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November 22, 2024

Cambridge Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Cambridge

7 Ed Notes

Poplar Island: A Model of Re-Use

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Poplar Island is known throughout the world as a singular and continuing ecological and economic success. Join Poplar Island outreach educator Kristina Motley and Chesapeake Forum on Wednesday, Jun 5th to learn how dredged material is being used to restore habitat on this critical Chesapeake Bay island AND keep the port of Baltimore open to shipping. 

Motley will explain the concept of “beneficial use” in Poplar Island: An International Model of Innovative Reuse with a classroom session on June 5th and a Field Trip on June 10th. Learn about Poplar Island’s unique story and continuing habitat successes. Find out how the beneficial use project, started in the 1990s, relies on dredged material collected from the approach channels to the Baltimore Harbor to restore lost remote island habitat within the Chesapeake Bay.

The project partnership between Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Port Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Maryland Environmental Service has been in place for over 20 years and has seen the restoration of almost 400 acres of wetland habitat. Upland habitat and additional wetland habitat are planned and the island is slated to be completed in the 2040’s. Over 400 different species of wildlife have been documented and over 30 different birds have been confirmed as nesting onsite.

Kristina Motley is a Senior Environmental Specialist (SES) with the Maryland Environmental Service (MES), where she has worked on the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island for four and a half years. As an SES on Poplar Island, her work is focused on outreach, including conducting in-person onsite tours, offsite lectures and events, school programming, and online content creation

Poplar Island: An International Model of Innovative Reuse is two sessions, Wednesday, June 5th from 10 – 11:30 a.m. and a FIELD TRIP on Monday, June 10th from 9 a.m. – noon. $30. To register, visit https://chesapeakeforum.org.

Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities to residents of the Eastern Shore. To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your name and contact information to [email protected].

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Benedictine Awards Prestigious Sr. Jeannette Award to 29 Year Veteran of the Organization

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Benedictine celebrated all nominees of the Sister Jeannette Award at the annual Staff Appreciation Celebration.

Benedictine celebrated the winner and all the nominees of the distinguished Sister Jeannette Award during its annual Staff Appreciation Celebration. The award was established in 2012 by the Benedictine Board of Directors in honor of Sister Jeannette, who served as Benedictine’s leader for over 30 years. The annual award recognizes an employee who exemplifies Benedictine’s values of dignity, integrity, collaboration, and excellence.

This year’s Sister Jeannette Award was given to Nancy Morris, School Case Management Supervisor, who has been with Benedictine for 29 years. Nancy is known for her welcoming personality, words of encouragement, and the incredible support that she provides her team. She is instrumental in program decisions, policy development, and dealing with challenging situations all while being positive. The board, staff, and families all appreciate her dedication to Benedictine.

“The Sister Jeannette award is a highlight of our staff celebration event. We celebrate those that go above and beyond in making a difference in the lives of the students and adults living with developmental disabilities and autism. The nominees exhibit the best of Benedictine and it is an honor to be nominated by their peers for this prestigious award,” commented Scott Evans, Benedictine Executive Director.

The nominees included Katie Fitzhugh, School Teacher; Latonya White, Adult Services Day Direct Support Professional; Stephanie Franklin, Assistant Principal; Danielle Poore, School Transition Coordinator & Team Leader; Dale Murray, Education Assistant; Karen Pritchett, Adult Services House Counselor; and Nancy Morris, School Case Management Supervisor.

Part of the evening’s festivities included launching Benedictine’s updated Mission, Vision and Values. The update was a collaboration between the Board of Directors, senior leadership team and staff. Mission: Supporting children and adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can achieve their greatest potential. Vision: To be the premiere educator and service provider promoting growth, independence, and empowerment in children and adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities while fostering access to their community. Values: Dignity – Demonstrating compassion and respecting the inherent value and worth in each person. Integrity – To be honest and fair while making ethical, transparent, and well-intended decisions. Collaboration – Working toward a common goal and building relationships utilizing communication, trust, and accountability. Excellence: A commitment to offering high quality services through creativity, determination, and continuous improvement.

For more information about Benedictine, please contact Claudia Cunningham, Chief Advancement Officer at [email protected] / 410 634 2292.

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About Benedictine:

Benedictine is a non-sectarian nonprofit service provider and its mission is to support children and adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can achieve their greatest potential. Benedictine currently supports close to 200 children and adults.

The year-round educational program is one of only 22 nationwide to earn a four-year accreditation from the National Commission for Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES). This program includes home-like living and learning options on the Ridgely, Maryland campus, for children ages 5 to 21 who come from Maryland and surrounding states. Benedictine also has 4 student group homes located in Caroline and Talbot Counties. 

Benedictine’s Adult Services program offers Meaningful Day and job training services for transitional youth and adults, ages 22 to 70+, who live in the community, and in 18 Benedictine adult group homes in Caroline, Talbot, and Anne Arundel Counties. 

