Fairfax Countyhas a unique culture and that includesvolunteerism through the roof … We wouldnot be able to do as much as we do withvolunteers if we didn’t have an organiza-tional body pulling people together, con-necting people and making volunteerismhappen. Congratulations Volunteer Fairfaxand thank you so much for everything youdo for our community.”

For more on Volunteer Fairfax, visitwww.volunteerfairfax.org.

‘Celebrating the Magic of Giving Back’Some 144 individuals and groups honored atFairfax County Volunteer Service Awards.

County ResidentsNamed CommunityChampion

The following citizen volunteers from thearea were chosen by members of the Boardof Supervisors from each of their districtsas a Community Champion. This award rec-ognizes volunteers who are committed toimproving Fairfax County through servicethat fulfills or addresses a pressing commu-nity need.

Supervisor John Foust honors Will-iam Pickens, Dranesville District.

May Bernhardt is an active supporterof the community not only as an individualbut also through her small business, May-flowers. Over the years, her personal cre-ations have added an element of gracious-ness and style to organizations fortunateenough to receive her floral creations.Among her many philanthropic activities, shedemonstrated her commitment to raise sup-port and funds when she and her staff joinedthe Cornerstones planning committee to end

Supervisor Cathy Hudgins honorsMay Bernhardt, Hunter Mill District.

homelessness. With her in-kind donations ofher professional goods and services, she con-tinues to support nonprofit organizations –exemplifying the Reston spirit of philan-thropy “live, work, play, and serve.”

District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said,“The growth of a community lays on thecompassionate actions of its members. Mayis a true example of how individuals canmake a difference by selflessly giving theirtime and talents.”

Photos by Steve Hibbard/The Connection

William “Ed” Pickens is DranesvilleDistrict’s outdoor volunteer. If it involvestrails, beautification, or stream cleanups, heis the man to ask and the man to get thework done. Each year, he has provided hun-dreds of volunteer hours involving work withthe Fairfax County Park Authority to design,build, and maintain two natural surfacetrails, Pimmit Run and Scotts Run, as wellas initiate major improvements on the Cross-County Trail. In addition to managing othervolunteers, he identified and coordinatedover 50 trail projects with the Boy Scoutsand supervised over 40 Eagle Scout projects,serving as a mentor to those who work be-side him. Anyone who enjoys hiking alongthe many trails in Fairfax County reaps thebenefits of his multi-year efforts to expandand maintain the county’s trail network.From ardent hikers to casual walkers, everytrail user gets a safer and more enhancedexperience as a result of his efforts.

“Mr. Pickens is not a person who seeks

acknowledgement of his contributions toour community. Instead, in his quiet and pa-tient way, he performs yeoman’s work toimprove the county’s trail network. Hiswork with Eagle Scout candidates on trailprojects is inspirational and encouragescivic engagement,” said District SupervisorJohn Foust.

The PRS CrisisLink’sCareRing program assists vul-nerable older adults in maintain-ing independence and communityconnections by increasing mentaland social well-being. Throughscheduled calls daily or severaltimes throughout the week,CareRing Volunteers phone cli-ents for social support while alsoassessing any risk of depressionor cognitive decline. These volun-teers build trusted and healthy so-cial relationships with clients whomay be at risk of isolation. Thevolunteers embrace clients’thoughts and feelings, making sure theyknow someone cares about them and thatthey are not alone. In 2017, CareRing vol-unteers served over 1,000 clients, handledover 35,000 calls, and exchanged over33,000 text messages. The impact of this

Adult Volunteer Group: PRS CrisisLink’sCareRing volunteers with Board ChairmanSharon Bulova.

group is best described by a CrisisLink cli-ent whose letter to volunteers read, “I lovewhen you call me to see how I am doing.It cheers me up and gets me going for theday. I tell you with all my heart and soul, Iwill never forget your kindness and love.”

The Fairfax County Commu-nity Emergency ResponseTeam (CERT) program is a Citi-zen Corps volunteer programmanaged under the auspices of theFairfax County Fire and Rescue De-partment. The CERT program pre-pares ordinary citizens to safelyhelp themselves, their families,and their communities duringemergencies. They also provideemergency preparedness and pub-lic safety related services on an on-going basis. Over the last year, 694active CERT volunteers improvedthe county’s overall emergencyresponse posture through a vari-ety of trainings while also providing a mul-titude of emergency preparedness and pub-lic safety related services. In addition, hun-dreds of volunteers applied their skills tosupport community activities and eventssuch as lost child assistance and traffic man-agement. CERT members attended 47 out-reach events across the county, informingapproximately 7,653 residents about oppor-tunities and activities to better equip them-

selves, their families, and their neighborsin the event of an emergency.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Depart-ment Volunteer Liaison Jeffery Katz said,“Fairfax County’s CERT program is a primeexample of ‘Neighbors helping Neighbors.’2017 was another year of unprecedentedgrowth and innovation during which ourCERTs further improved our County’s disas-ter preparedness.”

Fairfax County Government VolunteerProgram: Fairfax County CommunityEmergency Response Team (CERT) withBoard Chairman Sharon Bulova.


News

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

It’s been almost one year since 17-year-oldSouth Lakes High school student, NabraHassanen of Reston left the All Dulles AreaMuslim Society (ADAMS) mosque after a

Ramadan prayer service with a large group offriends early in the morning of June 18.

She died shortly after, in what police say wasan extension of road rage but some communitymembers say was an assault fueled by bias againstMuslims.

As the anniversary of Hassanen’s death nears,on Saturday, April 28, 2018, an event was held atthe Reston Community Center to honor her life.The non-profit organization Pious Projects orga-nized it with Reston community members.

A spokesperson for Pious Projects, Jumana at-tended the event. She had been working withHassanen’s father and with other families help-ing them work through losses.

“I am...trying to guide them through their heart-break and bring them something positive in theend,” Jumana said. To honor Hassanen, PiousProjects and the community had made a docu-mentary to commemorate her, which screened atthe event. They also set up an online campaignwhere individuals could donate funds to help buildwells and a mosque in Hassanen’s name in Mali,Africa.

As the center filled with people, two teensagreed to tell why they came that day. DanyaAbdel-Latif, 18, of Palestine said, ”For me, it’s morethan just showing up here. It’s about showing sup-port for anyone. Not just because Nabra was aMuslim, but what the event represents - beinghuman.” Abdel-Latif took a moment and gath-ered her thoughts. “Being human means having aheart, toward any race or religion.”

