News Release, Charles County Public Schools

If the world’s a stage, Charles County Public School (CCPS) students were the stars Feb. 12 when the Board of Education and Charles County Commissioners honored students for their work in the Maryland State Theatre Festival held Jan. 11 and 12 at Towson University.

Henry E. Lackey High School earned first place in the Trash Costume contest. The winning team includes sophomores Tiana Clemons and Destiny Flournoy, and junior Katie Comer. Lackey senior Trey Jolly earned a superior rating in the musical theater category and Noah Peoples-Wallace, a sophomore, received a superior rating in acting.

Austin Gore, the drama arts teacher at Henry E. Lackey High School, is pictured with students Destiny Flournoy, Katie Comer, Trey Jolly and Noah Peoples-Wallace.

La Plata High School sophomores Tanner Bendebba and Cole Schubert both earned superior ratings in acting.

La Plata sophomores Cole Schubert, left, and Tanner Bendebba were honored for their acting skills.

Cassandra Murphy, a Maurice J. McDonough High School sophomore, received a superior rating in the solo musical theater category and Kasey Murphy, a junior, earned a superior rating in acting. McDonough students awarded the title of Maryland All-State Thespian include seniors Rachel Breining, Emily Maljak, Terrence Griffin, Jessica Dove, Calaysia Hamilton and Melody Hornsby; junior Olivia Johnson; and sophomores Lindsay Heyl and Jordan Pinckney. The Maryland Thespian Troupe was represented by McDonough’s High School Troupe 303 by students Maljak, the school’s drama club’s president, and Griffin, the club’s vice president.

The Maurice J. McDonough High School drama students were honored by the Board of Education on Feb. 12.

North Point High School junior Rebecca Tillman earned a superior rating in acting at the state festival.

First place in the Tech Olympics went to a team from St. Charles High School that includes freshman Perri Browne; sophomores Camryn Jeziorowski, Lisa Fleet and Kimberly Viveros-Baez; and seniors Taleiah Harrell and Kate O’Meara. Fleet earned a superior rating in musical theater solo. Seniors Stephan Duranske and Asha-Ashanti Turner each received superior ratings in acting solo, monologues.

The St. Charles High School drama students are pictured with their teacher, Tim Labelle, second row, left. The group was honored by the Board of Education on Feb. 12.

The actors were not the only students in the spotlight. McDonough students Reed Butler and Kelsey Rollins, and North Point’s Lauren Chandler and Kayla Pearson were recognized for their work in the Art on the Fly, a Maryland State Arts Council Student Exhibition, held in Baltimore.

Kelsey Rollins, left, and Reed Butler are artists whose work was on display in a Baltimore exhibit.

David M. Higgins II, Publisher/Editor

David M. Higgins was born in Baltimore and grew up in Southern Maryland. He has had a passion for journalism since high school. After spending many years in the Hospitality Industry he began working in...