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Reporting on theHighs and the LowsNews, Page 3

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St. Patrick’s DayAt The Old Brogue

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Having a blast at the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at the Old Brogue in Great Falls, Sunday, March 17.

2 ❖ Great Falls Connection ❖ March 20-26, 2019 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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NewsConnection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or [email protected]

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

At the March monthly meeting ofthe Greater McLean Chamber ofCommerce, local Virginia Gen-eral Assembly representatives

presented what they saw as the highlights,and lowlights, of the recently completedsession.

With the Republican majority consider-ably reduced in the House after the 2017elections, Democrats Sen. Barbara Favola(D-31), and Delegates Mark Keam (D-35),Kathleen Murphy (D-34), Marcus Simon (D-53), and Rip Sullivan (D-48) say there was“real progress made.”

“Passing a 5 percent pay raise for teach-ers was a real win,” said Favola, who alsodeclared legislation that allows hiring ofsupport personnel to address behavioral is-sues in schools and for training to spot andprevent human trafficking “critical to break-ing the school-to-prison pipeline” and pro-tecting our vulnerable youth.

THE SENATOR placed her bills to exemptcontraceptives from insurance co-pays, sup-port for solar power and stricter firearmsafety measures in the loss column of the2019 session.

Del. Simon, the House Parliamentarian,was pleased that Virginians would benefitfrom the State’s $1.2 billion windfall result-ing from changes in the tax laws.

“All Virginians will see some money back,”said Simon, and after much work on thebudget and measures to align theCommonwealth’s tax codes with those fed-eral changes, standard deductions for Vir-ginians have also been increased.

Simon also celebrated the passage of sev-eral other of his bills, including one thatexpands the previously passed “revengeporn” legislation. The new bill goes afterpersons who create or alter and publicizeimages to intimidate or harass.

“We also had success on a bill to protectjuvenile immigrants who have been abused,neglected or abandoned,” said Simon, al-though he noted the avoidable “back andforth” required to finally secure passage.“The word ‘immigrant’ was a real sticking-point … a sensitive topic, but we got itthrough.” Youth so effected can now seekspecial status while applying for asylum.

Among Simon’s 2019 session regrets?“Virginia could have been the 38th state toratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Wecould have been the ones to push it overthe edge for the whole country.”

Although the ERA bill passed the Senateand related bills garnered 52 co-patrons in

the House of Delegates, “they never evenmade it to the floor for a vote. They werekilled in committee.”

Del. Murphy was equally disappointedover the failure of the ERA, as well as thelack of progress on “common-sense mea-sures to address gun violence,” but applaudspassage of a bill, despite significant push-back from opponents, that requires a man-datory jail sentence for those convicted ofa second violent domestic abuse offense.

Murphy did have wins to report that di-rectly affect her local constituents, includ-ing reform on stormwater management

treatment in Great Falls, and provision for“residency stickers” that would allow ex-emptions for locals to pass through or en-ter areas that may be cut-off to through traf-fic as the result of transportation fixes un-der discussion in the area. Del. Mark Keamcategorized the session as one of the mostproductive in his 10 years as a member ofthe House, if for no other reason than theincrease in Democratic delegates “helpedprotect us from some of the more conser-vative bills that were introduced.”

AMONG THE SUCCESSES Keam high-

lighted – work on the Budget, taxes, redis-tricting, the Amazon deal, the raising of theage from 18 to 21 for the purchase of to-bacco products, and reversing the “default”position on Blue Laws in the Common-wealth. Instead of having to “opt-in” to al-low the sale of alcohol, with the passage ofHB 2634, counties would have to pass lo-cal legislation via referendum to prohibitthe sale of alcoholic beverages.

Keam praised freshman delegate ChrisHurst, who introduced the bill, calling him“a rising star” of the Party. Hurst, formerlythe anchor for Roanoke’s WDBJ, only en-tered politics in 2017, motivated to actionby the on-air murder of his girlfriend, jour-nalist Alison Parker in 2015.

Another success, noted Keam, was theloosening of restrictions on absentee vot-ing rights to become effective for the 2020elections.

Basically, the bill would remove restric-tive “reasons for the need to vote absentee-in-person.”

“There’s still some work to do on whatperiods of time will be allowed for absen-tee voting, but this will really help get morevoters’ voices heard.”

Keam was also the first to speak to the“elephants in the room,” referring to thescandals that have plagued Virginia’s Demo-cratic Governor, Lieutenant Governor andAttorney General, starting in February.

“In some ways, those events helped usfocus on getting the work done,” he said,but also acknowledged that the situationmeant that the Governor was not availableor able “to exert his influence and help usnegotiate or push when things were close.”

Keam’s remarks were accompanied byhead nods of agreement from his col-leagues.

“It would be dishonest to say that the situ-ation didn’t have a policy impact,” said Del.Simon.

Del. Rip Sullivan rounded off the legisla-tive presentation, pleased that the GeneralAssembly “did its part to secure the Ama-zon deal for the benefit of all Virginians.”

Sullivan described another addition to thewin column.

“We’ve been watching tuition costs in Vir-ginia rise, year after year. Those institutesof higher education continue to ask for ourfinancial support.” The General Assemblywas willing to comply with their requests –but only for schools that don’t raise tuitioncosts.

All said and done, the elected officialswere generally pleased by the forwardmovement on many policies and initiativesthis year, but agree that the Nov. 5 electionscould accelerate progress if there is a bet-ter balance of power in the Legislature, per-haps encouraging more bipartisan efforts.

Reporting on the Highs and the LowsMembers of Fairfaxdelegation deliverpost-session wrap-upto McLean Chamberof Commerce.

“Passing a 5 percentpay raise for teacherswas a real win.”

—State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31)

From left: State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31) is first up to report on thejust-completed 2019 General Assembly session to members of theGreater McLean Chamber of Commerce. Joining her were DelegatesMarcus Simon (D-53), Kathleen Murphy (D-34), Mark Keam (D-31) andRip Sullivan (D-48).

Members of the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce join their Vir-ginia General Assembly representatives for a photo after the “LegislativeWrap-Up” at J. Gilbert’s steakhouse restaurant on March 14. From left:Chamber president Paul Kohlenberger, Del. Mark Keam, MCC boardmember Jim Nelson, Del. Marcus Simon, Del. Kathleen Murphy, Sen.Barbara Favola, Del. Rip Sullivan, MCC chair Brian Potter.

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By Andrea Worker

The Connection

If you couldn’t spend your St. Paddy’sDay in the Old Country itself, the nextbest place to do so was obviously atThe Old Brogue Irish Pub in Great

Falls.The 38th edition of the St. Patrick’s Day

celebration at Mike Kearney’s establishmentsaw a packed house of revellers. They filledthe reserved-seating “Snuggery” for twolunch shows and two dinner shows withtraditional Irish fare and Celtic concerts byTam McGeady and the Mostly Irish Band.They squeezed into the main Pub and res-taurant where Ted Garber entertained themwith rousing Irish tunes, and they spilledout into the back enclosed porch, the backpatio and the front patio, as well.

After paying their modest $10 covercharge, the 21-and-up crowd enjoyed plentyof Guinness and other beverages and Irishand American food favorites on a day thatwas made-to-order with plenty of sunshine,blue skies, and temperatures that were justright.

In the Snuggery, the diners enjoyed aguaranteed seat with their set-price menus,

Mouse” Melissa” who travelled from NewZealand to enjoy the festivities with her“City Mouse” sister Belinda, who has beena resident of the region for more thantwenty years. “It’s great fun!” said Melissa,showing off the neon-green wig that shebrought with her for the occasion.

