Prince William Living February 2016

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MANASSAS MUSEUM

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JOE’S AMERICAN DINER

BECAUSE THE CAT RAN AWAY

prince william living February 2016

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

The State of Higher Education in Virginia PAGE 4

Catching Up with Tasha Fuller

PAGE 10

Prince William NAACP: Serving Through Advocacy PAGE 14

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table of contents February 2016 Vol. 6 No. 2

FEATURE STORY The State of Higher Education in Virginia...........4

DEPARTMENTS from the publisher...................................................3 on a high note Catching Up with Tasha Fuller: Two Years and Two Books Later...........................10

4

destinations Manassas Museum: Moving Forward While Looking Back ............................................12 giving back Prince William NAACP: Serving Through Advocacy.................................... 14 taking care of business Karen Joyner and KOJAM: Managing the Logistics Behind Your Favorite Events..................18 family fun Share the Love Some More...................................20 local flavor Joe’s American: A Diners’ Diner...........................26

12 Photo courtesy Manassas Museum

calendar...............................................................30 lifelong learning Manassas Park City Schools: Trendsetters.............33 tambourines and elephants Because the Cat Ran Away....................................35 advertiser index....................................................36

COLUMNS

26 Photo by Sean Floars

health & wellness.................................................16 home & hearth.....................................................24 your finances........................................................28 Discover Prince William & Manassas................31 prince william living February 2016 | 1

The premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas

Prince William Living Publisher Rebecca Barnes rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com Contributing Writers Amanda Causey Baity, Amy Falkofske, David Gignilliat, Helena Tavares Kennedy, Dr. Christopher Leet, Anne Marie Maher, Olivia Overman, DeeDee Corbitt Sauter, Tracy Shevlin, Niki VanEch, Marianne Weaver, Bennett Whitlock Editor in Chief Kim Howard, CAE khoward@princewilliamliving.com Copy Editor Peter Lineberry Photo Editor Amanda Causey Baity Photographers Amanda Causey Baity and Sean Floars Marketing Director Amanda Causey Baity Graphic Design and Production Alison Dixon/Image Prep Studio Online Submission Manager Paul Keily Advertising Account Executive Michelle Geenty Prince William Living, the premiere lifestyle magazine of Prince William and Greater Manassas, is published monthly

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his month, Prince William Living takes a look at college and the opportunities for learning after high school. From gaining a degree to learning new skills to a whole career change, learn about what options there are in our feature story, “The State of Higher Education in Virginia” by Marianne E. Weaver, on page 4.

In this month’s On A High Note (page 10), Amy Falkofske catches up with Tasha Fuller, the Woodbridge writer who wrote her first book for her young daughter, and had to keep up with demand—from her family! Find out about the follow-up books she wrote for her other children and what she has gained from the experience in “Catching Up with Tasha Fuller: Two Years and Two Books Later.”

Have you been to the Manassas Museum lately? If not, “Moving Forward while Looking Back,” in February’s Destinations, shares the exciting changes that have been taking place and what is new.

Find out in this article by Helena Tavares Kennedy on page 12.

Did you make many New Year’s resolutions? If so, you may want to skip this month’s Family Fun. Amanda Causey Baity tempts us with Valentine’s Day treats you can make with your family.

Maybe you can walk with your family to burn off the “love” in “Share the Love Some More” on page 20.

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prince william living February 2016 | 3

The State of Higher Education in Virginia

By Marianne E. Weaver

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A

majority of Prince William high school graduates enroll in some form of higher education courses —technical schools, or two-year and four-year colleges. But recent grads aren’t the only residents pursuing degrees. Increasingly, adults are going back to school, to switch careers or gain valuable continuing education credits in their current fields.

According to the Virginia Department of Education, in 2014, Virginia statewide on-time high school graduation rates were 89.9 percent, up from 85.5 in 2010. For the class of 2014, local schools kept pace: Prince William County Schools logged a 91.4 percent on-time graduation rate, Manassas Park at 87.9 percent and Manassas at 85.9 percent.

Larry Gilligan, the college and career center coordinator at Osbourn High School in Manassas, said based on class of 2014 self-reporting, most Osbourn graduates were enrolling in some form of post-high school education: 28 percent at four-year colleges, four percent at local technical schools, and a majority – 48 percent – were heading to two-year colleges, most notably Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).

“A lot of students are taking advantage of the reduced tuition.

They are on the pathway program to transfer to a four-year college,” he said.

Cindy Watson, director of counseling at Manassas Park High School, said her district’s students followed a similar pattern: 46 percent were looking at community or two-year colleges while 35 percent were looking at a four-year college or university.

Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), with 11 high schools serving nearly 26,000 students, had about 79.5 percent of the class of 2015 report that they were planning to attend either a two- or four-year college, according to Rebekah Schlatter, PWCS supervisor of secondary counseling and student support services in the Office of Student Services.

According to PWCS statistics, in 2015: n Students submitted 14,723 applications to 923 postsecondary institutions; n 3,675 students attended different colleges, universities and trade/technical schools; and n Students received 8,438 acceptance letters to 693 colleges, universities and trade/technical schools.

A majority of students going to a four-year college attend George Mason University. “We are not surprised by that. Many students see benefits to being a commuter student while others still live on campus,” Schlatter said.

The next most popular school, she said, is Virginia Commonwealth, followed by James Madison and Virginia Tech.

Watson agreed that during the last five years, a majority of the Manassas Park student alumni have stayed relatively local:

“It would be safe to say that 95 percent remain in the state and of the students who go out of state, there is not a specific area where they go. We’ve had some go to California, Texas, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.” That said, she has seen a “tremendous increase” in the number of applications sent to James Madison.

The same holds true in Manassas. “Although the vast majority of students remain in Virginia, those who venture beyond our borders find themselves at schools in all 50 states,” said Gilligan.

Watson said she has seen an increase in the number of applications submitted to liberal arts colleges, as opposed to submitting applications to schools that are focused on specializations such as math, architectural engineering and science. “Political science and international affairs are on an upswing over the last three to four years,” she said.

Schlatter said PWCS has seen an increase in applications to NOVA. “The NOVA application rate has always been high.

But we have seen an increase in the past couple years, possibly for economic considerations. We’ve seen a shift with an increase of students starting at NOVA and then finishing at a four-year college,” she said.

According to the Virginia’s Community Colleges website transfer information, NOVA offers students a gateway to the commonwealth’s four-year colleges and universities. Through this program, students who earn an associate degree (with a specified minimum grade point average) from one of Virginia’s 23 community colleges are guaranteed admission to colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth. For a full, updated, listing of participating colleges and universities, visit vccs.edu/ students/transfers/.

Schlatter noted that although PWCS educates their students and parents about the transfer agreements, she cautioned applicants to investigate all of the details before making a final decision. (continues on page 6)

prince william living February 2016 | 5

(continued from page 5)

“There are a lot of strings attached. Make sure you understand what needs to be done. There are many intricacies and criteria that the student must meet,” she said.

felons, unemployed, underemployed and never employed. They have one thing in common: all are job seekers.

For more information about transfer requirements, visit the Virginia’s Community Colleges website at vccs.edu/students/ transfers/transfer-faqs/.

Sometimes she can look at a résumé and quickly envision the employer match. But, more often, she said, her clients need some training. The first step is determining a career path. Her first stop is to walk the client through the career assessment on the website My Next Move (mynextmove.org/).

New Directions

The site is broken into three paths:

New high school graduates are not the only ones filling seats in the classroom. The U.S. Department of Education defines a nontraditional student as typically over the age of 25, generally financially independent, with dependents. Most have delayed their postsecondary enrollment and often are employed while attending school part-time.

n “I want to be a …”, which allows users to search careers with key words.

