02-2022 College Park Here & Now

Hyattsville remembers late Mayor Kevin Ward. P. 3

Maryland men’s lacrosse team hopes to return to the national championship game this spring. P.6

Circuit Court judge reverses redistricting map approval

By Hannah Marszalek

On Jan. 31, Circuit Court Judge William Snoddy ordered that the Prince George’s County Council’s widely disputed redistricting map be immediately withdrawn. His decision came just days after four county residents filed suit in an attempt to reverse adoption of the map.

The lawsuit against Prince George’s County argued that the use of a council resolution to approve the map, formally known as the Council Redistricting Plan, in

Surface pressure: Local therapists support teens

By Heather Wright

Even before the pandemic, the decline in the mental health of adolescents was concerning. Between 2009 and 2019, the share of U.S. high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, to more than 1 in 3 students, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some studies attribute the decline in mental health, at least in part,

By Taneen Momeni

In Malawi, a small country in Southern Africa, about two-thirds of students don’t have desks in school. Visitors often notice this and offer help, but rarely make good on their offers. In sharp contrast, Chikondi Kulemeka has more than stepped up to the challenge. She and her father, Andrew Kulemeka, who are themselves Malawain, co-founded The Desks Project, assuming the roles of president and vice-president, respectively.

The project started in the summer of 2017, when Chikondi Kulemeka briefly lived in

Malawi. She visited Chankhanga Primary School and was inspired by her experience there.

“They were really excited to have me, and they had just started a girls soccer team, and I used to play soccer as well, so they were, like, ‘you could really help us with the girls team,’” she said.

As Chikondi Kulemeka spent more time at the school, she realized that there were no desks in the classrooms.

“My first week of teaching, I noticed that every class that I was in, the students were just sitting on the floor … there were first

graders all the way up to eighth graders,” she said. “They have like 125 kids just all sitting on the floor, but they’re perfectly in line and really keeping it clean in between classes.”

And she learned that the students are not required to be in school. “They’re going to school because it’s fun … They want to learn, and I just really wanted to see how I could help get them a little bit more materials for their education,” Chikondi Kulemeka said.

According to the Kulemekas, lack of desks in schools is a problem throughout the country. Students typically don’t want to sit

Andrew and Chikondi Kulemeka at home in College Park. TANEEN MOMENI

Airmail

As we celebrate Black History Month, we are continuing to research and interpret the role of African Americans in aviation history through our work here at the College Park Aviation Museum. Indeed, our goal at the museum is to share and celebrate Black history every day of the year. We look forward to sharing more about the Lakelanders who helped get air mail service o the ground when we unveil a new exhibition later this year.

e College Park Aviation Museum

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THE PHOTOGRAPH THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND EMAILS

By Kevin Cabrera

Last year, I wrote an editorial for the College Park Here & Now about a photograph in our “Delivering Airmail” exhibit, here at the College Park Aviation Museum. This photograph of the airmail crew at College Park Airport was taken around 1918 or 1919, and most of the individuals in it had been identified by name. As I shared in my editorial, I was alarmed that none of the African American crew members were also identified. I believe that as a historian with a cultural institution, I have a duty to uncover the full complexity of the past I strive to interpret. The gentlemen in this photo were part of a historic moment in aviation history with the U.S. Airmail Service, which began its civilian service with a flight from the College Park Airport, in 1918. I would see to it that their names and stories see the light of day. With the assistance from Violetta Sharp Jones, of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project, I was able to identify the crew members in the photograph, and it was great to put names to their faces. Then I worked, alongside my colleague James Schmitt to determine their contributions to both the airfield and the Lakeland community. Our work is

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Writers & Contributors Kevin Cabrera, Julia Kyles, Hannah Marszalek, Chris McManes, Taneen Momeni, Sophie Oriani, Michael Purdie, James Schmitt, Paul Ruffins, Katharine Wilson, Heather Wright

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progressing in a great and exciting way. It seems like every day James, with his great research skills — along with Violetta’s encouragement and support — uncovers more relevant information. I am also happy for James to share his perspective on our work.

UNEARTHING HISTORY

By James Schmitt

While stories of Lakelanders may have been partially lost to time, the Lakeland Community Heritage Project (LCHP) has preserved stories of many community members. Through the project, I learned about Lakeland’s vibrant past and have been able to find clues to the identities of the men in the photograph. Violetta Sharp Jones, who is with the project, knew quite a bit about the Lakelanders who worked at the College Park Airport, and

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she provided key details that helped me narrow some leads. One of the most interesting details Violetta offered was about one man’s name: The person we thought was Hans Hill was actually Abraham Hill. He likely went by the nickname Ham, which was subsequently confused with Hans.

I also found a number of useful details on genealogical websites, including ancestry.com, which offered census information that allowed me to track the air crew members and their families through the decades. I learned, for example, that Charles Johnson, a mailman who worked at the airfield, was Dervy Lomax’s grandfather; Lomax became College Park’s first Black mayor. LCHP interviews with Lomax include fascinating details about his relationship with his grandfather, who inspired Lomax’s forays into politics. Fold3.com, a repository for military data, included a number of draft cards that helped me identify individu-

als in the photo, including Earl Bernard Brooks. On his World War I card, Brooks listed his occupation as a mechanic’s helper for the U.S. Aerial Mail Service; this definitively linked him to College Park.

Luke Perez, curator of collections at the College Park Aviation Museum, assisted me in this research. He opened channels to the Smithsonian’s archives, which include the papers of Charles Ingram Stanton, Sr. Stanton served as the superintendent of operations for the air mail service and collected service data on workers; his records list the names and service dates of several Lakelanders, including Charles Johnson.

Kevin found a second image in the museum’s archives of the crew surrounding a Standard JR-1B airplane. The people in the photograph, including African American mechanics and groundskeepers, were likely celebrating a successful flight. One man has thrown his hands up in the air in excitement, while others are smiling at the camera. People, both white and Black, who hail from apparently different professions, are side by side here, providing a unique look into our airport’s past. Although we do not know for sure if any of the individuals in the photo are the Lakelanders we have been researching, we are hopeful that our collaboration with the LCHP will help us uncover their identities.

Historian Kevin Cabrera is director of the College Park Aviation Museum.

James Schmitt is a museum guest services associate and historian at the College Park Aviation Museum. He has also worked on the Finding the Maryland 400 project, an initiative studying the state’s first regiment in the Revolutionary War.

—

The crew of the Curtiss JN-4D Jenny U.S. Airmail Service included residents of Lakeland, College Park’s historically Black community. (circa 1919) The previously unidentified crew members are, from left to right: Charles Johnson, Abraham Hill, Paul Hill, Goerge Brooks and Bernie Brooks. COURTESY OF THE LAKELAND HERITAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT

“I believe that as a historian with a cultural institution, I have a duty to uncover the full complexity of the past I strive to interpret.”

Kevin Cabrera director of

the College Park Aviation Museum

Hyattsville mourns Mayor Ward

By Kit Slack

On Feb. 4, a rainy Friday, the City of Hyattsville said goodbye to Mayor Kevin Louis “Scooter” Ward, who took his own life on Jan. 25, at the age of 44. A celebration of Ward’s life took place at Ward’s home church, First United Methodist Church, in Hyattsville.

Ward’s cousin Tim Ward, of Dallas, Texas, gave the first reflection. He spoke of Kevin’s mother, who raised him alone, and of her hard work for her son. “Kevin never wanted for anything,” he said. He spoke of Kevin’s heartbreak at his mother’s death, nearly four years ago. He said Kevin embodied “the family creed of putting others before ourselves.” To Kevin’s sons, Tim said, “you should really be proud of your dad, he really loved you guys ... you were his greatest joy. Call on us for anything you need.”

Mourners and friends shared stories. Jon Huber knew Ward from the Rotary Youth Leadership Association camp, which Ward attended as a teen and supported throughout his life. Huber remembered coming to Ward after he had lost a fouryear football scholarship due to drug addiction. Like others, he recalled Ward’s big bear hug and unconditional love: “The you that you are,” he recalled Ward saying, “is better than the you that others want you to be.”

