Anneliese Kaye Stein had a rough start at Chopticon High School. A drug charge from an incident at her Mechanicsville area home during her freshman year put her into a court program.
Now a senior approaching graduation, Stein successfully completed her 18 months in St. Mary's Juvenile Drug Court and went back there at the end of January — to address the program's newest graduates. She was there to share a positive message, sort of a practice run for when she'll address a much larger gathering at Leonardtown Middle School later this month.
“I really want to give back to the community,” Stein, now 18, said this week, particularly to young people who may be confronting problems similar to the ones that led to her getting into trouble. “I want to express ways for them to deal with their emotional problems,” she said, “and their school problems.”
Stein tried to deal with bullying and failed friendships during the transition from middle school to high school, where “it makes it feel 10 times worse,” she said, before her conduct put her in St. Mary's judicial system during the spring of 2009.
As a first-time offender, the teenager was given the option to have her case moved from the regular juvenile court to the juvenile drug court. That involves an intensive and long-running series of appearances before court and juvenile services authorities amid a regimen of counseling programs. She had to go on electronic monitoring for a month along the way, but the eventual payoff was a clean record and a fresh perspective on life.
“I grew up and got the help that I needed,” she said, and found that what's important is not the quantity of one's friends, but the quality.
“I have two best friends that I talk to about everything now,” she said. “I don't need a lot of friends. I don't need a whole lot of people. I just need people who are going to matter and who are going to be there.”
When she's not in school, Stein is a volunteer at the St. Mary's Nursing Center in Leonardtown. “I love those people,” she said.
She also has a much stronger relationship with her mother and stepfather, and has hopes of going to college next fall. And she enjoys talking to other young people about the changes in her life.
“I'm not proud of my past, but I'm hoping my past will help encourage other kids to stay on the right path ... [or] hopefully steer them in the right direction,” she said. “I really want to be somebody. I want to make something of my life.”
Players sought to join up for over 50 men's softball league
The Over 50 Independent Men's Slow Pitch Softball league is now in its ninth season in St. Mary's, and more players are being sought for the games that take place on Thursday evenings from May through August at St. Clement Shores Park. There are no uniforms, the bats are wooden and assignments to the four teams are by random selection. To join up, mail name, address, date of birth and phone number to Over 50 Softball, P.O. Box 362, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Or send the information by fax to 301-475-2661.
Douglass portrayal planned for Feb. 18
Frederick Douglass, a legendary human rights leader of the 19th century, will be portrayed at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, in a free program to be presented at the Lexington Park Library.
Walter Jones Jr., in his portrayal of Douglass, will introduce the audience to the motherless slave child who taught himself to read and write and who dreamed of freedom as he walked the streets of Baltimore. The adventure will continue with Jones portraying Douglass as a young man who risked life and limb as he plotted his escape to freedom. Jones has been a public school special educator and an entertainer for more than 30 years. His lively style and music encourages audience participation.
The event is being sponsored by St. Mary's County Library, St. Mary's County Branch of NAACP, Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions and the Minority Outreach Coalition in celebration of Black History Month.
College information to be shared Feb. 18
The National Pan Hellenic Council of Southern Maryland, a group of nine sororities and fraternities, will present “The College Experience” with information on how to prepare and pay for college, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the College of Southern Maryland campus at 8730 Mitchell Road in La Plata.
Informational workshops will feature discussion panels on the college experience, the differences and similarities between public and private colleges and a presentation on financial aid and scholarships where parents will share how they were able to finance their child's education. The workshop is for parents and students in both middle and high school.
There is no fee to attend the event, but space is limited. Parents may preregister by going online to getpreparedforcollege.eventbrite.com. For more information, send email to edithp@csmd.edu or adriancatwell@yahoo.com, or call 301-934-7750.
Submit applications before March 2 for beautification grants
The Chaney Beautification Fund, a Field of Interest Fund held at the Community Foundation of Charles County, encourages beautiful, sustainable landscapes in portions of Maryland including the three Southern Maryland counties where Chaney Enterprises operates.
More information on guidelines of the Chaney Beautification Fund Grants Program can be found online at http://www.charlescommunityfoundation.org/grants.html. Applicants are encouraged to submit projects that incorporate “green” gardening practices, such as water conservation measures, organic fertilizers and native plant species. Schools can use the grant to incorporate beautification projects into the curriculum.
The deadline for submissions is March 2. Applicants must be an educational institution, governmental agency or a qualified nonprofit organization to receive funds to be used for their projects. Grant awards will typically be $1,000 or less, and will be announced during April. Grants require a 100 percent match in either cash or in-kind goods and services. Organizations receiving funding must commit and spend the full amount of the grant money by no later than Dec. 31. For more information, call 301-885-0108.
Forest stewardship encouraged
Sustainable forestry includes management techniques that respect the environmental, social and economic values of the forest, and seek to meet current needs without losing any of those values. The primary component of the program is a Forest Stewardship Plan, which provides a landowner with professional and technical information needed to manage and conserve forest resources.