According to the Institute of Education Sciences, the number of students over the age of 25 enrolling in degree-granting postsecondary institutions has steadily increased each year since 2000, up from 8,919,000 in 2000 to 11,610,000 in 2014.

In Prince William, residents can turn to the SkillSource Group, Inc., a nonprofit entity of the Northern Virginia Workforce Development Board, which has local offices in Manassas and Woodbridge.

“Our biggest strategic goal was branding because we were known as the unemployment office,” said Kristi Sargent, Prince William SkillSource Center manager, project director of Northern Virginia Jobs 4 Veterans, and SkillSource Business Solutions team member. “Now we are the employment office.”

Sargent said there is no “typical” client. Her office is open to the young and old, at-risk youth, blue and white collar, military, 6 | February 2016 prince william living

n “I’ll know it when I see it …”, which allows users to browse more than 900 career options, broken down by industry. n “I’m not really sure …”, which is a 60-question interest profiler that helps users identify their interests, then determines how they relate to career field.

“People say they will do anything, But I want them to determine what career will make them happy,” she said.

This region, Sargent noted, is full of highly educated individuals, many who are looking to change career paths. There is also a high concentration of veterans, many of whom, after years or decades of wearing a uniform, are preparing to enter the civilian workforce for the first time.

“The life of a civilian job search is scary. But education is very comfortable for most veterans—they are used to it,” she said.

The assessment, she said, helps clients identify their interests and then find corresponding careers. After pinning down a career path, she said, the next step is to find a school to meet their needs.

Teaching the Teachers Many veterans are finding that the Commonwealth’s community college system is a relatively easy way to use their military training and GI Bill benefits to develop a civilian career. Civilians also find that they can adapt to learning at a community college, which strives to accommodate interest and schedules of adults coming back to the classroom. One of the more popular courses at NOVA is a fast-track, alternative teacher licensure program, called Educative.

The program, a part of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and organized by the Community College Workforce Alliance, offers a fast-track teaching license to meet areas of need throughout the state. Middle or high school math, science, English, social studies, foreign language (preK-12), English as a second language (preK-12), health and physical education (preK12) or a career and technical education subject such as business, marketing, technology education, or family and consumer sciences are all options for students.

Jim Gaines, assistant director of the VCCS Career Switcher Program, said the program started in 2004 with 24 students. Last year, they certified 165 first-year teachers.

According to NOVA’s program website (nvcc.edu/workforce/ programs/careerswitcher.html), individuals with a four-year degree and a minimum of five years of work experience qualify

Revamping the Continuing Education Program George Mason is changing the way adult students view continuing education.

Traditionally, no-credit courses were developed for private corporations and the federal government, said Brad Dawson, executive director of George Mason University learning solutions. Employees attended the courses to check off an employer requirement. At the end of the course, they’d get a certificate to file. But that was it.

But according to Dawson, Mason is about to change that model. He said Mason will continue developing courses for clients—defense contractors, government entities and private corporations—but soon these courses will be granted credit hours, which the student can apply toward a George Mason degree or certificate.

It’s not going to happen overnight. Dawson said the strategic plan is to finish this conversion by 2024.

for the 18-week program. The program requires six Saturday sessions, a 40-hour field placement and five online courses.

Upon completion, the student is granted a one-year provisional teaching license, which is converted to a full, five-year, renewable license after one year of successful teaching.

Gaines said many students meet the classroom requirements while maintaining a full-time job. Often, they use their vacation time to complete the 40-hour field placement, in a local school.

“This is not meant to be easy. No one is handing out licenses easily. Time management is important. Everybody at home has to be onboard and understand that mom or dad will not be as available,” he said. Courses are offered at the NOVA campuses in Annandale, Manassas and Woodbridge.

Tailoring Classes for Adult Students NOVA isn’t the only university in Prince William customizing programs for adult students.

Everest College in Woodbridge has about 250 students pursuing healthcare degrees: medical assistant, medical administrative assistant, dental assistant and pharmacy technician. According to Campus President Sheri Delozier, nearly all of Everest’s nontraditional students are over the age of 25.

“We have some who have never worked. We have some students who are changing careers. A lot of our students worked in retail or restaurant fields and have decided they want to change what they are doing and pursue a different career,” she said.

Sharron E. Guillett, Ph.D., RN, campus dean and state director of the nursing programs at Stratford University in Woodbridge, said 90 percent of Stratford enrollees are adult students and many are former military. The University offers many degrees from its four schools: business, culinary arts and hospitality management, computer science and IT, and health sciences and nursing.

She described Stratford as “a small campus with a big heart.”

“We know our students really well and provide flexibility to accommodate their lifestyles and work schedules because many are balancing family and work. We work closely with students to achieve their goals,” she said.

Strayer University has campuses in Manassas and Woodbridge.

According to their website, both campuses offer undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting, business, education, health services administration, information systems and public administration.

Marianne Weaver (mweaver@princewilliamliving.com) is a freelance editor and writer. She earned a BA in English from the University of Pittsburgh and an MJ from Temple University. She lives in Gainesville, Va., with her husband and two children. prince william living February 2016 | 7

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on a high note Catching Up with Tasha Fuller

Two Years and Two Books Later

By Amy Falkofske

W

hen we first met author and Woodbridge resident Tasha Fuller two years ago, she had just selfpublished her very first children’s book, “It’s Bath Time Baby.” “It’s Bath Time Baby” is based on a song that Fuller would sing to her oldest daughter, Aukema, now 11, during her bath time when she was just three month old. Since its release in November of 2013, the book has sold around 800 copies, 400 of those in the first four months. Fuller thought that might be her only book, but her biggest “fans” wanted more.

“Originally, I was only going to do one book, “It’s Bath Time Baby,” but at the book release Freddie and Amira said ‘Well, Mommy, where’s my book?’” said Fuller. So she got busy writing books for her twins, Freddie and Amira, now 6.

“So, I started working on Freddie’s book and I was inspired by his passion for all things sport,” she said. “Little Freddie’s in a Zone” is the result of that inspiration.

Fuller wanted to pair Freddie’s love of sports with his imagination while giving kids a history lesson, so in the book, Freddie gets to play with some sports legends. He gets to play basketball with Michael Jordan, run track with Jesse Owens and play tennis with Arthur Ashe. Fuller notes that these are all “prominent historical figures that have accomplished much in the sports field.” The book even includes an index of the athletes’ accomplishments in the back.

Freddie’s book was illustrated by Andrew Smart, an artist Fuller met while promoting “It’s Bath Time Baby.”

Next Fuller got to work on Amira’s book, “Mommy I Want to Be a Princess,” which she says started from a conversation she had with Amira where Amira told her that she wanted to be a real princess. Fuller told her daughter that being a princess wasn’t about the clothes, the tiaras, the gowns or the slippers, but about how you make people feel.

10 | February 2016 prince william living

“The purpose of the book is really about Amira going on this journey to become a princess, so, I tell her, if you’re going to be a princess, then I must be a queen, and as ruler of this kingdom I can grant your every dream…so I send her along to this journey, and the journey is to become a princess,” Fuller said.

She continued by explaining that along the way Amira’s carriage crashes in the forest and she meets her friend Victoria, who has lost her shoes. So Amira reaches in her bag and brings out an extra pair of shoes to give to her friend Victoria. Then farther along the way, they meet Karis, whose gown is torn. Amira reaches in her bag once again and finds that she has an extra gown to give to Karis. At the end of the story Amira is crowned princess by the queen because of the way she treated her friends and the way she made them feel.

