Leesburg, VA August 2020

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

AUGUST 2020

THE KIDS + PETS ISSUE

Grateful recipients of a 2020 Best of Loudoun award

WINNER

We wa nt to t a ke a m o m ent to say Tha nk Yo u to o u r wo n d er f u l clie nt s, f ri en d s , a n d co m m u ni ty fo r n a min g u s a s o n e o f t h e B es t o f Lo u d o un’s H o m e B u i l d ers . We a re s o g rate ful fo r t hi s h o n o r !

(540) 338-8242 matthewbowedesignbuild.com 610 East Main Street Purcellville, Virginia 20132

LIFESTYLE LETTER

AUGUST 2020 PUBLISHER

Hann Livingston | hann.livingston@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Kids and Pets, HOORAY! I GREW UP WITH PETS...OF ALL VARIETIES: DOGS, HAMSTERS, HERMIT CRABS,

Melinda Gipson | melinda.gipson@lifestylepubs.com AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe LAYOUT DESIGNER

Kelsey Proctor

FISH, HORSES FOR A TIME. As a small child, my running mate was a Dachshund named Strudel, who was famous for chasing off a German Shepherd that got too close to my stroller at a Fourth of July Parade. We got into a lot of trouble together, playing tug of war with blankets and tracking mud through the house after rampaging through the backyard.

At that age, pets are loyal friends and because of their size, often the most relatable living beings around us. They teach us responsibility and non-judgmental companionship. They teach us about death and the fragility of life. As I've grown older and had many more pets, I've learned to appreciate how much we can learn from them and how much our children can learn from both having pets and watching them interact with the world.

Pets are also our first glimpses at parenthood: dependency requires guidance, A LOT of patience and the ability to look beyond our own needs to put someone else first. I would not have been nearly as prepared for children absent my experiences with animals. I'm continually reminded by both my children and pets that we all have very little control of anything, and all we can do is educate, model what is right and good, and hope it all sinks in. The innocence and open-mindedness of our pets and children are constant reminders to live in the present and go at life with a growth mindset. If we don't, we will be left with cynicism and solipsism that does nothing for this world or our own happiness.

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen

We dive into this year's Kids + Pets Issue having spent more time indoors with our families than any time in our lives due to the quarantine. Many adults have learned to work

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

with a lot more activity around them. Pets have dealt with more attention and little alone time. And our children have had to cope with the prying eyes of parents without any social breaks. We have also seen protests and events that require reflection and give us, as parents, wonderful teaching moments that ultimately will make this world a better place for everyone. As adults, if we can learn to love without boundaries or prejudice, just like innocent children who depend on us, we might just get there.

We hope you find some joy, learn something and appreciate the kids and pets in your life just a little more after reading this issue.

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEVADA | NEW JERSEY | NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

ON THE COVER Kids and their pets enjoy the summer at EatLoco Farmers Markets, part of the LoudounGo network.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX PONCE DE LEON 6

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Hann Livingston, Publisher 514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

Proverbs 3:5-6 Leesburg Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Leesburg areas’ most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Leesburg Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

STATEMENT COLLECTION

Annapolis, MD: 410.267.7110 | Baltimore, MD: 410.789.8000 | Easton, MD: 410.819.8900 | Gaithersburg, MD: 240.650.6000 Mechanicsville, MD: 301.274.2570 | Takoma Park, MD: 301.608.2600 | Chantilly, VA: 703.263.2300 | York, PA: 717.845.6500 ADU.COM

INSIDE THE ISSUE AUGUST 2020

FEATURES 12 Engaging Minds, Inspiring Change How the Loudoun School for Advanced Studies Prepares Students To Impact the Future

18 Learning to Love Through the Tears A Community Struggles to Heal Following the Death of a Pastor's Son

24 Canines-N-Kids Curing Cancer at BOTH Ends of the Leash

24 18

42 College Bound in a COVID Crisis?

Hannah has the Answers

42

12

DEPARTMENTS 6

Lifestyle Letter

10

Good Times

12

Inspired By

18

Healthy Lifestyle

24 Giving Back 32 Tech Savvy 36 Travel Destination 42 Trend Setter 46 Parting Thoughts

GOOD TIMES

Dancing Under the Stars at Oatlands Throughout the summer look for "Dancing Under the Stars" at Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, courtesy of Dance King Studios (703-44-DANCE). Couples are spaced 15 feet apart and the dance instructor, Adam King, is easily visible from a higher terraced area in the lush gardens. Beginners welcome.

