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Photo Courtesy Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter
PEO First Vice President Marsha A. Mims-Word plants trees with Greenbelt, MD Mayor Emmett V. Jordan and members of the Greenbelt city council.
Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Partners with Three Towns for Earth Day Events
By DARLENE SPEARS-REED
Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (April 29, 2025)—In celebration of Earth Day, the Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter (PEO) of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® deployed members to three towns in its service area to plant trees. During the month of April, the City of Greenbelt invited chapter members to participate in its Arbor Day event. Members were also encouraged to sign a pledge with the Arbor Day Foundation to commit to an eco-friendly habit in exchange for the organization planting a tree in a recovery forest—helping to restore ecosystems and combat climate change. Over 120 PEO members committed to composting, planting trees, shopping at local farmers’ markets, and carrying reusable bags and cups.
Additionally, PEO partnered with Oaklands Elementary School in Laurel to plant four trees, and PEO’s Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) students and members of the chapter’s “Enhancing Our Environment” committee planted trees at the City of Bowie’s Kenhill Center.
“Earth Day is not just a celebration but a reminder that every act of care for the planet is a promise to future generations,” said Karen S. Hicks, PEO President. “Creating a cleaner world for the future begins with the choices we make today.”
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Prince George’s County Celebrates Arbor Day at Oxon Hill Elementary
County officials join students and faculty in planting 14 native trees
By PRESS OFFICER
Department of the Environment
LARGO, Md. (April 29, 2025)—The Prince George’s County Beautification Committee (PGCBC), along with County officials and volunteers, joined the students and faculty members of Oxon Hill Elementary School on Friday, April 25, to plant 14 native trees in honor of Arbor Day.
“We’re delighted to join Oxon Hill Elementary students in planting 14 native trees on Arbor Day,” says Master Gardener, Judge, and Vice-Chair of the Beautification Committee, Dave Kneipp. “This event ensures young students learn the importance of trees to our environment, community, and neighborhoods, while also teaching them to be good environmental stewards.”
The Department of the Environment (DoE) Deputy Director Michelle Russell presented Sibigi Lipford-Transou, Principal of Oxon Hill Elementary, with an Arbor Day proclamation signed by Acting County Executive Tara Jackson. Other invited speakers who stressed the importance of trees to the students included James Roberson, Instructional Specialist, Environmental Literacy, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS); Stacey Smalls, Deputy Director, Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T); and Alfred Bascom, Community Forest Coordinator, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Prince George’s County was recognized by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service with the Tree City USA® award. Prince George’s County is the only County in the state to receive this award for 41 consecutive years.
The Tree City USA program has been greening cities and towns across America since 1976. It’s a nationwide movement that provides the framework for communities to manage and increase their public trees. The Beautification Committee collaborates with the DoE, DPW&T, Maryland DNR Forest Service, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Master Gardeners/the University of Maryland Extension, Neighborhood Design Center, Prince George’s Soil Conservation District, and Prince George’s Forestry Board to host the Arbor Day celebration.
For more information on securing trees for your community, contact Carole Barth, DoE Tree Conservation Program Manager, at cabarth@co.pg.md.us.
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Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce to Host Annual Golf Tournament
More than 100 golf enthusiasts set to drive range at Upper Marlboro, MD golf course
By PRESS OFFICER
PGCOC
LANHAM, Md. (April 29, 2025)—The Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce it will hold its Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at The Oak Creek Country Club in Upper Marlboro, Maryland (3201 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, Upper Marlboro, MD 20721). Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and golfers at every level. Traditionally, this event attracts local businesses and golf enthusiasts who either love the sport or are looking to network and get a chance to play on one of those most prestigious golf courses in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Players will enjoy a continental breakfast, assigned carts, bottled water, lunch, and an awards ceremony announcing winners of contests and raffle prizes. Each registered player will receive a golf bag with golf-related items, and snacks will be provided. In addition, several sponsorship opportunities are available to businesses wishing to receive recognition from this popular tournament. The format for this tournament is a Scramble with a shotgun start time of 8 a.m.
“The annual golf tournament is more than just a great day on the green it’s an incredible opportunity for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and small business owners to connect in a relaxed, engaging setting,” said Alexander K. Austin, president & CEO. "Business deals happen on the green, and this event creates the perfect environment for meaningful conversations, fresh collaborations, and even new contracts to take shape. It’s where strategy meets spontaneity, and where a handshake over a fairway can lead to your next big client or partnership. We're proud to host an event that blends fun with real business potential.”
Oak Creek Golf Club is located just a short drive from Washington, D.C., and anchors a gated community in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The 18-hole championship layout, which has made Golf Advisor’s list of the Top Courses in Maryland multiple times, is a popular tee time for golfers throughout Prince George’s County. The golf course architecture firm of Ault, Clark, and Associates laid out this originally private golf course in 2007.