Seated next to Abdel-Latif was Nura Behgoman,16, of Afghanistan, along with her mother.Behgoman is a student at Herndon High School.Asked why she came that day, on a beautiful sunnySaturday, Behgoman replied, “The sun is out forNabra.”

Behgoman then paused and said, “When it firsthappened, it was a big shock for the community,and in a way, it brought us closer. It was defi-nitely hard at first. You always hear about thingshappening, but you never expect it to happen tosomeone in your own community.

“It’s important we are all here to show supportfor Nabra and her family and friends, because, inIslam, everyone is supposed to be there for every-one,” said Behgoman. “No matter the race, gen-der or religion.”

On the eve of Small BusinessWeek, Scrawl Books celebratedIndependent Bookstore Daywith author Jesse J. Holland,signing advance paperback cop-ies of his sold-out novel, Whois the Black Panther?. It was anexclusive opportunity forReston, and the store’s thirdauthor visit that day.

Since opening in RestonTown Center in November2016, Scrawl has hosted scoresof events with authors, per-formers and communitygroups. It also occupies a Pop-Up at the Wiehle-Reston Metrostation.

“Independent bookstoresplay a unique role,” said storeowner, Rachel Wood. “We arepart of the community weserve, and connected to ourcustomers through schools,neighborhoods and commonexperiences. Our business isbuilt on creating connectionsand responding to communityinterests.”

Wood spent more than 20years as a librarian and collec-

tion development specialist,forging relationships with au-thors and publishers. Today, thebookstore enjoys frequent vis-its from best-selling writers likeHolland and Newbery-Awardwinner, Kwame Alexander.Alexander launched his collabo-rative novel, Solo, at Scrawland ensured the store would bea priority stop on his recentbook tour.

Scrawl’s schedule includesbook launch parties, discussionsand signings with well-knownauthors like L. M. Elliott, ErinTeagan and Jessica Spotswood;workshops; and fundraisers forlocal schools and organizations.The store posts “Staff Picks,”book reviews and recommenda-tions that customers often com-mend.

“I’m happy to see Reston gainrecognition as a place that em-braces books and reading,”Wood said. “I’m grateful for thesupport Scrawl has receivedfrom the publishing community,as well as our local readers andwriters.”

Scrawl Books Proves SmallBusiness Makes a Big Impact

Photo contributed

Last weekend, Scrawl Books hosted event with au-thor, Jesse J. Holland.

Community members and Jumana, pictured,of the nonprofit organization Pious Projectshelped organize the event, which includedthe screening of a documentary to com-memorate Nabra Hassanen.

Left, Nura Behgoman, 16, of Afghanistan anda student at Herndon High School and DanyaAbdel-Latif, 18, of Palestine and a student atPark View High School, attended the event tohonor Nabra Hassanen’s life and support herfamily as the anniversary of her tragic killingnears. ‘You never expect it to happen tosomeone in your community,’ said Behgoman.

Remembering andHonoring Nabra Hassanen‘Being human meanshaving a heart, towardany race or religion,’said 18-year-old Abdel-Latif of Palestine.

Photos by Mercia Hobson/The Connection


News

The young singers have been hon-ing their voices for months, singing in large and small groupsevery week since January.

On Saturday, they finally got the chanceto showcase their work, as nearly 900 sixth-grade singers — hand-picked by their el-ementary school’s music teachers for theirvocal talent — sang together at HayfieldSecondary School for the 46th annual All-County Choral Festival.

“It is truly an honor for the students per-forming today to be a member of this selectgroup of vocalists,” said Kelly M.Harbison,president of the Fairfax General Music Edu-cators Association and a music educator atCanterbury Woods Elementary School.

Led by guest conductor Dr. JamieHillman, the students sang a variety ofmusic — from George Handel’s classic “Singfor Joy!” to Joan Varner’s “When I Am Si-lent,” a tribute to young Holocaust victims.

The song, and the voices of 900 sopra-nos, moved many in the audience to tears.

“These young singers were truly amazing,”

said Hillman, who previously taught musicat Phillips Academy and Boston University.

“They’ve only had one day to practice asa complete group, and they came togetherflawlessly. Their energy and enthusiasm wasinspiring.”

In addition to the 900 singers, Hayfield’sauditorium was packed with twice as manyfamily members, including School Boardmembers, school principals and Superinten-dent of Schools Dr. Scott Brabrand.

“I told parents ‘prepare to be wowed bythese singers.’ I think we were all blownaway by the talent and organization it tookto accomplish this, “ Brabrand said.

Organization was key as music teachersused songs and audience sing-offs to quicklyreunite singers with their families and move2,000 people out of the auditorium in un-der 15 minutes.

“The festival was a rousing success at ev-ery level. We’re all proud of these studentsand our music teachers for this festival,”Brabrand said.

— Victoria Ross

Voices ring for All County Choral Festival.

Do-Re-Me SING!

Nearly 900 sixth-grade singers — hand-picked by their elementaryschool’s music teachers for their vocal talent — sang together atHayfield Secondary School.

Photos by Victoria Ross

Almost 2,000 people, including 900 singers, packed Hayfield SecondarySchool for the 46th annual All-County Chorale Festival.


News

See Captain, Page 9

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

One day in 2013, while CaptainGavin White led a patrol inAfghanistan looking for im-provised explosive devices,

one found him. With that one step, White’slife and the life of his wife, Karissa, changedforever. He remembers hearing the blast andcalling out to his combined Afghan U.S.Patrol, “Who’s hit?” Then hearing the words,“You are, Sir.”

Captain White sustained catastrophic in-juries. His right leg eventually was ampu-tated; he lost the use of his left leg. Whitesuffered chronic pain and other injuries, andhe endured sixty surgeries. He would try towalk the hospital halls, White recalled,“...through grinding teeth and tears of painand frustration.”

White grew stronger, and with his wife,they moved into a house in Herndon, onlyto realize it was an obstacle course of un-ending frustration for him.

“Problems began to appear in my house,”said White who sat in a wheelchair outsideof it, up on a temporary stage. Karissa satbeside him. Behind White, a 30-foot longAmerican flag flew, suspended on a longwire. The flag shielded the view of thehouse. “I knew I needed help, and had toask for it.”

THIS DAY, April 12, 2018, was the HomeDedication Ceremony. In front of White, acrowd of more than 100 people stood si-lently. The night before, the Stephen SillerTunnel to Towers Foundation Building forAmerica’s Bravest program had put the fin-ishing touches on their four-month renova-

tion of the Whites’ home in Herndon. It wasnow a “smart home” for Captain GavinWhite and his wife due to the efforts ofmany businesses such as the Reston HomeDepot, Wolf Furniture, J.C. Penneys andmore.