Behind the Zoom Improv at Stagecoach Theatre Stagecoach Theatre is closed during the COVID health emergency, but the show must go on! The theatre's improv troupe, the StageCoach Bandits, continues to put on a free Zoom-accessible performance on the third Friday of the month. Just like “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, Bandits perform short-form improv using audience suggestions. You must sign up to attend. See stagecoachtc.com/stagecoach-bandits.

10

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

703-793-8307

LEESBURG LOCATION NOW OPEN! 213 Crescent Station Terrace SE, Leesburg, VA 20175 2465-J21 Centreville RD, Herndon, VA 20171

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INSPIRED BY ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY DAN CHUNG

Engaging Minds, Inspiring Change HOW THE LOUDOUN SCHOOL FOR ADVANCED STUDIES PREPARES STUDENTS TO IMPACT THE FUTURE

Loudoun School Common Area 12

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Loudoun School's Common Area for Change Agents

THE LOUDOUN SCHOOL FOR ADVANCED STUDIES,

Fundamentally, he asserts, “If you give teachers auton-

OVERLOOKING THE HISTORIC ASHBURN COLORED

omy; if you give students great content in a healthy culture,

SCHOOL ON ITS PROPERTY THAT IT PARTNERED

and you connect what students are learning to the rest of

WITH THE COMMUNITY TO RESTORE, PRESENTS

the world, you should see amazing things happen. That’s

A STARK CONTRAST IN THE ARC THAT LEARNING

what we’ve seen through our graduates.”

HAS TAKEN SINCE 1958. The foundation of the Loudoun

It’s clearly something he and his fellow educators and

School, for one, is social justice, and the belief that educa-

Head of School, Sylvia Israel, do for the love of learning

tion is the answer if you want to build a better world.

and their students. National Association of Independent

If that concept sounds familiar, credit Deep Sran, a

Schools statistics show that its median member earns

brilliant, 48-year-old educator and tech entrepreneur, who

just $200 per year per student, meaning that most

decided to build such a school in law school after reading Plato’s “The Republic.” What does justice mean and how can it be realized in human society? That all begins in the classroom, says Deep, and he should know.

Beyond his law degree and career as a corporate lawyer, Deep sought a PhD in human development studying cognitive science. His path wound through a DC charter school, then back to the idea of constructing an ideal school as a kind of laboratory for best practices in edu-

“If you give teachers autonomy; if you give students great content in a healthy culture, and you connect what students are learning to the rest of the world, you should see amazing things happen.”

cation. Along the way, he designed and patented a platform called Actively Learn that helps students not only stay up to speed with their classmates with interruptions

aren’t profitable, a fact evidenced locally by the recent

like COVID, but helps them scaffold that experience with

closure of Middleburg Academy. While the Loudoun

teacher feedback and peer collaboration. Purchased by

School isn’t cheap, its nearly 1-to-3 teacher-to-student

Achieve 3000 in 2018, it has been adopted by some of the

ratio, and 16,000 sq. ft. of leading-edge classroom space

largest school districts in the country to provide continuity

(equipped with 12 HVAC systems and their UV-C sanita-

in the patchwork of in-school and online hybrid learning

tion units performing a complete air exchange 12 times

models being adopted during the pandemic.

an hour) aren’t cheap either.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

13

INSPIRED BY (CONTINUED)

Kids Learning Together

Making Learning Fun

Sylvia and Deep, Hosts

14

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

“A line that has always resonated with me is this: ‘Strong people don’t need strong leaders.’ So my goal has always been to equip students to be independent thinkers.”