“It belongs to our mother,” Melissa ex-plained. “She’s always up for a bit of funand a costume!” Seems that both Melissaand Belinda inherited mom’s love of a goodtime. The event was an adults-only affair,but four-legged and furry well-behaved at-tendees were allowed, so Loki, a WorkingLine German Shepherd pup from Fairfax ac-companied his best friend Bryan White tothe celebration.

Mike and company strongly suggested adesignated driver for each group of St.Paddy’s partyers, but were willing and ableto assist in procuring alternative methodsof transportation back home if a patron hadtaken just a bit too much Guinness orBushmills Whiskey on board before it wastime to head off.

It’s another Old Brogue St. Patrick’s DayBash in the books and folks are already talk-ing about next year.

The luck of the Irish to you all. Slainte!

The revellers enjoyed singing along to Irish tunes with Ted Garber in thePub at the Old Brogue.

Claudia Fouty and Jessica Cline are great friends and great partiersat the St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

St. Patrick’s Day at The Old Brogue

A group of local friends enjoy good times at the St. Pat’s Bash at the OldBrogue. They identified themselves as, from left: Shawn Green & date,Barbara Gildea, Karen Gildea and “Donald Trump.” Possibly the amountof Guinness that “Mr. Trump” had consumed caused a bit of a memorylapse as to his identity.

The Great Falls “Boys Club” enjoying a “bit of craic” at the St. Paddy’sgathering. From left: Dirk Wykim, Ron Morgan, John DeMoors, A.J.Mushtaq, T. Dennen and Brandon DeCaro.

Self-named “Country Mouse” Melissa and “City Mouse” Belinda aresisters who make a habit of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day together, even ifMelissa has to travel from their native New Zealand where “CountryMouse” still lives to hang with her local-living sister on the special day.

while in the Pub the partiers secured a spotwhere they could and waved their drinkshigh in the air while singing along to oldtime Irish favorites like “Whiskey in a Jar.”

It seemed as if most of the residents of

Great Falls were present, but with the truespirit of an Irish hospitality, some of thecelebrants came from far and wide and werewarmly welcomed into the partying fold.Sometimes far was really far, like “Country

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Orin Das, a fourthgrader at ColvinRun Elementary

School, son of ChandraniOhdedar and Sumoy Das, hasbeen notified by the NationalGeographic Society that he isone of the semifinalists eli-gible to compete in the 2019National Geographic GeoBeeVirginia State Competition.The contest will be held atLongwood University, Farmville, Va. on Fri-day, March 29, 2019.

This is the second level of the NationalGeographic GeoBee competition, which isnow in its 31st year. School GeoBees wereheld in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to de-termine each school champion. Schoolchampions then took an online qualifyingtest, which they submitted to the NationalGeographic Society. The National Geo-graphic Society has invited up to 100 of thetop-scoring students in each of the 50 states,the District of Columbia, Department ofDefense Dependents Schools and U.S. ter-ritories to compete in the State GeoBees.

This year, National Geographic increasedthe prize money for all State GeoBees. Statechampions will receive a medal, $1,000 in

cash, and other prizes, as wellas a trip to Washington, D.C.,to represent their state in theNational Championship to beheld at National GeographicSociety headquarters, May19-22, 2019. Students thatcome in second and thirdplace will receive cash awardsof $300 and $100, respec-tively.

Each State Champion willadvance to the National Championship andcompete for cash awards and college schol-arships. In 2019, the national champion willreceive a $25,000 college scholarship,$1,000 in cash, a lifetime membership inthe National Geographic Society, and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to theGalápagos Islands aboard the National Geo-graphic Endeavour ll; second place will re-ceive a $10,000 college scholarship and$1,000 in cash; third place will receive a$5,000 college scholarship and $1,000 incash; and seven runners-up will receive$1,000 in cash each. Visit www.natgeobee.orgfor more information on the National Geo-graphic GeoBee. Follow the National compe-tition at National Geographic Headquartersin Washington, D.C., on May 19-22 atnatgeoed.org/experiences.

Colvin Run Fourth GraderNamed State GeoBee Semifinalist

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Opinion

By Michelle Krocker

Executive Director

Northern Virginia

Affordable Housing Alliance

Last month, a panel appointed by theFairfax County Board of Supervisorsrepresenting a cross-section of com-munity stakeholders and housing

advocates finalized their recommendations forPhase II of the county’s Community-wide Hous-ing Strategic Plan. Not since 2005, when thenChairman Gerry Connolly convened the Afford-able Housing Preservation Action Committee,has there been such a comprehensive analysisof the state of affordable housing in FairfaxCounty.

Over the last two years, advisory groups andad-hoc committees have been engaged in a top-

to-bottom review of admin-istrative, land use and regu-latory policies and pro-grams that impact afford-

able housing preservation and production. Thescope of the plan encompasses the entire con-tinuum of housing needs from persons withdisabilities, seniors on fixed incomes and for-merly homeless households to affordablehomeownership.

The Housing Strategic Plan process beganin June 2017, when the Department of Hous-ing and Community Development (HCD) con-ducted an online county-wide housing surveyand four community outreach sessions. PhaseI of the Plan, which was adopted by the boardin June 2018, identified 25 strategies relatedto land-use and zoning policies, allocation ofexisting financial resources, and administra-tive processes that are outdated or in need ofrevision to expedite affordable housing approv-als. A timeline for the work on these strategiesshows a completion date of 2020.

In Phase II, the ad-hoc Affordable HousingResources Panel focused on two board-definedobjectives: identify an annual goal for the pro-duction of new affordable units; and recom-mend a source of funds for the financial re-sources needed to achieve that goal. Whencompleted, the housing plan will be incorpo-rated into one comprehensive county strate-gic plan that integrates multiple existingagency plans to chart a blueprint for the fu-ture of the county.

RECOMMENDATIONS include housing

strategies that have been promoted for sometime by advocates. They include:

❖ A goal to produce a minimum of 5,000new homes, affordable to households earningno more than 60 percent of the area medianincome over the next 15 years. (It should benoted that the analysis identified the need for15,000 units over the next 15 years);

❖ Dedicate the equivalent of an additionalpenny of the real estate tax (approximately $24million) to support public investment in theseunits beginning in FY2021, as well as retainthe current funding of a half penny to supportpreservation strategies;

❖ Consider a countywide policy on commer-cial contributions to affordable housing pro-duction. Currently, this policy exists only forthe Tysons redevelopment area;

❖ A commitment of “no net loss” of existingmarket affordable units (those serving house-holds up to 60 percent of area median income);

❖ Promote opportunities to co-locate afford-able housing with county capital facilities.

We especially applaud the recognition of theneed for more robust preservation strategies.

FORTHCOMING recommendations from theEMBARK Housing Advisory Group provideadditional strategies for preservation incentivesin both redevelopment and new constructionproposals which could be a template for pres-ervation efforts countywide. The arrival ofAmazon HQ2 should heighten concern amongcounty leadership for vulnerable communitiesin Fairfax County that are located in close prox-imity to Pentagon City. Areas like Seven Cor-ners and Baileys Crossroad, as well as the Rich-mond Highway corridor have all been ap-proved in recent years for transit enhance-ments, mixed-use development and increaseddensity. Amazon’s announcement could be thecatalyst that triggers investment in these ar-eas that are home to thousands of low-income,minority households who live in the older,market-affordable housing located in thesecorridors. Recent Fairfax County Redevelop-ment and Housing Authority (RHA) invest-ments in Parkwood and Murraygate that pre-served over 400 units in the Lee and MasonDistricts are steps in the right direction, butmuch more is needed.

