Princess Aghayere is making a name for herself during her sophomore season on the University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team.
The 2015 South Lakes High School graduate was named the Ivy League Player of the Week for her performances last week on the hardcourt. She posted a career-best 21 points during a Friday victory over Columbia, and followed it up the next day with a 12-point performance in a win over Cornell.
Some of her highlights from the weekend’s action can be seen on the Ivy League Sports YouTube channel.
On the season, Aghayere is averaging 5.6 points per game, tops among the team’s non-starters.
During her career at South Lakes High School, Aghayere earned first-team All-Conference recognition three times, and was second-team All-State twice. She also lettered in cross country and volleyball.
Aghayere is enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences at Penn, on a pre-med track. In a video released by the school earlier this year, she discussed her background and her goals for the future.
The defending Ivy League champions, the Quakers are undefeated (7-0) in conference play so far this season.
Photo via Don E. Felice/PennAthletics.com
Police: Reston Woman Rammed Vehicle During Argument — Police in Herndon say 24-year-old Kimberling Serrano had her two kids in the car when she followed a man after an argument and intentionally struck his vehicle three times. [Herndon Police]
Students Honored for Musical Talents — Top Fairfax County vocal and instrumental students were recognized recently during the annual James A. Bland Music Competition, co-sponsored by the Reston Lions Club and Reston Community Center. Among the honorees was Lauren Spar from South Lakes High School. [Reston Connection]
Skydiver from Reston Hurt in Florida — Nikolay Likhachev suffered a head injury and a compound leg fracture after an accident near Daytona Beach. Likhachev had successfully completed more than 200 jumps, according to the incident report. [Daytona Beach News-Journal]
Redistricting Reform Rejected in Richmond — Bills that advocates hoped would stop gerrymandering in Virginia were voted down in committee Tuesday. One of the measures — a constitutional amendment stating that “no electoral district shall be drawn for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring any political party, incumbent legislator or member of Congress, or other individual or entity” — was sponsored by Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax), of Reston. [The News Leader]
Everything was coming together nicely for Nisa Katz, a 2010 graduate of South Lakes High School.
“I actually was able to get an internship with Disney World, which was my dream job,” she said. “I was offered a regular full-time position, but I ended up getting sick.”
After a long series of doctor’s visits, Katz was diagnosed in 2014 with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition that causes an increased heart rate when standing upright — resulting in dizziness, migraines and more. Because of it, Katz was forced to give up her photography position at Disney World and return home to Reston to her parents, Gina and Bert.
Since, Katz said she has been diagnosed with a series of other conditions — Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Chiari malformation and trigeminal neuralgia among them.
Now 25, Katz finds herself traveling down a new path in life, raising awareness for rare diseases and chronic illnesses. She has started an awareness campaign called Spoonspirations — the name of which is a reference to “spoon theory,” a term coined by lupus patient advocate Christine Miserandino about how sufferers of such conditions must ration their energy.
“She wanted a way to describe it to people who don’t have a chronic illness, so they could understand,” Katz said. “Basically, it’s kind of like if you get up to walk the dog, you use three spoons out of your 12 total spoons for the day.”
Through Spoonspirations, Katz is using her love of art to spread the word about chronic illness. Katz studied graphic design as well as photography, and she has designed a number of different pieces of apparel for various related causes.
She is raising money for research in the process, as all proceeds from sales of the clothing are given to chronic illness organizations. In 2016, she said, she raised $8,000 that was donated in large part to Dysautonomia International and the Dysautonomia Support Network, organizations she became acquainted with through her personal journey.
This year, Katz has become involved with rare disease advocacy organization Global Genes. She will travel to Southern California at the end of the month to participate in a fashion show for the organization as part of World Rare Disease Day.
“Everyone is walking in honor of someone who has a rare disease,” she said. “I’m the only one walking who actually has a rare disease.”
Katz is hopeful that she will be able to make more connections during the event to help her expand Spoonspirations and raise more awareness for the hundreds of millions worldwide suffering from chronic illnesses.
