The final week of school is hectic for both students and teachers. There are tests to prepare for and a multitude of other things to wrap up before that final bell that announces the beginning of summer, but the Atholton cheerleaders took time out from their busy schedules to participate in a worthwhile event. They took part in the Heart and Sole Stroll June 14 at Centennial Park.

The 2.4-mile walk benefits the Red Devils, an organization that funds support services such as transportation to treatment, cleaning, cooking and drug co-payments for women battling breast cancer and their families. More than 400 strollers participated, raising more than $105,000. All the money stays in Maryland and donations are still being accepted.

The Red Devils have strong Howard County ties. The organization, which is named for a kind of chemotherapy drug, was started by the friends and families of Jessica Cowling and Ginny Schardt. Ginny was a teacher and counselor at Howard Community College for 16 years. Both women, who met in support groups, lost their battle with breast cancer in 2002; the fund raising walk started the next year.

"Ginny was one of my best friends. We went to college together. She was a remarkable young woman," Atholton's cheerleading coach Annette Nelms said.

Annette, a speech pathologist based out of Running Brook Elementary, has taken part in the walk every year. This year she decided to get her Atholton cheerleading team involved.

"So many of us, unfortunately, have been touched by breast cancer in some way," she said. The Atholton cheerleaders cheered as they walked. They were joined by some of their parents and siblings.

Annette wants to get her cheerleaders involved in other community oriented projects, and she has some things in mind for when school starts up again this fall.

"It makes you feel good giving back to the community," she said. "If people have a need and let us know, we will do whatever we can. ...We have a lot of good kids and they have a lot of talent to share."

First Tee in regional challenge

The First Tee of Howard County will participate in the inaugural Northeast Regional Challenge for The First Tee in Washington, D.C. Sunday-Tuesday, June 28-30. Twenty-nine First Tee chapters from the U.S., and two from Canada, will participate in the four-person team competition. Each team will play 18 holes of golf and then answer life skills questions that are the hallmark of the program. In addition to the individual competition, the teams will be competing for the Chapter Cup with the top scoring team keeping the cup for one year.

Howard County will be represented by Cody Lissner, Marissa Marcinelli, Bryana Nguyen and Alex Tourison.

Players chosen for Classic

Joe Clark (Glenelg Country), Greg Edmonds (Centennial), Jimmy Marlatt (River Hill) and Alex Taylor (Glenelg) have been named to the Baltimore Area Under Armour Underclassman team that will play Saturday and Sunday, June 27-28 at Towson University as part of the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic.

All four are products of the Howard County Lacrosse Program and its Cobra travel team. They started at the Tyker (8-U) level and advanced together through the Midget (13-14) level.

Ashley Bruns, a recent Mt. Hebron graduate, will represent South in the All-America game that will be played June 27 at 5:30 p.m.

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