Summer●CampsiEducation&ActivitiesCelebrating 75 YearsCelebrating a 75th anniversary.The Congressional Schools of Virginiain Falls Church marked its75 th anniversary with a weekend-long celebration on April 24and 25, with events attended by hundredsof students, staff, alumni and friends of theschool.The festivities began on Friday, April 24with an on-campus celebration featuring akeynote address by Linda Ward Byrd, aCongressional alumna from the Class of1968 who recounted her memories as aCongressional student, a school where shesaid “everyone knew my name.”The School’s founding family was honoredin a tribute by Tina Trapnell, a formermember of the School’s Board of Trustees,and former Mason District Supervisor whodetailed the family’s 75-year history, fromthe school’s founding by Malcolm andEvelyn Devers in 1939 to today. The eventalso included student performances, thededication of items selected by students fora time capsule, and a community photo onthe front steps of the school.The on-campus celebration was followedby a Golf Tournament at Reston NationalGolf Course, and the celebrations culminatedwith a 75th Anniversary Gala on theevening of April 25, attended by more than250 parents, faculty, alumni, sponsorsand friends of the school.“Our 75 th Anniversary is a wonderfulopportunity for the community toreflect upon our achievements as aschool. From our modest beginningsin 1939 as a small preschool, to ourcurrent standing as a leading independentearly childhood, elementary andmiddle school in the D.C. area, we areproud to have touched the lives of somany children. We are a communityshaped by a strong group of supporters,and look forward to continuingto provide excellence in education forgenerations to come,” stated JanetMarsh, Congressional’s Executive Director.The Congressional Schools of Virginiais an independent school onSleepy HollowRoad in FallsChurch, offeringa challengingand comprehensiveeducationalprogram to studentsfrom Infantthrough 8 thGrade. The familyspirit that lives on theLinda Ward Byrd ’68Photos contributedCongressional campus all year long is continuedthroughout the summer months ina 10-week summer camp program.www.ConnectionNewspapers.com<strong>Vienna</strong>/Oakton Connection ● April 2015 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● 7
Play UnifiedBy Rick JeffreyPresident, Special Olympics VirginiaIn my 20-plus years in Special OlympicsI still, on occasion, make the same mistake.I miss the boat. I underestimatethe abilities either cognitive or physical ofour Special Olympics athletes; athletes withintellectual disabilities. But by continuallymaking this mistake, I, in essence, prettymuch make them like everyone else; justanother person, available to be judged andlimited by what we see or what we thinkwe see. You see, the limitations that all ofus place on each other determine how weperceive each other, treat each other, likeeach other, fear each other, raise each otherup or marginalize each other.Ask most coaches out there and they willtell you that the biggest limitations on anystudent athlete are the ones coaches placeupon them, among which might be too slow,not big enough or not tough enough. Itmight not be much different in the classroomwhere teachers might see a studentas too lazy, too distracted or not interested.And these are just student athletes in anysport, in any classroom, at any high schoolin Virginia.Now compound that with Down syndrome,autism or an undiagnosed disabilityresulting in a student’s inability to keepup with peers. In most cases, the limitationsin a school environment, an environmentthat moves all too fast, are enormous. Andeven in schools with wonderful inclusiveclassroom environments, the opportunity toSummer●CampsiEducation&ActivitiesSummer Fun for AdultsThe region offers awide range ofprograms for adults.By Marilyn CampbellThe ConnectionSummer fun is no longer reservedfor children. Whether one’s interestslie in exploring nature and hikingin the woods or immersed inhistory, art and literature on a universitycampus, the region abounds with warmweather opportunities.The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute(OLLI) at George Mason University offersits members a chance to satisfy their intellectualand cultural curiosities. Want to readand discuss the “Iliad” or play SymphonyNo. 5 on the piano? Classes in Homer’s writingsor classical music are available inFairfax, Reston and Sterling, Va. $375 givesmembers access to more than 400 trips,courses and clubs ranging from memoirwriting to French cooking.“This summer you can get outside withOLLI trips to the National Gallery of Art,the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens,and The Franciscan Monastery,” said JenniferDisano, OLLI executive director.From oil painting to soap making, ArlingtonCounty is offering a diverse smatter ofclasses for adults. “We have a smorgasbordof programs and really cool classes whereyou can learn about nature or go on hikes,”said Susan Kalish, a spokeswoman for thecounty.Potomac residents who want to distinguishan amethyst from an iolite are in luckthis summer. A gemology class is among themost popular adult classes at the PotomacCommunity Recreation Center.