“Rare diseases affect approximately 350 million people worldwide and often times are invisible,” she said. “So you never know who might be affected.”
Photos courtesy Nisa Katz/Spoonspirations
Looking for something to do this weekend? Here is a sampling of what’s available in Reston:
- The South Lakes High School Chorus is presenting its Broadway Night event tonight and Saturday.
- Reston Town Center events this weekend include a kids’ cooking class at Il Fornaio, cartoon skate at the ice pavilion, Super Bowl festivities at American Tap Room and Mon Ami Gabi, and more.
- Potomac River Running will be putting on its For The Love Of It 10K, beginning at South Lakes High School (11400 South Lakes Drive), Saturday morning.
- Reston Community Players will close out their run of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” tonight and Saturday at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage (2310 Colts Neck Road).
- Project-based charter school Ideaventions Academy (12340 Pinecrest Road) will be holding an open house Saturday.
- Art exhibitions “CUT” and “Springtime in Winter” remain on display at Greater Reston Arts Center (12001 Market Street) and Reston Art Gallery & Studios (11400 Washington Plaza W.), respectively.
- Del. Ken Plum will be at Lake Anne Coffee House (1612 Washington Plaza N.) on Saturday morning to discuss issues with his constituents.
- Red’s Table (11150 South Lakes Drive) won’t just be offering beer specials Sunday during the Super Bowl, but it will unveil its new bison chili as well.
- Kalypso’s (1617 Washington Plaza N.) will host a Super Bowl party Sunday, featuring regional foods from New England and Atlanta. A raffle will also be held to benefit Camp Sunshine.
Dinner Held to Support Police Families — A group in Great Falls raised over $5,000 for Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), an organization that supports families of officers killed on the job. 2nd Lt. Anthony Lampe of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Reston District Station addressed a dinner audience, talking about his department’s recent brush with violence against police. [Reston Connection]
South Lakes Girls Win at the Buzzer — The Seahawks’ varsity girls basketball team won with a last-second layup last week. Alivia Damper passed to Kendra Williams, who scored the winning basket just before time expired as South Lakes beat McLean, 51-49. [DMVStream.com]
Seahawks Player Headed to Delaware — Sticking with SLHS sports, football player David Kroll is a top college recruit on the offensive line. He was planning to play for the University of Richmond, but he has now changed his plans and is committed to the University of Delaware. [Washington Post]
The South Lakes High School track teams are once again on the top of the heap in the Liberty Conference. The boys closed out their ninth consecutive title this weekend at the championships in Landover, Maryland, while the girls took their sixth straight.
Junior runner Olivia Beckner, who had already set multiple new records earlier this season, won both the 1,000 meters (2:55.67) and 1,600 meters (5:04.44) in meet-record times. She also won the 3,200 meters (10:47:17) in school and conference record time.
Senior Devyn Jones won the 300 meters in 42.72 and finished third in the 500 meters (1:20.52) and fifth in the triple jump (33-08.75). She won the 55-meters hurdles in conference record time on the first day of the championships, as well as finishing second in the long jump and sixth in the high jump that day.
Jones was part of a SLHS sweep of the 500 meters. The race was won by junior Aly Rayle (1:19.62), followed by freshman Mary Gregory’s second place finish of 1:19.69. Rayle and Gregory teamed with sophomores Sophie Halkett and Cara Hutson to win the 4-by-400 meter relay in 4:09.53.
The Seahawks also won the top three spots in the 1,000 meters with Beckner leading the way, followed by Halkett (3:05.81) and sophomore Jordan Anderson (3:07.76).
On the boys’ side, seniors Timiebi Ogobri and Don’ta Whitley had outstanding performances for the Seahawks.
