Around Reston Community Summer/Fall 2019

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE RESTON / HERNDON / GREAT FALLS

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SUMMER/FALL 2019

Community Connecting Our

LOCAL RESOURCE MAGAZINE

TIME TO NOW

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PRE-SCHOOL & BEFORE / AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS YMCA FAIRFAX COUNTY RESTON

12196 Sunset Hills Rd., Reston, VA 20190 I 703.742.8800 Visit us at ymcadc.org

“If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”

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—Winnie the Pooh

AROUND RESTON FACEBOOK COLLAGE – Summer/Fall 2019 Join the conversation – www.facebook.com/aroundreston

EDITORIAL 6 Years, 12 Seasons…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 74 A Boat Load of Fun …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 48 A Common Ground…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 86 All in the Family …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 8 Behind the Camera…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 54 Being a Maker…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 56 Book Report …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 70 Congregation Beth Emeth 40th Anniversary …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 44 Conversation with Dr. Carlene Marcus…..… 18 Dumbledore’s Reading Army …..…..…..…..… 68 Events Pages …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 2 Facebook Collage…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. i Flower Power …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 6 Foreign Land No More…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 28 Herndon High School Band …..…..…..…..…. 46 In the Know …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 80 It’s All Fun and Games…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 62 Kyle’s Story…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 10 Leaders around Reston…..…..…..…..…..…..… 58 Living the Chocolate Life …..…..…..…..…..…. 24 Local Publisher Shares Stories …..…..…..…. 71 Making an Impact …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 40 Metro Update…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 92 Moments in Reston …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 16 New Fire Station …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 12 New Trail Brings New Connections…..…..…. 50 On the Lakes …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 60 Raised Reston…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 52 Real Estate Report …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 38 Rewind…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 88 Social Entrepreneurship …..…..…..…..…..…. 82 Spreading Optimism and Hope …..…..…..…. 36 Stars in our Midst…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 84 Stronger Together …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 22 Summer/Fall Fashions …..…..…..…..…..…..… 20 Taking the Plunge…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 72 Thrill of the Race…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 76 Welcome to Reston …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 90 When You Receive a Hand…..…..…..…..…..… 34 Workout Fun with Mom Groups…..…..…..… 78 Young Dancer Steps into Hearts …..…..…..… 64 Youth Showing Us the Way …..…..…..…..…. 66

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ADVERTISERS LIFESTYLE A Second Me Errand Service, LLC …..…..…..…..… 27 AutoScandia …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… BC CRUNCH Reston Town Center…..…..…..…..…..….. 11 Generations Medical Aesthetics…..…..…..…..….. 17 Integrated Dermatology of Reston…..…..…..…..… 19 Just Cats Clinic…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 69 Melone Law, P.C. …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 15 NextStop Theatre Company …..…..…..…..…..…..…. 1 Northwest Federal Credit Union…..…..…..…..…. IBC Pinot’s Palette …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 9 Reston Community Players …..…..…..…..…..…..…. 9 Reston Hospital Center…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 14 Scout & Molly’s Boutique…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 21 Scrawl Books …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 21 State Farm—Kyle Knight Insurance Agency …..… 11 Sunset Hills Automotive …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 43 Sweet Memories Photography …..…..…..…..…..… 57 YMCA Reston…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…IFC

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Adams Group, Coldwell Banker …..…..…..…..…..… 37 Campbell Moving, Inc.…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 45 Care of Trees, The …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 61 CertaPro Painters…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 55 Denny + Gardner Remodeling…..…..…..…..…..….. 51 Holly Weatherwax, Momentum Realty…..…..….. 53 Independence Landscape & Lawn Care …..…..… 59 Interstate Movers…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 57 JL Tree Service, Inc.…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 43 Marines Plumbing …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 47 M.E. Flow …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 57 My Reston Handyman …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 57 Nova Junk Removal…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 42 Roofing & More, Inc. …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 49 Sekas Homes—Sunrise Square …..…..…..…..…..… 45 Tim Finefrock, Keller Williams …..…..…..…..…..… 39 Trademasters…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 63

FAMILY Barrett Suzuki Music Studio …..…..…..…..…..…..… 75 Childtime Learning Centers …..…..…..…..…..…..… 79 Fairfax Home Health Care LLC…..…..…..…..…..….. 27 Foley Academy of Irish Dance…..…..…..…..…..….. 73 Goldfish Swim School …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 73 Great Day Learning Center…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 81 Little Hands Music …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 83 Lopez Studios Performing Arts School …..…..….. 85 Marcus Dental Care …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 21 Pal Family Dentistry …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 23 Reston Children’s Center …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 81 Reston Montessori School…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 79 SkateQuest…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..….. 75 Smile Wonders Pediatric Dentistry …..…..…..….. 67 Tall Oaks Assisted Living …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 26

TASTE Cantina D’Italia …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 30 Carrabba’s Italian Grill …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 31 Flippin Pizza …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 33 Gregorio’s Trattoria…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 29 Kalypso’s Sports Tavern …..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 32 La Ong Thai Bistro …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 33 Mokomandy …..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..… 31

EVENTS & CONCERTS Celebrate Fall with Loudoun County Parks …..…. 7 Herndon Labor Day Festival …..…..…..…..…..…..…. 5 Reston Pumpkin 5K…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…..…. 4

It’s been hot, hot, hot! We’re experiencing quite the summer heat in Reston and around the country this year with temperatures consistently in the 90s. Though it’s stifling hot, I like to get out every day and walk around Reston Town Center where I live, enjoying people watching and the various activities. The shade from the buildings helps offset the blazing sun. The humidity is difficult to escape, but this is metro DC in summer! On my walks, I pass many people enjoying the Town Center. However, RTC is not the vital community that it was just two and a half years ago before paid parking came in. It saddens me to see the number of empty retail spaces. Many shops and restaurants have closed, and new businesses don’t seem to be coming in, at least not very quickly. One bright light—I’m excited about the opening of the new North Italia restaurant located near the RTC fountain. It’s a welcome addition to Reston, for sure, and I’m looking forward to visiting soon. I hope that one day Reston Town Center will again be the bustling community we once enjoyed so much more.

Kat Toussaint Publisher

~ Kat Toussaint

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CONTRIBUTORS Kevin Barbera / Susan Berger / Tim Boone Alexandra Campbell / Chuck Cascio / Fabiana Cesa Krissee D’aguiar / Stacia Datskovska / Ashleigh Dorfman Dulles Metrorail / Rini Dutta / Shannon Foley Tim Finefrock / Beth Frook / Sandi Galle / Lyda Gould Steve Gurney / Connie Hartke / Kris Johnson / Liz Kamp Taralyn Kohler / Lauren Magnussen / Samantha Marshall Kenneth R. Plum / Hunner Rezek / Chris Rooney James Rosen / M. Joy Rowley / Scout & Molly’s Boutique Anne Smyers / Marco Talotta / Holly Weatherwax Maggie Wells / Zoe Van Winckel

Around Reston Magazine is a community magazine distributed quarterly through direct mail to 25,000+ Reston/Herndon/Great Falls homes. The acceptance of material, advertising or contributions does not constitute an endorsement of the information or products. We reserve the right to accept, edit or reject any material submitted. All rights reserved. The content of this publication cannot be reproduced in whole or part in any media without written permission of the Publisher.

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 1

E SAVE TH

!

E T A D AUGUST Sun, August 18, 2019

Reston Youth Splash & Dash

8:30 am – 10:30 am / Lake Audubon Pool, Reston Introduction into triathlons for ages 6-15 —featuring a swim/run combination. http://corefoundation.org/event/superhero-splash-and-dash-2019

August 22—September 22, 2019

BeeHive, the 60’s Musical— presented by NextStop Theatre

269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon Various Nights – Check website for details Tribute to the women of the 1960’s rock, pop and soul music. www.nextstoptheatre.org

Sat, August 24, 2019

Singalong at Wolf Trap— Sound of Music

7:15 pm / 1551 Trap Rd, Vienna / Tickets $25.00-$45.00 Sing-a-long with the movie using onscreen lyrics and guests become the star of the show. www.wolftrap.org

Sun, August 25, 2019

Reston Bike Club Century

6:30 am – 5 pm / Reston Town Center 4 route options—33, 60, 80,100 miles. Limit 1500 riders. Post ride party in the Pavilion. www.restonbikeclub.org

Sat, August 31, 2019

Jazz & Blues Festival

1:00 – 8:00 pm / Lake Anne Plaza, Reston Enjoy an afternoon and evening of jazz and food. www.lakeanneplaza.com Around Reston is not responsible for date changes, cancellations or errors.

Please check websites for event date and time verifications.

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SEPTEMBER Mon, September 2, 2019

Herndon Labor Day Festival

11am – 5pm / Herndon Town Green Outdoor street festival featuring Wine Tastings, Craft Beers, Music, craft show, food vendors and lawn games. herndon-va.gov/laborday

Sun, September 8, 2019

Reston Olympic Triathlon

7:05 am / South Lakes High School Swim on Lake Audubon. Bike roads of South Reston, Run on Reston trails. www.restontriathlon.org

Sat, September 14, 2019

Chalk Festival Reston Town Center

9:00 am – 4:30 pm / RTC Market Street www.publicartreston.org

Sun, September 15, 2019

Lake Anne SUP Triathlon

10am – 2pm / Lake Anne Plaza Introducing multi-sport to the community, replacing the swim with stand up paddle board (SUP). Ages 16 +. Proceeds benefit CORE Foundation. www.corefoundation.org

Wed, September 18, 2019

Presentation—Radical Suburbs— Author, Amanda Hurley

7:00 – 9:00 pm / RCC Lake Anne / Free Talk will discuss and compare Reston as a radical suburb with other communities. www.restonmuseum.org

Sat, September 21, 2019

Fall Festival at Claude Moore Park

21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling 10 am – 4 pm / Free Admission / Charge for some activities Family activities, games, craft and food vendors, pumpkin painting, petting zoo and more. www.loudoun.gov/claudemoorepark

Sat, September 21, 2019

Community Yard Sale

8:30 – 12:30 pm / 1900 Campus Commons Drive, Reston Eighty five families selling treasures. Sign up for a booth; stop by for great bargains. www.reston.org

Sat, September 21, 2019

Susco 8K and 2K

8:30 am / South Lakes High School In memory of Reston resident Tim Susco.

Supports brain aneurysm research and organ donation awareness. www.susco8k.com

Sun, September 22, 2019

DogFest

11:00 am – 3:00 pm, RTC Pavilion Join furry friends and their families for festivities, music, food, demonstrations and more. www.cci.org

Sat, September 28, 2019

19th Annual Reston Multicultural Festival

11:00 am – 6:00 pm / Lake Anne Plaza Music, entertainment, dress, food, and cultural treasures from around the world / Naturalization Ceremony www.restoncommunitycenter.com/MCF

Sun, September 29, 2019

Alzheimer’s Walk

1:30 pm / Reston Town Center The world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. www.alz.org

OCTOBER October 3 – 27, 2019

Pride & Prejudice presented by NextStop Theatre

269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon Various Nights / Check website for details Jane Austen’s beloved story about the intersection between love, marriage, and social status is fresher and funnier than you thought possible. www.nextstoptheatre.org

Sat, October 5, 2019

Shatterproof 5K National Capital Area

7:30 am – 12 pm, RTC Pavilion Raising awareness and funds for transformation of addiction treatment. www.shatterproof5k.org

Sun, October 6, 2019

Walk for Apraxia

9:00 am – 1:00 pm / Lake Anne Plaza To raise awareness and fundraise for Apraxia Kids. www.apraxia-kids.org/walk AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Fri, October 18, 2019

Light the Night Walk for Leukemia & Lymphoma

5:00 – 9:00 pm / RTC Pavilion Help find cures and ensure access to the best available treatments for blood cancer patients. www.lightthenight.org/nca

October 18 - November 9, 2019

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder presented by Reston Players

Check site for time details / RCC Center Stage A roller coaster of quick changes, clever wordplay and great singing. www.restonplayers.org

Sat, October 19, 2019

Runway to the Cure Fashion Show

6:00 – 9:00 pm / RTC Pavilion Fashion show of clothing and accessories from local retailers to help raise funds for breast cancer research and local patient assistance, benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Step Sisters.

Facebook.com/runwaytothecure

Sat, October 19, 2019

Reston Home Tour

10:00 am – 5:00 pm A self-guided ticketed tour featuring half a dozen Reston homes that have been recently renovated. www.restonmuseum.org/hometour

Thurs-Monday / October 24-28, 2019

Washington West Film Festival

BowTie Cinemas – Reston Town Center A cinematic experience of fine independent films presented over 5 days. www.wwfilmfest.com

Sat, October 26, 2019

UCP Fall Art and Craft Fair

10:00 am – 4:00 pm / 11508 North Shore Drive, Reston Juried fair featuring handcrafted arts and crafts by local artists and crafters. Benefits Herndon-Reston FISH. https://unitedchristianparishartandcraftfair.com

NOVEMBER Sat, November 2, 2019

Reston Community Orchestra Concert

4:00 pm / RCC-Hunters Woods Includes the magnificent Overture and a rendition of the Polovetsian Dances by Alexander Borodin.

Participation by Reston based Principal Ballet www.restoncommunityorchestra.org SUMMER/FALL 2019 3

October 13, 2019 8:15 am start time

KIDS' PUMPKIN DASH! Wear your costume ...if you Dare!

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Event hosted by Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce www.RestonChamber.org AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

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Wine OR Craft Beer* Tasting & Entertainment $25 (*includes 4 beer tasting tickets) You must purchase a $25 bracelet to purchase alcohol ID required to purchase tastings

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Event details at herndon-va.gov/laborday

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 5

Flower Power An Art Quilt Exhibit Anne Smyers is a fiber artist living and working in Reston. A fiber artist is an artist who works with fabric, creating compositions meant to be hung on the wall like other art mediums such as painting or photography. Fiber art is also known as art quilting, as the finished pieces most often have three layers bound together by stitching, as do quilts.

Anne grew up with sewing, learning from her mother and grandmothers, and like many women of her generation, she also made clothing in home economics classes in school. In later years when she was focused on raising a family, studying and teaching tai chi chuan, and establishing a home-decorating business, the sewing fell by the wayside until she enrolled in a G-Street Fabrics quilting class in 2007 that rekindled her dormant interest in fabric and sewing and set her on the path of art quilting.

Anne will be exhibiting her most recent work at her upcoming show at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods in September/October. Called ‘Flower Power—An Art Quilt Exhibit’, the show will highlight a series of what she calls floral mandalas. A mandala is a traditional symbol representing the universe found in eastern religious/spiritual practices. Her lifelong practice of meditation makes this symbol meaningful to her. Anne uses individually cut fabric flowers to create symmetrical circular designs which radiate from the center in a kaleidoscopic fashion.

Flowers are a through-theme in Anne’s art, also generated by an interest that began in childhood when she started gardening with her mother and grandmother. In that sense, she sees flowers as a language of connection. A flower is the fullest expression of the plant before it goes to seed, symbolizing the creative energy that finds its expression in these vibrant artworks.

Anne works out of a studio in her Reston home. It is filled with light and surrounded by trees, providing a peaceful and inspirational setting for creativity. Her work has been exhibited both locally and nationally, in both solo and group shows. She is a member of the Reston chapter of Quilters Unlimited and of the international group Studio Art Quilt Associates.