Tevera Stith, Ward’s colleague from KIPP DC, the District’s largest charter school system, offered the homily. “As Scooter’s friend, I found myself struggling with every piece of his passing and hoping that he was still here,” she said. His death left her “violently knocking at the door of heaven, fist raised, ready to ask how this could be” and “at the same time asking God to hold us tight.”

Like Huber, she said she drew strength from words of comfort that Ward had offered her. Stith, an only child like Ward, lost her own mother recently. She recounted a text she had gotten from Ward when he checked on her, on Jan. 17: “Take your time. Feel your feelings. And acceptance and peace, don’t come or feel a certain way.”

She paused.

“Like a man who grew up at the feet of Baptist preachers, he gave it in three points!” she said, to laughter from the crowd.

Former Hyattsville mayor Candace Hollingsworth, a close friend of Ward’s, gave the eulogy. She called Ward the mas-

ter of details. She said he would “notice that you weren’t quite your usual self,” and that he was “attuned to the differences in a way that helped him still bring people together to a common purpose.” Ward’s life purpose, she said, was to welcome people into spaces where they might otherwise have been excluded. She remembered, too, his “ability to catch the subtle shade and throw it right back.” She said he lived loudly, and “made it easy for us to be our truest, softest selves with abandon.”

Ward moved to Hyattsville in 2014 and joined the city council in 2015. His colleagues elected him council president in 2019. He became interim mayor in 2021, taking over for Hollingsworth, and won a mayoral election last spring. He was Hyattsville’s second Black mayor, after Hollingsworth, and was the city’s first Black male mayor and first openly gay mayor.

Ward will be remembered for mentoring youth and advocating for them. City Councilmember Danny Schaible (Ward 2), who is the parent of a special needs child, said that the mayor offered him support that rose out of Ward’s own experience fostering children with special needs.

Professionally, Ward worked

to use technology to help kids, at one time serving as an information officer at the District’s child welfare agency and, more recently, directing technology for KIPP DC.

City Administrator Tracey Douglas wrote in a Jan. 27 statement, “Mayor Ward was the bright center of our local government; a role model. . . for the whole Hyattsville community, especially young people of color. He could connect with

everyone and truly listened. . . [H]is light was so bright I know he will continue to serve as an inspiration.”

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts in Mayor Ward’s honor be made to Think of Us at donorbox.org/in-honor-ofmayor-kevin-ward. Think of Us is a child welfare reform organization that Ward supported, which seeks to close the gap between the goals of child welfare and its outcomes. Ac-

cording to Think of Us, in the child welfare system “more than 70% of siblings are separated, 20,000+ youth age out each year, and 36%+ of aged out youth experience homelessness.”

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255, text TALK to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

Lights at Hyatt Park honor Mayor Kevin Ward, whose favorite color was purple. KIT SLACK

Can volunteer fire companies survive?

By Paul Ruffins

Editor’s note: This is the third installment of Paul Ruffins’ threepart series on local firefighting. To read the first two installments, which described the volunteer firehouses in College Park and the larger county system they belong to, visit streetcarsuburbs. news/tag/science-of-the-city.

According to annual surveys conducted by Firehouse magazine, the Prince George’s Fire Department (PGFD) is one of the busiest fire departments in the U.S., coming in at 10th for fire calls and 12th in overall runs. PGFD is America’s biggest combination department, or one that is staffed by both career and volunteer firefighters and EMTs (paramedics).

When you ask county fire officials about their biggest challenges, their consistent response points to recruitment and retention. Can we attract and maintain enough members to meet the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) standards of at least two people per ambulance and four per truck? And are we able to meet the NFPA 4-minute standard for travel time?

And as county fire departments may struggle with these immediate challenges, they also have to grapple with a clear historical staffing trend. Jason Decremer’s doctoral thesis, Improving Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters (Walden University, 2018). describes this progression. Since their founding before the American revolution, U.S. fire depart-

ments have typically started out staffed entirely by volunteers, shifted to a relatively balanced combination of volunteers and paid firefighters, then moved to career firefighters supplemented by volunteers, and are finally fully staffed by paid members.

So far, PGFD is no exception to this progression.

“It’s getting harder and harder to find volunteers these days,” said former PGFD chief Marc Bashoor. “Fire companies, the Boy Scouts, the Red Cross, churches — they’re all facing the same problem.”

In addition to recruiting, retention is a challenge for volunteer departments. In 2020, the National Volunteer Fire Council surveyed 1,030 current and former volunteer firefighters and reported that 70% of them felt that retaining members was a major problem for their departments. Prince George’s County has two particular challenges in recruiting and retaining members: its dispatch model and its training requirements.

In many communities, volunteers are dispatched from wherever they may be — home, work or elsewhere — to the scene of the emergency, and they respond using their own vehicles. (GPS tracking systems may also direct some responders to the firehouse, first, to get the engines.) In contrast, PGFD dispatches nearly everyone from firehouses (though chiefs may respond from other locations). This is safer and reduces response times but requires volunteers to commit to spending much more time at the station than they might otherwise.

Unlike some jurisdictions where fire and ambulance departments are completely separate, PGFD’s departments are combined, and because of this, all new recruits, including volunteers, are required to cross-train as EMTs. (Note that volunteers can opt out of firefighting service and work only as EMTs.) This requirement is practical, too; in 2020, alone, the department received more than 140,000 calls, about 70% of which were for medical assistance. However, firefighter/ EMT certification requires about 400 hours of training — a huge commitment for volunteers, and one that may significantly reduce the pool of candidates. According to Patrick Marlatt, deputy director of the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, at the University of Maryland, “There are many people who would make good firefighters who can’t handle the type of testing involved in getting certified as an EMT.” There is also a psychological issue for responders, as a significant percentage of medical runs turn out to be non-emergencies.

Ryan Pidgeon, chief of the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department, confirmed that fire companies confront this issue constantly. “For example,” he said, “there is an older woman who has trouble getting out of bed, and [she] calls 911 several times a month because she has dropped the remote for her television. However, the lady simply says that she’s sick and needs help, so the department must respond.” These calls may be less than fulfilling for respond-

ers who volunteered for the action and excitement inherent in emergencies.

Responding to medical emergencies, and even non-emergencies, may have a silver lining, though. Private health insurance and Medicare cover the cost of a medically necessary ambulance ride to the hospital, and PGFD charges $500 to $750 per ambulance call, so the service is a source of revenue.

Like all surrounding jurisdictions, the county bills people who have private insurance and Medicare, but is deliberately not aggressive about collecting past-due accounts. However, merely receiving a bill may help deter some of the frequent flyers from unnecessarily dialing 911.

Even as some firefighters may find themselves doing work that isn’t entirely fulfilling, the number of volunteer departments in the county fell by only 11% over the past two decades. Local fire companies are striving to adapt and accommodate potential recruits. As Chief Pidgeon noted, “Hyattville has developed a livein program that’s very attractive to college students. This causes constant retention problems,

though, because some students graduate every semester. However, it also provides a steady stream of new recruits. I worry whether this will be sustainable in 10 years, but we’ve learned to plan around this cycle, and so far, it’s working.”

And recruiting efforts are evolving, too. “We’ve had pretty good success in recruiting students interested in medicine and public health, particularly women,” reported Jeramie Jordan, president of Branchville Volunteer Fire Department. “They see serving as an EMT as giving them an advantage in getting into graduate school.”

Will these volunteer fire companies survive? The answer may hinge on whether they can enhance their recruitment and retention. But two things are clear. The need for emergency services is increasing, and the volunteers are fighting to preserve a centuries-old tradition that says there’s more to life than money.

Paul Ruffins is a citizen scientist and professor of curiosity.

Sophia Lau is a volunteer EMT with Branchville Volunteer Fire Department. PAUL RUFFINS

City aims to upgrade stormwater management

By Katharine Wilson

Flooding in the City of College Park has become an increasingly serious issue in recent years, leading to both county- and citylevel actions to improve stormwater management. The city has seen an uptick in extreme flooding, including a flood in Sept. 2020, which brought as much as six feet of water into some basements. The increase in residential and commercial development throughout the city has reduced permeable surfaces, which are an essential element in flood control.

