APS Honors Photographers, Writer and Choir

Sam Bosley and Jeppe Callander received praise last night as the Arlington Public Schools Board officially recognized them for their awards this year.

Sam won Dominion Corporation’s “Strong Men and Women Series, Excellence in Leadership” essay contest for northern Virginia. The "Strong Men and Women" program celebrates the lives of African-Americans. This is the final year of this program, Dominion has announced. They are continuing a similar program with the Library of Virginia in 2013.

Sam won for his essay on Martin Luther King, Jr. Sam and his essay became part of a video that was included in the county’s celebration of King’s life last January.

“King was unwilling to simply accept his times and the world around him. Instead he looked to change them, to make them fit his dream,” Sam read from his speech last night.

Jeppe was honored along with his photography peers and Wakefield High School teacher. The exchange student from Norway won the countywide competition for the auto decals. His nighttime photo of the Pentagon memorial will grace 155,000-plus windshields later this year.

He and his classmates Sarah Peterson and Maya Giacobbe shared the stage last night as the girls had also been nominated for the top prize. Amanda Smith, the fourth student who was nominated in the decal competition, was unavailable last night.

Their teacher, Jina Davidson, was honored because so many of her students in past years have been nominated for the decal prize and have won regional and national recognition in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. (For more on this, read the Mercury coverage.)

March is “Arts in the Schools” month, and that meant the school board started the meeting with a video of arts instruction.

The Drew Model Elementary School’s Boys Chorus, led by music teacher Jessie Williams, Jr., closed the celebrations with a rousing two-song concert, including "Ease on Down the Road" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."

“What a way to start a meeting, that was fantastic!” board Chair Abby Raphael told the boys.