Show dates for the upcoming exhibition are September 17–October 30, 2019. There will be an artist reception on September 22 from 3-5 p.m. with light refreshments and some brief statements by Anne about her artwork. www.annesmyers.com

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AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

CELEBRATE FALL! with Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services

Saturday, Sept. 21 10 am-4 pm Claude Moore Park’s Fall Festival Featuring live music, pumpkin-painting, demos and hands-on activities with fiber artisans, a petting zoo, handmade crafts, concessions and the extraordinary work of local photographers in a juried expo. Free Admission.

Use the Loudoun Park Lane entrance.

Rain or shine.

Saturday, Oct. 12 11 am-5 pm Annual Sterlingfest Celebration at Sterling Community Center. Join friends and neighbors for a celebration of community with games, music, moon bounces, exhibits, food and fun activities for all ages. Free Admission.

Sunday, Oct. 13 12 pm-6 pm Loudoun County’s Fifth Annual International Festival will be held on the parking lot of the new Segra Field in Leesburg. Highlights include cultural performances and demonstrations, merchandise vendors, food trucks, amusements and a petting zoo.

Free Admission.

For details about these events and all of the PRCS Halloween Happenings, visit www.loudoun.gov/prcs and follow PRCS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/loudounprcs.

SUMMER/FALL 2019 7

All in the

FAMILY

by Lauren Magnussen

The theme of the last show of the Reston Community Players’ 2018/2019 season, Annie, was ultimately that of family—and, in orphan Annie’s case, a quest to find one of her own. The theme is a particularly apt one for a trio of actors living in Reston who share a common bond: they are family.

In this production of Annie, performed by Reston Community Players at the Reston Community Center, taking the stage together were Joshua Redford, his wife Jennifer, and their 13-year-old daughter, Eliana.

Respectively, each played Rooster Hannigan, Miss Hannigan, and Pepper. As regular participants in local theatre, the Redfords typify a modern Reston family that engages with the community and contributes to its self-expression. Between them, the parents have a combined thirty years of living in Reston. Joshua shares that “a community is something bigger than ourselves.

It is not about just one’s self; it’s about the collective…and doing one’s part is important.”

The Redfords have followed this philosophy of engagement that extends to the performing arts.

Joshua adds that “theatre is where you learn what you might not otherwise learn, and it grants opportunities and provides safe spaces.”

Offstage, parents Joshua and Jennifer work as teachers—with Joshua at Hunters Woods Elementary School in Reston and Jennifer at Sangster Elementary School in Springfield— while simultaneously pursuing creative endeavors in local theatres. Raising a daughter who also enjoys performing, they have combined their talents, a merger that resulted most recently in sold out shows of Annie.

Often appearing in scenes together, the Redfords used the stage as a way of solidifying their bonds with each other while also, in Joshua’s words, “providing a means of escape for our audiences.” Joshua notes that while they didn’t get to watch each other’s performances from the front row (“We lost that element of surprise”), they nevertheless “experienced it together,” with Joshua observing that “Eliana got to see how Jennifer and I approached the craft.”

Perhaps most compelling about this acting family is the way lessons are learned or changed over time. The two parents encourage Eliana to utilize methods from their training—including additional work outside of the rehearsal space—while Eliana promotes a more “relaxed” approach. No matter the technique, the Redfords are having fun together performing for our community and beyond. Whether they act together or separately, it is clear CONTRIBUTOR: Lauren Magnussen is a writer, that whatever projects they pursue will researcher, and activist in Northern Virginia.

She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in strengthen the ties between them—and English at George Mason University. their connection to Reston.

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 9

By M. Joy Rowley

Kyle’s Story— Pledge Never to Drive Distracted It began as one of those perfect almost-summer days, the 15th of May. Kyle was 19 and had returned from his first year of college a week and a half before. He landed a job cooking at the Red Robin at Dulles Town Center. He enjoyed cooking, as a matter of fact, earlier that day, he made a batch of scrambled eggs for some of his high school buddies, all returning home to Herndon and enjoying being together again. It was fun seeing these handsome, sturdy boys, sitting at my kitchen island, joshing and laughing.

Kyle donned his uniform later that day for his 4 pm shift. He went out in the driveway to shoot a few hoops. Unbeknown to us, he plopped his phone in the grass nearby so it wouldn’t fall out of his pants.

We said goodbye.

Those were my last words to my son.

The next thing I knew is that it was 4 am, and there was a heavy knock on the door. Carl went down to open it, and the man identified himself as a Fairfax County detective. I heard him asking if his wife was here; he wanted me to come downstairs.

That’s when we heard the most devastating news of our lives.

I couldn’t believe what the man was saying, that Kyle died at approximately 10:30 pm, on his way home from his job. At that point, it was all about the details we would have to sift through, where the body was, calling the coroner’s office, making funeral arrangements.

Little was known about the crash, other than there was an ongoing investigation.

texting, more than 20 times from the time he left his ex-wife’s house, until the time of the crash. This was no accident; this was a willful act which, due to the lax texting law at the time, went completely unpunished.

How little I understood at that point about grief, all I knew is that this wasn’t real, and I was in shock. We couldn’t sleep. It was a Monday morning and a school day. We had to wake up our 14-year-old daughter and tell her the horrible news.

Due to the efforts of legislators such as Scott Surovell (D-Mt. Vernon), victims, families and others who have been impacted similarly, a no texting bill was passed in 2013, two years after Kyle died. This year we aimed to strengthen that law, to hands-free legislation.

Again, no success, but we will try again, as our traffic congestion and speed limits require more effort to prevent the increasing number of crashes and fatalities that are caused by distracted driving. Pedestrian fatalities have also increased, as on both ends, the driver and pedestrian engage in distracted behaviors.

Fast forward, it is eight years later. Kyle’s car had broken down about a mile from our home, he put his emergency flashers on and attempted to move his car to the side of the road. We found out that Kyle’s killer had been

I can’t bring my son back, but I can ask you to share my story with your loved ones and ask you to pledge never to drive distracted. If you need to text, use a hands-free device, pull over to text, or just wait. It can save a life.

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 11

By James Rosen

New Fire Station ...a Long Time Coming Reston’s population of 60,000-plus is nearly double what it was when the current Reston fire station was built in 1972, with many of the newcomers living in upper-floor apartments that didn’t exist at that time that are harder for fire or medic crews to reach.

To meet the growth need, Reston has a planned two-story fire station that will span 17,150 square feet by its scheduled completion date of spring 2021, more than twice the size of the current station at 1820 Wiehle near the Dulles Toll Road.

“A new, larger fire station is needed to support the projected population and development growth in Reston and surrounding areas,” said Laurie Stone, a Fire and Rescue Department strategic planner who is helping to oversee the project.

The firehouse will have four drive-through bays on the ground floor, one more than the current station, alleviating the need for an ambulance and a firetruck to share a bay. Upstairs will be administrative offices, bunk rooms, a kitchen, storage areas and a common room.

John Higgins, a former Reston Association treasurer and retired Fairfax County deputy finance director, has countered complaints in online forums from some Restonians objecting to the new station’s size and $14.8 million price tag.

“One of the frequent complaints over the years has been about all the housing, businesses and other development coming into Reston,” Higgins told Around Reston. “Residents want more infrastructure, but when it’s offered, there are complaints.”

Higgins said the bunk rooms and other extra space in the new firehouse are especially important for female firefighters. “The county Fire Department has had some issues with how they have accommodated women,” Higgins said. “There have been lawsuits and discrimination complaints. Giving female firefighters more privacy and separation is necessary.”

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AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Reston’s growth is also behind the bigger fire station.

For a firefighter, every second counts in saving a baby from a burning home.

That is why Battalion Chief Kit Hessel follows a strict deadline when he and his crew at Reston’s Fire Station 25 get an urgent call from the Fairfax Fire and Rescue Department. “Our goal is to be on the scene in six minutes or less,” Hessel told Around Reston on a recent Saturday morning at the firehouse on Wiehle Avenue.

Development in Reston has made meeting that goal increasingly difficult. “One of our main concerns here in Reston is the number of high rises going up,” Hessel said. “Our response time with a high rise is not like just pulling up in front of a house.”

Battalion Chief Kit Hessel

Firetrucks and ambulances sped from the station’s three bays 8,520 times last year, a 25 percent increase from 2010.

Demolition of the current station is about to begin, with construction of the new one slated to start in early fall. During construction, firefighters and emergency medics will operate from a temporary site at 1800 Cameron Glen Drive behind the police station.

Major redevelopment is planned around the new station. The county plans to work with the developer of Isaac Newton Square, which is behind the station, to prevent the redevelopment from interfering with the construction.

Higgins said the $14.8 million cost of the new station should be put in perspective.

“That amount of money is less than the county earns in interest every year on its cash,” he said. “It’s a small amount for a $3 billion county government.”

Battalion Chief Hessel, in the middle of a 48-hour shift at Fire Station 25, said replacing the station with a bigger one is simply necessary. “We have gone to literally having to run a medic unit out of the rear of the station,” he said. “We never want to go around a fire station to respond to a call. We want to go straight out the front. The reason we’re building a new station is we have outgrown this one.”

SUMMER/FALL 2019 13

Learn more at restonhospital.com

14

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Practice Areas: TRUSTS & ESTATES DOMESTIC RELATIONS BUSINESS ORGANIZATION TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS Rebecca L. Melone

Planning for Your Family’s Future

Contact us for a free phone consultation when you mention this ad.

703-995-9900 www.melonelawpc.com Leaving Assets to Your Kids…What’s the Best Way? If you have children, you have probably thought about a will. Or maybe you even have one so you could designate a legal guardian for your children. However, have you thought about what happens to the assets they stand to inherit after you’re gone? In some cases, the assets you leave aren’t as protected as you think.

When it comes to leaving assets to minors, you can choose to use a Custodial Account or in Trust.

The main difference is ownership of the accounts. The beneficiary (child) owns the custodial account and has full access to all the assets at a stated age, whereas the trust owns the assets it holds and requires more accountability for distribution. Additionally, since the trust owns the assets, once you pass, the trust keeps the assets protected from creditors and potential divorce or separation proceedings of your kids in the future.

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12110 Sunset Hills Road, Suite 600, Reston, VA 20190 SUMMER/FALL 2019 15

MOMENTS IN RESTON

By Sandi Galle

As a photographer, my mind’s eye is always looking for the perfect photograph. Living in Reston, inspires me every day, year round, to look for that unique perspective that locals see all the time but don’t pay much attention to. I delight in the flowering spring, fun-filled festivals of summer, beautiful fall foliage, and joyous holidays of winter.

I received my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic, with the “little blue flashcube on top” from my great aunt Toots when I was 9 years old. I immediately began to take over the job of family vacation photographer and enjoyed keeping a photographic record of my grade school friends. In high school, I was fascinated by a black and white photography class and enjoyed using the darkroom at my Alma Mater, the University of Maryland, but it did not yet occur to me that I might actually study photography as a serious art form.

While working in the corporate world as a desktop publisher/ technical editor for government contractors, I was re-inspired by the haunting and unusual photographs of a friend/coworker and as a result, I enrolled in the photography department at Northern Virginia Community College. Later I went to New York City and studied at the International Center for Photography taking courses with top photographer, Amy Arbus.

My passion is to travel the world looking for people and places that delight my imagination. I search for the moment of vibrancy in color and light that pierces the ordinary and exposes the unique wonders of nature’s ever changing patterns.

My local Reston and travel inspired note cards are available at the Reston Farmer’s Market at Lake Anne a few Saturdays a month and online. www.facebook.com/SandiGallePhotography 16

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 17

A Conversation

with

Dr. Carlene Marcus www.marcus-dentalcare.com

Q Where did you attend school for dentistry?

A

I attended Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Dentistry graduating with honors in 1989.

How/when did you decide you wanted to be a dentist?

education to keep my practice up to date with the most current developments in dentistry.

I decided to be a dentist during high school and worked briefly for my dentist in Virginia Beach.

I was a pretty nervous patient growing up; he was the first dentist that I felt comfortable with and trusted. I think that has made me a more sympathetic dentist for my nervous patients.

What changes have you seen in dentistry in the last ten years?

How did you choose to establish your practice in Reston?

My husband and I moved back to Northern Virginia after my dental school graduation. I was expecting our first daughter then and found a dentist in Reston needing an associate.

I bought the practice in 2002, renovated the older office, and practiced there until we moved to our new offices on Sunrise Valley Drive last July.

How does it feel to be celebrating 30 years of serving the Reston area dental community?

It feels like yesterday that we started our family and my practice here. I have loved getting to know the people of Reston and the surrounding areas. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Some of the changes in the last ten years have been electric handpieces, digital x-rays, CBCT scans, digital impression scans, all the computer programs associated with dentistry, the whitening Zoom process, and of course, the social media aspect of the practice.

What are three things you consider essential for maintaining healthy teeth/mouth?

Regular dental visits are essential. Having your teeth professionally examined and cleaned is the most preventative thing you can do. Of course, regular brushing, flossing, using picks and in-between brushes, water flossers, electric brushes at home are all necessary things.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, music and painting, going out to area restaurants with my husband, visiting my two daughters, and walking our two dogs.

What do you find most rewarding about dentistry?

Any additional information you would like to share?

I enjoy getting to know people, learning about their lives and interests. It is rewarding to help my patients enhance their lives with a better smile and teeth that work well! I enjoy the challenges of dentistry and invest in ongoing research and

I am an active member of the American Dental Association, Virginia Dental Association, and the Northern Virginia Dental Society. I am certified in Soft Tissue Laser Therapy and MTM Clear Aligner Systems.

18

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

“At Integrated Dermatology of Reston, our goal is to provide our patients with the best medical and cosmetic care possible in a welcoming and professional environment.”—Dr. Morgana Colombo

MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY ­— COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY

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Newer fraxel technology allows less down time, with easier recovery time. Results are significant after just one single treatment. The CO2 laser requires fewer treatments than other ablative lasers on the market. Call our office today to see if you are a good candidate for the CO2 Laser.

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NOW LOCATED NEAR THE CORNER OF SUNSET HILLS ROAD AND METRO CENTER DRIVE 1886 Metro Center Drive, Suite 650, Reston, VA 20190 / www.dermreston.com / SUMMER/FALL 2019 19

Summer & Fall Fashions Presented by

Scout & Molly’s Boutique (located in the Reston Town Center)

1) Jenlene L. Nowak Mizz Mozaic

(wearing Gretchen Scott pink & turquoise ruff neck dress accessorized with Banx pink crystal earrings and neon pink Ipanema flip flops)

2) Gretchen Schutte Peace in the Pause Yoga

(wearing Bailey 44 white statement blouse, Banx striped summer pants accessorized with Dolce Vita Harro silver sandals and Banx necklace, bracelet and earrings)

2 1

3) Ericka La Madrid

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(wearing Gretchen Scott blue & white maxi dress accessorized with Banx earrings and Dolce Vita Harro silver sandals)

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5) Jen Monago

Beautycounter Director

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3

4

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Group Photo

(wearing graphic tees, tanks and sweat shirts

by Social Sunday, Spiritual Gangster and Good HyouMan)

5 20

6 AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Your Smile ... priceless!

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Featuring Joseph Ribko | Bailey 44 | Wish | Gretchen Scott | French Connection | Clara SunWoo | Project Social T Reference this ad and receive 30% off one item!

