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Kral, Nichols engaged
Ron and Mary Ann Kral of Reston are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Patricia Ann Kral, to Stephen Richard Nichols, son of Karen Nichols of Unionville, Conn., and the late Richard Nichols.
Patty is a full-time graduate student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she is pursuing a master's degree in geotechnical engineering. She graduated from South Lakes High School in 2002 and received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Tufts University in 2006.
Stephen is employed by Otis Elevator in Farmington, Conn. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts in 2006 and a Master of Engineering degree, also in mechanical engineering, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2009.
A June wedding is planned in Woodbury, Conn. The couple will make their home in Plantsville, Conn.
Alford, Mastropieri lauded as outstanding educators
Gov. Bob McDonnell recently honored 12 Virginia educators with the 2010 Outstanding Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, research and public service. Two of those faculty members, Terry Alford and Margo Mastropieri, teach at area schools.
Alford is a professor of history at Northern Virginia Community College, where he has taught since 1972. He helped found NOVA's Honors Program.
Mastropieri is a university professor of special education at George Mason University. Her research has improved opportunities for students with disabilities to be included in general education settings.
"This year's recipients come from across Virginia and represent different institutions and academic disciplines," McDonnell said in a statement. "Yet all 12 share a commitment to helping their students, their campus communities, and the citizens of the Commonwealth who benefit from their scholarly research and academic knowledge."
McKnight wins parks' passport challenge
Trey McKnight of Springfield, a ninth-grader at South County Secondary School, is the owner of a brand-new REI Camp Dome 4 Tent and other prizes he received as the grand prize winner of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's Passport to Adventure program.
The park authority challenged enthusiasts to visit all 21 of its parks in 2009 and receive an NVRPA stamp from each in a Passport to Adventure. A fully stamped passport qualified the adventurer to win prizes. While every participant received several prizes, Trey's name was drawn as the grand prize winner.
Trey explored the parks with his mother, Bekah McKnight, and brother Kyle McKnight, a student at Newington Forest Elementary School. Their prizes included passes to the Corn Maize and Fall Festival at Temple Hall, the Festival of Lights at Bull Run Regional Park, and every water park in the regional park network.
Some of Trey's favorite adventures were canoeing at Pohick Bay, visits to Aldie Mill and the Carlyle House, and the nature center at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, he said.
NVRPA Executive Director Paul Gilbert and REI Outreach Specialist Rhonda Krafchin presented Trey's tent and prizes to him at the REI store in Fairfax. REI sponsored the Passport to Adventure Program with NVRPA.
Raynaud competes in culinary contest
Fred Raynaud, corporate executive chef at Guest Services Inc., a private hospitality company in Fairfax, recently went head to head -- or toque to toque -- against 27 other chefs in a culinary competition at Elgin Community College in Illinois. All were vying for one of six spots on ACF Culinary Team USA, to compete in the 2012 International Culinary Art Exhibition -- also known as the "culinary Olympics" -- in Erfurt, Germany.
A chef for nearly 30 years, Raynaud has worked for Marriott, Wyndham Hotels, Hilton Hotels International, and La Quinta Golf and Tennis Resort in California. He was chef at Victoria's and Albert's restaurant at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian, and was involved in new concepts for Disney. He has worked in research and development at JR International and Ameristars Casinos in Las Vegas, and was corporate director of operations for Grand Casinos.
To qualify for the tryout, Raynaud passed a rigorous review in which his application, resume, biography, competition experience and work history were evaluated.
The first tryout took place Feb. 19 to 21, featuring the cold-fold segment. This is an intense competition where pressure is high and skills are pushed to their limits. The candidates had 17 hours to prepare, plate and present their dishes according to the guidelines.
Giuseppe honored for volunteer work
Sherry Giuseppe of Fairfax was treated to a Caribbean cruise courtesy of Cabot Creamery Cooperative in Montpelier, Vt. She and more than 50 others were honored for the volunteer work they do in their communities.
A Virginia Tech graduate, Giuseppe earned her certification five years ago to teach fifth grade at Oak View Elementary School. But her love for children extends beyond the classroom.
Recently, Giuseppe became involved with orphanages in Eastern Europe, primarily Romania. She organized fund drives to sponsor trips for herself and others to travel to Romania and care for the infants. She helps tend the infants for several weeks, rocking, feeding, and changing them and providing interaction and stimulation. "If you do this once, it will change your life forever," she said in a statement.
Earlier, she was active with the Save the Children Foundation. She sponsored an entire family in Kentucky and would bring them to Virginia for vacations. She managed fundraising efforts and led drives to collect food and nonperishables for her adopted Kentucky family and the broader community. She then would rent a truck and deliver the goods.
In January Giuseppe and her husband, Jeffrey Giuseppe, a mechanical engineer with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, boarded the Celebrity Century cruise ship in Miami for a six-day, five-night vacation to Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island.
Area students make president's list
The University of Mary Washington has announced its president's list for the fall 2009 semester. These full-time students attained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average: Lindsay Howe of Annandale; Peter Hawes of Centreville; Emily Potosky of Chantilly; Cathalijne Adams, Karen Ellrod and Christine LaPlaca, all of Fairfax; Matthew Pirocchi of Herndon; David Schell of McLean; Bradley Efford of Springfield; and Hope Flanagan of Vienna.
Students named to dean's lists
The following students were named to the dean's lists at their respective colleges and universities for the fall 2009 semester.
Elizabethtown (Pa.) College: William Lehman of Annandale and Stephen McGonigle of Fairfax.
Elms College, Chicopee, Mass.: Christopher Hartmann of Reston.
Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport: William Fuka of Clifton, Joseph Chadowski of Fairfax, John LaFever Jr. of Fairfax Station, and Michael Medwedeff of Vienna.
Wake Forest University: Paul Habib Debs of McLean.