Amira’s book was illustrated by Racheal Scotland, someone Fuller met through Pinterest. As a collector of art, Fuller had once bought a piece of art from Scotland. She then had the idea to approach Scotland with the idea of illustrating a children’s book. Scotland was receptive to the idea and brought Amira the princess to life.

Fuller has come a long way since self-publishing “It’s Bath Time Baby,” and you might say she is now a seasoned veteran at self-publishing.

“Writing the books is the easy part. The production is the almost-easy part. The hard part is selling the book, especially if you’re self-published,” she said.

Fuller admitted that “I like to create buzz,” meaning setting up social media pages and websites, and talking up the books and doing presales before the books are even released.

One thing that has changed since the release of “It’s Bath Time Baby” is that Fuller now has independent distributors. She

Photo provided by Tasha Fuller

Tasha Fuller wrote “Mommy I Want to Be a Princess” after a conversation with her daughter Amira. Amira and friends celebrate dressing up as princesses where tiaras are not optional.

laughed when she told the story of how her father sits at the coffee shop every day and sells her books. Overall he has sold 150 copies of her books.

Fuller’s books are also being sold on Ashay By The Bay, a website that sells children’s books for children of color.

One of Fuller’s motivations for writing and publishing “It’s Bath Time Baby” was so that her children could have a book with children in it that looked like them.

“As parents you want to have your kids have positive self-images, because even though I have a positive self- image of myself, the books that I had did not have little black girls in it…but when I became a parent, that was very important to me. I want their [her children’s] library to be filled with people that look like them…that doesn’t say that I don’t buy other books…[but] there’s some constant positive reinforcement,” Fuller said.

Fuller also feels like she’s been successful in putting more books out there for families with children of color based on feedback that she has gotten from parents. “When I go to the shows, the parents say, ‘Oh, this is so nice! Do you know how hard it is to find a book about your baby, or a book about a little black princess?’” she said.

What’s up next for Fuller? A book that all parents and kids can relate to. It’s called “Chores, Chores, Chores,” a book that

teaches kids that certain things have to be done before the fun stuff comes.

“It’s really a book about helping a kid understand that chores are something you’re going to have to do regardless, but when you do what you’re supposed to do, there are rewards that come with it,” said Fuller.

Right now, Fuller says that what she wants to focus on is doing more appearances at schools, pre-schools, day cares and libraries where she gets to read to kids and sign copies of her books.

If you’d like a copy of any of Fuller’s published books, you can visit any of the major online retailers such as amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com, as well as ashaybythebay.com. Each book has its own website as well. For “Its Bath Time Baby,” go to itsbathtimebaby.com. For “Little Freddie’s in a Zone,” go to LittleFreddiesinazone.com. For “Mommy I Want to Be a Princess,” go to amirasheart.com.

Amy Falkofske (afalkofske@princewilliamliving.com) is a freelance writer and the owner/photographer of Beautiful Moments by Amy Photography. She’s also working on her master of arts degree in film and television at Regent University. She lives in Bristow with her husband and two boys. prince william living February 2016 | 11

destinations

MANASSAS MUSEUM: Moving Forward While Looking Back

By Helena Tavares Kennedy

M

any know Manassas for historical reasons: the battlefield, train station, and its rich Civil War history all contribute to this area. But did you know that the local Manassas Museum in Historic Manassas is constantly changing? Here are some of its recent changes and improvements:

Recent Reopening Manassas Museum reopened its doors this month, following a month’s closure for upgrades to the entrance and store area. “We added new windows and doors, and fresh coats of paint and other touches were made to enhance the look and feel of the museum entrance,” said Mary Helen Dellinger, museum curator.

Free to the Public As of July 1st, 2015, Manassas Museum is now free to the public. According to Dellinger, the previous admission fee was waived as the number of donations made to the museum continues to grow—in both monetary donations and additions to their collections. “In 2015, Manassas Museum received a very large collection from Dr. Charles Poland who assembled many civil war objects and artifacts. In fact, it was the single largest gift from one person in the past four years,” said Dellinger.

Poland was a longtime history professor at Northern Virginia Community College.

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New Lawn Rental Now Available The Civil War re-enactment at the Manassas Museum is a popular annual summertime draw for many locals and out-of-towners. But now you can host your event on the Manassas Museum lawn, too.

“You can rent out either the park side that has new playground equipment or the front Museum lawn area. There have already been several weddings, graduation parties, birthday parties and other events on the museum lawn. Even local restaurants have rented it for events they were hosting,” said Doug Horhota, program/education coordinator. Details on lawn rentals are on their website at manassasmuseum.org.

New Bicycle Tours There are eight different buildings that make up the Manassas Museum system, with four of them being located in historic downtown Manassas. “That is where the idea for the bicycle tours came from. We visit different locations depending on the tour,” said Horhota. According to Horhota, who usually hosts the bicycle tours, a few of the themes for the 2016 bike tours include: n Biking the path of the Bull Run Ridge battle in 1862: This tour goes from the Manassas Museum to Osbourn Park High School and stops along several points where 10,000 troops once marched and 600 casualties were suffered, explaining what happened when and where.

Photos provided by Manassas Museum

with a quill pen, origami, spy codes, guessing boxes, and more, all to help parents do their shopping while their kids have a fun hands-on, learning activity.

To ensure themes are varied, and that there is something for everyone, the museum also offers programs geared more toward adults such as a “Picnic with the Painters” program. Participants can relax on the Liberia Plantation lawn and watch Creative Brush Studio artists and others paint, in an atmosphere that can take you back to the early 1900s when this was a common practice.

Details about Manassas bicycle tours can be found at visitmanassas.org/event/bike-tour.

n Biking along community schools: This tour points out where old schools used to stand, such as the first African-American school in Manassas, while discussing their history. n Biking around various cemeteries: This bike tour commemorates where several memorials are located around town, as well as some lesser known cemeteries.

Evolving Programs and Events Manassas Museum is hosting more programs and events than ever before. In fact, the museum hosted three shows in 2015 but will host seven in 2016, according to Dellinger. One will be an Osbourn High School art show where students will produce the work and showcase it in the museum’s main hallway for public viewing. “This is one way we are trying to get more involved in the community,” said Dellinger.

The museum also has a traveling trunk program where Manassas City Public Schools can “rent a trunk” for hands-on learning about specific historical topics based on the grade level. Manassas City schools can rent for free, but other schools in Prince William are charged a small per-week fee. Teachers or homeschoolers can contact Horhota for details or learn more about it on their website at manassasmuseum.org under the “Education” tab.

A newer program, “Museum at the Market” is a Saturday program between April and October. The museum hosts a table at the nearby farmer’s market at the train station with activities geared to entertain kids ages four to eight. Activities may include writing The Manassas Museum offers programs for all ages, including ones that children would find fun and interactive.

Halloween programming includes ghost stories, the odd and bizarre of Manassas, Liberia Plantation tours, cemetery tours and more. The cemetery tours are held in May as well to introduce the historical figures who helped establish local schools, veterans, community leaders, and others who helped build the town.

In 2016, the Museum will continue to host monthly book talks.

They usually include local, state and regional authors. Usually, they read a part of their book and visitors have the opportunity to ask the author questions.

2016 marks the 15-year anniversary of September 11th, and Manassas Museum is planning a moving exhibit showcasing personal stories from people impacted by that day. If you have a personal story to share for this exhibit, contact Dellinger soon at 703-257-8452.

The museum is also leveraging partnerships with other museums, governments and organizations. For example, they are working with the Freedom Museum in Manassas to host a joint exhibit at the Manassas Airport on local veterans’ personal remembrances from Iraq and Afghanistan. The partnership project will focus on those serving in the military after 9-11, how Manassas supported veterans when they returned, and how veterans bore witness to history.

