'One Special Moment': A Lutherville Mother's Gift to the Homeless

Local woman throws birthday parties for homeless children in Baltimore.

For children, a birthday is often the most special day of the year. It’s a day when moms bake them cakes, when their teachers give them festive pencils and when they can count on receiving gifts, parties and special songs. But these special birthday treats are no guarantee when a child has a birthday in a homeless shelter. Sue Grafton is on a mission, complete with sprinkles and icing, to keep birthdays special for children living in Baltimore’s homeless shelters. A Lutherville mother of two young girls, Grafton decided that throwing birthday parties for homeless children was a way to fill a need in the community. “It’s just the core of who I am,” Grafton said. “I just like to give children who don’t have any security or certainty …

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Whiz Kid

Ridgely Middle French Students Say 'Oui' to Hard Work

The National French Exam is an annual contest in which Ridgely's students performed outstandingly.

Félicitations—that’s congratulations in French—to some very deserving Ridgely Middle School French I and II students. The seventh- and eighth-graders performed magnificently (or magnifique!) on the National French Exam, an annual contest sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. Ashley Forthuber, an eighth-grade French II student, placed sixth in the state and ninth nationally. She is the only student at Ridgely who placed in the top 10 nationally. This is an exceptional accomplishment, considering she was competing against many high schoolers. “She really enjoys taking French,” said her mother, Diane Forthuber. “It seems to come naturally to her. She definitely sees herself going forward with it, probably into college…

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Whiz Kid

Two Ridgely Middle School Students Honored in Countywide Writing Contest

Whiz Kid is a weekly column highlighting a high-achieving local youngster!

Middle school isn't known to be a time for dark introspection and thrilling flights of fancy. But more might be going on in those developing minds than we'd ever think. William Linker, an eighth-grader from Ridgely Middle, and Sara Glasser, a seventh-grader also from Ridgely, both delved into the deepest parts of their minds, put pen to paper, and won honors at the Baltimore County Middle School Writing Contest. The contest, in its 14th year, is sponsored and judged by the senior literary arts students at Carver Center for Arts and Technology, under the guidance of department chair Jay Imbrenda. The middle schoolers received their awards this past Tuesday. William won honorable mention in the poetry category for his poem called “LIVE!” He …

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MOMS TALK: Too Much Homework?

A weekly starting point for local parents to discuss hot parenting topics.

Rosalie Nunez, a Timonium mother of two, has been done with school for a long time, but homework still controls her life. It’s her daughters’ homework, of course. She’s okay with what Amanda, her first grader at Timonium Elementary, brings home, but 13-year-old Ryann is a different story. Ryann is in seventh grade at Ridgely Middle, and Rosalie is overwhelmed by the homework assignments. “If it’s just one or two [assignments], okay, fine, I can try to…” Rosalie trailed off as she grappled with the stress of even discussing the issue. “But when it’s three, four, five homework [assignments] a night, it’s like, okay, this is a little bit overwhelming now. It’s a little bit stressful.” It’s more than a little bit stressful. Rosalie continued…

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