Last fall, students at the University of Maryland (UMD) rallied against the Western Gateway Project, which would deforest a significant portion of Guilford Woods, a tract that provides acres of essential forest floor and dense tree canopy, both of which mitigate flooding in adjacent residential neighborhoods. University President Darryll Pines announced a pause on the project on Oct. 28, the same day that MarylandNational Capital Park and Plan-

ning Commission proposed the Adelphi Road Sector Plan. This plan would govern development and related activities around the Purple Line station closest to Guilford Woods.

The City of College Park’s Stormwater Assessment Project intends to address the issue of flooding, with a particular focus on the Calvert Hills neighborhood, which has been especially hard hit.

Calvert Hills largely relies on stormwater management systems that are some 80 years old (and older). Development in the neighborhood has introduced more impervious surfaces and led to more water flowing into Calvert Hills. Many residents have also speculated that the Metro station may act as a dam, of sorts, preventing excess water from flowing out of the neighborhood.

“When Calvert road stormwater inlets max out, and the street water level rises only an inch or more, the street water goes down our driveway and into our yard and the neighbor’s yard,” College Park resident Bob Baer said.

The city anticipates conducting a topographical survey to examine water flow in the area as an initial step in formulating a plan to address flooding. At the city council’s virtual worksession on Jan. 18, councilmembers discussed the scope of

the survey. City Engineer Steve Halpern stated that the surveyors will most likely create a model of the city to examine and identify water flow in the city’s 12 sub-watersheds. Such a model would aid engineers in determining how to address lo-

cal flooding.

The estimate for the assessment is approximately $600,000, according to documents from the worksession.

Councilmember Stuart Adams (District 3) estimated that the

Maryland men’s lacrosse looks ahead to another great season

By Chris McManes

University of Maryland men’s lacrosse coach John Tillman has a team that can compete for the national championship. The Terrapins lost the title last year by a goal, and Tillman doesn’t want his players to think they have to win it for the season to be a success.

“I’ve been around long enough not to get caught up in that mindset [where] it’s winning or nothing,” said Tillman, now in his 12th year at Maryland. “If that was the case, we wouldn’t make our kids go to class, we wouldn’t discipline them when they do things wrong. We would just try to win that game.

“As educators, we’re failing our kids if that’s really our main focus.”

The Terps finished 15-1 in 2021 and won the Big 10 regular-season and tournament championships. After defeating Duke, 145, in the Final Four, they lost the national title to Virginia, 17-16.

Maryland was ranked preseason No. 2 this year by Inside Lacrosse. The publication named eight Terps preseason All-American: Brett Makar and Roman Puglise (first team); Logan Wisnauskas, Jonathan Donville and Kyle Long (second team); and Owen Prybylski and Logan McNaney (honorable mention).

The Terrapins have to replace Jared Bernhardt, the program’s all-time leader in goals (202) and points (290). In 2022, he tallied a school-record 99 points and 71 goals and won the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s top player. In addition to helping Maryland capture the national crown in 2017, he played quarterback last year at Ferris State and led the Bulldogs to the Division II national championship.

Wisnauskas, a fifth-year senior attackman, is the leading returning scorer. He had a teamhigh 31 assists a year ago along with 41 goals for 72 points. Tillman has been calling him a pro for years.

“He’s focused, he’s purposeful, he takes care of his body, he takes no shortcuts, he’s dialed in every day,” Tillman said “He holds himself to a really high standard. When he doesn’t reach that, he feels like he didn’t go to the level he wanted. So that means more work.

“He’s a guy who’s never really satisfied, and that’s what I love

about him. He does everything well … and is a great role model for our younger players.”

Junior attack Daniel Maltz and senior midfielder Kyle Long also return on offense. Maltz produced 50 points, including 40 goals, and Long had 28 assists and 44 points.

Donville, a graduate transfer midfielder from Cornell, didn’t play last season after the Ivy League canceled its season. In just five games in 2020, he had 13 goals and seven assists. Tillman doesn’t picture his squad being as dependent on one player for offensive firepower as it was with Bernhardt.

“This year we’re built a little more by committee, which I think is harder to defend,” he said. “If you’re giving one guy more attention, other guys will get points. And I think it’s a lot trickier to prepare for because the ball’s not in one guy’s stick the whole time.”

Makar heads up the Terrapin defense. The junior from Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was second on the 2021 team in ground balls (48) and fourth in caused

the Final Four, but to play each game as it comes along. However, the disappointment of not finishing as undefeated national champs still lingers.

“It definitely is a motivating factor,” he said. “When you end the season like that, you have that sour taste in your mouth. You’re really looking forward to having that next game under your belt and kind of setting the tone for the season, and eventually getting back to the point where we were last year.”

Tillman wants his players to know that if they don’t win the national championship, they

can take several other positives from the season and their careers.

“Yeah, we all want to win that last game [and] we know it’s really hard,” he said. “If the kids have a great experience, they’ve learned more about themselves, and they’re more prepared for life if they have great friends, they’ve represented Maryland really well, they’ve learned to handle adversity, they’ve gotten good job opportunities — there’s a lot of win in there.”

Opposition to Adelphi Road Sector Plan mounts

By Sophie Gorman Oriani

turnovers (15). He was named second-team All-American.

A pair of juniors, Gavin Tygh and Luke Wierman, are expected to split time in the faceoff circle. Tygh has bragging rights in the Maryland locker room because he transferred from Virginia.

McNaney returns in goal after starting all 16 contests. The junior allowed 9.89 goals per game and had a 52.2 save percentage.

In addition to their Big 10 schedule, the Terps will play preseason No. 1 Virginia, No. 8 Loyola (Md.), Syracuse (No. 12) and Notre Dame (No. 5).

“We know that every week we’re going to be challenged with top-notch competition from around the country,” Makar said. “It really is a journey. There’s going to be highs and lows during the year. It’s not always going to go as planned and perfect, but that’s what having great leadership allows you to do — kind of maintain a balance and keep looking ahead to the next opponent.”

Makar said it’s important for the Terps not to jump ahead to

Last October, when University of Maryland President Darryll Pines announced that plans to develop Guilford Woods would be put on hold, residents breathed a sigh of relief. But now, they say, this wooded parcel of land near the university faces a new threat — the Adelphi Road Sector Plan.

With the anticipated arrival of Purple Line stations in College Park, the new sector plan is intended to guide development around the Adelphi Road station for the next 25 years. Most of the area included in the plan would be upzoned, with only a few acres retained as open space.

Guilford Woods is a 15-acre, state-owned tract between the College Heights Estates neighborhood and the university. According to the Friends of Guilford Woods, a local advocacy group, the parcel boasts around 1,500 mature trees, representing some 30 species, and is home to a wide variety of wildlife.

On Jan. 18, the MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) and the Prince George’s County Council held a joint hearing to solicit public comment on the Adelphi Road Sector Plan.

Shubha Punase, a project

manager with M-NCPPC, gave a presentation describing the goals of the plan, the public engagement process to date and the timeline for approval.

According to Punase, the planning process, which began in November 2020, has included stakeholder listening sessions, virtual office hours, an online survey, receipt of emails and letters submitted as public comment, and an in-person open house for the public.

At the public hearing, Delegate Mary Lehman (District 21) spoke against upzoning Guilford Woods, and some other speakers opposed the plan. A number of residents said that they supported it, though they had concerns about how it would be implemented. Many people pointed out a disconnect between the plan’s purported attention to environmental factors and the potential consequences of upzoning of the woods.

Alexander Rohlf, who is a 5th grader, asked the council to protect the woods, where he said he learned a lot about snakes during the pandemic. Pastor Julie Bringman, of Hope Lutheran Church, and Arthur Horne, of Shipley and Horne, offered the only comments supporting the sector

SEE ADELPHI ON 9 

Chris McManes (mick-maynz) is a University of Maryland graduate.

Logan Wisnauskas, a preseason All-American and fifth-year senior, is Maryland’s leading returning scorer. COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ATHLETICS

COLLEGE PARK POST

Are you a new homeowner in the City and want to plant a tree in your yard to celebrate this big milestone? Or do you want more shade in your yard or over you house to reduce summer cooling costs?

Or maybe you are interested in contributing to growing the tree canopy within the City of College Park? Or perhaps you recently had to remove a tree on your property due to insect damage or decline due to disease?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, or if you just want to plant a tree in your yard, the City of College Park and its Tree and Landscape Board is here to help! The City is hosting a free Earth Day Tree Giveaway!

