In an effort to raise awareness and improve public safety, Chesapeake partnered with local departments of health to conduct Maryland Response Overdose Training on campus this fall.

Participants learn about opioids, how to recognize signs of an overdose and how to respond to an overdose.   More than 70 students in the Health Professions Programs have completed the training thus far.

In addition to training students in the Health Professions programs, the Chesapeake College Honors Program sponsored two more training sessions by the Talbot and Dorchester county health departments for Chesapeake students and employees. Another 65 participants are scheduled to complete the training this month. Alexandra Duff-Hughes, MPH, CPH, CHES and Jennifer Washington, Supervisor DRI-Dock Recovery & Wellness Center and NARCAN Trainer of the Mid-Shore conduct the on-campus training sessions.

WYE MILLS - A diverse group of artists from the Eastern Shore and Annapolis will present their original artwork at "The Chesapeake Show"  from Nov. 6 - Jan. 4  in the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College.

"The Chesapeake Show: A Traveling Exhibition of Select Artists" features fourteen local artists who express their love of the Chesapeake Bay region through their beautiful and diverse art.  This group has exhibited throughout the Eastern Shore and Annapolis region, featuring original artwork from watercolors and acrylics to cut-paper and ribbon collages. 

Organized by Dave Murphy and Steve Bleinberger, other artists include Peggy Blades, Mary Bickford, Katherine Carney, Carolyn Councell, Ann Farley, Brenda Larson, Judi MacDonald, Nancy O'Brien, Paul Taylor, Carol Vaughn, Sean Wells, and Wende Woodham.

See scenes of beautiful waterways, boats, marine animals and more as you reminisce about times on and near the water. This free exhibit is open from  9 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. For more information, please contact Marcie Molloy at mamolloy@chesapeake.edu.

CAMBRIDGE– Celebrate Second Saturday on Saturday, Nov. 11  with an art show opening in the Leggett Gallery at the Chesapeake College Cambridge Center from 5-6:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public. This month, the gallery features works by members of the Baywater Camera Club.

Photographers included in the exhibit are: Ron Berman, Pam Montell Decraecke, Steve Del Sordo, Jean S. Del Sordo, Larry Davies, Kathryn McKnight, David Todd, Wendy Rue and Rose Poling.

The Baywater Camera Club (BCC) was formed a few years ago, when a group of Cambridge photo enthusiasts saw the need for a local club to serve the needs of photographers at all skill levels.  Monthly the club brings together in a relaxed local setting people who want to learn more about or just talk about photography.  The club meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Dorchester Center for the Arts.  All meetings are open to members, potential members and the general public. 

The meetings feature discussions and presentations of photography related topics.  This is followed by the popular show-tell-and critique sessions where club members bring in their photo shoots focused around the topic of the month.  In addition to the monthly meetings member activities include participation in photo shows and Dorchester Showcase.  The club is small, new and is still finding its way, but it offers a good local opportunity to learn more about the hobby of photography.  Please contact Pam Decraecke at 443-939-7744 for further information about the BCC.

Refreshments for the opening reception will be provided by The Wine Bar. For more information, please contact Marcie Molloy at 410-827-5825 or mamolloy@chesapeake.edu.

WYE MILLS - A warning to the rest of the Division II women’s college basketball teams in Region XX of the National Junior College Athletic Association: Chesapeake is Chesapeake again.

For those who thought the Division II champion Skipjacks might show signs of decline after the graduation of school’s all-time leading scorer, Janice Ladson (1,032 points), and last year’s second-leading scorer, Shahra Madison (averaged 15.7 points), Chesapeake coach Gwen Barnes came up with five good reasons: Chantelle Gross, Emily Truitt, Amunique Newell, Natori Nesbit and Reeva Jackson.

Both Gross and Truitt averaged in double figures last year and are primed to lead the Skipjacks.

“Even with all the scoring threats we had last year, I don’t think we are going to miss any of that offense,” said Barnes, whose team went 18-10 overall and 10-4 in conference play last year. “Any of the (starters) have the ability to come in and make an impact on the game.”   

Truitt, a 5-foot-10 sophomore from Millsboro, Delaware, can be automatic on 3-pointers at times.

She led the team last year in 3-point shooting percentage (39).

Barnes wants Truitt, who averaged 13.2 points and 4.0 rebounds last season, to provide more of a scoring punch and be more a little more selfish this winter.

“She was trying distribute the ball a lot,” Barnes said of last year. “This year, we need her to score a lot more.”

Sophomore combo guard Chantelle Gross also returns to the starting lineup.

Gross has the size and quickness to go one-on-one, and also proved she can nail a pull-up jumper from almost any range.

Gross averaged 12.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists last year.

“She is very agile,” Barnes said. “She can play the one, two or three. She has gotten a lot quicker from last year. We’re really looking for her to continue scoring, rebounding and pushing the ball.”

Barnes gets excited when she talks about Newell, a 5-foot-7 freshman combo guard from Hampton, Va.    

Her passing skills and versatility should make her a valuable player.

“She goes non-stop,” Barnes said. “She brings intensity and a lot of energy to the team. She’s a mentally tough player who is also going to score and rebound for us.”

Madison made Chesapeake a rugged team under the basket last year.

She averaged a whopping 15.4 rebounds per game, and that production will be tough to replace.

The Skipjacks hope 6-foot-4 sophomore Jackson, a center, will be the rock of the frontcourt.

Jackson is expected improve on her average 5.6 rebounds last year.

“She really has made strides as a player,” Truitt said. “She is getting off the floor better and her shooting has improved.”