Benedictine’s Easton Community Services & Training Center prepares the adults it supports to enter the workforce. Benedictine also collaborates with the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) to provide training programs and job search services for students in area schools and adults living in the surrounding community.

Benedictine serves individuals from all over the state and Mid-Atlantic region and is one of the Eastern Shore’s largest nonprofit employers with 375 employees. For more information, visit www.benschool.org.

 

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Waterfowl Festival Announces 2024 Perry Scholarship Winners

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Waterfowl Festival, Inc. awarded more than $28,000 in scholarships this spring to 14 of its student volunteers – affectionately known as “Ducksitters.” The 2024 William A. Perry Scholarship recipients are Bree Haufe, Billy Haufe, Cole Paradine, Jack TownsendJoshua Sherwood, Caeden Harrison, Charles Kaminskas, Robert Norbury, Ashton Milhollan, Pippa Milhollan, Brian Milhollan, Catherine Cronan.

Each student received awards this year totalling $2000 in recognition of their exceptional service to the Waterfowl Festival throughout the year. Involvement in the festival supports the children’s education in the conservation space, and it is hoped that their experiences will create future opportunities for them to step up as environmental stewards as they continue their education and lives. The Ducksitter program has been a part of the festival for decades and is a beloved tradition open to all local students.

The Perry Scholarships were established in 1997 in honor of Bill Perry, one of the Waterfowl Festival’s founders. The awards are available to students who volunteer their time to the Festival either at the event or throughout the year.

Proceeds from the Festival’s well-loved Cocktail Decoy Auction, organized each year by the Perry family, fund the scholarships. Miniature carvings are donated by artists and auctioned off during the Premier Night Party, to be held this year on Thursday, Nov. 7.

The 53rd Annual Waterfowl Festival will be held in Easton Nov. 8,9,10, 2024. Want to be a 2024 Ducksitter?  Please contact the Waterfowl Festival office at 410-822-4567 or visit our website, www.waterfowlfestival.org.

About the Waterfowl Festival: Located in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay region known for its stunning landscapes and abundant waterfowl populations, the Waterfowl Festival has grown to be a cherished tradition, attracting visitors from across the nation and around the globe. Its commitment to conservation, community, and cultural enrichment makes it a vital event for anyone interested in preserving our natural world for future generations. For more information, please visit WaterfowlFestval.org.

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Wye River Upper School Recognizes Nine Graduates

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Wye River Upper School celebrated nine graduates during the 2024 Commencement Ceremony inside the school’s main campus at the Centreville Armory. Lydia Antonelli, Luke Blackiston, Avery Clawson, John Corley, Alex Faranetta, Trent Hudson, Davin Martin, Bridon Lucas, and Collins Rhoe received diplomas from Head of School Stephanie Folarin, Assistant Head of School Nicole Sophocles, and Board Chair Nikki Williams. Macyn Poag, Wye River Upper School Class of 2020, shared an alumni address. Director of Maryland Park Services Ranger Angela Crenshaw delivered the commencement address for the Class of 2024, urging students to trust their instincts and to be true to their authentic selves as they face important decisions. Ranger Crenshaw described her previous work with the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park as instrumental in shaping her personal and professional values and is guided by Tubman’s values of selflessness, bravery, and humility. “As a Maryland Park Ranger, I lead with my heart forward, just like Ms. Tubman and her team of supporters on the underground railroad. If you can, I suggest you do the same.” Graduates will attend the University of Central Florida for aerospace engineering, St. Mary’s of Maryland Honors College, A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland College Park, Washington College, Maine Maritime Academy, and McDaniel College. Other graduates will enter the United States Marine Corps, work for the Maryland Department of Transportation, and pursue a career as a Yamaha Certified Mechanic for the marine industry. 

About Wye River Upper School

Wye River Upper School is an independent upper school serving the strengths and needs of bright students with learning differences in grades 8 to 12. Located in Centreville, MD, Wye River is approximately 20 minutes east of the Bay Bridge. For more information about the school, contact [email protected] or call 443-262-8267.

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Radcliffe Creek School Students Experience Monet in 3D

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Fourth and Fifth Grade students from Radcliffe Creek School (RCS) recently explored Washington, D.C. to, quite literally, step into the paintings of an artist they have been studying this year—Claude Monet. On Thursday, May 16, 2024, 24 RCS students took a bus to the Rhode Island Center in D.C. to experience the immersive Monet exhibit, which included two-story projections of Monet’s most compelling paintings shown in three dimensions, including lights, sounds and VR technology. Following the visit to the digital art display, the students traveled to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, the only national park dedicated to the preservation of aquatic plants, where they picnicked. Inspired by the scene around them, the students sat by the pond dotted with water lilies while drawing in sketchbooks: it was a landscape Monet himself may have painted.

Art Teacher Rebecca Emory remarked about the trip, “The exhibit was exhilarating, and the children all expressed how they felt they were ‘in the art they learned of.’ I watched one student so moved by the beauty in Monet’s paintings that he cried! Afterwards, to end the day sitting by the pond, where the students found places to sketch quietly before congregating to share and study nature together, was a unique opportunity as well. It was one of my favorite days as a teacher at Radcliffe Creek School.”

