Elsa Fawcett is synonymous with adventure when it comes to her students at West Friendship Elementary School. Whether its planting a garden of native species plants or teaching the kids the perils of polluting the Chesapeake, with Fawcett learning is fun.

Today, she has her gifted and talented students immersed in an engineering challenge. Fawcett's second grade class will be completing the culmination of an effort in which the 7-year-olds have built a variety of contraptions which will protect an egg even when it is dropped from a school roof.

If this smacks of early David Letterman gravity antics, than you are on the right track. The kids will demonstrate their engineering feats at West Friendship Elementary Thursday, Oct. 22 from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. Come by and cheer them on.

How lucky are we to live so close to an artists haven that produces such beautiful work? Celebration, art and community are bywords with the gang at Greenbridge Pottery, in Dayton, and Saturday, Oct. 24 the invitation is for all in the community. Greenbridge Pottery is holding a gala 25th Anniversary Open House this weekend. Greenbridge potters have been spinning the wheel in preparation for the Demo Day.

The setting at 5159 Greenbridge Road is idyllic. Pottery barns, lovely gardens, ducks, rabbits, children at ease, exquisite pottery and art work and always some sort of fabulous musical interlude and gourmet snacks.

This year, the 25th Anniversary Demo Day will include clay demonstrations from 11 a.m to 3 p.m., live music from noon to 2 p.m., dog obedience and rally demonstrations from 3:30 to 4 p.m. and fiber demos with Joe Buriel on the spinning wheel from noon to 4 p.m.

Becky Moy Behre will work the wheel throwing demonstration and other local artists will demonstrate botanical impressions and bas relief forms. Music by Sammy Heygirl will feature soulful vocals and guitar while the Greenbridge Folk group will delight visitors with traditional folk tunes on guitar, banjo and accordion.

Local artists Maria Phillips and Celia Battle are two artisans who always make a trip out to the Greenbridge Demo Day. Don't miss this world of art which is smack dab in our own backyards. For information or directions go to the colorful Web site at www.greenbridgepottery.com

Janet Morton is spreading the word. The award winning and nationally known Glenelg High School Jazz Ensemble along with guest musicians from the visiting Freiburg Community Jazz Ensemble from Germany, will present a free concert in the Glenelg High School Auditorium Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.

Perfect timing in order to get home and prepare for all the ghouls and goblins at your trick or treat door. The Glenelg Jazz Ensemble was hosted by the German musicians last summer in Freiburg. The local Glenelg musicians performed in Freiburg, so now it's our turn to host this wonderful group.

The Glenelg Jazz Ensemble performed in Freiburg, Germany during its successful European tour which included performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz a Vienne, and Jazz a Juan.

Don't miss this wonderful cultural exchange opportunity which promises fabulous jazz. Glenelg High School auditorium is located at the school at 14025 Burntwoods Road in Glenelg. Questions? Call 410-313-5533.

Active Glenelg High School marketing student Bradley Carpenter wants you to eat a stack of pancakes. The Glenelg Class of 2010 is sponsoring a pancake breakfast Saturday, Oct. 24, 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Glenelg High. Proceeds from the yummy breakfast, which includes all you can eat chocolate chip or plain hot cakes and a variety of juices and fruit, will benefit the senior class activities fund.

Don't miss it. All this fun is planned for the morning of Glenelg High School's homecoming. Tickets are $8 and may be purchased at the school or at the door.

The Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum of West Friendship is holding a series of three-mile haunted hay rides. Proceeds from the spooky event will benefit the West Friendship museum.

"This is a perfect way to enjoy some good, clean, spooky fun while helping to preserve Howard County's farm heritage," Virginia Frank said.

The hay rides are set for Friday sand Saturdays, Oct. 23 and 24 and 30 and 31, 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person. The Farm Museum is at 12985 Frederick Road (Route 144), in West Friendship.

The Folly Quarter Middle School Book Fair is up and running. The book stalls will be available for students and the community beginning Oct. 22 through Nov. 5. The media center is the hub for this book fair which is open during school hours 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Evening hours will be held Monday, Oct. 26, 5:30-8 p.m.

Don't forget. Mark your calendar for a western Howard County fall tradition. Located at 16457 Old Frederick Road, St. Paul's Episcopal Church kicks off the old fashioned shopping season Saturday, Oct. 24 with the church's annual holiday bazaar.

Folks are invited from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to sample home made baked goods, gourmet gift baskets, jellies and candies, raffles, dried flower arrangements and tons of hand crafted Christmas tree ornaments. Drawings for the church community's signature handmade, twin-sized quilt will be held Nov. 22.

In addition plans are being made for another St. Paul's tradition, the annual lasagna dinner which is to be held on Nov. 14. Questions on the holiday bazaar? Call 410-489-4411.

Mark your calendar once again. This time its for the Brass of the Potomac which will perform a free community concert at the Glenelg United Methodist Church Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.

The Brass of the Potomac is comprised of 30 professional musicians from the Washington area. The musical group includes musicians from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

The free musical evening will include patriotic music, traditional hymn settings and challenging original works written specifically for this ensemble.

Questions about the concert? Call Doug Burian, director of music for the Glenelg United Methodist Church at 301-807-8232.

Best bets at the Howard County Fairgrounds, in West Friendship, include the Mid Atlantic Antiques Show which comes to the fairgrounds this weekend with more than 100 dealers vending their goods.

Americana, formal and country furniture, folk and fine art, textiles, glass and ceramics are on the bill of goods.

The dealers will display and sell Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Questions on the Mid Atlantic Show? Call 410-228-8858.

Inspired by her graduate certificate program at Johns Hopkins University, Carole Graham Lehan resolved to create her own manuscript for the fall play at Glenelg Country School.

The play, "Einstein's Playground," will debut with free performances at the Mulitz Theater at Glenelg Country School Thursday, Oct. 22 and Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. The play is an exploration of one student's journey under Einstein's tutelage to continue to ask questions that look beyond what is presented.

Lehan is currently enrolled in the Mind, Brain and Teaching certificate program at Johns Hopkins University, and the program's objective is to apply brain research to educational practices.

Einstein is notably quoted, "It is a wonder that curiosity survives education." The American school system of requiring students to sit in class all day, receive abundant information, and spit it out for a test does not promote a healthy mind. Lehan believes this educational practice discourages imagination and critical thinking. She connects the idea that Einstein's theories came from daydreaming and places the dramatic action on a playground setting.

In "Einstein's Playground," Lehan explores how this generation of students is more globally connected than any other in history and how they must balance information overload with imaginative play. The story's central focus is a student's journey in continuing to ask questions in pursuit of something greater under the guidance of Einstein in the 21st century.

"The important thing is to not stop questioning," Einstein says, and Lehan's goal is to encourage all students to ask questions while considering how they will use their gifts to make a positive affect in the world.

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