“Our goal is to have the safest, cleanest environ-

All that is bred of an intense desire to engage and

ment possible,” says Sylvia. Every teacher and student

delight students by taking what they love, or excel at,

will be required to wear a mask, and each classroom

and “moving the carrot out further” as Sylvia likes to

has its own fully equipped Zoom station so that either

say. “Our school offers each child the opportunity to

students or their teachers can attend any class in the

pursue their interests at an advanced level in a way

curriculum remotely. “It’s the most exciting thing about

that challenges even the most academically talented.”

this year for us, aside from our curriculum being very

For Deep, the real impact of the school won’t be

social justice-oriented in our humanities classes, both

felt until they’ve had a chance to see what their first

English and History,” she adds. “We are committed to

class from 2008 has done by the time they’re forty.

having the hard conversations take place in the class-

By the reunion of 2032 he wants to shake the hand

room because change for the better begins here.”

of a newspaper publisher, a governor of Virginia, and

That made the NAACP’s choice in mid-June to culminate its march for justice with a discussion on the

founders of impactful non-profits, along with successful businessmen and women and entrepreneurs.

school’s front lawn extremely satisfying for Deep, who

Says Deep, “I hope and I think that our students

always envisioned the school as becoming a commu-

leave with an understanding of their responsibility as

nity focal point for societal discourse.

citizens to be part of the solution. We hope that we

“We have a tagline: ‘Do Great Things,’” Deep

equip them to be part of the solution.”

explained. “The transition from school and learning to

Daily, in-person classes for some 60 students in

action is an indirect one, and it’s often a longer term

grades 6 through 12 begin August 27, and, because of

transition. A line that has always resonated with me is

social distancing protocols, the school has a limited

this: ‘Strong people don’t need strong leaders.’ So my

total capacity of around 80. That can grow to 120 once

goal has always been to equip students to be indepen-

the crisis clears. If you’d like to explore whether it’s the

dent thinkers. I feel like students who leave our school

right kind of environment for your child to thrive, we

are able to think for themselves, are able to research

recommend attending a virtual open house which

and learn and do so with the goal of doing something.”

Sylvia conducts with faculty and parents every Monday

It’s clear that the myriad high degrees of teachers

(loudounschool.org/open-house). Whether or not

at the school, combined with their practical, real-

you are “school aged,” we’d also point you to this year’s

world experience is the initial draw for parents seek-

social justice curriculum, and encourage you to forge

ing a truly exceptional, personalized learning expe-

the kind of Socratic conversation circles that help the

rience for their children. They learn physics from a

material sink in for the students at the Loudoun School

professor from CalTech with experience in the space

for Advanced Studies. See: loudounschool.org/justice.

program, calculus from an actuary, and chemistry

Finally, if you’d like a local history of the land and

and financial algebra from a former chemical engi-

surrounding society that built the Ashburn Colored

neer who worked at Dupont and went to Wharton

School, the profitable black businessman who

(he also introduces students to the world of analyz-

donated the property in the 1880s, how the building

ing and trading stocks). One student who went on

was restored, details about the Lola Jackson scholar-

to Virginia Tech in computer science and later the

ship named for the teacher who for decades taught all

Colorado School of Mines actually taught a class in

grades in the one-room schoolhouse, or even about

game design as part of his independent study.

adventures in running for Congress, just ask Deep.

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

15

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PASTOR MICHELLE THOMPSON WAS FOND OF SAYING THAT HER SON, FITZ ALEXANDER CAMPBELL THOMAS, BORN PREMATURELY FEET FIRST, CAME INTO THE WORLD DANCING. Though a strong swimmer too, on the evening of June 4 as he and some friends were crossing Goose Creek near Confluence Park, the

Learning to Love Through the Tears

16-year-old, remarkably fit teen inexplicably disappeared beneath the water and drowned.

Friends who frantically and repeatedly called 911 waited a half an hour for help to arrive. When it did, it did no good. At a Black Lives Matter rally in mid-June, organized by the Loudoun NAACP, which she heads, Michelle related her perception of events this way: “When I spoke to you last I was filled with hope and confidence.