Jackson should get some inside help from Nesbit, a sophomore guard/forward who completes the starting lineup.

“They are going to be a key for us having a successful season,” Barnes said of Jackson and Nesbit. “They have worked extremely hard on getting stronger and improving their shots.”

Sophomore guard Chandni Taylor and freshman guards Destiny Johnson, Toni Chiarella and Claire Pritchett will fight for time as the top reserves.

Barnes has her worries, but her 9-player roster is not one of them.

“I am not really concerned about our depth,” said Barnes, whose team opened the season with a 92-61 loss to host Harcum College on Nov. 3. “We’ll face teams that have more size and depth than us. We are prepared to meet those challenges.”

Barnes and Truitt rave about the team’s chemistry.

 “I can’t compare it to other teams I’ve played on because it’s nothing like we have this year,” Truitt said.

After being out of school for years, Matthew Ellingsworth said he faced many obstacles to return to college. Financial stress, however, was not an issue thanks to the scholarship he earned at Chesapeake.

“You have been a Godsend to not only my education, but my life,” Ellingsworth, president of Phi Theta Kappa, said at the annual Scholarship Luncheon. “Because of you, I was able to not be as stressed out over missing shifts at work to go to class or study.”

Click here to watch Ellingsworth’s speech:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84JcB1fJWVU&feature=youtu.be

The Skipjacks women’s basketball team recently took their talents from the court to the construction site to help Habitat for Humanity Choptank with a home building project on Port Street in Easton.

Student athletes who participated in the build are: Toni Chiarella, Joneisha Cain, Chantelle Gross, Reeya Jackson, Destiny Johnson, Amunique Newell, Natori Nesbit, Claire Pritchett, Cahndri Taylor and Emily Truitt.

.“This project helps the players to give back to the community. They also get an opportunity to build a stronger relationship amongst each other,” said Head Coach Gwen Barnes.

This is the second time Construction Supervisor Jim Thomas of Habitat for Humanity Choptank has worked with the team

“It's been a pleasure working with the Chesapeake College Women's Basketball team again this year,” Mr. Thomas said. “They are always very helpful and eager to get involved. I'm especially impressed by how close they are to each other and with their coach. I look forward to working together again next year.

The Peake Tip-off high school basketball tournament scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 9 has been postponed. The tournament will take place on Saturday, Dec. 16 in the Health Professions and Athletics Center.

Computer Information Systems student Jonathan Cooper took what he is learning at Chesapeake to NASA’s Langley Research Center this fall where he participated in  the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars Program.

The 12-credit workshop included an online course and hands-on project work.

“This was a great experience. It was both challenging and rewarding for me,” Mr. Copper said. “Obviously, I learned so much about NASA, but I also learned about myself. I would love to work for NASA in the future.”

Currently, Mr. Cooper is a math tutor in Chesapeake’s Academic Support Center.

“It was interesting to see that many of NASA’s employees come through community colleges,” Mr. Cooper said.  “The experience showed us that you can start at a two-year college and end up exactly where you to want to be.”

Mr. Cooper began at Chesapeake as a math major, but turned his sights to Information Technology after taking a class with Associate Professor Lanka Elson.  Now he is interested in pursuing a career in computer science and is scheduled to graduate from Chesapeake in May. Mr. Cooper also plans continue his education and earn a bachelor’s degree.

The Chesapeake College Foundation has received the largest planned gift in its history from the estate of Rev. William L. English, an Episcopal priest from Dorchester County.

As stipulated by the estate, an $892,000 endowment has been established to fund W.L. English Nursing Scholarships for Chesapeake students.  Preference is given to Dorchester County residents pursuing a nursing degree.

“We are honored to receive this extraordinary gift that makes it possible for students to attend Chesapeake College, earn a degree and pursue a rewarding career in nursing,” said Lucie Hughes, the college’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the school’s foundation.  “As one who ministered to others, Father English understood the power of compassionate care and appreciated the collaborative education and training provided by Chesapeake College and Shore Health to bring along our next generation of nursing professionals.”

Rev. English was a patient at the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Dorchester where the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nursing team treated him on several occasions in 2015.

According to Pat and Richard Gauen, close friends from East New Market, he often spoke of the excellent nursing care provided during those hospital stays.

“He said they treated him like a king, but they didn’t know he was going to make this donation,” Pat said.  “I never heard him complain that he received bad care in the hospital…not one time.”

Bill Shertenlieb, a registered nurse from Cambridge and graduate of the Chesapeake College nursing program, was one of Rev. English’s regular ICU caregivers.

“He was very easy to take care of and had the ability to bring out creativity and kindness in the care you delivered,” Schertenlieb said. “He made you happy to be a nurse.”

Nursing is a family profession in the Shertenlieb household. His wife Wendy also graduated from the Chesapeake program and became a nurse in 2013. While she was in school and caring for their children, Bill worked three nursing jobs to support the family.

“Father English and I discussed how hard it was, but I didn’t have the slightest clue about the donation,” he said. “I was stunned. Sometimes you get surprises like this…you don’t always know whose day you’ve made.”

Shertenlieb is now a critical care transport nurse with Shore Health Maryland Express Care. Wendy works for Coastal Hospice in Dorchester County.

Nursing care is a critical need in the Mid-Shore region according to Jon Longest, Chesapeake College Health Professions Chair.

“We are in the midst of a significant nursing shortage in the United States that is even more pronounced in rural areas like the Eastern Shore,” Longest said.  “The English scholarship makes a nursing career more accessible to young adults and even older students who are making a career change or looking to advance within the profession.”

