Dancers from McGrath Morgan Academy of Irish Dance (McMa) took three top honors at the North American Irish Dance Championships held in Montreal over the Independence Day holiday:

• 14-year-old North American Champ: Aisling Reynolds (who also won in 2019)
• 11-year-old North American Champ: Isabella Renzi
• Dance Drama Team North American Champs (also reigning world and southern region champions)

Reynolds and Renzi, along with a dozen top-placing solo dancers, are qualified to compete at the 2023 World Irish Dancing Championships in Montreal in the spring.

Aisling Reynolds, Manassas, Va., reclaimed the title she first won in 2019, before COVID canceled subsequent competitions.

Reynolds began dancing at age 5. School founder Lauren McGrath Dutton, ADCRG, said she always knew Reynolds had that special something that captures judges’ attention.

“Aisling has established herself as an outstanding dancer by winning the Southern Region title four consecutive years,” said Dutton. “This national title is very elusive, especially coming out of the pandemic. And now she has won it twice!”

Each dancer in the competition — there were 120 competitors from Canada, United States and Mexico, as well as Ireland and the United Kingdom — performed a soft shoe and a hard shoe dance. The top half of the dancers were recalled for a solo set dance.

“Her first two rounds were clean,” said Dutton. “But that solo set dance? It was flawless. It took my breath away.”

Reynolds credits her supportive teachers, family and friends for challenging and supporting her in the months leading up to the competition.

“This year was much harder because there was a lot of pressure to retain my title,” she said.

It all paid off, especially in that final round, where all three judges placed her first, giving her a rare perfect score.

Isabella Renzi, Severna Park, Md., began dancing at age 9 after attending a trial class with her sister.

“I wanted to start taking classes right away,” she said. “I loved the style of dance. It seemed like a lot of fun.”

Fun, and a lot of hard work.

“It’s incredible to think that Izzy only started with us two years ago,” said John Lawrence Morgan, TCRG. “Her work ethic is exceptional. Her attention to detail and ability to refine her dances are testament to her success.”

Renzi won the under-11 girls title at the Southern Region Oireachtas in December, as well as numerous local competitions, known as feiseanna. Although she felt confident in her training and choreography, she had to beat 80 dancers to claim the North American title.

“The competition was filled with really talented dancers, and I just wanted to go out there and dance my best,” she said. “I have the best teachers in the world, and I’m so thankful to them for helping me prepare for such a huge competition, and for their continuous faith in me. They are always pushing me to achieve my goals, and winning NANs was a dream come true.”

Both Reynolds and Renzi were members of the 20-person drama team that took first place with their performance of “The Belle of Belfast.” Choreographed by Morgan, the drama features a storm that destroys the roof of St. Anselm’s school; a class of feisty school children; divine intervention that leads their teacher, Sister Madonna, to compete in a local beauty pageant; and the shenanigans that ensue with competitors vying for the title (and monetary prize) “Belle of Belfast.”

“I’ve competed in solo and traditional ceili team competitions since I was 10 years old. But that is very different than dancing in a drama with 19 other dancers, where acting is involved,” said 21-year-old Mary Kate Gareau, who dances the lead role of Sister Madonna/Belle of Belfast.

Gareau is a veteran member of the drama team that has established itself with multiple titles: 2018, 2019 Oireachtas champions; 2018, 2022 national champions; and 2019, 2022 world champions.

“I was so happy for this drama team completing its final performance of ‘Belle of Belfast’ in Montreal,” said Morgan. “Now they can say they are regional, world and now national champions. Effectively, once again winning the ‘grand slam’ of titles.”