The trip to the Monet exhibit in Washington, D.C. was made possible by a generous Arts in Education grant provided by the Kent Cultural Alliance, as well as a private donation from a student’s grandparents. RCS’ No Child Left Indoors initiative, which is funded by the Robert F. Schumann Foundation, brought the children to the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, where they studied the natural beauty that so often inspired Monet and other artists.

Head of School Peter Thayer explained, “When students are given the opportunity to experience things in three dimensions and move around inside an artist’s paintings, or to draw and picnic at an outdoor scene that would have inspired an artist, their eyes light up. These are the types of immersive experiences that really bring learning to life. Especially for our students, who rely on the multi-sensory instruction we offer at Radcliffe Creek every day, this type of trip is especially important. We are grateful to the Kent Cultural Alliance, the Robert F. Schumann Foundation and the anonymous donors who made these experiences possible.”

See the slideshow of the Monet trip here.

About Radcliffe Creek School

For over 28 years, Radcliffe Creek School has been empowering children in a dynamic environment that celebrates unique learning. As the only K-8 school on Maryland’s Eastern Shore focused primarily on educating children with learning differences, the school continues to stand out as a critical resource for area families. To learn more about the No Child Left Indoors Initiative and the individualized education offered at Radcliffe Creek School, visit www.radcliffecreekschool.org online or call 410-778-8150.

 

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Benedictine’s Chrome City Fundraiser To Take Place Saturday July 27th

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Chrome City Fundraiser will take place on Saturday, July 27th at Benedictine’s school campus in Ridgely. Classic and custom cars, hot rods and motorcycles are all welcome.

Bikers and Classic Car enthusiasts are invited to join the event in support of Benedictine 

Marking its 22nd year, the Benedictine Foundation Chrome City Fundraiser will take place on Saturday, July 27th on the Benedictine campus in Ridgely, Maryland. Known as one of the largest rides in Maryland, this annual event draws hundreds of car and motorcycle enthusiasts to Benedictine’s Ridgely campus in support of its mission.

Custom cars, classic cars, hot rods, and motorcycles are all invited to participate in a day of fun and entertainment with door prizes, a car and motorcycle competition, live music, and more. Don’t have a classic car or motorcycle – you can still join the festivities.

New this year, Chrome City will have numerous food trucks to purchase breakfast and lunch from including Uncle Bernie’s Steak Shack, Smokin’ on the Shore BBQ, Cousin’s Maine Lobster, Isaiah’s Breakfast, Isaiah’s Ice Cream, SnoAngels Shaved Ice and Walker Family Seafood.

Participants are encouraged to register online prior to the event for a discounted fee of $35. On the day of the event registration will open at 9:00 until noon for $40. The first 200 cars that register will receive a car plaque. Everyone who registers will receive an official Chrome City t-shirt.

Thanks to Paul Reed Smith Guitars, the event is raffling off a PRS Guitar signed by Mark Tremonti of Creed. $40 each; 3 for $100.

To register your vehicle online and to purchase raffle tickets for the PRS Guitar, please go to https://benschool.org/chrome-city-fundraiser/. The raffle begins on July 1, 2024.

If you are interested in sponsoring Chrome City, please contact Benedictine by July 12th to ensure that your name/logo is on the official Chrome City t-shirt. Sponsorships can be found HERE or contact Caroline Bauerle at [email protected] or call 410. 634.2292. Visit Benedictine at www.benschool.org.

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About Benedictine:

Benedictine is a non-sectarian nonprofit service provider and its mission is to support children and adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can achieve their greatest potential. Benedictine currently supports close to 200 children and adults.

 The year-round educational program is one of only 22 nationwide to earn a four-year accreditation from the National Commission for Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES). This program includes home-like living and learning options on the Ridgely, Maryland campus, for children ages 5 to 21 who come from Maryland and surrounding states. Benedictine also has 4 student group homes located in Caroline and Talbot Counties. 

Benedictine’s Adult Services program offers Meaningful Day and job training services for transitional youth and adults, ages 22 to 70+, who live in the community, and in 18 Benedictine adult group homes in Caroline, Talbot, and Anne Arundel Counties.

Benedictine’s Easton Community Services & Training Center prepares the adults it supports to enter the workforce. Benedictine also collaborates with the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) to provide training programs and job search services for students in area schools and adults living in the surrounding community.

 Benedictine serves individuals from all over the state and Mid-Atlantic region and is one of the Eastern Shore’s largest nonprofit employers with 375 employees. For more information, visit www.benschool.org.