Another example of a partnership project is with Prince William County government. The Manassas Museum staff created some of the displays in the glass cases at local libraries around the county.

So be a hometown tourist and visit your local libraries’ displays.

Visit Today!

When visiting Manassas Museum, you are met with staff and volunteers who are happy to answer your questions about the museum exhibits, events and special programs. Sign up on their website for their mailings too so you are notified of upcoming events and programs. Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to call ahead to make arrangements.

The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. but closed on Mondays between Labor Day through Memorial Day. Check the museum website at manassasmuseum.org for latest details and changes as they are open during some federal holidays like July 4th and Memorial Day. Helena Tavares Kennedy (hkennedy@princewilliamliving.com) is a freelance writer and nonprofit communications director. She has lived in Prince William County with her husband and children for more than 15 years. prince william living February 2016 | 13

giving back

Prince William NAACP

Serving Through Advocacy

By Olivia Overman

S

ince its inception in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has grown in strength and membership throughout the United States and globally. Its principal objective, “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination,” is worked toward by the numerous regional and branch offices established throughout the nation and abroad.

Here in Prince William, the branch continues to grow and evolve under the auspices of the newly appointed president, Reverend Karl Brower. Appointed in January 2015, Brower set out his plan for the branch from the beginning to include: n collaborating with the county to raise voting awareness among the black community; n advancing the agenda of the NAACP in the county by bridging gaps; n raising the consciousness of racial disparities; and n promoting the equitable civil rights of all human beings.

He also stressed the significance of everyone in the community working together, regardless of race or creed.

As head of an all-volunteer organization, Brower, along with five officers and seven executive committee members, works toward the goals of the PWC NAACP. These are divided into two categories—organizational goals and advocacy goals. “The advocacy goals are guided by our five ‘game changers’ (economics, education, health, public safety and youth education) but tailored

14 | February 2016 prince william living

for the issues particular to our jurisdiction and executed by our advocacy committees: education, economic development, criminal justice, political action, labor and industry, housing, youth works and health. Each of these is developing a plan of action for 2016,” said Brower.

Organizational goals of the branch include expanding membership, increasing awareness of the issues being faced in the county, and improving its social media presence.

Advancement Through Advocacy “The primary means for the NAACP to further equality is through advocacy, engaging stakeholders—primarily centers of power and impacted communities, but also the general public— to raise awareness (problem, impact, and solutions), to transition parties from awareness to concern and to motivate parties to action. Changing hearts is necessary, but not sufficient. We need to change policies and practices to achieve our advocacy objectives,” said Brower.

Donald Scoggins has been active in the branch for many years.

As a member of the PWC NAACP executive committee as well as the education and political action committees, Scoggins hopes to help further the goals of the branch. “I tend to be on the more conservative side, but have grown to feel that if I am going to make a difference, I have to get involved. I want to add another voice,” he said.

One such initiative that has been successful in Prince William has been the initiative to ‘Ban the Box,’ i.e., the Felony

Conviction Notification Box. PWC NAACP successfully worked with the Prince William Board of Supervisors to remove the criminal conviction question from employment applications for all county government jobs that don’t immediately require a background check. The resolution passed on October 13 of last year and became effective November 1 when the county removed any questions pertaining to arrests and convictions.

This allows those with previous criminal convictions to rebuild their lives by being able to, at least, get past the initial stage of a job application. This was particularly important because “people of color are disproportionately arrested, convicted and incarcerated, [and] employers’ use of arrest or conviction history has a disparate impact on those communities,” states the Ban the Box campaign in its FAQ.

Another initiative championed by the Prince William branch is the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce (NVBCC) Black Business Expo. In collaboration with other businesses in the area, the NAACP is looking to increase the percentage of the county’s revenue generated from African-American owned businesses. This initiative will be rolled out throughout 2016 and is an example of collaboration between the PWC NAACP and other organizations around a common objective. “The real benefit of this collaboration will not be the organization of one or two shopping events. The real benefits are the identification of African-American owned businesses and the identification of gaps in services available in our community as entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Brower.

But the best programs include some planning for what comes afterward. This is where PWC NAACP comes into its own by “evaluating the effectiveness of the program on the hiring of people with convictions by the Prince William government and pursuing the next step to gaining an extension of the ban to government vendors and general employment within Prince William,” said Brower.

Get Connected, Get Informed, and Get Involved With a mantra of ‘Get Connected, Get Informed, and Get Involved,’ the branch hopes to get more members actively involved in one or more of its 21 committees, and if not actively involved, then more aware of the issues being dealt with and the actions being undertaken in the community.

One of the goals of the Prince William branch is to increase membership. “Over the last year we have grown our membership to 331, which is an increase of 35 percent and reduced the number of financially inactive members by 10 percent to 30 percent. In order to provide a sustainable engagement and activity of our 21 standing committees we need more than 1,200 members, with a higher level of member participation. Our goal for 2016 is to increase our membership to 500 and to reduce the number of financially inactive members to 12 percent,” said Brower.

While trying to get younger generations involved in the branch is important, “we also try to help the younger kids in high school.

Most recently, branch members met with the school system to discuss expulsion rates and what we can do to help reduce this rate,” Scoggins said.

Moving Forward With over 2,000 local chapters nationwide, it is easy to get involved with the NAACP at the county level. Members meet at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Manassas, located on South Grant Avenue, but committee members also meet at various locations throughout Prince William during the month.

If you would like to get involved, or become informed about upcoming events organized by the PWC NAACP, please visit their website at pwnaacp.org.

A graduate of American University’s School of Communication, Olivia Overman (ooverman@princewilliamliving.com) is a freelance writer for online and print publications. prince william living February 2016 | 15

health & wellness Heart Disease Awareness Month

By Dr. Christopher Leet

W

ith February comes an increased recognition of the importance of cardiovascular disease in general on the health of the public.

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular diseases (Heart, Stroke, Peripheral disease) outnumber all other causes of death put together.

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It is key to remember that lifestyle is responsible for a large part of this, and a substantial amount of risk is reversible with appropriate attention paid to diet, exercise, stress reduction, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking.

A variety of diets are available and popular, but a low saturated fat diet remains the standard to control atherosclerotic disease. Other diets are useful for other conditions, but saturated fat is the main culprit here.

Exercise should be a combination of fairly vigorous cardio exercise (walking, running, swimming, etc.), along with reasonable strength training and yoga stretching. This needs to be done at least three times a week.

Stress reduction is a difficult issue, since we are all affected by this to some degree. Relaxation techniques may include athletic endeavors, dancing, and associating with friends.

Previous studies have shown that job happiness is strongly related to effects on the heart and blood pressure.

Diabetes and blood pressure control can sometimes be achieved with dietary treatment, but frequently require medications. Discuss this with your personal physician.

It should go without saying that smoking is probably the greatest risk to overall health that is not related to genetics or other serious illnesses.

While control of these various issues is admittedly not easy, the vast majority of this is due to self-destructive behavior related to the lifestyle which is very common in our population. Our rates of mortality and obesity are much higher than those of other countries, in spite of the huge sums spent on healthcare.

Manassas resident Dr. Christopher Leet, FACC, now retired, practiced medicine for nearly 40 years, specializing in cardiology and internal medicine.

16 | February 2016 prince william living

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STEP INTO YOUR PERFECT SUMMER JOB IMPORTANT: Apply online prior to job fair and print the completed application.

Go to www.pwcgov.org/jobs and click job listings link in the middle of the page.

Under the search Criteria box, clear all selections and check the box for “Parks & Recreation-Seasonal & Part-Time Jobs.” Click “Go” box to find the job listings.