And yet, I’m convinced that there is something broken in our system.

A COMMUNITY STRUGGLES TO HEAL FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A PASTOR'S SON

NAACP March June 13

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY MELINDA GIPSON

18

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Coming Together in Loss

“I’M NOT MARCHING FOR A SEAT AT THE TABLE. I CAME TO WORK THE TABLE!”

There are some systems that are broken. One system in particular that

In response to other news reports, Michelle told her Facebook

was broken was 911, the number that was called for my son last week

followers that she doesn’t blame racism for the failure of Loudoun’s

as he drowned in Goose Creek. They routed the call to Maryland

emergency response team to save Fitz, but maintains that all “sys-

which meant my son had no help for 30 minutes.” When they arrived,

tems” from the economic to political have to do with equity and are in

“They had tools they had a truck they had a lifeboat, they had trained

sore need of accountability. “I’m not marching for a seat at the table.

professionals but no help for my black son,” allegedly because the

I came to work the table!”

drowning had occurred on the Virginia side of the river. For back-

At Fitz’s funeral on June 13th, his friend and teammate Christian

ground, Loudoun received the initial call and seemed to have been

Yohannes said, “It’s our turn to follow his example and to normalize

unclear where the accident occurred. The county has since changed

unapologetic happiness and love,”

its policy to respond to any nearby water emergencies.

Three more exercises in healing:

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

19

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE (CONTINUED)

01.

LET'S FITZ IT! “Just Fitz it” was Virginia State Sen. John Bell’s suggestion for how Fitz’s friends should honor his memory. By that he meant, if the church is having a coat drive, go out and get 100 coats. If the food banks’ shelves are bare, ask your classmates to raid their pantries. ”The only way to cure darkness is light.”

02.

COME WITH AN OPEN HEART

Explore change with an open heart, or like the shirt says, “Teach me how to love.”

Read at least one book on Loudoun School for Advanced Studies’ Social Justice reading list this summer. Regardless of your race, join the NAACP and listen.

03.

20

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

ENGAGE IN OUR DEMOCRACY Like the Pastor says, “Vote as if your life depended on it.”

Change for the better depends on equality for all.

When it comes to selling and buying your next home, I would suggest these words—“Listen to Pam and Dave!”

Pam, Dave, and Shirley are the best I have ever worked with. I have moved about 20 times throughout my career, and this is the first time I have ever had the attention and knowledge of the market that this team has.

Thanks for all the hard work, advice, and representation during the sale of our home and help finding a new place!

—Gail and Don, Former River Creek Owners

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Cell: (703) 587-7440 Office: (703) 724-9494

22

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Dave Jones, GRI Cell: (703) 587-7550 www.ETSellsFineHomes.com

Now more than ever, personalized advice matters Congratulations to Jeffrey W. Eveland for being named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” lists in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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Source: The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list, January 16, 2020. Data provided by SHOOK™ Research, LLC. Data as of June 30, 2019. The Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings to evaluate each advisor qualitatively, a major component of a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Rankings and recognition from Forbes are no guarantee of future investment success and do not ensure that a current or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance results, and such rankings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receives compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. Forbes is a trademark of Forbes Media LLC. All rights reserved. For more information: www.SHOOKresearch.com.

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MAP3047724 | AD-05-20-0510 | 472538PM-0420 | 05/2020

GIVING BACK

Canines-N-Kids:

Ulrike Szalay and Pancho

CURING CANCER AT BOTH ENDS OF THE LEASH ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY CELESTE LINTHICUM

24

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Cuddly Ambassador

THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT YOU DON’T

While childhood cancer is 30 times more

HAVE TO TRY HARD TO “LOCALIZE”

frequent than cancer in adults, around six

A STORY ABOUT KIDS AND CANCER.

million dogs get it each year. Half of all dogs

While their population is only around 16,000

over the age of 10 get it. The real surprise is

nationwide, the fundamental unfairness of a

that childhood and canine cancers are quite

child with such a debilitating disease digs an

similar – much more similar than cancers

oversized hole in your heart, and chances

between kids and adults. More importantly,

are there’s one right around the corner.

finding a cure for canine cancer, which

Connor Long, in Leesburg, was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer (anaplastic

offers many more testing candidates, may just lead to cures for cancers in children.

astrocytoma) two years ago at the age of

One area foundation working to do just

20 months. He’s now three and, following

that and “Crush Cancer at BOTH ends of the

surgery which removed 85 percent of the

Leash,” is the Canines-N-Kids Foundation,

tumor, the disease is no longer growing.

led by executive director, Ulrike Szalay.