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Chesapeake College Foundation Builds Student Success with Scholarships

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The Chesapeake College Foundation provided more than $634,000 in scholarships to students for the 23-24 academic year.
From computer science to nursing, welding to commercial truck driving licensure, criminal justice to dental assistant, students from more than 45-degree programs and workforce certifications were represented. The majority of the students receiving scholarships reside within the five counties Chesapeake College serves: Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Caroline, and Dorchester.
“To see a slice of the workforce here on the Mid-Shore, take a look at our student scholars,” said Chesapeake College Foundation Executive Director Amber McGinnis. “If you’ve been cared for by a hospital or imaging center locally, there’s a good chance that a Chesapeake College alumnus cared for you. Likewise, the teacher your granddaughter loves, your favorite accountant, or the EMT responding to your neighbor’s emergency was most likely trained here.”
Some of this year’s scholars may soon be making goods that fuel our national economy. Several students received scholarships towards classes in the Chesapeake College’s new Advanced Manufacturing Program, which kicked off this spring. This certification program was created in direct response to the needs of regional employers.
In addition to students seeking workforce certifications, Chesapeake College Foundation scholars are also taking the College’s general education courses, as a more affordable path to a bachelor’s degree at a future four-year institution. “One of the most popular degrees here is liberal arts and sciences,” said Dr. Cliff Coppersmith, president of Chesapeake College. “Often students begin with us as dual-enrolled students while they are in high school, complete the rest of their associate’s degree here, and then transfer to other Maryland institutions like Salisbury University, the University of Maryland College Park, and Washington College to finish their studies.”
Chesapeake students are also heading to out-of-state schools and highly selective colleges. “We’ve had our scholars attend selective universities like Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, and Howard University. Our alums go on to become economists, computer scientists, social workers, architects, and lawyers, just to name a few professions. Chesapeake College offers a path for any and all to achieve their goals,” Dr. Coppersmith added.
Ms. McGinnis credits donors providing gifts and endowments to help students in the future.
“The Chesapeake College Foundation couldn’t provide its support without the generosity of past donors, who saw fit to establish endowed scholarships with the Foundation, as well as faithful annual fund donors who regularly gift scholarships for awarding to students,” she said.
For more information about the Chesapeake College Foundation, please visit www.chesapeake.edu/foundation.
These students received scholarships from the Chesapeake College Foundation during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Anne Arundel: Joshua Rivers Anne Arundel and Emma Bailey
Caroline:  Zachary Baldwin, Emma Beales, Joshua Braden, Timothy Casey, Zulema Delacruz Martinez, Aireal Garbarino, Ava Lynch, Jenna Maki, Kayla Margas, Erika Nelson, Megan Weishaupt, Alyssa Berneski, Skyler Britton, Dandridge Clark, Joshua Cohee, Ryan Morley, Rhysheem Oney, Dayanara Roblero Velasquez, Diego Rosario-Santiago, Mikaela Seltzer, John Weiss, Caroline Callaghan, Cheyenne Cayer, Zoe Fretterd, Ayda Ventura Tomas, Claire Knauss, Hayden Jackson, Alayna Stafford, Leilani Toulson, Rene Hynson, Annabeth Hill, Zachary Robbins, Logan Shockley, Erin Bowen, Maycee Whetsell, Kimberly Bartolon-Rodriguez, Desmon Edwards, Leondrea Nichols, Cecil Robinson, Brock Johnson, Mariah Ayala, Mya Barrett, Erin Eisemann, Tristen Hrobar, Briona MacCubbin, Kaylyn Nagel, Charity Wood, Timothy Mann, Landon Bedo, Hannah Billings, Anna Jennette, Maynard Woodworth, Joseph Collins, Kaylie Henning, Elizabeth Chiocca, Alyssa Bowen, Zachary Dove, Nicholas Kane, Meredith Miller, Alexis Bates, Da’vaughn Murrill, Amaya Greene, Chad Fike, Tyler Stewart, James Beauchemin, and Nicolas Quade Charles.
Dorchester: Tiffany Geib, Barbara Hopkins, Kendall Leonard, Lydia Bumgarner, Adrienne Martin, Emily Todd, Jerelyann Torres-Perez, Landon Insley, Andrew Clark, Lauren Gootee, Melanie Sheehan, Christopher Wolfe, Karis Diggs, Darryl Fraley, Descellaus Hardy, Mia Koski, Anna Cephas, Lakeria Travers, Elizabeth Davenport Dorchester Angel Davenport Dorchester MaKayla Molock Dorchester Megan Price Dorchester Alexandra Foreman Dorchester Zachary Smith Dorchester Brando Banda-Perez Dorchester Alexis Pete Dorchester Jordan Harding Dorchester Malika King Dorchester Demetria Parker Dorchester Terenzo Jones Dorchester Latasha McNeill Dorchester
Kent: Brittany Wallace Kent Brandon Cannon Kent Ryan Miller Kent Joseph Nuse Kent Hayden Heinefield Kent Ethan Stubbs Kent Isabella Blackburn Kent Mariah Blackburn Kent Hillary Bauer Kent Bianca Potts Kent Cianni Phillips Kent Chelsea Bender Kent Aliyah Dorsey Kent Cienna Rose Kent Hannah Beattie Kent Reanna Jerns Kent
Out of State: James Evans
Queen Anne’s: Melanie Jones-Dalziel, Kyle Jones, Hunter Craig, Erin Grigsby, Emily Gunther, Melissa Gwaltney, Kendall Stevens, Catherine Wilson, Natalie Krozack, Kayla Larrimore, Robert Walter, Peyton Lee, Brenda Hernandez-Ambrocio, Madeline Kent,  Marquis McAbee, Makenzie Stubbs, Cheyanne Jester, Megan Robertson, Morgan Lofland, Aaron Ruff, Jacob Brimmer,  Abigale Bozarth, Daniel Workinger, TaQuan Courtney, Lexus Bridge, Megan Lee, Elijah Credle, Jeffrey DeLair, Laura Hughes, Ty Jacoby, Thomas Nisson, Elena Rado, Azim Sana, Alex Shelkin, Katelyn Tkach, Colleen Weaver, Matthew Wimer, Abigail Voshell, Jasen Xander, Stephanie Moran, Alexandra Green, Colson Bennett, Zachary Herr, Kylie Driver, Katie Hilton, Rachel Mellinger, Anastasia Miller, Kailee Reed, Destiney Hoffmann, Alexia Kelley, Victoria Scully, Amber Calandro, Janessa Hernandez, Kelly Ludden, Bennett Christman, Ashley Kuhn, Lauren Pierce,  and Haley Radziewicz.
Talbot: Brennan Waldorf, Maya Hawkins Bailey, Reginald Jackson, Hailey Kinnamon, Kaitlyn Lyons, Ava Nkanza, Ghotai Popal, Torian Copper, Tyler Currie, James Freeman, Carlton Freeman, Leanna Kennedy, Tucker Kerr, Joshua Sherwood, Matthew Ellingsworth, Morgan Streckfus, Deamani Davis, Deleon Foster, Da’myni Johnson, Aniya Jones, Makayla Moore, Katelyn Martin, Kierstyn Tilley, Olivia Windsor, Rebecca Wright, Randy Soto-Mendez, Armani Martin, Cam Bott, Ayanni Brown, Kaleb Elliott, Elisha Gregory, Bryah Henry, Grace Ortiz Talbot Tye Queen Talbot Xavier Richards-Powell Talbot Rebecca Sawyer Talbot Hannah Schmitz, Andre Stewart, Loren Tucker, Aayza Awan, Mariah Bentz, Olivia Brown, Lindsey Crawford, Katie Dahlen, Rowina Dent, Jessica Lopez, Teagan Miller, Sarah Stauffer, Lyndy Thompson, Bryan Cichetti, Taylor Rupp, Benjamin Spurry, Kailie Foster, Kylie Fluharty, Emma Ross, Cherie Warren, Abigail Meadows, Teegan Murphy, Nathan Sadler, Eva Ramsey, Emma McKenzie, Dayana Gonzalez Madrid, Shelby Moore, and Mona Patel.
Wicomico: Isaiah Robinson

