Washington Informer

Performances June 5-9 at RFK Stadium

The UniverSoul Circus, known for its a unique and interactive shows filled with juggling, acrobats, dancing and many genres of music, returns to the District in the coming weeks to participate in the 151st anniversary of D.C.'s Emancipation Proclamation Day and to present several performances.

The Emancipation Proclamation celebration takes place April 16, and the circus performances will be held June 5-9 at RFK Stadium in Northeast. The Emancipation Proclamation event celebrates President Lincoln's signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act which freed 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.

"We're especially glad to have the UniverSoul Circus joining us for our holiday," said At-Large Councilman Vincent Orange, who helped facilitate both of the circus' appearances. "It really shows how much they recognize and appreciate such a special and important day for this city."

Orange was assisted by Greg O'Dell, Events DC president and CEO, and Erik Moses, managing director of Sports & Entertainment in bringing the circus to the District.

"When Ms. R. Amari Ballard approached me about the circus coming to DC, I was excited," Orange said. "I called Greg and Erik immediately to facilitate a deal. It's my understanding that a three-year deal has been executed."

Tickets are now on sale for the DC shows which run from June 5 to June 9. The five shows will take place at RFK Stadium and are sure to be a popular draw.

The UniverSoul Circus was founded in 1994 in Atlanta, Georgia, and has toured throughout the world. The circus, which features an eclectic mix of talents from around the world including West African horsemen, Trinidad and Tobago, is currently in the midst of a nationwide tour.

Information regarding UniverSoul Circus shows and tour dates can be found at their website, http://www.universoulcircus.com/.

Thomas H. Graham Named One of 50 Powerful US/International Business Executives

Pepco Region President, Thomas H. Graham has been named one of the Fifty Powerful US/International Business Executives for 2013 by Minority Enterprise Advocate Magazine (MEA).

Graham was honored with an award at an MEA Gala Wednesday evening March 27.

"I thank Minority Enterprise Advocate Magazine for this honor. The economic success of our company is fundamentally grounded in our core belief in every aspect of diversity," said Graham. "Everyone wins when people are presented with the opportunity to use their talents and training to enjoy a positive quality of life for their families."

MEA honors executives making headlines in their fields, and who share a commitment to business growth, professional excellence and empowering communities around the world through philanthropy. In addition, the award recognizes the executives for shaping the economic future nationally and internationally, being leaders in changing public policy, and making significant contributions to enhance trade and commerce in the U.S. and abroad.

Inductees Include 3 Local Sports Personalities

Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (MD-4) will host a Women's Health Expo On Saturday, April 13 at the Prince George's Ballroom & Kentland Community Center, located at 2411 Pinebrook Ave., in Landover, Md.

The expo will feature health tests and screenings, dance and health exercises, and healthy meal demonstrations.

For more information, visit www.donnaedwards.house.gov or call (301) 516.7601.

Come and celebrate the life and music of Dr. Donald Byrd at this spirited concert featuring The Blackbyrds with special guest Bobbi Humphrey. Two performances at 7pm and 9:30pm.

Double Time Jazz at THEARC is proud to present Walking in Rhythm: A Tribute to the Life of Donald Byrd. This one-night-only concert will be nothing short of phenomenal - with performances by local soul legends, The Blackbyrds and special guest; flautist, Bobbi Humphrey. This event will happen at THEARC Theater on April 12, 2013 with two seatings at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm.

The Blackbyrds came together in the early 1970's at Howard University. At the time, their mentor - Donald Byrd - was the college's chairman of the Jazz Studies Department. Byrd, a post-bop era trumpeter, became the producer of the five-man group's debut album. The band was signed to Fantasy Records in 1973 and are best known for their 1975 hit "Walking in Rhythm", which not only received a Grammy nomination, but also sold over one million copies that year.

After experiencing great success throughout the decades, The Blackbyrds were devastated in February of 2013 after the death of their mentor and friend - Donald Byrd. Their performance at THEARC will be a celebration of his life and the music that invigorated so many.

Double Time Jazz is musical performance series, presented by THEARC Theater, bringing world-class jazz musicians east of the Anacostia River throughout the year. This effort is made possible through THEARC's collaboration with WC Smith, The Washington Informer, Washington Informer Charities and WPFW Radio. Each year, THEARC brings programs like this to inspire children and adults residing in the Ward 8 community.

General admission is $20/person. VIP tickets are $35 and include reserved seating and admission to a special wine and cheese reception.

Parking for this event is free.

For tickets visit: http://www.thearcdc.org/events/donald-byrd-tribute-concert

THE AWARD WINNING AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPER

2013 PRIZE LIST

First Place Winner:

• First Place Trophy – courtesy by Champion Trophy

• Four Tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies – courtesy of Southwest Air

• Check for $1000 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates

• 1 hour session with Doris McMillon on effective public speaking

• Hotel stay for the national bee at the Grand Hyatt – courtesy of The Washington Informer

• Washington Nationals tickets & Invitation to be honored at Home Plate of a Nationals game and a meet and greet with a player and Screech.

• Giant gift card

• Washington Informer gift bag with assorted gifts from sponsors

• Washington Nationals 2012 souvenir playoff program

• Coca Cola Backpack

Second Place Winner:

• Second Place Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy

• Check for $500 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates

• Washington Nationals tickets & Invitation to be honored at Home Plate of a Nationals game and a meet and greet with a player and Screech.

• Giant gift card

• Washington Informer gift bag with assorted gifts from sponsors

• Washington Nationals 2012 souvenir playoff program

• Coca Cola Backpack

Third Place Winner:

• Third Place Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy

• Check for $300 – courtesy of Jack H. Olender and Associates

• Washington Nationals tickets & Invitation to be honored at Home Plate of a Nationals game and a meet and greet with a player and Screech.