City residents interested in participating in the tree giveaway must complete the registration form at www.collegeparkmd.gov/ treegiveaway2022 by March 04, 2022.

Once registered, residents need to come on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from 8:00 am until noon at the City’s Department of Public Works (located at 9217 51st Avenue)

Earth Day Free Tree Giveaway

Register Now to get a Free Tree (or Two)!

to pick up their tree(s) (bring a printed copy of your submitted form).

Each City residential property owner can receive up to two, 5-to-7gallon size, containerized trees that are native tree species to College Park. Included with the tree will be instructions on how to plant the tree and information about the tree species, as well as a gator bag with watering instructions.

Gator bags can be installed on newly planted trees; the bags are designed to slowly provide water to newly planted trees to maintain moisture to the root ball during dry periods or when supplemental water is needed. Residents who receive trees during the giveaway are encouraged to use the gator bags to assist in establishing the newly planted trees on their property.

Have questions? Email the City Horticulturist at horticulturist@ collegeparkmd.gov.

Before planting your tree, please contact Miss Utility at 811 or via https://www.missutility. net/homeowner to request the underground utilities be marked

to avoid future conflicts. The City’s Tree and Landscape Board will be at the event and looks

April

Tree planted at James Adams Park for Arbor Day 2021

City Announces New Racial Equity Officer

The City of College Park is proud to announce the appointment of Raven Rodriguez as the City’s new Racial Equity Officer. Ms. Rodriguez comes to the City with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in intersectional anti-oppression, race, racism, and racial history. “The City is excited to welcome Raven and we look forward to the guidance and initiatives she will implement in making College Park a more inclusive and welcoming community for all” said City Manager Kenny Young.

Ms. Rodriguez is an accomplished writer, educator, equity consultant, and public speaker in the field of racial equity. A native New Yorker, her clients have included Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, New Haven Public Schools, Princeton University, and The Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. She previously served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Yale University’s School of Nursing. “I am excited to join the City of College Park” said Ms. Rodriguez, “I look forward to meeting and building trust with the College Park community and to join the City’s collaborative efforts to combat racial inequity.”

As part of the City of College Park’s commitment to seek out and confront systemic racism, the City created the Racial Equity

Officer position in FY2021. The Mayor and Council emphasized the importance of highlighting and acknowledging the City’s history and to improve racial equity within College Park through its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. This position will be instrumental in helping the City achieve its goals of a more equitable community.

The City’s Racial Equity officer will administer and facilitate City-wide race equity programs and ensure that policies are created fairly with equitable access to opportunities. This is in addition to collaborating with City departments and staff to make meaningful movement towards a more equitable City. The officer will review, monitor and provide guidance on personnel policies and practices that have negatively impacted specific populations of employees, identify institutional barriers that limit diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and work to improve engagement among employees. Ms. Rodriguez will also work with the community and be the staff liaison for the City’s Restorative Justice Commission that will focus on the restorative justice initiatives in the Lakeland community of College Park.

The City is excited to welcome Ms. Rodriguez to the College Park team. She began working for the City on January 31, 2022.

No-Mow April

Help our Local Pollinators!

The City of College Park is encouraging its residents to reduce or refrain from mowing their lawns in support of local pollinators during the month of April. The pilot “No-Mow April” is an initiative of the City’s Bee City USA Committee and was sanctioned by Mayor and Council to encourage property owners to help our native pollinators grow and thrive during this critical period in their life cycle. City residents interested in participating must register (see details below).

Early Spring is a critical time for pollinators and the plants on which they rely. In our region, primarily during the months of March and April, pollinators emerge from overwintering and begin to forage in lawns and yards for food sources. Many plants within our lawns provide food and habitat for these early-emerging pollinators, and by eliminating or reducing lawn mowing, you can help their

populations grow and thrive. You probably don’t need another reason to delay the chore of mowing, but just in case, we’ll give you some – quality of life improvements, such as improved air quality, noise reduction, and increased bird and beneficial insect biodiversity. As we allow our lawn plants to flower, we will be able to better enjoy nature as we look at our more colorful, varied landscape, and observe a diversity of pollinator species in our local ecosystem. By mowing less frequently (or by participating in No-Mow April), you will allow plants in your lawn to flower which in turn help our local pollinators survive and reproduce, who then help more of our local plants produce. Plus, you may be surprised to see what colorful plants and pollinators may be living or foraging in your yard!

Want to participate? City residents who wish to participate in the City’s No-Mow April initiative must register at www.collegeparkmd. gov/nomowmonthform. Once you register, you can pick up a yard sign to proudly display in your front yard. Registration ends on March 21, 2022.

Interested in learning what more you can do to help our native pollinators? Visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/pollinators for tips, lists of pollinator friendly plants and local nurseries, and more pollinator-friendly information. One way you can help our pollinators thrive is by reducing or eliminating pesticide use and by planting native species in your yard.

Still not sure how to get started or have questions? The City’s Bee City USA Committee is hosting a public forum at the beginning of their regularly scheduled meeting on March 9, 2022, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Links and details will be available on the City’s website.

ARPA Assistance Programs Applications Now Open

The City has established two programs to assist businesses, non-profits, and residents address negative financial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Rescue Program Act (ARPA) has provided funds that the City is using for these and many other projects.

Each program is summarized below. The goal of these programs is to help our residents, businesses and non-profits get back on their feet and better prepared to be financially successful in the future.

For additional information, please visit collegeparkmd.gov/ arpa. Have questions? Email arpa@collegeparkmd.gov with questions for any of the City’s ARPA assistance programs.

2021 ARPA BUSINESS & NONPROFIT ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM

Restorative Justice Commission

The City of College Park seeks applicants to serve on the Restorative Justice Commission.

The Mayor and Council of the City of College Park are seeking applicants for the newly formed Restorative Justice Commission (RJC). Building on the report of the Restorative Justice Steering Committee, the RJC will recommend concrete restorative actions to the Mayor and Council to redress the harms impacting current and past African American residents and their descendants. Elements of the restorative justice process may include discovering and memorializing the truth of

members who will be appointed by the Mayor and Council for three-year terms. This process will be carried out with the inclusion/ involvement of the Diaspora of the Lakeland community and volunteers from the greater College Park community. The RJC will have specific areas of focus as described in Resolution 21-R-25. The Commission will meet monthly and may form subcommittees that may meet more often.

To apply for a position on the RJC, please complete an application on the CIty’s website and submit it to Janeen S. Miller at jsmiller@ collegeparkmd.gov by February

Certain age-restricted stores are excluded, and national franchises with local owners will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For additional details, as well as the application form and required documentation, please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/ arpa#business.

2021 ARPA FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES

Grants up to $5,000 per applicant

The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to eligible College Park individuals and families who have a demonstrated financial hardship created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

PUBLIC SAFETY Community Meetings

Grants up to $25,000

for Operating and Small Capital Expenditures

This program can provide eligible small businesses and non-profits with financial assistance for a wide range of operating expenses and capital investments, such as new equipment, website/ online shopping enhancements, façade improvements, and other costs associated with COVID-related business impacts.

Businesses and non-profits must have a physical presence in the City of College Park, employ 75 or fewer full-time (or equivalent) staff, and have been in operation as of November 1, 2021.

Eligibility is determined by residency in the City of College Park and proof of need. Applicants are required to provide proof of residency, proof of hardship, and provide certain information/ documentation so the City’s review committee can ensure the request fulfills the program requirements.

The maximum financial assistance per applicant is $5,000 for eligible expenses (vendors will be paid directly). Assistance for groceries will be in the form of gift cards to College Park stores. Only one application per household.

For additional details, as well as the application form and required documentation for resident assistance, please visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/arpa#resident.

This meeting takes place every second Monday of the month via zoom.

This community meeting will discuss City-wide crime statistics, recent incidents of public interest, neighborhood watch tips, and special public safety related topics.

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 At-Home Test Kit Distribution; New Testing Site

LIMITED NUMBER OF FREE COVID-19 AT-HOME TEST KITS FOR CITY RESIDENTS

The City of College Park will begin distributing more than 1,000 athome COVID-19 test kits to City residents in early February.

If you are a City resident and would like a FREE COVID-19 AtHome Test Kit, you must fill out the reservation request form at https:// cityofcollegepark.formstack.com/ forms/covid19testkitrequest.