LOOKING AHEAD: Currently, the countyhas over 650 affordable units in the pipelinewith a development in the Dranesville District

in Herndon, a senior housing project in the LeeDistrict, and a development at the HuntingtonMetro Station in the Mt. Vernon District. Twosizeable parcels of county-owned land locatedin Lee District and Springfield District are be-ing processed for transfer to the RHA as sitesfor housing development. And plans to refi-nance the Crescent and Wedgewood apart-ments will result in additional funds for hous-ing development, or expansion of BridgingAffordability, the County’s local rental subsidyprogram.

All this bodes well for housing affordabilityin Fairfax County. For too long, the county’sbudget has shortchanged investments in newconstruction and preservation. An inventorydeveloped by Virginia Tech’s Center for Hous-ing Research shows that only 9,000 market-affordable units, affordable to a family of fourearning approximately $66,000 annually, re-main in the county. However, more than 68,000households in the county earn no more than$50,000 annually. Rents are rising faster thanincomes, and families are experiencing rentburdens, overcrowding or are being priced outof the county.

NEXT STEPS: In March, recommendationsfrom the Phase II Panel will be presented tothe Board of Supervisors for their considerationand approval. Afterwards, the final package ofhousing recommendations will be given to theCounty Executive to be incorporated into theboard’s budget guidance for FY2021. This willoccur when the Board adopts the FY2020 bud-get on May 7. Nothing is certain until boardadoption. But advocates throughout the countyfeel that in this very consequential electionyear, when so many candidates for the Boardof Supervisors have identified housingaffordability as a priority issue, this is the yearfor significant housing wins. To be successful,housing advocates must build a coalition ofsupport that encompasses the business com-munity and anchor institutions like healthcarefacilities, education advocates, supporters ofcoordinated multi-modal transit and land useplanning, organizations promoting compact,mixed-use development and entities workingfor social justice and racial equity. This plan isbold and forward-thinking, and in this elec-tion year a community-wide campaign will becritical for adoption.

For more, see www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hous-ing/communitywideplan.

Fairfax County’s Bold Housing Agenda

Commentary

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:Why is the Fairfax County govern-

ment competing with private busi-ness? Fairfax County SupervisorJohn Foust failed to answer thisquestion and twisted the issue intoone of customer satisfaction at theGreat Falls budget meeting heldMarch 14. For example, FairfaxCounty owns and maintains 8 golfcourses with 80 people (FTEs) sup-porting them eligible for full pen-sion benefits and other rich Countyemployee benefits. Other examples

include owning multiple watertheme parks and wedding venue fa-cilities. However, the County pointsout that the taxes collected are notsufficient to fund all the programsto the level they desire. FairfaxCounty is plagued by a 40 percentshortfall in pension expense fund-ing for Fairfax County employees.Therefore, an ongoing increase inproperty taxes is inevitable with an-other 33 FTEs in the planning anddevelopment budget stating theyhave an “ambitious agenda” ahead.

This tax and spend mindset is driv-ing people out of the area. FairfaxCounty is also proud to report theyfund more park and rec activitiesthan the rest of the entire Country.Why, when we cannot afford to fixthe roads are we hiring 109 newemployees the County can’t afford.Mr. Foust doesn’t consider: 1) thecontinual burden of increasing prop-erty taxes, 2) unfunded pensions, 3)and the lost opportunity for privatebusiness to participate and pay thoseproperty taxes. Mr. Foust wants to

continue with the status quo and rideout the three-year State imposedmoratorium so he can again pushfor the Meals Tax and other tax in-creases. Satisfaction surveys shouldask: Are you willing to increase yourFairfax County property taxes tofund activities that could be trans-ferred and delivered by a privatebusiness? I suggest we prioritizewhat taxpayers want after we fullyfund the basics (what we need).

Ethel PascalGreat Falls

Is a Tax and Spend Mindset Driving People Out of the Area?

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People

Brooke Dawn,Great Falls resi-dent and

Oakcrest School student,had much to celebratewith her parents on Feb.16 at a Kawasaki Disease“From Your Heart toTheirs” event in La Jolla,Calif., where she and herfamily were honored. Itwas hosted by Rady’sChildren Hospital and theKawasaki Disease re-search team from Univer-sity of California, San Di-ego. Brooke and her par-ents, Don and PattyDawn, have taken up themantle to spread theword about this littleknown severe illness -Kawasaki Disease- thatprimarily affects youngchildren and infants. It isnow the number one waychildren acquire heartdisease. If not diagnosedwithin a crucial ten daywindow and adminis-tered treatment some 25percent of children de-velop life threatening ab-normalities of the coronary arteries. AsBrooke has matured, she has increasinglytaken on the mission of spreading the wordabout Kawasaki Disease, as this timely di-agnosis is so crucial. She has visited localpediatric practices in the area on Jan. 26,National Kawasaki Disease Day, to hand outpamphlets to remind doctors of the symp-toms of this tricky disease. She, along withher parents, visited Capitol Hill in an at-tempt to obtain a senate resolution codify-ing the awareness of Jan. 26 as NationalKawasaki Disease Day. She has worked as aKD Ambassador, sharing her personal storyoften through the KD Foundation’s effortsand personally talking to KD parents at vari-ous events about her experience. She suc-cessfully launched an online fundraising sitea few years ago, raising $4,000 in small

dollar donations. She then motivated herparents to help raise money to fund furtherresearch into the disease and to that endthey issued a $2.5 million dollar challengegrant through the Macklin Foundation, ofwhich her father serves as president. As theycelebrated with researchers and hospitaladministration at the event, Brooke mingledsharing her story with those in the roomand hatching her plan for a “grassrootsmovement of teens who have survived thedisease and together doing community edu-cation and outreach.” She, with her familyby her side, is dedicated to making a differ-ence in her Great Falls community and thecommunity of Kawasaki Disease families atlarge.

For more information, on the disease visitkdfoundation.org

Great Falls Girl HonoredFor Fighting Kawasaki Disease

Brooke Dawn

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Week in Great Falls

L’Auberge Chez Francois Hosts Luncheonfor Great Falls Senior Center Members

The Great Falls Senior Center (GFSC) event for April 16 will be a luncheon hostedby L’Auberge Chez Francois, 332 Springvale Road, Great Falls, 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.Luncheon includes a choice of two appetizers (Onion soup gratinee or Organicmesclun salad, vinaigrette); choice of two entrees (Sauteed fresh trout with toastedalmonds or Beef Bourguignon, Spaetzles and mushrooms): choice of two desserts(Tahitian vanilla ice crème brulee or Dark chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream).

Reservations may be made by sending checks made out to GFSC at a cost of $45per person, tip and tax included along with tea, coffee or soda, to Sondra Taylor,752 Boehms Court, Great Falls 22066 by April 11. For additional information con-tact Sondra Taylor, 703-759-6204. Visit gfseniors.org.


By Marilyn Campbell

Rosalie Ward, recalls a hot and sticky sum-mer evening in 1975. She was watching re-runs of the television show “Bewitched” with

her twin sister in the living room while her mothercooked dinner in the kitchen. Ward remembers hear-ing the ring of the family’s rotary telephone. The nextsound she heard was a shriek and then violent sobsfrom her mother.

“My mom had gotten a call that her brother, myuncle, had been killed in a car crash,” remembersWard. “I was six at the time, but most of my memo-ries of that evening are of my mother crying uncon-trollably for the hour or so until my dad came homefrom work. The two of them disappeared behindclosed doors. I just remember being terrified andfeeling alone.”

Whether prolonged or sudden, unforeseen or ex-pected, experiencing the death of a loved one is nevereasy. While grief can weigh heavy on adults, it canoverwhelm and confuse young children. And al-though death is an inevitable part of life, finding thewords to discuss or explain it to young children canchallenge many parents.

