The highlight of the game was Paul Eiker’s amazing performance. Eiker scored 34 points - more than than half of the MLWGS score! He just barely missed the school record of 39 points, which belongs to former MLWGS standout Tommy Nicholas.

Tee Jay fans also enjoyed meeting a regular member of the MLWGS cheering section. Governor Kaine, son of MLWGS junior Woody Kaine, arrived just in time to catch the tip off.

New to the table
is Richmond representative
Ms. Kim Bridges (parent of an
8th grade MLWGS
hopeful) and School Board
member from Richmond’s
first district.

On Wednesday, Richmond Chairman
Ms. Chandra Smith named Ms. Bridges
as the city’s new representative to the
MLWGS Regional Board.

Before Ms. Bridges was selected,
second district board member Ms. Kim
Gray, an Appomattox Governor’s
School parent, and eighth district board
member Ms. Dawn Page, a former
MLWGS guidance counselor, were interested
in the position.

According to MLWGS Director Mr. Doug Hunt, most
board members usually have some personal
connection to the school.

“I have expressed an interest and
would like to be the representative. As
you know, Ms. Page and others have
also shown an interest,” said Ms. Gray,
before Ms. Bridges’ appointment was
made public.

“We all put in requests and are definitely
supporters of the Governor’s
School,” said Ms. Gray.

Yesterday, the Regional Board held its first meeting of the
New Year. Board Chairman Ivan Mattox led his colleagues in
discussion on a whole host of issues, but the board carefully
skirted any in-depth discussion of the school’s most two controversial
issues, the director’s search and the diversity study.

While there was a cursory announcement about the status of
the MLWGS diversity study, it was only the first such update
since September. As we all know, a $70,000 contract was
awarded last year to four U.Va education professors.

In the coming months, Doctors Brighton, Callahan, Davis and
Moon are slated to deliver their high-priced advice to the Regional
Board. But as of now, these diversity consultants know
practically nothing about our school’s admission’s process.

The professors failed to attend even one of this fall’s thirty
middle school recruiting events. Mr. Charles’s advice on this
issue is ten times more valuable than any diversity consultant –
and his suggestions are free.

As well as being tight-lipped about the diversity study,
MLWGS leadership have dragged with the director’s search. Until
yesterday, very few details were shared about the “hunt for Mr.
Hunt’s replacement.” Even the information given at Thursday’s
meeting was ambiguous. We do know now that approximately
thirty candidates from “Virginia and across the country” have
applied for the position, but no specifics were available.

It would be interesting to know the names of local candidates,
and possibly, whether any current MLWGS faculty or board
members have applied. Without substantial community involvement,
consequences of the director’s search may be disastrous.

Locally – New Richmond Mayor and School
Board Bring Change to City, But Is It Too Late?

Last Saturday, new Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones delivered
his inaugural address to an overflowing, exuberant audience.
From Jones’ remarks, it looks like the next four years could
be a time of revitalization and repair for our city. One promising
aspect is the new mayor’s pledge to work closely with Richmond’s
practically brand-new school board.

In November, five new members were elected to the city’s
school board. Essentially this was a mandate from voters for
change and overhaul in our school system. Hopefully these new
board members will make good on their electoral promises.

This Monday, the MLWGS baseball team met for a preseason
planning session. The team practices on a dilapidated cityowned
field adjacent to Richmond’s Clark Springs Elementary
School. On Monday, the team voted to play this season’s “home
games” at away locations, since the quality of the field is so poor.

Facilities are just one small part of any school system. But
they are a critically important tool in keeping students, parents
and teachers energized and working hard. Let’s hope some simple
things like cleaning up the Clark Springs ball field are seriously
considered when the Richmond School Board gets to work.

Statewide – Budget Crisis and Partisan Legislature
Don’t Bode Well for Our Commonwealth.

More than a hundred basketball fans donned their Green
Machine t-shirts and packed into the gym on Wednesday night
to witness a blowout 63-33 MLWGS victory. However, one
regular fan was missing from the crowd.

Governor Kaine was not watching the Maggie Walker boys
battle Appomattox on the basketball court. Instead, he was delivering
his annual State of the Commonwealth address.

Kaine’s speech was well-crafted and expertly delivered, but the
Governor’s oratory skills were not enough to hide the stark
truth that Virginia is facing a full-blown budget crisis.

At the moment, the state is looking at some huge cuts in
education funding. As Kaine so truthfully admitted, “it’s never
easy to make cuts to schools.” Unfortunately, MLWGS is at
risk of being hit doubly hard.

The best possible scenario would be an $80,000 shortfall.
Yet this figure was developed without even calculating the possible
reduction in funds from our home divisions.

Alas, times are tough. But, as Gandhi once said, “the future
depends on what we do in the present.” Unless the MLWGS
community takes direct action today to deal with these challenges,
we may as well just reprint this very same editorial in
the first Jabberwock of 2010.

The proposed budget contains nearly 400 million dollars in
reductions to education funding. Basically, this means that some
of the money we were expecting will most likely not materialize.

MLWGS will have to tighten up its belt next year, as state
budget cuts will likely reduce the funding for non-instructional,
non-essential services. So far, it looks like our operating budget
will be reduced by approximately $78,000 to $85,000.

Now we come to the question of – “what will we have to cut
to make ends meet?” Two weeks ago we learned that a similar
institution, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School (ARGS),
has already begun its cuts.

Dr. James Ruffa, Director of ARGS spoke of his reductions in
areas like field trips, transportation, and extracurricular activities.
At yesterday’s Regional Board meeting, Mr. Hunt acknowledged
that MLWGS will be faced with the same scenario and will have
to implement similar measures in the months to come.

But before we start slashing away at our “non essential programs,”
which arguably constitute some of the most important
aspects of student life, let’s take a look at one recent unnecessary
expenditure.

Over the summer, the MLWGS Regional Board agreed to pay
$70,000 to a group of four U.Va professors for a quantitative
study of diversity and our school’s admissions process.

The job description for the diversity consultants stated that the
team of four would interview students, parents, and teachers before
making any recommendations. In addition the four agreed to
compile statistical data about the admissions process and whether
it is fair to all, including underrepresented minorities.

Yet not one of these four individuals has ever set foot in the
MLW building except for the day when the Regional Board
awarded a $70,000 contract to the group. The diversity consultants
are supposed to deliver their recommendations sometime this
spring, but let’s face it, without any hands-on observation their
suggestions will not be very useful.

How can they make an informed recommendation if they have
never spoken with students, parents, or teachers? How can they
make an informed recommendation if they never attended a
MLWGS open house? How can they make an informed recommendation
by sitting in Charlottesville and crunching numbers?

But there is some hope! The Regional Board has yet to sign
the check for the diversity consultants. As with most contracts,
the RFP for the diversity study specifies that the researchers will
be paid at different intervals, a process usually referred to as
“progress payment.”

