❖❖ OakOak HillHill HerndonHerndon Page 10 Classifieds, Page 14 Classifieds, ❖ Sports, Page 12 ❖ 4-H Club member Kayla Blatman with a sheep that will be sheared at Spring Farm Day, held at Frying Pan Farm Park on Saturday, May 11. Entertainment, Page 9 ❖ Opinion, Page 8 Photo by Ryan Dunn/The Connection online at www.connectionnewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.comMay 15-21, 2013 Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ May 15-21, 2013 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ May 15-21, 2013 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News of Helping Childr courtesy Photo From left, scholarship recipi- ents Ana Gloribel Pereira Mejia, Nicolas Polo Sánchez, Juan Guevara and Melanie Aguilar Rojas have worked hard to achieve “firsts” for their families in America. en Worldwide, Inc. en Worldwide, Photos by Lauren Young/The Connection Area Students Receive Hispanic Students from a previous service trip pose for the cameras with some of their new friends at the Child Leadership Alliance Scholarships Rescue Centre in Bo, Sierra Leone. Floris United Methodist Church, with Senior Pastor Tom Berlin at the helm, will lead a local group of young adults on Recipients are first in their the next service mission from May 26 through June 9. families to attend college. By Lauren Young From Herndon to The Connection very year, The Hispanic Leadership Alliance Sierra Leone (HLA), a non-profit organization based in ENorthern Virginia, gives out scholarships to Latino high school students for post-sec- Floris United Methodist Church ondary education. The alliance identifies itself as “a group of area residents committed to helping its stu- leads student service trip. dents achieve their highest academic potential.” This Nicolas Polo Ana Gloribel year, on Monday, May 13, at the eighth annual awards Sánchez, West Pereira Mejia, Lake Andrea Worker Child Rescue Centre, a school, banquet, eight students received scholarships. The Springfield High Braddock Second- The Connection and the 26-bed Mercy Hospital. banquet was hosted at El Tío Tex-Mex Grill in Falls School ary School Together with the centre staff, Church. Families, friends, teachers, counselors, ad- mily Lopynski started local volunteers, and the lead- ministrators, school board members and the leader- E her Pen Pal relationship ership of their group, the stu- ship team for HLA were in attendance to show their with Afiju, a boy of dents will take on construction support for the recipients. The students have plans about the same age from the and repair projects, spend time to further their education, and have thought about Child Rescue Centre in Bo, Si- teaching and playing with the possible courses of study for college. erra Leone, when she was in the children at the centre, learning third grade. Lopynski, a more about the culture, and of ONE STUDENT, Melanie Aguilar-Rojas from Oakton Herndon resident, just finished course, making new friends and High School, will be attending William and Mary her freshman year at William finally meeting old ones. College in Williamsburg this fall. She plans to study and Mary College. She and Afiju international relations with a future goal of working are still in touch. In fact, their HOW DID ALL THIS come to for the state department. Rojas, like the rest of the communication over the years pass? How did a girl from award recipients, will represent the first generation has grown. “It was so wonder- Herndon and a boy from Sierra of her family to attend college. When asked about ful when he got access to Leone ever connect, stay con- this she said, “I’m very excited, and my family is Facebook,” Lopynski said. “We nected, and then have the op- counting on me.” Juan Guevara, Melanie Aguilar- could really keep up with each portunity to meet? Because this Nicolas Polo Sánchez of West Springfield High Herndon High Rojas, Oakton High other and have a real conver- friendship grew from another— School, another recipient of the HLA scholarship, also School School sation.” A vast improvement, that of FUMC’s Senior Pastor plans on studying international relations. He will considering that for most of the Tom Berlin, with now Bishop of attend Northern Virginia Community College, with he learned by listening to other students in places time since the two first “met,” Sierra Leone, Reverend John intentions of transferring to James Madison Univer- like the playground. He will attend Longwood Uni- their friendship relied on the Yambasu. Berlin and Yambasu sity in Harrisonburg. The first of his family to attend versity and pursue a double major in art and educa- exchange of letters that some- both attended Candler School college, he stresses, “If you try hard and have the tion. He expressed appreciation for the support and times took as long as five of Theology at Emory Univer- right