Washington Informer

Gospel Recording Artist Stephen Hurd, a leading voice in urban praise and worship music, will join the list of celebrities slated to perform Sept.29 at the City Center groundbreaking ceremony.  The event takes place from 10na.m. to 2 p.m. at Goodwin Park, 6013 Addison Rd., Seat Pleasant.

For more than a decade, Hurd's music and songs have been heard around the globe. He is currently preparing to release his sixth CD, "O That Men Would Worship."

The Washington Redskins announced recently that head football coaches, Jeremiah Davis of West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Va., and Mickey Thompson of Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Va., are the Redskins High School Coach of the Week for the weeks of Sept. 10 and Sept. 17, respectively.

Head Coach Jeremiah Davis

This season marks Coach Davis' first year as a head coach. Previously, he severed as the defensive coordinator for seven years at Annandale High School, his Alma mater, and played defensive end at Penn State from 2000-04. West Potomac currently holds a 3-0 record, including a win against last season's AAA Division 6 regional champions. The Wolverines are currently ranked eighth in the state of Virginia.

Head Coach Mickey Thompson

With over 200 wins in his 13-year tenure, including 10 consecutive seasons of 10 wins or more, Thompson and the Bulldogs are off to a 3-0 start. The Northern Virginia Football Officials Association recently awarded Stone Bridge football the 2011 Football Sportsmanship Award. Winners from each district were chosen based on several fundamentals, including the number of penalties after the game, the attitudes of fans, coaches and players toward opposing teams and the coaches' overall interaction with players.

Redskins High School Coach of the Week

The Redskins High School Coach of the Week program is designed to recognize and reward excellence in high school football coaching.

Each week during the 2012 high school football season, the Redskins will select one area high school head football coach as the Redskins High School Coach of the Week. The selection is based on the coach's continuing commitment toward promoting youth football, developing motivated student-athletes, his overall community involvement and overall team performance and record.

Each of the coaches chosen throughout the high school season will receive a $1,000 donation from the NFL Youth Football Fund to their football program and a framed certificate signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Redskins head coach, Executive Vice President Mike Shanahan and RedskinsEexecutive Vice President/General Manager Bruce Allen

Only Public School in DC to Receive the Award this Year

McKinley Technology High School, one of five specialized high schools in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), was recognized today by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as one of 269 schools across the country named a 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools. McKinley Tech was the only public school in DC to receive the award this year.

"I am so proud of the students, the teachers and the school leaders at McKinley Tech," said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. "McKinley represents the best of what DCPS has to offer – dedicated and inspired teachers, state of the art technology and students who are giving their all every day in their classrooms."

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes and honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.

"As we saw earlier this year with growth in DC CAS scores and as we see now with this honor for McKinley Tech, D.C. Public Schools are on the rise," said Mayor Vincent C. Gray. "McKinley is truly an inspiration to the rest of the District. I congratulate Principal Pinder and all the staff and students at this great school."

McKinley Technology High School is the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) high school for the district offering a comprehensive school experience and specialized instruction opportunities in biotechnology, engineering, information technology and mass media technology. McKinley's STEM curriculum, state of the art technology, Advanced Placement offerings and emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving make it particularly desirable for students interested in the math and science fields.

"Secretary Duncan's recognition of McKinley as a National Blue Ribbon School marks an incredible milestone for our school," said David Pinder, Principal at McKinley Tech. "Five years ago our community rewrote our vision and mission to focus on becoming a high performing school that would be measured in the classroom by our innovative approach to instruction and in student outcomes by closing the achievement gap. We have now accomplished both. Our success is proof that one's economic condition does not determine one's educational outcomes."

McKinley offers a wide array of opportunities in the classroom and out. For the past four years, McKinley has won the Urban Debate League Championships. In addition, the school offers a robotics club and drama club, among other extracurricular activities. This year, McKinley saw their highest number of applications at over 800. Shira Fishman, a math teacher at McKinley Technology High School, was named the DCPS Teacher of the Year in 2011.

In 2005, only 38 percent of McKinley's students were proficient in math and reading. In 2012, they crossed the 90 percent threshold. McKinley is a Title I school. More than 50 percent of the students are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch.