While he was in chemotherapy, the

Ulrike has a career that spans work in both

Long’s neighbors, Jeannie and Carl Schnur,

biotech and Harvard public health policy,

learned that their son Jackson’s service dog

later working with start-up drug compa-

Janey had a rare Apocrine ductular carci-

nies. Because she started putting pediatric

noma. Her tumors were surgically removed

oncology doctors and veterinary cancer

then treated with chemo at The Life Center

specialists together in 2016, Ulrike says, “I’d

in Leesburg. Jackson is a a 10-year-old

like to say some of the current awareness

with a rare seizure disorder, Lennox-

of the relationships between canine and

Gastaut Syndrome. Janey and Jackson are

childhood cancer comes from our work.”

inseparable and Janey was trained by 4

Because funding follows awareness, her

Paws for Ability in Xenia, Ohio for seizure

work has just begun.

alerting, seizure detection, behavior disrup-

She’s raised $900,000, but fundraising

tion, search and rescue, and socialization.

was an after-effect of her tireless network-

To say that Janey is a crucial family member

ing. “We were built to raise awareness of

is putting it mildly.

this exciting area of science and medicine

So, how common is it that a small

– comparative cancer research – specifically

neighborhood like Tavistock might have

where it comes to kids and dogs and the

a kid AND a dog on the same block who

cancers they share – and secondarily to do

come down with cancer within months of

some meaningful funding of research that

each other? Not as rare as you might think.

can really move the needle.”

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

25

GIVING BACK (CONTINUED)

One of the early fans of the foundation was Dr. John Rossmeisl with Virginia Tech’s new

Comparative

Oncology

Research

Center (CORC), which had been scheduled to begin seeing patients this spring. CORC will be housed in the Virginia Tech Carilion (VTC) Biomedical Research Addition, a new building currently under construction on

“WE’RE STILL NEW TO THIS SO WE DON’T KNOW A WHOLE LOT, BUT OUR HEARTS ARE IN IT. IF WE COULD BRING THOSE TWO CANCER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, THEY COULD BE A BRIDGE AND NOT HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.”

the VTC Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke.

Besides treating all types of veterinary cancer, it will offer dog and cat owners the opportunity for their pets to participate in research and enroll in clinical trials. A $3.28 million investment in a linear accelerator will allow the clinic to house the region’s only radiation oncology service for pets.

Among its many impactful contributions, Canines-N-Kids launched a symposium called Paws for a Cure (pawsforacuresymposium.com) in 2017. The first two meetings at Merck Research Lab in Rahway, Massachusetts, brought together leading researchers and doctors in comparative cancer research as well as independent pediatric and veterinary circles, foundations, pharmaceutical

companies

and

behe-

moths in the pet health industry like PetCo Foundation and Blue Buffalo Foundation to help pay the bills.

As a consequence of COVID, this year the symposium will be held September 29-30, in two half-day, online sessions that will be free and open to anyone who registers. Dr. Peter C. Adamson, former head of the children’s oncology group under the National Cancer Institute and now global head of oncology development and pediatric innovation at Sanofi Inc., will keynote.

As you come to know Ulrike, you’ll discover that, it isn’t just about data. Ulrike ironically lost her own dog – a longtime service dog who visited special needs students in the Loudoun Public School System – to cancer after her work on Canines-N-Kids began, and unabashedly speaks of cancer in kids and pets with the same passion.