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Poet Sophie Foster Awarded $77k Sophie Kerr Prize at Washington College

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Sophie Foster Awarded Washington College Sophie Kerr Prize

Amongst a hushed and eager crowd, Washington College senior Sophie Foster was named the winner of this year’s prestigious Sophie Kerr Prize. Now in its 57th year, the prize continues to be the nation’s largest literary award for a college student and totals more than the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award combined. The 2024 award is valued at just over $77,000. Primarily a poet, Foster’s work largely tends to personal internality and inclinations toward the natural world. She read two poems at the evening ceremony in Washington College’s Gibson Center for the Arts, alongside four other finalists, before the winner was announced by College President Mike Sosulski.

Foster was taken aback when she was announced as the winner and in thanking the English department and College for the honor and recognition, noted that she came to Washington feeling disillusioned by literary spaces that were “elitist and prejudiced.” She went on to praise the College and her fellow finalists for creating a supportive environment that she lovingly enjoyed over the last four years. “It has been the honor of my life to come here and be among the impossibly rare community I’ve been granted here,” said Foster.

Foster’s portfolio submission was a collection of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction all themed around the notion of liminality. “I think a lot of the major moments in our lives are fractured, brief and fleeting. A lot of what we remember are moments that happen by circumstance,” said Foster. Her writings, she noted, “navigate the emotionality of brevity.”

“In reading her work, the committee agreed, we kept wanting more,” said Courtney Rydel, associate professor of English and chair of the English department. “Sophie’s writing is lyric and beautiful and fluid, expressing complex emotions by allowing her readers to connect with her narrative on a personal level.”

Sophie Foster acceptance speech

James Hall, director of the Washington College Rose O’Neill Literary House and associate professor of English and creative writing, noted that reading Foster’s portfolio felt like more like reading a book. “Time and space dissolved, and I was completely captivated by this voice. Through lyrical prose and sharp-witted poetry set as close as Baltimore and as far as Britain, Sophie captured my whole heart. Her style is marked by sophisticated syncopation, lyrical control, verbal pyrotechnics, and—despite her young age—a wisdom that we will all do well to study. This is big-hearted, hard-thinking Literature with a capital L.”

