Week of September 23, 2014

Calling all Booths, Entertainers, and Volunteers for Fall Festival!

Save the date:  Friday, October 10, 4-8pm, Rain Date October 17

One slogan for MLWGS’s annual Fall Festival could be “If a booth is staffed, customers will come…and spend.” On October 10, the school’s circular drive and green space adjacent to Leigh and Lombardy streets will be filled with booths and entertainment options for the whole family.

 This Friday, September 26, 3:30pm, is the deadline for students groups to request booth space and for entertainers to apply for a coveted time slot on the festival stage.

Last year, more than sixty organizations secured booths at the festival, each offering a unique experience. Because no duplications are allowed, groups must apply early to be assured of the chance to provide cotton candy or a cake walk – always crowd favorites!

Here’s how to be involved:

1) Sponsor a booth. Only official MLWGS-administration-approved club or organization and have a faculty sponsor can sponsor booths. Booths can feature engaging activities or scrumptious food. To reserve a table and activity, faculty sponsors must complete and return the Fall Festival Booth Participation Form. Find it here:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3Oi8zY0qdoZQ2JkbzhUUVR3X0k/edit?usp=sharing.

Questions? Contact Geneva Briggs, genevabriggs1@gmail.com.   



      
2) Perform on the Fall Festival stage. Registering is easier than ever, thanks to this year’s Google Doc form:

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kLOjWlF1oVU3spsYg9tQ5Ey7IwaOn1GLngmprOQJxqA/viewform?usp=send_form

 Student, faculty members, and even alumni can perform! The MLWGS Fall Festival committee seeks dancers, singers, comedians…all talent is welcome! Remember that time slots are limited, so register now.

 Questions? Contact Cara Metz, carametz@me.com.

3) Volunteer! New this year, a Google document details where the festival needs help and what skills are requested (in many cases, the only skill required is a willingness to work). Volunteers should follow this link to the volunteer form and see what activities best suits their interests and availability:

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kLOjWlF1oVU3spsYg9tQ5Ey7IwaOn1GLngmprOQJxqA/viewform?usp=send_form

 MLWGS students earn community service hours for take-down efforts after 8 p.m., when the festival ends.

 Questions? Contact Samantha Mier, sdmier@verizon.net, (804) 754-0905.
Night of the Dragon, February 21 2015

The 13th Annual Night of the Dragon auction will be held Saturday, February 21, 2015 at the Hilton Hotel & Spa at Short Pump. This annual event is the largest fundraiser of the year and collectively benefits the students at MLWGS through activities provided by all of the booster groups, the PTSA, and the Governor’s School Foundation.

The MLWGS PTSA is planning the party and auction, which needs lots of fun people to help! Committee needs vary and the MLWGS PTSA can use any amount of time volunteers can offer: a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks of time.  Several opportunities also exist for those who can only work from home. Volunteers interested in being on this committee should attend the first Night of the Dragon auction meeting on Monday, September 29th at 6:30 PM in Room 106. Can't come or have more questions? Please contact Karen Akens at karenakens@gmail.com or 364-5820.

Additionally, the MLWGS PTSA is also beginning to collect donations of auction items because to ensure a large variety of items to auction. Have something to donate? A donation form was included in the Back-to-School packet or go to the Night of the Dragon website www.nightofthedragon.com to print out a form and return it to the auction box in Valenta Williams' office off the Bluestone Lobby.   Last year's catalog is also online at the website to provide ideas for donations.  The deadline for donations to be included in this year's event is December 12, 2014. 



Degrees of Flexibility at The Dragon’s Lair!

It's fall, and which means not knowing whether the weather demands a hot beverage or a cold one upon leaving the house in the morning. To solve this first-world problem, The Dragon's Lair proudly offers the new authentic Tervis tumbler.  It’s 16 ounces of pure beverage awesomeness, featuring a wrap-around dragon for scaly style from any angle.  Best of all, it’s dishwasher-safe, no matter whether the dishwasher is a machine or a human.

Come by and see the new green-lidded goodness available at The Dragon’s Lair, every Tuesday and Friday during lunch, and at special after-school events.  Merchandise can be marveled at 24/7 at The Dragon Lair’s website (http://mlwgsdragons.weebly.com/).   Hot checks and cold cash welcomed.





Sophomores – Enhance Your Net Savvy in Global Citizens Online

  • Interested in striking the right balance (for you) between privacy and convenience in regard to online tools?
  • Curious about options for developing an online identity that highlights what you'd most like others, like college admissions officers, to notice about you and your talents?
  • Wondering how you might leverage online tools for social good, such as building awareness or coalitions across local, national, or international communities?

If so, enroll in Global Citizens Online (GCO), a program in which you'll explore these topics and more with a small group of fellow MLWGS sophomores.

  • Where does it happen?  Online via itslearning
  • When does it happen?  On your own schedule over a seven-week series of discussions
    • Last name:  A-Maxfield
      • Enrollment period:  September 15-26
      • GCO activities:  September 29 - November 14
  • Last name:  McClure-Zimmerman
      • Enrollment period:  October 27 -November 7
      • GCO activities:  November 17 - January 16 (no activities over winter break)
  • How much time does it involve?  About one hour per week for the seven weeks

Here's what students who participated in the GCO pilot last spring said about the program:


To sign up, or ask questions, see Ms. DeGroat in the library. 