Ogobri, who successfully defended his 55-meters title on Day 1, won the 300 meters in 36.54. Sophomore Stevie Jones was third (37.19) and Whitley finished fifth (37.43). Ogobri was also fifth in the triple jump (39-04.00) and teamed with Jones, sophomore Nicky Napolitano and junior Carson Frutchey for third in 4-by-200 meter relay (1:35.34). Whitley was second in the triple jump (42-01.75), second in the 500 meters (1:08.61), sixth in the high jump (5-08.00), and teamed with senior Dimarcus Vilcheck and juniors John Eggeman and Houston Nelson for third in the 4-by-400 meter relay (3:38.21).
Senior Peter Sepulveda was third in the 1,600 meters (4:36.57), followed by juniors Alex Loukili (4:37.35, 4th) and Sean Casey (4:38.76, 5th). Loukili ran a 2:40.55 for third in the 1,000 meters while Casey finished fifth with a 2:46.85.
South Lakes will next compete in the 6A North Region Indoor Championship on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover.
For the second consecutive year, the South Lakes High School Robotics Team has advanced to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge Virginia State Championship. The team, called the <C://>Hawks, participated in the North Central Virginia Qualifying Tournament that took place at Orange County High School on Jan. 14.
Months of preparation put the team on solid ground to contend for the top awards. Their robot, Duchess, performed well on the field, managing the challenges without breakdowns. In their engineering notebook, members of the team’s art department recorded all the activities, including not only software and robot construction progress, but all the outreach activities of which the team has been part.
The <C://>Hawks promoted and expanded their team within the SLHS community and brought their robots and expertise to various community activities such as local Lego League teams and the NOVA Maker Faire. For these efforts, the team was honored with the competition’s Connect Award.
The Inspire Award is given to the team that demonstrates respect and gracious professionalism, is an ambassador for FIRST programs, and demonstrates and documents their work in their community. The <C://>Hawks took second place for this award.
The team will next participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge Virginia State Championship, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25 in Lynchburg.
Bechtel and Orbital ATK are sponsors of the South Lakes High School Robotics Team.
Photo courtesy South Lakes High School Robotics Team
Closings Today for Inauguration Day — The 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, is being inaugurated today in Washington. As the nation watches, government offices and a number of other facilities are closed today. Schedules for other services may also be affected. [Patch]
Young Students Get Chance to See History Up Close — Today is another big day in American history. Earlier this week, elementary school students in Reston were “visited” by past historical figures including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, as they learned about the early days of the nation. [Reston Connection]
Seahawks Basketball, Swim/Dive Teams Have Busy Week — The following are results from recent days for South Lakes High School basketball and swim/dive teams: [South Lakes Athletics]
Boys basketball: beat James Madison, 56-51; beat Washington-Lee, 56-51; lost to Hayfield, 82-80
JV boys basketball: lost to James Madison, 58-49; beat Washington-Lee, 64-47; beat Hayfield, 68-49
Girls basketball: lost to James Madison, 44-34; beat Washington-Lee, 46-44
JV girls basketball: lost to James Madison, 40-31; beat Washington-Lee, 34-23
Freshman girls basketball: beat Hayfield, 31-27
Co-ed swim and dive: beat Langley girls, 163-149; lost to Langley boys, 173-136; beat Washington-Lee girls, 196-118; beat Washington-Lee boys, 183-132
Olivia Beckner is fast, and she has her name all over the record books to prove it.
The South Lakes High School junior set her second school record of the month recently, eclipsing by nearly four seconds an SLHS top time for the mile that had stood for 29 years.
The record-setting performance came at the Virginia Showcase Invitational indoor track and field meet last weekend at Liberty University in Lynchburg. Her time of 4 minutes, 55.58 seconds beat out the previous mark of 4 minutes, 59.44 seconds set by Anne Evans during the 1987-88 season.
Earlier this month at a meet in New York, Beckner ran the 1,000 meters in 2 minutes, 54.06 seconds. That surpassed the record of 2 minutes, 58.47 seconds she had set last year as a sophomore.
Beckner leads the five-time defending Liberty Conference champion Seahawks into the conference championship, beginning today and concluding Jan. 28 in Landover, Maryland.
The SLHS boys are no slouches either. They enter the championship with eight consecutive titles under their belts.