“Whether you’re talking about a family pet or agrandparent, it’s important that parents or caregiversunderstand that children grieve too and that deathhas to be discussed,” said Ward, who is a family thera-pist in Reston.

One of the most significant mistakes a parent orcaregiver can make is not being honest with a childabout death, said Carolyn Lorente, Ph.D., professorof psychology at Northern Virginia Community Col-lege. “My biggest worry is when people hide the factthat a loved one died by saying that they went on atrip, and then the child sees the adult crying or be-ing sad,” she said. “That doesn’t give the child achance to process it, but by including them in a de-velopmentally appropriate way, we are teaching thatwe can feel big feelings, and with the support offriends and family, we can still thrive.”

Helping a child to understand they didn’t causethe death could be an important part of the conver-sation, suggests Carol Barnaby, LCSW-C, a therapistin Bethesda. “Children often see the world as revolv-ing around them,” she said. “Reassure them that theirloved one dying was not theirfault and that the death didn’thappen because they had a meanthought, misbehaved, or didn’tvisit enough.”

“Death often brings anxiety inchildren and they wonder if theywill die too,” added Barnaby. “Ex-plaining that although the lovedone has just died, death is notcontagious and that the child willlikely live a very long life.”

Clear, concise word usage isalso important because young children might nothave the language skills to discuss their feelings andemotions, adds Lorente. “Let the child engage in talk-ing about fond memories of the deceased using pic-tures, making favorite recipes, or visiting a favoriteplace,” she said.

Use concrete and authentic terms when discuss-ing it, continued Barnaby. “Avoid euphemisms like‘Grandma is resting’ or ‘has gone away’,” she said.

“These sayings confuse childrenand may cause them anxiety over[the notion] that they could die ifthey fall asleep; or that other lovedones may not come back.” Useclear language like ‘Grandma hasdied.’”

Young children often believedeath is reversible, advises JeromeShort, Ph.D., professor of psychol-ogy at George Mason University.“You could describe how a bodystops working and the person whodied isn’t coming back.”

Be open to having an honest conversation aboutit, continued Short.

“Encourage children to ask questions and tell themyou will help them handle any bad feelings or prob-lems that happen,” he said.

Explaining Death to ChildrenBreaking down adifficult topic andhelping children grieve.

“The Invisible String” by Patrice Karst isa book that could help parents explaindeath to their children.

Bethesda-based therapist Carol Barnaby,LCSW-C suggests “The Memory Box” byJoanna Rowland as a tool to help childrenunderstand the concept of dying.

“Death oftenbrings anxiety inchildren and theywonder if they willdie too.”

— Carol Barnaby, LCSW-C

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See Science Fair, Page 13

News

By Steve Hibbard

The Connection

The gym at Robinson Sec-ondary School resembleda mini version of the

United Nations. At the 64th AnnualFairfax County Regional Scienceand Engineering Fair held Sunday,March 17, 2019, some 670 stu-dents from 27 high schools com-peted for nine Grand Prize slotsand the chance to go to the Inter-national Science and Engineering

Fair sponsored by Intel in Phoenix,Ariz. later this year.

The categories ranged fromchemistry to robotics, intelligentsystems to mathematics, earth andenvironmental sciences, biomedi-cal and health sciences, to STEMdisciplines and engineering.

After a public viewing from 1-3

p.m., they held an awards pro-gram with members of the FairfaxCounty School Board and RegionSuperintendents where prizeswere awarded to the Grand Prizewinners and Corporate and Pro-fessional Organization award win-ners.

Visitors flock to the 64th Annual Fairfax County Regional Science and Engineering Fair,which was held Sunday, March 17, 2019, at Robinson Secondary School.

Hayfield Secondary School students Sarah Syed, MiamarBurgos-Rosario of Alexandria and (not present) SaijaiSupanklang won first place in Microbiology and aregrand prize nominees. Their project was “Cyanocide: ANovel Strategy for Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation viaInitiation of Programmed Cell Death.”

Talent on Display atRegional Science Fair670 studentsfrom 27 highschools competefor nine grandprizes to go toInternationalFair in Phoenix.

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News

By Andrea Worker

The Connection

The two Democratic contendersfor Fairfax CountyCommonwealth’s Attorneytraded barbs at a forum on Sat-

urday, March 16, held at the Chantilly Bap-tist Church, presented by the Fairfax Branchof the NAACP with partners the ACLUPeople of Power Fairfax, the Northern Vir-ginia Black Attorneys Association and OAR- Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources.

Incumbent Ray Morrogh has served in theCounty Commonwealth Attorney’s Officeoffice since 1983 and has held the top spotsince 2007. He is being challenged by SteveDescano who spent six years as a federalprosecutor under the Obama Administra-tion, first as a Special Assistant to the U.S.Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginiaand then as a trial attorney in both theCriminal Taxation Division and the Con-sumer Protection Branch. Descano alsoserved on the Fairfax County Police Civil-ian Review Panel.

In the two-hour session moderated byattorney Vanessa Jordan, a member of theNorthern Virginia Black Attorneys Associa-tion, Descano lost no time in categorizingMorrogh’s office as a “black box” devoid ofsignificant data that can be used to developpolicies and inform the public.

“The people I talk to, even personnel inour local government, say they don’t knowhow to get hold of anyone in that office,”said Descano. “That’s not leadership.”

Descano prides himself on “always beingout and about in the community,” sayingthat the public needs to see their leaders’values in action, in their lives, on a dailybasis.

Morrogh shot back with examples of hisinvolvement on numerous committees andtask forces and with a number of civic or-ganizations.

“My door is always open,” he said, andmaintains that he and his department con-tinue to educate themselves on issues andbest practices while engaging the commu-nity to learn of their concerns.

MORROGH HIGHLIGHTED what hedescribes as a lack of “relevant, realisticexperience” by his opponent.

“In our department we handle thousandsof cases with often life-and-death conse-quences. We don’t have the years [that ataxation prosecuting attorney has] to builda single case. Our work is more immedi-ate.”

Morrogh alluded that some of Descano’s“pledges” about what cases to prosecute andhow to address certain issues, cannot bemet, either because they are not within thescope of the position’s authority, or they are

“simply not allowable under the law. And Iam sworn to uphold that law for all citi-zens.”

Moderator Jordan asked a series of ques-tions on topics ranging from implicit biasin the criminal justice system and in localpolicing, dealing with undocumented per-sons, and those who come in contact withthe courts with mental health and drugabuse issues, restoration of voting rights forconvicted felons, cash bail inequities, thelarceny dollar threshold, the handling ofjuvenile offenses in schools, and more. Eachcandidate was given 60 seconds to answer,and cautioned to stay on topic.

“Please don’t use your time to present arebuttal to your opponent’s answer. Thepeople here want to hear your answers tothe questions we are posing,” said Jordan.

Speaking on diversion programs aimed atkeeping people out of jail, Morrogh insistedthat his prosecutors work to do just that,but “I will not put violent offenders in such

programs.” For those facing drug convic-tions, drug court is an option, but Morroghnoted that many choose not to enter theprogram and accept fines or jail sentencesinstead.

“That’s understandable,” respondedDescano. “The program is hard. We needto offer incentives to people to help themchoose the path of recovery instead of in-carceration.” Descano cites that lack of in-centives as a reason why the numbers ofoffenders in such program is relatively low.

Descano also accused Morrogh of allow-ing offenders to languish in jails becausethey could not raise the cash bail imposed.

“People who have not been convicted ofanything are kept from their families, theirjobs, their lives, even though they have beendeclared eligible for pretrial release,” hesaid. “Don’t punt this ball. Don’t ask for cashbail in those instances.”

Morrogh countered: “We may ask for de-tention in serious instances where we be-

lieve the offender to be a danger, but I donot ask for cash bails and have not done soin 35 years.”

