Recent Stories
Spring Hill Elementary Celebrates Earth Day
Students recognize Earth Day with performance, art, and fashion competition.
Earth Day at Spring Hill Elementary School is a big event. Students start well in advance planning and practicing performances, creating original artwork, or designing outfits made of recycled materials.
McLean Loves its Pets
Pets connect owners to the wild world around them.
When it comes to pets, McLean is much like other communities. Our pets are pampered, doted on, and loved. And with good reason. According to these McLean pet owners, the unconditional love they give in return is immeasurable.
Celebrating Art at Holly Hill
McLean Project for the Arts celebrates a year of visual arts at its annual spring benefit.
Rainstorms drenched Northern Virginia last Thursday night, but the stormy weather did not dampen the spirits of hundreds of local art patrons. In fact, the skies cleared just long enough for McLean Project for the Arts to celebrate with nearly three hundred supporters during its annual spring benefit at the historic Hickory Hill estate in McLean.
Local Students Spice it Up
Students from McLean, Robinson, and Woodson High Schools compete in culinary competition.
Student chefs from the Fairfax County school culinary program gathered last Thursday afternoon for the second annual Real Food for Kids Culinary Competition. The contest allowed students from the county’s four culinary academies to compete for a chance to have their vegetarian entrées used in the county’s school lunch program.
A Time to Share
McLean’s community service group meets needs during the busiest time of year, and year round.
This time of year it is not uncommon to worry about meals, entertaining visiting relatives, or finding the time to shop and decorate. But for some members of the community, the worries are more basic.
Focus on Food Crisis
Marshall HS sponsors My First Model UN Training Conference.
Next week 250 middle and high school students will gather at Marshall High School for the 10th annual My First Model United Nations Training Conference. The conference will run all day on Oct. 19, and will feature morning training sessions, afternoon model United Nations conference sessions, and lunch. For students who hold any interest in international relations, it is not to be missed, according to Marshall High School senior Samuel Carpenter. Carpenter is a member of Marshall’s Model UN Team, and is helping to organize the event.
Small Church, Rich History
McLean’s Shiloh Baptist Church celebrates 140th anniversary.
Late in the 19th-century, three figures converged in Northern Virginia, leading to the creation of one of McLean’s first African American churches. Cyrus Carter was a local pastor whose goal was to establish four black churches in Northern Virginia. The plan was to organize churches in Chesterbrook, Vienna, Arlington and in west McLean where Shiloh Baptist Church now stands. In 1873, Carter was able to broker a deal with local landowner, Charles Elgin, and Shiloh Baptist Church was born. “At the time, there were no black churches. Although this is where the majority of African Americans were living in those days, who were free,” said Pastor Robert Cheeks. “They migrated to this area as D.C. was beginning to grow. This was a predominantly African American community,” he said. Carter recognized the need for the community to have a place to worship. And after securing the necessary property, which still stands at the intersection of Lewinsville and Spring Hill Roads, Carter and the new congregation needed a place to worship while they raised money to start building a church. “It was difficult in that time, right after slavery, for people to save their money,” said long-time member Archie Borgus. But they were able to raise the capital, and the cornerstone was laid in 1887.
Garage Sale of the Season
Area treasure hunters visit McLean Community Center’s semi-annual flea market.
Longtime friends Nancy McCormick, Jeanne Nelsen and Liz Rothrock, who jokingly call themselves “poker widows,” have always looked for ways to have fun while their husbands played poker. Recently, the friends of 26 years have discovered that they love to sell their wares at the MCC semi-annual flea market. “This is our fourth time here,” said Nelsen. “We’ve gotten the same booth several times. We have an absolute blast.” Not only do they have fun, they typically make up to $300 in a four-hour day.
Great Theatre in Great Falls
Traveling Players Ensemble presents two plays at Madeira School.
The Great Falls-based Traveling Players Ensemble concluded two of its summer programs last weekend with two productions at the Madeira School. The nearly full auditorium was treated to Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” as well as an original work, “Ariadne’s Thread,” written by TPE visiting director, Judy W. White.
Shakespeare in the Park
The Traveling Players Ensemble presenting “Much Ado About Nothing” at The Madeira School.
The Traveling Players Ensemble will present Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” Friday, Aug. 9 at The Madeira School in Great Falls.