At the ribbon cutting for MGM Resorts International's new office in Prince George's County, officials wanted to make one point clear – this is not a campaign office, it's an information office.

That message, which comes in the wake of a barrage of pro and con gaming advertisements on television and radio, was repeated by MGM executives in formal remarks.

The storefront office located on Waterfront Street at National Harbor is where Marshunda Johnson, MGM Resorts vice president of compliance, and Christopher Oh, ARIA Resort's director of finance and strategy, will operate from during the run-up to the election in which voters will decide if an additional video lottery facility in Prince George's County is approved. Both Johnson and Oh have temporarily moved to the county from Las Vegas, now residing in condos at National Harbor.

The Peterson Companies, developer of National Harbor, and MGM Resorts International have reached an agreement on developing a destination resort casino at National Harbor if voters approve the addition of a sixth casino.

Johnson has been with MGM Resorts for more than 13 years and works with a team to ensure all regulatory requirements, legal obligations, internal policies and procedures are followed. Oh, a native of Baltimore, has been with MGM for three years. He is on the team at ARIA Resort in Las Vegas that develops and supports financial and strategic initiatives to maximize operating performance.

Johnson wasjoined by Alan Feldman, MGM senior vice president of public affairs, and Kent Digby, vice president of operations for The Peterson Companies, in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

In remarks prior to the ribbon cutting, Feldman commented that 60 percent of MGM Resorts revenue comes from non-gaming activities.

"We don't consider ourselves a gaming company," Feldman said.

The speakers encouraged those with questions about MGM Resorts International to stop in and learn about the company and the possible development.

Johnson said the office will provide information and hand out literature to those who are interested. She said she expects that the focus of most people's questions will be on jobs and traffic.

Establishing an office in a potential new gaming location is routine for MGM Resorts International, she said.

Johnson, who moved to Maryland August 26, said the company plans to be active in getting to know Prince George's County and its residents and already has scheduled to participate in several events such as For Sisters Only, Oktoberfest at National Harbor and the Congressional Black Caucus activities.

"We will be in the community," said Johnson. "That's what we are here for."

A Clueless Council

I enjoy reading James Wright's D.C.'s Political Roundup each week in The Informer. In addition to this week's roundup, his article "Council Members Discuss Hot-Button Issues with Residents" was most interesting. What the article shows me is just how clueless our council members are about the needs of the residents who live in Wards 7 and 8, and how to address those needs.

Everyone who walks the streets of the District of Columbia can see the development that is taking place all over the city, including east of the river. However, what's needed east of the river are jobs, and for the life of me, I don't understand why more residents can't get some of the jobs on projects that are currently underway. The District government needs to hold developers accountable for hiring District residents; that's what needs to happen.

Before you know it, projects will be finished, buildings will be occupied and employers will use the excuses that residents aren't qualified to do the work they need. It will be the same old story that is used time after time. If they really cared, they would do something about it.

Bernard Milton

Washington, D.C.

Finding Viable Solutions during the CBC

The Washington Informer special insert, "The Congressional Black Caucus 42nd Annual Legislative Conference, Inspiring Leaders/Building Generations," had some very good articles. While I was reading them I started thinking, what if there was something like this put out at the end of the conference to let people know what solutions and strategies were decided on to address some of the problems our communities face.

After 42 years of coming together we should be ready to share with the public a plan for action, something we can work on together to accomplish. Yes, we all need to vote, but there has to be something else we can do. If we can come together and celebrate being together, we should at least determine some goals while we are together, and publish them for everybody to see.

David Salter

Hyattsville, Md.

SEAT PLEASANT, MD – Grammy-winning recording artist Raheem DeVaughn will be performing at the City Center groundbreaking ceremony, slated for Saturday, Sept. 29 at Goodwin Park in Seat Pleasant. The historical event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DeVaughn will join a prestigious list of VIPs that include Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, and celebrity guests to witness the kickoff of the Platinum LEED Certified City Center project.

Recently announced, tennis champion Venus Williams will be addressing the crowd with a pre-recorded tape. Additionally, the City of Seat Pleasant plans to engage Williams' interior design firm, V*STARR Interiors, for work inside the new City Hall and Community Center as part of the City Center project.

For more information about the City Center project or to RSVP for the groundbreaking ceremony, visit our new website www.seatpleasantcitycenter.org.