For Release: IMMEDIATE
PR/GRAD/US/1/04
June 11, 2004

Justice O’Connor Addresses Commencement

Bethesda, Maryland—Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, joined the Stone Ridge community to deliver the Commencement Address to the Class of 2004 on Wednesday evening, June 9.

Through her acceptance of the duties and obligations of her Supreme Court position, Justice O’Connor has broken conventional molds for women in the judicial system. Given her struggles against the traditional images and ideals of women’s roles and positions in the United States government, she reminded the seventy-nine Stone Ridge graduates of the many social changes that have blessed their generation with various freedoms. According to Justice O’Connor, women today “have more opportunities to influence the direction of society than ever before in our country.” This freedom, however, also “means we have the right and the responsibility to discipline ourselves. Part of that inner discipline should be a lifelong effort to leave this world a little better than you found it on your arrival.” Justice O’Connor continues to be an inspiration to those in the legal profession, as well as women everywhere, modeling the possibilities for growth and change.

Justice O’Connor earned a B.A. in economics in 1950 from Stanford University where she continued her legal education. She received her LL.B. in two years, graduating third in her class, and was Order of the Coif, Board of Editors, Stanford Law Review. Following service as a deputy county attorney in California, she worked as a civilian attorney for the Quartermaster Corps in Frankfurt, Germany, where her husband was in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the United States Army. Returning to the United States, she encountered resistance to the hiring of female attorneys in Arizona, similar to her experience in California after graduating from law school. Establishing a private law office with a partner, Justice O’Connor worked part-time as an attorney, while raising three sons and becoming more involved in civic affairs and volunteer activities.

By the time she resumed her full-time career in 1965, she was known as a diligent and hard-working lawyer with excellent legal credentials and diverse experiences in public service. Named Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arizona in 1965, she then held two two-year terms in the Arizona State Senate where she became the first woman in the nation to hold the position of Senate Majority Leader. She then moved onto the Maricopa County Superior Court, followed by the Arizona Court of Appeals in 1979. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Wilson Reagan in 1981. For more information, please visit the Web site of the Supreme Court of the United States (www.supremecourtus.gov).

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school’s Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

PR/BOOK/13
March 12, 2004
For Release: IMMEDIATE

Stampede Begins April 2
Get Your Word’s Worth at the Thirty-sixth Annual Used Book Sale Featuring Fifth Annual Free Book Event

Bethesda, Maryland—The stampede to the Thirty-sixth Annual Used Book Sale at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart begins Friday, April 2. Last year’s sale broke the $200,000 mark for the first time. Sale proceeds benefit financial aid.

Four-day Sale opens April 2 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours on Saturday, April 3, are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, April 4 (half-price day) 12 to 6 p.m.; and Monday, April 5 ($10-a-bag day) from 5 to 8 p.m. Over 3,700 boxes containing more than 100,000 books in eighty categories and a collection of records, tapes, and compact discs, are set up on tables across three gymnasiums.

Book Sale Chair Susan Sabo names Top Collectible Titles this year: Bertram and his Fabulous Animals & Bertram and His Funny Animals in slipcase by Paul T. Gilbert, Rand McNally, 1937 with dust jackets; The Butcher’s Boy by Thomas Perry, Scribner’s, first edition, 1982, very good condition; Fifty Works by Le Courbusier, signed by Le Courbusier, Sotheby’s, 1969; First Lines of the Practice of Physics in 4 volumes by William Cullen,~printed for C. Elliot and T. Cadell, 1784; The Four Winners by Knute Rockne, signed by Knute Rockne; How the Battleship Maine was Destroyed by H. G. Rickover, inscribed, Department of the Navy, 1976; Hugh Newell Jacobsen, Architect, edited by Massimo Vignelli, signed by Hugh, AIA Press, 1988; Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, first edition, Alfred A. Knopf, 1976; John Arnold & Son Chronometer Makers 1762 - 1843 by Vaudrey Mercer, The Antiquarian Horological Society, 1972; Mother Teresa Down Memory Lane, signed by Mother Teresa, Rila O’Brien, 1993; Parish Hadley Sixty Years of American Design by Sister Parish, Albert Hadley (signed) and Christopher Petkanas, Little, Brown, 1995; Roland Clark’s Etchings, signed limited edition, Derrydale Press, 1938; and To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy, first edition.

