Good evening, Dragon Nation.
While Dr. Lowerre is on medical leave (12/12/24-2/2/25), I will serve as Acting Director, with Dr. Williams as the Director’s Designee. We have temporarily divided all administrative duties. Over the next month, please contact me or Dr. Williams if you need to speak with an administrator. Please join me in wishing Dr. Lowerre a speedy recovery.
Best Wishes,
Dr. Smith
[email protected]
(804) 354-6800 x2120
Intent to Return Form
Dear Maggie Walker freshman, sophomore, and junior families,
Below is a link for families to complete regarding their intent to attend Maggie Walker Governor’s School next year. It will only need to be completed if you have had a change of address OR your student does NOT intend to return to Maggie Walker. While the form is short, it is critically important for planning and budget purposes. We ask that parents be present if a student is completing the form. Please complete it by Tuesday, February 4th. Division gifted coordinators rely on your responses to know how many student slots are available for incoming students next year.
Thanks for your prompt attention to this matter.
MLWGS Intent to Return Form 25-26 – Google Forms
College Kick-Off 2025…Parents of Sophomores and Juniors: Save the Date!
College Kick-Off is scheduled for Thursday, January 30th. Its goal is to generate more awareness of college admissions, support students through their college search and application process, and set them up for success!
Senior/college counselors Rachel Loving and Kim Forquer (the planners and moderators of this event) will be joined onstage by panelists from Hampton University, Hollins University, the University of Georgia, the University of California–Berkeley, and the University of Virginia–who will be at both assemblies this year.
Parents of 10th graders* are invited to join their students in the MLWGS Auditorium on 1/30/25 from 10:15-11:30 AM.
Parents of 11th graders* are invited to join their students in the MLWGS Auditorium on 1/30/25 from 1:10-3:10 PM; college reps will be available (for 11th grade parents only) until 3:30 PM for additional Q&A.
*Please note that due to limited seating capacity, each student may be accompanied by only 1-2 parents or guardians to their assigned assembly. Parent/guardian(s), please RSVP using the Google form that was shared with you via email on 1/15/25, and keep an eye out for additional messaging closer to the event regarding parking options. If you have any questions (or did not receive the email with the RSVP link), you are welcome to email [email protected].
Textbook Public Comment
Prospective textbooks for AP US History and AP African American studies will be placed in the library for community review. These will be in the library for members of the community to evaluate starting on Monday January 27th up through Feb. 27th.
Attention Current Transcribers!
There will be TWO transcribe-a-thons in February! Our regular quarterly transcribe-a-thon will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 3:30-5 p.m. Then, on Friday, Feb. 14, the library will host a drop-in Douglass Day transcribe-a-thon during lunch and the after-lunch study blocks. Douglass Day is an international event that celebrates Frederick Douglass’s birthday by inviting groups across the globe to transcribe a relevant collection of documents. We’ll pause transcribing periodically to watch special programming via a live event broadcast.
Night of the Dragon Volunteers Meeting @ MLWGS–Tuesday, January 28, 1pm
The Night of the Dragon Planning Team is still looking for volunteers. There will be an in-person meeting for anyone interested in helping out with this year’s auction and gala on Tuesday at 1pm in MLWGS Room 153. Whether you have 1 hour or many to share, come hear about what we have planned and get plugged in. Can’t make the meeting? Email Ginger at [email protected] and she can share the opportunities with you.
Dance Team Workshop
Do you know a student in grades 1-8 who loves to dance? The Maggie Walker Dance Team is hosting a dance camp for elementary and middle school students after school on Monday, February 3rd from 4:30-6PM! Campers will then perform with the Dance Team the following night (2/4/25) during halftime of the 6PM Girls’ Varsity Basketball game. Any parents with children interested in participating can sign up through this link: LINK.
Spring Sports
All students who plan to try out for spring sports that start on February 24th, you will need a completed packet turned into Ms. Hawkins at [email protected] as PDF file. https://mlwgs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/24-VHSL-Forms-1.pdf
Literary Scholastic Keys
Congratulations to our dragons!!
The English department is honored to announce that Scholastics has recognized and awarded several of our talented writers. This year’s regional competition included over 500 entries for writing in eight different categories. Below is a list of those whose pieces have been recognized:
| Winni | Chen | Poetry | 9 | Silver Key |
| Charvi | Deorah | Short Story | 10 | Honorable Mention |
| Maddy | Dunaway | Critical Essay | 11 | Honorable Mention |
| Liam | Johnston | Poetry | 9 | Honorable Mention |
| Vier | Julien | Poetry | 10 | Honorable Mention |
| Max | Keating | Short Story | 12 | Honorable Mention |
| Priya | Kumar | Critical Essay | 9 | Silver Key |
| Alina | Laraway | Poetry | 11 | Silver Key |
| Ally | Lichtman | Critical Essay | 12 | Silver Key |
| David | Lins | Humor | 11 | Gold Key |
| Howard | Luo | Short Story | 9 | Gold Key |
| Grace | McDonnell | Poetry | 10 | Honorable Mention |
| Lolu | Nzombola | Personal Essay & Memoir | 9 | Silver Key |
| Tanvi | Palavalas | Personal Essay & Memoir | 12 | Silver Key |
| Chris | Qian | Humor | 10 | Silver Key |
| Chris | Qian | Poetry | 10 | Honorable Mention |
| Missy | Stephenson | Novel Writing | 11 | Silver Key |
| Missy | Stephenson | Novel Writing | 11 | Silver Key |
| Rewa | Totey | Personal Essay & Memoir | 11 | Honorable Mention |
The Visual Arts Center of Richmond (1812 West Main Street) will display the names of winners and make their writing submission(s) available to read from February 8th through February 23rd. Entrance to the exhibit is free and open to the public. Those students listed above will also receive an invitation to an in-person recognition ceremony and reception.