So, the solution is simple. If we halt the study now, we could
use the $70,000 to fill the holes in next year’s budget!

In addition, we could turn over the issue of MLWGS diversity
study to an in-house committee of parents, students, teachers, and
community members.

Whatever the case, the answer is straightforward. Stop the
study and save the budget!

On Wednesday morning, Governor Kaine submitted his proposed fiscal year 2009 and 2010 budgets to a joint session of the Virginia General Assembly.

For the first time in years, the Commonwealth will be significantly cutting funds for secondary education.

“The revenue reductions for 2010 are big enough that we cannot ignore the single largest state expenditure in the budget,” said Gov. Kaine, referring to the $6.3 billion state education allotment.

Gov. Kaine has proposed a nearly $340 million reduction for state education.
At yesterday’s Regional Board meeting, MLWGS Director Mr. Doug Hunt estimated the proposed state cuts for MLWGS at approximately $78,000 to $85,000.

“It’s not as bad as it could have been, I suppose, but that amount of money will have an effect on us,” said Mr. Hunt.

Regional Board Chair Mr. Ivan Mattox shared a similar outlook.
“Everyone is going to be impacted, but we’re hoping for the minimum effect,” said Mr. Mattox.

Overall, however, the larger state reductions in general education funding may have a ripple effect on MLWGS. Hanover County Superintendent Dr. Stewart Roberson spoke to the Regional Board about his predictions for state education as a whole.

“Salary freezes and lay-offs are a clear dynamic, and now having said that, Merry Christmas,” said Dr. Roberson.

Chesterfield County Superintendent Dr. Marcus Newsome spoke of how some citizens might react to the 6% cut in MLWGS state funding when compared to the greater 9% cut for most
other secondary schools.

“Support around this table is unwavering, but when our communities see this [funding disparity], they are going to be pointing fingers,” said Mr. Newsome.

“People will say why are we going to save that program when you’re cutting programs for poor kids… that is something we certainly need to be prepared for,” said Dr. Newsome.

Line item 140 of the proposed state budget addresses education. A subsection of this document lists funding for programs, like MLWGS, which exceed the “Virginia Standards of Educational Quality.”

In the proposed budget, there is approximately $13 million allocated to Virginia’s Governor’s Schools. This figure, however, represents a reduction of about $715,000 for FY 2009 and nearly $300,000 for FY 2010 from what had originally been discussed.

Of this lump sum, the three full-day academic year Virginia Governor’s Schools are the greatest recipients, but some of this funding is also distributed to the fifteen half-day programs.

“We, [Maggie Walker], Appomattox, and T.J. Fairfax will take the main hit on this one,” said MLWGS Parent and Friends of Virginia Governor’s Schools (FOVGS) representative Mrs. Sarah Hillgrove.

With the proposed state budget now in the hands of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees, much attention will soon be devoted to editing, altering and possibly overhauling the state financial package.

On January 14, the General Assembly will reconvene for the 2009 session.

This year, the objective of both houses will be to revise the proposed budget and
search for new revenue sources.In addition to his controversial suggestion to double the state cigarette tax to cover Medicaid expenses, Gov. Kaine has also proposed a re-allocation of proceeds from the Virginia Lottery. Instead of using the $55 million of lottery funds
for new school construction, next year’s lotto tickets may be directed to cover
general education costs.

In addition to his controversial suggestion to double the state cigarette tax to cover Medicaid expenses, Gov. Kaine has also proposed a re-allocation of proceeds from the Virginia Lottery.

Instead of using the $55 million of lottery funds for new school construction, next year’s lotto tickets may be directed to cover general education costs.

“I don’t expect local governments to love the 400 million taken out of the school budget,” said Gov. Kaine, speaking to reporters after his announcement. “…But there needs to be some sharing of this burden, and I think most people understand that.”

Mr. Gordon Hickey, Gov. Kaine’s press secretary, told the Jabberwock that the cuts are being aimed at noninstructional personnel.

“The Governor is trying to avoid having these cuts affect anything inside the classroom,” said Mr. Hickey.

MLWGS students, parents and administrators will make their own trip to the state capitol on January 29 for the FOVGS lobby day and luncheon reception.

The purpose of this event is to encourage state legislators to minimize funding cuts for Virginia’s Governor’s Schools.

“Our challenge is to make our voice heard,” said Mrs. Hillgrove. “With our last call to action we sent more than 75 emails to just one person at the DOE (Department of Education)… we just
have to kind of keep the pressure on.”

- What are you asking Santa for?
o I would like an all black 2009 Lamborghini or Bentley. I think the likelihood of that is probably around fifty-fifty.

- Talk about Girls’ Basketball…
o They are definitely coming along. The varsity is doing well. My JV girls, they’re making improvements. We’re trying to tighten up on some things so that mid-season we can be in the midst of competing with some of the better teams out there.

- You’ve been putting posters on the windows of each classroom door…
o Yes, each year, I have to re-supply each classroom to make sure they have them (poster covers) just in case we do have a situation. My experience in past drills was that most of the teachers did real well as far as complying with the different codes.

- Advice for the New Year?
o I hope that students will go home on the Christmas break with safety on their mind – don’t do anything crazy like drinking and driving. I wish everyone a safe and Happy Holiday.

- Any recent security issues?
o No, right now, we’re going to close the Christmas break with no major problems, but I do hope that students will pay more attention to their personal belongings – certain things you just can’t leave and come back and expect to find them…

Perhaps this holiday season, instead of asking
for that extra present or wasting our Christmas
cash on the latest fads, we could all pay tribute to the
humble, loving, and caring person who was Ms.
Joyce Charity. In her honor, we should all make
some small donation to the Richmond Boy’s Choir,
an organization to which Ms. Charity devoted countless
hours of fundraising and support.

Visit http://www.richmondboyschoir.org or call 788
-6404 for more information. And please remember to
keep Ms. Charity’s family in your prayers during this
difficult time.

U.S. News and World Report has released its newest issue rating the top high schools in America, and—as in years past—the Richmond area is facing massive frustration. We know we have the best high school in America (Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies), but because the school is set up in a unique way, our sister governor’s school, Thomas Jefferson, in Fairfax, has taken the prize again.

Grrrr!

Maggie Walker enrolls exceptional students from the city of Richmond and several surrounding counties, and the student’s test scores (SOLs, APs, etc) are sent back there to become part of the home school’s records. That’s good for upping the scores of the different school systems, but puts us in the unique position of being “different” enough to be unratable by the magazine. Parents’ and students’ pleas to be considered fall on deaf editorial ears.

But don’t worry, all you education junkies! MLWGS is still a shining beacon of which we can all be proud. And the fact that it is supported (and serves) the wider community makes it an asset we all share in—and benefit from.

So, there, U.S. News and World Report!! We win after all!