Lauded by her professors as one of the strongest editors and literary citizens at Washington College, Foster has been praised for her consistent encouragement and support of her fellow writers. An English major minoring in creative writing and journalism, editing and publishing, Foster has been editor-in-chief of the College’s literary magazine, president of the on-campus Writers’ Union, and opinion editor of the school newspaper. The Reisterstown, Maryland, native will tentatively begin a Master of Fine Arts in poetry at the University of Massachusetts in Boston next year. In the longer term, she hopes to pursue a career in publishing.

Foster’s work stood out from an impressive collection this year, with the selection committee praising the finalists’ work across the board, which included an exhibition of the “provocative power” of the story; a collection of short stories, flash, a novella, and a personal essay on the “indulgence of abject and ugly emotions”; a crown of sonnets focusing on the cyclical nature of human love and experience; and themes of community and queer love through film criticism, personal editorials, and reporting.

“Everyone who submits a portfolio for the Sophie Kerr Prize shows courage in allowing others to scrutinize the work they hold so dear,” said Rydel. “It further takes incredible talent, persistence, and aesthetic insight to produce writing on the level that these finalists have created. We repeatedly were struck by the risk, ambition, lyricism, sonic texture, and insight in these finalists’ portfolios.”

This year, all five finalists were from Maryland. Foster’s fellow competitors included Liv Barry of Dundalk, Dante Chavez of Baltimore, Vivienne “Vee” Sharp from Westminster, and Joshua Torrence from Parkville.

During the ceremony, 2003’s Sophie Kerr Prize Winner and Ohio Center for the Book Fellow at Cleveland Public Library, Laura Maylene Walter noted the unique nature of the prize and the impactful base it laid for her life in writing.

“There’s really nothing like the Sophie Kerr Prize in the literary world,” said Walter. “The Sophie Kerr prize is a prize for promise, for the work that still lies in your future, for what you may one day be capable of.”

Walter is the author of the novel Body of Stars, an Ohioana Book Awards Finalist and a UK Booksellers Association Fiction Book of the Month selection. Her writing has appeared in Poets & Writers, Kenyon Review, Slate, The Sun, Ninth Letter, The Masters Review, Literary Hub, the Horse Girls anthology, and many other publications. Her debut short story collection, Living Arrangements, won the G.S. Sharat Chandra Prize, a national gold IPPY, and a silver Foreword Book of the Year award.

In announcing the winner, President Mike Sosulski noted how “humbled and awed” he was to be among such brilliance and congratulated the finalists and thanked them for “so much beauty.”

The Sophie Kerr Prize

A proud tradition of Washington College’s liberal arts education, the Sophie Kerr Prize is named for an early 20th century writer from the Eastern Shore of Maryland who published more than 20 novels and hundreds of short stories. In her will, Kerr left a generous bequest to the College with the stipulation that half of its annual proceeds fund a literary prize for a student.

Open to submissions from all Washington College seniors from any major, the prize is awarded each year to the graduating senior who has, as Kerr’s bequest stipulates, “the best ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor.” In the past, it has been awarded for both creative and critical writing alike. A full list of Sophie Kerr Prize winners since its inception in 1968 is available online.

Portfolios submitted for consideration encompass the full range of writing that students pursue at Washington College, including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenplays and drama, journalism, editing, scholarly criticism, and research in all disciplines, and even song lyrics. A committee comprising full-time faculty in the English department and the President review and make the final decision. Winners are chosen for their literary excellence, regardless of genre.

In addition to the life-changing literary award, the support made possible by Sophie Kerr’s gift continues to fund experiences and offerings for Washington College students throughout the academic year. For more than 50 years the endowment has brought many of the nation’s top writers, editors, and scholars to Washington’s campus including Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Pinsky, Edward Albee, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, James McBride, Eamon Grennan, Charles Simic, and Jane Smiley. Funding scholarships and internships and enabling research in literature, writing, and publishing, round out the impressive impact made possible by the Sophie Kerr legacy.

Video of the winner’s acceptance speech available here.

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Gunston’s Athletic Hall of Fame Welcomes Eleanora ’11 & Olivia ’13 Keene

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The Gunston School announced the induction of Eleanora Keene ’11 and Olivia Keene ’13, into the Gunston Athletic Hall of Fame on May 14, 2024. Pictured (l-r) Head of School John Lewis, Former Athletic Director Anita Gruss, Olivia Keene ’13, Eleanora Keene ’11, and Athletic Director Josh Breto.