Before the renovation, White could notreach the cupboards; the narrow hallwayswere challenging to maneuver through inhis wheelchair. White could not use thestove with any ease. “At one point, everytime I wanted to use the bathroom, I had

to get out of my chair to the floor and walkon my hands to get to the toilet.”

“I reached out to the Semper Fi Fund,”said White as he spoke to the crowd. Hecontinued: “People need a place where theycan feel comfortable, where they can relaxand where they can be at ease. For mostpeople, it’s their home. Until today, this wasjust a house where I lived. Now I feel likeit’s my home.”

The Semper Fi Fund had put White intouch with the New York nonprofit organi-

zation, Stephen Siller Tunnels to TowersFoundation. The organization’s stated mis-sion is to “Honor the sacrifice of firefighterStephen Siller who laid down his life to saveothers on September 11, 2001.”

On hand at the Dedication Ceremonystood Stephanie Ferguson of the Semper FiFund. Ferguson said, “We are the land ofthe free because of you Captain GavinWhite.”

Frank Seller told the crowd, how his

The Navy Junior ROTC Color Guard of Herndon High School presents thecolors at the Home Dedication Ceremony for service member CaptainGavin White who was injured in combat.

Home at last and with a smile. When Captain Gavin White realized hishouse had become an obstacle course of constant frustrations, hereached out to the Semper Fi Fund for guidance. On the table behindCaptain White and his wife, Karissa rests a beam from the south towerof the World Trade Center, a gift from the Stephen Siller Tunnel toTower Foundation.

Captain White Comes HomeLocal businesses help renovate Herndon home for catastrophically injured service member.

Fairfax County Police Motorcycle Patrol officersescort Captain Gavin White and his wife Karissa totheir newly renovated ‘smart home’ in Herndon.

Captain Gavin White unsuccessfully tries not to tearup as he and his wife Karissa enter the front door oftheir home and see it for the first time since they leftit four months earlier.

Pho

to

s by M

ercia H

obso

n/T

he C

on

nectio

n


Dermatology & AllergySPECIALISTS OF VIRGINIA

www.dermspecial is tsva.com

Phone 703-709-1492 • Fax 703-709-5111

1800 Town Center Dr., Ste. 415Reston, VA 20190

1715 N. George Mason Dr., Ste. 105Arlington, VA 22205

Accepting New Patients

Allergy Patch Testing • Asthma • Hives • Allergy EczemaFood & Environmental Allergy Testing • Sinusitis

Insect Venom Allergy Testing • Immunotherapy • Allergic Rhinitis

Dr. Sowerwine has specialized training and experienceto find out what causes your allergies, prevent andtreat symptoms, and help keep them under control.

Dr. Kathryn J. Sowerwine is a boardcertified Allergist and Immunologistwith a special interest in dermatologicaldiseases linked to allergy. She completeda residency in Internal Medicine atGeorgetown University Hospital and herclinical and research fellowship in allergyand immunology at the National Institutesof Health in Bethesda, MD.

Kathryn J. Sowerwine, MD

Wellbeing

By Marilyn Campbell

It was during college when LauraGreenstein began to notice thatsomething was not quite right. “Inoticed that things that were creat-

ing anxiety on a daily basis, they weren’tjust situational,” she said. “My anxiety wasgrabbing onto anything that it could. If Iwas running late, I would start to panic. Anysmall thing became a big issue.”

“My mother has always been supportive,but when [my anxiety] got to a certain pointsome close friends and family began to stig-matize it,” said Greenstein, who now worksfor the National Association for the Men-tally Ill (NAMI) in Arlington. “They wouldsay, ‘You’re not doing enough.’ It was diffi-cult to feel that I wasn’t being fully ac-cepted.”

After months of therapy and recent ses-sion with a psychiatrist who prescribedmedication, Greenstein said that she is be-ginning to feel some relief. She even beganblogging about her experience. “This wasmy first time sharing my story,” she said.“It’s been a really validating process. Beingopen can really improve your outlook.”

During May, Mental Health AwarenessMonth, Greenstein and other mental healthadvocates are sharing the ways in whichnegative perceptions about mental illnessescan impact those who suffer from it. NAMI

reports that approximately 1 in 5 adults andchildren in the United States are experienc-ing mental illness in a given year. Only 41percent of those adults received mentalhealth treatment, while slightly more thanhalf of children aged 8-15 received thoseservices. One of the roadblocks to treat-ment, say mental health professionals, is thestigma surrounding mental health.

“Micro-aggressions towards individualswith mental illness are very common, suchas assuming that someone with a mentalillness is inferior, stupid, or not in controlof their own behaviors,” said JessicaMcLaughlin, Ph.D., assistant professor ofpsychology at Montgomery College. “Be-cause of our society’s misperceptions ofmental illness, many individuals strugglingwith mental health problems feel ashamedand isolated. They may even feel like it isnot appropriate to seek help. “[And] beingon the receiving end of these hurtful com-ments and beliefs actually worsens symp-toms.”

With a theme of “Cure Stigma,” NAMIactivists are encouraging people to educatethemselves and eradicate the stigma whichcan be a roadblock to those who suffer frommental illness to get the treatment theyneed. They were afraid of being labeled, sothey suffered in silence. This is particularlytrue with teenagers and preteens, advisesStacie Isenberg, Psy.D., a child psychologist

who specializes in anxiety disorders. “Amental illness stigma may cause a teen orpre-teen to be hesitant to admit to her orhimself that they are having a mental healthproblem, to share with a parent, teacher,or pediatrician about their problem, and toseek mental health treatment,” she said.

The stigma surrounding mental illness isan important issue that often goes unrec-ognized, says McLaughlin. “Individuals withmental illness face both overt and covertdiscrimination,” she said. “For example,there is an assumption that people withmental illness are violent or crazy, which isnot true. However, our belief in these mythscan affect someone’s ability to find employ-ment or obtain housing.”

“Education is a powerful tool in combat-ing mental health stigma, and community-wide, mental health awareness campaignsare helpful,” added Isenberg. “Individually,kids often search online to check out whattheir symptoms mean. Education from cred-ible websites, and those of mental healthorganizations often provide clarity andguidance for those seeking help.”

Allowing those who might be experienc-ing symptoms of a mental illness to speakfreely about their condition without fear ofjudgment can remove barriers to treatmentadvises McLaughlin. “That means askinghow we can help, listening with an openmind, and being nonjudgmental,” she said.