Photos courtesy South Lakes High School/Mary Ann Magnant
SLHS Grad Featured in UPenn Video — Princess Aghayere, a 2015 graduate of South Lakes High School, is a basketball player at the University of Pennsylvania. In a new video from the university, she talks about moving to the United States as a child and about her future plans in the field of medicine. The Reston native is the daughter of Anthonia and Roland Aghayere. [University of Pennsylvania]
Dog License Renew Deadline Approaching — Fairfax County dog owners are reminded that their $10 renewal fee is coming up at the end of the month. [Fairfax County]
Local College Students Named to Top Academic Lists — The following students from Reston are among those named to Dean’s Lists at their respective schools in the Fall 2016 semester.
- BELMONT UNIVERSITY: Wesley Edens, Collin Hanley
- HARDING UNIVERSITY: Mitchell Thomas
- JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY: Emily Barbaro, Lauren Canal, Kylie Chichester, Olivia Gentilcore, Susan Patrick
- UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT: Haley Brazier
In addition, five students from Reston were named to the President’s List at JMU: Jacqueline Angel, Elizabeth Barnes, Valerie Beacham, Daniel Gurley and Claire Swinko.
Updated 10:35 p.m. Sunday to include suspect description from Fairfax County Police Department
Two men in their 20s were stabbed in an argument during a pickup soccer game Sunday afternoon near South Lakes High School.
Police say the two men, ages 22 and 23, who were stabbed were transported to Reston Hospital Center. The injuries to the 23-year-old were first deemed to be life-threatening, but the man’s status later improved to stable.
The suspect in the stabbing has not yet been apprehended, but Fairfax County Police spokesperson Tawny Wright said there is no threat to the community at large.
“The suspect and the two victims were somehow acquainted,” she said. “An argument erupted related to the game.”
(1/2) Officers on scene of stabbing report: 11400blk S Lakes Dr, Reston. Two victims, one life-threatening. pic.twitter.com/g1Ymb1taWl
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) January 15, 2017
(2/2) Initial investigation indicates 2 groups were playing soccer when an argument began & escalated. More details to follow as available.
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) January 15, 2017
No students from the high school were involved, Wright said.
“From what we got from the initial investigation, there were two groups of people using the field,” she said. “During one their games, an argument erupted between a small group of them. It escalated until someone pulled out a cutting instrument.”
https://twitter.com/VBagate/status/820756881975214080
Wright said the 23-year-old was cut in the upper body and suffered a serious injury. The 22-year-old was cut in the leg.
The suspect is described as a heavy-set, short-haired Hispanic male in his early 20s.
Suspect description: Hispanic/early 20s/heavy set/short hair. May drive a blue Subaru STI. Have info? 703-691-2131. No Further Details (NFD)
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) January 16, 2017
Photos courtesy Van Applegate/FOX 5 DC
Application Deadline for Review Panel Approaches — Fairfax County residents interested in being part of the effort to review alleged misconduct by Fairfax County police officers have until Jan. 31 to apply for the county’s new Citizen Review Panel. The panel was created in response to the shooting of an unarmed man by Fairfax County Police in 2013. [WTOP]
FCPS to Name County’s Top Crossing Guard — Who helps your children cross the street to and from school each day? If you think your friendly neighborhood crossing guard is the best of the best, Fairfax County Public Schools wants to hear about it. Nominations for the Crossing Guard of the Year award are being accepted through Jan. 27. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
South Lakes High School Swimmers Honored — Seniors on the SLHS swim team, pictured here, were recognized prior to a winning performance recently against McLean. The team has two more meets left this season: Friday night against Langley and a week from tonight against Washington & Lee. In other Seahawks sports in the past few days, the varsity girls basketball team beat Yorktown, as did both the JV boys and girls. [South Lakes Athletics]
Online Survey for FCPS Superintendent Available — Former Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza left last month, and the district is hosting a series of community forums to find out what residents want to see in her successor. Now, it has launched an online survey to gather information from community members as well. [Fairfax County Public Schools]
Major Intersection to Be Shut Down Thursday — Fairfax County Police are asking drivers to find alternate routes on Thursday, as the entire Seven Corners intersection will be closed all day for work on traffic signals. [Fairfax County Police Department/Twitter]
SLHS Runner Sets New School Record — Olivia Beckner, a South Lakes High School junior, ran 1,000 meters in 2 minutes, 54.06 seconds at an indoor track meet in New York this weekend. That breaks her own school record, set last year, by over four seconds. [South Lakes High School]
Photo via Douglas H. Errett (@MrErrett), Twitter
One South Lakes High School student will remember the Alamo — and the Alamodome — for a long time after this week.