Sara Hillgrove. Midlothian.

Issue 7

The annual per student cost for Richmond City Public
Schools is $12,000. In Washington D.C., the cost is $13,500.
And so far, we are just looking at public secondary education
costs. When compared to private school tuition, MLWGS per
student cost is just pocket change!

St. Christopher’s School, a private K-12 institution in Richmond’s
West End, is considered by some local education experts
as the region’s second best high school, behind MLWGS. At St.
Chris, parents pay an annual tuition fee of $19,000.

Not to mention the sky-high tuition of higher education, huge
costs that many seniors are quickly becoming aware of! At some
universities, tuition + room + board + books = $50,000 or so annually
– approximately the same amount required to send five
students to MLWGS!

Returning to the subject of MLWGS price tag, it is quite interesting
to break down this $11,000 figure. This year, the state
paid about $7,200, more than half the cost per student.

Yet as we are all well-aware, the U.S. is now officially experiencing
a recession. Federal, state, and local budgets are being
led to the slaughter. All “non-essential” services are at risk of
being down-sized or scrapped entirely! Unfortunately for
MLWGS, gifted education is often classified as a “non-essential”
educational program.

In two weeks, a new, drastically reduced Virginia budget will
be presented to the General Assembly. According to some state
officials, funding for K-12 education, especially for gifted programs,
may likely be reduced.

MLWGS funding may be slashed, or might even dry up completely.
This could result in lower teacher salaries, a smaller faculty,
larger class sizes and no extra-curricular activity funds.

Recently, a smoke and scales school-wide e-mail alerted students
and parents of the dire situation. The message suggested that
members of the MLWGS community contact the Office of the
Governor at http://www.governor.virginia.gov, to demand that our
funding be preserved. In your e-mail, letter, or phone call, explain
why you think the state should continue to fund our school.
If asked “why support MLWGS?” The answer is simple. We
are a community of hardworking, high-achieving students and
faculty from 11 different cities and counties across the Metro
Richmond region. Even that hackneyed, five-year-old quote from
former Governor Warner, which is so prominently displayed on
our school website attests to this fact.

“The Commonwealth of Virginia stands to benefit immensely
from the future leadership capabilities of the alumni of our governor’s
schools,” said Warner. His words, forever immortalized on
our homepage, clearly explain why the state has invested so much
in MLWGS over the years, and why this investment should be
continued.

So be sure to send a letter, e-mail, or just pick up the phone.
The future of MLWGS is at risk, and the only way to keep our
funding is by taking action now!

How is your basketball team coming along?
Our [girl’s JV] first official game was this week and
we won 34-16 against Armstrong, which was a real
scrappy team. But even in the win we saw a lot of
areas that we need to work on. Hopefully we’ll improve
our game to the standard I feel comfortable
with by mid-season. As for varsity they won as well,
and I think they are going to surprise some people
this year.

Monday, December 1 was the deadline for all
MLWGS applications. Do you personally know
any students who are hoping to come here?
Actually, I do. One of the eighth graders, a young
man who I believe we spoke to at Albert Hill, he
came back here for the Lego tournament and he reassured
me that he was excited about coming here.

Any advice for students on how
to survive these three weeks until
Christmas break?
One word, focus. Students need to
focus on the task at hand. This is the
time of year that you want to
strengthen up all your academic areas, especially before
we head into the new year.

Have we had any security issues recently?
Surprisingly no! In fact, security incidents have gone
down. We don’t have half as many theft issues this
year… People are still leaving their stuff around, but
we’re working on that.

Anything else?
Yes. I’ve reflected on what I observed during the middle
school visits and I’m concerned why we don’t
take more of an active leadership role in beginning
recruitment at a younger age. We need to catch these
students and parents at an earlier age – maybe even in
the fifth grade.

Q&A with Jabberwock Editor Danny Yates on December 1.

MLWGS, which is funded by state
and local tax dollars, may well be affected
as these governments finalize
their budgets.

“They [the localities that send students
to MLWGS] can’t afford to not
look at everything carefully,” said Regional
Board Chairman Ivan Mattox of
Goochland. “This may mean putting
Maggie Walker on the chopping block.”

In the coming weeks, MLWGS Administration
and Regional Board will
develop a school budget for the 2009
fiscal year.

“We get money from two sources,
the school division and the state. The
concern that we have is that if the state
cuts our money and cuts money from the
school divisions, then the school divisions
will cut their funding to us,” said

MLWGS Director Mr. Doug Hunt. “We
could get hit from two sides.”

Governor To Reveal State Budget
On December 17, a joint session of
the Virginia General Assembly will convene
at the newly-renovated capitol to
receive Governor Kaine’s proposed state
budget.

With a multi-billion dollar state deficit,
next year’s budget will include severe
reductions, potentially in the area of
K-12 education.

Mr. Charles Pyle is the Director of
Communications at the Virginia Department
of Education (VDOE).

“The budget situation has certainly
been widely discussed and the prospect
of K-12 cuts is definitely on the table,”
said Pyle. “The Governor has said that,
members of the legislature have said
that, and the state superintendent has
advised schools that K-12 is on the table
this time.”

Roughly 65 percent of MLWGS
funding comes from the state, either
directly or through allocations from municipal
gifted education budgets.

In most public school systems, however,
the state provides an amount closer
to 55 percent of the necessary funding
for “quality education,” while localities
provide the additional 45 percent. The
term “quality education” refers to the
Commonwealth’s basic standard of “cost
-effective and capable training for tomorrow’s
workforce.”

In a recent Jabberwock interview, a
local expert in state politics, who asked
not to be named, alluded to a potential re
-evaluation of the need for gifted programs.

“One idea is to reconsider what
makes up the criteria for this quality
education,” said the state politics insider.

“I’ve heard another proposal to divide
that [gifted education] funding burden
equally, with more payment from the
localities.”

VDOE’s spokesman shared a similar
prediction.

“We really won’t know what the
consequence might be overall or for programs
like the Governor’s School,” said
Mr. Pyle. “Any of the programs that are
not part of the foundational, basic, general
education plan may be considered
for cuts.”

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings
In response to budget woes,
MLWGS hosted three funding-related
meetings on December 2.

The first, a monthly financial administrative
meeting, brought in the CFO’s
from MLWGS four largest localities to
provide advice on financial issues and
next year’s school budget.

“The meeting was to determine how
much money they [the localities] will
send us,” said Mr. Hunt.

Meanwhile, in the boardroom, directors
of Virginia’s 18 Academic Year
Governor’s Schools gathered for their
first of three scheduled meetings this
year.

Appomattox Regional Governor’s
School (ARGS) is the arts and science
equivalent of MLWGS, located in Petersburg.
ARGS Director Dr. James
Ruffa spoke of the measures he has
taken to make ends meet at his school.