“Who doesn’t love kids and dogs and get that we need to make more progress: We see these patients and our heart goes 26

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Special Friends

Families United in a Cause

'Barke Sale' and Hearts-N-Tails Boxes Spread the Word

Connor Playing

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg

27

GIVING BACK (CONTINUED)

Janey and Pancho

through the floor for them. It’s so unfair that these two populations that just want to get back outside and play have to deal with such toxic therapies. At the heart of this entire organization is love.”

She’s published a book called We’ll Get Through This Together about a boy and his therapy dog who helps him through his treatment with cancer. Boxed with a fuzzy stuffed Labrador toy named Brave and a red cap with a stitched Brave logo, the package can be sent to children for just $30 as part of Canines-N-Kids Foundation’s HeartsN-Tails Program. The program, which started at Boston Children’s Hospital, has found its way into nine others.

Boston Children’s Hospital has long had a therapy dog program, and their ambassador is a black Lab named Dexter.

There’s also a box for kids who want to raise money for the foundation by hosting a “Barke Sale” (caninesnkids.org/ how-you-can-help/host-a-barke-sale), which is a great way kids can keep busy and do good this summer. It comes with cookie cutters and recipes for cookies for both dogs and humans, a step-by-step guide, plus postcards and signage -- even a social media tip sheet.

Says Jeannie, “We’re still new to this so we don’t know a whole lot, but our hearts are in it. If we could bring those two cancer communities together, they could be a bridge and not have to reinvent the wheel.” Whatever cures it faster for the people and animals we love, we’re all for that.

28

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

Even Ambassadors Need a Good Scratch

When it comes to selling and buying your next home, I would suggest these words—“Listen to Pam and Dave!”

Pam, Dave, and Shirley are the best I have ever worked with. I have moved about 20 times throughout my career, and this is the first time I have ever had the attention and knowledge of the market that this team has.

Thanks for all the hard work, advice, and representation during the sale of our home and help finding a new place!

—Gail and Don, Former River Creek Owners

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Cell: (703) 587-7440 Office: (703) 724-9494

Dave Jones, GRI Cell: (703) 587-7550 www.ETSellsFineHomes.com

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Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

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TECH SAVVY The Coder School in Ashburn

CRACKING THE CODE ON A 21ST CENTURY 'SUPERPOWER'

T H E CO D E R S C H O O L IN ASHBURN ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY MELINDA GIPSON, ELLEN HAMEL

TWO COLLEGE BUDDIES, HANSEL LYNN AND

of career choices. As a woman in STEM, Ellen also rec-

WAYNE TENG, FORMED THE CODER SCHOOL IN 2014

ognizes the importance of empowering a younger gener-

FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN COMPUTER

ation of women coders. One of Ellen’s first hires for the

SCIENCE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE “CODING IS OUR

CoderSchool-Ashburn was a brilliant, capable, and enthu-

FUTURE AND ALL KIDS SHOULD LEARN TO CODE.”

siastic code coach named Sanjitha Prabakaran.

Key to the success of the fast-growing franchise, includ-

Sanjitha didn’t need much in the way of training, having

ing the one we’re lucky enough to have in Ashburn, are

started learning block-based coding from her older sister

the ongoing relationships students forge with experienced

in sixth grade. From there, she took HTML and JavaScript

Code Coaches®. These coaches help students learn cod-

classes at the library before taking Java for two years and

ing principles at their own speed in small classes of up to

computer science for one year at her magnet school.

six students aged 7-18, or in 1:1 or 2:1 coding lessons.

“Ellen gives us a lot of creative control on how we instruct

Like the founders, the owner of the Ashburn school, Ellen Hamel, is an accomplished STEM professional and

32

students, whether we build projects for them or let them freestyle and pick up some concepts,” Sanjitha said.

a Loudoun parent who believes learning to code can help

That flexibility manifests itself in the creativity and

children think logically and that it can open up a myriad

enthusiasm she brings to every coaching session.

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

“I love working here; I just love it. The center is a beautiful space. We have great technology. Students come and they

A young student at CoderFest looks at coding as a superpower.

feel welcome. There’s never a time I don’t enjoy coming in.”