Invitation-only Fifth Annual Free Book Event for non-profit organizations follows four-day Sale. Leftover books in good condition are available to these organizations on a first-come, first-served basis on Monday, April 5 from 8-9:00 p.m. and Tuesday, April 6 from 7:30-9 a.m. Past recipients include the Salvation Army, Disabled American Vets, Goodwill Industries, and the World Bank. Interested organizations should call and leave their e-mail addresses at 301-657-4322, ext. 338.

The Sale is at Stone Ridge School, 9101 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD (just inside the Beltway, at the corner of Rockville Pike and Cedar Lane), 1/4 mi. north of the Medical Center Metro Station. There is free admission and ample parking. For information, visit the school’s Web site (www.stoneridge.org).

*** For information media—not an official record ***

PR/DIV/AS/3
January 28, 2004
For Release: IMMEDIATE

Fifth Annual Multicultural Family Festival Anticipates Record Turnout
Regional recipes to include creation by Citronelle Chef Michel Richard

Bethesda, Maryland—Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart will celebrate the cultural diversity of its community on Saturday, February 7 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Chairs of the Fifth Annual Multicultural Family Festival, current parents Marilyn Madarang, Laurence Richard, and Michele Webster, are planning an evening of fun and festivities.

Attendance has grown steadily over the years with a large crowd from the Stone Ridge community expected at Saturday’s event. Volunteers are serving as regional captains coordinating the country displays for set up in the school’s gymnasium. The regions include Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Mexico, Middle East, New Zealand, South America, and the United States.

The much-anticipated festival, which kicks off with a parade of country costumes and the singing of national anthems, features delicious international fare prepared by participants. This year, Stone Ridge parent Michel Richard, owner and head chef of Citronelle [www.citronelleDC.com], will prepare a special chocolate mousse recipe just in time for Valentine’s Day. An award-winning chef, Richard is in the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in American Food and Wine, and has been a featured guest on numerous television programs, including the PBS series "Cooking with Master Chefs" hosted by Julia Child. Chef Richard is also the author of Michel Richard’s Home Cooking with a French Accent, published by William Morrow in 1993. Citronelle restaurant was named a 2003 Blue Ribbon Award Winner by Washingtonian magazine.

In addition to sampling food from around the world, festival goers will enjoy artifacts, flags, textiles, crafts, and more, as well as music and entertainment. Last year’s entertainment included Indian, Irish, and Korean drum dancing to zither and violin solos. The Multicultural Family Festival reinforces Goal IV—the building of community, one of the five Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information about Stone Ridge, please visit the school’s Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

PR/NETWORK/1/Rev.1
October 21, 2003
For Release: IMMEDIATE

Stone Ridge Hosts Network Conference with Focus on Global Mission
Opening coincides with international observance of United Nations anniversary on October 24

Bethesda, Maryland—Stone Ridge hosts the Network Conference for School Heads and Trustees from Sacred Heart Schools in the United States on October 24-26, 2003. “Meeting Our Mission Around the Corner, Around the Globe” is the theme of the three-day conference, organized by an able committee led by Stone Ridge alumnae Madeleine Ortman ’63, Executive Director of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, and Headmistress Anne Dyer, RSCJ ’55.