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Reston Town Center 11944 Market Street 571.526.4185 Reston, VA 20190 Check out Scout & Molly’s Website: scoutandmollys.com/reston SUMMER/FALL 2019 21

contributed by Connie Hartke

STRONGER TOGETHER:

Rescue Reston, Reston Citizens Association, Fairfax Federation Left to Right: Dennis Hays, RCA President; Connie Hartke, Rescue Reston President, Lynne Mulston, RCA Vice President; John Pinkman, 1st Vice President, Fairfax Federation

Citizens associations are an important way that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (FCBOS) gets to hear from grassroots organizations on a variety of issues. The Reston Citizens Association (RCA) is in its 52nd year. In the future, this all-volunteer organization, which was initially formed to allow citizens to have a voice in running their newly planned community, is likely to play a growing role in sharing information and concerns from Restonians.

Reston was an anomaly in Fairfax County when RCA was formed—the zoning designation of Planned Residential Community (PRC) was created to accommodate Reston—and Reston is still unique as the biggest PRC in the County.

As Reston grows in size, the County BOS once again wants and needs its volunteer organizations.

As such, Rescue Reston has joined as an active partner of RCA. Rescue Reston president Connie Hartke has served on both boards since 2013.

RCA Vice President Lynne Mulston is also RCA’s representative to the Coalition for a Planned Reston and serves as co-chair of Rescue Reston’s North Course Committee.

Current RCA President Dennis Hays joined RCA in 2014, motivated by his involvement with Friends of Reston Regional Library and his leadership role in the very active Reston Runners club.

Rescue Reston’s co-founder John Pinkman was recently installed as 1st Vice President of the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations (FCFCA). This large organization has members from homeowner and civic associations across the County and is well respected by our County Supervisors. Current FCBOS chairman Sharon 22

Bulova spoke at this year’s installation of officers.

John’s stepping up to a leadership position at FCFCA will add visibility for Reston at both the County and state level.

The main activities of FCFCA are: • Actively participating in Fairfax County Government while maintaining a strong relationship with the Board of Supervisors and working closely with Fairfax County staff.

• Developing a robust State Legislative Program through working with State representatives in the General Assembly.

• Serving on task forces, boards, and commissions.

• Celebrating civic participation at a Citizen of the Year Banquet.

The future of Reston depends on engaged residents. Dennis Hays says: “The past two years have conclusively proven that an informed and engaged citizenry can achieve great things. We can—and will—build on this success and ensure that we, our children and our grandchildren continue to enjoy living in communities that permit us to live, work and play in harmony with nature.”

To stay informed about our ever-changing Reston, sign up for newsletters from RCA, Rescue Reston, Reston Association, and the Hunter Mill Supervisor’s office through their websites. Want to get more involved? Email: info@RCAreston.org. www.RCAreston.org / www.RescueReston.org / www.FairfaxFederation.org AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Dr. Roopa Gulati-Rao

Dr. Sandhya Pal

SAME DAY CROWNS In the past several years, new dental advances have changed the way that dental care is delivered.

This is great news for patients and dentist alike. Chief among these new technologies is 3D milling.

Over the past several years, Cerec 3D milling has quickly become the preferred method that dentists use to actually make crowns in one visit. No more sending them off to the lab and delivering your crown at the next visit. The result is that patients can be diagnosed and treated with their new crown on the same day.

Gentle care is our art and giving you a comfortable experience is our passion.

General Dentistry • Same Day Crowns Implants • Cosmetic Dentistry • Invisalign Sedation Dentistry

Not every dentist has this technology; in fact, less than 15% have the ability to mill crowns in their office while you wait. Make sure your dentist is using the most modern technologies to improve your dental experience.

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Contact us for an appointment today! 703-437-8337 11711 Bowman Green Drive, VA 20190 | www.palfamilydentistry.com SUMMER/FALL 2019 23

Living the Chocolate Life!

By Krissee D’aguiar

The backwoods of Reston have been the backdrop of my life. I grew up playing in the Snakeden Branch Creek as my backyard and walking the trails to South Lakes Shopping Center and Lake Audubon Pool.

In elementary school, my friends and I waded barefoot through the creek. We’d walk over the wet rocks, crossing back and forth on fallen tree trunks. Life seemed so perfectly simple.

In middle school, we would hang out on the trails, not getting wet but loving the way the forest encapsulated us into a scene for adventure.

During college breaks, I’d return to Reston, going for runs on the trails and on the bike path enjoying the trees and nature.

These days, I take the kids to walk the trails by Walker Nature Center regularly, we StandUp Paddle at Lake Audubon, and I teach SUP Yoga through Surf Reston at Lake Anne.

The hours and days I spent communing with the forest on the Reston trails inspired a lifetime of feeling at home no matter what trees I’m climbing. It’s why I chose to minor in environmental science, and why I wanted to study abroad and experience the Amazon.

So I went to Brazil to study for a semester, and in amazing serendipity met Mariano, who’s now my partner. We have three kids and own a house near Lake Thoreau. My mom lives with us. Being an intergenerational home mirrors my own way of growing up with a grandparent also in the home.

When I saw Mariano for the first time, I was intrigued and in love. My experience with the rest of Brazil was much less a fairy tale. I was disillusioned by what we learned about the rainforest that had drawn me to the country.

Although the Amazon River was mighty and strong, the forest itself, underwhelmed. Many of the natural places were littered with trash, polluted, or populated by mosquitoes and other dangerous creatures.

As our class visited communities and businesses along the Amazon River basin, the professor broke the news to our group of idealistic Americans about the social and economic intricacies that challenge 24

environmental sustainability. Locals didn’t have much money, assets, warm water for showers, or even clothes and food, especially in the rural areas closest to the forest. There were three main ways to make money off of the forest, and all of them were being managed unsustainably. Asking Brazilians to save the rainforest was perceived as subjecting them to poverty and denying them the right to make a living.

After 5 months, I left feeling like there was nothing I could do to help save the rainforest, and I did not even finish the credits for my environmental science minor.

For most of 10 years after moving back to the DC area, I was working at jobs that didn’t feel right. As a parent, I fumbled with the idea that I was teaching my kids they should follow their dreams, knowing that I was in a job that wasn’t really my dream.

The stars aligned in the summer of 2017. We were in Brazil spending time with family. There was a huge cacao tree in the backyard, and the cacao pods were ripe. Our kids started climbing to pick them. The grandparents were worried and wanted us to have the kids come down, but instead, Mariano also climbed the tree and picked some of the fruits while I took photos.

When my son came down from the tree holding the ripe yellow cacao fruit, he asked how to make chocolate from it. I had no idea, so we started researching and figured out the process.

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We took the seeds out of the cacao fruit and left them in a box to ferment for a week. After they were fermented, we dried them in the sun for another few days. After they were dry, we toasted them in the oven, took the outer shell off by hand, and ground them up in a blender with some sugar. For chocolate to be hard and shiny, it must be tempered.

The underlying mechanism to temper is to cool the chocolate while you agitate it. Since Brazil is so hot, I tempered the chocolate at night with a fan and blocks of ice on a granite table. I had never tried or been taught what I was doing, but as soon as I started working with the chocolate, it felt like the chocolate was guiding me. I tempered the chocolate, and we made a delicious chocolate bar from cacao beans!

On the way to the beach the next day, I was thinking about the chocolate, and I realized this was my purpose. I told Mariano, “I think this is what I’m supposed to do with my life.”

Our business began. Not only did I love making chocolate, but it liked me back! The more I learned about chocolate and cacao, the more it fit like a perfect puzzle piece that connected our passions and skills and bridged our life in Northern VA with Northern Brazil. So here was the way to bring economic opportunity to Brazil in an eco-friendly way, one that allows plant and animal habitat to thrive.

We named the company River-Sea Chocolates (www.riverseachocolates.com); inspired by the influence of water in our life, the yin-yang confluence between where the river meets the sea, and the journey cacao makes over water and by the tide to get to the US. We dedicated the business to principles of social and environmental integrity.

When we were looking at ways to bring our cacao beans to the US, we learned that the shipping industry is awful for the environment.

If maritime shipping were a country, it would be the 6th largest polluter in the world, between Japan and Germany. We wanted a better way.

As a kid, Mariano would sketch boats in his school notebook, and he had the idea to research sailboats as an option for transporting our cacao. He discovered that four sail cargo vessels had begun transporting goods internationally following the Trade Winds routes. Mariano connected with a restored sail ship called “Tres Hombres” that had been running routes between Europe, the Caribbean and South America for a few years. Tres Hombres is emission-free; the ship doesn’t even have a motor. There were many challenges in getting the ship to the US, however, after some time and work, we helped Tres Hombres make it to the US! The first ship docked in Morehead City, NC in April 2019 with one ton of our cacao. We ran an Indiegogo campaign to help offset the high costs of the first voyage, receiving over $6,000.00 to help us grow this sail cargo movement.

In 2020, when Tres Hombres returns, the process will be smoother and less expensive since we now know how to navigate things, and we are finding more importers to put products on board.

Our business started grounded in social and environmental integrity, but we have added one more facet to our mission: education.

Student groups regularly visit our factory to learn how chocolate is made. We also speak about chocolate and trade at local events and schools.

Taking the steps needed to establish River-Sea came with considerable risk and fear; however, the encouraging feedback we receive from our community validates that this is the right path for us. Bringing the story of cacao from small cacao farmers around the world to chocolate eaters in the US, in an environmentally friendly way, resonates with people in this area. It is a dream come true to live the chocolate life, a dream I feel I can trace back to my youth playing around Reston in the Snakeden Branch Creek forest; and growing an appreciation for nature, environmentalism, and community.

SUMMER/FALL 2019 25

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26

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FREE In-Home Consultation

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A Foreign Land No More

By Marco Talotta

Italy, 2001. I was a young man in my mid-twenties, with poems, articles, and a children’s book already on my resume. I was right in the middle of pursuing my lifetime dream of becoming a professional writer, first attending the International School of Comics in Rome, then studying screenwriting techniques at RAI, the Italian television network. By chance, I met an American woman studying in Rome, an exceptional one, and we immediately liked each other. She practiced Italian with me and helped me learn English. I showed her the wonders of my land, moving back with her to my hometown in Sicily. We eventually decided to get married in the States and start a new life there, planning to visit Italy every summer.

It was the beginning of my adventure in America, and my new kingdom was called “Reston Town Center.” I was excited to explore my surroundings and instantly fell in love with the Lake Anne area. It was so different, magical, and peaceful. During my walks along the path to Lake Anne Plaza, I always had the feeling that time was suspended. It was probably there that I finally felt at home, not in a foreign land anymore.

I was still writing exclusively in Italian at that time, but by then, I also had an English-speaking audience, so I felt like going the extra mile and translating everything from my native language. That was somewhat painful, and it would double the amount of work.

Luckily, after a while, I figured out a more immediate and universal way to express myself: through photography and filmmaking.

To be precise, even to this day, I am a firm believer in mobile photography: the best camera is the one always with you. That’s why I exclusively use my phone to take pictures and videos. I sometimes rely on an add-on wide lens, but that’s about it. I’ve never attended any photography/videography classes. I see things through “a writer’s eye” since that’s my true background, so every picture or video -to me- has to tell a story or transmit a feeling. Of course, a big part of the creative process is editing, which I achieve using professional apps on my phone. I am pleased about the freedom of using just a cell phone, which is on hand at any time, to produce my projects from start to finish. Pictures and videos are now my favorite form of expression, and I’m getting a positive response from the audience. Some of my short movies have been selected for screening in various film festivals around the world, and I had the honor -as an educator working for Crossfield Elementary School, of seeing one of my educational video-projects featured on network television last year.

Virginia’s trees, ponds, lakes, animals and all the breathtaking local nature are my primary source of inspiration.

They are my home now. www.facebook.com/marco.talotta 28

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

E

A R T A N

E

GR

G

’S

G

U

GORI O

E

LOVE IT OR IT’S ON ME, GUARANTEED. Join us at GREGORIO’S, your neighborhood trattoria for a made to order meal that you will LOVE. I guarantee it! Our staff will make sure your meal is prepared to your specifications using the finest, freshest, locally grown ingredients whenever possible.

If you do not LOVE your dining experience, I will refund you the price of your entrée*.

Warmest Regards, Greg Kahn, owner

Gregorio’s Trattoria, 1428 North Point Village Center, Reston.703.689.4894 *Greg will refund your entrée if you don’t LOVE your dining experience! offer good through 9.30.19 photos by Jack Hartzman gregoriostrattoria.com

SUMMER/FALL 2019 29 August 2019.1indd.indd 1

7/19/19 11:08 PM

DISCOVER A NEW LEVEL OF TASTE.

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Uniquely different, Cantina D'Italia promises food enthusiasts a truly enjoyable dining experience. Our menu features fresh and flavorful dishes to satisfy even the most discerning palates. An extensive wine list completes your dining experience.

Din� wi

us to�� .

Buy One Entree, Get One Free Cantina D'Italia Herndon - LUNCH OR DINNER Max value $14.00 / Good Sunday thru Thursday / Must bring in this offer.

Expires Oct. 31, 2019 / May not be combined with other offer / Limit - 3 per table 30

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Let's see your restaurant here!

Ciao and welcome to Carrabba’s Italian Grill where you can enjoy a casual dinner in a warm, festive atmosphere. Discover a variety of fresh, handmade Italian dishes cooked to order in our lively kitchen.

Two for One Lunch Deal!

Buy One entree, get one free.

elivery Spe c eD

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$12.00 max value. Offer expires 10/31/2019. May not be used with any other offer. One per table.

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WE DELIVER!

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK – PLENTY OF FREE PARKING! Catering | Private Dining available | Carside Carry-Out | Call-Ahead Seating Gluten-Free Menu | Amici Member Club | Happy Hour Specials | Wine Dinners

AROUND RESTON READERS LIKE TO DINE OUT! WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO DINE WITH YOU?

Carrabba’s Italian Grill •

12192 Sunset Hills Road, Reston

703-464-7909 • www.carrabbas.com

Include your restaurant in our Winter issue. Contact us today - 571-313-0229

Serving Restonians who seek a culinary adventure since 2010.

Reservations recommended at

www.mokomandy.com 20789 Great Falls Plaza Unit 176 Sterling, VA 20165 (571) 313-0505

SUMMER/FALL 2019 31

32

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

703-429-4056 www.laongthai.com Fox Mill Shopping Center 2521 John Milton Drive, Herndon, VA

Friendly Service, Authentic Thai, Modern Décor

20% off one entrée dine in or carry out (Monday – Thursday)

May not be combined with any other offer. Expires October 31, 2019.

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RESTON 11130 S Lakes Drive, Ste F - (571) 323-7820 FALLS CHURCH 800 W Broad St, Ste 103 - (703) 752-8672

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www.FlippinPizza.com SUMMER/FALL 2019 33

Women Giving Back

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34

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When you Receive a Hand, Your Hope is Greater.

CONTRIBUTOR: Hunner Rezek

In 2007, after recognizing that access to free quality clothing was inaccessible to many homeless women and children, including those living in shelters, founders Terri Stagi (The Stagi Group), Leslie Strittmatter (New Homes Guide) and Fiona Hughes (Red Thinking) along with a core group of professional women from the homebuilding industry formed Women Giving Back (WGB). Beginning as a program under HomeAid Northern Virginia and initially operating out of a small closet at the Northern Virginia’s Builder Association, WGB is now a 13,000 square foot facility located in Sterling VA and has grown to serve over 9,000 at-risk women and children in the greater Washington metro area, primarily run by an all-volunteer staff.