Descano shot back that Morrogh had sup-ported cash bail in a Washington Post ar-ticle, to which the incumbent replied, “It’sa complex issue, more so than you realize.We can’t simply do away with cash bondsas you seem to suggest.”

On the question of advocating to raise thedollar limit for which to prosecute a crimeas a felony, Descano agreed to “take thepledge” that Jordan asked about.

“I will take that pledge, not to prosecuteless than a $1500 value as a felony.”

While Morrogh says he has long advo-cated for raising the felony/larceny thresh-old, he declined to pledge to never pros-ecute below $1500 as a felony.

“That would be a dangerous precedent,”he warned, saying that from his many yearsof experience he can attest there are “peoplewho steal, over and over again, or scam ourelderly again and again. I cannot say thatbecause of one instance of loss below $1500that it would not be appropriate to filecharges as a felony offense.”

The audience seemed to have no troublefollowing the arguments of the candidateson the question of Brady Material and dis-covery reform.

Brady Material comes from a 1963 Su-preme Court ruling that says that “suppres-sion by the prosecution of evidence favor-able to a defendant who has requested itviolates due process.”

On this topic, again the two men differedand traded verbal jabs.

Once again, Descano made a pledge, say-ing that anyone on his staff who was caughtfailing to provide Brady Material for thedefendant “would be gone.”

Morrogh said “no system is perfect. Weprepare Brady Material for the defense, butif there was an issue, I would investigateand weigh the circumstances before mak-ing a decision.”

The two exhibited the most agreementduring the “lightning round” of questions,most probably because Jordan allowed onlya simple “yes” or “no” answer to less con-troversial questions and gave the candidatesonly one sentence to explain their re-sponses. Both supported body cameras forpolice, decriminalization of marijuana,detox diversion for drunk in public; neithersupported diversion for driving under theinfluence.

THE LAST SECTION of the forum posedwritten questions from the audience, andthere were a lot of them.

The two tangled over the restoration ofvoting rights for felons. Descano accusedMorrogh of being against the restoration,noting that the Commonwealth’s Attorneyhad joined a lawsuit against then-GovernorMcAuliffe when he proposed such legisla-tion.

“Read my remarks,” countered Morrogh.He contends that he objected to the attach-ment of gun ownership rights to the legis

Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidates Face OffNAACP andpartners questionthe contenders.

Vying for the top law enforcement slot in Fairfax County as theCommonwealth’s Attorney, Steve Descano, the challenger and RayMorrogh, the incumbent, face off at a forum hosted by the NAACP.

Organizing a number of questions submitted by the audience for thecandidates are Derwin Overton, executive director of OAR – Opportuni-ties, Alternatives and Resources, and attorney Diane Alejandro withACLU People Power of Fairfax.

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From Page 10

Rare Primary Race for FairfaxCommonwealth’s Attorneylation.

“There are too many guns, and too many victimsof gun violence … and I am not hearing the wordvictim mentioned enough here today.”

Morrogh cited examples of released felons, con-victed of violent crimes or paedophilia who were ableto purchase guns upon their release from prison.

“I support restoration of voting rights, 100 per-cent,” he said. “In fact, I think those incarceratedshould be allowed to vote. Treason should be theonly reason a person should be barred from voting.”

On the question of police involvement in juvenileissues in school, both men supported allowing schoolauthorities to handle the situations wherever pos-sible, though Descano charged that Murrogh has notbeen visible on this front, while he has. He also indi-cated that juveniles have been threatened with “cer-tification as adults” in some instances.

Morrogh disagreed. “We never threaten adult cer-tification. We act if so warranted.”

Wrapping up, the two again enumerated their ownstrengths and fitness for the office that holds signifi-cant power over the citizens of the community.Descano continued to deprecate the incumbent’sleadership, saying it was “time to move beyond thesame old, same old,” while Morrogh emphasized hisown experience and his opponent’s lack in this arena.

As NAACP President Kofi Annan urged, votersshould take every opportunity to listen to them asthey outline their visions and explain their ap-proaches.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney forumwas moderated by Vanessa Jordan, anattorney and member of forum co-sponsor the Northern Virginia BlackAttorneys Association.

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“You may not know the real role of theCommonwealth’s Attorney. I admit that once I didnot really understand the role of this job, but I havecome to understand its importance and its impact asthe gatekeeper to protect our citizens and our rights.”

By Serena Fischer

Capital News Service

Responding to the state’s opioid epidemic,Virginia is expanding the number ofpeople legally authorized to dispense and

administer the overdose reversal medicationnaloxone.

Gov. Ralph Northam has signed into law billsallowing paramedics, school nurses and regionaljail personnel to administer naloxone. The Gen-eral Assembly passed the legislation during its2019 session.

Northam signed:❖ HB 2158, sponsored by Del. Kenneth Plum,

D-Fairfax. It authorizes emergency medical ser-vices personnel and health care providers in hos-pital emergency rooms to dispense naloxone. Thebill also allows organizations to charge a fee equalto the cost of obtaining the drug.

❖ HB 2318, filed by Del. John McGuire, R-Henrico. It allows school nurses, other schoolboard employees and local health departmentemployees assigned to public schools to possessand administer naloxone after they have beentrained.

❖ HB 1878, introduced by Del. Scott Garrett,R-Lynchburg. It adds employees of regional jailsto the list of individuals who may possess and ad-minister naloxone, provided that they have com-pleted a training program.

“It’s imperative that we provide the proper toolsto our public safety workers to deal with all as-pects of the opioid crisis that Virginia is currentlyexperiencing. Having naloxone in their possessioncould potentially save a life of one of their offic-ers or an inmate in their care,” Garrett said.

All three bills passed the House and Senateunanimously. Northam approved HB 2158 and HB2318 on March 5 and HB 1878 on Feb. 22. Thethree measures take effect July 1.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist used to reversethe effects of an opioid overdose, according to theHarm Reduction Coalition, an advocacy group forindividuals and communities impacted by druguse. The medication allows an overdose victim toresume normal breathing by counteracting thedepression of the respiratory and central nervoussystems.

The substance is non-addictive and will workonly on a person who has consumed opioids insome form. It can be injected like an EpiPen oradministered via nasal spray, a form more com-monly known as Narcan.

When dispensed correctly, the drug will imme-diately begin to take effect. Signs of an overdoseinclude shallow breathing, unresponsiveness anda blue coloring of the lips and fingernails.

State officials estimate that last year, more than1,200 Virginians died from overdoses of opioids,including heroin, fentanyl and prescription opio-ids. That number has doubled since 2011.

Increasing Access to Naloxone


By David Siegel

The Connection

American ShakespeareCenter has a loyal fol-lowing of devoted fans

who can’t always make it to theCenter’s home in Staunton, Vir-ginia, said Sarah N. Schallern,Director, Performing Arts,McLean Community Center.“Bringing ASC to The Alden af-fords this Shakespeare-lovingtown the opportunity to seeauthentic performances close tohome.

“I love how visceral their pro-ductions are,” said Schallern.“ASC makes Shakespeare acces-sible in a way that even the bestproducers of the Bard cannot. Isee presenting such vital pro-ductions as a huge benefit to thecommunity — our patrons geta deeper understanding ofShakespeare and other classics.”

ASC will perform three differ-ent classics at the Alden. Theproductions include:

Sophocles’ “Antigone,” an an-cient tale about the aftermathof war. Antigone is torn. Herbrother Eteocles will be hon-ored, but her brother Polyneiceswill be shamed and denied fu-neral rites. What will Antigonedo?

Shakespeare’s “The Comedyof Errors” is a boisterous com-edy of twins, mistaken identity,a jealous wife, and more. Slap-stick humor and happy confu-sion abound.

