The Sideline

South County Athlete Siblings Oren and Whitney Burks Earning National Attention

The future looks bright for these South County Stallions

South County’s Oren and Whitney Burks no longer have space on their calendar - literally. They used to keep track of their schedules in a calendar that their parents bought for them, but as the pair grew, more events meant less space. And eventually, the family ditched the physical calendar all together for a more streamlined method. “We used to have a calendar that we entered all of their information into so that we could know where everyone was going to be,” said Orlanda Burks, the children's father. “That got a little difficult because things wouldn’t fit and ink started to bleed on the other pages and we wouldn’t be able see it.” Whitney, a sophomore, was recently named the Patriot District Softball Player of the Year. She’s already …

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Which Middle School Sends the Most Students to TJHSST?

Fairfax County school, ranked second best high school in the nation this week by U.S. News, attracted 3,423 applicants this year.

Fairfax County's Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is tough to get into. Ranked second in the nation this week by U.S. News, the school attracted 3,243 applicants this year for the 480 slots in its freshman class. Which Fairfax County middle school sends the most students to the prestigious high school? Carson Middle School in Herndon, accounting for 76 students of the 480 total that were accepted. Vienna's Kilmer Middle School saw the largest jump this year over last year in the number of students it sends: From 31 students in 2011 to 43 this year. Out of the county's 24 middle schools, the following eight schools* sent the most students to TJHSST:  *If less than 10 students were admitted from a middle school, the …

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Teen's Take

Cappies Review: South County's 'West Side Story' Takes a Romantic Stab at a Classic Tale

Annandale High's Gillian Thomas writes this cool review. Check it out.

Two rival gangs are already the basis for a great story. Add in a twist of Romeo and Juliet, and you’ve got West Side Story: an Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim musical preformed by South County Secondary School this weekend.  This play is about two fighting gangs: the classic-American Jets and the Puerto Rican-American Sharks. While at a dance to discuss the terms of a future brawl, Tony, a Jet, and Maria, the leader of the Shark’s little sister, see each other and fall in love at first sight. This kick-starts the Romeo and Juliet theme and unfolds into the rest of the play. Whitney Turner did an excellent job in her role as the lead actress, playing the character Maria. With her Spanish accent, she did a great job…

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County Fights Teen Drinking in Prom Season

May is declared "Parents Who Host Lose the Most Month"

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is urging parents not to give their teens alcohol — especially important now that it’s high school prom and graduation season. In partnership with the Unified Prevention Coalition (UPC) of Fairfax County, the board has proclaimed May “Parents Who Host Lose the Most” month in the region. Together, they are making a concerted effort to educate parents and their teens about the effects and health risks of teen drinking. According to the 2010-11 Fairfax County Youth Survey, 20 percent of high school seniors reported binge drinking during the last two weeks and 36.5 percent of them had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.  The survey also revealed that 20 percent of 10th graders consumed alcohol in the …

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Lorton Photos of the Day

Photos: West Side Story at South County Secondary School

Tonight is opening night!

South County Secondary School students will be presenting West Side Story, the classic take on Romeo and Juliet set in 1950s New York. Performances are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. on May 4, 5, 11 and 12 in the school’s Dale S. Rumberger Auditorium. General admission is $10, and $9 for senior citizens and students. "West Side Story is not often produced in area high schools due to the challenging music of the play, but I am grateful that South County is up for the challenge,” said South County Secondary drama teacher and the show’s director, Kathie McCormally. The cast and crew is made up of more then 58 high school students. The show includes the talents of Dean Maldonato as Tony, Whitney Turner and Katie Murray as Maria, Kathryn Moore and …

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Competition: Student Art to Hang In U.S. Capitol

An award ceremony was on Saturday at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

The U.S. Capitol is home to such famous pieces of art as “The Declaration of Independence” by John Trumbull and hundreds of sculptures and portraits of lawmakers like John Adams and Daniel Webster. Now you can add a painting from a local high school student to the collection. Hope Martin of Battlefield High School in Haymarket won first place in U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly’s annual 11th District Congressional Art Competition. Martin’s charcoal work “Awestruck” will hang in the Capitol for one year. Second-place went to Brooke Sullivan of Paul VI High School in Fairfax; third prize went to Emilia Blaszkiewicz of West Potomac High School in Alexandria; Oakton High School’s Chan Song Yoon took fourth place and fifth place was awarded to Brianna …

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Look Back, Look Ahead: Fairfax County News to Know

Horses stabbed in Herndon, Dyke Marsh preservation, Chick-fil-A fans and more were in the news this week across Fairfax County.

Here’s a look at some of the top Patch stories of the past week and a look at what’s coming up in the week ahead. Student Discipline Revisited Fairfax County Public Schools is revisiting its disciplinary policies. This may include peer mediation and restorative justice as methods of resolving disputes and addressing student behavior and expanding the section on bullying to include electronic communication. Crime Another person, allegedly a member of the Underground Gangster Crips, was charged for his involvement in orchestrating a high school prostitution ring. Fairfax County police released a mobile app called TipSubmit for residents to report crimes quickly and easily. Horses Attacked Someone attacked three horses that were part of the …

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James Cullum

3:36 pm on Monday, April 30, 2012

Thanks for the help, Rebecca!   more ›

Gallery: Actor Josh Adams Visits South County Secondary School

Professional actor met with performing arts students.

South County Secondary School students interested in drama met professional working actor Josh Adams this week. Adams, who works at The Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., met with performing arts students to talk about his craft. He spoke with about 25 students on Monday about changing his appearance for roles and giving his all when playing a role.  His appearance at the school was also featured on NBC-TV, Channel 4. Adams can be seen in "The Big Meal," written by Dan LeFranc and directed by Johanna Gruenhut; the production opened this week at Studio Theatre's Milton Theatre. The play "shows five generations of a family in all their embarrassment and heartbreak," according to a news release from the theater.

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Suspense: The Name of the New South County Middle School Is...

The School Board voted 11-1 on it Thursday night.

South County Middle School it is. Last night the Fairfax County School Board, swayed by overwhelming community opinion, voted 11-1 to name the middle school "South County Middle School." The name was chosen after two community surveys.  Mount Vernon District School Board Member Dan Storck made the motion. "I couldn't be happier and prouder of the community an the people I represent," he told Patch after the vote. "That we were able to overcome almost insurmountable odds to bring the building and naming of this school to fruition, to provide a school that will be a home to generations of students is a testament that the Mount Vernon District doesn't mess around."  Marsha Manning is the South County Middle School principal. "I think the name…

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James Cullum

1:00 am on Saturday, April 28, 2012

Thanks for the comment, Christine! Congratulations!   more ›