Preconference activities on Thursday, October 23 include an evening reception at Stone Ridge, where School Heads will gather with Sacred Heart Alumnae in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Friday morning, School Heads will meet for breakfast at Stone Ridge followed by an all-day meeting until 4:00 p.m. The Network Conference opens officially on Friday evening, October 24. Over 100 representatives from twenty-three schools and affiliates in fifteen states will convene for cocktails and dinner at the Bethesda Marriott. The evening’s keynote speaker will be Knight Kiplinger, editor-in-chief of The Kiplinger Letter and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

On Saturday morning, October 25, the Network Meeting will take place at Stone Ridge from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with student-led tours during the lunchtime break. Harold Eugene Batiste III, Vice President of Equity and Justice Initiatives at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), will be the keynote presenter at the morning session. Afterward, participants will break out into the three separate tracks for Board Chairs, New Trustees, and School Heads. Dr. Marilyn McMorrow, RSCJ, Assistant Professor and Director of the Linz Ethics Project in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, will be the keynote presenter in the afternoon, followed by breakout sessions. That evening, conference participants are invited to Stone Ridge for liturgy at 6:00 p.m. followed by cocktails and dinner with the Stone Ridge Administration, Alumnae Board, Executive Committee of the Parents Association, and parent volunteers to the conference. After early morning meetings at the hotel, the conference will conclude at noon on Sunday, October 26.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school’s Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Stone Ridge Junior Selected for Leadership Challenge

Bethesda, Maryland—Phoenix Ricks ’05 is one of 350 outstanding scholars from around the United States selected to participate in the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC) that opened today in Washington, D.C. The conference, which continues through October 26, is a “unique leadership development program for high school students who have demonstrated leadership potential and scholastic merit,” according to a release from the conference sponsor, Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC).

Throughout the six days of the conference entitled, “The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today,” students will interact with elected officials, political appointees, and newsmakers as they explore the three branches of government, the news media, and the international community. Leadership skill-building activities and simulations will complement the schedule of special meetings and briefings. Students will take part in role-play activities as the president and cabinet members responding to an international crisis; examine actual Supreme Court cases as they test the Constitution; and assume the roles of U.S. Representatives, debating amending, and voting on proposed mock legislation.

The sponsoring organization, CYLC, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization founded in 1985. In the words of Mike Lasday, CYLC executive director, “The National Young Leaders Conference positions each of these students as colleagues in whose hands the future of our country rests.” For more information, visit www.cylc.org.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school’s Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

PR/ACAD/US/33
October 16, 2003
For Release: IMMEDIATE

Class of 2004 Merits High Achievement

Bethesda, Maryland—The Fourth Academic Class at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart is having a year of high achievement.

The National Merit Scholarship program has announced the Semifinalists in the Class of 2004, selected from 16,000 students across the country. The following students have been recognized by the National Merit Program: Nicole Carter, Alison Gillis, Katherine Gorman, Alexandra Will, Elizabeth Yogiaveetil.

Nicole Carter was recognized as a National Achievement winner, as well.

In addition the following students were recognized as Commended Students. They are: Diane Chan, Victoria Divino, Lindsay Erickson, Alina Gonzalez, Christine Hawes, Courtney Holland, Sarah Kleinfeld, Kristina LeDain, Stephanie O’Rourke, Elizabeth Pierce, Lindsay Rogers, Brenna Sparks, Elizabeth Sperle, Katherine Sperle, and Kristin Viswanathan.

On the local level, academic recognition from the Maryland Distinguished Scholar Program for academic merit and talent went to Finalists Alison Gillis, Katherine Gorman, Claudia Quiros and Katherine Sperle; Semifinalists Victoria Divino, Brenna Sparks, Elisabeth Sperle and Elizabeth Yogiaveetil; and Honorable Mentions Nicole Carter, Diane Chan, Lindsay Erickson, Alina Gonzalez, Courtney Holland, Erica Imbimbo, Alexandra Masciuch.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school’s Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

PR/AS/1/2003
September 10, 2003
For Release: IMMEDIATE

Mass of the Holy Spirit Highlights Diversity and Building Community
Annual liturgy marks spiritual beginning of academic year for Stone Ridge community

Bethesda, Maryland-The Mass of the Holy Spirit, one of two all-school liturgies held annually at Stone Ridge, will take place in the school's gymnasium at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, September 12, 2003. The celebrant will be Msgr. Raymond East.