Sometimes it can be a tremendous help justto let someone know that they have some-one to lean on and that they are not alone.”

People can also fight the stigma of men-tal illness by being accepting and support-ive of people who are experiencing mentalhealth issues, and by modeling this accep-tance for their children, suggests Isenberg.“Employers can encourage employees to usemental health days as needed, and to per-mit longer lunch hours or flexible dismissalor arrival at times to accommodate therapyappointments,” she said. “Similarly, schoolscan work with families to allow kids to usefree periods, lunch periods, etc. to attendtherapy when an after-school time is notavailable and the need for treatment is sig-nificant.”

A family’s attitude about the mentally illcan affect a child’s willingness to ask forhelp, advises Isenberg. “A child who comesfrom a family that does not consider men-tal health issues to be real or problematicmay be reluctant to share with her or hisparents,” she said. “Similarly, kids whosefriends stigmatize mental health issues, orkids who don’t talk much about personalissues with friends, are often unsure aboutsharing with their friends. On the contrary,kids who believe their families and friendswill be sensitive and supportive to them aremore likely to be open with them about anyconcerns they are having.”

Mental Health advocates work totear down barriers to treatment.Erasing the Stigma

MoreSee www.nami.org

lostdogandcatrescue.org

lost (adj): 1. unable to findthe way. 2. not appreciatedor understood. 3. no longer

owned or known

AdoptDonate

VolunteerVolunteers needed for

adoption events,fostering,

transportation,adoption center

caretaking and more.


Hairdos and excitement wereon the rise and Reston wasshaking and shimmying whenlocal students at LangstonHughes Middle School per-formed ‘Hairspray JR.’ The fam-ily-friendly show captured thespirit and turmoil of 1962 Bal-timore through laughter, dance,romance, and tuneful songs.

“Hairspray JR.” is a dynamicmusical with an important mes-sage: that acceptance comes inall shapes, sizes, and nationali-

ties. Through their production thestudents explored ideas like civilrights and discrimination in thecontext of a period of tremendoussocial and historical significance inthe United States.

The story follows Tracy Turnblad(played by Claire Callaway), a full-figured girl with big hair and a bigheart, who has only one passion –to dance. When her determinationand rock ‘n roll moves land her aspot on a local television danceprogram, she is transformed from

an outsider to an irrepressible teencelebrity. This trendsetter in danceand fashion uses her fame to winthe affections of heartthrob LinkLarkin (played by MichaelNorford), challenges theprogram’s reigning princess Amber(played by Danielle Kessler), andrallies against racial segregation.

Director: Cheryl Dewenter; Mu-sical Director — Sarah Milhoan,Choreographers — GraceYakubisin and Karina Yakubisin.

—Kimberly Berry

Langston Hughes Middle School students presentedtheir production of ‘Hairspray JR.’ in April.

Corny Collins played by Nathan Miller and the CouncilMembers singing ‘The Nicest Kids in Town.’

Tracy Turnblad (playedby Claire Callaway)singing “Good morning,Baltimore!”

Langston Hughes Students Present ‘Hairspray JR’

Pho

to

by Jessica W

allach

Pho

to

s by K

im

berly Berry

Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGExhibit: This and That. Through May

7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at The Artists’Undertaking Gallery, 309 Mill St. inHistoric Occoquan. “This and That.”an features copper work by AnneJordan of Fairfax; oil paintings bySteve Myles of Reston; and turnedwood by Greg Wandless of Fairfax.Meet the artists, Saturday, April 14,1-5 p.m. Call 703-494-0584 or visitwww.theartistsundertaking.com.

“Thoroughly Modern Millie.”Through May 12 at RestonCommunity Center’s CenterStage,2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. May4, 5, 6*, 11, 12, 2018. Curtain time is8 p.m. except for May 6 which arematinees with a 2 p.m. curtain. Costis $27/adults; $23 students/seniors.Visit restonplayers.org.

Reston Farmers Market. OpenSaturdays, through Dec. 1, 8 a.m.-noon at 1609 Washington Plaza N.,Reston. Fairfax County ParkAuthority markets are strictlyproducer-only meaning that vendorsmust grow or make from scratcheverything they bring to market. Call703-642-0128 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets.

Homegrown Yoga. Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday nights atArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. Alison Adams is bringingHomegrown Yoga to ArtSpaceHerndon. All levels welcome. Drop inand take a class. $25 two weekunlimited pass or drop-in available.www.homegrownpoweryoga.com

All-comers’ Group Fun Run atPotomac River Running.Tuesdays and Thursdays. RestonTown Center, 11900 Market St.,Reston. For beginners or competitiverunners, come out for a fun, low-keyrun that is safe and social. Call 703-689-0999 potomacriverrunning.com.

MAY 1-JUNE 30Twitterpated: Animated Adoration

at ArtInsights. At ArtInsights,11921 Freedom Drive, Reston.ArtInsights celebrates DevotedCouples of Disney, with images ofLady and Tramp, Pongo and Perdita,Mickey and Minnie, Thumper andMiss Bunny, Belle and The Beast, andmore, including new releases byofficial Disney concept andproduction artists.

Call 703-478-0778 or visitartinsights.com.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY/MAY 3-4Big Truck Days. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thursday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday.At the Public Works MaintenanceComplex, 1479 Sterling Road,Herndon. The Town of Herndon’sDepartment of Public Works hosts itsannual “Big Truck Days,” anopportunity for children to see thetown’s big trucks and heavyequipment on display. Free; bringnon-perishable food donations.www.herndon-va.gov/PublicWorksor call 703-435-6860 or via email [email protected].

FRIDAY/MAY 4TGIF: Free Fridays. 5-7 p.m. at

GRACE, Greater Reston Arts Center,12001 Market St., #103, Reston.Creative Fun at GRACE. Visitwww.restoncommunitycenter.com orcall 703-476-4500.

Baby & Me (Yoga). 10:30 a.m. atReston Regional Library, 11925Bowman Towne Drive, Reston. Bringyour baby and reap benefits from thisnurturing yoga workshop designedfor the two of you. Age 6 weeks to 15months with adult. Call 703-689-2700.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/MAY 4-6Cinco De Mayo. At ArtInsights, 11921

Freedom Drive, Reston. A portion ofall limited-edition art and framingsales will go to animal rescuecharities. Call 703-478-0778 or visitartinsights.com.

SATURDAY/MAY 5Native Plant Sale. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at

Runnymeade Park, 195 HerndonParkway, Herndon. Vendors for thesale are Watermark Woods andNature By Design. The event issponsored by Friends of RunnymedePark. Visit www.frpweb.org.