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taking care of business

Karen Joyner and KOJAM: Managing the Logistics Behind Your Favorite Events

By Tracy Shevlin

A

s residents of the Greater Prince William area look for opportunities to do things locally in their community, Karen Joyner, owner of KOJAM Productions, gets double the fulfillment by producing the events and connecting with the community.

Prince William Living spoke to Ms. Joyner to learn more about KOJAM and their upcoming events and also to learn more about the “Skirt the Issue” trademark.

PWL: Tell us about you and how KOJAM came into being.

Joyner: I am originally from Albion, NY and moved to the Northern Virginia area after college. I passed the CPA exam and had spent the past 28 years working in the banking industry.

During that time, I spent years as a dance coach and enjoyed working with the young women. Through that experience, I came to realize how much young girls needed empowerment.

I started KOJAM in 2008 when I was enticed to produce my first event at the Dulles Expo Center called the Active Girlz Expo. It was the perfect event to start with! Since then, the camp fairs evolved as a needed commodity in the NOVA area.

Our current Camp Fair sites include Tysons Corner Center and Potomac Mills Mall. We’ve just finished the second year of the “Bumps, Babies & Beyond EXPO” at Potomac Mills and we’ve expanded into local events, like outdoor festivals such as the Taste of Woodbridge and the Chili Cook-off, which will now become annual events.

18 | February 2016 prince william living

PWL: How many events are you doing each year?

Joyner: We are up to 10 or 11 events per year. As my enjoyment in the event production arena has grown, I have partnered with other venues including the beautiful Stonebridge Karen, pictured here with her husband, at Potomac Town enjoys connecting with the community Center to produce and creating events that will bring citizens together. their spring and fall festivals each year since 2013. Although the outdoor aspect has its challenges, it’s fun to create themed events such as the Taste of Woodbridge and the recent Chili Cook-Off. Working with Prince William County businesses has been such a pleasure! My favorite events are those that bring the community together for fun family-focused events and that allow the locals to get excited about where they live. A recent example of this was the Belmont Bay Food Truck Festival we

KOJAM events at Stonebridge Potomac Town Center give vendors great visibility and offers many opportunities for out of the area shoppers to learn about things happening in Prince William.

held at the gorgeous Belmont Bay Marina last October. The community came together for a delightful day of food, music, shopping and fun!

PWL: What events do you have coming up?

Joyner: We have two summer camp expos coming up in February and March. In February we will be at Tysons Corner Center and in March we’ll be at Potomac Mills Mall.

The Expos feature camps of all sorts for both boys and girls.

The camps represented are from all up and down the East Coast. Also included are day camps from the Fairfax and Prince William area.

PWL: How do you market your events?

Joyner: The venues do the large-scale marketing. They advertise the events and post banner announcements on their marquee signs. On our side, we take advantage of minimal cost options like social media, especially Facebook. We also release information on our events on Inside Nova, Patch, Craigslist and Prince William Living.

PWL: Earlier in our discussion, we were chatting about how KOJAM fulfills your creative side, but KOJAM isn’t the only thing you do that’s creative. Tell us about the trademark you received.

Joyner: I trademarked the name “Skirt the Issue” as a fashion label. In short, it’s a private label tube skirt that women wear

as an extra layer over leggings or yoga pants. It’s a quick fix and fashion item that can transition workout clothes to more presentable public settings. I am very excited about our Skirtthe-Issue label. It was inspired out of a personal need to look presentable leaving the gym but serves a variety of needs. We have had feedback from other women on our website that it was a practical solution for them as well.

We were very pleased and fortunate to be featured on the Today Show in January 2015. We had sent some samples to their female producers who tried them out for their personal use and ended up being excited about the skirts and wanted to feature them on the show. As a result, our skirts were featured as a giveaway in one of their fitness segments.

Our skirts, made of a polyester and lycra blend, are currently manufactured in Fairfax, Virginia and only sold online. We offer 20 solids and seven prints, some with our “Skirt the Issue” Logo printed on them.

For additional information regarding KOJAM Productions, please visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/ kojamproduction or skirt-the-issue.com.

Tracy Shevlin (tshevlin@princewilliamliving.com) is a native Virginian and long-time Manassas area resident. She is a graduate of George Mason University where she is also an Office Manager. prince william living February 2016 | 19

family fun

Share the Love Some More Story and Photos by Amanda Causey Baity

L

ast year PWL introduced a new #SharetheLovePWL initiative that was similar to the “You’ve been Boo’ed” tradition that happens during Halloween. We are challenging you to continue this tradition yet again this year during the month of February and here are several fresh ideas on how to share the love and brighten someone’s day, week or month!

Cookies are always an easy pick. If you are sharing the love with strangers, remember to include the ingredients to whichever you chose to make to avoid any question about allergies or dietary restrictions. I am sharing two of my favorite cookie recipes. The peanut butter cookies are a fun way to get the children involved as there are only three ingredients and quite possibly the easiest cookies to make from scratch. The red velvet cookies are fun to make because the dough feels like Play-doh. My children enjoy making these as well.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients • 1 egg • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky) Directions Heat oven to 350°F. Beat egg in large bowl with mixer until foamy. Add remaining ingredients; mix well.

20 | February 2016 prince william living

(continues on page 22)

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(continued from page 20) Shape into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets.

Flatten, in crisscross pattern, with tines of fork.

Bake 10 min. or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Storage Tips: Plastic storage containers and resealable plastic bags keep cookies fresh. Old-fashioned cookie tins do the job well, if they have a tight seal. Never store cookies in any kind of container until they have cooled completely.

speed and beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Once mixed, add the food coloring and beat until combined. Turn the mixer off and pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed. Beat in more food coloring if you’d like the dough to be redder. The dough will be sticky.

Cover the dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. Chilling is mandatory.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Scoop 1.5 Tablespoons of dough and mold into a ball. Place 9 balls onto each baking sheet. Bake each batch for 10 minutes.

The cookies may have only spread slightly, that is ok. Simply press down on the warm cookies if you’d like them spread out more. Allow to cool for at least 25 minutes.

Package It Pretty

Red Velvet Cookies Ingredients • 1 and 1/2 cups + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.

Last year we had customized #SharetheLovePWL printables.

Those are still on our website so please feel free to download them. You can also try these crafts to create handmade tags and packaging.

String Heart Yarn Cards Materials - colorful yarn

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar

- thick card stock cut out to the size you want

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

- large threading needle

• 1 egg, at room temperature

- pencil, eraser, scissors

• 1 Tablespoon milk

- heart template (can use a cookie cutter)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions Trace your heart template onto the cards with a pencil. Leave enough space to write your message and the #SharetheLovePWL hashtag.

• 1 Tablespoon red food coloring Directions Toss the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Switch the mixer to medium 22 | February 2016 prince william living

Punch holes alongside the heart with your needle. Erase your pencil marks.

Thread yarn through the holes in various directions. Cut off the yarn on the underside and tie up. You’re done.

Origami Cookie Box

Cut tab off top of sheet to make lid.

Materials -12x12 decorative scrapbook paper

Fold on score lines, and

-scissors -ruler

Tape with a strong adhesive.

I have also included a list of 100 ways to #SharetheLovePWL which can be downloaded from our website www.pwliving.com.

-scoring blade (optional) Instructions Score (lightly fold) one sheet of 12 x12 paper at 3” and 9”.

Rotate paper and score at 1”, 3 1/2”, 6 1/2” and 9”.

Cut down middle score lines.