Hughes said the number of annual awards given by the English scholarship fund will depend on need and other financial aid students receive. Initial awards range from $350 to $2,000.  She estimates that as many as 25 students a year could receive grants in the future.

Students interested in the nursing scholarships should complete Chesapeake’s general scholarship application and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Both are accessible at www.chesapeake.edu/financial-aid.

Donors interested in discussing a planned gift with the college can contact Hughes at 410-827-5879. Online donations can be made at www.chesapeake.edu/chesapeake-college-foundation.

Rev. English was born at Dorchester General Hospital in 1936 and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1954. He was ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1965 by the Bishop of Easton and from 1965-1966, he was the rector for three Mid-Shore parishes:  St. Stephen’s, East New Market; St. Andrew’s, Hurlock; and the Chapel of the Epiphany, Preston.

Following 32 years of ministry on Staten Island in New York City, he retired to Cambridge where he lived in his childhood home on Radiance Drive until his death in 2015.

This fall Chesapeake Honors students hit the road to attend a national conference. They returned with new knowledge and perspectives.

Associate Professor Linda Earls attended the 52nd Annual Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Atlanta with Honors Program students Sofiah Ali and Rachel Germershausen. The two students won their trips through the Chesapeake College Honors Program poster contest.

“It was wonderful to see our own Chesapeake students with 2,000 students from around the country sharing this great experience,” Ms. Earls, a member of the Honors Committee, said. “Studying Justice through Honors and community service were themes for the conference, and we were all so inspired.”

Traveling and sharing ideas with peers enhances classroom learning, Ms. Earls said, which is why she encourages student travel.

“It was a really incredible trip. I feel so blessed to have been able to go. The conference was beautiful and it was really cool to meet other students from so many other schools. Ms.Earls was so much fun, and it was also great to get to know another honors student from Chesapeake,” Ms. Germershausen said.

The conference, held in Atlanta, included a scavenger hunt for the participants. Students and the faculty advisors fanned out across the city to visit historic Civil Rights sites. The groups located various sites, recorded their observations, and then had to present their findings to the full conference.

Ms. Ali plans to pursue a career in biology/medicine and Ms. Germershausen plans to pursue a career in social work.

To celebrate Black History Month and raise money for a scholarship fund, the Chesapeake College Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) is hosting the 18th annual community luncheon on Saturday, Feb. 3 in the Chesapeake College Caroline College Center at 11:30 a.m. The event is open to members of the public.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the J.C. Gibson Scholarship Fund.  Each semester the committee awards Chesapeake students scholarship money to purchase textbooks.

This year’s theme is celebrating the 200th birthday and honoring the legacy of Frederick Douglass. Chesapeake is collaborating with The Frederick Douglass Honor Society to present the celebration.

The keynote speaker will be Simeaka Melton, a native of Queen Anne’s County and founder of Dear Girls Academy, Inc.

Tickets for the event (including a buffet lunch) are $20 general admission or $10 for students and seniors. Children under age 5 are free.  For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Michelle Hall at 410-827-5813 or visit http://www.chesapeake.edu/black-history-month-2018/about.

The Mid-Shore Community Foundation is committed to helping local students pursue post-secondary education. MCSF has one of the largest scholarship programs in the region.

Scholarships support Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot County traditional students – dependent students going directly from high school to full-time degree and certificate programs – and nontraditional students – independent adult students continuing their education through accredited seminars, workshops, courses, customized trainings, etc.

Scholarships are awarded almost exclusively to students who demonstrate financial need, so all applicants are required to submit financial information to inform our selection process. Traditional students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), found at https://fafsa.ed.gov/, and present FAFSA’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation.

Nontraditional and workforce students must submit the cover page of their most recent federal income tax return. Applicants should review the description of each scholarship to determine their eligibility. .

The application period closes at midnight on February 14.

For the application packet and list of scholarships, click here

For more information about MSCF,  please contact Megan Cook at mcook@mscf.org or 410-820-8175 x 104.

Girl advocate, best-selling author and Dear Girls Academy founder and CEO Simeaka Melton is returning to her native Queen Anne’s County as the featured speaker for the annual Black History Month luncheon organized by the Chesapeake College Multicultural Advisory Committee in partnership with the Frederick Douglass Honor Society.

The Feb. 3 event celebrates the 200th birthday anniversary of Douglass, the renowned social reformer and abolitionist from Talbot County.

A graduate of Queen Anne’s County High School, Melton started Dear Girls Academy as a mentoring and creative writing program for girls from diverse and at-risk backgrounds that helps young women achieve and demonstrate the courage, wisdom and strength needed to make good choices and dream big.

The organization runs the Dear Girls annual summit, overnight summer camp and bi-weekly leadership program in Northern Virginia. Dear Girls services -- including public and charter school curriculums -- are used in 19 states.

“We prepare and inspire girls to live life rising above expectations,” Melton said. 

Her talk at the Black History Month event will focus on giving back and the concept of the “village community.”

Melton said she grew up with a village mentality in Grasonville and felt connected to everyone around her.

“We all have something to contribute to our communities at any age or stage in life,” she said.  “If children grow up seeing that and believing in it, then they’ll feel connected to a community throughout their lives.”

One of Melton’s favorite quotes about instilling the power of mentorship in youth comes from Frederick Douglass:  “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

Harriette Lowery, a Chesapeake College program assistant, Frederick Douglass Honor Society member and Chair of Talbot County’s 200th Douglass anniversary celebration, said the luncheon and Melton’s talk is one of many upcoming activities to mark the achievements of the Eastern Shore’s native son.

