ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997 TAG: 9704180009
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-11 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: class notes
SOURCE: LAURA Z. RAUCH
Abby Fifer and Yaron Rachlin, both students at the Roanoke Valley Governor's School and Patrick Henry High School, were grand-award winners at the Western Virginia Regional Science Fair Saturday at Virginia Western Community College.
Fifer's project, "The Sublethal Neurotoxicological Effects of Heavy Metals on Lumbriculous Variegatus" (harmful effects of materials such as copper or iron on worms), won first place in the environmental science I category.
Rachlin won first place in the computer science, engineering and mathematics category for his entry "Evolution of Dynamic Controllable Behaviors on Recurrent Nonconvergent Neural Networks" (using mathematics to re-create a brain-like network).
Fifer, a junior, is the daughter of Gary Fifer and Hope Trachtenburg-Fifer. Rachlin, a senior, is the son of Michael and Regina Rachlin. The two students won a trip to the International Science and Engineering Fair, which will be held in Louisville, Ky., in May.
Two alternate grand-award winners were also selected: Stacy Graves and Jennifer O'Meara, both students at the Governor's School and Cave Spring High School. Graves won first place in behavioral and social sciences; O'Meara's project tied Fifer's for first place in environmental science I.
Other first-place winners are: Laura Tessendorf, Cave Spring and Governor's School, medicine and health; Abby Ferrance, Patrick Henry and Governor's School, environmental science II; Paul Hartman, Patrick Henry and Governor's School, physics I; Doug Hartman and Sarah McCorkle, Patrick Henry and Governor's School, team projects-life science; Leigh Johnson, Patrick Henry and Governor's School, microbiology; Hunter Elliot, Patrick Henry and Governor's School, botany; Shane Smith, Governor's School and Northside High School, physics II and earth and space science; John Willis, Bobby Basham and Rob Crow, Governor's School and Franklin County High School, team projects-life science; Kirk Andrews, Cal Beasley and Derek Springer, Governor's School and Lord Botetourt High School, team projects-physical science; Jeremy Camden, Governor's School and William Byrd High School, botany; Curtis Layton, Cave Spring, biochemistry and chemistry; Keyana Jackson and Chevon Martin, William Fleming High School, team projects-physical science; Valerie Blevins, Cave Spring, microbiology.
Planting for the future|
Fourth- and fifth-grade students at Lincoln Terrace Saturn Network planted trees - four white dogwoods, one red maple, one red oak, one pink dogwood and a river ash - last Thursday in a first step in the building of a mini-greenway on campus.
Connie Goehle, a fourth-grade teacher who is directing the project, stresses "nature, the environment and learning to respect it." Her students have studied about plants and animals indigenous to the Roanoke Valley, how water and air work together in the environment and photosynthesis. They have trekked through nearby Washington Park and observed insects and plants in its Lick Run Creek with the help of Virginia Tech professors Dave Deshler and Mike Rosenzweig, founders of SEEDS (Seek Education, Explore Discover), a Blacksburg-based environmental education organization.
Wildflowers and bushes will follow in the coming months. The students will work on the project through the end of the school year, and pass it on to next year's class.
Vietnam perspectives|
Middle-school students in Jinny Wooddall-Gainey's English and social studies classes at Community School will present "If People Really Knew...A Play about the War in Vietnam" Sunday at 2 and 3:30 p.m. in Mill Mountain Theatre B as part of the Local Colors celebration.
The students wrote the play based on interviews they conducted with Vietnam veterans, Vietnamese refugees and war protesters. From interview notes, the students created nine character monologues.
The 31/2-month project is funded by a Teacher Incentive Grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Mary Best Bova, the school's drama teacher who has worked on many Mill Mountain Theatre productions, will direct. A performance is also scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Talmadge Hall, Hollins College. Admission is free to all shows.
Music and more|
Bring a blanket or chair Saturday to the Children's Music Festival and Yard Sale sponsored by the Montessori Children's House of Roanoke at 4523 Brambleton Ave. S.W. Music, including entertainment from Curley Ennis, the Hilsdon family, Stowe & Lowe, Frank Greenlee and The Laurel Strings, begins at 10 a.m. Children's activities include wood sculpture, origami, doll-making and face-painting. The $2 admission fee covers all events. Items on sale include baked goods, clothing, electronics, appliances, tools, toys, antiques, books, music and plants. The rain date is Sunday.
New Life open house|
New Life Academy, a Christian school for children in preschool through fifth grade on the grounds of New Life Temple, 5745 Airport Road, will hold an open house Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Parents and children may meet with teachers, tour the school and enjoy face-painting, ice cream and entertainment by clowns. For more information, call 563-4989.
No elephants here|
North Cross School will hold a clothing and white elephant sale to benefit its educational programs, Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 4254 Colonial Ave. S.W. The sale includes household and decorative items, clothing and electronic and lawn equipment. All unsold merchandise will be donated to community programs.
Got a school-related scoop? Send information to: Laura Z. Rauch, Neighbors, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010. Fax to 981-3346, or e-mail LauraZ@roanoke.com
LENGTH: Long : 111 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: JANEL RHODA/THE ROANOKE TIMES. 1. Lincoln Terraceby CNBfourth-graders (from left) Jennifer Tate, Sal Falletta and Josh
Quesenberry team up to plant a dogwood tree as the first step toward
establishing a mini-greenway on campus. (headshot) 2. Fifer. 3.
Rachlin.<