The form will be active while supplies last; once we run out for the week or in general, the form will no longer work. If and when supplies are replenished, the form will go live and be updated with new pickup dates/times. Notices about the form and pickups will be posted on our website at our COVID-19 page (www. collegeparkmd.gov/covid19).

City residents can receive up to two (2) kits per household. Supplies are limited on a first-come, firstserve basis; test kits are available only while supplies last.

To reduce lines and increase convenience, residents can select a location (City Hall; Department of Public Works; and Youth and Family Services) most convenient to them to pick up the test(s). Test kits will not be provided to residents without a reservation.

All test kits must be picked up during the pick-up days/hours at the location chosen within the time frame given. We cannot make changes after the form has been submitted. Any test kits not picked up by the end of the pick-up date window will be forfeited.

For more information, or to request a kit, please visit https:// cityofcollegepark.formstack.com/ forms/covid19testkitrequest.

ADDITIONAL TESTING SITE IN COLLEGE PARK

Thanks to M-NCPPC, Express Healthcare will be able to expand its services to provide additional rapid and PCR testing in the community at:

Wells Ice Rink, 5211 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740 - starting Saturday, January 15, 2022.

Testing will operate Monday through Friday 8:00 am-6:00 pm and Saturday & Sunday from 9:00 -7:00 pm. No appointment needed. Drive-Up Only.

For further details or for any questions, please reach out to Express Healthcare.

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

COVID-19 vaccines are free to all residents who live or work in Prince George’s County -- regardless of insurance coverage or immigration status -- and are currently being distributed to eligible residents. More information can be found below:

• For booster or additional doses eligibility, FAQs, and more information: http:// mypgc.us/covidvaccine

• Vaccine Registration Hotline (7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Monday to Friday): for County residents who need help registering for the vaccine or don’t have access online, dial 311 and press #

• State of Maryland vaccine phase and vaccine clinic locations: https:// coronavirus.maryland.gov/ pages/vaccine

CITY COVID-19 UPDATES

For all City COVID-19 updates and related information, please visit www.collegeparkmd.gov/covid19.

City Announcements

More information: www.collegeparkmd.gov

CITY OFFICES CLOSED PRESIDENT’S DAY

All City offices are closed on Monday, February 21, 2022 for President’s Day. Refuse and recycling collections will slide forward one day and special collections will only occur on Friday, February 25.

CURBSIDE LEAF COLLECTION IS OVER FOR THE SEASON

All leaves must be prepared correctly for collection. Use paper yard waste bags, the beige yard waste cart, or a personal reusable container with a yellow City yard waste sticker on it; stickers are available for free in the lobby of Davis Hall (9217 51st Avenue).

SAVE THE DATE: AARP COMMUNITY MEETING

Monday, March 14, 2022 7:00 p.m. Virtual Community Meeting: Making College Park a more Livable, Age-Friendly Community

Meeting information, including Zoom links will be posted on our website closer to the event date.

TREE PROGRAMS

For more information, email: livablecommunity@ collegeparkmd.gov or visit: www.collegeparkmd.gov/ livablecommunity.

WINTER WEATHER TIPS AND NOTICES

For all City snow and ice removal activities, tips, information, and more, please visit www. collegeparkmd.gov/snow.

Winter weather updates can be found by visiting the City’s website at www.collegeparkmd. gov, social media: facebook.com/ collegeparkmd, twitter.com/ collegepark_md or by signing up for emails via College Park Connected at www.collegeparkmd. gov/cpconnect.

ELECTRONICS DROP-OFF LOCATION

City of College Park residents can bring electronics for recycling to the drop off box near the entrance of the front doors to Davis Hall. No more than 3 items can be disposed of at no cost. Details, including what is acceptable and not is available on our website.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY & WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTHS

e Negro Intellectual and Her Crisis. University of Maryland professor Randy Ontiveros will facilitate a virtual discussion with Casey Patterson, a University of Maryland alum and a Ph.D. candidate at Stanford. Free. Feb. 16 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. For more information, email clcs@ umd.edu

Book Discussion. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission hosts William G. Thomas III, award-winning author of A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War Free. Feb. 17 from 7 to 8 p.m. Event will be broadcast live at facebook.com/PGParksHistory

Black History Month Art Workshop. Join Racquel Keller in a virtual workshop celebrating Black History Month and exploring the history of Black artists. Sponsored by the College Park Arts Exchange. Free. Feb. 22 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. For more information, go to cpae.org

Virtual Antiracism Discussion. The University of Maryland’s English department is hosting a conversation between Dr. Sheneese Thompson, of Bowie State University, and award-winning author Sufiya Abdur-Rahman. Free. Feb. 23, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Email Tita Chico, tchico@ umd.edu for more information.

e History of the Lakeland Community. Route 1 Corridor Conversations will explore the history of College Park’s historically Black community with members of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project. Free. Feb. 26 from 2 to

3:30 p.m. To register, go to hyattsvilleaginginplace.org and click on Programs and Activities.

February at the Aviation Museum. Visit the College Park Aviation Museum on Saturdays in February for a series on Black aviators and their role in aviation history.

Free with museum admission: adults $5, seniors $4, children $2; children 1 and under free. For more information contact Jamie Jones, jamie.jones@ pgparks.com

Su rage Exhibit at the University of Maryland. Visit the Hornbake Library Gallery any weekday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a free exhibit exploring the history of voting rights in America. For additional information, email Laura Cleary at lclearly@umd. edu

Women’s History Month Art Workshop. Join Racquel Keller in a virtual workshop celebrating Women’s History Month and exploring the history of female artists.

Sponsored by the College Park Arts Exchange. Free. March 3 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to cpae.org

e Poetry of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Route 1 Corridor Conversations will host University of Maryland professor emerita Deborah Rosenfelt, Ph.D., in a discussion of Audre Lorde’s transformational poetry. Free. March 26 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. To register, go to hyattsvilleaginginplace.org and click on Programs and Activities.

SAVE THE DATE

Virtual Conservation Summit. Audubon MidAtlantic invites you to take part in its conservation

summit, “I Bird, I Vote.” Scientists, conservationists and legislators will address the latest priorities for protecting birds in the region. Friday, Feb. 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb 12 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Free. Register at pgaudubon.org/events/i-birdi-vote-1

Learn Brazilian Samba. Workshops on Brazilian drumming and dance, brought to you by the College Park Arts Exchange. Feb. 12, 26, and March 12 and 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Rd. Free. For more information, email info@cpae. org

Draw Like a Famous Artist. Join Racquel Keller and explore the techniques of a new famous artist at each virtual workshop. Feb. 12 and 26, and March 5 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, go to cpae.org

TDPS Experimental Performance Series. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland for an experimental dance performance by Greta Cover, Carlo Antonio Villanueva and Christina Robson. Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 12 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

Virtual Book Club. Need a creative outlet for all that quiet time at home? The College Park Arts Exchange invites you to discuss Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight, by Julia Sweig, on Feb. 15. From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free. RSVP by emailing info@cpae.org

University of Maryland Percussion Ensemble

Concert. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center for the ensemble’s debut concert under the direction of new faculty member Ji Su Jung. Feb. 18 from 8 to 9 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

e Great Backyard Bird Count. Join the Audubon Mid-Atlantic’s Great Backyard Bird Count from Feb. 18 to 21. Report your backyard bird sightings using the free Merlin Bird ID app. For more information, visit pgaudubon. org/events/great-back-yardbird-count-1

University of Maryland Wind Ensemble Concert. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center to enjoy the music of the university’s first ensemble to be invited to perform at the College Band Directors National Association. Feb. 19 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

Pianissima: A Family A air. University of Maryland’s School of Music faculty members Larissa Dedova and Mikhail Volchok are joined by their daughters and university alumnae Daria Scarano and Anastasia Voltchok for a piano recital featuring the music of Rachmaninoff, Milhaud and Ravel, along with an original composition by Mikhail Volchok. Feb. 23 from 8 to 9 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

Bach Cantata Series: BWV 208. Visit The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland for a

vocal performance of Bach cantatas. Feb. 24, 1 to 1:30 p.m. Free. Reserve your seat by calling 301.405.2787.