“Our theme for the birthday anniversary is ‘Inspire, Celebrate and Educate.’  We want to inspire diverse audiences to serve, celebrate his birthday and educate on his legacy.”

The Black History Month luncheon will be held Saturday, Feb. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chesapeake College’s Caroline Center on the Wye Mills campus. Advance purchase online tickets for the event (including a buffet lunch) are $20 general admission or $10 for students and seniors. Children under 5 are free. Tickets can be purchased. For more information or to purchase tickets by phone, please call Michelle Hall at 410-827-5813.

All proceeds from the event benefit the J.C. Gibson Memorial Book Fund, which helps economically disadvantaged students buy books and supplies.

WYE MILLS – Four hundred and seven students were named to the Chesapeake College Dean's List for Fall Semester 2017. The following students earned a quality point average of 3.50 or better on at least seven credit hours: 

Baltimore County: Emily Joyner of Parkville

Caroline County: Misty Adkins of Federalsburg, Jordan Alston of Denton, Kayla Archer of Preston, Zainab Aslam of Federalsburg, Olivia Baker of Greensboro, Jennifer Barr of Denton, Travis Barry of Preston, Jennifer Becke of Greensboro, Faith Berry of Denton, Annetta Biscoe of Preston, Eric Blackwell of Preston, Brooke Blizzard of Ridgely, Robert Boyles of Ridgely, Zoe Breeding of Denton, Davide Briguglio of Ridgely, Atrea Burke of Denton, Elise Burneston of Preston, Megan Caley of Greensboro, Hannah Cantwell of Henderson, James Caraker of Henderson, Natalia Chaney of Ridgely, Evan Collins of Ridgely, Ashley Cox of Denton, Kelly Diem of Ridgely, Laura Divjak of Preston, Cortland Dukes of Preston, Melyssa Dunn of Greensboro, Kelsey Dusock of Denton, Matthew Ellingsworth of Preston, Kelly Evans of Greensboro, William Fox of Denton, Aaron Good of Greensboro, Kendel Gowe of Preston, Sharice Haapala of Greensboro, Rachel Harris of Federalsburg, Georgianna Hill of Denton, Christen Houtz of Denton, Abigail Johnson of Preston, Yasmeen Johnson of Ridgely, Zachary Jones of Denton, Candy Jordan of Denton, Michael Jordan of Denton, Katlin Kaub of Ridgely, Dakota Kellermeyer of Denton, Jonathan Kraus of Preston, Jessica Lewis of Denton, Tiffany Luebbecke of Preston, Alejandro Martinez of Marydel, Christopher Mayer of Denton, Dalia Miguel Velasquez of Henderson, Harrison Miller of Denton Kimberly Moberly of Denton, Marissa Moldoch of Preston, Rebekkah Napier of Denton, Jeffrey North of Denton, Serena O’Connell of Goldsboro, Kendall Pearl of Denton, Abigail Price of Denton, Jaret Price of Denton, Kathleen Quakenbush of Federalsburg, Lane Quidas of Preston, Mikayla Quinton of Harmony, Jessica Ramey of Federalsburg, Jessica Riddell of Henderson, Ethan Robbins of Preston, Andrea Robinson of Federalsburg, Gordin Roblero of Marydel, Victoria Ross of Goldsboro, Kathryn Saathoff of Ridgely, Kyle Schultz of Denton, Sarah Schuyler of Denton, Chelsy Scott of Federalsburg, Brady Shortall of Denton, Bevan Smith of Federalsburg, Jacobus Smith of Greensboro, Jacquelyn Smith of Greensboro, Marsh Smith of  Denton, Victoria Smith of Greensboro, Mariah Sorrell of Denton, Amanda Stafford of Greensboro, Brenda Thrift of Denton, Rachel Van Dalen of Denton, Paul Venesky of Goldsboro, Alison Ward of Denton, Michelle Wheatley of Federalsburg, Joseph Whitley of Denton, Ashley Wilson of Denton, John Wilson of Denton, Jamie Yeager of Goldsboro, and Allison Yost of Denton.

Dorchester County:  Meriam Amenzouy of Cambridge, Melissa Andrews of Hurlock, Brittney Bennett of Cambridge, Stacy Brooks of Woolford, Patrick Collington of Hurlock, Courtney Collins of Cambridge, Makayla Collins of Rhodesdale, Monick Conway of Hurlock, Olivia Davidson of Cambridge, Benjamin Doyle of East New Market, Daniel Ebling of Rhodesdale, Brianna Edgar of Hurlock, Barry Edwards of East New Market, Nesmah Elsayed of East New Market, Ceaira Elzey of East New Market, Matthew Elzey of Wingate, Rebecca Faulkner of East New Market, Alexander Flaggs of East New Market, Bradley Garner of Hurlock, Asia George of Cambridge, Elbert Green of Cambridge, Edwin Hernandez-Martinez of Cambridge, Shelley Hill of Rhodesdale, William Hill of Cambridge, Caleb Hubbard of Hurlock, Shannon Hulliger of Rhodesdale, Alexandra Jones of Cambridge, Debra Jones of Cambridge, Vivian Kang of Cambridge, Gabrielle Lewis of Cambridge, Hunter Littlepage of East New Market, Heather Lowe of Hurlock, Patricia Lynch of Hurlock, Kristie Malkus of East New Market, Amy Matthews of Cambridge, Shelby McCaskill of Cambridge, Dyzander McCoy of Hurlock, Emily McWilliams of Cambridge, Te’brea Miller of Hurlock, Marissa Mills of East New Market, Brooke Morton of East New Market, Anthony Moulden of Cambridge, Miranda Muehlbauer of Cambridge, Michelle Murphy of Hurlock, Savanna Nossick of East New Market, Meagan Owens of Cambridge, Deanna Parker of Cambridge, Zachary Phillips of Cambridge, Shikeena Pitts of Hurlock, Megan Rafael of Cambridge, Cirra Robinson of Toddville, Anna Sampson of Cambridge, Shelby Shufelt of Hurlock, Leah Smith of East New Market, Gianna Stanley of Cambridge, Ebony Taylor of Cambridge, Garret Thrower of Cambridge, Hailee Trego of Linkwood, Michely Valentin of Cambridge, Breana Vannieuwenhuyzen of Rhodesdale, Juan Vasquez of Vienna, Gregory Wallace of Rhodesdale, Raymond Weisman of Hurlock, Krista Wheatley of Hurlock, Enessa Whitten of Church Creek, Amanda Willey of East New Market, Ellen Willis of Hurlock, and Luke Wood of Hurlock