WGB’s mission is to support women and children in crisis, however the purpose is more than providing quality clothing and accessories at no cost; while women choose outfits for casual wear and job interviews or for their children, committed volunteers offer attentive service and encouraging interaction focused on helping guests build confidence and self-esteem intending to achieve independence.

Women Giving Back partners with over 200 human service programs in our area, including Embry Rucker Shelter, Cornerstones, Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative, and Northern Virginia Family Service. Organizations refer women to the WGB boutique, as well as assist by collecting clothing items, sorting, organizing, and so much more. WGB opens its ‘store’ six times a month for women and children to ‘shop’ in a boutique-like setting with the help of volunteers. Also, there are special events during the year, including a Children’s Extravaganza in July, fall backpack collections and the Holiday Toy event in December.

Many Reston volunteers give their time to WGB each month. While the organization

specializes in meeting the needs of others, the benefits of volunteering have certainly had an impact on those who serve. Women Giving Back has had a surge in the number of teenage volunteers in recent years, a clear indication of how the message of the organization resonates with all.

Jacquie Acuna is one of the many who have gained independence with the help of Women Giving Back. “Women Giving Back provided my children and me with the clothing we needed, but most importantly helped me gain back my confidence. Now I can work, and I am looking forward to giving my children a normal life again.

I want to give back one day by giving someone hope as I have received it because when you receive a hand, your hope is greater.”

Restonian Board Member and volunteer Cindy Dwyer shares, “It is rewarding to see the weight lifted off the shoulders of women who can clothe their children and themselves with quality, stylish clothing. The clients are so grateful!”

WGB receives a tremendous amount of Reston community support from local corporations Carahsoft, Sprint, Leidos, and Helios, and more. WGB could not continue without volunteer manpower, monetary donations, clothing drives and grants that help to sustain their work.

The Women Giving Back organization was honored to receive the Best of Reston Civic & Community Engagement Award in 2017, and the Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services Distinguished Partner of 2018.

In addition to donations, WGB funds many of their programs through fundraising.

In October, they are hosting their annual Topgolf fundraiser; tickets are still available. www.womengivingback.org

SUMMER/FALL 2019 35

Spreading Optimism and Hope The Barbera Foundation is a local non-profit organization which motivates and inspires Reston area residents to give back to the community and help those who are less fortunate. Partnered with other non-profit and for-profit organizations including Cornerstones, HopeCam, Fellowship Square, Women Giving Back, Shelter House, Beloved Yoga, Reston Serenity Smiles, and McCabe World Travel, the Barbera Foundation organizes a diverse set of charitable initiatives that are social, convenient, and fun for volunteers. From collecting books for local underprivileged children and laptop computers for children recovering from cancer to cooking dinners for low-income elderly and the homeless, the Barbera Foundation strives to create an environment where people can come together to help others, while simultaneously helping themselves.

“It’s a win-win!” says Kevin Barbera, CEO and Founder of the Barbera Foundation, “While the primary purpose is to serve those less fortunate, our events influence volunteers in a way that helps them live more optimistic, fulfilling, and purpose-driven lives.”

“The Barbera Foundation is a true asset to the Reston community,” says Barbera Foundation volunteer, Dr. Sheetal Ajmani. “It allows people to serve the community in hands-on, practical ways. Delivering hand-made Valentine’s to our active duty military. Handing out sleeping bags to the homeless to keep them warm during the cold winter nights. Sending flower bouquets to women survivors of domestic violence on Mother’s Day. The opportunities to give and serve are endless. The Barbera Foundation breaks down barriers to make giving back easy. With well-planned events every month, there’s no shortage of ways to serve. And, in doing so, connecting with a community of like-minded friends.”

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The Barbera Foundation was established by local Reston resident, Kevin Barbera in September 2017.

Kevin developed a passion for charitable work while attending Business school in Washington, D.C. On his way to class, he frequently passed homeless people who asked for food, clothing, and money. This experience inspired him to take action, and he, along with his closest friends, delivered sandwiches, snacks, clothing, and other essentials to those in need. Kevin discovered that there was a strong desire in the community to give back as his first group of volunteers quickly grew from a handful to hundreds.

Since then, the Barbera Foundation has grown to over 3,000 volunteers. To continue the growth and positive influence of the Barbera Foundation, Kevin relies on social media, e-mail marketing, word of mouth, and by hosting rewarding volunteer experiences. “People want to make an impact in our community, but are limited as far as time is concerned. I try to keep things relatively simple by limiting the time commitment to a few hours per event, and by incorporating a fun and social aspect to everything we do,” says Barbera. By doing so, Kevin hopes to continue spreading optimism and hope throughout the community for many years to come. www.barberafoundation.org

Kevin Barbera

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AROUND RESTON­— 2019 Summer/Fall Real Estate Market

It’s Summer in Reston and the homes are surrounded by beautiful plants and trees. People are out enjoying the trails, lakes and other outdoor activities. Over 425 households changed hands this past Spring. Now is a great time to meet your new neighbors as they begin to explore all that Reston has to offer. The real estate market has cooled since then but we will still likely see another 200 homes sell in July and August.

New Listings: This graph shows the number of new listings in Reston each month this year.

April and May were the most active with a total of over 400 homes listed for sale.

The pace slowed down in June with just over 150 new listings. July and August are usually similar to June and then we’ll see a significant increase in September.

Buyers waiting for the perfect new home will need to be patient as the pace of new listings has slowed.

Median Sold Price Per Square Foot: Let’s look at how each of the three home types are doing this year. The red bar on the left shows Single Family Homes increased from $206 to $251.

The green bar in the middle shows Townhomes decreased from $291 to $280. The yellow bar on the right shows Condominiums increased from $263 to $295. This is the first time we have seen Single Family Homes and Condominiums outperform Townhomes for some time.

Real Estate Gauges: These gauges provide a quick glance of how the real estate market performed in June compared to the last 5 years.

There was an increase in homes closed and under contract in June. The number of active listings and months of supply were down significantly. It all adds up to a lower home inventory on any given day and that will continue to put upward pressure on pricing.

Reston is comprised of many unique neighborhoods and home styles. If you would like to know how your home value compares to Reston overall, then simply contact your local Realtor. We can provide these statistics for your home and neighborhood specifically.

38

CONTRIBUTOR: Tim Finefrock with Keller Williams Realty Reston www.kilpatrickrealtygroup.com/Home_Value AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

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Figure out your total monthly cost for the house. Know your limit and stay in your comfort zone.

3. MAKE A REALISTIC OFFER. Know the market and comparable sales. Homes in Fairfax typically sell for 98% of their asking price. You can get a good deal without making a low-ball offer.

4. CONSIDER A DEADLINE. For example, this offer expires in 24 hours. This can help seal the deal and avoid competing offers.

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 39

SOUTH LAKES GRADS

Making an IMPACT

By Chuck Cascio

Stacey Torman “Music, music, music!” Stacey Torman says, exuding her typical energy when asked what activities she was most fond of at South Lakes High School, where she graduated in 1987. Originally a percussionist, in her junior year she decided to play bass instead.

“I needed to learn it fast!” she says. “That was interesting, fun, challenging and opened up a whole new world for me.

I realized that if I didn’t like a situation, I would have to do something about it.”

Though new to the instrument, she excelled, playing for the school, in the Northern Virginia Symphony Orchestra, at the Kennedy Center, and in the all-region band. She didn’t stop there: In her senior year, she received a presidential honorable mention for music composition, sang in the school choir, and played the role of Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof. Stacey notes with great appreciation that her single mom came to every event she was in.

So obviously, Stacey pursued a career in music, right? Wrong!

“I went to Indiana University because Leonard Bernstein, my all-time favorite composer, was an adjunct professor and I dreamed of learning from him. Sadly, he died my freshman year.” However, by the end of that year, she was leaning more toward another love—writing.

Stacey went to work at the prestigious Indiana Daily Student, and by her junior year was on the paper’s editorial board, “which taught me a lot about the importance of championing a topic and gave me an incredible grounding in journalism.”

After graduating in 1991 amid an economic downturn, Stacey’s career is a testimony to her commitment to learn, adapt, and persist: “I wrote 286 cover letters and resumes and got just one callback—to work in a call center.” Instead, Stacey returned to Reston and worked at the Harvest clothing store in the South Lakes Center, once a favorite hangout for her and her SLHS friends. Eventually, a family contact helped her get an internship at a company in San Francisco, so she moved.

“I lived in the attic at a fraternity house in Berkeley,” she recalls, “and pinched pennies.” She persisted, eventually taking a job as an administrator at a direct mail marketing company where she wrote marketing copy, got married, then moved on to a special interest newspaper, and then to a PR agency.

Just as her career was taking off, tragedy struck: “When I was 28, my husband died.

That was an incredible setback, and I still miss him every day. But I took a hard look 40

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at my life and said, ‘Okay, if this path is closed, what path can I take that would excite me?’ ” Working for Oracle at the time, Stacey embraced work-related opportunities to travel: “I realized that one of my skills was moving into new environments and making them understandable for the central office.

I learned cultural cues and was fascinated by how differently each country worked, played, and communicated. I worked in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and finally in London, and I really found myself there, amid the history, the culture mash, and everything else.”

Today, Stacey lives in London and uses her years of communications skills daily for Salesforce.com as head of communications for the president of the Customer Success Group.

With this varied background and her energy, creativity, and challenging personal and work-related experiences, Stacey might understandably relax in whatever spare time she has. But that is not Stacey Torman, the percussionist-turned-bassist, the music major turned journalist, the woman who loves traveling from London to visit and vacation with her mother who still lives in Reston.

As a certified spin class instructor, Stacey teaches classes five days a week “for everyone. I have people of every size, nationality, and ages, and I have riders who need a little extra support when they’re injured, postnatal or antenatal, or just worried about whether they can do it. I love helping everyone get their glow on and realizing that yes, they CAN ride.”

But wait…there’s more: About a year ago, Stacey was trained as a volunteer counselor at Crisis Text Line, a service that deals with people “at a crisis point.

I remind them that they have someone listening and that they deserve support no matter what the issue. No feeling is more rewarding than knowing that someone has received the help they need. Sometimes, people just have to know that someone is listening. That is why I am there.”

Stacey adds that Crisis Text Line needs more volunteers, “So anyone interested can go to crisistextline.org, or if you’re in crisis yourself, simply text 741741—there is always someone there to listen, 24/7.”

For Stacey Torman, there is no downtime… she is always busy making an impact.

CONTRIBUTOR: Chuck Cascio, author of The Fire Escape Stories, Volumes I, II & III. For more information on Chuck, visit www.chuckcascioauthor.com.

SUMMER/FALL 2019 41

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Congregation Beth Emeth Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Rabbi Mina Goldsmith

by Susan Berger

“Spirited, with a strong sense of community”—that’s how members of Congregation Beth Emeth (CBE) of Herndon describe it. Founding member Ellyn Hirsch explains: “Back in 1979, the Jewish population in western Fairfax County and eastern Loudoun was small and growing, but lacked a place for Conservative (more observant) Jews to worship and provide Jewish education for their children. Fifteen families came together and we created CBE.” By the fall of 1979, there were more than 40 member families and a part-time rabbi, meeting at various locations in Reston and Herndon until 1988, when the building on Lawyers Road in Herndon opened with 175 member families.

Why “spirited?” CBE President Fran Belsalel says it best: “Beth Emeth has the best qualities of mishpacha (“family” in Hebrew). We have traditions linked to our religion and to our forty years as an institution.

We are spirited both in the way we carry out our traditions, and in our constant growth and change, often led by volunteers, to accommodate the needs of our diverse community of nearly 400 families. It is an exciting and welcoming time to be here!”

A key goal of CBE’s founders, mostly young families, was to provide Jewish education for their school-age children. Initially parent-run, today the faculty and staff are professionals with educational and Jewish expertise. Ellie Klein, the new Religious School Director for the 2019-20 school year, is taking the school’s experiential approach to Jewish education forward. “We’re tech-savvy where appropriate, and also teach Jewish values as nurturers of our earth through sustainable gardening,” says Klein. “And CBE’s award-winning youth programs add informal Jewish education to the mix.”

The Beth Emeth Early Childhood Center (BEECC), inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, an innovative, child-centered philosophy personifies “spirited” and “joyful.” Opening as a halfday program in 1990, BEECC Director Robin Cohen recognized growing needs and recently expanded the well-respected program to include new full-day and enrichment options that have drawn interest from both Jewish and non-Jewish families.

Spiritual leader Rabbi Mina Goldsmith explained this anniversary’s significance: “Forty is an important number in our tradition. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, a full generation. During CBE’s forty years we have become a proud and spirited multi-generational synagogue where we see children, teens and adults of all ages coming together to learn, pray, play, as well as serving one another and the local community through social action.”

44

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D-Day 75th Anniversary: Connecting with the Past

By Rini Dutta In June 2019 the students of the Herndon High School Band had the honor of participating in the commemorative ceremonies organized in Normandy, France on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The preparations for this trip had been underway for about two years, but nothing really prepares one for the impact of an experience like this.

gave moving speeches about what this event meant to them. The students had another chance to listen to several WWII veterans speak of their experiences, and the bands played ‘Hymn to the Fallen’. This was followed by the Herndon students sprinkling dogwood petals on the graves of Virginians buried at the cemetery, thereby bringing a piece of “home” to them.

The large group of 147 students and 55 chaperones traveled on 3 flights to reach Paris on June 5th. They carried with them a box of dried dogwood petals donated by residents of Herndon, Reston and other parts of Northern Virginia.

On June 8th, The Pride of Herndon band performed in the D-Day Musical Salute to Liberation and marched through Saint-MereEglise, a small French town that was the first to be liberated. The band was lead by three students who wore original USS Herndon uniforms and drum majors who carried the flag that was flown on the ship on D-Day. That flag was the first American flag flown over German territory.

On June 6th, the band participated in the D-Day 75th-anniversary ceremonies at the Brittany American Cemetery in SaintJames, France. Students wore Honor Tags with pictures of sailors from the USS Herndon, the destroyer that led the Allied naval armada in the assault on France. Jim Clermont from the USS-Herndon was among the veterans present at the ceremony. After the very impactful speeches made by WWII veterans, the Herndon band together with 9 other bands representing a cross section of the USA, played “Hymn to the Fallen” from Saving Private Ryan.

The next day the students took part in the performance at the Normandy American Cemetery. Before the ceremony, students stood by a wall overlooking Omaha beach and read out names of Herndon HS family WWII and other veterans. At the ceremony, three students from the Herndon HS Band 46

This was followed by two days in Paris that included some sightseeing as well as their last performance at Le Jardin d’Acclimatation. This performance also saw the students wearing honor tags of the WWII veterans carrying them close to their hearts, in all likelihood, forever. As Evans, a rising junior at HHS and trumpet player said “The most powerful moment for me was being allowed to shake the hands of the heroes of D-Day, to talk to them and see them as real people instead of pictures on television or characters in movies. If these men of the greatest generation, regular people with stories and smiles for me, could fight against injustice and tyranny, there is no reason our generation cannot also do great things.”