Amanda Causey Baity (acausey@princewilliamliving.com), Prince William Living’s marketing director and photo editor, lives on a farm in Manassas with her family. You can follow her blog to see more crafts, recipes and farm life at www.vandorenfarm.com

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prince william living February 2016 | 23

home & hearth Pantone’s Forecasted Colors for 2016

By Niki VanEch

I

t’s that time of year! International color authority Pantone has once again made its influential “Color of the Year” prediction for the months ahead, with Rose Quartz and Serenity being chosen as the favored shades for 2016.

This year Pantone has taken a first-ever step in choosing not one, but two complementary colors for the upcoming year.

Their choices reflect a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our culture. We will see these colors emerge in fashion and the home furnishings industry.

After last year’s Color of the Year—the dark and earthy Marsala, Rose Quartz and Serenity are a refreshing change.

These colors combined evoke a sense of calmness and balance, providing the perfect antidote to a busy modern life.

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virginiarealtypartners.com 24 | February 2016 prince william living

You don't have to wait a whole month for more great information about your community.

Simply visit www.pwliving.com, any time. There you can get daily updates on events, the arts, not-for-profits, dining and entertainment in your neighborhood.

Look for PWL contests, events, local deals and more. Get involved by answering a survey, participating in a focus group or submitting a story or event. Stay plugged into what is happening and what is important to you!

Prince William Living is a lifestyle magazine, whose mission is to build a better community by promoting quality-of-life issues; including solid economic development, strong education and workforce development; supporting the arts community and encouraging volunteerism through our local not-for-profits.

Our average reader is 25-45, female, educated and married with children. Her household earns $150,000+, is engaged in the community and is likely to act on information read in Prince William Living.

Her family enjoys finding activities and services available locally.

82% of PWL readers report acting on information in the magazine, to include visiting our advertisers.

prince william living February 2016 | 25

local flavor

Joe’s American A Diners’ Diner

By David Gignilliat | Photo by Sean Floars

A

t least a dozen coffee mugs of various sizes and vintage sit conspicuously behind the bar at Joe’s American Diner in Woodbridge, resting on the mounted shelf otherwise surrounded by more formal wine stemware and restaurant-grade glasses. Most are of the medium-sized ceramic grade: familiar, lived-in ones with a D-shaped handle, the type perfect for two hands to cozily wrap themselves around a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

“Our regulars just started bringing in their cups. I thought it was great. It makes them feel at home, like family,” said owner Joe D’Jassebi, who opened the popular diner last fall.

Apparently, one of the morning regulars had noticed that a few bar patrons had their beer mugs behind the bar, and asked Joe if he could bring a personal coffee mug in for himself, and leave it there. Sure, he thought. More followed. Often, Joe and his staff know which customer has arrived in the parking lot, and have the mug out and the order in before the customer even sets foot inside the diner.

“I have a great staff, just a great staff. They really go out of their way for the customer,” he said.

Diner guests are typically a discerning lot and, when won over, tend to be extremely loyal. In a dining landscape typically dominated by more corporate ‘diner’ experiences, Joe’s American Diner seems to have already attracted the type of quick allegiance that many new restaurants would find priceless.

“Believe it or not, I haven’t done any advertising. My advertising is servicing the people the right way,” said D’Jassebi.

26 | February 2016 prince william living

The menu features classic diner staples, including made-to-order omelets that arrive with toast and a choice of home fries, hash browns or grits. The most popular one, Joe’s Omelet, is a meatlover’s dream with bacon, sausage and ham. Diners can also find pancakes, waffles, and eggs, and regional standouts like scrapple, cream chipped beef, and biscuits and gravy.

“Everything is made to order,” said D’Jassebi. “I don’t cook it a day ahead of time, or cook it ahead when I come in the morning.

When you order an omelet, I make a fresh omelet for you. Fresh eggs, fresh ingredients, fresh everything.”

D’Jassebi says he has tried to “modernize” the classic diner menu, with unique offerings like Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits (with sauteed shrimp, ham, spring onions, local tomatoes, and cheddar grits) and the Kentucky Hot Brown (a classic open-faced turkey and bacon sandwich, with a creamy Mornay sauce which is his take on Eggs Benedict).

For Joe, he’s both where the buck stops and the egg drops. He’s the owner, but he also prepares all the food as the main chef.

His days often begin at 5:30 a.m., prepping the diner for service when it opens at 6 a.m. Occasionally, he’ll emerge from the kitchen and say hello to one of his many loyalists.

“I know everybody that comes in. I’ll come outside if they want to see me. It’s like a family here,” he said.

D’Jassebi, a resident of Woodbridge since 1995, had been thinking about opening a restaurant in the area, and had noticed a vacant commercial space on Prince William Parkway near his home.

The friendly staff at Joe’s American Diner are ready to serve you. Pictured: Norma (Joe’s wife), Linda (daughter), Joe (owner), Heather, Marissa, Nick (Joe’s son), Patrick.

“I passed by here one day, and saw the place was for sale, so I bought the property,” said D’Jassebi, who has partnered in several restaurants in the DC metro area. “As soon as I saw the building, I knew this should be a diner.”

After selling another restaurant in Arlington, D’Jassebi spent seven months renovating the space previously occupied by Noble Gourmet, which had closed in 2011. Situated conveniently between the Dale City and Lake Ridge neighborhoods, and near several major roadways, it’s pretty close to just about everything.

“It’s a great location. Woodbridge is a growing area. This is the place to be,” he said. “In the next ten years, this [area] will be another Arlington.”

The dining space is long and wide, reminiscent of the prototypical ‘rail car’ style diner. Several spacious leatherclad booths segment the space, and nearly every table can see everybody else, giving it a communal and familiar feel.

Joe decorated the walls with homages to the military and iconic symbols of the American experience. He had previously operated another restaurant in Quantico, so recognizing the work of veterans is important to him and his staff. A large American flag, once flown by servicemen over Afghanistan, fits in perfectly with pictures of bald eagles, other Americana and patches from local police departments.

“It’s part of the American diner experience. That’s what makes a place real American. That’s what we are. We’re all American,” he said.

D’Jassebi has already registered the diner’s logo (a cartoon version of him flipping eggs over easy) as a trademark and says he may look at a second location in Arlington in the future. He hopes to pave the gravel parking lot, add outdoor patio seating, and may open for Friday and Saturday evening service in 2016.

At this rate, pretty soon the personal coffee mugs cups may need a bigger shelf of their own.

“You listen to the customer, and you make things right. That’s what keeps you going in the business. When they enjoy it, I enjoy it myself.”

Joe’s American Diner is located at 3908 Prince William Parkway, in Woodbridge, near the Hillendale Drive intersection. It opens daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit the diner’s Facebook page at facebook.com/JoesAmericanDiner.

David Gignilliat (dgignilliat@princewilliamliving.com) grew up in Woodbridge. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he currently freelances for several publications. He currently authors his own blog, Quixotica, waxing semantic about the nuances of modern-day language and slang. prince william living February 2016 | 27

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Staying mentally and socially engaged tops the list of priorities for work in retirement. Gen Xers anticipate work at this time in their lives to be less stressful (50%), more rewarding (33%), socially meaningful (24%) and more interesting (18%). They see themselves possibly working part-time, as consultants or running their own business.

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calendar Manassas Winter Farmers Market

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Saturdays | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Parking Lot B Prince William Street & West Street, Manassas Small but mighty- our Winter Market offers great local breads, treats, and crafts. The Winter Market is subject to cancellation due to the weather. For questions on this, please call the Visitor Center (open every day from 9 a.m.5 p.m.) at 703-361-6599.