Kent County: Jenna Bigelow of Chestertown, Jared Brice of Chestertown, Bonda Brooks of Chestertown, Riley Buckle of Chestertown, Brea Byerly of Chestertown, Mark Carr of Chestertown, Abigail Clark of Rock Hall, Abigail Cook of Worton, Jonathan Cook of Worton, Stephanie Delia of Chestertown, Rebecca Dey of Betterton, John Dierking of Chestertown, Kathryn Fisher of Chestertown, Mary Ford of Kennedyville, Jacqueline Franklin of Worton, Anna Hall of Chestertown, Megan Joyner of Worton, Cynthia Kendall of Chestertown, Kaeli Minton of Chestertown, Ana Pavon of Chestertown, Laurie Quinn of Kennedyville, Ryan Santmyer of Galena, Austin Short of Still Pond, and Elizabeth Trego of Rock Hall 

Queen Anne’s County: Shavanah Ali of Stevensville, Sofiah Ali of Stevensville, Kimberly Alvarez of Stevensville, Casey Amos of Chestertown, Ellie Andres of Stevensville, Sydney Archey of Centreville, Alexandra Arntz of Church Hill, Jenna Baker of Stevensville, Austin Benton of Centreville, Charles Besche of Stevensville, Mikayla Booze of Chester, Isabelle Bowers of Sudlersville, Andrew Brewer of Chestertown, Abigail Brimmer of Centreville, Skylar Buellis of Barcley, Toni Bullen of Centreville, Adrianna Cheslosky of Millington, Emily Clagett of Centreville, Reilly Claxton of Grasonville, Jenna Conner of Ingleside, Mitchell Courtney of Centreville, Justin Cummings of Centreville, Abigail Darling of Barclay, Jillian Davidson of Millington, Kylie Dietz of Queenstown, Olivia DiPhilippo of Grasonville, Natalie Eells of Centreville, Kaitlyn Fairbank of Sudlersville, Sydney Fenex of Centreville, George Findlay of Queenstown, Cody Forster of Centreville, Bradley Forsyth of Centreville, John Gross of Grasonville, Catherine Hallock of Centreville, JennaRae Haney of Centreville, Megan Harris of Stevensville, Gracie Herman of Queen Anne, Anthony Hershey of Centreville, Cassie Hessian of Church Hill, Samuel Hoffman of Centreville, Cathryn Hofmann of Stevensville, Emily Hofmann of Centreville, Amanda Hoxter of Centreville, Shannon Iman of Chester, Hannah Irons of Queenstown, Alyssa Jackson of Millington, Reeva Jackson of Queenstown, Rebecca Johnson of Centreville, Grace Jordan of Centreville, Rebecca Jordan of Centreville, Zachary Joyner of Chestertown, Brittany Justice of Centreville, James Kaplanges of Stevensville, Helen King of Church Hill, Julie Kinsley of Church Hill, Kole Klabe of Sudlersville, Annika Koehler of Centreville, Trent Koerner of Wye Mills, Sarah Kowal of Centreville, Shannon Landers of Centreville, Samantha Lansinger of Centreville, Elizabeth Leary of Centreville, Chloe Leonard of Centreville, Kenneth Leonard of Grasonville, Frank Lindauer of Millington, Kaitlyn Manlove of Stevensville, Thomas Marmo of Chester, Ryan Marshall of Centreville, Tessa Rae Masters of Centreville, Melonie Mattison of Stevensville, Stephen Melvin of Centreville, Mary Mescher of Chester, Heather Mesenbrink of Queenstown, Michelle Meyr of Chester, Jeffrey Mollica of Centreville, Michael Monroe of Church Hill, Rebecca Moore of Church Hill, Christopher Nash, Jr. of Centreville, Katie Nichols of Chestertown, Shannon O’Hare of Stevensville, Sydney Parsons of Queenstown, Alithia Patchett of Stevensville, Sydney Peritz of Centreville, William Pickett of Centreville, Helen Pippin of Sudlersville, Chase Porter of Church Hill, Dayan Reinoso of Queenstown, Livan Reinoso of Queenstown, Paige Richardson of Church Hill, Jacob Rothang of Stevensville, Michael Roy of Queen Anne, Sabrina Rusch of Centreville, Angela Schindler of Stevensville, Kevin Schmidt of Centreville, Tina Schroyer of Stevensville, Joshua Schuster of Queenstown, Heather Scott of Easton, Jenna Sewell of Chestertown, Marissa Shive of Chester, Justin Simpson of Centreville, Amanda Smith of Centreville, Hannah Smith of Centreville, Theresa Snapp of Chester, Dustin Snyder of Grasonville, Teagan Sonstegard of Centreville, Jacqueline Sproson of Queenstown, Walter Steffens of Chestertown, Faith Strawbridge of Church Hill, Faith Strawbridge of Church Hill, Carson Swinski of Centreville, Joshua Thompson of Chester, Garret Torre of Centreville, Sean Torre of Centreville, Madison Totten of Chester, Makisha Turner of Centreville, Tyler Urquhart of Queenstown, Molly Voss of Queenstown, Virginia Wagenfer of Church Hill, Cody Walton of Church Hill, Luke Weddell of Church Hill, Samantha Werle of Centreville, Natalie Williams of Centreville, Jasen Xander of Centreville, and Michael Yasenka of Wye Mills             