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A Boat Load of Fun on Lake Anne!

Now in its third year, the 2019 Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta, a fundraiser sponsored by the Reston Historic Trust & Museum, had over 50 boats competing and over 1,000 people in attendance. This fun event has become one of the most anticipated community events in Reston.

It all began in early 2017 when the Reston Historic Trust & Museum was exploring ideas to raise funds. Kurt Rose, board member of the Trust, proposed the idea of a cardboard boat regatta.

The board eagerly embraced the idea, and planning began. A group of Restonbased businesses, individuals, and organizations came together to organize the first event with an ambitious goal to hold the race that August, less than seven months away. There was much to be done. The committee established rules, fourteen to be exact with #14 being the most important—Have Fun! The committee determined how the boats would be judged, recruited lifeguards and volunteers, obtained sponsors and of course, registered participants. With all-hands-on-deck, the first Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta was preparing for its inaugural launch in August 2017.

It was decided that there would be a boat registration fee, but there would not be a spectator fee. Permission was granted

by Reston Association to use Lake Anne.

Cardboard trophies were created by Nova Labs, Reston, VA, including the everpopular Titanic Award. While the supply list to create boats was short, this did not

limit creativity.

Boats took all shapes, sizes, designs, and colors. It has been as much fun to see the creativity of the crews over the years as it has been to watch the boats race!

The inaugural 2017 regatta attracted 20 creative and enthusiastic boat crews with hundreds of cheering fans. In 2018, the number of boats grew to 30 with the level of creativity growing as well. Crowd size doubled, and the cheering and laughter could be heard throughout the Lake Anne community. Andy Sigle, board member of the Reston Historic Trust & Museum, serves as the Regatta emcee, energizing the crowd and encouraging the crews.

In 2017, $5500.00 was raised for the Reston Museum, and in 2018, over $10,000 was raised. We’re still counting the money from 2019 event!

The third Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Regatta took place on August 10, 2019.

The Griffin Owens Insurance Group has been the presenting sponsor of the event for the past two years. Plans for our fourth regatta are already underway.

Registration for 2020 race opens in spring 2020. Regardless of whether or not the boats make it to the finish line, the Lake Anne Cardboard Boat Race is a fun-filled day for everyone.

All proceeds benefit the Reston Historic Trust & Museum.

By Alexandra Campbell, Executive Director of the Reston Historic Trust & Museum. The Reston Historic Trust & Museum is a community organization that preserves the past and informs the present. The Trust offers community exhibits, archives, walking tours, and public events.

48

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NEW TRAIL Brings New Connections

By Liz Kamp

Growing up in the city of Rochester, NY, I was convinced that I would never live anywhere but a city. Then, I found Reston and realized the aspects of a large city that I valued were right here. After a year of working in Herndon while commuting from Arlington, I convinced my husband, Nate, that we should move to Reston to raise a family. In 2009, we took the leap and bought our first home in Reston. We loved that we could walk or ride our bikes to Lake Anne, the grocery store, the library, and restaurants.

We loved that there were parks and pools everywhere. We loved Reston founder Bob Simon’s vision of people of all walks of life living, working, and playing together.

Three kids and 10 years later, we love Reston just as much. We regularly tell our kids, Michael (age 8), Benjamin (age 6) and Caroline (age 4) how good life is here in Reston. We take full advantage of all Reston has to offer from our cul-de-sac life to kayaking on the lakes. We are a family that prefers to be outside running around, and Reston makes that easy.

When we first moved to Reston, I was working as the Fitness Specialist for the Town of Herndon but dreamed of opening my own fitness space. I quickly realized Reston was the perfect place to execute my vision. My mission was to create a boutique space where all walks of life could work out together and become a community, shifting the focus of fitness away from how a person looked to how fitness makes them feel. Indoor cycling is an ideal workout to create this environment because when you’re in the dimly lit studio, everyone is riding at their own level, allowing for novice riders to ride alongside experienced riders.

It’s genuinely a no-judgment zone.

My vision became a reality in 2018 when I opened New Trail Cycling Studio in Lake Anne Village Center. The studio’s name came out of putting my ideas together with the ideals of Reston. Bob Simon envisioned that the trails would connect our community, allowing for more walking and biking.

A photo of Mr. Simon on a bike hangs in the New Trail studio with a quote from him about biking that says, “It’s the only way to travel because you meet so many people.”

Fitness can help foster community when we challenge ourselves together and cheer each other on. New Trail rider, Melanie Miller-Cvilikas shares “what I found at New Trail is a genuine community of people where I am always warmly welcomed, challenged, and encouraged. Six months after starting at New Trail, I am stronger, have more energy, and less pain than I have had in a long time!” www.newtrailcycling.com

50

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 51

‘Raised Reston!’

KRISTINE JENKINS

It isn’t often that you get to interview your child for an article, but this month’s Raised Reston subject is my daughter, Kristine Jenkins.

Kristine was born when my husband and I lived on Newport Springs Court, Reston.

Starting school at LANK preschool, Kristine made lots of friends, many of whom we are still in contact with today. She attended Buzz Aldrin Elementary, Forest Edge and Langston Hughes Middle School, before moving to private school. Kristine’s favorite teacher over the years was Mrs. Crittenden, her first-grade teacher.

As a child, Kristine and her friends would ride their bikes to the pools, tennis courts, and roam around in the woods.

She feels like she got to have kind of an “old school” childhood.

Kristine’s formative years included North Hills Swim Team, Reston Lightening Travel soccer and years of rec league basketball and soccer.

She also enjoyed her time at Reston Day Camp.

Kristine said, “I loved playing capture the flag games in the Owl Woods. There were also other games we played with complicated rules involving markers and various props. I don’t remember what all the games were called, but they lasted hours and were epic.”

“My favorite Reston place when I was a kid was the North Hills area” shares Kristine. One of my fondest memories from childhood is the neighborhood Pipe Stem Parties, which were informal summer gatherings where we’d order pizza, the parents would hang out, and kids would play until dark. It was great fun.”

After high school, Kristine went to UVA for college, and after graduation, she moved to D.C. living in Georgetown and Adams Morgan with Will, who would become her husband.

In 2017, she and fiancé, Will, asked me to help them find a house in Reston. I suggested other communities in addition to Reston; however, they were firm in their desire to move here, citing the pools, tennis courts,

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and walkability of this suburban, yet urban feeling community. Kristine says, “Will and I knew we would miss living in the city, so we wanted to move somewhere that was vibrant and walkable. It’s vibrant and walkable in a different way, but we love it!”

Kristine and Will purchased a home in Coleson Cluster, one of Reston’s earliest townhouse communities within easy walking distance to both Reston Town Center and Lake Anne Plaza.

Recently, they had a baby, so baby Anna makes three generations of our family in Reston.

Now, as a young wife and mother, Kristine’s favorite place in Reston is the Green Trail to Lake Anne. “I love walking to Lake Anne Plaza, especially to Lake Anne Coffee House and the Saturday Farmers Market, with some combination of my husband, my baby, or my dog!”

When Robert E. Simon created Reston he had a goal, ‘that it be possible for anyone to remain in a single neighborhood throughout his life, uprooting being neither inevitable nor always desirable.’

What a joy it is to have my daughter determine that her family should return to live and grow in the community where she was raised!

Do you want to share your ‘Raised Reston’ story?

Contact Holly at holly@hollyweatherwax.com

CONTRIBUTOR: Holly Weatherwax Reston resident since 1970 Momentum Realty Real Estate agent

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 53

Behind the Camera—

Charlotte Geary Contributor: Stacia Datskovska

Charlotte Geary, local photographer, walks into Lake Anne Coffee House with a swing in her step. The two cameras slung around her neck seem light as air. I am eager to learn more about the life of a professional photographer, and Charlotte’s standpoint on her work, life, connection to people and nature, and purpose.

Charlotte’s business started in 2001, but she has been a photographer all her life. She began taking photos when instant cameras were a necessity rather than an accessory, and darkrooms were the epitome of photography.

“Throughout the years, I’ve gotten a deeper appreciation of light and better anticipation of human behavior,” Charlotte answers when I ask about how her work progressed and transformed. Charlotte shoots many types of photos from intimate family sessions to large commercial assignments.

Her full work schedule is an indication of her talent, as well as the value she puts into nurturing relationships.

In terms of location, Reston is Charlotte’s muse. Lake Anne fulfilled her desire to find a walkable place where people know each other and enjoy the bonds of a tight-knit community. Moreover, a place like Reston, with its vibrant nature, myriad of events, and bustling populace perfectly complement Charlotte’s peoplecentered career and art.

To demonstrate her method, Charlotte gestures to the buzzing crowd around us on Lake Anne Plaza that is anticipating one of Reston’s many summer concerts in breezy, better-than-perfect weather.

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“When taking a photo, I try to predict when someone is going to burst out in laughter, or touch their neighbor, or show other emotion, and only through that can individual personality shine in a photo.” Her eyes spark, and I know Charlotte has already caught a precious moment shot.

Throughout the interview, it strikes me how humble Charlotte is, how valuable her clients and their special moments are to her, even amidst the essentiality of her role as the master of her art and its product. In response to Ansel Adams’ famous quote, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it,” Charlotte states otherwise: “I take a photograph. I preserve it. I observe the world around me and document it as genuinely as I can.” This philosophy is evident in Charlotte’s delicate approach to her works, some of them featuring life’s most intimate and pure moments.

As I wrap up our interview, I ask Charlotte two final questions: “What is it you want to highlight with your photography? What is your ultimate overarching message?”

Her answer is equal parts heart-warming and breathtaking.

Charlotte answers, getting emotional, “I want to highlight people’s real stories, real experiences, real moments, relationships… Each of these is a story worth telling.

The human experience—highs, lows, mundane ‘in-betweens’are beautiful. I want to preserve them, share them.

I want every person to feel Stacia Datskovska is a high school junior recognized in these moments. I who is passionate want them to know I see them, about journalism, and I value them.”

Charlotte truly puts spirit and meaning into the task of taking a photo. Then again, for Charlotte, it’s not a task; it’s her life’s purpose. www.charlottegeary.com

especially bringing awareness on happenings in the local area. She hopes to one day be a foreign correspondent, covering the world’s most pressing issues.

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 55

Being a Maker is Being a Problem Solver

By Fabiana Cesa Nova Labs (www.nova-labs.org), located in Isaac Newton Square, Reston, is a membershipdriven, all-volunteer makerspace. There are many ways the Nova Labs makerspace gives back to the Reston community by fostering applied learning and problem solving skills through the joy of making things.

While Nova Labs is designed for adults, opportunities for kids abound.

One of the many Nova Labs activities where children thrive is the team-building opportunities like the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race and the annual Reston Museum Cardboard Regatta.

Designing and constructing a kinetic sculpture or a cardboard boat requires sustained commitment and attention, challenging for even the most disciplined. Still, if parents are part of the team, children can do as much work as they want during the construction stage and participate in these exciting race events.

The STEM learning at the makerspace is very natural and all applied learning. Youth programs are tailored to the needs of the private group or the child’s individual interests. Scout groups may choose basic woodworking, robotics, or metalworking to earn their badges; teachers bring groups of students for a combined tour and introduction to 3d printing; homeschoolers learn about drones or computer-aided design; young people with anxiety disorders and other special needs find joy in one-on-one mentorship; and many parents reach out for help for a young maker who has an invention that needs prototyping or fabrication.

The Nova Labs robotics program, Lego League (FLL) or FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), engages kids in the designing, building, and programming of various robots. FLL also includes a real-world science project where the teams research and propose a solution to a current problem. FTC requires teams to document their progress throughout the season, have business and marketing plans, and to put forward outreach efforts. Both activities focus more on the engineering process than on results; and, under the banner of “gracious professionalism,� encourage cooperation and teamwork more than winning. Students also assist with mentoring other students in classes and summer camps because everyone at Nova Labs is a mentor.

The year-round internship program offers college students and kids as young as 15 an opportunity for a free membership. The core of the program is a MakerQuest or project that includes mentorship and free classes in exchange for volunteer work. We engage students with majors from Graphic Arts, Marketing, to Mechanical Engineering by fostering real world skills in digital manufacturing, traditional skills like welding and woodworking, and cybersecurity. Several of the interns teach (for pay) and mentor year-round.

Rediscover the joy of making things with our active and thriving community of young makers, families, and adults.

NovaLabs offers weekly tours and monthly open houses.

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photo: Andrew Albosta

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Leaders Around Reston

Madison Klosterman

Hifsa Naz

Madison Klosterman began taking classes at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) in Fall 2017.

She is earning her associate degree in Business Administration with plans to further her educational goals of double majoring in finance and accounting at a 4-year institution.

Following her high school graduation in 2016, Hifsa Naz began her higher education at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), majoring in a degree that provides her the opportunity to give back to the community. Her time at NOVA has allowed her to help so many students through hardships that she wants to continue doing so.

At NOVA, there is a student lead program known as Student Ambassadors. As one of the five selected candidates to become a Loudoun campus ambassador, Madison helps to “inform her community about what NOVA has to offer and talk about what the college environment is like.” In addition to visiting each of the 16 high schools directly associated with the Loudoun campus, the ambassadors create and execute a mentoring program with a group of sophomore students at Dominion High School. Madison tells us that she joined the ambassador program because she “never considered herself to be a ‘people person,’ and she wanted to challenge herself to try something new.”

One of her favorite parts of the program is having the chance to encourage students to believe in themselves.

Two strong influences in Madison’s life are her mother and father. She shares, “…..they are always motivating me, and are both extremely hardworking, determined people.” Madison’s advice to rising freshman would be to get involved! Do not take your time at school lightly; enjoy it while you can.

You don’t want to wonder what you missed out on.”

Madison has “met some of her best friends through campus programs,” and she would not have had that chance if she had not gotten involved in activities that made her uncomfortable!

After obtaining her associate’s degree, Hifsa will continue at a 4-year university to major in social work or education with a minor degree in business.

At NOVA, Hifsa is a highly active leader on campus.

She has held five school positions, the most significant role being the student government secretary. Hifsa comments, “It is basically an office job without a salary, but I love it.” She joined the student government because she wanted to contribute to the school community in a meaningful way. Her favorite part about being secretary is “attending inspirational conferences and having opportunities to convey those messages to my peers.” On top of being one of the four voices for the entire campus student body, Hifsa has held multiple leadership positions in a variety of campus clubs all while balancing a full course load.

Hifsa’s advice for rising freshman is “never be afraid to stand your ground, feed others, and always be kind; everyone has a story; take time to get to know as many people as you can in college!” Hifsa has met numerous people from her positions on campus, some of which will be her friends long after they leave NOVA.

CONTRIBUTOR: Writer, Lauren Marshall, Student Ambassador at Northern Virginia Community College.

CONTRIBUTOR: Samantha Marshall, www.sweetmemphoto.com 58

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 59

On the Lakes

CONTRIBUTOR: Steve Gurney

Surf Reston is a local business who has a team of young instructors who have grown up in Reston and are excited to share the “stoke” of seeing Reston lakes from a different perspective.

Robby Cordts

Patrick O’Malley

Patrick has lived his life in Reston and is currently a student at Virginia Tech. When asked about what he loves about this community, Patrick exclaims, “The opportunities in Reston are endless. It’s like a giant resort with so many options of fun activities and places to learn. Constantly seeing nature and wildlife while growing up is a huge bonus of growing up here.”