Senior Class Tee-shirt

Seniors officers are getting ready to order the class tee-shirt so that it will be delivered in time for MLWGS’s first pep rally on October 15!  Anyone—student or parent—seeking to order a tee-shirt can purchase one for $12.00.  In addition to having the student’s name printed on the back along with the number 15, the class is having an orange ribbon with Katie Anderson’s initials placed on the sleeve.  For every tee-shirt purchased, the senior class will donate $1.00 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation. Individuals interested in purchasing a tee-shirt should contact co-president Hailey Aikens (haileyakens@gmail.com) with their tee-shirt size.  Checks should be made out to MLWGS and turned in to Hailey Aikens or Ms. Sheppard (room 330) by Friday, September 30.



Foundation Looking for Volunteers to Provide Phonathon Dinners 
The Governor's School Foundation was established to help support academic and co-curricular activities at MLWGS. The Annual Fund Campaign helps support these activities, and the Foundation’s Fall phonathon is kicking off the evenings of Monday, September 29 through Wednesday October 1. Dinner is provided from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. in the MLWGS boardroom, call training is from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m., and calls will be from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.. About a dozen volunteers will staff the phones on these nights. The MLWGS Foundation is also looking for cooks willing to provide hot, home-cooked meals for 10-12 phonathon volunteers on these dates.  The Foundation will reimburse expenses for volunteers offering meals.  Volunteers interested in helping, please contact Michelle Finn at mfinn@mblast.com



Fantastic SCRIP Support

A very big thanks to all who visited the MLWGS SCRIP table at Back-to-School Night! With that support, the MLWGS PTSA sold nearly $3,000 in gift cards. This year's Junior Class is sponsoring a gift card raffle at Fall Festival, and the MLWGS PTSA would like to thank them for purchasing so many of gift cards through SCRIP.  Also, a big "Thanks" to alumni parents Laura Lewis and Debbie Sawyer who returned to help.


Sponsored by the MLWGS PTSA, this easy-to-use fundraiser allows parents and other school supporters to purchase gift cards to their favorite stores and restaurants with MLWGS receiving a percentage of the sale. MLWGS SCRIP cards are worth their full face value, and there is no additional fee. Among several new retailers just added to the SCRIP line-up are Zappos and Petco. While these new offerings do not show up on the order form, it is possible to write in retailers who do not appear on the "Favorites" order form, but are listed under SCRIP Retailers.

Order forms can be downloaded online here (under "Links") or picked up in Office 100. Orders are due on Thursdays - dates are on the MLWGS online calendar - in the drop box located in Office 100. Cards are delivered the following Thursday at lunchtime in Office 100.

Questions? Please contact Patty Wood at 364-9263 or scrippattyw@gmail.com or Patty Zeevi at 784-2966 or scrippattyz@gmail.com



National English Honor Society

The English Department is pleased to invite juniors and seniors to apply for admission to the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Chapter of the National English Honor Society.  The MLWGS NEHS chapter seeks to confer distinction on students who have demonstrated high achievement in the study of the English language and literature.

The qualifying GPA for this organization includes only grades in English or English-related courses (i.e., drama, journalism, creative writing, etc.).  To be eligible, students must have completed four semesters of core English credits with an un-weighted GPA of 3.75.  One-time membership fees of $25 include national and state dues, plus honor cord to be worn at graduation. 

As stated in the chapter’s bylaws, “once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate high standards by maintaining their grades and attending mandatory meetings.  Any member whose grades drop below the admission requirement for two consecutive semesters shall be dismissed from the Chapter; failure to attend two consecutive, mandatory meetings shall result in a disciplinary warning; absence from a third consecutive, mandatory meeting shall result in dismissal.” Members may also be dismissed as a result of any Honor Council conviction.  Members are required to perform at least 2 hours of community service in one of the society’s sponsored service activities each year.

To apply, please pick up an application from Ms. Davis (counseling office) or Mrs. Williams (room 331).  Applications and the membership fee must be received no later than Friday, October 3.  If for any reason a student is not accepted for membership, the application fee will be promptly refunded.
Senior Trip Reminder!

Seniors…are going to NEW YORK CITY!!  To reserve a spot on the November trip, submit the money and paperwork to Ms. Sheppard no later than Friday, September 26.  For information packets, visit:  https://mlwgs.itslearning.com/ .  If students have any questions, please contact Ms. Sheppard at ksheppard@gsgis.k12.va.us or 804-354-6800 ext. 3304. 



Virginia Folk Music Association Recognizes Senior!

Sigrid Williams, President of the Virginia Folk Music Association, presenting Margaret Graham with the Fiddle Championship trophy at the competition

The Virginia Folk Music Association voted Margaret Graham (MLWGS class of 2015) as Virginia's top Bluegrass fiddle player of 2014. They held their annual competition at the State Fairgrounds on September 14. The talented guitarist Jack Abeel of Disputanta accompanied her on their embellished version of the traditional Old Time song, "Old Joe Clark."

The Virginia Folk Music Association (VFMA) was formed in 1947 to promote and preserve country, bluegrass and gospel music in the Commonwealth and became early promoters of music festivals. They are the sole body sanctioned by the Virginia Legislature to hold official state championship music contests. They also manage the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame that now includes such notable stars as Roy Clark, The Stanley Brothers, The Statler Brothers, Patsy Cline, Eddie Adcock, Jimmy Dean and Charlie Waller as inductees.
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