College Park Community

Library Book Club. Discuss A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman, on March 8 and The Peacemakers Code, by Deepak Malholtra, on April 12. The group meets virtually (Zoom) from 7 to 8:30 p.m.. For more information, email Carol Munn at donkinc@msn.com

College Park Céilí. EducArte kicks off its Irish programming with the first College Park Céilí, an Irish social gathering filled with traditional music and dance. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Free. March 12 at 7 p.m. at the Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Rd.

Kitchen Guild Open House. Visit the Riversdale House Museum and watch kitchen guild members cooking food that was popular in enslaved communities in the region in the 19th century. March 13 from noon to 3 p.m.; registration required by March 10. For more information, call 301.864.0420 or email riversdale@pgparks.com

ONGOING

Food Assistance Available. Help by Phone Ltd. operates food pantries across Prince George’s County, with locations at Berwyn Presbetyrian Church (Greenbelt Rd.), University Baptist Church (Campus Dr.), and Trinity Moravian Church (Good Luck Rd). To schedule a pickup, call 301.699.9009, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Home Questions? I Have Answers

to dramatically increased social media exposure and smartphone use among teens.

The pandemic has steepened this decline. In May 2020, emergency visits for suspected suicide attempts began to increase among adolescents aged 12–17, according to the CDC. And the Maryland Youth Pandemic Behavior Survey 2021 indicated that approximately 1 in 5 Maryland teens reported seriously considering suicide in the past year.

“We were already in a mental health crisis before COVID[-19], but it just wasn’t being talked about,” emphasized Dr. Linda McGhee, a clinical psychologist and president of the Maryland Psychological Association.

Jonaki Sanyal is a counselor at Chelsea School in Hyattsville, which serves middle and high school students with language-based learning disorders. She wrote in an email that she observed considerable grief, depression and anxiety among her students. She noted that students’ struggles intensified when the pandemic hit: “Those who were learning to manage anxiety now had to toggle to find an appropriate amount of anxiety to feel!”

TEENS ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE

McGhee said that adolescents have been particularly impacted by the pandemic for several reasons. “They’re developing resilience. They’re developing organizational skills. They’re developing a sense of who they are as individuals. They’re starting to think about their place in the world … about their careers,” she explained. “And all of these things have now been interrupted by

the pandemic.” During the pandemic, adolescents have missed countless opportunities for social interactions and practicing trial-and-error decision making.

“[Adolescence] is a precursor to the launch phase, a time of developing independence just before our maturing children leave home and face the world,” said Sean Delehant, a local psychotherapist. “With the restrictions brought on by COVID[-19] … instead of having increased opportunities to be with their peers, they are offered less.”

INCREASING SEVERITY, NEED FOR SUPPORT

Dr. Sarah Wayland is the founder and owner of the Riverdalebased Guiding Exceptional Parents, and she works with local families, educators and therapists. “The mental health crisis that our teens and young adults are facing right now cannot be overstated,” Wayland wrote in an email. “Kids are really struggling. I’m seeing more school refusal than I have ever before seen. More admissions to hospital psychiatric units. More severe depression. More suicidal ideation. More self-injury. Our kids are navigating so much uncertainty right now, and they are afraid about the future.”

Folake Aloba, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and director of services at Covenant Psychiatric Services, in Hyattsville, observed, “I’ve seen a surge in teenage depression, anxiety and even psychosis.”

Delahant said the concerns and symptoms he has seen most in his adolescent clients during the pandemic are substance misuse, emotional volatility, feelings of isolation and sadness, family conflict and struggles with school.

Aloba said that Covenant has seen more than a 50% increase in teenage referrals. Sanyal in-

creased the length and number of sessions for her Chelsea School students and included additional sessions for crisis support. She has also offered more virtual support outside of office hours to better meet students’ emotional needs.

Delehant, along with several other practitioners, noted that many clinicians have had full case loads. “I’ve had difficulty referring clients to other clinicians because so many professionals are maxed out,” he said, noting that he was spending as much as three to four hours a week with some clients to help them avoid hospitalization.

HIGHLIGHTING INEQUITIES

McGhee emphasized that the pandemic has hit some families particularly hard, including families of color, those earning less than $75,000 and those with only one caregiver.

Susana Molina is a mental health therapist with Mi Refugio, a program based at Northwestern High School that supports the school’s immigrant and Latino populations. She said that most students in the program have few, if any, family members in the U.S. Molina observed that students were hit particularly hard in the early stages of the pandemic. “A lot of them were coming with that worry, and, in some instances, with the news that they had lost parents, grandparents, siblings, close relatives,” she said. “So we were dealing with the grief that came with anxiety, that came with depression. It came with PTSD, and, overall, just emotional instability.”

“The pandemic highlighted existing inequities and different access to space and need for in-person support,” Sanyal noted. “When going virtual, some [Chelsea School] students had to adapt quickly to new responsibilities, now in charge of

getting themselves to virtual school and keeping on task, sometimes getting siblings logged in and on task as well.”

DEVELOPING RESILIENCE, COPING SKILLS, AWARENESS

Most responding clinicians have observed their clients developing more coping skills and resilience. While some of Mi Refugio’s clients have experienced considerable family conflict during the pandemic, Molina noted, “We have had cases where the students have strengthened their relationships with their siblings, with their parents or their guardians.”

Sanyal and Delehant also described teens developing closer family connections. Sanyal pointed to a host of other ways her students have coped. “My artists and writers of the bunch channel their feelings and experiences through their mediums,” she explained. “Some learned to meditate, some began running, others started their own at-home cosmetics and nail salon businesses.”

Sanyal and Molina both noted that students have become more willing to seek help.

“Some just started talking!” Sanyal said. She added that students have been developing “the coping skill of knowing when to reach out to the counselor … learning to use their voices and express themselves.”

McGhee recommended that parents of adolescents prioritize their children’s mental health over academics. Encourage them to reconnect with friends or to replace relationships that have been severed during the pandemic, she said. She also recommended that parents think creatively about plans for the summer in ways that can bolster mental health and increase socialization.

Staff members of Mi Refugio, a program based at Northwestern High School that supports the school’s immigrant and Latino populations. COURTESY OF SUSANA MOLINA/MI REFUGIO

Growing a farmers market takes time and patience

By Julia Kyles

In the middle of winter, it may seem like it will be a few years, rather than a few months, until College Park’s farmers markets reopen for business. But the markets are not hibernating; organizers work year-round to ensure their bounty and appeal.

Robyn Gaston, volunteer market organizer for the College Park Farmers Market at Paint Branch Parkway, knows this all too well. “I really do work on the organization, and the planning and the market 12 months out of the year,” she noted.

That work includes a myriad of activities, not all of them related to selling fresh food, baked goods and the other items that make farmers markets so popular. Like many great human endeavors, farmers markets require permits, licenses and insurance.

“The market is insured. The vendors are insured. Everybody is insured — no one just shows up. Food vendors are licensed by the [Health Department] and are regularly inspected,” said Aaron Springer, a volunteer who works with College Park’s market manager, Julie Beavers. Springer helps organize the Hollywood Farmers Market, in North College Park. Food safety is a key concern at farmers markets. The requirements for licensing are complex, and vendors who don’t pass spot inspections have to leave, Gaston explained.

Springer noted that the background office management work is complex, beyond insur-

ance policies and paperwork. There are also a multitude of interactions with a variety of people and organizations, and those interactions continue offseason. “We work with the tenants of the shopping center, we work with the shopping center management, we work with the city of College Park … to move this forward,” he said.

In addition to managing these negotiations, market organizers work with vendors, communicate year-round with people who have questions about the markets, manage social media accounts, and participate in professional conferences and similar events.

Springer estimates that offseason work amounts to two weeks’ worth of time, spread out from December until the market opens, while Gaston estimates she does some sort of market-organizing work four days a week throughout the

year, even if it is a few minutes here or there. noting that the pace picks up in late February or early March, as markets get ready to open. In April, she starts working with new and returning vendors to keep them on track. “Because we’re only talking about a month before we start,” she said. Gaston also reminds vendors to get their permits. “All of the people who sell beverages and the majority of people who sell edible stuff must get a farmers market permit from the county. And if you get it before April 30, … [the fee is] significantly less. So I’m just like that little bug in your ear reminding you of what you need to have,” she said.