Dale City Winter Farmers Market

Sundays | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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Prince William Chamber of Commerce Women’s Leadership Conference

Tues. Feb. 9 | 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Harbour View 13200 Marina Way, Woodbridge Join your Chamber for a day of powerful presentations and inspirational workshops, at the 5th annual Prince William Women’s Leadership Conference. The conference provides connections and inspiration for female leaders in Northern Virginia. Network in the exhibit area, attend workshops and hear from powerful speakers. RSVP events.pwchamber.org

Outdoor Ice Skating

The Harris Pavilion – Historic Downtown Manassas 9301 Center Street, Manassas What a fun way to celebrate winter and the holiday season. All sessions are open skate, no time limit. Daily, 10day and seasonal passes available for adults and children. Lessons offered as well. Check the website for pricing, hours of operation and holiday hours. harrispavilion.com/ice_skate.php

Prince William Living Network – After Hours at Travinia Tues. Feb. 12 | 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center Join our Network! Meet the people behind the award-winning magazine, Prince William Living. Enjoy non-alcoholic beverages and light appetizers. Start a tab and make plans to stay for dinner! RSVP princewilliamliving.com/network

Liberia Hard Hat Tours

Sat. Feb. 13 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Liberia Plantation 8601 Portner Ave., Manassas Get a close up and detailed look at the newest restoration and discoveries at Liberia Plantation. (Conditional to active construction.) $15.00. More information: 703-368-1873 or www. manassasmuseum.org.

Occoquan Chocolate Walk

Sat. Feb. 13 | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Historic Occoquan, Mill Street, Occoquan Over 40 shops in Historic Occoquan are preparing chocolate treats for you! For more information, visit historicoccoquan.com

American Festival Pops Orchestra: Valentine’s Day Pops

Sat. Feb. 13 | 8 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas Treat your Valentine to an evening of romance, and enjoy today’s most cherished love songs performed by our favorite pops orchestra. Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office or via hyltoncenter.org/tickets

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Gainesville Ballet - Carmen Sat. Feb. 20 | 7:30 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas Ballet premiere choreographed by Rafik Hegab. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or hyltoncenter.org/tickets

Free Book Talk – Charles A. Mills Sun. Feb. 21 | 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Manassas Museum 9101 Prince William Street, Manassas Join author Charles A. Mills for a discussion on the book “Historic Cemeteries of Northern Virginia.” Free.

Frank Ferrante: An Evening with Groucho Sat. Feb. 27 | 8 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas Hailed as “the greatest living interpreter of Groucho Marx’s material” by The New York Times, acclaimed actor, director, and playwright Frank Ferrante has spent his career interpreting the comic genius known as “America’s most gifted funny man.” Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office or via hyltoncenter.org/tickets/ All events are subject to change. Check to verify dates, times and locations.

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elebrate your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day by planning a romantic weekend in Prince William and Manassas. With shops, spas, romantic B&Bs and more, there are infinite possibilities to create a weekend both of you will remember for years to come.

Start your romantic journey by checking into Manassas Junction or Bennett House, Victorian Bed and Breakfasts located in the heart of Historic Downtown Manassas.

Bundle up and stroll the quaint streets of this Virginia main street community or ice skate at the Harris Pavilion. Enjoy a romantic dinner at Malones, Carmello’s or one of the other locally owned restaurants, then listen to the American Festival Pops Orchestra: Valentine’s Day Pops, at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on February 13th.

Take another day to explore the historic towns of Haymarket or Occoquan. In Haymarket, savor handcrafted wines at The Winery at La Grange, then cuddle by the fireplace with a glass of wine. After, grab a sweet treat at Cupcake Heaven and get pampered at Tranquility Day Spa & Salon where you’ll enjoy cheese, crackers and other treats while you relax.

Or, explore the unique shops and restaurants of Occoquan. Paint pottery together at Paint Your Heart Out or enjoy complimentary wine tastings at Tastefully Yours and Bottle Stop Wine Bar & Shop. After, stroll through the Artists’ Undertaking Gallery to meet local artists and see a wide array of artwork. Finish the day with a romantic dinner along the water at Madigan’s Waterfront or with French cuisine at Bistro L’hermitage.

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lifelong learning Manassas Park City Schools: Trendsetters

By Amy Falkofske

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he start of the 2015-16 school year marked a change for Manassas Park City Schools (MPCS), as it began for Manassas Park City School students on August 17, three weeks earlier than usual.

Included in the extended year are two voluntary intersession weeks that give students who need it extra help in the areas of reading, writing and math. The first intersession week took place in October and included a variety of enrichment activities for students.

“We asked our teachers to think about things that they were passionate about, interested in, and to come up with a course outline…of what that course would look like with those skills incorporated in it,” said Deputy Superintendent of MPCS Eric Neff.

Some of the most popular courses at the elementary level were: n the Literacy Camp where students got to build tents in the library and do readings; n a Space Camp for 2nd graders where students got to wear their own space suits and eat real space meals; n a class called Sew Fun where students learned how to sew buttons and use a sewing machine; and n a class involving playing games such as chess and checkers with giant game pieces.

At the middle school level, students could take a course called Minecraft and Media Literacy that focused on aspects of social media.

Seventh graders also participated in a class called Fitness Through Numbers and talked about lifelong fitness and healthy lifestyles. They also went on a field trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Neff pointed out that some of these students had never been in a swimming pool before and others had never been to downtown D.C., either.

“We assume that [children] have these opportunities and these experiences to visit all these different cultural places, and it’s just not the fact for [some]…they just don’t get those opportunities,” said Neff.

At the high school level, students did a four-day College Caravan to colleges such as Virginia Tech, Roanoke College, Washington

& Lee and Virginia Military Institute (VMI). One of Manassas Park High School’s seniors had never heard of VMI and now wants to apply and hopefully attend there.

High school and elementary school students also got to participate in cooking classes and learn about cooking healthy meals.

Neff said the first intersession week was well received.

“We received very favorable feedback as to things such as the offerings, the field trips, the kids’ interests in these opportunities, and felt really good about that,” said Neff.

MPCS high school teacher Mario Moreno, who helped to plan and implement the cooking classes for the students, commented, “I feel that students were surprised at not only how much they were able to accomplish, but also how much fun they had while doing it.”

The program was such a success that the Department of Juvenile Justice will be implementing part of what they observed during the first intersession week into their program.

“It’s nice to be what we feel is kind of a trendsetter in this area for a program. We think this program is beneficial for students,” said Neff.

The second intersession week is coming up in the spring and will focus on advanced placement and standards of learning test preparation, but will still include the same fun enrichment activities.

The intersession weeks are made possible by a $300,000 grant that MPCS received in September from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, as part of a total of $5.3 million given to 54 schools in 10 school divisions in the state that have year-round or extended-year programs.

Amy Falkofske (afalkofske@princewilliamliving.com) is a freelance writer and the owner and photographer of Beautiful Moments

by Amy Photography. She lives in Bristow with her husband and two sons. prince william living February 2016 | 33

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tambourines and elephants Because the Cat Ran Away

By DeeDee Corbitt Sauter There are too many rules. Some for kids, extra morals for couples, acceptable behavior for the majority of the populace, exceptions for many, and special excuses for various reasons that don’t fall into a regular category. It’s beginning to get too confusing, and I am starting to second-guess what I am permitted to do in public.

I listened to my friend explain why we needed to give our children’s instructor ”a break.” Maybe she had a hard day; maybe her car broke down on the highway in the rain or her cat needed an operation. Maybe she had gotten into a fight with her husband, or her children found the secret cookie stash. My friend insisted that everyone needs a chance.

But, I am mean, and I didn’t want to give her excuses. I flipped the test papers in my hand that bled red. Large marks were etched across the pages, void of an explanation, points subtracted on every line. With only a couple kids taking the class, it seemed unreasonable that no one passed. There were no half-points or credit given, just the total score scribbled in the upper right-hand corner.

