There are times when you discover good news is right there under your nose. The Higgs family across the street has lots of good news this month. Their eldest, Chuck, recently graduated from Mercer University, in Macon, Ga. with a master's degree in organ performance and sacred music. Chuck will probably soon be moving up to Atlanta where he is employed as the assistant music director at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Next in the family lineup is Chris, who will graduate in a few days from McDaniel College, in Westminster, with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Chris spent the fall semester studying in Madrid, Spain and now all he needs to do is find a good job. If you know of an opening for a nice enterprising young man, pass the word along.

This year, all the boys are graduating. Next year the girls will be in the spotlight. Amy will graduate from McDaniel College and Camille from River Hill High School. Camille is one of our more recent drivers. Drive carefully, dear.

Last, but not least, is Matt Higgs who will be graduating from eighth grade at Lime Kiln Middle School and will enter River Hill High as a freshman in the fall. Congratulations and best wishes to all.

Last year a representative of American Field Services visited Tyler Brown's German class at River Hill High to talk about the exchange student program. Tyler thought it would be great to have a German student living with his family for his senior year and shared the information with his parents, Walter and Maggie Brown of Dayton.

"We got a good one," said Maggie, who sponsored Fabian Jung. All the AFS students are between the ages of 15 and 17 and come with their own spending money. Fabian has been participating in senior activities along with his host, Tyler, though he will still need to complete an additional two years of school after returning to Germany and will not actually graduate from River Hill High.

One of the things that helped Fabian become integrated into the new school environment was joining the track team in the fall. He runs cross country and also plays ping pong. Fabian is quite aware of the educational differences in our two countries. Here, the school is new and things are more relaxed. At home, he attends an old school and the program is more rigid and difficult.

Fabian has been getting much more than just a taste of Howard County. He's been a part of our living history. The Brown family has been here for generations. Walter's parents, Francis and Catherine, live right next door and can share from another generation's viewpoint.

He's seen much more than Howard County. After frequent visits, Fabian has become a real expert on the sights of Washington, D.C. In fact, when a German friend and his host family from Ohio came to town, Fabian served as their tour guide. That will be an interesting story to tell back home.

The Brown family took him to Florida for Thanksgiving and New York City over Spring Break. In June, they'll all be going to the beach before he heads back to Germany.

Walter and Maggie have visited Germany in the past. Tyler is looking forward to a future visit. It's fun to expand your knowledge of the world by traveling or by bringing the world into your home.

If you would like to know more about AFS, call Sally Byrne at 301-604-7739.

A very special lady celebrated a big round birthday May 9. Mary Agnes Lewis was delighted to have all 10 of her children plus grandchildren and more on hand to celebrate her 80th birthday. They came from Arizona, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania as well as close by and stayed through Mother's Day.

Happy birthday, Mary Agnes, and may you be a happy, healthy source of blessing to this community for many years to come.

The entire Lewis clan will be in town again for the polo match June 7. When Mary Agnes wanted to do something as a fundraiser for Our Daily Bread, in Baltimore, where she and helpers routinely feed 700 people, sons Jim and Charlie knew just what to suggest. They both play polo in Montgomery County and thought a match could be held at the family home on Ten Oaks Road.

The gates will open at noon with play beginning at 2 p.m. and ending around 5 or 6 p.m. Watch for more details next week.

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