SING! Books with Miss Emily.10:30 a.m. at Reston RegionalLibrary, 11925 Bowman TowneDrive, Reston. Join Miss Emily forsinging storytime with illustratedsongs. Cosponsored by the Friends ofthe Reston Regional Library. Age 2-5with adult. No registration required.Call 703-689-2700.

Pet Fiesta! Exhibition and PetAdoption. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at RestonTown Center Pavillion. Super petadoption, paws-itively fun petcontests and fashion show, exhibitorsof pet resources, pet rescue and non-profit groups. Presented by andbenefiting GoodDogz.org. All on-leash pets welcome. Free admission,rain or shine. Visit the websitepetfiesta.org.

Author Event. 11 a.m. at ScrawlBooks, Reston Town Center, 11911Freedom Drive, Reston. Author anddog lover, Maria Gianferraricelebrates Reston Town Center’s “PetFiesta!” with Scrawl Books. Theauthor will read from “Hello, GoodBye Dog,” lead a craft and sharestories from her Penny and Jellyseries about a dynamic kid-dog duowho do everything together. Visitwww.scrawlbooks.com.

Herndon Social Justice ConcertChristian Perez ChamberEnsemble. 1-3 p.m. at ArtSpaceHerndon, 750 Center St., Herndon.Two singer songwriters fiercelyrepresent equality and everythingthey stand for through their musicand lyrics. $20. Visitartspaceherndon.org.

HHS Band Benefit Concert. 6 p.m.at Herndon Town Green, 777 LynnSt., Herndon. Hosting NormandyKick-Off Celebration. Features liveperformances by “The 5:55” andmore. Support their trip to Normandyto represent the USA at the 75thAnniv of D-Day. Donations acceptedat entrance andwww.herndonband.org/normandy.

SUNDAY/MAY 6March for Babies. 8 a.m. registration;

9 a.m. walk. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. Supportthe March of Dimes for the health ofall moms and babies with a 3-milewalk, then celebrate the efforts withlunch, DJ, and family fun. Call 571-257-2305 or visitmarchforbabies.com.

Indigo T-Shirt Dyeing. 2-4 p.m. atArtSpace Herndon, 750 Center St.,Herndon. With Elizabeth Gibson.Ages 7-13; cost $20 per student. Visitwww.artspaceherndon.org.

WEDNESDAY/MAY 9Kendra Gives Back Party. 6-9 p.m.

at Reston Town Center, 11924Market Street, Reston. Hosted byHerndon High School All-Night GradCommittee. Enjoy light bites andbubbly as you shop for Mother’s DayGifts. Some 20 percent of purchaseswill benefit the Herndon High SchoolAll-Night Grad Celebration. RSVP [email protected].

Dinner Lecture on Stress. 7-8:30p.m. at GreenFare Organic Cafe, 408Elden Street, Herndon. Dr. Jyothi

Rao, Integrative Physician, willdiscuss Stress -The Good vs The Bad,”its impact on the body and the rolecortisol and the adrenal glands play.Enjoy a healthy organic plant-basedmeal at GreenFare Organic Café inHerndon. Call 703-689-0506 fordetails or visit GreenFare.com.

SATURDAY/MAY 12Spring Farm Day. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at

Frying Pan Farm Park, 2709 West OxRoad, Herndon. Milk a cow or goat,hear the antique farm equipmentputter, play old timey games, andenjoy crafts in a family-friendlyatmosphere. Call 703-437-9101 orvisit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/frying-pan-park.

British Invasion: The Beatles &Beyond. 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. atReston Community Center, HuntersWoods, 2310 Colts Neck Road,Reston. Rock out with The RestonChorale and friends from thePiedmont Symphony and Rock Bandto musical hits from across the pond.$25/Adults; $20/Seniors; Free/Youthand Active Duty Military. Tickets atwww.restonchorale.org and 703-476-4500, ext. 3.

SUNDAY/MAY 13Exercise with Athleta. 10:30 a.m.-

12:30 p.m. at Reston Town Center inthe Pavilion, 11900 Market St.,Reston. Free. Down Dog Yoga forMother’s Day. Call 703-668-0256 orvisit stores.athleta.net/store-4866/.

MONDAY/MAY 14Golf Tournament. 1:30 p.m. Shotgun

Start at Hidden Creek Country Club,1711 Clubhouse Road, Reston. The2018 Celebrate Great FallsFoundation Golf Tournament.Proceeds benefit Great Falls,Forestville and Colvin RunElementary schools. Afternoonregistration 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Foursome - $600; Single Golfer -$175. Visit www.greatfallsgolf.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/MAY 18-20Northern Virginia Fine Arts

Festival. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day atReston Town Center, 11900 MarketSt., Reston. More than 200 artistswill show off their works. Presentedby GRACE - Greater Reston ArtsCenter. Admission $5/adults. Freegarage parking. Visitnorthernvirginiafineartsfestival.org.

SATURDAY/MAY 19Kids in the Park. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at

Claude Moore Recreation &Community Center, 46105 LoudounPark Lane, Sterling; Claude MoorePark, 21544 Old Vestal’s Gap Road,Sterling; and Heritage Farm Museum,21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling.Celebrate National Kids to Park Day,a fun-filled day including a scavengerhunt at all three sites, farm tour,moonbounces, arts and crafts, games,food trucks and more. Freeadmission. Call 571-258-3600

SUNDAY/MAY 20Red Shoe 5K Run & Walk. at Dulles

Station in Herndon. The family-friendly event will feature a timed 5Kcourse suited for both runners andwalkers (all competition levelswelcome), and a Kid’s Fun Run forkids 8 years and younger. Sponsoredby Ronald McDonald HouseCharities. Registration fees are $35for Adult 5K registration, and $25 forKid’s Fun Run (8 and under); $40 onrace day. Visit www.RedShoe5k.org.

Sunday Spring Tea Fundraiser. 2-4p.m. at Crowne Plaza, 2200Centreville Road, Herndon. ArtsHerndon Fundraiser to Benefit ArtsHerndon’s scholarships andprogramming. Silent Auction Baskets,live music, door prizes and more.

Register at artspaceherndon.org.