These McMa dancers qualified to compete at the world championships, which will be held in Montreal in the spring:

• Jessie Welgos, 2nd, girls under 16
• Annabelle Baker, 3rd, girls under 14
• Meghann Mullarkey, 4th, girls under 18
• Ciara Foley, 6th, girls under 10
• Patrick Gareau, 6th, boys under 17
• Gabrielle Brown, 8th, girls under 11
• Reilly Savage, 8th, girls under 15
• Shawn Dongieux, 9th, boys under 19
• Bridgette Hettinger, 9th, girls under 10
• Kendall Smith, 14th, girls under 15
• Rory Kipp, 15th, girls under 15
• Kate Doherty, 16th, girls under 11

About McGrath Morgan Academy of Irish Dance:
Lauren McGrath Dutton, ADCRG, TCRG, founded McGrath Academy of Irish Dance in January 2004. In 2012, John Lawrence Morgan, TCRG, began working with dancers, then joined the school in 2017. McGrath Morgan was created in March 2019. With studios throughout the DMV, Lauren and John train a wide range of Irish dancers, from age 4 to 50, beginner through world champion. Classes are taught in Virginia in Falls Church and Fairfax Station; throughout Maryland in Bethesda, Damascus, Frederick and Millersville; and in Charleston, S.C.

Technology, diversity, opportunity, and teamwork were the common themes at Virginia’s first Smart Community STEM Camp. The gathering of 28 teens was led by US Naval Academy graduates and Public Safety leaders who facilitated the hands-on training and experience necessary to become professionally licensed drone pilots.

“Real-world Hands-on experience is important”, according to Chris Sadler, Director of Virginia’s Public Safety Innovation Center at VIPC. “We wanted to provide these teens with the same training and flight operation testing used by public safety professionals so they are ready for FAA testing and licensing and to further expand their horizons for employment using emerging technology.”

The 3-Day STEM camp, organized by Camp Director George Hinckley was supported by North Stafford High School administration and staff, and sponsored by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), Skydio, The Tuskeegee Airmen, Little Arms Studio and more than a dozen other sponsors and mentors from State and local public safety agencies. Their collective goal is to expand the horizon for teen workforce development in Emerging Technology, the Future of Learning, and National Security.

“Exposing students to diverse opportunities and pathways to employment is an important part of public education,” said Stafford County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas W. Taylor. “I appreciate the numerous partners who developed the curriculum for this camp, and thank them for exposing our students to future technology. Our school division looks forward to hosting more opportunities like these for our students in the future.”

Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, generously provided and donated ten Skydio 2 Pro Kits to the Tuskeegee Airmen organization for STEM Camp flight training and additional training opportunities.  They also incentivized the camp participants’ success with more than $3,000 in scholarships to cover certification fees and additional FAA classes. Skydio’s spokesperson Mira Marquez commented, “We are excited to support youth in their discovery and use of drone technology. We are committed to facilitating their opportunity to become FAA-licensed drone pilots. Our industry is growing and we need to ensure we have a workforce that is ready to embrace UAS innovation.”

Throughout the week, students worked in small groups led by US Naval Academy graduates and learned the importance of teamwork and communication in-flight operation success. Their training featured the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) course that public safety professionals use to demonstrate skill proficiency. On the final day of camp, was Esports Day, hosted at Ultimate Endgamers League with mentors from Team Karma.

“The most interesting part of this camp was learning how drones are already being used by organizations (such as law enforcement) to find people and conduct rescues,” said Rubi Gonzalez, a junior at North Stafford High School in Stafford, VA. “I’m really excited to expand my learning of drone technology.”

The STEM camp also provided a unique opportunity for organizations like “Yes We Can” from the Eastern Shore of Virginia / Maryland to connect teens with technology. According to Camp Director George Hinckley, this camp was just the beginning of opportunities for Virginia to lead in teen workforce development and technology engagement.

About Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)
Connecting innovators with opportunities. The nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed stage economic development driver in the Commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia’s innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy.

Programs include: Virginia Venture Partners (VVP) | Virginia Founders Fund (VFF)  |Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Smart Communities | Unmanned Systems | Public Safety Innovation |Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) | Federal Funding Assistance Program (FFAP) for SBIR & STTR | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaIPC.org. Follow VIPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

About Skydio
Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by consumer, enterprise, and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in Redwood City, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreesen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA.

About SAME
The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) unites public and private sector individuals and organizations from across the architecture, engineering, construction, environmental, facility management, contracting and acquisition fields and related disciplines in support of the United States’ national security.

SAME connects architects, engineers and builders in the public sector and private industry, uniting them to improve individual and collective capabilities to provide the capability and prepare for and overcome natural and man-made disasters, acts of terrorism and to improve security at home and abroad.