As for coding, “I love to create something new and also to see it be applied in so many different ways. The powerful thing about computer science is that it can truly apply to any field. That’s why I love teaching it to other kids. Not only can it apply to anything, it’s also going to be a part of our lives more and more every single day. I love knowing how to code. I tell people it’s my superpower!”

Some students arrive at The Coder School with a basic knowledge of Scratch, a block-based animation programming language that is starting to find its way into elementary schools. “They come in with a little bit of understanding of how to put boxes together and make the character on the screen do something. Then we come in to teach them more of the fundamentals like conditional statements and loops – how things actually work together.”

Speaking like a seasoned instructor, Sanjitha said, that because Scratch is text-based, it helps students move on to more advanced programming languages like Python or Java, “It gives them a better overall understanding of the process.”

Ellen also believes in “giving back” and forged a partnership with INMED Partnerships for Children which has afterschool programs for underprivileged kids, putting Sanjitha in charge of the program. Says Sanjitha, “Their students don’t get as many opportunities as other kids who live in our area.

I’m truly helping people because coding is such a part of having a necessary 21st Century skill.”

Sanjitha Prabakaran

“I LOVE KNOWING HOW TO CODE. I TELL PEOPLE IT’S MY SUPERPOWER!”

CityLifestyle.com/Leesburg 33

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dauntless on the bay A NEAR-BY, LUXURY SAILING ADVENTURE THAT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY TRAVEL BLOGGERS

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Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

View from the Cabin

IN MARCH YOU BEMOANED THOSE CRAZY COEDS WHO SWARMED THE BEACHES ON SPRING BREAK WITHOUT MASKS. By May you cancelled the beach house because you had no clue what the COVID situation might be by summer. And by mid-July you’d give your right arm for a stretch of sand and surf.

Enter “Dauntless on the Bay.” Imagine instead of a crowded beach, three days and nights of privacy on the open water aboard a meticulously appointed, 52-foot luxury blue-water sailing yacht built by French masters to the exacting specifications of its owner-operators. Judy and Jim Brown will not only share their “Dauntless” home with you, but also their love of sailing and adventure. Together, they’ll customize a luxurious get-away with whatever you enjoy most about the Chesapeake Bay this summer and the Virgin Islands this winter.

The former professional landscape architects share a mastery of detail and expertise in creating environments where people can be both relaxed and creative, and 30 years of sailing. Add to that the fact that Judy is also an accomplished personal chef, and you can see how three Dauntless days can blow your COVID cares to the four winds.

“We send out preference sheets to give you options on the types of food and activities you like,” says Judy. Though they don’t have a liquor license, guests can bring their own beverages and Judy is an accomplished mixologist.

Potential ports of call include Queenstown, St. Michaels, Tilhman Island or Solomons Island, depending on how long you’d like to sail each day.

“Once the sails fill with air and Dauntless slips Captain Jim and Judy Brown

through the water, I ask our guests to ‘just breathe,’’ says Captain Jim.

CONTINUED >

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TRAVEL DESTINATION (CONTINUED) Queen-Sized Master Cabin

dauntless details The yacht’s cockpit offers spacious room to relax and plenty of either sunbathing deck space or full shade cover. Below deck is the master stateroom with a queen walk-around bed and en-suite head, two aft queens and one mid-ship set of bunk beds.

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A dingy serves as a water taxi so you can head for land to shop or stroll, or pull out paddle boards or floaties to play on Dauntless’ expansive swim deck off the stern makes it easy to get on and off the boat and serves as a bathing platform with an outdoor shower.

Bay charter dates run through September; the Dauntless is chartered in the Virgin Islands beginning in December. Captain Brown’s credentials include a USCG 50-ton Masters License.

Pricing for up to six guests for three nights ranges from $3,000 to $4,200. Included are overnight accommodations, a personal, gourmet menu onboard (three breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners).

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Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

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TREND SETTER ARTICLE KAITIE STINE

EVEN WITHOUT HAVING TO NEGOTIATE A PANDEMIC, CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLLEGE CAN BE THE HARDEST DECISION YOU’LL EVER MAKE. Hannah Serota, founder and CEO of Creative College Connections, not only gets that, she is exactly the kind of guide you need to help you make the choice that’s right for you.