Entertainment


Select yourproducts from

our MobileShowroomand Design

CenterFully Insured &

Class A LicensedSince 1999

Free Estimates703-214-8384

From Now to WOW in 5 Days Guarantee

Visit our website: www.twopoorteachers.com

Home of the $6,850 Bathroom Remodel

TWO POOR TEACHERSKitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

10% downnothing until the jobis complete for the

past 17 years

10% downnothing until the jobis complete for the

past 17 years

News

Captain WhiteComes Home

Frank Siller, older brotherof Stephen Siller, the NewYork firefighter who lostlife helping others in thesouth tower of the WorldTrade Center on 9/11, tellshow Stephen lived theguiding words he attrib-uted to St. Francis, Assisi:“While we have time, let’sdo good.”

Jason Alexander, StoreManager of the localReston Home Depot lookstoward Captain GavinWhite and thanks him forhis service and sacrifice forthe country.

From Page 6

younger brother Stephen hadheard over his scanner of a planehitting the north tower of theWorld Trade Center. Stephen re-turned to the Brooklyn’s Squad 1fire station, grabbed his 60-poundbackpack full of gear and drove histruck to the entrance of the Brook-lyn Battery Tunnel, but it wasclosed. He strapped the backpackon and raced on foot through thetunnel to get to the World TradeCenter. Stephen entered the southtower and was never seen again.

Siller said his brother lived bythe guiding words attributed to St.Francis Assisi: “While we havetime, let’s do good.”

Siller explained the StephenSiller Tunnel to Towers Foundationis a nonprofit organization, whichhonors “military and first respond-ers who continue to make the su-preme sacrifice of life and limb forour country.”

The organization performs theirservice through their Building forAmerica’s Bravest program andwith the support of many otherorganizations and program spon-sors, such as those here that day,among them the Reston HomeDepot through their Home DepotFoundation, JC Penney, Wolf Fur-niture and more. Tunnel to Tow-ers builds mortgage-free smarthomes for the most catastrophi-cally injured service members.

The Reston Home Depot wasone of the many program support-

ers. Jason Alexander, Store Man-ager of the Reston Home Depot,thanked Captain Gavin White forhis service to the country.Alexander explained the HomeDepot Foundation and Team De-pot, their strong army of associ-ate volunteers, are dedicated toserving veterans and was proud tosupport the project’s needs.Alexander said Home Depot Foun-dation had improved 37,000 vet-eran homes and facilities since2011, promised to give a quarterof a billion dollars for veteran-re-lated causes by 2020, and $50million is committed to training20,000 tradespeople by 2028.

AFTER THE REMARKS, theWhites were ready to see their newhome, but not before being pre-sented a gift by the Stephen SillerTunnels to Towers Foundation ingratitude for White’s service andsacrifice.In Frank Sillers’ hands rested apiece of blackened steel beamfrom the south tower of the WorldTrade Center. “It holds the spiritand souls of so many. We entrustit to you, Captain Gavin White,”said Seller adding the words,“Who better?”

On the curb, a speciallyequipped van donated by GMCwaited for White. Volunteersturned toward the ropes. Theylowered the flag, unveiling therenovation. Welcome, CaptainGavin White. You are home.

Pho

to

by M

ercia H

obso

n/T

he C

on

nectio

n


News

The fourth-grade Girl Scouttroop 3173 exhibited at FairfaxCounty’s annual SpringFest EarthDay event. They were the young-est exhibitors. The girls are resi-dents of Oakton and Fairfax, andattend Waples Mill and HuntersWoods ES.

These Girl Scouts have beenworking diligently to spread theword about plastic water bottlesand the pollution they cause in theocean.

After learning that plastics areexpected to outweigh fish in theocean in 2050 and that a garbageisland twice the size of Texas isfloating in the Pacific, Troop 3173Girl Scouts decided to create a dis-play to simulate the ocean of 2050polluted by plastic bottles. AsSpringFest attendees walkedthrough the Plastic Bottle Ocean,girls explained that the averageperson in the US uses 173 plasticwater bottles per year and only 23percent are recycled. These fourth-grade Girl Scouts then invitedpeople to raise their right hand torecite a verbal pledge not to usedisposable, single-use waterbottles and sign the pledge poster.People who signed the pledge wereinvited to take a Water Dropsqueeze toy (stress ball) and comicbooks provided by Fairfax Water,and stickers and pencils made ofrecyclable materials provided byClean Fairfax Council.

Many SpringFest attendees vis-ited the exhibit including CleanFairfax Council’s Executive Direc-tor Jennifer Cole and mascotsBumblebee and Frog, all of whomsigned the pledge. This PlasticBottle Ocean display was particu-larly relevant and timely given thisyear’s Earth Day theme was EndPlastic Pollution.

Girl Scout troop 3173 is part ofthe Girl Scout Council of the

Girl Scouts Exhibitat SpringFestEarth Day Event

Many SpringFest attendees visited the exhibit includingmascots Bumblebee and Frog.

Nation’s Capital (GSCNC). CleanFairfax Council, the SpringFestorganizer, educates the citizens ofFairfax County on litter preventionand control, supports the countyrecycling program, discouragesgraffiti, promotes sustainabilityand provides environmental edu-

cation to residents, businesses andstudents. Fairfax Water is a pub-lic, non-profit water utility char-tered by the Virginia State Corpo-ration Commission.

— Sara Holtz

Girl Scout troop leader

Clean Fairfax Council’s Executive Director Jennifer Colesigning the pledge not to use disposable, single-usewater bottles