The theme of this year's Mass will focus on the five Goals of Sacred Heart education through the lens of diversity. During the summer months, Upper School students involved with Campus Ministry worked on preparations for this annual event, as well as other projects. In their own words, "The Goals of the Sacred Heart are a prevalent part of our education at Stone Ridge and other Sacred Heart Schools around the world. It is important that we look at each of these Goals with an open mind towards diverse opinions. This year's Mass of the Holy Spirit and especially the entailing artwork focuses on the diverse perspectives on each of the five Goals."

The student artwork throughout the gymnasium will reflect the theme. A large rainbow on the wall behind the altar will reflect the diverse Stone Ridge community and the light of Christ. Clouds at the end of the rainbow will symbolize the contributions of student gifts, as well as those of each class and the school as a whole. Each cloud will carry signatures of this year's 792 students and a commitment by each class to contribute to the 2003-2004 goal of building community as set by Headmistress Anne Dyer, RSCJ. Banners suspended from the four corners of the gymnasium ceiling will represent diversity through different colors, interlocking, and supporting each other. Where the banners meet, five interlocking rings symbolizing the Goals of Sacred Heart education will be suspended from a strong knot. Finally, a cross representing Goal One-Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a personal and active faith in God-will hang from the five interlocking rings. The five rings supporting the cross, signify how each of the Goals is needed to sustain Goal One and ultimately faith in God.

The second all-school liturgy is held annually in the spring on May 25, the feast day of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Amiens, France in1800.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend to Deliver Commencement Address
Tickets for the ceremonies have been distributed; No one will be admitted without a ticket

Bethesda, Maryland-Former Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend will deliver the Commencement address to the eighty-three members of the Class of 2003, June 11 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the ceremonies have been distributed. No one will be admitted without a ticket.

Active in politics, Mrs. Townsend has held many offices, most recently serving as Maryland's first female Lieutenant Governor from 1995 to January 2003. Ms. Townsend attended Stone Ridge, Class of 1969, and graduated from Putney School in Vermont. She received a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law. Mrs. Townsend lives in Baltimore County with her husband, David, and four daughters.

Current Headmistress Anne Dyer, RSCJ '55 invited Mrs. Townsend to deliver this year's address. In addition to being an alumna, Mrs. Townsend is a wife, mother, attorney, educator, and politician who has devoted years to public service. According to Sr. Dyer, "Kathleen has always been a proponent of community service in schools, an area in which Stone Ridge has been a leader with its longstanding Social Action program. 'Social awareness which impels to action' is one of the five Goals of Sacred Heart Education. Kathleen's personal commitment and experience in fulfilling this goal can only serve to inspire the graduates of today."

Mrs. Townsend was founder and Executive Director of the Maryland Student Service Alliance and, while Lieutenant Governor, served as a member of the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism (1998-2003). Under her leadership, Maryland was the first state to make community service a graduation requirement for high school students. She chaired the Advisory Board on After-School Opportunity Programs (1999-2003) which led to increased funding for after-school programs and the Maryland After-School Program Initiative. As Co-chair of the Safe Schools Interagency Steering Committee (1999-2003), she developed a broad-based school safety strategy with specific measures to reduce violence and enhance education. For more on Mrs. Townsend, visit the Maryland State Archives Web site (www.mdarchives.state.md.us).