“For the current year, we’re very
concerned that the revenue we anticipated
may not materialize,” said Dr.
Ruffa.

“In times like these, if you cut per-
sonnel you might not be able to replace
them later, so we have initiated cutbacks
on things like field trips, transportation,
and staff conferences,” said Dr.
Ruffa.

The budget crisis has prompted Virginia’s
Governor’s Schools to search for
outside revenue sources.

“We’re more active in trying to get
private money through our foundation,”
said Dr. Ruffa. “Anything that can be
offloaded from the general budget will
help.”

At the same time, parents of Governor’s
School students from across the
state met for a Friends of Virginia’s
Governors School (FOVGS) planning
session.

FOVGS is a volunteer organization
that works to ensure funding and support
for Virginia’s three full-day and fifteen
half-day Governor’s Schools, which are
scattered throughout the state.

MLWGS parents Ms. Sara Hillgrove
and Ms. Martha Young led the meeting
during which parents began planning for
a January 29 FOVGS “Day at the Capitol,”
an annual event where students and
parents meet with legislators to ask for
continued funding.

“We’re discussing what we know so
far. If we stay proactive and have some
public hearings, maybe we can avoid the
worst,” said Ms. Young. “Our main
work begins when the appropriations
committees meet and that’s when we go
[ to the Capitol].”

The conclusions of the MLWGS
budget meeting and the FOVGS gathering
will be presented to the Regional
Board during its regularly scheduled
meeting on Thursday, December 18 at 9
am.

The December Regional Board meeting
will come only hours after Governor
Kaine officially announces the statewide
budget cuts. It is likely that much
of this meeting will focus on the question
of funding for MLWGS.

Optimism Remains in Midst of
Potential Budget Cuts
Some in the MLWGS community
believe that public outcry and frustration
over budget cuts to gifted education and
Virginia’s Governors Schools would far
outweigh savings to the Commonwealth.

Others, such as MLWGS parent,
math teacher, and Faculty Representative
to the Regional Board, Ms. Lynn
Reed wondered why recent spending has
occurred in advance of possible cuts.

“Certainly I’m concerned about the
big picture, but we also need to remember
that we are paying for things such as
the diversity consultant,” said Ms. Reed.

One positive sign is that regardless
of the funding situation, some MLWGS
feeder districts have expressed interest in
increasing their number of student slots
for next year.

“There are hard times out now,” said
Mr. Hunt. “We want to make sure that
we continue to have the student enrollment
that we currently have. But we
may even have a growth year ahead.”

Jabberwock News Editor Charles
Condro contributed to this report.

In the wake of November 4, we have been bombarded with non-stop media analysis of a seemingly never-ending Presidential race. It seems that the media does not really know what to cover now that the leading story of two years has finally died.

For the past week, Virginia and Richmond’s spotlight has centered on President-elect Obama, Senator-elect Warner, and the phenomenon of Virginia as a “blue state.”

Yet these national political changes pale in comparison to the daily importance of our local election results.

On Tuesday of last week, several thousand votes determined the future of Richmond City’s government and schools.
In the issues leading up to November 4, the Jabberwock featured in-depth reports on four Richmond City local elections that had some direct tie to MLWGS.

Now that the results of these four elections have been announced, the time has come for some analysis.

Let’s turn to the mayoral election.

We are now faced with Delegate Jones, an interesting yet enigmatic character. Jones’ policies still remain a bit hazy. At one mayoral forum this year, Jones danced around the question of proposed affirmative action for MLWGS, saying “we have got to have the leadership that requires that there is diversity in all places.”

But Reverend Jones is a man of faith and for the moment he deserves our support.

In Richmond’s Eighth District School Board race, former MLWGS guidance counselor Dawn Page was victorious. Ms. Page should be commended for her hard work, determination, and initiative in this campaign.

Ms. Page will bring strong leadership, fresh ideas, and a beaming smile to City Hall when she takes her post in January. Be sure to send her your congratulations at page4schoolboard@yahoo.com.

Richmond City’s Second District, which encompasses MLWGS, ushered in two new representatives this year. On both the council and school board, two new faces will represent the residents of district two.

We are in good hands with Councilman-elect Charles Samuels. His experience as a legal mediator, an attorney, and a lifelong community leader will serve our city well. Samuels’ close relationship with departing Councilman Bill Pantele will allow for a smooth transition and we can look forward to a productive four years under his leadership.
In January, a new face will also appear on the MLWGS Regional Board. Richmond representative Lisa Dawson, also a MLWGS parent, was unsuccessful in her bid for re-election.

But, school board member-elect Kim Gray is committed to our community and she is ready to lead. Ms. Gray hopes to replace Ms. Dawson as Richmond representative to the MLWGS Regional Board and will no doubt be a strong leader for our school. As an Appomattox Regional Governor’s School parent, Ms. Gray knows the benefits of the Governor’s School programs.

In a recent Jabberwock interview, Gray referred to MLWGS as an asset for the city, saying “I wholeheartedly support Maggie Walker.”

Located on a wooded suburban campus just south of the James River and inside Richmond’s western boundary, Trinity for years has attracted a multi-species student population.  This year is turning out to be a time of bittersweet transition.

For nearly a decade, one of Trinity’s most steadfast, recognizable and popular “students” has been Sugar, a beloved golden retriever.  “Sugar has served as a symbol of Trinity’s warmth and welcoming spirit,” explains Dr. Thomas G. Aycock, Headmaster.  Her head-and-shoulders photo even appeared in the Trinity yearbook, in alpha order, right alongside her fellow classmates. 

Enjoying the company of her high school buddies, Sugar has spent a goodly part of her last several years sprawled out on campus—inside classrooms, faculty offices, gyms and theaters, and outside on sidewalks, athletic fields and lawns.  She became such a fixture of our academic environment that students and faculty alike came to depend on a healthy dose of Sugar as a part of their daily regimen. 

Sugar was famous for showing up at school just in time for events both large and small.  Whether it was a Homecoming football game, Grandparents’ Day, our annual Jazz Festival, or simply a weekly chapel, Sugar always seemed to be there, partaking of Trinity’s school spirit right along with everyone else. 

This year, things are noticeably different.  As she enters her 80s in doggie years, Sugar has begun to prefer the comforts of her bed.  Or I should say “beds.”  Throughout most of her life, Sugar has enjoyed the benefits of not one, but two homes.  At the end of a long day and evening of Trinity activities, Sugar has retired to the home of Jon Kucera, her original owner, or the Livesay household, another neighboring family that Sugar “adopted” long ago. 

Nature abhors a vacuum, and so another pet has begun to make the Trinity rounds.  Like an energetic eighth grader sensing an opening to an exciting future, a new representative of the animal kingdom now claims Trinity as the bustling center of his day and evening activities.  Snax, the cuddly cat of a Trinity senior, Corey Pegram, is doing his best to fill Sugar’s paw prints.