Springer and Gaston both balance their organizing efforts with other careers, and they certainly don’t work with the markets for fame, glory or money — volunteer work doesn’t pay, after

all. They stepped up because they saw the need.

“I got involved locally because I saw that our markets were under some degree of stress, and they needed a little rejuvenation,” Springer said. His experience with farmers markets includes shopping at them as well as photographing them for Edible Chesapeake magazine, a popular guide to the region that ceased publication in 2009.

“I like farmers markets. I’ve been shopping at farmers markets for well over 25 years. Whether it’s farmers markets from when I lived in Baltimore, to our D.C. [and] Maryland farmers markets, I think it’s a great way to find excellent produce, meat and veg, and prepared goods,” Springer said. In addition, he is friends with vendors and market managers, and he thought he could use that experience to help improve the city’s farmers markets. In 2017, he decided to volunteer. “I figured that I could bring … just enough [experience] to make it work and not drop the ball.”

Gaston volunteered to organize the Paint Branch market after vending there for two years. In addition to being a special education teacher, she makes and sells soap.

When she started vending at the College Park Farmers Market at Paint Branch Parkway five years ago, there were just a handful of vendors, including Miller Farms, a market mainstay. Gaston listened to customers and vendors, who

talked about what the market had been in the past, so she knew that it had potential. And she drew on her experience — she knew how the market could evolve. So midway through the season three years ago, with Phil Miller’s support, Gaston set up social media accounts and sent out calls for vendors. By the end of that season, the market was up to 13 vendors.

Even though both Springer and Gaston were familiar with farmers markets before they started volunteering, they learned a good deal after they stepped behind the scenes. “I just figured I would organize, and people would sign up, and we would roll from there,” said Gaston. That wasn’t the case. “It is really, really hard work … and time consuming,” she noted.

The finer points of food safety regulations came as another surprise. “I know more about health department regulations than I ever needed to know,” Gaston joked. She credits a Prince George’s County’s health inspector with taking time to patiently explain the rules. “I have a lot of young vendors. They know how to cook, but they needed to learn the other pieces of their craft. So I needed to learn … [about food safety regulations] so I could explain it to them.” Gaston also encourages vendors to contact the county’s health department for more information.

Springer knew that permits and licenses were necessary, but the processes of obtaining them still took him aback. “The part that I expected — but always throws in a curve — is working with the county on licensing and permitting,” he said, adding that things have improved. “There’s been a lot of growth that I needed to make, but also very reassuringly, there has also been a lot of growth in terms of the department of licensing and permitting working better with farmers markets.”

plan without qualifications.

College Park City Councilmember Stuart Adams (District 3) urged the county council not to move forward at this time, especially given the delayed opening of the Purple Line and the pause on the Western Gateway project. “We have enough time to really thoughtfully consider how to add appropriate density, how to make sure we’re looking at our school burdens, how we can preserve our green space and make this absolutely fantastic,” he said at the public hearing.

At the Jan. 25 city council meeting, councilmembers requested, in a letter, that the Prince George’s County Council and the county planning board delay moving the sector plan forward.

The letter, signed by Mayor Patrick Wojahn, states that the proposed plan “inadequately addresses environmental, transportation and public facility issues, and recommends zoning changes that are not justified.”

The letter asks the county council to recognize the role of the Guilford Run Watershed in preventing flooding and promoting biodiversity. It also acknowledged the importance of having

high-density smart growth near public transportation but asked that any future development not interfere with preservation of College Park’s natural areas. The county planning board will meet in March to review the public comments and again in April to vote on adopting the sector plan. The county council will also meet, in May, to review the public comments. In June, the county council will either adopt or amend the sector plan. If the council decides to amend the plan significantly, another public hearing will take place, followed by adoption of the plan, including any amendments or changes, in October.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS

Following adoption of the Aldephi Road Sector Plan, the fight to save Gilford Woods continues. TANEEN MOMENI

Free Produce Delivery Every ird ursday. Make your reservation by emailing your contact information (your name, street address, email and phone) to connectporfavor.com by the third Monday of the month to receive fresh produce three days later. Participants may register for a duplicate delivery so they can share extra food with others in need. Pickups between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at a central location. Brought to you by Community Connect Calvert Hills. For more information, or to volunteer to help deliver, call 301.864.5267.

Support College Park’s Senior Citizens. Meals on Wheels College Park needs licensed drivers, and all are welcome to volunteer for flexible slots on weekday mornings. Fill out an application at mealsonwheelsofcollegepark. org or call 202.669.6297.

Virtual Homeschool Club. Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission hosts a science club for homeschooled students on March 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. $20. Register by clicking Parks Direct at pgparks. com/185/Parks-Recreation using code 22614-288A.

e Hall CP. Open mic nights, wine-down Wednesdays, live music concerts and more! For the latest information, go to thehallcp.com/events

Gardening and Health Courses. The University of Maryland Extension, Prince George’s County, offers a wide range of virtual and in-person programs related to gardening, farming, health and more. For more information, go to extension.umd.edu/newsevents/events

OpenBarre. Yoga, ballet positions and Pilates combined in low-impact classes, with first class free to new members. Register at openbarrestudios.com

Friday Dance Workshop. Join instructor Karen Stewart, of Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers, for step-by-step instruction and dance along to soul, gospel and pop music. Each Friday in February from 10 to 11 a.m. Register by emailing info@ cpae.org

Wednesday Tap Dance Workshops. Free virtual tap workshop with instructor Elizabeth Gardner every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information and to register, email info@cpae.org

HELP WANTED

COLLEGE PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS

Yarrow Civic Association. Membership is free. For more information, email Wendy Kelley at wendybird85@yahoo. com

College Park Estates Civic Association. For more information, email Ray Ranker at rayranker@gmail.com

West College Park Citizens Association. Membership is open to all residents of West College Park over age 18. For more information, email Suchitra Balachandran at cp_woods@yahoo.com

Berwyn District Civic Association. The BDCA’s monthly meeting will be on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and on each third Thursday of the month after that. To register, email president@ myberwyn.org

North College Park Community Association. The next meeting will be on Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be both virtual and in-person at 5051 Branchville Rd. For more information, email ncpcivic@ gmail.com or go to myncpca.org

Lakeland Civic Association. For meeting and registration information, email lakelandcivic@gmail.com

Old Town College Park Civic Association. For more information and to add your name to the listserv, email Kathy Bryant at kdbryant20740@gmail.com

Calvert Hills Citizens Association. For more information, go to calverthills. weebly.com or email the board at calverthillscitizensassn@ gmail.com

November, was improper. By using a resolution rather than a bill to pass the map, the county council bypassed receiving approval from the county executive, an action in violation of state law, according to a memo from Councilmember Tom Dernoga (District 1).

District boundaries must be redrawn every ten years, based on the U.S. Census, in order to ensure equal populations in districts. The county appointed a commission in order to create the required map. That commission sought public input, and produced a map which had minimal changes to the existing borders.

In mid-October, Councilmembers Derrick Davis (District 6) and Mel Franklin (At-Large) proposed two alternate maps, claiming their maps incorporated the newest census data more accurately than the County Redistricting Commission’s map did. Krystal Oriadha, Eric Olson and Tamara Brown, each of whom had considered running for county council seats, were all designated in different districts, and the City of College Park was divided in half between two districts. Many county residents accused the commission of gerrymandering, but despite the widespread public outrage, county councilmembers adopted Franklin’s map, with a 6-3 vote, at their Nov. 16 meeting.

Eric Olson, who served on the county council from 2006 to 2014, paid for the lawsuit through his

STORMWATER

study will take about a year to complete, once an engineering firm is on board. Hiring may take place within a few months.

The Calvert Hills College Park Drainage Improvement Project has been in the design phase for years. This project will add drain systems, underground stormwater storage units and related measures to reduce

campaign, according to The Washington Post. Olson had already announced his intention to run for the District 3 seat in the summer of 2022, but the adopted map redesignated Olson’s residence to District 1. Since a person must live in a district for at least one year before running for office in that district, the approved map deemed Olson ineligible to run in the upcoming election.

“Apart from disadvantaging political opponents, Vansville, Lakeland, College Park and Suitland residents became innocent bystanders whose communities were negatively affected,” Dernoga wrote, in his memo. “One may hope that they finally put their personal political desires aside and put an end to this public embarrassment.”