Photos by Sara Holtz


Today, Sunday, April 22, I am not on any real – or imag-ined, deadline pressure, quite different than my previ-ous column (“You Mean Tomorrow Tuesday?”), pub-lished April 25. This column isn’t due until nine daysfrom now, since my copy editor returns from vacationthat Tuesday. And of course, since there’s no abbrevi-ated/immediate-type deadline, and it’s a relatively quietweekend at home (as opposed to the “triple threat”Tuesday I wrote about last week), Chino, in addition toany of our other four cats, are nowhere to be found.Certainly, they’re all sleeping. I mean, it is 12:30 pm. Infact, as I get up to investigate, Chino is sleeping on thevery same chair he ended up on last week. This weekhowever, when I have minimal deadline pressure, Chinohas minimal Kenny interest. At present, he is not theleast bit involved in the creative process, other than as apoint of reference, that is.And just as Chino is minding his own business – for now,I am able to mind mine and stay on task. It is so mucheasier to do so when my writing pad is not the exactmidpoint and/or crossroads for where Chino is and forwhere he wants to be. Therefore, I have no excuses fornot maintaining a creative flow as pen is put to paper.No cat interruptions or interference whatsoever. Toquote my late father, I have no “encumbrances” – at themoment.More so even than Chino walking right to left across mydesk (and back of course). I just received an email frommy oncologist, yes on the weekend, telling me that mytwo scans taken on Wednesday, April 18, continue toshow “stable.” News, with which I’m extremely fond ofwriting – properly, I can live. As much as I could likewiselive with tumor “shrinkage” as well, I am ALWAYSpleased when I see my new favorite word: “stable,” inany communication from my doctor. For a cancerpatient still undergoing treatment – as I am, or for anycancer patient in remission, a “stable” result is hardly theproblem. The problem is growth and/or movement orappearance elsewhere in the body. (For lung cancerpatients, movement to the brain, which occurs inapproximately 30 percent of patients, is the predomi-nant worry. As such, I get a brain MRI regularly.)So, no scan-result pressure. No post-chemo side-effectpressure. No newspaper and/or deadline pressure. Andno cat-related pressure compounding any of the afore-mentioned pressures. Ergo, the ‘pressure’ is officially off.And when the ‘pressure’ is off, my creativeness is on.Though this may not be the best column I’ve ever writ-ten, it’s certainly been one with the least amount of‘encumbrances.’And speaking of my father, Barry, who died in in 2006,and now my mother, Celia, who died two years later,almost to the day, what I am particularly grateful for isthe timing of my diagnosis/prognosis: it all happenedafter they had died. They never knew. My first symptommanifested four weeks after my widowed mother waslaid to rest. They both know now though as I regularlyupdate them when I visit their gravesites at the ceme-tery. And though the conversations are mostly one-sided, still, it brings me comfort and a peculiar sort of joyto share the details of my treatment and the miscellane-ous pressures I experience, some of which I’ve men-tioned and some of which I haven’t. Many of those myparents knew about, and were often topics of discussion– while they were alive.I was lucky then and I continue to be lucky now. Greatparents before and an amazingly fortunate post-cancer-diagnosis after. Whoever I have to thank: thank you.

You MeanNext WeekTuesday?Submit civic/community announcements at

ConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDVolunteers Needed for Northern Virginia

Fine Arts Festival. At Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. Greater Reston ArtCenter’s (GRACE’s) largest annual fundraiser.Draws up to 30,000 visitors and there is freegarage parking all weekend. Over 500volunteers are needed. Volunteers perform avariety of roles including setting up with thelogistics crew, welcoming and booth sitting forparticipating artists as part of the ArtistHospitality entourage, welcoming visitors andaccepting donations for GRACE as a FestivalAmbassador, or helping young artists with theircreations in the Family Art Park. Visitrestonarts.org/fineartsfestival.

The Herndon High School PTSA is in need of atreasurer, but anyone interested in serving onthe board is welcome. The HHS PTSA works toprovide connections between students, teacherand parents. They offer mini-grants to teachers,scholarships and achievement awards tostudents as well as appreciation events for staff.Email [email protected]

STEM Professionals Needed. Help assist K-12STEM teachers as part of the AmericanAssociation for the Advancement of Science’sSTEM Volunteer Program, stemvolunteers.org,during the 2018-19 school year. In the 2017-18school year, there are 85 volunteers in sixNorthern Virginia school districts. Contact DonRea at 571-551-2488, or [email protected].

Volunteer Adult Mentors Needed. Help assistthe Department of Family Services’ BeFriendA-Child mentoring program. Mentors providecompanionship, guidance and support tochildren who have been abused and neglected,or who are at risk of abuse and neglect. ContactIbrahim Khalil at 703-324-4547 [email protected]

PARENTS HELPING PARENTSParent Support Partners, a service of the

Healthy Minds Fairfax initiative, are all parentswho have received training and are qualitied tooffer education, support and assistance at nocost to families or caregivers. They providereliable information that families can use indecision-making and are familiar with servicesand resources that can help families in distress.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/healthymindsfairfax or www.nami-northernvirginia.org/parent-peer-support.html.

SATURDAY/MAY 5Workshop for Siblings of Children with

Special Needs. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Key MiddleSchool, 6402 Franconia Road, Springfield. ThisSibshop workshop is for 8-13-year-old siblings ofchildren with special needs enrolled in FairfaxCounty Public Schools. A pizza lunch will beprovided. Visit www.fcps.edu/spedconference2018.

Free Sober Rides. Saturday, May 5, 7 p.m.through Sunday, May, 6, 4 a.m. Area residents,21 and older, may download Lyft to theirphones, then enter a code in the app’s “Promo”section to receive a no cost (up to $15) safe ridehome. Promo code will be posted at 5 p.m. onMay 5 on www.SoberRide.com. The SoberRidecode is valid for the first 1,500 Lyft users

WEDNESDAY/MAY 9Pushing the Frontiers of Dyslexia. 6-7:30

p.m. at Cortona Academy, 13505 DullesTechnology Drive, Ste 3, Herndon. Cost is $10/person. Monthly Dyslexia Parent SupportSeminar! Neurofeedback. How does this relateto Dyslexia, and what are the applications forhomework, test-taking, and studying? Visitcortonalearning.com.

THURSDAY/MAY 10Open House and Public Hearing. 5:30 p.m. at

NVTA Office, 3040 Williams Drive, Suite 200,Fairfax. The Northern Virginia TransportationAuthority has released 60 candidate projects forits inaugural FY 2018-2023 Six Year Program forpublic comment. The open house will start at5:30 p.m. and the public hearing will commencefollowing a 7 p.m. presentation. Pre-register tospeak: phone: 703-642-4652; email:[email protected]; or inperson on May 10, 2018 from 5:30-7 p.m. Visitwww.TheNoVaAuthority.org.

Bulletin


www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

@RestonConnect

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

NEWS DEPARTMENT:[email protected]

Kemal Kurspahic Editor ❖ 703-778-9414

[email protected]

Mercia HobsonCommunity Reporter

[email protected]

Andrea WorkerContributing Writer

[email protected]

Jean CardProduction Editor

[email protected]

ADVERTISING:For advertising information

[email protected]

Debbie FunkDisplay Advertising/National Sales

[email protected]

David GriffinMarketing Assistant

[email protected]

Classified & EmploymentAdvertising703-778-9431

Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

Executive Vice PresidentJerry Vernon

[email protected]

Editor in ChiefSteven Mauren

Managing EditorKemal Kurspahic

Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly,

Ali KhalighProduction Manager:

Geovani Flores

[email protected]

RestonOpinion

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

“The current landscape of thenation has been darkenedby storm clouds of hatespeech, white nationalist

ideology, bias-motivated violence, and ris-ing intolerance,” according to a report ofthe Inclusive America Project titled Plural-ism in Peril: Challenges to an American Ideal(Aspen Institute, 2018) sponsored by the As-

pen Institute Justice andSociety Program. RecentlyI had the pleasure of inter-viewing Meryl Justin

Chertoff, Executive Director of The Aspen In-stitute Justice and Society Program, and toparticipate in a roundtable discussion of thisissue at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society(ADAMS) Center in Sterling. The interview canbe found at https://tinyurl.com/yctqwxq6

Pluralism refers to the right of all Ameri-cans to practice their faith in freedom andsecurity. As indicated from the quote of theAspen Report in the opening sentence of thiscolumn, there are attacks on religious free-dom from many directions and in many formsin recent years. Some even question the mean-

ing of religious freedomin our country suggest-ing that they shouldhave freedom of theirreligion—most oftenChristian religion—andnot all those other prac-tices that other peoplewant to call religion.After all, the most ex-treme argue that thiscountry was founded ona belief in God, mean-ing of course god as

they define him or her in their religious be-liefs.

