We appreciate mentors in Community Mentorship Program

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Students who participate in the program are able to expand curriculum opportunities beyond the school site. These exploratory internships provide work and study under the direction of a professional mentor in the community.

The two major thrusts of the program are: 1) To help students explore possible future career choices, and 2) To involve students in the planning, development and completion of a related project.

The mentors, chosen from business, industry, the professions, and the arts, are experienced and dedicated leaders in the community who desire to share their working knowledge of current developments in the field.

The Mentorship Program not only meets the student’s need by providing a setting for a mentor-intern relationship, it also provides students with a deeper understanding and readiness to deal with the problems of the real world.

As facilitator of the mentorship program, I want to thank each of the following professionals who participated this year.

They have given their time freely and with selfless devotion to the growth of our students:

Accounting — Mark Todd, CPA;

Aeronautical engineering — Sean Roark, Pax River Naval Air Station;

Architecture — Paul Kosla, Patuxent Architects, Tom Reinecker;

Astronomy — Gary Graff, Calvert County public schools;

Business management — Geoff Wanamaker, Bayside Toyota;

Civil engineering — Daniel Kelsh, Collinson, Oliff and Assoc.;

Computer engineering — Michael Santangelo, Chesapeake Biological Lab;

Costume design — Lorraine von Sall, the Annapolis Opera Company;

Dental hygiene — Dr. Robert Hoerauf and hygienists;

Elementary education — Patti Wahl, Steve Morris, Wendy Harmel, Jackie Manley, Carolyn McHale and Diane Chaney, Huntingtown Elementary; Barbara Broussard, St. Leonard Elementary;

Environmental engineering — Veronica Cristo;

Environmental law — Pam Lucas;

Fiction⁄poetry writing — Elisavietta Ritchie;

Financial consulting — Jeff Quesenberry; Lee Ritter, Edward Jones Inc.

Journalism — Rob Perry, the Calvert Recorder;

Law — Laura Martin, Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, Dorothy Gardner-Hodge, public defender’s office;

Law enforcement — Sgt. Dave Payne and Frances Lopez, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office;

Marine biology — Dr. Richard Lacouture, Morgan State University Estuarine Research Center, The Calvert Marine Museum;

Marketing — Gail Harkins, Calvert Memorial Hospital;

Mechanical engineering — Paul Pieringer; Andre Drake, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant;

Medicine — Dr. Michelle Johnson, Calvert OB⁄Gyn Associates, Dr. Mahata, The Women’s Center, Dr. Debra Spatz, Rozran and Spatz Orthopedics, Dr. Daniel Collins, Chiropractic Medicine, Dr. Rafa Hawit, Pediatric medicine, Dr. Roula Hawit, Dunkirk Pediatric, Drs. Michael Skolnick and Meghan Chiu, Bay Shore Pediatrics, Dr. W. R. Ehrmantraut, Plastic Surgery, Dr. Jonathan Fears, Calvert Internal Medicine;

Microbiology⁄Genetics — Dr. Jonathan Dinman, the University of Maryland, College Park;

Music Performance — Laura Theofilis, COSMIC;

Music recording — Keith Harancher, KMH Recording Studio;

Naval architecture — Mike Kaufman, Kaufman Design Inc.;

Nursing — Bob McWhirt, Calvert Memorial Hospital;

Pharmacy⁄business management — Stuart Hanson, RPH, Whitesell Pharmacy;

Physical therapy — Michael Kuegler, Calvert Physical Therapy (Prince Frederick);

Political Science: Del. Sue Kullen; Nancy Krashoc;

Psychology — Michele Nycum, Huntingtown Elementary, Sonia Hinds; Denise Weller, Barstow Acres;

Public relations — John Flynn, Republican Party of Maryland;

Secondary music education — Kelly Combs, Calvert High School;

Service and social change — Kelly Schroeder, Ashleigh Heck, and Meg Ingram, St. Mary’s College;

Veterinary medicine — Dr. Lori Bowen and staff, Chesapeake Animal Clinic; Dr. Bruce Nwadike, Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital.

I know I speak for the Calvert County Board of Education, the administrators of Northern, Huntingtown, Calvert and Patuxent high schools, and all the interns when I say I truly appreciate the value of these mentors’ participation in the program this year.

Over the years, these experiences have proven to change the course of a young person’s life, helping to establish directions and goals for the future. We all look forward to your continued support in the future. Any professional in Calvert, St. Mary’s or Charles County who would like more information about participating in this program, contact me at 410-535-7294.

Jack Keosseian, Prince Frederick