Shakespeare’s “The Winter’sTale” is a ride from romance to

tragedy to comedy to a place oftranscendent beauty. A sad tale“best for winter,” thatShakespeare conjures intospring’s miraculous rebirth.º

Artistic Director EthanMcSweeny said that ASC is a“true believer in the power ofShakespeare and the classics toimprove lives. The productionshave the ASC unique outlookthat includes 30 minutes of livepre show music as a bridge intothe shows. There is also livemusic performed by the actorsduring intermissions.

American Shakespeare Cen-ter is nationally known for itsquality repertory style as actorsshow their versatility perform-ing many different roles, notedMcSweeney. ASC also is knownfor its authentic “lights-on, noset” approach to a classic the-ater production. “With lightson, the audience can be moreengaged in the production,”added McSweeny.

“ASC residency at The Aldenwill be seen nowhere else. Dueto some repairs in the theatre,much of the stage is inacces-sible. ASC loves performing forMcLean audiences so much thatthey offered to restage all threeproductions so that they wouldfit on the space we have avail-able.

This makes the Shakespeareweekend even more special,”said Schallern.

More than one Alden patronhas provided feedback such as“the interactions between thecast and the audience made theplay come alive; I was capti-vated.”

McLean Community Centerpresents American ShakespeareCenter on Tour, at The AldenTheatre, McLean CommunityCenter. “Antigone,” March 30,“The Comedy of Errors,” March31, and “The Winter’s Tale”,March 31.

Photo by Lauren Rogers Parker

Courtesy American Shakespeare Center

Constance Swain appearing in American ShakespeareCenter’s “Antigone” at McLean’s Alden Theatre

Shakespeare at AldenAmericanShakespeareCenter returnsto McLean’sAlden Theatre.

Entertainment

Heralds ofSpring

Mary Ellen Mogee’s ex-hibit of abstract floralpaintings is full of bloomsexploding with color andlight and brings spring toGreat Falls a little early.Through March 29, libraryhours in the Great Falls Li-brary large meeting room,9830 Georgetown Pike,Great Falls. Free. Visitwww.maryellenmogee.comor call 703-785-5784.

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

WEDNESDAY/MARCH 20McLean Newcomers and

Neighbors Luncheon. 11:30 a.m.at Nostos Restaurant, 8100 BooneBlvd., Vienna. Prospective membersare invited. No reservations will beaccepted after Friday, March 15. $40per person. To attend, pay atsquareup.com/market/mclean-newcomers-club. Visitwww.McLeanNewcomers.org.

Dining with Dorothy. 12:30 p.m. AtP.J. Skidoos, 9908 Fairfax Blvd.,Fairfax. Join with your friends ormake new ones. Newcomers arealways welcome. To reserve yourspace, contact event chair DorothyFlood at [email protected]

Holy Happy Hour Recital Series.6:15 p.m. at Lewinsville PresbyterianChurch, 1724 Chain Bridge Road,McLean. Featuring Seán Heely, a U.SNational Scottish Fiddle Champion,the 30-minute musical offering willbe followed by wine, hor d’oeuvresand fellowship. Free and open to thepublic; a good will offering tosupport the music department will betaken. Visit www.Lewinsville.org orcall 703-356-7200.

TEDxTysons OpenMic Night. 7-9:30p.m. At McLean Community Center’sAlden Theatre, 1234 Ingleside Ave.,McLean. In an “American Idol” meetsStorySLAM-style evening, aspiringTEDx Talkers will present their 2-3minute pitch to a full house... and atthe end of the evening one speakerwill be selected to develop andpresent a full TEDxTysons talk. Thisis an all-ages event. A receptionfollows featuring McLean Project forthe Arts artists. Tickets $16/$12 MCCtax district residents. Visit thewebsite mcleancenter.org.

FRIDAY/MARCH 22McLean Art Sociey Meeting. 10

a.m.-noon at The McLeanCommunity Center, 1234 InglesideAve. Dhamin Jassim, a graduate ofthe Institute and Academy of Fine Artin Baghdad will be the featuredpresenter. The artist will be doing apainting demonstration. Guests arewelcome. Call 703-790-0123.

SATURDAY/MARCH 23Spring Bazaar and Craft Show. 10

a.m.-4 p.m. in the Flame Room at theVienna Volunteer Fire Department,400 Center St. South, Vienna. TheAuxiliary to the Vienna VolunteerFire Department will hold theirSpring Bazaar and Craft Show.Offered for sale will be crafts, holidaydecorations, items for your home,clothing and gifts for that specialsomeone. A lunch menu is planned,as well as a homemade baked goodstable. Admission is free. Forinformation, or to reserve a space,call Carol at 703-309-3468 or [email protected].

The Joshua Show (FamilyFriendly). 1 p.m. at The AldenTheatre at McLean CommunityCenter, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean.This award-winning familyproduction features a modern-dayMr. Rogers with hipster appeal, livemusic, tap dancing, physical comedyand multiple styles of puppetry totake the audience on a journey tofind the joy in being yourself. Cost is$15/$10 MCC tax district residents.Visit www.aldentheatre.org.

SUNDAY/MARCH 24Coffee and Culture. 4-6 p.m. at Caffe

Amouri, 107 Church St. NE, Vienna.Travel the word through thisdemonstration and taste experience.Learn about the important part coffee

plays in these varied cultures as youtaste your way to Global CoffeeUnderstanding. $45. Call 703-938-1623 or visit www.caffeamouri.com/store/p47/coffeeandculture/3-24-2019.html.

WEDNESDAY/MARCH 27Holy Happy Hour Recital Series.

6:15 p.m. at Lewinsville PresbyterianChurch, 1724 Chain Bridge Road,McLean. Featuring Seán Heely, a U.SNational Scottish Fiddle Champion,the 30-minute musical offering willbe followed by wine, hor d’oeuvresand fellowship. Free and open to thepublic; a good will offering tosupport the music department will betaken. Visit www.Lewinsville.org orcall 703-356-7200.

THURSDAY/MARCH 28Langley Lacrosse Youth Night. 6

p.m. at Langley High School Stadiumfield, 6520 Georgetown Pike,McLean. Warm up with varsityplayers at 5:45 p.m. JV game starts at6 and varsity at 7:30. Langley HighSchool Girls Lacrosse is hostingYouth Night. Raffles, door prizes, andfree youth t-shirts for the first 60fans. Free admission for youthlacrosse players wearing their jerseys;$5 for others. [email protected].

SATURDAY/MARCH 30NoVaTEEN Book Festival. 9:30 a.m.

at Marshall High School, 7731Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. TheNoVaTEEN Book Festival is back witha day full of panels, games, andsignings with over 30 bestselling andemerging Young Adult authors. Learnmore on the official festival website.The event is free and open to to thepublic; tickets and a full schedule areavailable atnovateenbookfestival.com.

Craft Beer and Wine FestivalFundraiser. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. atL’Auberge Chez François, 332Springvale Road, Great Falls. ChefJacques Haeringer, of L’Auberge ChezFrancois and Jacques’ Brasserie, hostsa fun and delectable craft beer andwine festival fundraiser to support agroup of firefighters, police officers,and first responders representing theUnited States of America in the topdivision of volleyball at the WorldPolice and Fire Games in China in2019. $75. Call 703-759-3800 or visitwww.laubergechezfrancois.com.

Sophocles’ “Antigone.” 2 p.m. atThe Alden Theatre at McLeanCommunity Center, 1234 InglesideAve., McLean. Sophocles’s dramafrom 441 B.C. holds startlingrelevance today, examining divinity,

obedience, and law—and how loveovercomes them all. Cost is $40/$30MCC tax district residents. Visitwww.aldentheatre.org.