My friend explained we can not and should not judge anyone, but instead strive to understand that her motivations were not malicious but probably just the result of stress. That did not bother me. I was not judging her and did not care about the test.

Frankly, one test in a student’s academic world was meaningless.

Plus, it was her class and if that is how she chose to run it, that was her business.

What I did not want was excuses. It was irrelevant that the kids failed. It was meaningless that she seemed to have graded so harshly. That was her prerogative and I did not have to like it.

For all I know, she had given them all the answers right before the test, and no one was paying attention and that ticked her off.

No one ever pays attention to me, and I would fail everyone if I could. Everyday. It should not matter what was occurring in her personal life and that should not flow into her professional life, although realistically that’s easier said than done.

Although I didn’t verbalize it, I was screaming in my head that I should not be given the responsibility of trying to identify the reasons for anyone’s behavior. There are too many rules. I barely know what motivates me! I try not to give excuses for my actions, even when I make the occasional bad choice.

I recently sat in a crowded, airless room filled with parents and siblings who waited for their dance students to finish the class. I

prefer isolation and some semblance of quiet, which is difficult to attain in any after-school activity directed at children under the age of 10. Wearing earbuds, I write on my tablet or read a book.

Time is never constant in that building, instead the speed of the second hand appears inversely correlated to the number family and friends in the room. The larger the crowd, the slower the clock.

An adorable little girl, her face framed by perfect ringlets usually described only in fairy tales, was getting on my last nerve. First, the moms of this boisterous little group spent the better part of an hour comparing notes. Academics, parties, clothing, friendships, sports, vacations, reading levels and PTA involvement were just a few of the topics discussed in interminable detail. My earbuds help drown the chatter, but they are not magic.

While the moms outdid each other with greatness, this cherub of a child picked up a plastic IKEA toddler chair. Using no strength at all, because the chair was plastic, small, and hollow, she threw it across the room and smiled. Angel’s mom blinked and looked over. I continued to type, but was now officially distracted. The chair bounced twice on it’s second flight. Angel’s mom crossed her legs the other way then gently admonished her progeny, softly requesting she stop tossing about the chair. My right knee interrupted the momentum of the third toss. I glared at Angel and held on to the chair, but said nothing out loud.

I could not do anything because all of the rules. I have no idea why she threw the chair. The mom seemed to think this was normal. Maybe it was. Maybe Angel often tested the theory of aerodynamics for fun. Maybe there were no chairs at home and she did not know its purpose. It wasn’t for me to judge.

I know I wasn’t pleased, my knee hurt, and the earbuds were not helping. I didn’t know her specific rules, so I sat paralyzed by inaction. I had given them both a chance and now I wanted them to follow my rules. But my rules were less intrusive than hers. Suddenly, without forethought, I broke them. As Cutie Pie looked me in the eye and reached for the chair which was still leaning on my leg, I growl. It was a soft and guttural, but it was able to accomplish what passive looks and silent stares did not.

She followed MY rules and proceeded to quietly sit while playing with an iPad. After all, you never know what I am going to do.

DeeDee Corbitt Sauter is a resident of Northern Virginia. prince william living February 2016 | 35

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Advertiser Index ACTS...........................................................................................36 Ameriprise–Whitlock Wealth Management.............................28 Apple FCU..................................................................................28 Beautiful Moments by Amy......................................................36 Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute................................................8 Boys & Girls Clubs.....................................................................36 Brookdale...................................................................................32 CASA...........................................................................................36 City of Manassas Park—Parks & Recreation.............................9 Dance Etc....................................................................................21 Discover Prince William & Manassas......................................31 Dominion Eye Care....................................................................23 Everest College..........................................................................34 FURR Roofing.............................................................................21 Greater Prince William Community Health Center.................36 Harris Pavilion............................................................................34 Imagewerks................................................................................36 Magnificent Belly Dance...........................................................36 Mark Gilvey Creative.................................................................36 Merry Maids...............................................................................32 NVP, Inc..................................................................................... C2 Okra’s .........................................................................................29

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Patriot Scuba..............................................................................34 Peggy and Bill Burke, Virginia Realty Partners, LLC...............24 Piedmont Physical Therapy......................................................16 Potomac Place............................................................................29 Potomac Shores Golf Club..........................................................9 Pride Air Conditioning & Heating...............................................9 Prince William Chamber of Commerce...................................32 Prince William County Parks and Recreation..........................17 Prince William Courage.............................................................36 Prince William Ice Center............................................................9 Prince William Soccer...............................................................21 Rebounderz................................................................................31 Robert Jinks Photography........................................................34 Semper K9..................................................................................36 Tackett’s Mill..............................................................................29 Tailored Living...........................................................................17 The Pope Institute......................................................................34 Tribute at Heritage Village....................................................... C4 VanEch Studio............................................................................31 Vintage Moving & Storage.................................................29, 36 West Rash Charities...................................................................16 Westminster at Lake Ridge.......................................................21 WineStyles.................................................................................16 Yellow Cab.................................................................................36

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Pick up a free copy of Prince William Living at one of the following fine locations: Chairman At-Large Appliance Connection Corey A. Stewart 13851 Telegraph Road, Suite 101, Woodbridge McCoart Administration Building City of Manassas 1 County Complex Court, Prince William 9027 Center Street, Manassas Brentsville District City of Manassas Park Jeanine Lawson One Park Center Court 9440 Innovation Drive, Manassas Manassas Park Coles District Discover Prince William & Manassas Martin E. Nohe 10611 Balls Ford Road, Suite 110, Manassas 13476 Dumfries Road, Manassas Edward Kelly Leadership Center Potomac District 14715 Bristow Road, Manassas Maureen S. Caddigan, Vice Chair Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building Historic Manassas Inc 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Suite 145, Woodbridge Visitor’s Center at the Train Depot 9431 West Street, Manassas Gainesville District Pete Candland Manassas Park City Schools 7001 Heritage Village Plaza, Suite 210, Gainesville One Park Center Court, Suite A, Manassas Park Manassas Park – Parks and Recreation 99 Adams Street, Manassas Mason Enterprise Center 10890 George Mason Cir., Bull Run Hall, Rm 147, Manassas Northern Virginia Community College Manassas Campus, 6901 Sudley Road Woodbridge Campus, 15200 Neabsco Mills Road Prince William Association of Realtors 4545 Daisy Reid Avenue, Woodbridge Prince William County McCoart Administration Building 1 County Complex Court, Prince William

Neabsco District John D. Jenkins 4361 Ridgewood Center Drive, Prince William Occoquan District Ruth Anderson 2241-K Tackett’s Mill Drive, Woodbridge Woodbridge District Frank J. Principi Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Suite 140, Woodbridge

Prince William Parks and Recreation Prince William Public Library System 14418 Bristow Road, Manassas 12964 Harbor Drive, Lake Ridge 12993 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville 8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas 8601 Mathis Avenue, Manassas 13065 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge 4249 Dale Boulevard, Dale City 18007 Dumfries Shopping Plaza, Dumfries 4603 James Madison Highway, Haymarket 2201 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge Prince William County Tourist Information Center 200 Mill Street, Occoquan The Sign Shop 2603 Morse Lane, Woodbridge Town of Dumfries 17755 Main Street, Dumfries Town of Haymarket 15000 Washington Street, Haymarket Town of Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, Occoquan Town of Quantico 337 5th Avenue, Quantico Virginia Realty Partners 4004 Genessee Place #209, Woodbridge

Prince William Ice Center 5180 Dale Boulevard, Dale City

prince william living February 2016 | 37

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