BHS NJROTC
Soaring High: Bowie High School NJROTC Cadets Earn FAA Drone Pilot Credentials

By GYSGT GEORGE HINTON
Bowie High School

BOWIE, Md. (Aug. 20, 2026)—This summer, four cadets from Bowie High School’s NJROTC unit took a major step toward the future of technology and aviation by completing an intensive five-day Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Drone Pilot certification training program held at Friendly High School.

The cadets joined fellow student-aviators from Friendly High School for an intensive week of flight theory, airspace regulations, and drone operations. The rigorous week-long course culminated in cadets taking the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 Remote Pilot Exam. Passing this exam grants cadets an official commercial drone pilot credential, certifying them for professional remote aircraft operations and earning them Career Industry Readiness (CRI) status.

The drone initiative serves as a cornerstone of Bowie High School’s NJROTC Program in expanding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) pathways. By obtaining industry-standard credentials before graduating, these cadets position themselves at the cutting edge of modern technology and career preparedness. Looking ahead, the Bowie High School NJROTC department plans to continue expanding momentum for its STEM programs. Future plans include Advanced Flight Simulators: Integrating state-of-the-art simulation hardware for hands-on, year-round flight training; Expanding Drone Certification: Training and certifying additional cadet pilots to build a robust, competitive drone team, and Cyber Certification.

Workforce Integration: Equipping students with high-demand technical skills applicable to commercial aviation, emergency response, mapping, and engineering fields. Congratulations to Cadets Millionah Poles, and Madison Dennis on passing the FAA-107 Drone Certification Exam and for their dedication and hard work this summer, paving the way for the next generation of Bowie High School aviators!

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Author Victor Simmons Returns to the DMV for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 55th Annual Legislative Conference
Simmons to participate in Author Literary Circle and share family legacy, leadership and the remarkable story of America’s first African American Air Force One steward

By CHARITY MOSES

Victor Simmons

ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 18, 2026)—Author, speaker and leadership strategist Victor Simmons will return to the DMV this September to participate in the Author Literary Circle during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 55th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC), taking place September 16–20, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

This year’s conference, themed “Rooted, Ready & Rising,” also marks the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 50th anniversary. The annual gathering brings together elected officials, policymakers, thought leaders, advocates, entrepreneurs and changemakers from across the country.

For Simmons, participating in ALC 55 is both a professional milestone and a homecoming.

Now based in Orlando, Florida, Simmons grew up in Prince George’s County and returns to the region carrying a family story deeply connected to American history.

His father, Lee F. Simmons, rose from rural Alabama to become America’s first African American steward aboard Air Force One, serving Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford. His remarkable journey is chronicled in Simmons’ book, “The Lee F. Simmons Story: America’s First African-American Air Force One
 
Steward”.

Simmons has also brought his family’s story to younger generations through “Life Lessons from Air Force One: Growing Up Simmons”, a children’s book exploring family, character, service, perseverance and possibility.

“Returning to the DMV to share my father’s story is incredibly meaningful,” Simmons said. “This is where I spent my childhood, and the Washington area was central to my father’s life and service. But more importantly, I want his story to encourage other families to recognize that their own histories matter and deserve to be documented and passed on.”

Simmons is also the author of “The Presence-Driven Leader”, which challenges conventional ideas about leadership and reinforces that leadership is demonstrated through presence, trust, accountability and how individuals show up for others, not simply through position or authority.

That message also serves as the foundation of Simmons’ TEDx talk focused on why titles can create distance and why leadership is ultimately about presence, not position.

Simmons’ participation in the Author Literary Circle follows a summer of author appearances, leadership presentations, media interviews and community events across the country celebrating his books and his family’s legacy.

Through his appearance at ALC 55, Simmons hopes to advance a larger message about the importance of preserving family stories and ensuring that overlooked chapters of American history are carried forward.

“Every family has a story worth preserving,” Simmons said. “Our responsibility is to make sure the next generation gets the opportunity to hear it.”