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend to Deliver Commencement Address

Bethesda, Maryland-Former Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend will deliver the Commencement address to the eighty-three members of the Class of 2003 on June 11. Active in politics, Mrs. Townsend has held many offices, most recently serving as Maryland's first female Lieutenant Governor from 1995 to January 2003. Ms. Townsend attended Stone Ridge, Class of 1969, where Mother Marie Odeide Mouton, a Religious of the Sacred Heart and former headmistress at Stone Ridge, was a strong influence in her life. She went on to receive a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Current Headmistress Anne Dyer, RSCJ '55 invited Mrs. Townsend to deliver this year's address. In addition to being an alumna, Mrs. Townsend is a wife, mother, attorney, educator, and politician who has devoted years to public service. According to Sr. Dyer, "Kathleen has always been a proponent of community service in schools, an area in which Stone Ridge has been a leader with its longstanding Social Action program. 'Social awareness which impels to action' is one of the five Goals of Sacred Heart Education. Kathleen's personal commitment and experience in fulfilling this goal can only serve to inspire the graduates of today."

Mrs. Townsend was founder and Executive Director of the Maryland Student Service Alliance and, while Lieutenant Governor, served as a member of the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism (1998-2003). Under her leadership, Maryland became the first state to make community service for high school students a requirement for graduation. Her chairmanship of the Advisory Board on After-School Opportunity Programs (1999-2003) led to increased funding for after-school programs and the establishment of the Maryland After-School Program Initiative. As Co-chair of the Safe Schools Interagency Steering Committee (1999-2003), she developed a broad-based school safety strategy with specific measures to reduce violence and, in turn, enhance education. For more on Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's initiatives and achievements, please visit the Maryland State Archives Web site (www.mdarchives.state.md.us)

Mrs. Townsend lives in Baltimore County with her husband, David, and four daughters.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Bethesda, Maryland-At the invitation of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD (www.nnmc.med.navy.mil), the Stone Ridge Junior Chorus will perform at 11:00 a.m. in the Main Chapel on Thursday, May 1, 2003 as part of the activities planned for the National Day of Prayer. The chaplain at the Medical Center is Rev. William McCandless. The hour-long performance will include the "Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America." The students' performance is part of an all-day event like many in the country celebrating the fifty-second annual National Day of Prayer.

The National Day of Prayer (NDP) is an annual event established by an act of Congress which encourages Americans to pray for our nation, its people and its leaders. According to the National Day of Prayer Task Force (www.nationaldayofprayer.org), "In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.

"The most visible gathering on the day has been held historically at our nation's Capitol in Washington, D.C. on the first Thursday of May. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of government are represented, as well as the military. In addition, Christian leaders address the current year's theme and other areas of interest (i.e. education, youth, families, etc.).

"In 2002, approximately 40,000 events were held nationwide. Local volunteers and coordinators held a variety of activities ranging from prayer breakfasts, Bible reading marathons, concerts of prayer, rallies, church prayer vigils, student flagpole gatherings and observances held in sports stadiums."

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Stone Ridge Senior Honored as Presidential Scholar Candidate

Bethesda, Maryland-Heather Greenwood '03 was selected as a candidate out of 2.8 million students nationwide in the 2003 Presidential Scholars Program. Inclusion in the program is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Heather Greenwood is also one of Stone Ridge's National Merit Scholars and Maryland Distinguished Scholars for 2003.

The U.S. Department of Education selects 2,600 academic candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program based on exceptional SAT and ACT scores. Twenty females and twenty males are selected as candidates from each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from families of U.S. citizens living abroad. Application to the program is by invitation only; individual students may not apply to the program, nor may their schools nominate them.

To be considered further, candidates submit essays, self-assessments, secondary school reports, and transcripts. Candidates are evaluated on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and an analysis of their essay. Semifinalists are chosen annually by an independent, national committee of educators convened by the Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of eminent private citizens appointed by the President. Commissioners are selected from across the country, representing the fields of education, medicine, law, social services, business, and other professions. The Commission selects the Scholars from the semifinalists.