Talbot County: Mason All of St. Michaels, Donal Abrocio-Mendez of Easton, Alex Andrews of Easton, Brianna Andrews of Easton, Lauren Anstatt of Easton, Philip Bachman of Easton, Jacob Blades of Easton, Kendra Blake of Easton, Lillian Blizzard of Cordova, Ellen Brandon of Easton, Allegra Brooks of Easton, Bennett Burke of Easton, Christian Chapman of Easton, Allison Clem of Easton, Ty’Nijae Copper of Easton, Rachel Coursey of Trappe, Cheyenne Cowell of Trappe, Sophia Cumbo of Easton, Katlyn Daisey of Wittman, Janet Diefenderfer of Trappe, Kallie Duley of Easton, Michale Durham of Queen Anne, Montana Dye of Easton, Casey Everett of Trappe, Helen Fegan of St. Michaels, Brenda Fike of Easton, Penny Finkner of Easton, Desiree Foreman of St. Michaels, Austin Gallagher of Cordova, Megan Garvey of Easton, William George of Easton, Anne Gerwitz of Easton, Kyra Gould of Easton, Heather Gowe of Easton, Claire Gross of Easton, Alecia Hall of Easton, Beth Hansen of Easton, Dwight Harris of Easton, Marcus Haythe of Easton,Jesus Hernandez of Easton, Jimmy Ho of Easton, Emily Hock of Easton, Madison Holland of Trappe, Sierra Jennings of Easton, Sydney Johnson of Easton, Samantha Jones of McDaniel, Clare Kelly of Easton, Alexis Kettering of Cordova, Jessica Lantz of Easton, Hollie Larrimore of Easton, Jason Leaman of Easton, Victor Leitzel of Easton, Grace-Anne Lemaire of Claiborne, Stephan Luethy of Easton, Cami Lyons of Trappe, Cody Malczewski of Cordova, Scott McKenzie of Oxford, Katelynn Miles of Easton, Monica Moore of Cordova, Morgan Moore of Cordova, Saprina Murray of Cordova, Stephen Myers of Easton, Dreama O’Donnell of Cordova, Kristine Olsen of Easton, Hannah Olson of Easton, Timothy Parker of Cambridge, Erin Parkhurts of Wittman, Abby Patchett of Easton, Perrin Poole of Easton, Melissa Richardson of Newcomb, Angeline Rivera of Easton, Arvie Ruark of Easton, Allison Rubenstein of Queen Anne, Albert Scott of Easton, Megan Senft of Easton, Haley Setter of Easton, Charles Shortall of Easton, Abigail Simmons of Easton, Shelby Simpkins of Easton, Tyler Stewart of Cordova, Anthony Tate of Easton, Courtney Tilley of Easton, Scott Tull of Easton, Riley Walter of Easton, and Sarah Woolfolk of Easton

Wicomico County: Benjamin Abrams of Salisbury, Jessica Baroniak of Salisbury, and Paula Fisher of Salisbury

Worcester County: John Bunting of Berlin, Thomas DiBuo of Bishopville, and James Englishman of Berlin

Out-of-state: Richard Bundek of Hartley, DE; Stephan Bungartz of Dover,DE; June Clemens of Henrico, VA; Brandon Givens of Laurel, DE; Caleb Hagan of Milton, DE; William Jester of Felton, DE; and Christopher Lucas of Felton, DE.

Chesapeake College men’s basketball coach Allen Mitchell has stressed over and over to his team the importance of being consistent.

 Mitchell has even as gone as far as to adopt the one-word motto “finish” to get the best out of his Skipjacks.

 “It’s been the same all year,” Mitchell explained. “Play for 40 minutes and finish. I’m staying with my motto. If we do those things, we will come out on top. In some games, we play for 40 minutes, but in other games, we let things get away.”

 How often has the team played a strong enough game from start to finish?

 “In all the wins,” Mitchell said with a laugh. “Let’s put it that way.”

 Chesapeake has won six games, thanks to high-scoring sophomore guards Anthony Tate and Jordan Alston.

 That may not seem like many victories with a schedule of more than 20 contests, but Chesapeake’s number looks pretty good when compared to the Skipjacks' 1-21 campaign last season.

 And now, with the regular season winding down, Mitchell is looking for his team to finish with a flourish and improve on its win total.

 The Skipjacks are excited about the four-game home stand that starts with Potomac State on Jan. 31.

Chesapeake will also play Hagerstown Community College (Feb 2), Navy JV (Feb. 5) and Montgomery College (Feb 7) in Wye Mills.