Like Mary’s proverbial lamb, Snax has begun following his owner to school more and more as the semester progresses.  And just like Sugar, he is making himself readily available as the campus stress-buster. 

Snax’s favorite hangout is just outside the low window in the library door.  At the start of each period, he gazes in fondly at the students in his care, prompting many a Trinity Titan to set aside his or her research for a minute to run outside for a quickie kitty connection.

At the end of the school day, hundreds of Trinity students now follow their rigorous classes with a hunt for after-school Snax.  Enjoying the attention, Snax rewards his newfound friends with unlimited snuggles and purrs. 

No animal will ever replace Sugar in the affections of Trinity’s students and teachers.  But our new friend Snax is working hard to earn his own place in Trinity’s heart.

“This is a campus where critters are welcome,” states Linda Verdery, Assistant Head for Academics.  Ask any student or teacher and you’ll hear the same thing.  We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Eighth District School Board
- Former MLWGS Guidance Counselor Dawn Page pulled out a close victory over Charlie Willis

Second District School Board (encompasses MLWGS building)
- Charles Samuels pushed past rivals Patrick Kjellberg and Tyron Bey to replace Bill Pantele

Tell me about the recent street cleaning/parking
incident that occurred last week?
Some of the kids who park in the street didn’t see the
street cleaning signs and the city towed a couple of
their cars. Students need to be careful of where they
park and they should look for those signs.

What are your plans for Halloween, are you
doing anything with your daughter?
We’ll probably go out and do a little trick or treating,
but Halloween is always interesting for me because
it is my anniversary. This will be year 21.

How about election day?
All that I hope to do is to get in and out as soon as I
can. Teachers still have to work that day, and everyone
is talking about how long the lines will be. And
talking about the election, I think it is going to be a
very close one this year.

As basketball season approaches what are
your goals for the team?
Really, I’m looking forward to this season. I think
Girl’s Varsity have the capability to upset some
other teams. With their experienced sophomores,
Cheta, Cassie, and Lindsay, I think they’ll do well.

How about your JV Girls?
As far as my team, I will try to give them the basic
fundamentals. Last year we had three wins and we
hope to continue that success. I have some good
players returning, like Cathy, Jordan, Laura, and Mackenzie.

*Q&A by Danny Yates on October 30, 2008.

Teachers couldn’t use their computers, class changes became difficult in the dark hallways, and restrooms were out of commision because the electronic flush toliets weren’t operational.

Students cheered at 10:30 when Mr. Hunt annouced an early dismissal. “Unfortunately, this is not just a Halloween prank,” said Hunt. “We don’t know when the power will come back.”

Meanwhile, a new issue of the MLWGS student newspaper was in high demand this morning. Issue five of the Jabberwock features news stories on student mock election results, last week’s Obama rally, and an update on the Director’s Search.

These articles will all be available online in the coming days, so check back soon and read a new conversation with Mr. Charles as well as a two page Fall Sports Wrap-Up.

All three are young males. All three are political first-timers.

And all three visited MLWGS one evening last week to speak with a dozen members of the Newtowne Neighborhood Association.

Speaking to a small audience in MLWGS adjunct room 153 on Monday evening, October 20, candidates Tyron Bey, Patrick Kjellberg, and Charles Samuels discussed everything from education to public safety to utility bills.

TYRONE BEY

Bey, a recent Virginia State University political science graduate, and even more recently a U.S. Air Force veteran, is a Richmond native and resident of the Carver neighborhood.

The young African American man described himself as a “proud product of Richmond Public Schools,” and in his opening remarks he emphasized the positive aspects of RPS.

“The school system is way better than it was 11 years ago when I was at Tee Jay,” said Bey.

Bey, who currently works at the Suntrust Mortgage Center where he deals with home foreclosures, outlined his three part campaign platform.

“This should be a city where we can all live comfortably,” said Bey. “I will push strongly for affordable housing, regional transit, and support of our schools.”

CHARLES R. SAMUELS

Driving through Richmond’s Second District, the region that stretches from the Fan to Northside to Jackson Ward, it is hard not to notice the many blue and yellow election signs for Charles R. Samuels.

Samuels is a local attorney who represents veterans and indigent clients in the metro area.

As a Virginia Legal Aid Hotline volunteer and a legal guardian for at-risk youth, Samuels says “he’s forged ties to the community.”

He also leads the other two candidates in campaign funds, with more than $15,000 collected as of October 22.

In his self-introduction, Samuels said he entered politics out of an inner “hunger to help people.”

PATRICK D. KJELLBERG

Patrick D. Kjellberg is a former talk show radio host from Minnesota who graduated from college with a degree in economics and now works in the home realty business.

In November 2006, Kjellberg unsuccessfully challenged current City Council Chairman Bill Pantele in the second district race. In next Tuesday’s special election, Kjellberg hopes to surpass the 30% vote he received two years ago.

Although Richmond city council candidates are elected to serve a four year term, this year Pantele, one of four mayoral candidates, is vacating his seat in hope of becoming Richmond’s next chief executive.

Meanwhile, Kjellberg is competing against Samuels who bears Pantele’s endorsement. 

With his campaign message of “finding ways to repopulate our city,” Kjellberg says he is focusing on bringing new development to the area.

Kjellberg, who at age 42 is the oldest of the three candidates, spoke of how local politics directly affect international affairs.

“Having pedestrian communities in Richmond will reduce our demand on foreign oil,” said Kjellberg.

While the candidates disagreed on several issues such as plans for a Richmond baseball stadium and regional transportation solutions, the three men shared similar views on nearly every other topic discussed in the two hour meeting.

And, in a moment of political rarity, each candidate spoke highly of his opponents during closing remarks.

Kjellberg, Bey, and Samuels complimented each other’s strengths as they smiled and shook hands.

“All three of us are great people and no matter who wins, we will work for the people of this district,” said Bey.

One MLWGS faculty member, Head of Security Mr. Irvin Charles, attended the council candidate forum. Mr. Charles’s question and each candidate’s response is listed below:

Mr. Charles’ question – “What are your personal goals will help you lead and work for this community?”

Bey - “First and foremost, I would build a community center for this area. I grew up in the Boys and Girls Club and I know how well these programs work,” said Bey. “We also have to cut down on the open air drug markets through continued sector policing.”

Samuels - “As a former neighborhood president in the Fan, I know we need to fix the non-violent crime problem. I will use the three P’s, personnel, policy, and planning, to do this.”

Kjellberg - “Our vacant lots must be developed; we lose $5 million each year from them. We need something to attract new tenants and families like a biotechnical magnet high school.”

Endorsements for the Candidates:
- Bey - REA (Richmond Education Association)
- Kjellberg- Fraternal Order of Police, Richmond Times Dispatch
- Samuels- Richmond Firefighter’s Association, Crusade for Voters

Also, check back Friday afternoon for a link to the electronic version of the Jabberwock newspaper.