Forest landowners in Maryland can receive a reduced tax assessment on the forested land that they own by agreeing to actively manage their land according to the stewardship plan. The basis for receiving a reduced tax assessment is by following through management activities such as thinning operations to improve the growth of beneficial trees, creating improved wildlife habitat, harvesting timber that is mature, planting new trees, protecting water quality through forest buffers and creating recreational trails.
The minimum requirement for participation in a forest stewardship plan is to own five or more forested acres. This acreage requirement does not include the residence. The standard procedure is to set aside one acre for a residence, so a qualifying homeowner would need to have at least six acres, with five acres of forest. There also are cost-share programs available to assist landowners in carrying out management recommendations. For additional details in St. Mary's on the programs, call 301-880-2749.
Bingo set for March 17 in Mechanicsville
The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor a basket bingo on Saturday, March 17, at the Mechanicsville firehouse's social hall. Doors open at 5 p.m., with games starting at 6 p.m. There also will be raffles, and a drawing for the person who makes the most reservations. To make reservations, or for more information, call 301-884-5680.
PRAD applications due March 19
Patuxent River Appreciation Day Inc. has opened its 2012 grant round, for nonprofit organizations that provide educational programs or conduct research activities about the importance of the Patuxent River or Patuxent River Basin. The grant recipients for 2011 were the Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum to assist in the annual Bernie Fowler Wade-In, Calvert Marine Museum for programming, Southern Maryland Oyster Cultivation Society for ongoing efforts and the Orphaned Wild Life Rescue Center.
To request an application for a PRAD grant, call Melissa McCormick at 410-326-2042, ext. 41, or send email to mccormmj@co.cal.md.us. Provide the name of the nonprofit organization, a contact person's name, a complete mailing address and a daytime telephone number or email address. The deadline for receipt of completed applications is March 19. For more information, go online to www.pradinc.org or www.calvertmarinemuseum.com.
Park cleanup planned for March 31
The Friends of Myrtle Point Park and Sierra Club Southern Maryland Group are co-sponsoring the annual cleanup at the park in California scheduled for this year from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 31, beginning with a sign-in at the picnic area. Wear sturdy work clothes and shoes. Assignments, trash bags, water bottles and work gloves will be distributed at the site. For more information, call 410-394-1300.
Sign up by April 1 to volunteer with Greenwell park
The Greenwell Foundation is accepting applications for the Summer 2012 Volunteer Junior Counselor program at the state park in Hollywood.
The counselors assist the senior counselors in running daily activities. The counselor program is open to 13- to 16-year-olds. They receive formal training, and may spend one week or up to nine weeks at camp. The application deadline is April 1. For more information and an application, go online to www.greenwellfoundation.org.
Apply by April 27 for scholarship
Maryland Del. John Bohanan (D-St. Mary's) is seeking applicants for Maryland Delegate Scholarship awards for the 2012-2013 school year from residents in his 29B legislative district.
Successful applicants must be pursuing an academic program beyond high school and either attend or plan to enter a Maryland college or university in the fall. Full- or part-time students may qualify for the awards. Anyone unsure of which legislative district they live in can check online at mdelect.net or call the St. Mary's County Board of Elections at 301-475-7844, ext. 1610. Before submitting the scholarship application, applicants must complete a free application for federal student aid, which can be done online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Submitted applications should include a short letter stating why the applicant should receive a scholarship, their career goals, any special circumstances and a copy of the completed federal form. The scholarship application deadline is Friday, April 27. To request an application, contact Bohanan's district office by email at john.bohanan.district@house.state.md.us or by calling 301-866-4000.
Scholarship applications due May 4
Students residing in Maryland Legislative District 29 may apply for a senatorial scholarship for the 2012-2013 school year. For more information, call the Annapolis office of Sen. Roy Dyson (D-St. Mary's, Calvert, Charles) at 800-492-7122, ext. 3673, or his district office at 301-994-2826. Applications now are being accepted, until May 4.
Make rag rugs today, this weekend
The folk art of crocheting rag rugs will be exhibited from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, Friday, and again this Saturday and Sunday as part of this month's Living Gallery event in the artist studio space at Annmarie Garden in Solomons.
Beverly Jackson will demonstrate the art of recycling clothing and other used fabrics into rugs, totebags and seatcovers, a skill that preserves a home arts skill which dates back to the 1800s among Midwestern farm wives. Crocheting rag rugs is a different technique from weaving rugs on a loom or braiding rugs, but they all have the distinct benefit of being a “green” venture, making good use of used clothing, table clothes, sheets and other linens that are around the house or can be found at local thrift shops.
Visitors will see the preparation process as well as several finished rugs and other pieces, and they are invited to sit in and work on a project. For more information, contact Annmarie Garden at 410-326-4640.
jwharton@somdnews.com