A basic problem in defending American plu-ralism seems to me to be the ignorance on thepart of some of basic constitutional protectionsand how they were secured. Virginia wassettled as a land venture by investors who werelooking for a way to make money in a colonialempire. First settlers were part of the statechurch of England as Anglicans or they had noreligion at all. As more settlers arrived theminority religions such as Baptists started toarrive, and they objected to having part of theirtax money go to the church. Religious conflictoccurred as more settlers recognized an op-

portunity to free themselves from a state-im-posed religion.

Soon after Thomas Jefferson penned theDeclaration of Independence, he wrote whatbecame known as the Virginia Statute of Reli-gious Freedom, the most important piece oflegislation ever passed in the Virginia legisla-ture and I believe in any legislative body. Justas the Declaration had declared political andeconomic freedom from the mother country,the Statute of Religious Freedom in one sen-tence of more than 700 words declared in partthat “no man shall be compelled to frequentor support any religious worship, place, orministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced,restrained, molested, or burthened in his bodyor goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on accountof his religious opinions or belief, but that allmen shall be free to profess and by argumentto maintain, their opinion in matters of reli-gion, and that the same shall in no wise di-minish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.”

The challenges to our pluralism must becountered by our unwavering support of ourown beliefs as well as the right of others totheir own religious beliefs. As the report onpluralism found, “this work requires decency,sympathy, appreciative curiosity about differ-ence, and concern for our shared beliefs.”

Challenges to an American Ideal

Commentary

MedicaidExpansion:It’s TimeTo the Editor:

The 2017 elections demon-strated that Virginians believe thatindividuals cannot work, take careof their families, or pursue happi-ness if they cannot see a doctorwhen they are sick. The candidates

who heard this message and ranon expanding access to healthcare,won. Those advocating for expan-sion are more than willing to com-promise with lawmakers who mayhave legitimate policy concerns.

We know that 33 other stateshave already opted to insure theirworking poor. It is time that ourfederal tax dollars stay here in Vir-ginia to help cover approximately400,000 hard-working familiesearning up to 138 percent of the

Letters to the Editor

poverty level. Making health insur-ance available to more Virginiansis the right thing to do and thesensible thing to do. The Federalgovernment is offering to cover noless than 90 percent of the costsof insuring Virginia’s workingpoor. Virginia’s hospitals are com-mitted to covering the remaining10 percent of the costs. Additionalmoney flowing to Virginia underMedicaid expansion will enablethe state to increase funding for

schools and other needed services.Another benefit of Medicaid ex-pansion is the likelihood of smallerrate increases in our health insur-ance plans. Studies have shownthat in states where more peopleare insured, the cost of uncompen-sated care drops.Yes, we will allbenefit if more of us have accessto healthcare. It is time to act!

Barbara FavolaState Sen. (D-31)

My thanks to the many concerned citizens who have worked to shareyour thoughts regarding Reston’s fu-

ture. My goal has always been and will continue tobe identifying what is best for Reston and continu-ing Robert Simons’ vision for a “Planned Commu-nity” where people can live, work and play.

The proposed amendment to the PlannedResidential Community (PRC) Zoning Ordi-nance for Reston that is currently under con-sideration is designed to implement the re-

cently adopted Compre-hensive Plan for Reston.Fairfax County’s Planningand Zoning staff is recom-

mending that the maximum persons per acrebe increased from 13 up to 16, with 16 per-sons being appropriate for full implementationof the Plan’s recommendations.

The plan approved in 2015 was specificallywritten to protect the existing stable residen-tial communities and reinforce the preserva-tion of Reston’s two golf courses. In addition,it provided opportunities for additional growth

in some areas planned PRC.These potential growth areas include the

Village Centers, the St. Johns Wood apart-ments, the retail area north of Baron Cameronwhere the Home Depot is located, Reston TownCenter North, portions of the Reston TownCenter and a few other PRC parcels located inthe Transit Station Areas.

At the Feb. 13 meeting, several issues werediscussed. In particular, both Reston Association(RA) and the Coalition for a Planned Reston(CPR) requested a response from FairfaxCounty’s planning staff to the specific recom-mendations contained in letters from bothgroups. I will acknowledge that the responsewas slow in coming; but a commitment wasmade to respond and the planning staff did soin a detailed and thoughtful manner. It is un-fortunate that CPR and RA declined to meet onApril 2 to discuss the staff’s response and tooutline next steps and the process going forward.

As you may recall, Hunter Mill PlanningCommissioner John Carter suggested that weall roll up our sleeves and work to resolve the

issues before us and it was decided that ad-dressing key issues in small group settingswould be pursued. My support for this ap-proach has not changed. I would like to pro-pose that we meet, as soon as possible, to es-tablish a set meeting schedule, to have thesein depth issues discussed.

Moving forward, I have asked GoldieHarrison of my staff to reach out to RA, CPRand County planning staff to schedule a meet-ing to discuss the process going forward, fol-lowed by work sessions with small groups fo-cused on topics such as infrastructure imple-mentation, transportation, schools and parks.

As was evident again this year at theFounder’s Day celebration, Reston is a specialplace that we all love and I am confident thatwe can all work together to resolve the issueof the maximum density allowed in the PRCzoned area and the concerns of the commu-nity regarding the Reston Master Plan.

Catherine M. Hudgins

Supervisor (D-Hunter Mill)

Addressing Citizens’ Density Concerns

Commentary

‘Hairspray JR’ at Opinion, Page 12 Langston Hughes...

Documents

Transcript of ‘Hairspray JR’ at Opinion, Page 12 Langston Hughes...