“We’ve got a host of different programsfrom tai chi, yoga and karate,” said PeterSelikowitz, the center’s executive director.“There’s even a laughter fitness class whichis a fun way to reduce stress.”For those wanting to learn how to avoidinternet scams, Marymount University hasteamed up with City of Falls Church topresent “Living Better with the Internet.”The series of five classes is designed for seniorsand will be held at the Falls ChurchCommunity Center this summer. “The bestnews of all is that the classes are free,” saidOdette Shults, a spokeswoman for the University.Educators say that an uptick in interestamong adults, particularly seniors, has leadinteract and really build friendships andrelationships remains limited.These students with intellectual disabilitiesare, in most cases, not receiving an opportunityto really participate in sports; anactivity that, at its heart, teaches teamwork,trust and communication; an activity thatat its core promotes competency, credibilityand caring; the building blocks of humanrelationships. Sports and sports teamsare probably more conducive to buildingrelationships and creating friendships thanpossibly any other school activity. Plusthrow in the opportunity to “wear the colors”and represent your school and you createan emotional bond that may be the mostinclusive opportunity for any student.Photo contributedSummer camp experiences can help children become self-confident andself-reliant.to a diverse offering of learning opportunities.“There is an absolute trend and evidence-basedresearch is driving the trend,”said Andrew Carle of George Mason University.“Adult activities are being reinvented.What used to be arts and crafts andPhoto contributedRick JeffreyCommentaryIMAGINE A PARTNERSHIP betweenSpecial Olympics and high schools throughoutVirginia. Imagine the opportunity for astudent with an intellectual (or any) disabilityto play alongside his or her peerswithout disabilities in a Unified Sports teamenvironment; to rely on each other, to communicatewith each other, to believe in eachother, to become Champions Together.Imagine no more because ChampionsTogether is here. In fact, it’s right here inFairfax at Robinson Secondary School andRobert E. Lee High School – and in 22 otherhigh schools in Virginia.This partnership with the Virginia HighSchool League is aimed at bringing togetheryouth with and without disabilities to buildthe first unified generation, a generationwhere youth will build upon the friendshipsand life lessons learned through sports andthe Special Olympics movement so, later inlife, they will not be afraid to live, work andTHRIVE alongside their peers with differentability levels.Champions Together high schools willform inclusive track and field teams thisspring that will compete against other localhigh schools. Other components of theprogram include an inclusive student-ledleadership team that will organize anawareness event to promote respect andinclusion, and promote philanthropy to supportthe future of the program.now their being called wellness and enrichmentand address the physical, cognitive,social and spiritual needs of adults. We’reseeing people being given more choices onhow to improve their lives rather than justgiving them activities.”AT SPECIAL OLYMPICS, we dedicateourselves each day to building communitiesmore respectful in their conduct, moreinclusive in their makeup, more unified intheir fabric. And each day the Virginia HighSchool League is promoting education, leadership,sportsmanship, character and citizenshipfor students by establishing andmaintaining high standards for school activitiesand competitions.A new, young, energetic base of athletesand volunteers, which could include thesons or daughters of many reading this opedpiece, will eventually transition from theschools into our communities and help SpecialOlympics Virginia and the Virginia HighSchool League continue to achieve our missions.The Champions Together program is new,and as it develops, we will learn a lot abouthow to build it, refine it and make it thebest that it can be for everyone. And do youknow who we will learn this from? We willlearn it from our young people with andwithout disabilities who, through their participationand their ownership of this inclusiveprogram, will prove to us that theyare the future.Let’s Play Unified!Rick Jeffrey has been the President of SpecialOlympics Virginia since 2000. He has served onmany national and international committees forSpecial Olympics, and is currently serving on theUnited States Leadership Council where he is chairof the Sports Committee.8 ● Summer Camps ● Education & Activities ● April 2015 ● <strong>Vienna</strong>/Oakton Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.com
Change language