For more information about Stafford County Public Schools visit www.staffordschools.net.

Princess Antwi of Dumfries has been named to the Emory & Henry College Spring 2022 Dean’s list.

To be named to the Dean’s list, students must be full-time students and receive a 3.6 GPA for the semester.

Located in the Highlands of Virginia, Emory & Henry College has devoted itself since 1836 to the belief that education can have a transformative effect on an individual, a place and ultimately the wider world.

Emory & Henry College is consistently ranked among the nation’s best private liberal arts institutions. The College’s many accolades include the Presidential Award for Service Learning, the highest national recognition for community service and service learning; top tier recognition in Washington Monthly, USA Today, Newsweek and we are also listed among the top 40 schools in Colleges that Change Lives.

Anthem HealthKeepers Plus Virginia, Virginia’s largest Medicaid provider, saw the need for support and offered it by giving out bags to the SPARK Foundation at Prince William County Public Schools on Friday, February 4, 2022.

“As an organization driven by our purpose – to improve the health of humanity – our company, its associates, and our Foundation are striving to strengthen our communities and address health and social inequities across Virginia.” – Thomas Rayner, Director of Marketing and Member Engagement, Anthem HealthKeepers Plus Virginia.

The SPARK Foundation is an initiative that works to provide innovative programs to support the progress of students in Prince William County. The bags donated by Anthem HealthKeepers Plus were used to carry books and school supplies that were given to teachers and staff for their classes all throughout the county. Anthem representative, Evely Reyes attended the event to personally give out the bags to the community.

Roughly half of the students in Prince William County are considered economically disadvantaged, making it difficult to obtain school books and supplies each semester. 

On Tuesday, February 15, the Commonwealth’s 4 p.m. burn law goes into effect. The law remains in effect until Saturday, April 30.

Approved burning requires a permit, issued by the Fire Marshal’s Office, and may only occur between 4 p.m. and  midnight. Not all burning requires a permit, i.e., recreational burning, however, all burning, including approved burning, must be constantly attended with a method of extinguishment.

The law prohibits open air burning before the hours of 4 p.m. daily if your fire is in or within 300 feet of the woodland, brushland or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials. During this time, winds can be elevated, and the relative humidity is lower; the forest/field floor fuels are extremely dry, having “cured” without tree leaves to shade them.

Typically, by 4 p.m., the winds are calmer, and the relative humidity begins to increase. This ban applies to all open burning, including campfires. Remember, illegal burning is a violation of Virginia and County Code and may result in criminal misdemeanor charges with penalties up to one year in jail and a $2,500.00 fine.

For more information on burning regulations, please call the Fire Marshal’s Office at (703) 792-6360 or visit us online.

The Rappahannock Area Health Department (RAHD) is increasing access to free COVID-19 testing with the recent addition of the CTC+ initiative, a vendor operated van with testing staff that will travel throughout the region to support expanded testing in communities that have low access to testing.

The initiative involves discontinuing the Community Testing Center (CTC) at the FredNats Stadium, which will hold its last day of operations on Thursday, February 10. The addition of the CTC+ will allow for testing at flexible community testing sites.

Similar to the fixed site CTC, the testing vendor will offer free Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19 to individuals 3 months and older. PCR test results are usually available within a few days and are very effective in detecting an active COVID-19 infection, even if asymptomatic.

Scheduling for the CTC+ mobile clinics is not yet available. Information on locations, days and hours of operation, and options to pre-register will be announced soon. Walk-ins will also be welcome.

Testing remains an important tool to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The new testing initiative will be in addition to existing community testing events and other testing activities offered in the community.

RAHD offers free PCR testing in February from 2-5 p.m. at the following locations:

·       Every Wednesday at Stafford Hospital, 101 Hospital Center Blvd., Stafford 22554

·       Friday, February 11 and 25 at Ladysmith Rescue Squad, 18287 US-1, Ruther Glen 22546

·       Friday, February 18 at King George Citizens Center, 8076 Kings Highway, King George           22485

Pre-registration is encouraged but not required for RAHD testing events. For scheduling, visit https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov/vdhapps/f?p=testreg:testingappointments

To find all available COVID-19 testing centers in Virginia, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/protect-yourself/covid-19-testing/.