Yes, we’re still looking for replacement sign girls. Ms. Noe-Payne, and Ms. Diakum are still searching. Let me say this, if anyone is interested, they should contact either of those two, or me.

Tell me about your middle school recruiting visits…

I did two middle school visits yesterday. We went to Martin Luther King and Boushall. They both went great! Ms. Jones (and two students, Jeanette Carter and Semila Lewis were just great. They gave them [the middle schoolers] the real deal. They poured their hearts out, talking about how in middle school things came so easily, but now how at Maggie Walker you have to work much harder.

What sort of questions did you get?

At every school the students, sixth through eighth grade, were very attentive. We got a couple of questions about sports, band, and there were a lot of questions about the foreign languages. One thing I have to say, this school is very fortunate to have Mr. Zweerink. He is very knowledgeable, patient, and encouraging.

Did you have any overall observations from the visits?

One thing I realize is that all the school districts need to do a better job of preparing their middle school students to come here… Another thing, I really enjoy doing these visits. At Mosby, I could share with the kids how I grew up in that area, and how going to a school like this will be a huge benefit for the rest of their life.

Any major security issues so far this year?

None yet. Well there is one thing. Parents that are dropping off their kids in the morning need to be mindful of the time period that they are not allowed to drive through the bus lot. I repeat that from 8:15 through 8:45, no personal vehicles can come into that parking lot. Also, when students walk off campus in the afternoon, they need to go together in groups and be observant and aware of their surroundings.

Homecoming Advice?

This is supposed to be a time to promote school spirit, so let’s have a good time and let’s not have any issues.

There is so much money, energy, time, and hype devoted to familiarizing us with McCain and Obama, but I bet only one out of ten voters knows the name of the candidates for mayor, city council, county superintendent, or school board in their district.

Stop and think about this for a minute.

Who is responsible for running your neighborhood’s schools?

Who determines your property tax?

Who manages your municipality’s police, fire, and emergency response services?

Who allocates the money to repair your roads?

Who supervises your trash removal, recycling, and sewage?

The answer to all these questions and many more is found in the daily agenda of your local government’s leaders!

Local elections have the greatest bearing and impact on our daily lives of any other election. Therefore, we must invest research, time, and commitment to making the right choices.

Your school board member’s position on how to fix local schools is ten times more important than Obama or McCain’s viewpoint on secondary education.

Your mayor’s choice of police chief is twenty times more important than McCain or Obama’s choice of Secretary of Homeland Security.

Recently, five MLWGS seniors had the opportunity to meet all five Richmond mayoral candidates at a recent forum. The candidates spoke for ninety minutes about the best ways to fix the city’s biggest problems. Everything from the benefits of city charter schools to the future of the James River was discussed during the mayoral debate. And, this forum was only one of the almost twenty debates in which all five candidates are attempting to gain the confidence of city voters before Election Day. At another mayoral forum, four candidates spoke about, or were asked to speak about, their opinion of MLWGS and the “diversity issue.” Issues that directly affect you, me, and the Richmond community are being proposed, discussed, and argued at events like these.

On Monday, October 20, candidates seeking local office to represent MLWGS’ Newtowne Neighborhood will visit room 153 to meet community members and discuss the issues that matter. Interested students should attend and show our neighbors that we care about MLWGS and the people who live nearby.
Similar candidate forums are held in every locality across the region for every locally elected office – county supervisor, city councilperson, school board representative, and even sheriff!

So don’t be lazy! Get out and meet the people who are seeking your vote for local office. Check out their websites or read about their positions in the newspaper. Attend a forum, or just open the door and listen with an open-mind if a candidate comes to your house while canvassing. Volunteer if you find a candidate whose positions resonate with you!

And, if you are old enough on November 4, be proud when you go to the polls. When you look at the ballot don’t let yourself be one of those uniformed voters who cannot recognize your local candidates’ names. Choose the members of your local government wisely, because when it comes down to the issues that matter, these people are the ones that make the choices which affect you every day.

Have you seen a few more customers at the MLWGS corner barbershop lately?

Have you ever asked yourself – “what’s going on over there?”

Well, read on and satisfy your curiosity!

The new Rock Barbershop, located just across the street from MLWGS, opened its doors to the Richmond community this month. Beginning last week and continuing through Halloween, Rock Barbershop is hosting Virginia Union University’s Greek Week.

VUU senior Michael Moore, also known as “Mr. Virginia Union University,” is the president of his college’s Apha Fraternity.

VUU’s Gamma chapter of the Alpha Fraternity dates back to 1907, and Moore spoke with pride of his fraternity’s history and its continued community relationships.

“Rock [Eddie Espada] and Guap-O [Angel Maldonado] who own this barbershop are very good guys. They’re always reaching out to others” said Moore.
Last week, members of VUU’s Alpha fraternity stopped by Rock Barbershop and made themselves at home.

“Some of our guys [fraternity members] always got their hair cut here. When Rock moved in, they tried to open it up as a community center,” said Moore. “They invited us to be the first to hang out here.”

On Wednesday, October 8, the Alpha’s held an evening barbershop discussion at the Rock. The next day, the students reconvened for a Madden [football video game] tournament and on Friday, October 10, the Alphas sponsored a neighborhood cookout for charity.

In the weeks to come, other VUU fraternities will visit Rock Barbershop to participate in similar activities. And, after Greek Week concludes, owners at Rock Barbershop already have plans for new community events.

“We’re thinking of ways to get Walker [MLWGS] students and people who live around here to feel comfortable coming in,” said Maldonado, also known as Guap-O. “If anyone has an idea, just drop by and share it.”

To view an online copy of the Jabberwock visit the link below:

MLWGS Student Newspaper

Hello, my name is Danny Yates. I am a Maggie Walker Governor’s School senior from the West End of the city. I am also a reporter for my school paper and a high school correspondent for RTD. I first want to thank all the candidates for the opportunity to ask this question. My question has a bit of a preface. Currently the number of African American governor’s school students from Richmond is disproportional to the percentage of African American students in RPS. This past June, the Maggie Walker Regional School Board voted to spend $70,000 to hire a consulting firm to assess the level of diversity in the school and to propose methods for increasing minority representation. My question is this - would you support a race-based affirmative action program in the school’s admissions and hiring procedures to increase minority students and faculty?

Councilman William Pantele:

“Well of course, this is the first I’ve heard of this issue and it is hard for me to know even where to begin without having a firmer grounding in the facts. I assume that you mean that the percentage of minority students from the city at the Governor’s School is lower than the percentage in the general population … well in that case there would certainly be something that would merit review and study, of course, I think it also illustrates on of the issues with charter schools. Now I’m not against charter schools, I think we should innovate in our public education systems. But, one of the risks is, charter schools tend to gravitate towards cherry-picking students from the general public school system to the advantage of one to the disadvantage of another. The Governor’s School is a great facility it has to be access to all of our students who qualify where there is a slot available. I’m glad the school is looking into the diversity issue and I will be interested, in fact, I will insist on a copy of the results.”