 “We have a wonderful opportunity here,” said Mitchell, whose team has had one three-game winning streak and two four-game losing streaks this winter. “You have an advantage on your home court. We are coming down to a critical part of the season, and if we can win some games, it will help us going into the tournament.”

 Mitchell, in his third year as head coach after serving as an assistant for five seasons, will continue to rely heavily on Tate, a transfer from Morgan State.

 Tate is averaging a team-high 17.8 points, 4.8 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game.

 He directs the team well, breaks down opposing defenses and can be an explosive scorer.

 Tate totaled 31 points and nine assists in a 98-91 win over the College of Southern Maryland and finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Alleghany.

 “He could be the Maryland JUCO Player of the Year,” Mitchell said. “He has played that well. He takes over games for me and he has become a stronger leader lately. He has the swagger that says 'I am the best guard out here. '”

 Alston, 6-foot-5, shooting guard, is averaging 14.9 points and can be automatic on 3-pointers.

 “He is a versatile player for us and his shooting can open things up for other guys,” Chesapeake assistant men’s basketball coach Artron Strowbridge said.

 Strowbridge says brothers Thomas Agnew, a freshman guard, and Terehk Agnew, a freshman power forward, also brings a lot of energy to the team.

Chesapeake is also getting significant contributions from freshman guard Nate Avery, who has worked as a starter and been the team’s six man.

Chesapeake’s regular season ends on Feb. 10 and the Maryland JUCO tournament begins six days later in Largo.

 “We have shown flashes of being a really, really good team,” Mitchell said. “Then we show flashes of guys being slow. We are dealing with a new group this year. We only had one returnee from last year in (sophomore center) Sadiki Isaac. The kids had to get to know each other and get the feel of each other. Once they learn to finish, the better results will come.”  

WYE MILLS - With only eight active players, the Chesapeake women’s basketball team outnumbers just a handful of opponents this season.

“There are other teams that sometimes have six or seven,” Chesapeake coach Gwen Barnes said.

Regardless of having a relatively short bench, the Skipjack don’t have any trouble scoring points in bunches.

If they had a slogan, it would be “Bombs Away.”

The Skipjacks are shooting more three pointers than any season in Barnes’ five years with the program.

Chesapeake has fired up a whopping 451 three-point attempts and the Skipjacks are averaging 22 per game.

Sophomore guard/forward Emily Truitt is the ringleader for the long-range attack.

Truitt made 11 three-pointers in a 87-61 rout of the Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville on Dec. 12.

Five days later, Truitt sank the same number in a 89-49 triumph over CCBC.

She also hit 10 in a 83-58 conquest of Alleghany College of Maryland on Jan. 10.

“It feels great to hit one,” Truitt said. “It bring a spark of energy to the bench and myself.”

Barnes says her Skipjacks are shooting the ball from the perimeter as well, as they have all season.

“What is happening now is we are beginning to find our rhythm from the outside,” the coach explained.

That’s a good thing since the postseason is just around the corner.

Chesapeake has three more regular-season games before the three-day Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference Tournament starts Feb. 16 at Prince George’s Community College in Largo.

“I am very pleased with how well we are playing together,” said Barnes, whose team is 11-9. “Team chemistry is what is going to carry us. The overall goal is go out and play strong offensively and defensively. If we do that, the outcome should be positive for us.”

The Skipjacks will also participate in the Region XX Tournament at Cecil Community College in early March.

Barnes hopes for a rerun of last March when her team won the tournament with a pair of victories.

Chesapeake advanced onto the National Junior College Athletic Association championships for the third time in four years in Arizona, where the Skipjacks suffered back-to-back losses.

“On the national level, we didn’t win any games and that was disheartening for us,” Barnes said. “We had a very young team and we learned. We are looking to bounce back from those losses.”  

Yet if Truitt continues her excellent long-range marksmanship, she could carry the SkipJacks to a playoff victory all by herself.

She ranks third in the MD JUCO in scoring, averaging 19.9 points per game.

Even though opponents’ game plan is to stop Truitt, that’s a tough task on many nights.

“Teams put a lot of pressure on her,” Barnes said. “Teams have played a box-in-one on her and have double-teamed her, but she is still able to get shots off. She loves that three-point shot, but at the same time, he also can play down low.”

Sophomore point Chantelle Gross is another weapon for the Skipjacks.

He can handle the ball well and shoot from the outside. She averages 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

“She does a lot of great things for us and I think she is having a terrific season,” Barnes said.

Freshman guard Amunique Newell, sophomore guard/forward Natori Nesbit and sophomore center Reeva Jackson, roundout the starting five.

There’s not much depth beyond the starters with guards Claire Pritchett, Toni Chiarella and Chandni Taylor.

But that’s not a problem for Barnes. She gets the most out of her players.

“I keep them in top shape and mentally prepared,” Barnes said. “They work extremely hard in practice. I give them days off so their bodies can recoup. That’s how we do it.”  

The Peake Tip-off high school basketball tournament will take place on Saturday, Dec. 16 in the Health Professions and Athletics Center.

All Day Passes for All Games

Adults $8

Students $5 (with student ID)

Main Gym:

Easton vs Mardela Boys JV

12:00pm

Easton vs Mardela Boys Varsity

1:30pm

North Dorchester vs Parkside Boys Varsity

3:00pm

Colonel Richardson vs Washington Boys Varsity

5:00pm

North Caroline vs Crisfield Boys Varsity

6:30pm

      Auxiliary Gym:

North Dorchester vs Parkside Boys JV

1:30pm

Colonel Richardson vs Washington Boys JV

3:30pm

North Caroline vs Crisfield Boys JV

5:00pm

No State, County, School or Coaching Passes will be honored

Questions?  Please contact Frank Szymanski @ 410-822-5400

Computer Information Systems student Jonathan Cooper took what he is learning at Chesapeake to NASA’s Langley Research Center this fall where he participated in  the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars Program.

