Good News

Unveiling the 43rd Student-Designed and Built Home
Students and members of the Construction Trades Foundation (CTF) celebrated the completion of the 43rd student-build house with a cornerstone ceremony on May 23. Construction and interior design students built the house over the past two years.
Located at 14105 Alderton Road in Silver Spring, the 3,100-square-foot home has four bedrooms and three upstairs bathrooms with a half-bath on the main level. It includes beautiful, large windows with an open floor plan and a two-car garage with a remote door entry. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, silestone countertops, a kitchen island, window above the kitchen sink and contemporary lighting. The house also includes HVAC units in the basement and attic, a wraparound porch, screened patio and oak hardwood flooring.
There are seven construction specialty courses offered within MCPS, which include architecture and design, carpentry, construction electricity, HVAC, masonry and plumbing. Under the supervision of master tradesmen, students apply their craft to design and build the house.
The CTF is a non-profit organization established by the Montgomery County business community and MCPS. It provides hands-on training for students to earn valuable construction skills and certifications that will prepare them for higher education or the workforce.

Cornerstone ceremony for the 43rd student-built house in 47 years.
Students Honored at Dual-Enrollment Ceremony
More than 200 students were honored in a dual-enrollment recognition ceremony earlier this week at the Universities at Shady Grove. These students are dually enrolled at MCPS and Montgomery College. The majority of the students will receive associate degrees from Montgomery College. See the list of students who were recognized.
Seven Locks Elementary School Student Named Northeast Region History BEE Champion
Fifth grade student Ava Gerson is the 2023 Who Was? History Bee Champion for the Northeast Region.
In January, more than 200 third, fourth and fifth graders at Seven Locks Elementary School competed in the first round of multiple-choice questions on people and events from the Penguin Press’ “Who Was?” history series. The top two students in each class then competed in a formal bee assembly. Ava beat 17 students and moved on to the individual essay competition. Her work was selected as the winner for the Northeast region.