Robert Grey:

“I don’t think you have to hire anybody for $70,000 to figure this out. This is a community that has always had difficulty with race, and we have got to start getting a handle on this by making sure that we provide equal opportunity to all students to attend whatever school we have and I mean that throughout the city. What we have to do is to ensure a level of diversity that this community seeks to promote not only in education, but in business, but in community activities, but in government, and throughout our community. There is no perfect system to do any of this, it requires people of good will, good conscience, and it requires people of commitment to a city that will grow through the strong diversity of its neighborhoods. I think we can accomplish this, and I think we can accomplish this by getting the leaders of the high schools to sit down and make some fundamental choices about leadership and about opportunity.”

Lawrence Williams:

“I don’t think you need to waste money on a consultant. Many of these things, people of good common sense work out over time and it may take many years to do it. Robert (Grey) and I are from John Marshall when it was being integrated and because of that we had some major opportunities. I was able to go to the University of Virginia and Harvard University from there. Now the issue here is with the schools, you should look closely to find people who qualify to be in that spot. Being Afro-American in that slot is important and it should represent the community. Very frankly, once you have those opportunities, you have a different perspective and you care about where you came from. Pantele will not go to Fairfield court and fight to the death to make sure that that community changes. I will, and that is just a fact of life. You have to begin to understand that you have to have diversity so that everyone gets an opportunity to go back and make a big difference.”

Del. Dwight Jones:

“I didn’t know that there was a 70,000 dollar contract out there to just bring diversity to the Maggie Walker high school. If I had known, I would have put a bid in. That’s an easy job. And I probably would have don it for 35 (thousand). The question is easily answered. We have got to have the leadership that requires that there is diversity in all places, and that requires intentionality- somebody who is going to push the envelope and have these conversations that are somewhat difficult to have. And I want to congratulate you young man and congratulate the students at the Maggie Walker school for taking on an issue that many adults, many business, many governments, just don’t want to talk about. And for you to bring it to the forefront and to force a study and some action, really speaks well of the students at the Maggie Walker school and I think you deserve a lot applause and respect for that. (applause).”

Visible both from the athletic field and the eastbound lane of Richmond’s I-95/64 interchange,  the new scoreboard is now fully functioning.

“We’ve been waiting eight years for this so it’s pretty exciting,” said MLWGS Co-Activities Director Ms. Paige Hawkins.

Construction on the scoreboard began near the end of last year and was finally completed during the second week of September.
Funding for the scoreboard was provided by MLWGS Athletic Boosters organization.

Recently, the controls used for changing the score were made portable by jerry-rigging a rechargeable car battery.
This invention allows scorekeepers to change the score without walking over to the board after every goal.

On another note, MLWGS Athletic Boosters are considering another improvement to the track, field, and tennis court complex.

MLWGS administrators and athletic booster board members hope to building a concession stand for use during sporting activities.

The snacks stand would be situated next to the track near the bottom of the stairs extending to the double gates.

“Currently it’s on a drawing board,” said Mr. Hunt, Director of MLWGS, “though there are plans sketched out.”

At the moment, the planned concession stand would possibly stand sell food and drinks in addition to selling also tickets to sporting events.
It would also have restrooms for athletes and spectators and could be used for storage.

The class of 2012 is most prevalently
populated by students from
Chesterfield, Richmond, and Henrico.

Out of the 884 students who originally
applied, 181 are currently enrolled at
MLWGS.

“This is a particularly smart group,”
said Mr. Karl Zweerink, freshman class
counselor. “I’m really looking forward
to working with them.”

She’s slowly getting back to her old self. What we did find out when she was gone was that it takes a unique individual to run that attendance office. It is a very stressful job.

Do you have an update about the parking lot?

As always it has sold out. They haven’t started towing yet, but pretty soon we’ll have that going.

What about off-campus parking?

I want students to be mindful of their surroundings and I suggest they stick together when going off campus. In the afternoons and evenings especially. Students can call the security hotline at 354- 3608 anytime with any concerns.

Have there been any major security issues so far this year?

We’ve done pretty well. There have been no major issues, only a few small things. But, just because we haven’t had something doesn’t mean it can’t happen. We will be practicing different crises situations in the next few months. Just the other day, I went over to VCU and met with the director of the Siegel Center. VCU has agreed to let us use this facility during a crisis. He showed me all the safe areas, the showers, and all that we might need.

Any thoughts for the diversity consultants?

I think we all get along real well at this school. For the most part, people respect each other and each other’s diversity. I hope they see that.

Anything else?

I would just like to thank all the teachers that support our security department. Teachers like Ms. Losen and all the teachers on the third floor whose windows face the student parking lot… they all always keep an eye open for me.

*Q&A by Danny Yates on September 25, 2008. Note: this Q&A piece with MLWGS Head of Security, Mr. Charles will appear regularly in this year’s Jabberwock.

Unfortunately, this year, $70,000 is the amount of money that will be spent to conduct a highly controversial “diversity assessment” for MLWGS. For the next several months, four UVA researchers will examine the fairness of MLWGS’ “recruitment, admissions, and retention process.”

A common sentiment among teachers, students, and parents is that that the best way to increase our school’s diversity is through recruiting efforts and gifted programs aimed at elementary and middle school students. No simple affirmative action solution could every fully succeed.

Another aspect of the study deals with the level of diversity among MLWGS faculty. Some in the Richmond, such as mayoral candidate Lawrence Williams, believe that teacher diversity should be proportional to the community’s demographics and “reflect all complexions.” Mr. Williams’ opinion is both confining and self-limiting.

A more balanced viewpoint and applicable stance for MLWGS is found in Regional Board member Lisa Dawson, who offered her perspective on educational diversity in a recent RTD article.

“I don’t think the color of the teachers has one thing to do with it,” said Ms. Dawson.

So, if you happen to see one of the UVA researchers in the next few weeks, be sure to say hello and share your voice. Spread the word that diversity at MLWGS cannot be achieved through rash decisions. 

In fact, the search for a new MLWGS director will not officially begin until early November, when an application for this position will finally become public.

At the September Regional Board meeting, Mr. John Axselle, director’s search committee chairman, provided an update on the status of the director’s search.

The update was disappointing.

Last year’s suggested plan to hire a new director who could “shadow” Mr. Hunt for the last portion of the current school year is now entirely infeasible. It is now known that committee will not begin interviewing job candidates until February at the earliest, and selection of the new director will “hopefully” be reached by May. This news comes as a shock to those who were under the impression that a new director would be selected by mid-year in order to allow for “on the job training.”