The Gunston School is proud to announce the induction of two remarkable athletes, Eleanora Keene ’11 and Olivia Keene ’13, into the Gunston Athletic Hall of Fame. Eleanora, a true sports star, distinguished herself in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse during her time at Gunston. As a four-year letter winner and team captain in each sport, Eleanora demonstrated exceptional leadership and skill. In field hockey, she was part of the 2008 ESIAC Tournament Champions and earned multiple ESIAC All-Conference honors. In basketball, Eleanora’s achievements include the prestigious ESIAC Team Sportsmanship Award and the Gunston Defensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) title. In lacrosse, her talent shone bright; she was named to the All-Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Association and All-Capital Area Lacrosse League and was honored as the CALL MVP. Eleanora continued her athletic journey at Guilford College, where she set numerous school records, including career ground balls, draw controls, and caused turnovers. She was named the Best Female Athlete at Guilford College in 2015.

Olivia Keene ’13, another exceptional athlete, left an indelible mark on Gunston’s sports legacy. Olivia’s dedication and skill were evident in field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. As a four-year letter winner and team captain, Olivia led by example, earning multiple ESIAC All-Conference honors and MVP titles. Her leadership was instrumental in guiding her lacrosse team to two conference championships. She was also named Gunston’s Class of 2013 valedictorian before continuing her athletic journey at Puget Sound, where she broke the school’s single-season scoring record and earned multiple accolades, including All-Northwest Conference First Team. Additionally, both Keene sisters won the Anita Gruss Student Athlete-Award during their time at Gunston.

“We are beyond honored to be here,” said Eleanora who gave a combined speech with her sister Olivia, “to be received with so much excitement, respect, and love is so touching and a true testament to The Gunston School’s ability to nurture and support its students, past, present and future. […] Being a part of a team gave us the tools and confidence for self discovery, which is not an easy journey for anyone, but through sports, we learned how to lead, how to recognize strength in others and ourselves, the importance of diversity, how to handle pressure, loss and disappointment, and how to have an open dialogue with our bodies.”

The Keene sisters both now reside in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Eleanora is an oil and watercolor artist and owner of The Desert and The Sea. Olivia is an instructor for both Atlantic Challenge USA and for the National Outdoor Leadership School. She is also an artist and designs jewelry.

“I’ve come to appreciate the concept of legacy,” said Head of School John Lewis. “The traditions and values you pass along to others who come behind you. Tonight’s Hall of Fame inductees, Eleanora and Olivia Keene were the heart and soul of Gunston women’s athletics. They were great players; they were great leaders; they were great teammates; they were enormous fun to watch; they hung banners; and they passed along a tradition of athletic excellence that every student-athlete in this audience has inherited. Gunston owes them a debt of gratitude for the example they set, and the flame they passed along.”

The Gunston School Athletics Program has 20 interscholastic teams, as well as several recreational athletic offerings. Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located on 75 waterfront acres in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

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Rare, Thriving Native Bee Nesting Site on Washington College Campus

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College photographer’s hobby leads to interest from Cornell University researchers
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Ahead of World Bee Day on Monday, May 20, Washington College is buzzing with excitement about a unique and newly documented population of native bees on its campus. Although the large group of ground-nesting bees has been noticeable on one corner of campus for years, recent identification of at least five different species using the same area has sparked interest from researchers.

The section of the college green located in front of East and Middle Halls is a hotspot for these vital pollinators, with ground-nesting mining bees from the Andrena and Colletes genus thriving on the hill at the base of the Halls. Recently, thanks to her keen eye and love of insects, College photographer Pamela Cowart-Rickman realized that the area has multiple species of native mining bees all nesting together. Typically, communal nesting in aggregations has not been well documented.

Cowart-Rickman, who studied biology as an undergrad and developed a love of insects while working on her MFA in design, has tentatively identified five different species, all sharing the same nesting grounds – four different Andrena (mining bees), one Colletes (cellophane bees), and likely three cuckoo bees in the genera Nomada. Sam Droege at USGS Bee Lab assisted with the identification.

“The Washington College site provides rare nesting habitat for multiple native bee species, several of which are uncommon and unidentified. We always talk about providing plants to support native bees and other pollinators, but we rarely think about providing adequate nesting habitat for their survival. These native bees provide beneficial pollination to fruiting trees and plants, not only on the College campus, but also the Chestertown community,” stated Droege.

“They have been nesting amongst and on top of each other for several years in this same location,” said Cowart-Rickman of the bees she has spotted. “The various Andrena have the largest nesting area and emerge first in late February. The Colletes have a smaller area and emerge later in late April.”

From Hobby to Discovery

Spending her days photographing the goings-on and highlights of Washington College life for the school’s marketing and communications department, Cowart-Rickman devotes her free time to photographing insects and has been helping researchers identify and track populations through her photos since the Covid lockdown. She has found and documented several species for MD Biodiversity, BugGuide, iNat, and researchers at the Canadian National Collection of Insects. When she realized what she had stumbled upon right outside her own office building on campus, she reached out to Dr. Beth Choate, deputy director of the Washington College Center for Environment and Society. Choate, who has published research on the abundance of wild bee populations in urban and rural gradients, was also intrigued by the nesting sites Cowart-Rickman had found. The two decided to investigate further.