Patrick has been on the Surf Reston team for over three seasons; he got connected after lifeguarding at the Reston Triathlon, he states, “I enjoy working in such a positive and fun environment where I get to help people have a unique experience on the Reston lakes, and do it all alongside some cool people!”

Robby is a lifelong Reston resident, who is currently a student at James Madison University. Robby has worked as a lifeguard with Reston Association and a coach for Reston Swim Team Association. When asked about growing up in Reston, Robby states, “I like all the opportunities that young people have to find work and live a healthy lifestyle.” About working at Surf Reston, “It’s a great opportunity and it’s a fun way to spend the weekend outside and meet new people.”

Eric Friedlander

Eric, a lifelong Restonian is one of the original Surf Reston team members, volunteering as a 9th grader at South Lake High School. Eric is now a student at East Carolina University and in the Army Reserve Band. When asked what he likes about being a paddleboard instructor, Eric shares, “I like the flexibility and the ability to help people improve their paddle boarding skills in a beautiful setting. I also like the bond between my fellow instructors.”

Sabrina Groves

Sabrina has worked with Surf Reston since she entered Mount Holyoke University where she just graduated with a triple major in Biology, English and Education and was a member of the swim team. When asked what she likes about Reston, she states, “I enjoy the community aspect in Reston with the mix of recreation and lifestyle offerings along with the diversity of people.” She likes coaching at Surf Reston because “it brings a positive activity to the lakes”, in addition she likes “working with families and people at all different skill levels.”

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It’s all

FUN and GAMES

By Kris Johnson

I’m originally from Virginia Beach and moved to Northern Virginia in 2004. I started teaching art at Lake Anne Elementary School, Reston in 2009, quickly developing an appreciation for our school community for reasons including its diversity, support of our kids’ education, and commitment to the arts.

I’ve always had a passion for board games and the power they have to bring people together.

Many of us are unaware of the number of fantastic new board games out there. People, particularly from my generation, associate board games with Scrabble, Sorry, and Jenga, all of which are still very much alive, however, there are now many more options available.

After realizing there was an untapped market to bring games to people; to teach them something new and help them unwind while discovering new passions and re-discovering old ones, my wife, Jennifer and I started our business, The Starting Player Pop Up, a traveling board game service, in 2018. (www.thestartingplayerpopup.com) I host game events at public venues such as cafes, wineries and breweries, similar to trivia nights, including at Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar. I also do private events, such as birthday parties, scouting events, and corporate team building sessions. The Starting Player serves all ages, depending on the venue.

Essentially, I bring in shelves of high-quality games curated for our customers’ needs, and guests play the games for free. I recommend game choices, teach and run the events. For public venues, a board game night can help attract new customers to the sponsoring business and bring regular ones back again and again. Game player, Jenna Chmara shares, “The Starting Player popups are a perfect opportunity to get together with old friends and meet new ones while trying out new games in different venues.”

In addition to the popup game venues, I created an after school board game club at Lake Anne Elementary School. We also host an annual PTA game night at Lake Anne Elementary that is both a fundraiser and an opportunity for the kids to play with their friends and families.

I keep connected with game players through a monthly newsletter and by maintaining a growing social media presence. My mission is to bring families and friends together to unplug, connect, laugh, and play; to reintroduce adults to play and raise children into playful adults. We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. ~George Bernard Shaw

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Young Dancer

Steps

Her Way Into Hearts After having seen an Irish Dance show at a local Irish Pub, eight-year-old Reston native, Lucie Cloney, was insistent on learning how to Irish Dance. Lucie’s grandmother found an advertisement for the Foley Academy of Irish Dance in Reston, and Lucie’s mom, Michelle, immediately signed her up for lessons—and she has been dancing ever since.

Before taking Irish Dance, Lucie had tried Ballet, Tap, and Jazz, but none of these styles resonated with her. Lucie says that “Irish Dance was different because it made me feel comfortable and unique; I can be myself.” When Lucie is in the dance studio, or out performing around Reston with her friends from dance class, she knows that this is what she loves doing and where she belongs.

Lucie’s enthusiasm for Irish Dance grew quickly as she started to perform with her dance academy. In just one year, Lucie has performed at the Reston Multicultural Festival, Reston Regional Library, Founder’s Day, Kalypso’s for St. Patrick’s Day, and the Holiday Parade in Reston Town Center. “It feels good to share Irish Dance with others and help them learn what it is all about. Many of my friends from school don’t know what it is, so I enjoy showing them my steps.” In order to teach her friends from school about Irish Dance, Lucie helped her Girl Scout Troop learn the “Waves of Tory,” which is a Ceili Dance that dates back to the 1920s.

Her troop performed this dance at the 2019 Girl Scout World Thinking Day and they earned a Dancer Badge.

In addition to performing, Lucie competes at Irish Dance competitions, called Feiseanna.

She is on her way to becoming a championship-level Irish Dancer and aspires to reach the very highest level of Irish Dance—Open Championship.

Lucie finds the competitions fun Gordy Cloney

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AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Michelle Cloney

because she gets to meet new people, dance with her friends, and accomplish her goals. She feels motivated to learn new steps and skills as she moves up in the competition levels.

Adult Class. Lucie’s grandpa Gordy, a 46 year Reston resident, is also actively involved in supporting Lucie at shows and competitions, and he is very proud of Lucie’s accomplishments.

Even though Lucie, now nine, has been dancing for only a little over a year, she knows that Irish Dance is her passion.

Besides the steps and movements, Irish Dance has helped Lucie learn responsibility, teamwork, and goal setting.

As Lucie accomplishes her dance goals, she has gained confidence in her ability to motivate herself and succeed even as the dancing becomes more challenging.

While Lucie’s immediate goals may be to become a champion Irish Dancer, her long term goals are to eventually perform in an Irish Dance show around Europe and to teach Irish Dance. Lucie’s Irish Dance teacher, Shannon Foley, says that “Lucie has a love and passion for Irish Dance that she brings to every class and it carries over to other dancers. As an instructor, you love having someone like Lucie in your class. Lucie will achieve any goal that she sets for herself. My heart smiles every time I see Lucie dance —she really has that effect on an audience and the judges at the competitions. She dances with such amazing confidence and self-awareness for her age, and you can see in her movements how much fun she is having as she performs.”

Lucie’s mom, Michelle has seen a transformation in Lucie since she started taking lessons: “Lucie loves the evenings when we have Irish Dance class. You always hope that your child will find her thing – something she loves and gets excited about. It means the world to me watching how much Lucie enjoys Irish Dance and the excitement she has for it.” Michelle, who was also raised in Reston, loves that they were able to find Irish Dance in her hometown and it is a family-friendly activity that she and Lucie can share together—Michelle takes lessons with Foley Academy’s

As Lucie sets out to conquer her Irish Dance dreams, she feels lucky to have found her passion and an amazingly supportive community of families at Foley Academy of Irish Dance. www.foleyirishdance.com

SUMMER/FALL 2019 65

Youth Showing Us the Way Delegate Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

One of the greatest inspirational moments at the Virginia Women’s Summit for Political Engagement at Tysons Corner recently was the reading of a poem written by a 14-year old eighth-grader on why everyone should vote even though at her age she cannot. It was perceptive, hard-hitting, and truthful.

There are numerous projects undertaken by high school students throughout the region each year that show such deep caring and humility that they are awarded Peace Prizes. Many of the projects are international in scope and reflect concerns about peoples’ human rights and basic comforts of living. The young people identify the need and execute programs that will help respond to the need and make life a bit better for others.

The youth group at the church I attend recently returned from a mission trip to Puerto Rico where they worked through the heat, bugs and discomforts to help put back together a school that was nearly destroyed in the hurricane a couple of years ago. At another church nearby the youth group worked with Habitat for Humanity in building houses for people who were living in substandard housing.

A young woman I know who is off to study at an Ivy League school recognized while she was in middle school that young people especially girls were going to need coding skills if they were going to be successful in the world of technology. She organized a summer coding instruction program and managed it herself before she had even finished high school.

I have not identified these young people by name as they are but a small although very important sampling of activities that I encounter almost every day of young people who are showing us the way in recognizing human challenges, need for social justice interventions, and personal involvement. We need to pay attention to them and encourage their efforts.

Sometimes through their inexperience youth may over-reach in their goals and falter in the execution of their plans, but the importance of their caring for others and wanting to do something about social needs is many times more important than a misstep here or there. The alternative is the toooften adult positions of hesitancy to get involved, complacency with the way things are, or pure selfishness. We do not fool young people by giving lip service to caring for others and the quality of life in our community.

We need to join with our young people not to re-direct or take over their efforts but to adopt the characteristics they show that are not yet shadowed with cynicism, wariness, or hopelessness. Our youth can help show us the way.

Delegate Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum represents the 36th District, including all of Reston, in the Virginia House of Delegates

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 67

Dumbledore’s Reading Army

By Maggie Wells

Two Langston Hughes Middle School 8th graders, Ariana Inamdar and Zoë Denkenberger, have started an army in Reston. Dumbledore’s Reading Army (DRA), a student-led community program helps elementary school students learn to love reading, middle school students fulfill their volunteer hours, and teachers gain a little extra time in their day.

Co-founder Ariana says, “We came up with this idea because reading is important to us, and we wanted to make sure every student gets the opportunity and help they need to develop this important skill.”

Ariana and Zoë work with the community to accomplish their mission. They coordinate with school principals, teachers, students, front office staff, and even bus drivers regularly.

They happily spend two to three hours a week on DRA, in addition to their respective sports, studies, and other activities, because they believe in their program and have seen its impact on the community.

How does Dumbledore’s Reading Army work?

Each middle school volunteer typically volunteers once a week and spends 20-30 minutes with

Ariana Inamdar

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a K-1 reader. During their session, the younger student reads two books and reviews flash cards with the volunteer. The middle school student then reads one to two books chosen by the elementary student. In just one hour, each middle school student can positively impact two or three K-1 students and one K-1 teacher.

“When we go into the classrooms, many students stand up and run towards us. Knowing that they want to read with us and look forward to it makes this program especially worthwhile,” explains Ariana.

The girls track their impact quantitatively as well.

Since DRA’s inception in February 2019, there has been an average of 10 volunteers per week, 146 K-1 students have been helped, and 81 service hours have been fulfilled by middle school students.

Co-founders Ariana and Zoë see Dumbledore’s Reading Army as lasting in the community. Zöe says, “In the future, I hope that this project will expand to other elementary schools in Fairfax County and give more opportunities to middle school and high schoolers as well.”

Ariana and Zoë will continue DRA with LHMS and HWES in the 2019-20 school year, leading it from SLHS since it’s literally next door to LHMS. They hope this article will encourage other LHMS students and/ or school principals to contact them so they can spread the program and ‘build the army’ of volunteers and DRA coordinators.

Zoë Denkenberger

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BOOK REPORT

Ruby Foo and the Traveling Kitchen

By Tiffany Foo-Garcia ©2018, Mascot Books

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tiffany Garcia is an attorney and grew up in Long Island, New York.

She is a former Assistant Attorney General with the New York State Attorney’s General’s Office in NYC and currently lives in Herndon, VA with her family. Ruby Foo and the Traveling Kitchen is inspired by her family’s life stories. Tiffany’s father, Ronald Foo, is the adopted son of Ruby Foo, a famous Boston restaurateur and owner of Ruby Foo’s “Den” on Hudson Street.

Tiffany is an enthusiastic gardener and enjoys testing odd fruits and vegetables in her experimental garden. In her free time, she visits Reston Town Center taking in the many activities.

Meet Ruby Foo, a tween girl who loves to cook.

Ruby Foo might seem like a typical middle schooler— until you get a taste of her fabulous culinary creations! In the kitchen, Ruby transforms into a fearless superhero, the Fantastic Foo. She uses her family-fed love of cooking to connect with people from all walks of life and travels far and wide to see her new friends, embarking on exciting adventures and challenging cook-offs while collecting recipes from around the world. In the first of the Ruby Foo series, when a mysterious famous photograph leads Ruby out of her own kitchen and into her grandfather’s, Ruby will need skill and courage to uncover some deeply buried secrets. With her end-of-year history assignment looming, will she be able to solve the mystery in time? Follow Ruby as she dives into delicious culinary challenges (recipes included!) and discovers how history, big and small, has shaped her life. www.rubyfookitchen.com

American Teacher

By Douglas Graney ©2017, Mascot Books At a time when education policy is undergoing a major transformation, American Teacher explores Doug Graney’s view from the front lines as a high school teacher responsible for instilling a sense of responsibility and patriotism in today’s youth. American Teacher details Doug Graney’s journey to becoming a celebrated teacher at Herndon High School. Following a career packed with political and historical field trips; holding government officials accountable including Colin Powell, Sandra Day O’Connor, and many members of Congress; generating spirited debate; and creating the largest congressional intern placement program in the country, American Teacher is the story of a man dedicated to his students and their education, no matter what. www.mascotbooks.com 70

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Local author, Douglas Graney is a National Board Certified Teacher with over thirty years of classroom experience. The recognition he has received includes: 1997 Herndon Optimist Club Teacher of the Year, 2007 Virginia Education Association Award for Teaching Excellence, 2008 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence, 2011 Dulles Area Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year, and 2014 Virginia Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year. Douglas Graney now teaches at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn where he started the first Loudoun County Public Schools Summer Capitol Hill Internship program after running the Herndon High program from 1993-2012. If that isn’t enough, he is lobbying Congress so the George C. Marshall home in Leesburg will have National Park Affiliate status.

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Local Publisher Helps Share Stories

by Lauren Magnussen

Hidden away in an office park in Herndon, VA, Mascot Books (www.mascotbooks.com) is a full-service hybrid publishing company dedicated to helping authors create printed and digital books. Upon visiting Mascot Books headquarters, one of the notable aspects, in addition to the welcoming staff, is the room stocked full of books, with spines ranging the entire color spectrum. The room represents the diversity of authors that have worked with Mascot to publish their books over the years.

Naren Aryal

Watt Hamlett and Jill Olinger Vinson

Mascot Books was co-founded in 2003 by Northern Virginia resident Naren Aryal. He now runs the company independently.

Naren started his career as a DC lawyer and launched Mascot with the publishing of his first book. Initially starting the business by publishing their own titles, the company expanded expertise and began working with more authors and clients to help them get published. The company has experienced rapid growth since startup and now publishes books from authors nationwide, including numerous notable authors from our area. They produce books across a range of genres -- politics, cooking, fiction, and children’s literature, to name a few. Mascot’s most significant growth area is nonfiction, specifically business, politics, self-help and memoirs. They recently announced a joint venture with RealClearPolitics where they are helping them establish a political publishing imprint.

At Mascot Books, editors, graphic designers, and marketers collaborate with authors to flesh out story ideas and publish manuscripts. The creative team that assists the authors are as much a part of the process as the writers themselves. Aryal explains that “… much of our story is the dedicated employees that work here. We hire people who share our love of books.” Emphasizing the bond and interchange between author and publisher, Aryal adds that “writers like working with us because they have editorial control while benefiting from our many years of experience and expertise.”

Mascot client and Reston author, Marjorie Fox, along with coauthor Eleanor Blayney, are in the production stages of their upcoming book, Women Wi$e, a finance-driven guide which Fox describes as being “a way of giving back to the community, with a focus on never-married women, divorcees, and widows as they age.” Fox comments, “Naren Aryal and Kristin Perry [Mascot’s Director of Author Services] are experts in publishing and are a pleasure to work with. How lucky I feel to have a professional publishing option in my backyard!”

