Louis Cate, a music teacher at Arthur Middleton Elementary School, earned first place in the Nashville International Song & Lyric Competition for Christmas 2011. His song, “Mistletoin,” earned the award for excellence in the songwriting category. Prizes include a full, five-piece-band demo on CD. Visit: http://www.paramountsong.com/song-contests for more details on the competition.

Sandra Chisholm, a computer teacher at Piccowaxen Middle School, was chosen to participate in the 2012 Making Education Relevant and Interactive through Technology (MERIT) summer institute program at the Krause Center for Innovation in Los Altos Hills, California. MERIT is a research-based, educator development program designed to help teachers bolster their curriculum with student-centered, technology-enhanced learning activities to motivate, challenge and inspire the diverse learners and future leaders. The program joins teachers together to plan for the future of educational possibilities. Visit: http://krauseinnovationcenter.org/ for more information.