Victor Simmons will participate in the conference’s Author Literary Circle. Additional appearance details will be announced as they become available.

Victor Simmons is an author, speaker, leadership strategist and former hospitality executive. Through Victorious Endeavors Consulting, he works with organizations and leaders to strengthen leadership effectiveness, workplace culture, accountability and team performance. He is the author of The Presence-Driven Leader, The Lee F. Simmons Story: America’s First African-American Air Force One Steward, and Life Lessons from Air Force One: Growing Up Simmons.

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RUMINATIONS: Our Stories IN PAPER
Founder Helen C. Frederick Curates Exhibition Opening August 29

By Kate Taylor Davis
Pyramid Atlantic Art Center

Hyattsville, Md. (Aug. 21, 2026)—With one exhibition, Helen C. Frederick commemorates two 10-year milestones. The first: Pyramid Atlantic’s 10th year in Hyattsville, the organization she founded in 1981. The second: the 10th anniversary of Reading Road Studio—a papermaking studio also founded by Frederick.

Featuring paper-cast life-size gold leaf doors, a translucent endangered species installation, printed Chinese papers, exquisite custom paper drawings, large scale pulp paintings, innovative artist books, and more, Ruminations: Our Stories IN PAPER celebrates the possibilities of papermaking.

RUMINATIONS: Our Stories IN PAPER is on view August 29–October 4, 2026 in Pyramid’s Helen C. Frederick Gallery. Gallery hours are Wed & Thu, 10–8 pm and Fri–Sun, 10–6 pm. Pyramid is located at 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781. For more information, visit pyramidatlantic.org or call 301-608-9101.

Associated Events (FREE | RSVPs requested at pyramidatlantic.org or 301-608-9101):

• Artist Reception Saturday, September 12, 6–8 p.m.

• Panel Discussion: Wednesday, September 16, 6–8 p.m.

• Curator’s Tour: Sunday, September 27, 3–5 p.m.

• Closing Reception: Sunday, October 4, 4–6 p.m.

“What excites me most is that RUMINATIONS: Our Stories IN PAPER treats paper not as a passive surface, but as an active collaborator. The exhibition brings together a community of artists whom I admire and have worked with many times over a decade. It celebrates dynamic innovations at Reading Road Studio, where artists deeply explore material research—from fiber behavior and water flow to pigment absorption and casting, and to large scale installation works—they invent new concepts of materiality while remaining connected to past traditions,” remarks Frederick.

ARTISTS: William B. Adair, Maria Barbosa, Oletha DeVane/Chris Kojzar, Elsabe Johnson Dixon, Cheryl Edwards, Susan Firestone, Helen Frederick, Emily Fussner, Ellen Hill, Lisa Hill, Mia Holtan, Rick Hungerford, Aziza Gibson Hunter, Fleming Jeffries, David Joo, Jen Lillis, June Linowitz, Randi Reiss- McCormack, Andrea McCluskey, Chris Mona, Tom Nakashima, Tongji Philip Qian, Alice Quatrochi, Preston Sampson, Joyce J. Scott, Lisa Sheirer, Elzbieta Sikorska, Buzz Spector, Lynn Sures, Yuriko Yamaguchi.

In 2016 Helen C. Frederick opened Reading Road Studio in Silver Spring, MD to offer an intimate collaborative experience for artists interested in works in and on paper, artist books, print media, installation works, and critical conversations about visual and cultural literacy. The studio features hand papermaking as an art form and collaborative sessions for artists who want to explore the possibilities of using papermaking as a translucent material, with mixed media print media, and painterly or dimensional experience for their work.

Founded in 1981, Pyramid Atlantic is a nonprofit contemporary art center. Our mission is to sustain and elevate a welcoming arts hub in Hyattsville. MD that champions contemporary printmaking, papermaking, and book arts. We equip, educate, and exhibit while prioritizing artistic integrity, creative growth, and inclusivity. Our vision is to anchor an arts community that recognizes and uplifts the importance of artists, the intrinsic values of working with your hands, and the economy of artist-made work.

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