The 12-credit workshop included an online course and hands-on project work.

“This was a great experience. It was both challenging and rewarding for me,” Mr. Copper said. “Obviously, I learned so much about NASA, but I also learned about myself. I would love to work for NASA in the future.”

Currently, Mr. Cooper is a math tutor in Chesapeake’s Academic Support Center.

“It was interesting to see that many of NASA’s employees come through community colleges,” Mr. Cooper said.  “The experience showed us that you can start at a two-year college and end up exactly where you to want to be.”

Mr. Cooper began at Chesapeake as a math major, but turned his sights to Information Technology after taking a class with Associate Professor Lanka Elson.  Now he is interested in pursuing a career in computer science and is scheduled to graduate from Chesapeake in May. Mr. Cooper also plans continue his education and earn a bachelor’s degree.

The Chesapeake College Foundation has received the largest planned gift in its history from the estate of Rev. William L. English, an Episcopal priest from Dorchester County.

As stipulated by the estate, an $892,000 endowment has been established to fund W.L. English Nursing Scholarships for Chesapeake students.  Preference is given to Dorchester County residents pursuing a nursing degree.

“We are honored to receive this extraordinary gift that makes it possible for students to attend Chesapeake College, earn a degree and pursue a rewarding career in nursing,” said Lucie Hughes, the college’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the school’s foundation.  “As one who ministered to others, Father English understood the power of compassionate care and appreciated the collaborative education and training provided by Chesapeake College and Shore Health to bring along our next generation of nursing professionals.”

Rev. English was a patient at the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Dorchester where the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nursing team treated him on several occasions in 2015.

According to Pat and Richard Gauen, close friends from East New Market, he often spoke of the excellent nursing care provided during those hospital stays.

“He said they treated him like a king, but they didn’t know he was going to make this donation,” Pat said.  “I never heard him complain that he received bad care in the hospital…not one time.”

Bill Shertenlieb, a registered nurse from Cambridge and graduate of the Chesapeake College nursing program, was one of Rev. English’s regular ICU caregivers.

“He was very easy to take care of and had the ability to bring out creativity and kindness in the care you delivered,” Schertenlieb said. “He made you happy to be a nurse.”

Nursing is a family profession in the Shertenlieb household. His wife Wendy also graduated from the Chesapeake program and became a nurse in 2013. While she was in school and caring for their children, Bill worked three nursing jobs to support the family.

“Father English and I discussed how hard it was, but I didn’t have the slightest clue about the donation,” he said. “I was stunned. Sometimes you get surprises like this…you don’t always know whose day you’ve made.”

Shertenlieb is now a critical care transport nurse with Shore Health Maryland Express Care. Wendy works for Coastal Hospice in Dorchester County.

Nursing care is a critical need in the Mid-Shore region according to Jon Longest, Chesapeake College Health Professions Chair.

“We are in the midst of a significant nursing shortage in the United States that is even more pronounced in rural areas like the Eastern Shore,” Longest said.  “The English scholarship makes a nursing career more accessible to young adults and even older students who are making a career change or looking to advance within the profession.”

Hughes said the number of annual awards given by the English scholarship fund will depend on need and other financial aid students receive. Initial awards range from $350 to $2,000.  She estimates that as many as 25 students a year could receive grants in the future.

Students interested in the nursing scholarships should complete Chesapeake’s general scholarship application and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Both are accessible at www.chesapeake.edu/financial-aid.

Donors interested in discussing a planned gift with the college can contact Hughes at 410-827-5879. Online donations can be made at www.chesapeake.edu/chesapeake-college-foundation.

Rev. English was born at Dorchester General Hospital in 1936 and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1954. He was ordained in the Episcopal Church in 1965 by the Bishop of Easton and from 1965-1966, he was the rector for three Mid-Shore parishes:  St. Stephen’s, East New Market; St. Andrew’s, Hurlock; and the Chapel of the Epiphany, Preston.

Following 32 years of ministry on Staten Island in New York City, he retired to Cambridge where he lived in his childhood home on Radiance Drive until his death in 2015.

This fall Chesapeake Honors students hit the road to attend a national conference. They returned with new knowledge and perspectives.

Associate Professor Linda Earls attended the 52nd Annual Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Atlanta with Honors Program students Sofiah Ali and Rachel Germershausen. The two students won their trips through the Chesapeake College Honors Program poster contest.

“It was wonderful to see our own Chesapeake students with 2,000 students from around the country sharing this great experience,” Ms. Earls, a member of the Honors Committee, said. “Studying Justice through Honors and community service were themes for the conference, and we were all so inspired.”

Traveling and sharing ideas with peers enhances classroom learning, Ms. Earls said, which is why she encourages student travel.

“It was a really incredible trip. I feel so blessed to have been able to go. The conference was beautiful and it was really cool to meet other students from so many other schools. Ms.Earls was so much fun, and it was also great to get to know another honors student from Chesapeake,” Ms. Germershausen said.

The conference, held in Atlanta, included a scavenger hunt for the participants. Students and the faculty advisors fanned out across the city to visit historic Civil Rights sites. The groups located various sites, recorded their observations, and then had to present their findings to the full conference.

Ms. Ali plans to pursue a career in biology/medicine and Ms. Germershausen plans to pursue a career in social work.