Local author, Watt Hamlett, along with illustrator Jill Olinger Vinson, wrote and published the children’s book, Reston A to Z, with Mascot in 2016. This fall, the two will release a followup entitled A Day in Herndon. Both books focus on the places and activities that define their respective communities. Hamlett says that Reston A to Z “is a love letter of sorts to this community” and that “every community is special in its way; there is good to be found in all places when you go looking for it.” Hamlett, like Fox, extolls the virtues of Mascot’s operation: “Everyone at Mascot is a pleasure to work with; it feels great to support a local business in the process of publishing books about our communities.”

As brick and mortar bookstores continue to return to our communities, we’re looking forward to seeing more great content from Mascot authors on local shelves.

CONTRIBUTOR: Lauren Magnussen is a writer, researcher, and activist in Northern Virginia.

She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in English at George Mason University.

SUMMER/FALL 2019 71

Taking the PLUNGE— Goldfish Celebrates 5 years!

When Goldfish Swim School (www.goldfishswimschool.com) opened on Pinecrest Road, Reston in Fall 2014, it was their first location on the East Coast. Five years have passed and franchise owners, Ryan and Gina Bewersdorf have been busy! They have since opened two additional Northern Virginia locations, Falls Church in 2017 and Alexandria in 2019 to accommodate the area’s growing demand for quality swim lessons.

It all started when the Bewersdorf children learned to swim at Goldfish Swim School in Michigan, where they lived. Before attending Goldfish lessons, their son did not want to learn how to swim and refused to participate in any of the community swim classes that Gina took him to. However, when they went to the recently opened Goldfish Swim School in their area, he took the plunge and made quick progress. Their daughter began swimming at Goldfish at six months old and now at age 11 swims competitively.

Bringing Goldfish to Northern Virginia was an easy decision. Both Bewersdorfs had spent time in the D.C. area and had many friends here. “The area is such a vibrant, family oriented and active community, when we had the opportunity to expand the Goldfish brand, we chose Reston as the ideal location with expansion plans for Northern Virginia,” says Gina.

The Goldfish program works because of the small class sizes, heated water, proprietary curriculum, and the overall vibrant, colorful environment. Aside from swimming being a fun and healthy activity, it is also an essential safety skill. Goldfish Swim School, in connection with its partnership with the USA Swimming Foundation, is helping spread the word to parents and caregivers to enroll children in dedicated swim lessons starting at the age of one so they learn proper water safety skills.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) newest water safety guidelines suggest that children start appropriate swim lessons at the age of one-year-old to help decrease risks of drowning, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is the leading cause of injury death in U.S. children ages 1-4 years.

“The foundation of our swim lessons focuses on water safety and life-saving skills,” says Gina Bewersdorf. “We are proud that the skills taught at Goldfish Swim School play a large role in the prevention of drowning.” Goldfish Swim School advocates for perpetual year-round swim lessons, allowing students to advance at their own rate. All students start with a beginner class and are evaluated each week before proceeding to the next level. The swim school offers classes beginning at age four months, with options for parent participation in classes for ages four months to two years old. All swim school supervisors and instructors are CPR certified and Ellis certified—the industry leader in lifeguard credentials—yearly. Also, Goldfish Swim School requires instructors to pass an additional Goldfish training program.

Gina and Ryan

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“The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasis on starting swim lessons at a very young age supports Goldfish Swim School’s mission to teach life-saving water safety skills to all children,” says Tommy Hamilton, Regional Manager.

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 73

Taylor

Gypsy Macey

Rachael

Ava

6 Years, 12 Seasons

Adrienne

By Tim Boone

6 years, 12 seasons. Softball has been my daughter’s sport for half of her life.

Adrienne has the most perfect windmill rotation to her pitching motion.

I’ve coached Taylor’s team for 10 of those seasons and recently stepped into the shoes of the Commissioner of Herndon Reston Youth Softball (HRYS).

Kate slides into home like a major leaguer.

What a ride it’s been! And what a bunch of stories I’ll cherish about a handful of girls who have crossed my path from 6U to 8U to 10U and now 12U. I’d like to tell you about a few of these special young ladies whose love for softball keep me coming back for more!

Alexia hustles.

I’ve coached 2 Mia’s, a Maaya, a Megan, a Mikaela, a Macey, 2 Zoe’s, and countless other Ms and Zs.

Nobody has as much fun out there as Ava, always smiling.

Macey broke her arm during her first T-Ball season (not softball-related!), yet she was back by the end of the season to finish up.

By the way, my daughter shares a similar story. Broken bones don’t keep these girls away. They’re as fierce as they come.

Maaya came in raw, but just needed to be coached into finding her talent and has turned into a feared slugger.

Megan’s business-like attitude also makes her a coach’s pleasure.

Mia has been on Taylor’s team from the beginning and has turned into a perennial All-Star.

Addie’s left-handed batting swing is a thing of beauty.

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Shea might be small, but she’s like a Hoover vacuum cleaner behind the plate.

Gypsy can hit any ball high or low or right over the plate.

Rachael hits doubles. And home runs.

And no one’s improvement over the years (besides my daughter’s, of course!) has made me as proud as Zoe, whose father is a recreational soccer player and would probably love to see her follow the sport he loves most. But she fell in love with softball and there’s no twisting her arm.

There are a handful of girls that struggled for a few seasons, stuck with it, and are now grizzled veterans. Many have even moved on to our Glory travel teams. These are my favorite stories.

Softball is fun and rewarding. And a lot of great long-term friendships have resulted.

If you’re a young girl or a parent of one here in Reston, I can’t overstate my recommendation to have her try softball.

She’ll probably never turn back. We’ll see you on the bleachers! www.hrysfastpitch.com

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 75

The THRILL of the Race

By Zoe Van Winckel

I still remember the day clearly: I was nine years old and had just finished my first triathlon, the AMYazing kid’s triathlon. This was the first year that the race was held, and prior to competing, I barely even knew what a triathlon was. I was a year-round swimmer and occasionally went on bike rides with my dad, but swimming, biking, AND running all together seemed a bit crazy. Little did I know that the AMYazing triathlon would help me to discover my passion and enable me to compete in races across the country—meeting some of my best friends along the way.

For the next several years, I continued to compete in local Reston races, falling more and more in love with the sport each time.

In May of 2016, when I was 13, I decided that I was ready to take my chances at a more competitive race in Richmond, VA. Unlike my previous races, this was a draftlegal event with competitors from all over the USA. I would soon realize that there is an entirely different dynamic from the non-draft legal races that I was used to.

This race, the Richmond Youth/Junior Elite cup, was part of a series of races across the country, where youths (13-15) and juniors (16-19) can qualify for the USA Youth and Junior Elite National Championships in West Chester, OH by placing top 15 in their respective age groups. Given my podium finishes at local races, I was fairly confident going into the race, but nothing could prepare me for the level of competition that I was about to encounter. Needless to say, I realized that I wasn’t nearly as good as I thought I was, placing a disappointing 56th place among 71 youth girls.

Soon after, I joined Endorphin Fitness, a local triathlon team with a focus on draftlegal racing. A year after joining Endorphin, I competed in the same race in Richmond, this time placing 13th and qualifying for nationals, where I went on to place 6th.

Of course, this progress didn’t just happen overnight, and countless hours of training had to be put in—much more than I ever thought I would spend on a sport that I had previously only done for fun.

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To this day, one of my favorite races is the Reston Sprint Triathlon. Before I was old enough to compete, I remember waking up early and going with my dad to Lake Newport to cheer him and others on while they raced. I eagerly counted down the years until I could finally participate in this race.

I love the Reston Sprint Triathlon because it is a well-organized and fun local race, which also serves as a fundraiser for local charities. My favorite thing about this race is competing with my dad and many other local friends while biking and running past my neighborhood. I also love the enthusiasm of the many volunteers, who always give me an extra surge of energy while I am racing.

I have come a long way since the days of putting on a shirt with my number on it and drying my feet with a towel before putting on my shoes. Now, triathlon (along with school) is an integral aspect of my life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I train seven days a week, usually with two workouts a day. Sometimes I wonder why I’m doing this – especially after a bad race – but I make sure to look back at that very first race and remind myself of the joy and fulfillment that triathlon brings me.

No feeling can compare to that of crossing the finish line after countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears, no matter the outcome of the race. Triathlon makes me feel confident and proud. It has taught me the importance of hard work, dedication, and holding myself accountable in the pursuit of a goal. I have realized that I am capable of so much more than I think possible, and I’ve learned not to let my mind hinder my physical capabilities.

I firmly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience that “finish line feeling” and the satisfaction of achieving a goal that they have worked for. I want to give back to the community that has fostered and supported my love for the sport by helping other youths realize the joy that triathlon can bring, which is why I am grateful to have the opportunity to help make triathlon more accessible to young children.

This summer, I worked with CORE Foundation to give confidence building clinics to underserved youth in our community. I led workshops in local shelters and low-income centers. It was a pleasure connecting with these kids and sharing the sport that I love with them.

SUMMER/FALL 2019 77

Workout FUN with Mom Groups

By Lyda Gould

Moms Run This Town (MRTT) led by Bekah Timmons, and Fit4Mom (F4M) managed locally

by Amy Currier, are two mom-centric fitness organizations that encourage you to give outdoor group fitness a try.

While MRTT is dedicated to running and walking, F4M offers a range of workout classes.

In either group, your fitness level is irrelevant.

Timmons says, “When we meet in groups, we often ask what pace people are running or if they’re walking, and we try to match up paces.”

Similarly, F4M has “pregnant mamas and other moms who are fitness oriented. We do our best to make sure everyone feels like they get what they need out of the class that day.”

MRTT offers an informal, free way to run with other moms in a group, with your child safely tucked in their running stroller. The group often meets at Lake Anne Plaza, North Point Village Center, or the Herndon Caboose rain, shine or snow. This women’s group usually has early morning runs, maybe dark meetups in the colder months, and advocates the power and safety of strength in numbers.

Fit4Mom (www.fit4mom.com) is a franchise offering membership or non-membership passes with regular meetups at Lake Anne; though their location extends to other areas, and they meet at rented space in the winter. The group offers a variety of fitness classes with Stroller Strides and Body Back being the two most popular. Fit4Mom Manager, Amy Currier says, “We provide a 78

supportive fitness community for mothers beyond a studio. Motherhood can be isolating, and a village is important.”

Though members might come and go as children outgrow their strollers, Moms Run This Town (www.momsrunthistown.com) leader, Bekah Timmons says, “We are thrilled when a former member returns to MRTT.” Timmons ran her first marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon in 2015 with several other group members. “It was an amazing experience, and one that I would not have had if it had not been for this group.”

Currier often sees mamas in F4M who will choose to move into the Body Back class when their kids have grown older, or maybe they’ll join a different class time as their family’s schedule changes. In either group, it is common for lifelasting friendships to develop.

When asked if it’s ever awkward to run with a group of moms and their young children, strollers, gear, potty training, and more, Timmons says, “No. We’re moms. We understand and have all been there! Often, we help each other out when there are issues.”

Currier advises, “Don’t be dissuaded if you think your fitness isn’t where you want it to be or if you have a fussy baby … we all benefit from the company, we’re moms here to support each other.”

Local resident Lyda is a wife and mom of two children and two dogs. They have loved life in Reston for 10 years and counting.

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Lauren

In The Know explores the “hidden gems” of Reston—people, places and things known to few people—and shares their stories with Reston newcomers so that everyone is “in the know.”

IN THE KNOW! The Next Generation of Leaders

When my daughters were small, my husband videotaped them—from their first steps and first days of school to birthday parties, dance recitals, sports games and holiday celebrations; he captured it all, more than 100 hours of precious memories. However, as the girls grew older, we were challenged to watch their videos; the technology was nearly obsolete. My oldest daughter, Lauren, offered to digitize our tapes; 14 years old and a student at Hughes Middle School, she was eager to earn spending money. Word spread about her tape conversion project, so she launched The Digitizer (laurend03.wixsite.com/digitizer). Fast forward two years, she has a thriving business, spending money…and a savings account!

Lauren and other middle school, high school and college-age students are members of Generation Z, which is expected to be the most entrepreneurial generation ever. In survey results released

by Entrepreneur Magazine earlier this year, “41% of the high school students plan to become entrepreneurs, and almost half believe they’ll invent something that changes the world.” These students are digital natives; tech-savvy and social media smart, they will leverage technology to solve problems and use YouTube, Instagram and Twitter to promote their business.

Making money is often the primary motivator for start-up businesses; however, young entrepreneurs are also fueled by creativity and inspired by other business owners.

For example, Sofia, a rising 8th grader at Rachel Carson Middle School, started Made with Love (IG@skmadewithlove) with a friend who shared her dream to provide high-quality yet affordable handmade accessories, gifts and room décor. Their most popular item is succulents planted in unique containers like vintage tea cups. Her twin brother, Brogan, a rising 8th grader at Ideaventions Academy Sofia for Mathematics and Science, Reston, VA, witnessed her success and established Brogan Creates, building custom woodworking and 3D printed items. His hexagon shelves make great wall displays.

Brogan

If your child is like Lauren, Sofia and Brogan, and you want to support their interest in starting a business, consider signing them up for a local program such as the JA Company Program offered by Junior Achievement of Greater Washington in Fairfax or The Young Entrepreneur Business Fair. These programs provide education on business planning, budgeting, marketing, operations and sales as well as the opportunity to experience Shark Tank-like competitions and gain realworld practical experience critical for the next generation of successful business leaders.

Ashleigh Dorfman is a Reston mom of three daughters and enjoys exploring as well as writing about our community.

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By Taralyn Kohler

Motivating Youth thru Social Entrepreneurship Yuniverse Foundation (www.yuniversefoundation.org) is Reston’s newest youth empowerment social entrepreneurship spreading positivity and inspiration throughout the community. Their mission is to use creativity and connection to help youth develop their talents through music, camps, events and projects.

Three South Lakes High School students founded Yuniverse Foundation: Joseph Dagbe, David Gonzalez and Brian Adams. Joseph, also known as “ShowJoe,” believes that he can turn his local recognition as a musician to help pursue his goals and give back to the Reston community. David Gonzalez (aka UnoDavid), Yuniverse’s Chief Creative Officer, has over 25,000 Instagram followers and uses his online reach to inspire and help youth realize their creative potential. Brian Adams rounds out the leadership team with his business acumen, leadership, organization, and entrepreneurship skills. He is an impressive consensus builder and is passionate about bringing people together, especially in the Muslim community.

In August 2018, Joseph watched his two younger brothers participate in the “Superhero Splash and Dash” event sponsored by CORE Foundation (www.corefoundation.org) and was energized to create similar programs to motivate youth.

He approached Terry Redican, a 2018 Best of Reston winner, also known as Coach “T” to serve as the team’s mentor. CORE Foundation, a 501(c)3, was proud to fiscally sponsor the team’s plan for social good providing business tools and the administrative backbone and additional mentoring to support the entrepreneurship.