Washington College photographer Pamela Cowart-Rickman

“On a nice day in the spring, you can see the male bees hovering right at grass level. There were hundreds of these males searching for a female to mate when we were out there,” said Choate.

Females create a small burrow in the ground for rearing young and a ball of pollen and nectar is placed in each to feed the larval bee when it emerges from the egg, Choate explained. Once the males and females mate, the female returns to her nest and lays the egg in the carefully constructed burrow to develop.

“Ground-nesting bees need bare, minimally covered ground in order to dig into the soil. They also prefer sunny and well-drained soil, but it will be interesting to learn what is unique about the soil in this space and why the aggregation has become so large,” said Choate. “Since ground-nesting bees are solitary and do not form colonies, they generally aren’t as noticeable as this aggregation. Females often create nests near one another; however, an aggregation this large is unique.”

After seeing one of Cowart-Rickman’s nesting bee photos on iNat, and realizing the rarity of the site, Dr. Jordan Kueneman, a researcher with Project GNBee who is working on tracking ground-nesting bees at the Danforth Lab at Cornell University, reached out to Cowart-Rickman about possibly providing further research samples and information.

“We were very excited to learn about the ground-nesting bee aggregations at Washington College, for a myriad of reasons,” said Kueneman. “First, the size of the aggregation is substantial, and multiple species are utilizing areas of the overall site to nest. This scenario is ideal for understanding nesting requirements for bees and how those vary by species. Second, intermixed aggregations of nesting bees are particularly interesting to study from an ecological perspective, as the cost/benefits of varying nesting strategies and behavior can be more easily studied, particularly in the context of phenology, nest architecture, and risk of parasitism.”

Kueneman’s project hopes to provide education and awareness of ground-nesting bees, who are, as he notes, “a vital and overlooked group of pollinators essential to terrestrial ecosystems.” The project aims to leverage local participatory actions to study bee nesting biology at scale, which can enhance ecosystem and agricultural sustainability by promoting resilient and diversified pollination services.

He noted that due to its location, the Washington College aggregation can easily provide the opportunity for students and the public to learn about the biology of ground-nesting bees and the value they provide to the environment. He is also hopeful that knowledge of the history of the area and the site’s management can help inform how ground management practices on campus have impacted the population in the past and provide opportunities to explore how current management will impact this population in the future.

“Because of the size of the aggregation, the Cornell lab is interested in the type of soil in this location, so we gathered soil samples from nests throughout the aggregation in various locations,” added Choate.

Research and monitoring of the aggregation will continue as teams from both schools work together to study what makes this site so appealing to multiple species of bees.

Save the Bees!

A certified Bee Campus USA, Washington College has a long history of practicing and promoting conservation in and around its campus through its Natural Lands Project, beekeeping courses for students, food initiative internships and campus garden. One of its chemistry professors is also conducting research on new ways to potentially cure disease in honeybee hives.

Amidst all of this bee-focused activity, Cowart-Rickman has been impressed with how these solitary bees emerge each spring, creating a busy scene as they pollinate fruit trees, flowers, shrubs, and native maples, amidst students walking to class and the nearby traffic of a busy road through the small town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

“Since I was a kid, I’ve always been interested in the tiny things, the things no one notices,” said Cowart-Rickman, who documents her insect photography on Instagram. Now, that interest is leading to an effort to protect a unique population of her favorite creatures.

In general, Cowart-Rickman and Choate urge the local community to become educated and make efforts to encourage native bee populations to flourish.

“Become aware of native bee species, how they nest, and what they feed on,” urges Cowart-Rickman. “A lot of pollinators nest in dried leaves, hollow twigs, rotting wood, and rough stone. Instead of burning these things in the fall, move them to an out of the way space until late spring. If you find a ground-nesting bee area don’t destroy them. They are above ground for only a short time. Plant native plants and create meadows instead of lawns.”

Choate also encourages less mowing and less structure to gardens to encourage native bees to feel welcome. “Avoiding fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides will go a long way in encouraging native bee populations. Traditional lawn “weeds” such as clovers are a favorite for many bee species. And since many native bees nest in the ground, avoiding manicured beds that require mulching and supporting less managed, wildflower plantings in your yard will provide habitat for nesting and a plethora of food for pollinators.”

Kueneman urges those interested in protecting bees to help out ProjectGNBee. “Researchers at Cornell are seeking your help to better understand and protect the nests of solitary, gentle, ground-nesting bees. Even though 90 percent of bees are solitary and 70 percent of bees nest in the ground, knowledge about solitary ground-nesting bees is lacking,” he notes. “Our project will study how factors like soil characteristics affect these bee populations, which will help us learn how to protect and improve nesting habitat for bees that provide crucial pollination services. By promoting nesting sites for native bees, we can enhance ecosystem and agricultural sustainability and resilience.” You can participate in this community science project by joining Project GNbee’s iNaturalist project here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.