How can we be so sure? Because Hannah and her team have not only personally visited and vetted hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide, but they work closely with students to discern exactly the right experience that they’re looking for from their college career. Oh, and one more thing – she and her family suffered through COVID-19 together this spring. So, for her, the coronavirus issues that might otherwise complicate your decision – considerations like what administrators have done to make their campuses safe while fostering a sense of community – are deeply personal.

“We may well see graduates opt to stay closer to home this fall, to give universities the time they need to construct hybrid virtual and in-person learning experiences that will best serve their student bodies,” Hannah said. Of course, that’s not necessarily the kind of on-campus experience students from our area have been imagining since middle school.

To find out whether their “dream” school really meets their expectations, Hannah usually advises rising juniors to spend spring break visiting colleges in person, interviewing college professors in their preferred majors, checking out the dorms, sports and other features of campus life. “This year that was all cut short, so the question for us became, ‘how do you get solid information about colleges and in order to decide where to apply?’”

The answer for many students involves taking a “virtual tour” on the college’s website. Hannah says that she does encourage students to

College Bound in a COVID Crisis?

HANNAH HAS THE ANSWERS

42

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

do virtual tours; “there is no such thing as an ugly website.” Getting the real scoop takes a bit more digging and accessing third-party sources.

Hannah’s solution, the “NonVisit College Visit,” is a bit more proactive. With the group’s deep knowledge about colleges and their curriculums – each of the team having worked in college admission offices – they brought a variety of compelling institutions to the students through video interviews they did personally.

Last spring, they interviewed 22 colleges in 17 states and made each one an event! Many of these sessions are accessible through creativecollegeconnections.com/what-about-college, but the true value of working with the team is the extent to which these examinations train students to focus on the most important issues and the types of questions to ask, as well as what colleges are interested in seeing in their in-coming student bodies.

To learn more about recent changes to the college admissions process, we recommend joining Hannah’s August 2nd seminar on the subject, which is free and open to all. Watch facebook.com/ creativecollegeconnections for details.

Hannah Serota

College Application Tips

1.

Loudoun County decided to postpone standardized testing this summer, but there are now multiple opportunities to take SAT and ACT standardized tests in person as well as online. As they are every year, essays, transcripts and teacher recommendations will still weigh heavily.

2.

There is a new question in the Common

Application

(and

the

Coalition Application will probably follow suit) that’s asking students for additional information about your COVID-19 experience. “Be prepared to give a good account of your time.”

3.

Lean into deadlines. “Have your applications ready to submit but wait until a couple weeks prior to the deadline to send them in in case anything changes in the interim.”

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PARTING THOUGHTS

MEET EDDIE AND BOOMER

DOGGONE INSTAGRAM CELEBRITIES

Our Owners Got us This Great Truck

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY CELESTE LINTHICUM

If Dogs Could Fly

This One's Mine!

We Blend Right In

I’M EDDIE THE THERAPY DOG. I volunteer with my Mom for Heeling House (heelinghouse.org) to help kids improve their reading skills by reading to me. I visit schools and talk to kids about how to interact safely with dogs, and visit other schools and businesses to help people cope with

Wrestling Partners

stressful situations or loss. We also visit grandmas and grandpas in nursing homes to help them feel happy.

My nephew Boomer is my best friend. We became famous together on our Instagram #eddieandboomer after we posted a video with a baby deer in our yard. Ellen DeGeneres reposted and so did Animal Planet!

MORE ABOUT US...

Hanging out in the Yard

+ I love the beach and I’m a really fast swimmer. + I’ve been a Therapy Dog for three years. + I love tomatoes and watermelon. + Boomer and I wrestle outside every day.

... and Taking a Good Nap

+ Boomer can fit three tennis balls in his mouth! He only does that because he doesn’t want me to have a tennis ball.

Reading Day With My Fans 46

Leesburg Lifestyle | August 2020

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