David Clark, a saxophone player in the SLHS band, is representing the school, Fairfax County and the state this weekend as part of the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. The band, made up of 125 top high school marching band performers from across the nation, will play at halftime of the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl football game Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Clark told Reston Now this week that he is ecstatic for the opportunity to play on the big stage.
“I can’t wait,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The member of the SLHS Class of 2017 has been in San Antonio all week preparing for the performance. He said Army Field Band members are acting as mentors for the high schoolers. His mentor is Staff Sgt. Daniel Goff, a saxophone player from Morgantown, West Virginia. (Clark said Reston native Staff Sgt. Pamela Daniels – a flute player in the Army Field Band – is also at the event working with another performer.)
Clark is the son of John and Mary Nell Clark of Reston. His participation in the event makes him the third South Lakes senior in the past three years to be so honored. In 2015, Samantha Gifford (trombone) was part of the show; in 2016, Brandon Coplen (percussion) made the trip.
Clark, who has been playing the sax since the fifth grade, is involved in a number of SLHS musical groups, including the wind ensemble, jazz band and pit orchestra, in addition to the marching band.
“I’ve (always) just really liked playing saxophone,” he said. “It’s a really awesome instrument; I think you can do a lot with it.”
According to information provided by the South Lakes Band Boosters, members of the band are “selected by the National Association for Music Education and the US Army from more than 2,000 applicants [and] the rigorous application process includes essays, recommendation letters, audition videos and academic records.” Clark said he was honored to be nominated by SLHS Band Director Grayson Fore.
“I wanted to take advantage of such an amazing opportunity where I could play with such elite, talented and motivated players,” Clark said. “I love taking advantage of all these opportunities.”
It hasn’t been all hard work in San Antonio this week for Clark and the rest of the band. He said they’ve had the chance to explore the city’s well-known attractions including the Riverwalk and the Alamo.
“My family is from Texas, so I’ve been (here) a few times,” Clark said. “We saw the Alamo (on Wednesday); I took a bunch of pictures there.”
The football game, showcasing top high school players from across the country, will air at 1 p.m. Saturday on NBC. The halftime show, featuring Clark and the other members of the All-American Marching Band, will be shown live and in its entirety at www.banddirector.com.
Photos courtesy David Clark and the South Lake Band Boosters
Fairfax County Expert Talks Coyotes — Coyotes can be found all over Fairfax County, certified wildlife specialist Katherine Edwards says in a video aiming to educate residents. Edwards says coyotes generally avoid humans, but they may prey on small domestic animals like cats and dogs. The biologist says it’s best to avoid keeping pets outdoors for long periods of time, and to keep their food indoors. [Fairfax County/YouTube]
South Lakes Sports Back in Full Swing — South Lakes High School’s winter break is over and Seahawks sports teams are back in action. This week, the basketball teams engaged in several contests with McLean High. The varsity boys team scored a 73-45 win, while the JV boys dropped a close one, 47-45. The boys freshman team also lost, 59-51. The JV girls team scored a victory, however, winning 47-36 in overtime. [South Lakes Athletics]
County Offers Tips For Winterizing Your Car — With winter weather in the forecast, Fairfax County offered tips this week for preparing your car for the cold and snow. Among them are maintaining an adequate level of antifreeze; making sure heaters, defrosters and hazard lights are in top working order; and choosing tires with good tread for navigating snowy or icy roads. [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