The 2003 Commission Chair is Mary Elizabeth Kramer, President of the Iowa State Senate. Local Commissioners of this year's thirty-two member commission include: Michael Anthony Galiazzo, President, Get Results (Maryland); Marcia A. Jackson, Jackson Consulting (Virginia); Elizabeth Kelly Johnson, Landscape Architect, private practice (Virginia); Robert Earl Moss, President, Bob Moss Associates (Washington, D.C.); Stanley E. Taylor, Associate Vice President for the Arlington Campus, George Mason University (Virginia); Flo N. Traywick (Virginia); and Mary Katherine Turner, Teacher, Bishop O'Connell High School (Virginia).

The U.S. Department of Education will announce the 2003 Scholars in May.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Bethesda, Maryland-Congratulations to four National Merit Scholarship Finalists Michelle Duplinsky '03, Heather Greenwood '03, Mariana Meyer '03, and Bethany Schraml '03 at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. These four seniors, named semifinalists in the 2003 National Merit Scholarship Program sponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), fulfilled all the requirements of the program and advanced to finalist standing.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) in Evanston, Illinois is an independent not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. NMSC conducts two privately financed annual competitions for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships-the National Merit Scholarship Program, and the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Through the National Merit Program, NMSC also conducts competitions for Special Scholarships sponsored by corporate and business organizations.

About 600 independent sponsor organizations and institutions support the National Merit Scholarship Program, a privately financed academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. These sponsors join NMSC in its efforts to honor scholastic achievement, to broaden educational opportunities, and to encourage academic excellence. Visit the NMSC Web site at www.nationalmerit.org.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

NSLC Selects Stone Ridge Junior for Program on International Diplomacy

Bethesda, Maryland-Jenelle Oxendine '04, a junior at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, has been selected to participate in the eleven-day National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) on International Diplomacy held this summer in Washington, D.C.

Since 1989, the NSLC [www.nslcleaders.org] has sponsored this program for outstanding high school students where each selected assumes the role of a UN Delegate intent on maintaining the balance of world peace. The students debate controversial international issues with some of the most noted political figures in the nation's capital and take part in workshops and simulations to develop negotiation and communication skills. In addition, briefings are held at the CIA, World Bank, and U.S. Department of State. Students also visit Congressional offices on Capitol Hill.

From the start of the NSLC on International Diplomacy in Washington, DC, students are immersed in the world of international law, politics, and decision-making, drafting speeches, multinational treaties, or diplomatic communiqués. They prepare for sessions through careful research and development of international issues and policies. Students gain knowledge of world governments and ideological systems, while developing a better understanding of foreign policy and the complexity of international relations and decision making.

Topics of workshops may include: Winning the Mind Game-The Art of Negotiation; A Global Perspective-International Law; Power At the Podium-The World of Public Speaking; Leaders Are Made, Not Born-The Habits of Effective Leadership; and Keeping the Peace-Managing Conflict Effectively.

In addition to International Diplomacy, the NSLC offers five other tracks on Mastering Leadership, Law & Advocacy, Medicine & Health Care, Business & Commerce, and Congressional Process.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Cliques are Focus of Upcoming Discussion

Bethesda, Maryland—Authors Charlene Giannetti and Margaret Sagarese are scheduled to speak in the Sophie Center at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart on Tuesday, January 28, 2003. They will address Middle School students (1:45-2:45 p.m.), all faculty (3:30-4:30 p.m.), and current parents (7:00 p.m.) about "Cliques: How to Help Your Child Survive the Social Jungle." The theme is based on their book of a similar title published by Broadway Books in February 2001. This event is sponsored by the Stone Ridge Parents Association.

