Silver Spring Softball Teams Ready For First Pitch Of State Tournament

The first round is slated to begin Thursday.

Maryland state lacrosse tournament games got underway Wednesday, and local varsity softball teams kick off their 2013 run to the state championship Thursday. The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association announced the brackets Tuesday for its 2013 softball tournament, and a number of local schools are in the dance: Montgomery Blair High School, Northwood High School, Springbrook High School, Paint Branch High School and Blake High School. 4A West Bracket 4A North Bracket The full 4A bracket can be viewed here. 3A West Bracket The full 3A bracket can be viewed here. Add photos of your local softball team to the gallery and wish the girls good luck in the comments!

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Blake High Students Offer New Take on 'Romeo and Juliet'

Student reviewers Leah Patterson and Samara Tu enjoyed the contemporary feel of Shakespeare's classic romance.

Through song, dance, and terrific acting, Blake Stage Company’s Romeo and Juliet surpassed the expectation of the cliched high school production. Turning the classic tale of star-crossed lovers into a more modernized version, the school’s production included additional characters and scenes as well as bits of comedy to tell the timeless story.   The show was guided by talented actors who really embodied their parts. Senior and first-time lead Raquel Castillo was the picture of youthful innocence as Juliet, though she is double-cast with junior Rosie Meile. Junior Ryan Reynolds was the perfect romantic lead for the tragedy though he is double-cast as well with senior Richard Muhammad. The drama of the play was tastefully balanced out with …

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Blake High Students Get Silly for Cancer Research

As part of “Pennies for Patients,” students and faculty hope to raise $10,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

It’s got a lot of students at James Hubert Blake High School excited. For just a dollar, it allows you to break rules—wearing hats on campus, duct taping administrators to walls and donning silly costumes.  The “it” in question isn’t Homecoming or Prom, but a regional fundraiser to benefit cancer research and the Blake High community hopes to raise $10,000 for the cause.  According to Christina Gelb, a counselor at the school, this is the school’s eighth year participating in “Pennies for Patients,” which raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Schools across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area compete and, so far, Blake is at over $7,000. (The fundraising ends Friday, March 2.) “This is something that Blake has really …

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Blake Students Head to National Civic Competition, Testify Before State Senate

A group of students won first place in Maryland’s “We the People…,” a competition of Congressional knowledge.

A group of government buffs from James Hubert Blake High will make their way to Washington, D.C. to test their knowledge of Congressional procedures in the national “We the People…” competition. Earlier in the month, students traveled to Annapolis to participate in the state competition. Students simulate a Congressional hearing, preparing and presenting four-minute statements in front of a panel of judges made up of actual judges, attorneys and other legal professionals. Blake’s group took home first place in the state. “This has been my proudest moment as a teacher,” said Dr. Donna Phillips, government teacher and sponsor of the group. Blake’s “We the People…” team also got a bit of real-world experience with government, testifying …

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Blake Student Earns Scholarship to University of Pittsburgh

Award is renewable for four years of study.

Blake High Volunteers Welcome Soldiers Home

Members of the school's community service club partnered with Operation Welcome Home to meet returning soldiers at BWI airport.

Students from James Hubert Blake High School’s community service club Project Change (PC) greeted soldiers coming home from deployment at BWI airport Nov. 12 as part of Operation Welcome Home. These students, along with other organizations and families, decorated the airport and created signs for the soldiers’ arrival, while additional groups passed out snacks and carried luggage. “Doing this was an eye-opening experience," said Derek Ritzenberg, the group's sponsor. "It really made us appreciate and understand the sacrifice of not only the soldiers, but of the families as well.” Project Change is a non-profit organization that encourages youth involvement in the community through service. In Montgomery County, there are seven schools that…

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Pharaoh, Pharaoh: Blake High Recreates Classic Musical 'Aida'

Student reviewer Lucas Irvin says mostly everything is well-done in this year's fall play at Blake High School: the set design, the costumes, the music and the performances.

Knowing Blake High School’s prestigious arts program, I always have high expectations of its plays. Those expectations have again been surpassed, this time by their production of the musical Aida.  Directed by drama teacher Michael D’Anna, the “timeless love story” that is Aida tells the tale of the title character (double-cast as seniors Alexandra Reeves and Yasmin Wamala), an enslaved Nubian princess taken as a gift from Egyptian army captain Radames (double cast as senior Yann Ellinghaus and junior Ryan Reynolds) to his betrothed, Princess Amneris (double cast as junior Jourdan Lewanda and sophomore Michelle Carter). However, each time Aida and Radames meet, they grow closer and Amneris is pushed further away. At the same time, Zoser (…

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Montgomery County Graduation Rate Tops State Average

Maryland is using a new formula to calculate high school success.

The state has implemented a new formula for determining graduation rates, and Montgomery County Public Schools has a higher percentage than the Maryland average, according to a report released Friday. Using the new formula, MCPS graduated 86.2 percent of its students, above the state average of 82 percent. Calvert County had the highest rate in the state, graduating 91.7 percent of its students under the new formula. "However you calculate the graduation rate, Montgomery County is doing well and is outperforming public schools across the state," Board of Education President Christopher Barclay said in a statement. "However, we will not be satisfied until every student in our schools is graduating on time and ready for college and the …

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Blake High Brings On 14 New Teachers

School starts on Monday, Aug. 29.

When students at James Hubert Blake High School return to class on Monday, Aug. 29, 14 new faces will greet them. Most new teachers previously worked with other public schools in Montgomery County, although a couple are new to teaching. The additional teachers are: Arts English Math Physical Education Science Signature Program Coordinator, Arts and Humanities Social Studies Spanish Special Education   Other important dates: New student orientation: Thursday, Aug. 25, 7:25 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.  New parent orientation: Thursday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.   Blake's back-to-school packet is now available online. It includes a message from the principal, notes from the PTSA, bus schedules and the school calendar, among other information. 

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VIDEO: East Montgomery County High School Students Honored at Riderwood Scholarship Awards

Thirty-nine high school seniors from Paint Branch, Blake, Springbrook and other schools in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties received awards for service to the retirement community.

Over 20 high school seniors from various East Montgomery County high schools received scholarships from Riderwood Retirement Community at a ceremony held Wednesday night. A total of 39 students were recognized.  Students representing Paint Branch, Springbrook, James Hubert Blake, Sherwood, Montgomery Blair and John F. Kennedy High Schools, along with students from Prince George's County, were honored with a total of $215,555 in funds.  Residents at Riderwood donated the funds to show their appreciation for students who have worked with the community, according to a press release from the company.  The following students received scholarships: Bryce Akonnor James Hubert Blake Montgomery   Grace Mlingi James Hubert Blake Montgomery   Maria …

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