Black History Concert. 3 p.m. atHistoric Pleasant Grove Church, 8641Lewinsville Road, McLean. TheWashington Revels Jubilee Voicesensemble will perform at HistoricPleasant Grove Church’s free annualBlack History Celebration. TheJubilee Voices will present traditionalAfrican-American song, poetry, anddance tailored to the unique story ofPleasant Grove. Free. Visitwww.HistoricPleasantGrove.org.

Shakespeare’s “The Comedy ofErrors”. 7:30 p.m. at The AldenTheatre at McLean CommunityCenter, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean.Two long-separated twins, their twotricky servants (also twins), a jealouswife, and her lovelorn sister rompthrough this fast-paced comedy. Costis $40/$30 MCC tax districtresidents. Visitwww.aldentheatre.org.

VOCE Chamber Singers. 8 p.m. atChurch of the Holy Cross, 2455Gallows Road, Dunn Loring. VOCEChamber Singers presentsRachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil(Vespers). Rachmaninoff’s All-NightVigil (Vespers) is widely regarded asthe “Mt. Everest” of the a cappellachoral repertoire. Tickets $10-$25;under 18, free. Visit www.voce.org orcall 703-277-7772.

SUNDAY/MARCH 31Langley/Cooper 5K. 8 a.m. at

Langley High School, 6520Georgetown Pike, McLean. Join the“Bands on the Run” 5k run/walk,benefitting Langley High School andCooper Middle School Bandprograms. $30 through March 15; 3/15; $35 through Race Day. Visitwww.langleyband.org/bands-on-the-run to register or sponsor.Sponsorships are tax-deductible.

Shakespeare’s “The Winter’sTale.” 2 p.m. at The Alden Theatreat McLean Community Center, 1234Ingleside Ave., McLean.Shakespeare’s magnificent late play isa roller-coaster ride from romance totragedy to comedy and, finally, to aplace of transcendent beauty that fewother works of art have ever gone.Cost is $40/$30 MCC tax districtresidents. Visitwww.aldentheatre.org.

VOCE Chamber Singers. 4 p.m. atChurch of the Holy Comforter, 543Beulah Road, NE, Vienna.. VOCEChamber Singers presentsRachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil(Vespers). Tickets $10-$25; under18, free. Visit www.voce.org or call703-277-7772.

“Heralds ofSpring” by MaryEllen Mogee,14"x11" pouredacrylic on panel.


News

South Lakes High School students Ryan Ferzoco andSpencer Harris won first place in Material Science andwere grand prize nominees. Their project was “The Effectof Microgravity on Self-Healing Concrete.”

McLean High School student Abrar Syed of McLean wonfirst place in Physics and Astronomy and was a finalistfor the grand prize. His project was “Einstein WasWrong.”

Elite Science Fair at RobinsonThe students’ 428 projects werejudged three times Saturday by200 category judges. About 250students won awards from 50 cor-porate and professional organiza-tions that were sponsored by gov-ernment agencies, nonprofits andthink tanks. Prizes ranged from$1,000 cash awards to scholar-ships and internships, gift cardsand even a Raspberry Pi ZeroStarter Kit. One project on CysticFibrosis Wearable Technologyfrom Madison High studentsThaissa Peixoto and Alex Gurskiwon a patent preparation and fil-ing from the law firm Hunton andWilliams LLP in the District.

FOR THE GRAND PRIZES, nineprojects were allotted slots in theInternational Science and Engi-neering Fair sponsored by IntelCorporation in Phoenix, Ariz. Be-cause of the size and reputationof Fairfax County, those projectscan go straight to the InternationalFair without having to go throughstate competition. This includes anall-expense paid trip for studentsto compete for up to $4 million inprize money.

According to Dr. Jenay SharpLeach, fair director and Pre-K-12Science Coordinator: “In FairfaxCounty Public Schools, we prideourselves on providing studentswith a rich, inquiry-based scienceexperience in the classroom so allof our students have the opportu-nity to experience science as realscientists where they are askingquestions, they are collecting dataand analyzing that data and form-ing their own conclusions. AndScience Fair is a really beautifulmanifestation of this inquiry pro-cess in that the students truly haveaccess to open inquiry and canexplore what they want to ex-plore.”

She added: “So, the studentswho come to the fair represent thebest of the best from all of our highschools as well as our privateschools in Fairfax County. And theyare the elite level of scientific in-vestigation.”

DR. SHARP LEACH said one oftheir traditions is to choose a quotefrom a famous scientist or engi-neer to inspire the work of the fair.This year’s quote comes fromStephen Hawking who said, “Sci-entists have become the bearers ofthe torch of discovery in our questfor knowledge.”

She continued: “There are can-cer cures in this room right now,there are climate change advo-cates who are going to stop climatechange in this room right now and

it’s very inspirational.”Added Tim Harazin, Elementary

Science Specialist with FairfaxCounty Public Schools who helpedcoordinate the fair: “At our Re-gional Science Fair we are proudto have so many professional or-ganizations and companies pro-vide judges and awards.

The benefit is, first, there is anaward for the students, manytimes monetary, but other options,but I think the bigger issues isthese organization judges are rolemodels for the students. They

show the students that a sciencefair is not just a one-shot deal, butit could lead to a career in science,engineering or related fields, andI think it’s really great that the stu-dents get to see the people whoare living those careers and getadvice from those people. So,that’s what I see is the really bigadvantage.

That’s why I’m not as concernedthat every organization gives usmoney because I know they’re giv-ing us time and they’re giving usrole models.”

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Sanika Karandikar, a student at Thomas Jefferson HighSchool, won first place in Microbiology and was a grandprize nominee. Her project was “Using PhotodynamicTreatment in Eradicating S-Epidermidis Biofilms.”

From Page 9


People

Carolyn Beaumont, a se-nior at The PotomacSchool in McLean,

ranked fifth in the 78th RegeneronScience Talent Search, the nation’soldest and most prestigious sci-ence and mathematics competi-tion for high school seniors. Herachievement, which comes with a$90,000 award, was announcedon March 12 at a black-tie gala atthe National Building Museum inWashington, DC.

Carolyn was named a Top 40Finalist in January. She and herfellow finalists spent Sunday,March 10, presenting their re-search projects to the public, aswell as to a number of leading sci-entists. The following day, the fi-nalists divided into groups by stateof residence and met with govern-ment officials and staffers. Carolynand the other Virginians spokewith a member of Sen. MarkWarner’s staff about their workand the importance of governmentsupport for STEM education.

As a student in Potomac’s Sci-ence and Engineering ResearchCenter (SERC) program, Carolynspent two years working on hergeochemistry research project. Sheexamined the way water reactswith magma, with the goal of test-ing the theory favored by geolo-gists about the composition ofwater during a volcanic eruption.In addition to her Potomac re-search advisor, Dr. Isabelle Cohen,Carolyn worked with an outsidementor, Dr. George Cody at theCarnegie Institute of Science’sGeophysical Laboratory. There,she used technology that allowedher to create models of magmaand observe its reaction with wa-ter. Ultimately, Carolyn’s discover-ies turned out to be remarkable:She showed that volcanoes reactdifferently depending on the

amount of water present in themagma. This runs counter to thethinking of professional geologists,making Carolyn’s project a sourceof new and important information.

Dr. Cohen observes, “Not manyhigh school students can say thatthey have disproved a scientifictheory. That accomplishment indi-cates the magnitude of Carolyn’spotential as a scientist.”