people pushing you, you can do amazing inspiration he received from his teachers in high months from the writing of one sity in Atlanta and Yambusa had things.” Sánchez mentioned how people like the school. Guevara, just like the other recipients, has to the reading by the other. hosted Berlin on a trip to Sierra Spanish parent liaison of West Springfield High had to overcome challenges in his life, but these have On May 26, there will be yet Leone. In 1999, when the coun- School helped him. He has been an officer for the not stopped him from being the first of his family to another upgrade in the commu- try was still firmly in the grip Spanish Honors Society, and a member of the His- attend college. nications between Emily and of a bloody civil war that often panic Heritage Club for four years. These students Afiju. Instead of letters or data “employed” children in the are all well rounded and have kept busy with obliga- THE RECIPIENTS have advice for Latino students traversing the distance that armed forces, Pastor Berlin re- tions outside of academics. who wish to attend college and possibly represent separates them, Emily will join ceived a desperate phone call Ana Gloribel Pereira Mejia of Lake Braddock Sec- the first generation of their family. Nicolas Polo the sixth Sierra Leone Student from Yambusa. “Tom! There are ondary School says she worked 30 hours a week at a Sánchez tells children, “Keep working hard, and don’t Service Team trip, organized rebels in the front yard! Please local restaurant throughout high school, in addition let people tell you what you can and can’t do.” Ana and lead by Floris United Meth- help me get my wife out to to her course work. At age 12 she came to America Gloribel Pereira stressed that “If you keep your grades odist Church (FUMC), and safety,” Yambusa pleaded. Ber- and had to learn English. This was a challenge she up and volunteer, these will open up opportunities travel the 4,553 miles that will lin and others immediately faced, but with the help of teachers like Patricia Rice, for you.” Juan Guevara added his short and sweet take her to a face-to-face meet- went into action and Yambusa her high school English teacher, she has been able to advice by urging youth to “work hard and not slack.” ing with her friend. For two and his family made it safely to catch up to other students and achieve so much in These students have worked hard to achieve “firsts” weeks Lopynski will join a team a refugee camp. her four years at Lake Braddock. for their families in America. Melanie Aguilar says, of 12, living and working in the Juan Guevara of Herndon High School also had to “I’m really thankful there are organizations like the compound that includes the See Helping, Page 10 learn English, and remembers at a young age how HLA that support Latino high school students.” www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Oak Hill/Herndon Connection ❖ May 15-21, 2013 ❖ 3 News Photo contributed Photo John Horejsi, with wife Hank Chao of Vienna, From left, Wanda Rixon, director of operations of Molina Healthcare of Virginia; Com- Mariann and volunteer recognized as an “everyday munity Champion award recipients Hank Chao, Ann Louise Lainge Bailey and John Robert Stewart, attended hero” for his work with the Horejsi; and Dr. Jean Glossa, medical director of Molina Healthcare of Virginia. the Molina Healthcare Hai Hua Community Center, Community Champions addresses the audience. celebration at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Celebrating ‘Everyday’ Heroes Center in Fairfax on Thurs- day, May 9. Molina Healthcare honors local residents for making a difference in the community. By Victoria Ross (HHCC), and eventually became of Molina Healthcare and Commu- The Connection its president. Chao started the an- nity Health Care Network. nual Chinese Lunar New Year cel- “Whether it’s advocating for social n the 1980s, Vienna resident ebration, a popular multicultural justice on behalf of those in need, John Horejsi and a “ragtag” affair, with Chinese, Indian, Indo- coming up with ways to improve Igroup of social justice pio- nesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay- the mental health of our youth or neers learned that Virginia sian and Filipino groups present- providing culturally-sensitive re- was charging sales tax on food ing cultural performance, demon- sources and education to the Asian stamps. They discovered the sales strations, and arts and crafts ac- community, these Community tax boosted the state’s coffers by tivities. Champion winners are inspiring $9.5 million every year, money He said that the Lunar New Year and commendable for all that they that they believed belonged to event “not only educates area resi- do.” poor families for food or other nec- dents about cultures in Asia, but Established to honor the essary items.