Snoddy ordered that the county council use the County Redistricting Commission’s proposed map to prevent gerrymandering. Prince George’s County’s attorney Rajesh Kumar filed a notice of appeal on behalf of the council on Feb. 1.

flooding and manage runoff, according to the project’s factsheet. Construction was slated to begin in spring 2021 but is currently on hold.

“This upcoming study is to go the next step … because we know even after that drainage project is complete, there’s still a lot of houses that could flood from the storms that we’re seeing now. It’s not far-fetched; it’s happening now,” said Councilmember Stuart Adams (District 3).

District boundaries must be redrawn every ten years, based on the U.S. Census, in order to ensure equal populations in districts.

on the floor, which can be dirty and even muddy, and female students, who are required to wear skirts to school, may be particularly concerned about cleanliness. According to the Kulemekas, female students are more likely to drop out than male students, in large part because of this issue.

“Because, as they get older, they like to look clean. They don’t want their skirts to get dirty. Girls have been shown to leave school just because of their concerns about how clean they’re going to be looking,” Andrew Kulemeka said.

The turning point for Chikondi Kulemeka came on exam day. Since the floors were dirty, and it was important to the teacher that the exams stay clean, each student used a piece of cardboard as a mock desk on which to write their exam, Chikondi Kulemeka said. After observing the teacher’s approach, she met with school officials, and together they formulated a plan.

“[The vice principal] went to the carpenter across the street and got a quote for some desks … and how many desks he thought probably would be needed for the whole school,” Chikondi Kulemeka said. “I took it home, and I did the math, and I called my dad. ‘I’m going to need like $50,000,’” she said.

“At that point, it was really something like, ‘we’re gonna give it a try. We don’t know how it’s going to work out,’” Andrew Kulemeka said. “But I remember telling [Chikondi], what I do know about the United States is that people are very generous … and if we cannot do it in the U.S., then we cannot do it anywhere.”

Chikondi Kulemeka talked with teachers and created a team in Malawi. When she returned to the U.S., she got to work creating a team here.

“At that time, she was a student at St. Mary’s College, and there was a lot of enthusiasm for the project at her school. She created a committee there, basically of classmates,” Andrew Kulemeka said. “They started a tip jar … and they started collecting that money for the project.” Each desk costs around $45 and could seat as many as three students.

Even as fundraising efforts were slow to take off, the Kulemekas and their teammates persisted. Since 2017, the project has been able to provide desks two schools; Chankhanga, the primary school that Chikondi Kulemeka first visited, and Kalilombe, a school in the village the Kulemekas are from, are now fully furnished. These schools are reaping the benefits of having desks for their

students. Enrollments are up, as are students’ scores on standardized tests. Students who have received desks are advancing to high school at a higher rate than are students from any other school in Kasungu, the town where the Chankhanga school is located, according to Chikondi Kulemeka.

“You can see the pride that the teachers have and how they’re able to actually organize the space within the classroom … because of the desks. Before that, it was a little bit chaotic,” Andrew Kulemeka said.

According to the Kulemekas, teachers are not the only ones who applaud their efforts; students, too, appreciate having desks in their classrooms — and so much so that they created a club honoring Chikondi Kulemeka at the Chankhanga school and performed a musical play about what she’s done for them.

Chikondi Kulemeka is thrilled to see students in these schools

blossoming, and she is impressed that people here in the U.S. care enough about these students to donate to the project.

“It just makes me happy to know that they know that people believe in their education. That’s really the part for me,” she said. “And I guess it does also make me feel really just supported when people are willing to believe in this project and support the children — and put their money behind it.”

Although the project has already fully furnished two schools with desks, their work is far from complete.

“I would definitely want to expand to … [other] countries, but I do have this inner mission … I would love to help be a part of finishing all of Malawi first and then moving on,” Chikondi Kulemeka said. “I’ll probably look to expand and see what other countries need help, but I think also I could look back, continue to probably look at Malawi’s development and see what else within education could use improvement.”

The Kulemekas and their collaborators — the project’s Team USA — are still working hard to fundraise, but not just for desks.

“We are actually planning a trip, pandemic willing, with actually all of Team USA to go this summer, so that we can visit both Kalilombe [Full] Primary School and also our first project [at Chankhanga Primary School],” Chikondi Kulemeka said. “We’re hoping to … identify two to three new schools

to start right away on our next project.”

The Desks Project will be hosting a number of fundraisers in the next month, including candle-making events with Chappelle Candle Co.

“We will be finalizing [the candle-making fundraiser] dates within the next week hopefully,” Chikondi Kulemeka wrote in an email. “We are going to be featuring Black Owned Businesses and prominent Black people from history on our website and social media for Black History Month! I’d love to encourage people to keep up with that on our socials!”

Along with collaborating with businesses to raise funds, the team will be hosting virtual, three-session skills workshops on various topics including social-media marketing, budgeting and planning fundraisers, and recruiting and retaining donors. The workshops are open to the general public and are particularly for people interested in volunteering with the project.

“We will be hosting our first ever skills development workshop! It will be open to the public as a fundraiser and a way for individuals to boost their personal skills,” Chikondi Kulemeka wrote. “We are also hoping that anyone interested in becoming a Team USA member would come to training as well!”

For more information, go to thedesksproject.org or @thedesksproject on Instagram.

The Desks Project will be hosting a number of fundraisers in the next month, including candle-making events with Chappelle Candle Co. TANEEN MOMENI

Trolley trail trees carry IDs

By Michael Purdie

The City of College Park’s Committee for a Better Environment (CBE) launched an initiative late last fall to label native tree species along the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail. During December, a total of 20 markers were placed as the initial phase of the project, according to Alexa Bely, who proposed the initiative about a year ago. Ten species of indigenous trees have been labeled, with a specimen of each species identified on both sides of Paint Branch. The CBE aims to label an additional 10 species next spring.

“I recognized that I have both an appreciation for the natural world, but I also have a lot of friends and contacts that I learn from, so although I’m not an expert in tree identification, I do have contacts that have that expert knowledge,” said Bely, a professor in the department of biology at the University of Maryland. “I’ve been able to learn a fair bit over the last couple of years about the local tree species and realized how much I was appreciating that knowl-

edge and thought that many of our residents would appreciate being able to identify trees along the trolley trail as well.”

The trail, which connects College Park to Hyattsville and Riverdale, is a 3.8-mile path

along Rhode Island Avenue that boasts a wide variety of native trees — more than 25 species — including red oaks, serviceberries, black walnuts and silver maples, according to Bely. Markers along the trail not only label trees but also have a QR code that contains information about the trees and a map of those that are tagged. Not only does the project aim to enrich residents’ knowledge about the local environment, it also promotes expanding the tree canopy in neighborhoods throughout the city. A robust

canopy can reduce heating and cooling costs, improve air quality and increase home values.

“City residents are increasingly interested in preserving and expanding the tree canopy, so a lot of residents are asking themselves what kind of trees they could plant in this area, and it’s hard to make that choice if you haven’t seen or are unable to recognize some of these trees,” Bely noted. “One of the additional reasons why we went ahead and started this project is to help people make informed decisions about what trees they

might plant on their property.”

Property owners who plant trees can apply to the city’s Tree Canopy Enhancement Program for an annual reimbursement of up to $150 for approved trees. Residents can also ask the city to plant and maintain street trees.

Though Bely has been instrumental in launching the labeling project, the entire committee is working collectively to implement it. The CBE includes 15 to 20 residents who are appointed by the city to represent each district. The committee, which operates with city funding, meets monthly and implements service programs to preserve local natural resources and promote awareness of sustainable practices.

In addition to sponsoring the tree labeling project along the trolley trail, the CBE has been organizing a project to paint city storm drains in an effort to raise awareness that College Park, which is located in the Anacostia River Watershed, is part of a very large stormwater management system. A handful of the storm drains have already been painted, according to Bely, to remind people that the items that go down the drain actually go into an extensive freshwater ecosystem.

New placards along the trolly trail help visitors identify trees. TANEEN MOMENI

Not only does the project aim to enrich residents’ knowledge about the local environment, it also promotes expanding the tree canopy in neighborhoods throughout the city.