Yuniverse hit a home run with their kick-off event, “Endless Energy,” which brought together 300 middle and high schoolers for a basketball tournament and amateur music concert. The event featured twenty-four top local 7th-9thgrade basketball players who participated in a 1:1 competition and ten teen amateur musical artists including ShowJoe and UnoDavid. $2000.00 in donations from generous supporters was raised to cover event costs. Proceeds were used to

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send local kids in need to basketball camp this past summer. Many of the teens who participated in “Endless Energy” are in the free and reduced lunch program; Joseph Dagbe says that “Yuniverse Foundation offers kids hope and gives them something to look forward to.”

The Yuniverse team has qualified to earn the Gold President’s Volunteer Service Award for achieving over 1200 hours collectively of community service. They accomplished this while juggling basketball practice, school and many other activities in the after school hours. The Yuniverse team has also been nominated for the “2019 Creating a World of Their Own Inspired Youth Award” and fulfilled a significant role in producing “Reston Live” held at Lake Anne Plaza on Memorial Day weekend.

One of the group’s goals is to revitalize the outdoor basketball at the South Gate Community Center that will serve to keep kids out of trouble and allow them to be productive. By doing this, Yuniverse will also facilitate a location to host basketball clinics, entrepreneur workshops, and digital music courses. Yuniverse has “Fun Day” type events in the works which will take place in low-income neighborhoods in Reston. These events will feature food, fellowship, fun, and positivity for the youth in our community.

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“What we did this summer...”

By Beth Frook

The Lake House in Reston was home to lots of fun this summer! The last two weeks of June saw the building filled with music and children, exploring all things Reston—from plants and trees, to birds, fish, and bugs, as well as the amazing people who make Reston work—musicians, authors, artists, photographers, scientists, neighbors and more! Little Hands Music hosted two weeks of integrated arts camp, with themes that were completely Reston-centered—“Over in the Meadow, and Down by the Lake.” Children enjoyed arts-based experiences each day that explored the wildlife and nature right outside the Lake House windows on Lake Newport.

Marine biologist Emma and environmental scientist Alex talked with the children from a canoe on the lake!

Botanist Brian told everyone about the pollinator garden near the Lake House (Turtles were even seen laying their eggs in the mulch early one morning!)

Having accomplished and talented musicians as camp counselors meant the children also had lots of musical fun throughout the weeks!

Campers had visits from Reston authors and illustrators, Elise Stern (Toadie books), also Watt Hamlett and Jill Vinson (Reston A-Z), along with a Virginia “resident artist” visit from Susan Sherwin, who helped the kids make frog and woodpecker costumes from recycled materials!

Reston works because its people (children included!) are connected to and involved in their community!

SUMMER/FALL 2019 83

STARS in our Midst

Victor Lopez

Chloe Bryan

Sissy Sheridan

Since Reston’s beginning, performing arts have been a part of this community. Lopez Studios Performing Arts School (www.lopezstudiosinc.com), located in Isaac Newton Square, has been an integral part of Reston’s performing arts landscape for nearly 25 years. This preparatory academy—specializing in music, dance, and drama for youths of all ages—is a foundational experience for young performers. According to the founder, Victor Lopez, the studio is “dynamically evolving, based on the needs of the community.” One of the most significant changes has been expanding educational programs. In fall 2019, Lopez will launch The Lopez Acting-Masters Program (LAMP) for ages 13-18. This rigorous training program caters to those who are focused on non-musical theatre.

Many Lopez Studios graduates have Many Lopez Studios have gone on to gonegraduates on to professional theatre, professional theatre, including including the the big big lights lights of of Broadway!

Broadway!

One alumni, Chloe Bryan, who took vocal coaching lessons at the academy, joined the company of School of Rock on Broadway in 2016. “I felt that I learned a lot at Lopez and that I could also be my quirky, silly self…Mr. Lopez and the staff made me feel that my talent was special. Victor taught me how to ‘act the song’ and sing with a gospel tone.”

Reston resident and Lopez alumni, 15-year-old Sissy Sheridan, took private vocal lessons with Lopez. She was cast as Nickelodeon’s “DIY With Me” host in 2018 after having made her New York theatre debut in summer 2017 as Duffy in the Off-Broadway production of Annie Warbucks. Her equity debut in winter 2017 was the role of Pepper in Annie at Olney Theatre. Sissy was also the Grand Marshal for the 2018 Reston Holiday Parade. She performs in local theatre, is a member of the cast of “Chicken Girls,” a series on YouTube, and has co-starred in the Netflix show Maniac.

Brandon Diaz, an Ashburn native, studied voice and piano with Victor Lopez from 2008-2012. He participated in numerous camps as well as performing in Seussical Jr. while studying at Lopez Studios.

Brandon is a graduate of Briar Woods High School, Ashburn, VA and recently from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Brandon shot to fame last year as a top contestant on American Idol and in November 2018, Brandon released his debut single, “Groovin.”

Lopez shares that “our students go out to do theatre programs and they take their talent and give back to the community.”

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 85

Garrett & Liz …a Common Ground Tucked back at the top of Wainwright Drive you’ll find Reston’s first childcare center, Common Ground, located in St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. Established in the 1970s, Common Ground (www.commongroundchildcare.org) has survived the growth of the Reston area, even as corporaterun, for-profit childcare centers have moved in.

Garrett Wilhelm

In 2017, the parent led, volunteer board of directors determined that Common Ground could do more than survive. They began the search for new leadership that could make Common Ground more visible in the community that it has served for over 45 years.

Garrett Wilhelm grew up like most kids in Reston in the early 90s, playing outside with friends, exploring the Nature of Reston, and getting a summer job with the Reston Association as a Day Camp Counselor when he was 15. His summers were passionately filled with teaching and helping kids learn through fun and discovery, but in contrast, he felt bored and uninspired on his educational journey through the public high school system. At camp, Garrett met a pair of twins that stood out in regards to their academic and social-emotional intelligence. He talked with their parents to find out where they were going to school as he was fascinated by their competency. It turned out that Sunset Hills Montessori School in Reston was their alma mater!

Garrett inquired into a position at SHMS where he was hired and learned there that education could be more like what he did naturally at summer camp; exciting, inspired, and learner-driven.

At the same time, across the Reston National Golf Course, Liz Badley was leading a parallel Reston kid life. However, instead of camp, she was involved in aquatics in Reston. She swam for the RSTA Newbridge Dolphins Swim Team and became a lifeguard for the Reston Association at the age of 15. Through her involvement in swimming and lifeguarding, she developed a passion for coaching which led her to a career in swim and dive coaching for South Lakes High School and the Herndon Hammerheads. With many talents to include business development, money management, networking, process development, and operational management exercised over her career, Liz was a perfect choice to help Common Ground be successful.

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Liz Badley

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

Garrett worked in the Montessori field for many years. His role began as a teacher then led to Head of School and eventually to founding his own school with a partner in Reston, Berthold Academy. After two years, Garrett left Berthold to use his skills in the nonprofit space. This is how Garrett discovered Common Ground.

Using his talents and strengths in personalized curriculum design, business management and marketing, Garrett has revitalized the 47-year-old business to include increasing revenue from 1 million to a projected 3.5 million dollars this year. Along with his team, Garrett refocused the mission back to serving the underprivileged population while empowering the small community to give back to those in need in Reston. Under the “Common Ground Gives Back” initiative, Common Ground has donated thousands of dollars and even more priceless helping hands to programs across the Reston area.

As the center grew, Garrett began the process of building a team to support a now thriving entity. His first choice was Liz Badley as Operations Manager to help modernize the back-end of Common Ground’s operations.

Garrett recognized that Liz’s extensive background and history as a child of Reston would serve the team well in connecting the center with Reston residents and to help meet their needs.

Together, Liz and Garrett began the growth process first in fixing any financial issues Common Ground had, then after many “sorry we are full” messages to families, searching for a second location to reach and serve a broader community.

A location was secured after a local daycare moved out of the area.

Common Ground leased the space in January 2019, and the new site, Common Ground Wiehle Metro opened in April for infants and toddlers. Recently, Common Ground opened their two-year-old room with plans to open their 3,4,5 and Kindergarten year classrooms in September 2019.

Common Ground now operates two schools in Reston, before and after school programs, an outreach program to help other nonprofits in the area, promotes early literacy globally via their “Common Ground Story Time” events on Facebook Live each Monday evening, and develops programs to serve its local underprivileged community.

This success story of two kids that grew up in Reston, built careers here and who are now serving the same community they grew up in almost 40 years later is an inspiring example of Reston’s motto, ‘Live, Work, Play.’

SUMMER/FALL 2019 87

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SUMMER/FALL 2019 89 SEASON 2019 XX

to Reston!

OUTDOOR RECREATION

Greater Reston Arts Center 12001 Market Street, Reston 703-471-9242 www.restonarts.org

BOATS/WATERCRAFTS

Public Art Reston

703-880-1177 www.publicartreston.org

Residents may fish from RA-owned property, which includes the dams on each lake. Anglers 16 years and older must have a Virginia fishing license. www.reston.org

Reston Association

GOLF

Reston Community Center

Hidden Creek Country Club www.hiddencreekcc.com

Visit www.reston.org for permit information

FISHING

12001 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston 703-435-6530 www.reston.org

Reston National Golf Course www.restonnationalgc.com

Hunters Woods 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 703-476-4500

LAKES

Four man-made lakes (Lake Anne, Lake Thoreau, Lake Audubon and Lake Newport) cover 125 acres. Swimming and ice skating are not permitted. Fishing, boating, wildlife watching and lakeside picnicking are available to RA members and their guests.

Lake Anne location 1609A Washington Plaza, Reston, VA 703-476-4500 www.restoncommunitycenter.com

Reston District Police Station

POOLS

1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston Non-Emergency Phone Number – 703-691-2131 Emergency – 911 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/district/reston

15 pools—Amenities include a 20 foot slide, 50 meter pool, interactive play fountains, diving boards, designated lap swimming lanes, heated spa pools and spacious decks. Two heated pools offer an extended season.

TENNIS

Fire & Rescue Non-Emergency

52 Tennis Courts—8 clay courts, 44 hard courts

Reston Hospital Center

26 lighted courts; 6—smaller sized children’s QuickStart courts; 3 practice walls; Hard courts open year round / Clay courts open April–October

703-691-2131 Emergency – 911

1850 Town Center Parkway, Reston, VA 703-689-9000 www.restonhospital.com

Reston Post Office—Main

11110 Sunset Hills Road, Reston 703-689-9874 www.usps.com

Lake Anne Contract Postal Unit

11426 Washington Plaza West (inside Chesapeake Chocolates) 703-620-0082

Reston Regional Library

11925 Bowman Towne Drive 703-689-2700 www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library

DOG LICENSES

Walker Nature Center

ANIMAL CONTROL/SHELTER

11450 Glade Drive, Reston 703-476-9689 www.reston.org 90

Dogs four months of age or older must be licensed. Dog license tags are $10 / Free of charge for service dogs. https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov//taxes/dog-license-information 4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 703-830-1100

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUES & CLUBS

EDUCATION

Great Falls Youth Rugby www.greatfallsrugby.com

Aldrin Elementary School 11375 Center Harbor Road, Reston https://aldrines.fcps.edu 703-904-3800

Herndon Reston Softball www.hrysfastpitch.com Herndon Reston Youth Field Hockey www.herndonrestonyouthfieldhockey.leag1.com Herndon Reston Youth Lacrosse www.hrylax.org Reston Herndon Little League www.Rhbaseball.org Reston Raiders Hockey Club www.restonraiders.com

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Armstrong Elementary School 11900 Lake Newport Road, Reston https://armstronges.fcps.edu/ 703-375-4800 Dogwood Elementary School 12300 Glade Road, Reston https://dogwoodes.fcps.edu 703- 262-3100 Forest Edge Elementary School 1501 Becontree Lane, Reston http://www2.fcps.edu/ForestEdgeES/ 703-925-8000

Reston Soccer www.restonsoccer.com Reston Swim Team Association www.rsta.org

Hunters Woods Elementary School 2401 Colts Neck Road, Reston https://hunterswoodses.fcps.edu/ 703-262-7400

Reston Youth Association www.restonseahawks.org

Lake Anne Elementary School 11510 North Shore Drive, Reston https://lakeannees.fcps.edu/ 703-326-3500

Reston Youth Basketball www.restonyouthbasketball.com Reston Youth Club www.restonyouthclub.org

Sunrise Valley Elementary School 10824 Cross School Road, Reston https://sunrisevalleyes.fcps.edu 703-715-3800 Terraset Elementary School 11411 Ridge Heights Road, Reston www2.fcps.edu/TerrasetES 703-390-5600

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

UTILITIES SETUP Dominion Virginia

(888) 667-3000

Washington Gas

(800) 752-7520

Comcast

(800) 266-2278 or (888) 266-2278

Herndon Middle School 901 Locust Street, Herndon https://herndonms.fcps.edu 703-904-4800 Hughes Middle School 11401 Ridge Heights Road, Reston https://hughesms.fcps.edu 703-715-3600

Verizon

(800) 837-4966

Cox Communications

(703) 378-8422

HIGH SCHOOLS

Fairfax Water

(703) 698-5800

South Lakes High School 11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston https://southlakeshs.fcps.edu/ 703-715-4500

This information was current at time of printing. Please contact us to edit or add your information. We appreciate your assistance in ensuring that Around Reston includes correct information for all organizations that serve our community. info@aroundreston.com

Herndon High School 700 Bennett Street, Herndon https://herndonhs.fcps.edu 703-810-2200

SUMMER/FALL 2019 91

METRO CONSTRUCTION UPDATE Submitted by Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

When Phase 2 of the Silver Line opens, Reston residents will be served by three stations: the Phase One Wiehle-Reston, the Reston Town Center Station and Herndon Station.

The Herndon Station is being constructed by Capital Rail Constructors, a joint venture of Clark Construction LLC and Kiewit Infrastructure South Co., as part of the Silver Line extension to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County.

The station includes: • • • •

Bus drop-off and pick-up (south side) Kiss & Ride (existing) 5 lockers (south) Bike racks (north side and garage) Combined new and existing parking garage will house approximately 3,700 cars.

BELOW: At the Herndon Metrorail Station south pavilion, commuters will notice the curved, silver roof covering the connection from the pavilion to the existing Herndon-Monroe Parking Garage.

THERE ARE MANY PLANNED NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND HERE IS A LOOK AT TWO OF THEM. Woodland Park East Development: • Bordered by Dulles Toll Road and Monroe Street.

• Developed by Tishman Speyer.

1/2 mile from the Herndon Metrorail Station.

• 1.6 million square feet of office and residential on 3.15 acres.

• Includes public parks, open spaces and two office towers.

555 Herndon Parkway Development: • Located at 555 Herndon Parkway.

Developed by Penzance.

• 300 feet from the Herndon Metrorail Station.

• 325,000 square feet of office space, two residential towers and ground-floor retail on 4.3 acres.

• Includes plans for publicly accessible plaza and multi-modal streetscapes.

Where to park at Herndon Station: Parking garage at this station will be operated

by Fairfax County Government.

An existing structure includes: • Covered parking garage • Kiss & ride • Slug lot • Access to Fairfax Connector bus route • This garage contains around 1,750 free parking spaces and is currently closed for maintenance. A new garage has recently been completed by Fairfax County and is now open.

In the coming months, check Around Reston Magazine and www.dullesmetro.com for close-ups of other Phase 2 stations.

92

AROUND RESTON MAGAZINE

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