To get free at-home COVID-19 test kits as part of a federal program (4 kits per residential address), visit www.covidtests.gov/.

The Prince William County Department of Transportation (PWC DOT) invites you to attend a virtual information session on the Route 28 Bypass Project.

During this “Transportation Tuesday” session on February 22nd at 12 PM, the PWC DOT will introduce the Design and Engineering Team and provide an update on the status of the Route 28 Bypass project.

These Transportation Tuesday events will not include a live Q&A portion. Instead, we will dive deeper into previously identified concerns regarding the project that residents have shared on the website, through email inquiries, and during previous information sessions. We will capture additional questions during the Transportation Tuesday event that will shape future communication and engagement. Please register using the link below.

Please submit questions/comments for the Route 28 Bypass Design and Engineering Team using one of the methods below.

• Via the project website, route28bypass.com
• Via email to PWC DOT, [email protected]
• In writing to: Department of Transportation, Prince William County, 5 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA 22192
• By phone: 703-792-6273

Meeting Registration Information • Register to attend the meeting using this link

• Dial In: +1 301 715 8592 Webinar ID: 917 5699 4538 Passcode: 315447

Planning for a Wedding is made easy at the Fredericksburg Expo Center at The Big Day Bridal Expo on February 20.

Grab a mimosa, taste the cakes, try the food, and sit in the limos as you enjoy a leisurely day with the area’s best wedding and event professionals all under one roof. Instead of driving from one town to another, searching for parking, and dashing through the cold weather to visit caterers, bridal boutiques, and florists, pay just one admission for the opportunity to meet every professional on your list, including event facilities, caterers, photographers, invitation designers and so much more.

The Big Day Bridal Expo Fashion Show, presented by Ava Laurenne, is always a highlight of the show.  This spectacular show features the latest in fashions for every member of your party.

DISCOVER new ideas! SAVE time and money!  EXPLORE options and all Brides registered will have a chance to win door prizes.  Brides that pre-register are also entered into a separate drawing.

Don’t miss the annual Fredericksburg Big Day Bridal Show, Sunday, February 20 at the Fredericksburg Expo Center. More Information, bride registration, and discounted tickets are available in advance by visiting BigDayBridalShow.com.

Show Highlights:

• Tickets include free mimosa for every guest and a swag bag courtesy of Men’s Warehouse
  
• Sample foods, cakes, and more from local vendors
  
• Bridal Fashion Show starting at 1:00 pm
  
• Cake Dive courtesy of Sweet Carolina Bakery.  (5) lucky Brides will be randomly chosen to participate.  The winner receives free wedding bands courtesy of Bridal Registry.
  

WHERE:
Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center
2371 Carl D Silver Parkway
Fredericksburg, VA  22401

The Crime Prevention Unit of the Prince William County Police Department hosts a presentation the Neighborhood Watch program on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, from 7 to 8 p.m.

Participants will learn how to work with the Police Department to keep their neighborhoods safer.

The free presentation will be at the Charlie T. Deane Central District Station, 5036 Davis Ford Rd., Woodbridge, VA (22192).

For more information, please call the Crime Prevention Unit at (703) 792-7270, or send an email to [email protected].

How will you show your love for your school crossing guards this week? The Board of County Supervisors last month designated Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, as Crossing Guard Appreciation Day in Prince William County.

Crossing Guard Appreciation Day offers Prince William County residents a way to let the highly dedicated school crossing guards – who are in the street protecting our children every school day – know that they are appreciated, and that their work to make our County a safe place to live, work and play is appreciated.

In the 58-year history of the Crossing Guards, there have been no deaths or serious injuries of any child at any school crossing. In the past school year, Crossing Guards conducted 17,544 safe crossings for approximately 549,780 children at the county’s public elementary and middle schools.

These highly qualified men and women who, by temperament and training, are fully prepared to meet the challenges of protecting our school children and training them in pedestrian safety. They provide an invaluable service to our community – sometimes under adversarial, dangerous or hostile conditions – in the performance of their duties.

When you see your child’s Crossing Guards on Wednesday, please be sure to share your appreciation with them. For more information on Crossing Guards, please visit the Police Department website.