For additional information and to register, visit: https://birdease.com/pgcoc
To receive sponsorship, please contact the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce at: sponsorship@pgcoc.org.
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PGCPS Continues to Lead in MD Green School Awards
District Celebrates 27 Renewed Schools and 5 New Awardee Schools, Reinforces Commitment to Environmental Stewardship
By PRESS OFFICER
PGCPS
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (May 1, 2025)—Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) continues to set the standard for environmental education in Maryland, with 27 schools recently renewing their award through the Maryland Green Schools program and five schools earning the award for the first time. With this milestone, the district now boasts a total of 154 MD Green Schools—the highest number in the state.
“Maintaining Prince George’s County’s leadership in the Maryland Green School program is a true team effort, driven by the dedication of both our students and staff,” said Superintendent Milton House II. “This recognition aligns with the priorities of our nationally-recognized Climate Change Action Plan and reflects our continued commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, enhancing energy efficiency, and fostering a culture of environmental responsibility across our schools.”
The William S. Schmidt Outdoor Education Center, home to the district’s environmental education program, continues to play a pivotal role in helping schools earn and maintain MD Green School status. In 2024, the Center received Maryland Green Center Sustainable Bronze status for maintaining certification for 18 consecutive years.
“PGCPS continues to be a leader across Maryland in supporting sustainable actions and culture in schools,” said James Roberson, Instructional Specialist for Environmental Literacy at the Schmidt Center. "Teachers and students not only learn about present day environmental issues, but look to implement solutions on their campuses and communities. The Maryland Green School program provides the framework to make this happen.”
Schools Earning Recertification
High Schools (7): Bladensburg, Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr., Fairmont Heights, Gwynn Park, Largo, Laurel, Potomac
K–8/Middle Schools (4): Accokeek Academy, Martin Luther King Jr., Non-Traditional Program Middle at Edgar Allan Poe, Oxon Hill
Elementary Schools (19): Allenwood, Ardmore, Catherine T. Reed, Cool Spring, Cora L. Rice, Deerfield Run, District Heights, Dodge Park, Edward M. Felegy, Gladys Noon Spellman, Hyattsville, Laurel, Lewisdale, Marlton, Montpelier, Paint Branch, Princeton, William Beanes, William Paca
Specialty Schools (2): Judith P. Hoyer Montessori, Maya Angelou French Immersion
PGCPS schools must renew every four years to retain their MD Green School status. This year, Deerfield Run Elementary, Lewisdale Elementary, and Gwynn Park High School reached Sustainable Status for maintaining certification over 14 consecutive years. Laurel Elementary was recognized with Sustainable Bronze status for 18 years of consistent achievement.
Schools will be honored during the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education’s (MAEOE) Annual Youth Summit on Thursday, May 29, at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Participating schools will receive a Maryland Green School flag, statewide and local recognition, and special commemorative gifts.
Sponsored by MAEOE, the Maryland Green Schools program is one of the most rigorous and comprehensive environmental education programs in the nation. It promotes hands-on learning, fosters environmental awareness, and supports sustainable practices through eight key criteria areas in a non-competitive application process.
For more information about the Maryland Green Schools Program, visit the MAEOE website.
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Prince George’s County Memorial Library System Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
By PRESS OFFICER
PGCMLS
Largo, Md. (May 1, 2025)—Throughout May, the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) will be hosting a variety of programs for all ages in observance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Commemorated each May since 1979, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is expansive in its scope—and the programming to be hosted across the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System is equally wide-ranging.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month spins on regular library programming include film and anime screenings featuring titles like “Ne Zha,” “95 and 6 to Go,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “Monkey Man,” and “The Apothecary Diaries”; themed “Ready 2 Read” storytimes and “Story Explorer” programs; and “Crafternoon” projects featuring paper cranes, koinobori, kakudaku kites, ukiyo-e neko woodblock prints, and Origami—the last made both by hand and with the Cricut machine at the Fairmount Heights DREAM Lab!
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month also gives PGCMLS the opportunity to showcase and share the diversity that is a signature of the Prince George’s community —and of PGCMLS library staff.
“[PGCMLS has] a really big collection of picture books featuring Filipino culture,” says James Caparas, a librarian at the New Carrollton Branch Library who will be presenting an extended dual-language Filipino storytime on Saturday, May 10 at 11 a.m. “This storytime is a great way to let our library customers from different communities and backgrounds get to know more about our library’s resources and each other’s cultures.”
In addition to the library system’s staff-led programming, several branches will be hosting special feature programming highlighting performance styles from India, Japan, the Philippines, and Korea, all featuring local artists and guests.
These featured Asian Pacific American Heritage Month performances are highlighted below, alongside a couple highlights from the library system’s standard branch programs.
For the full calendar of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month events at PGCMLS branch libraries, please visit our website here: https://www.pgcmls.info/events?=undefined&t=Asian+Pacific+American+Heritage&r=range&start=2025-05-01&end=2025-05-31
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