At the end of the discussion, Ms. Giannetti and Ms. Sagarese will be available to sign their books: The Roller-Coaster Years (Broadway Books, 1997); Parenting 911 (Broadway Books, 1999); Cliques: 8 Steps to Help Your Child Survive the Social Jungle (Broadway Books, 2001); and The Patience of a Saint (Broadway Books, 2002). The two authors are now working on their fifth joint project, What's Going on In There? Balancing Your Need to Know with Your Child's Need to Grow. Ms. Giannetti is a journalist and author of eight books. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications, she was formerly an editor for Business Week magazine, as well as Working Smart, the newsletter of the National Institute of Business Management. Her articles have appeared in a wide variety of publications from Advertising Age to the New York Times. Ms. Sagarese taught young adolescents and has written ten books. Together, they have been interviewed on The Today Show, CNN, National Public Radio, and many other national and regional television and radio programs on topics related to the parenting of adolescents and teens. They also host online chats and field message board queries for iVillage's Parent Soup on America Online and the World Wide Web.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***

Stone Ridge Teacher Publishes Book on Teaching and Learning about Computers

Bethesda, Maryland—Joanne R. Barrett, Middle School Computer Coordinator and Teacher at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland, has written a book entitled, Teaching and Learning about Computers: A Classroom Guide for Teachers, Librarians, Media Specialists, and Students. Published by Scarecrow Press (www.scarecrowpress.com) in November 2002, the book is designed for both instructors and students. The book, based on Mrs. Barrett's notes and shortcuts from her years as a computer specialist and computer teacher, offers that technology provides ample opportunities for teachers to be learners, as well as for learners to become the teachers. According to the publisher, "this all-inclusive hands-on guide will assist teachers and students in Grades 5 through 12 who are using computers in the classroom. Explaining concepts and complicated processes in an understandable language, this complete instructional tool covers in one volume all of the computer topics that the teacher will encounter. Topics include: word processing; spreadsheets; creating charts and graphs; databases; multimedia presentations; the Internet; Web page design; programming; and viruses and copyright issues."

Joanne R. Barrett holds a BA from Providence College and MA from Georgetown University. In the area of laptop computer education, she has presented at several conferences, including the College Board Regional Meeting; the Microsoft Anytime, Anywhere Learning Summit; the National Association of Independent Schools; and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). Before becoming a teacher, Mrs. Barrett was a computer specialist for the Department of Justice.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

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Eighth Graders Introduced to Career Opportunities in Technology

Bethesda, Maryland—Career opportunities will be highlighted as members of Women in Technology International (www.witi.org) return to the Middle School at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart to introduce eighth graders to the technology field. The workshop will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room on January 28 [8:45-11:40 a.m.].

Workshop leader Anne Albright, Technical Sales Manager at IBM, and Joanne Barrett, Middle School Computer Coordinator and Teacher at Stone Ridge, have set the format for the morning. (Note: Recently, Mrs. Barrett published a book entitled, Teaching and Learning about Computers: A Classroom Guide for Teachers, Librarians, Media Specialists, and Students, Scarecrow Press, November 2002.) The morning agenda is as follows:

I. Panel Discussion: The facilitators who have volunteered their time have backgrounds in engineering, sales, programming, marketing, process design, training, forensics, and management. During this time, the girls will have an opportunity to ask the facilitators questions that are important to them.

II. Process Discussion: Following the panel, this discussion will set up the project objective.

III. Workgroups: The students will break out into four workgroups. The objective is to take the girls through the process of taking a product to market.

A. The Product: A robot that automatically feeds your pet while you are away on vacation.

B. The Challenge: The girls won't necessarily go through the process in the correct sequence—so what will happen?

C. The Break Out Groups: Marketing, Programming, Engineering and Security.

1. Marketing: How to sell the product.

2. Programming: How to program the robot to feed the dog.

3. Engineering: How to build the robot.

4. Security: Yikes! We've had a security breech in our facility and the forensic specialist is going to help us determine who did it!

IV. Workgroup Discussion: Discussion on how their product turned out.

V. Objective: Fun for the girls and a better idea of analytical thinking.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools (www.sofie.org), was founded in 1923. It is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls (JK-Grade 12), coeducational (JK-K), located in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information, visit the school's Web site at www.stoneridge.org or call 301-657-4322.

*** For information media—not an official record ***