THE GAZETTE
Thursday, May 28, 2015 lr
Page A-3
Greenbelt teenager named Elizabeth Seton valedictorian Bladensburg school staff commend student for achievements, humility n
BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Patty Commins, 18, debated between attending Eleanor Roosevelt High School with her identical twin sister, Mary, or splitting off for the first time and forging her own path at Elizabeth Seton High School. The Greenbelt resident chose the latter and after four years of success in academics, music and athletics, she was named this year’s valedictorian. “She recognizes her intellect and musical talent as a gift and I think that’s why she’s so willing to share it with other people,” said Vanessa Cooke, dean of guidance at the Bladensburg school. Commins graduated Tuesday at the top of her class with a 4.34 GPA. She earned a perfect 800 on the math section of the SAT and a perfect 5 on the Advanced Placement Calculus BC exam as a junior. “I’ve always just liked math a lot, but also seeing how you can apply it in the real world,” Commins said. Commins is a member of numerous academic societies, including the National Honors Society. As an NHS tutor, Cooke said Commins motivates younger students to excel. “She really helps to build their confidence and has a way of explaining that makes you feel on top of things,” Cooke said. Commins has been part of the school’s track, cross country and swim teams and volunteered with Martha’s Table,
KIRSTEN PETERSEN/THE GAZETTE
Patty Commins, 18, of Greenbelt is the 2015 valedictorian at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg.
strumental music director, praised Commins’ academic accomplishments, they said they were the most impressed by her humility. “She’s just good at everything she does. It would be easy to hate a person like that if she wasn’t so sweet,” Hood said. Cooke said Commins’ natural ability and work ethic are the keys to her success, but her “joy of learning” enables her to achieve. “It seems like such a joy for her and she never seems to be burdened by it,” Cooke said. In her graduation speech, Commins emphasized the importance of service and giving back, but she said the most valuable lesson she learned at Elizabeth Seton was the importance of friendship. “Seton is very close knit and I think it’s good to find that in college [but also] keep in touch with everyone,” Commins said.
a nonprofit that addresses hunger and poverty in Washington, D.C., but she said the highlight of her time at Elizabeth Seton was performing with the school’s orchestra. She was the first chair violist for all four years, in addition to performing with honors and state-wide ensembles. “It’s nice to be with the same group of girls all four years at Seton,” Commins said. “It’s a nice community orchestra.” When deciding which college to attend, Commins faced a similar crossroads as she did four years ago — she could join her twin at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana or enroll at Carleton College in Minnesota. The comfort of a small school, which attracted her to Elizabeth Seton, also compelled her to choose Carleton. “I liked that Carleton was smaller and everyone there was friendly,” Commins said. “I thought it was a better fit for me.” While Cooke and Debora Hood, Elizabeth Seton’s in-
kpetersen@gazette.net
African-American communities showcased ‘Sharing Our Stories’ features Lakeland, Lincoln, Seabrook Acres n
BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Prince George’s County residents can learn about historic African-American communities and listen to oral histories Sunday in North Brentwood. The “Sharing Our Stories” event will be hosted by County Councilwoman Dannielle Glaros (Dist. 3) of Riverdale from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center in North Brentwood. Residents from three communities — Lake-
land in College Park, Lincoln near Glenn Dale and Seabrook Acres — will speak during the event. As she met with many of her constituents in District 3, Glaros said that she discovered residents didn’t know nearby communities as well as they could. “We have such tremendous history in the county,” Glaros said. “I wanted to pull people together from all of the different neighborhoods and hear about their history.” Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call the District 3 office at 301-952-3060. kpetersen@gazette.net
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Laurel Elementary School reading specialist Paul Rohde helps fourth-grader Sean Shackelford work on a PowerPoint presentation on May 13.
Laurel Elementary reading specialist wrapping final year Calverton resident taught in county schools for 41 years n
BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Families of Laurel Elementary School students may notice a familiar face is missing when they drop off their children in the fall — reading specialist Paul Rohde, who has greeted pupils outside every morning and has taught at the school for 17 years, will retire this summer. “I think it will be a big change and a big loss for them because he’s been there for so long and he knows the school and the students and teachers so well,” said parent Deborah Yeagley. “I think he loved what he did and had a very positive impact.” Rohde, 66, of Calverton worked exclusively in Prince George’s County Public Schools during his 41-year career. Rohde taught third through sixth grade at Riverdale Elementary School in Riverdale and Lamont Elementary School in New Carrollton. When Rohde arrived at Laurel in 1998, he said he was ready to transition out of the
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classroom and decided to become a reading specialist. “I get to teach more than I’ve ever taught,” Rohde said. Rohde works with struggling readers in intervention groups as well as talented and gifted students who are building their literary skills. For younger readers, Rohde uses incentives, such as prizes from the Dollar Store, to encourage them to meet reading goals. Laurel Elementary School principal Melinda Lee said she is confident Rohde’s teaching has made an impact on struggling readers. Rohde said the most fulfilling part of teaching reading is seeing students make progress and grow in their confidence. Yeagley, whose four daughters all worked with Rohde as talented and gifted students, said enrichment activities he devised and fundraisers he helped organize — such as the annual cookie sale — make her children feel special. “I think he challenged the kids,” Yeagley said. “He didn’t let them off easy [but] that’s why he was there, to push them a little bit.” Rohde said he studied political science in college, but despite his aptitude for law, he
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wasn’t interested in becoming an attorney or working for the government. It wasn’t until a friend encouraged him to try substitute teaching that Rohde said he found his calling. “There are few days that I can think of over the years that I did not want to go into school,” Rohde said. “Some people dread it, want to get out. I never felt that way.” Lee said for more than eight years, she’s spent weekday mornings welcoming students with Rohde when they arrive at school. “We share our school experiences, but also I know his wife, the trips he’s taken,” Lee said. “That sharing time I’ll certainly miss, having him out there with me.” In his retirement, Rohde said he plans to travel with his wife, golf and audit classes at the University of Maryland, College Park. But he said this won’t be the last time students and parents will see him at Laurel — he plans to volunteer once or twice a week at the school. “When I see the kids make progress, that’s a great feeling. It really is,” Rohde said.
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