Reflecting on the competition’sfinal days, Carolyn notes, “All ofthe questions that the judges askedwere really interesting. I got tomeet some professional geologists– one of them actually works inthe same field that I’ve been study-ing, and I loved hearing her per-

spective on my research. It wasamazing to have my work recog-nized in a way that allowed me tohave an impact on the scientificcommunity!” She adds, “This wasone of the best weeks of my life. Ididn’t feel pressured to make thetop 10. All I was hoping to get outof the experience, I had alreadygotten.

“It was great to be able to sharemy research, and I loved talkingwith so many people who are pas-sionate about science. I was reallyhappy about the entire process;winning fifth place was just theicing on the cake.”

Carolyn will attend HarvardUniversity in the fall.

Potomac School Senior Takes FifthPlace in National Science Competition

Carolyn Beaumont, fifth place winner in the 2019Regeneron Science Talent Search.

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ntributed


Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

On Monday, I take one of our “Buff Boys” (beige-colored cats), “Chino,” to the vet for his bi-weekly glucose-monitoring day. This is his new rou-tine as “Chino” was recently diagnosed with diabetes.

In addition, since his diagnosis, I’ve been injecting him with insulin twice a day, subcutaneously (“sub-q”) going on six weeks now. Though he’s eating well, he’s lost weight; apparently, it’s related.

Without getting too sad, too soon, he looks frail and the stares and meows he gives me seem to be pleas for help which, other than providing food, water and touch, I am clueless as to what else I can do. I’m not anticipating the worst yet, but when I pick him up at the vet later in the day, I’m not expecting the best either.

I began immunotherapy. I don’t quite know what to expect; although I know what I hope.

The fact is I/we neglected to ask my oncologist

a time frame about the immunotherapy’s effective-ness; and as we’ve moved on, we have a few other questions: Will the infusion have any effect after just eight weeks, generally? Is there a protocol/length of treatment which a patient is supposed to have before success or failure is determined? Are there any indica-tions other than scan results which might contribute to an assessment of the drug’s impact on my tumors? Is it possible that the tumors in my lungs might have a different reaction (shrink, stable, grow) than my “Ad-am’s apple” tumor? If so, then what? Are there any side effects from my bi-weekly infusions which could cause my treatment to stop?

Beyond these types of questions, my oncologist prefers not to discuss scenarios. The short summary is: we’re looking for some kind of clarity and/or guar-antee. Unfortunately, for cancer patients, clarity and guarantees ended on the date of your diagnosis.

On Friday, I have my next scheduled infusion (with pre-infusion lab work on Wednesday). Door to door, depending on how busy the Infusion Center is, and depending how long it takes the pharmacy to mix/prepare my drug, it will be approximately three hours until I’m back home. The experience is not tedious nor is it torture.

Compared to the eight-hour days I had to endure in the early, heavy-duty days of chemotherapy, this time commitment is a breeze. And when one considers the relatively minor side effects – so far, the routine is quite bearable. (I just need the immunotherapy to be effective.)

On the following Monday, we see my oncologist. Typically, we don’t see him until later in the week on Friday. In the 10-day interim, my oncologist will email results of the scan – with his assessment – and attach the radiologist’s report so that when we see him, we’re aware and prepared.

However, in this week’s particular instance he had

on Friday. As such, we are seeing him so soon after the scan occurs that he might not have any results to email us before our appointment.

This means that we’ll be going into the appoint-ment cold, so to speak. Which means we’ll be extremely anxious as we sit in the examining room waiting for his knock asking if it’s OKAY for him to come in. And then staring at his face as he enters looking for any kind of hopeful sign that the treatment has worked.

And that’s what this week-plus-one-day will be: a struggle; about me, for my wife, about our life together and about one of our cats.

Each of the four days/four events itself would be stressful and thought-provoking enough. Having them occur one right after the other, simultaneously almost, is like adding insult to injury. It’s bad enough to begin with and it’s potentially even worse how it might end with – really bad news.

Through it all, somehow we must remain positive. There’s no future in being negative.

To invoke the late Yogi Berra, who said in 1973 while managing the last-place New York Mets: “It ain’t over ‘till it’s over.” (And of course they went on to win the National League pennant.)

Eight Daze and SevenSleepless NightsSubmit civic/community announcements at

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

WEDNESDAY/MARCH 20Lenten Brownbag Lunch & Book Discussion.

12:30-2 p.m. in the Library at Church of theHoly Comforter, 543 Beulah Road, NE, Vienna.Bring a bag lunch and join a study of RowanWilliams’ book Resurrection following the 12:10p.m. Lenten Midweek Eucharist on Wednesdays.Join for worship in the Chapel beforehand orjust come for the book discussion. Visitwww.holycomforter.com for more.

IEP Parent Workshops. 6:30-8:30 p.m. At DunnLoring Center for Parent Services, 2334 GallowsRoad, Dunn Loring, Entrance 1, Room 100.Collaborative IEP Meetings: Parents as Partners.Workshop for parents of children receivingspecial education services. Strategies to supporta parent’s role in a child’s IEP meetings will beshared.

THURSDAY/MARCH 21Coal Ash Success. 6:30 p.m. at Oakton LIbrary,

10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton. Join thePotomac Riverkeepers as they discuss recentlypassed legislation requiring Dominion to cleanup 28 million tons of toxic coal ash, a crucialvictory for keeping Virginia waterways cleanwith a screening of the film Coal Ash: “AnUnacceptable Gamble.” After, the Sierra Clubwill update the status of the pipeline battle inVirginia. Free. RSVP recommended. [email protected] or visitact.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7010Z0000027SDlQAM.

Spring Equinox Celebration. 7-9 p.m. At Unityof Fairfax, 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Joinin a celebration of the first day of Spring, withan indoor medicine wheel and prayer tiecrafting. Visit uof-2019-spring-equinox.eventbrite.com.

FRIDAY/MARCH 22Technology Fridays in March. 10 a.m.-noon at

the Dunn Loring Center for Parent Services,2334 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring, Entrance 1,Room 100. Join the Parent Resource Center forthis series of technology workshops presented byFCPS Assistive Technology Services. Register forone or all of the workshops. Explore a variety oftechnology tools to support student success andindependence with reading and writing in thedigital classroom and at home. Register atwww.fcps.edu/index.php/resources/family-engagement/parent-resource-center. Call 703-204-3941 or email [email protected] March 22 -Assistive Technology to Support Communication

Film: “From Paris to Pittsburgh.” 6:30-8:30p.m. At Unitarian Universalist Congregation ofFairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Fromcoastal cities to America’s heartland, “Paris toPittsburgh” celebrates how Americans aredemanding and developing real solutions in theface of climate change. [email protected] for more.

SATURDAY/MARCH 23Lenten Quiet Study. 9-11:30 a.m. in the Lillian

Croy Room at Church of the Holy Comforter,543 Beulah Road, NE, Vienna. A blend oftraditional and modern interaction, this studywill begin with the history of the Stations of theCross and end with an experiential meditationon Jesus’ path from Pontius Pilate to the cavewith contemporary prayers and reflections. Visitwww.holycomforter.com for more.

SUNDAY-TUESDAY/MARCH 24-26Lenten Study Series. Sunday 9:45-10:45 a.m.

and again at 6:30-8:15 p.m.; Monday, 7:30-9:15p.m.; and Tuesday 7:30-9:15 p.m. at LewinsvillePresbyterian Church, 1724 Chain Bridge Road,McLean. Christine Roy Yoder, Professor of OldTestament Language, Literature & Exegesis atColumbia Theological Seminary will be thespeaker. Visit www.lewinsville.org or call 703-356-7200.

TUESDAY/MARCH 26Lenten Services: Centering Prayer. 7-7:45

p.m. in St. Mary’s Chapel, Church of the HolyComforter, 543 Beulah Road, NE, Vienna. Join abrief teaching on centering prayer and 20minutes of silence. Visitwww.holycomforter.com for more.

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