Another disconcerting aspect of the proposed director’s search was revealed when it was announced that the search committee will solely consist of a sub-group of seven members who currently serve on the Regional Board. 

The lack of faculty, student, and parent involvement on this crucially important search committee is utterly disheartening.

Some in the MLWGS community have hinted at the possibility that a new director may have already been quietly selected and that the “search” will merely serve as a formality. At the very least, the search committee should include several non-voting parent, student, and faculty members to allay any such unfounded concerns.

In the midst of all this, however, it is slightly reassuring to hear Mr. Axselle’s reminder that the committee will search not only locally, but nationally, and possibly even internationally to find the next Mr. Hunt. While specific plan as to how such search will be conducted is still a bit blurry, but one thing is clear.

MLWGS cannot simply wait until crunch time to find a new director. Although this worked once, with the last-minute, “temporary” hiring of Mr. Hunt, we just can’t count on being so lucky for the second go-round.

Discussed during the meeting was everything from the status of MLWGS’ Diversity study, to the progress on the MLWGS Director’s search, to the possibility of provinding free lunch for students who qualify.

One portion of the meeting was used to introduce new MLWGS teachers and faculty. Below are the newest additions to the MLWGS staff.

New Teachers at MWGS

Global Studies:
Mr. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye
Mr. Max Smith

English:
Ms. Kerry Sheppard
Mrs. Lisa Williams
Mrs. Celie Boswell

Guidance:
Ms. Joy Davis
Mrs. Rachel Loving

Senior Seminar:
Mrs. Dayna S. Paxton

Fine Arts:
Mrs. Kori L. Mosley

International Languages:
Mrs. Stephanie Welles
Mrs. Samar Abushkheidem
Ms. Sharon May

Math:
Dr. Leo Wibberly
Ms. Christian Kioto

Check back soon for more news about the MLWGS Regional School Board September meeting.

Follow the link below, and click on “Issue 1” or feel free to peruse any past issues from prior years to learn more about the school.

MLWGS Jabberwock Student Newspaper

Check back soon for more student news about Maggie Walker Governor’s School.

Did you relax some as well this summer?
  Yes I did. Even with that sadness, I still tried to salvage the summer. As you know, my daughter is the joy of my life and we had fun.
Tell me about the school security officer training that you led this summer?
That is a state mandated class that I hold for my officers, but I also always invite Richmond’s people. We had 90 or so officers training here for two weeks.

Is it true MLWGS has a new security officer?
Yes, Mr. Steve Sparks, a good man, and one of my closest friends is joining us part-time. He is actually a Walker alumnus, and he just retired after thirty years for Virginia Power.

Talk about the parking permit frenzy…
It’s the same thing every year. I can only work with what I can work with… and the larger classes make it a little harder for the juniors… but they’ll get them [parking passes] next year.

Thoughts for the year?
I’m hoping for a great year… One of the reasons is that the longer I’m here, the better I’m able to get to know the younger students and make connections with them as they go through their four years.
I hope too that we can learn to respect other people and their property.

How will this year differ with Mr. Hunt leaving?
  My main concern is to send Mr. Hunt out on a high note… I want to send him out having no real security issues in his years here….

*Q&A by Danny Yates on September 4, 2008.

Beginning at 11 am, nearly four hundred relatives and acquaintances gathered into a crowded East End Richmond church to fondly remember and celebrate Ms. Charity’s amazing life of service, love, and compassion.

As I sat quietly in Woodville Presbyterian Church, I was filled with shock, disbelief, sadness. I recalled vivid memories of Ms. Charity’ beaming smile, ready hug, and caring manner that graced the MLWGS office for so many years.

Although so young when she passed away, Ms. Charity had already done more good work in her 56 years than anyone twice that age could ever dream of accomplishing.

As a reporter, I remember frequently coming by her desk to request a copy of the Regional School Board minutes. Ms. Charity would always give me her meticulously thorough and absolutely accurate report even before this document was officially approved and released.

Ms. Charity once spoke of her many late nights at home in front of the computer, painstakingly transcribing the minutes from a tape recorder and carefully editing each sentence.

She was a truly determined and driven person, and in the words of one speaker at her funeral, “Joyce always strived for perfection and was never satisfied until the job was done.”

Her dedication to work was evident at nearly every MLWGS soccer game when Ms. Charity stationed herself on a small chair outside the gate to the field and collected the ticket money.

One night, when ticket sales failed to match up with the cash she had collected, Ms. Charity spent more than an hour with a pad and a pencil, double and triple checking her math. Even though the discrepancy was only one dollar, Ms. Charity would not give up until she found the error.

Ms. Charity’s warmth not only resonated in the halls of MLWGS, but in her community as well. In her spare time, she served actively in the Young Women’s Christian League, the Golden Heart’s Club, the Bellwood Toastmasters, and as a board member for the University of Richmond’s School of Continuing Education.

In June 2008, just weeks before her sudden death, Ms. Charity hosted a benefit concert at MLWGS for the Richmond Boy’s Choir. For months in advance, she had planned and organized this event, making sure every possible detail was arranged.

In honor of her ever-present support and fundraising efforts for their organization, the Richmond Boy’s Choir has graciously volunteered to perform at this year’s Fall Festival in Ms. Charity’s memory.

In the words of one longtime friend, Marion Cuffee, who met Ms. Charity more than 20 years ago while both women were attending night school, “she was a living saint.”

“Joyce was the kindest soul. If you ever needed help, she was always there, ready to give all of herself for you,” said Ms. Cuffee. “I know she’s gone, but sometimes I still pick up the phone as if I’m about calling her.”

MLWGS and the entire Richmond community lost an angel this summer, but I am positive that the loving spirit of Ms. Charity will continue to live on forever in the hearts of all those who knew this truly beautiful person.

This blog is an interactive forum and news website for MLWGS students, parents, teachers, and community members. My name is Danny, I am a senior at MLWGS and editor of our school’s student newspaper, the Jabberwock.

In August, RTD Community News Editor Cindy Creasy contacted me and asked me if I would contribute to the “High School Xtra” project as a student blogger. After spending four weeks in the RTD newsroom as a high school extern this summer, I was excited for the opportunity to gain some more experience in the field of journalism, and I gladly volunteered.

A bit of a disclaimer – I’ve never tried my hand at “blogging” before, but I am eager to give it a try, and I will hopefully update this site on a regular basis.

Many contributions to the site will be adaptations of articles (news, features, sports, opinion, reviews, and editorials) that have been published in our school newspaper. We’ll also occasionally post pictures, videos, and links as well.

Feel free to comment on any post or introduce your own topic. Please, however, try to keep all comments appropriate in content. If you have any questions you can send us an e-mail at newspaper@gsgis.k12.va.us.

Thanks so much and check back soon or visit our school website at http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us and download a pdf copy of the Jabberwock newspaper.