• Giant gift card

• Washington Informer gift bag with assorted gifts from sponsors

• Washington Nationals 2012 souvenir playoff program

• Coca Cola Backpack

All other finalists:

• Finalist Trophy – courtesy of Champion Trophy

• Giant gift card

• Washington Informer gift bag with assorted gifts from sponsors

• Washington Nationals 2012 souvenir playoff program

• Coca Cola Backpack

The Washington Informer

3117 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE

Washington DC 20032

202-561-4100 FAX 202-574-3785

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We consider each and every finalist to be a winner, and our sponsors and partners have helped us to reward every one of them. We humbly ask that you support our sponsors, partners, and advertisers.

2013 Spelling Bee Sponsors and Partners

Amtrak

Coca Cola

Champion Trophy

DC Public Schools

Giant Food

Jack H Olender and Associates

McMillon Communications

NBC4

Pepco

The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education Inc. (FAME)

The Nielsen Company

Southwest Air

Washington Gas

Washington Nationals

Wells Fargo

Lunch Provided by Inspire BBQ and Catering

Please feel free to contact The Washington Informer with any questions, concerns, suggestions for next year, or if you would like to personally thank any of our sponsors.

Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher

Ron Burke, Advertising and Marketing Director

The Washington Informer

3117 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE

Washington DC 20032

202-561-4100 FAX 202-574-3785

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Before the April 13th game (Saturday) vs. the Atlanta Braves at 1:05, the Nationals will honor the winners of the 31st Annual Washington Informer Spelling Bee. The Nationals are providing all winners and their families, complimentary tickets to the game, and will honor the following on the field before the game with a "Spirit Award" in front of the entire crowd.

• First Place - Donovan Rolle

• Second Place – Alex Togneri-Jones

• Third Place (tie) Justin Atwood and Eric Wright

Congratulations to all the winners and the participants and

please accept the souvenir playoff programs that have been provided.

The Washington Informer began sponsoring the D.C. City Wide Spelling Bee during the 1981-82 school year. The late Dr. Mary E. White, supervising director, D.C. Public Schools Division of Instructional Services, Department of English, sought participation for D.C. Public Schools students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee held annually in Washington, D.C. While Scripps was willing to include the District of Columbia in the national competition, it could not do so based upon its requirement that a daily newspaper must serve as the official sponsor of the local competition.

Many years prior, The Washington Daily News sponsored the local spelling bee. Subsequently, The Washington Star purchased the Daily News, and subsequently ceased sponsorship of the spelling bee. Thus, for more than 15 years, District of Columbia public, private and parochial school children could not participate in the national competition for lack of a sponsoring newspaper.

Dr. White solicited support from the Washington Post, hopeful that the publisher would agree to become the District's official sponsor. According to Dr. White, Post officials told her that since the daily newspaper was a regional publication; their sponsorship would have to include not only the District of Columbia, but suburban Maryland and Virginia, as well. However, at that, the Journal newspaper chain had served as the suburban sponsor for several years, resulting in the Post's refusal to sponsor the bee solely for students enrolled in District schools.

Dr. White then appealed to Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, a friend and supporter of the D.C. Public Schools, president and founder of the United Black Fund, Inc. and publisher of The Washington Informer newspaper. It was Dr. White's hope that Dr. Rolark would exercise his influence over the Post officials and persuade them to agree to sponsor the spelling bee. However, as publisher of a weekly newspaper, which served more than 25,000 readers in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, Dr. Rolark volunteered his publication to serve as a sponsor. With that, he brought in his daughter, Denise Rolark, managing editor of The Washington Informer, to assist in coordinating the District's first spelling bee along with Dr. White and other D.C. Public Schools officials.

The first city-wide spelling bee was held at Backus Junior High School in March, 1982. The winner was a sixth grade student, John Krattenmaker, who attended Mann Elementary School. Unbeknownst to Dr. Rolark, John was not permitted to participate in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee held the following May because The Washington Informer was and still is not a daily newspaper.

As an officer of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a trade organization of nearly 200 African American-owned newspapers across the country, Dr. Rolark concluded that the Scripps National Spelling Bee was maintaining an inherently racist policy because there were and still are no African American-owned daily newspapers in the country. He argued that in a jurisdiction, like Washington, D.C., where the majority of the student population is African American, students who might otherwise be eligible to participate in the spelling bee would be precluded from doing so unless a white-owned daily agreed to become the official sponsor.

Dr. Rolark called in his legal counsel and wife, Attorney Wilhelmina J. Rolark, who threatened Scripps with an injunction that would forbid the national competition to take place in the District of Columbia until the court ruled on the merits of the case alleging discrimination. Scripps complied, and changed its rules allowing weekly newspapers sponsorship privileges in the national competition. That year, the Loudon County Times, a weekly newspaper based in Loudon County, Virginia and the only other weekly newspaper to participate along with the Informer in the national spelling bee that year, produced the national spelling bee winner.

Each year, more than 4,000 students enrolled in nearly 200 D.C. public, private, parochial, charter and home schools participate in the spelling bee. For the past 31 years, the City-Wide Spelling Bee has been held at the studios of NBC4, where it is taped and later aired for general viewership.

Purpose

Scripps, a diversified multi-media company, established the National Spelling Bee to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabulary, learn concepts, and develop correct English that will help them all their lives. Spellers experience the satisfaction of learning language not only for the sake of correct spelling but also for the sake of cultural and intellectual literacy.

The Washington Informer's participation in Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee helps to further the goals of Scripps in the District of Columbia and to address the issue of illiteracy, particularly among African American youth. "If we want to improve the quality of life for all Americans," the late Dr. Calvin W. Rolark said, "then we must begin by teaching our children to read, which they will not be able to achieve until they can learn to spell."