Washington Informer

Funds from PHI Community Foundation Event to Help Low-Income Families Stay Warm

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Thomas H. Graham, PHI (Pepco Holdings Inc.) president, will present a $75,000 check to the Greater Washington Urban League Tuesday, Sept. 25 at the Urban League's 14th annual Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Country Club at Woodmore in Mitchellville, Md.

Equal checks ($75,000 each) will be given to the Interfaith Works, Community Ministry of Montgomery County, and United Communities Against Poverty in Prince George's County.

The money will help low-income individuals and families in Washington, D.C., Prince George's County and Montgomery County pay their energy bills — gas or electric — so they can stay warm during this winter.

The funds were raised during the annual Pepco Golf and Tennis Classic sponsored by the PHI Community Foundation.

The fireworks exploded, the crowd roared and the scoreboard announced that the Washington Nationals had clinched a postseason berth for the first time in 79 years after the Nats' 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night at Nationals Park.

The Nats chose not to embrace the celebration in full, because it's not the one they've been waiting for.

Instead, the players trotted out to the pitchers' mound to form a congratulatory handshake line as they typically do after a victory. Maybe their smiles were a little broader.

But in the clubhouse, there was only a mild celebration, which included a small champagne toast. A larger celebration will occur only if and when the Nats capture the National League East title.

"It's been a long time since we had a chance to even play a game in the playoffs," Ryan Zimmerman said. "This is a huge step, but we have bigger goals. We have a few more [wins to earn] before we can really celebrate. ... This is kind of the pre-party, you can say. Hopefully, we have a bigger party in a few days and an even bigger party [later]."

In the third inning, Bryce Harper scored on Zimmerman's RBI double, and a wild pitch by Dodgers starter Chris Capuano eventually allowed Zimmerman to score. Danny Espinosa doubled home Ian Desmond in the fourth inning, took third on a throwing error and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kurt Suzuki.

That was all the scoring the Nats needed for starting pitcher Ross Detwiler, who pitched six solid innings and held Los Angeles to one run on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts. With the win, Detwiler's record improved to 10-6, and he lowered his ERA to 3.10. Since Aug. 12, he hasn't allowed more than three runs in any game.

Currently, the Nats are tied with the Cincinnati Reds for home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Thanks to the National League's win in the All-Star Game this summer, they automatically get the extra home game in the World Series, which is a best-of-seven championship series.

A Washington baseball team hasn't made the postseason since 1933, when the Senators won the American League with 99 wins. They came up short, losing the World Series that year in five games to the New York Giants.

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.