Gold Key winners will have their submissions sent to the next stage of competition in New York.
Scholastics is the nation’s longest-running competitive recognition program for young artists and writers, and MLWGS is proud of every student who shared their love of writing and submitted their work for judgment. Also, a big “thank you” goes to the teachers who sponsored each of these students and to the parents and teachers who encouraged them to compete!
Again, congratulations! We are so proud of you!
Visual and Performing Arts Scholastic Keys
The MLWGS Visual Arts Department is thrilled to announce that our creative students were recently honored by having their work selected for awards in the regional 2025 Scholastic Art competition. This is a highly competitive annual art competition which had 2699 art entries from around the region. MLWGS students had another great year with 82 total awards, recognizing Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School as one of the region’s top schools for the Arts.
Summary: 82 total awards
23 Gold Keys awards including 4 Gold Key Portfolios
(3 Gold Key Art portfolios, 1 Gold Key Photo Portfolio, 13 Art Gold Keys, 6 Photo Gold Keys)
21 Silver Keys awards including 1 Silver Key Portfolio
(1 Silver Key Art portfolio, 14 Art Silver Keys, 6 Photo Silver Keys)
38 Honorable Mentions including 2 Honorable Mention Portfolios
(1 HM Art Portfolio, 1 HM Photo Portfolio, 27 Art HM, 9 Photo HM)
Portfolio Awards
A portfolio award is very difficult to achieve as it requires a comprehensive body of work expressing a unique artistic voice. Please join me in congratulating the following SENIORS who received special recognition for their portfolios.
- Mercedes Luna– Gold Key Art Portfolio with additional awards of 2 Gold Keys in Mixed Media, and an American Visions Nominee (Best in Show)
- Skye Cummings– Gold Key Art Portfolio
- Molly Morrison– Gold Key Art Portfolio with additional awards of 1 Gold Key in Sculpture, 1 Silver Key in Sculpture, 1 HM in Sculpture
- Peize Wang– Gold Key Photography Portfolio with additional award of 1 HM in Photography
- Matilda Franz– Silver Key Art Portfolio with additional award of 1 Gold Key in Painting
- Sahmeah Jamison– Honorable Mention Photography Portfolio with additional award of 1 Gold Key in Photography
- Samantha Schappert– Honorable Mention Art Portfolio with additional awards of 1 Silver Key in Painting and 1 HM in Mixed Media
Gold and Silver Key Awards
Gold and Silver Key winners will have their work displayed at the Visual Art Center of Richmond from Feb. 8- Feb. 23rd with a in-person reception on Feb. 22 at 2pm at Dogwood Middle School. All Gold Key works will advance to National Competition with winners to be exhibited in New York.
Congratulations to the following students who were recognized with individual Gold Keys and/or Silver Keys:
- Anusha Algappan- Gold Key in Photography
- Maddie Bridges – Gold Key in Painting, Silver Key in Painting, and HM in Painting
- Danielle Chen – Gold Key in Drawing and Illustration, 2 Silver Keys in Painting
- Elijah Chen – Gold Key in Painting
- Winnie Chen – Gold Key in Drawing & Illustration, Silver Key in Mixed Media
- Sunjana Finn- Gold Key in Painting, HM in Painting
- Neha Jain – Gold Key in Photography
- Vier Julien – Gold Key in Mixed Media
- Elena Loy – Gold Key in Painting, Gold Key in Mixed Media, 2 HM in Mixed Media
- Chaitly Marapareddy – Gold Key in Photography
- Mitchell Shelton – Gold Key in Photography, HM in Photography
- Sophia Trinh – Gold Key in Photography
- Hiya Agrawal – Silver Key in Drawing & Illustration, HM in Drawing & Illustration
- Hillary Arriaza Rodas – Silver Key in Printmaking
- Kyra Chukin – Silver Key in Drawing & Illustration
- Ruby Freyer – Silver Key in Painting
- Aashna Gupta – Silver Key in Photography
- Soumya Khadye – Silver Key in Photography
- Will Knutson – Silver Key in Photography
- Grace Ku – Silver Key in Digital Art
- Benny Lefkowitz – Silver Key in Photography
- Abby Lesher – Silver Key in Mixed Media
- Emma Lindsey – Silver Key in Ceramics and Glass
- Demari Mitchell – Silver Key in Drawing & Illustration
- Davis Voelzke – Silver Key in Photography
- Grace Zheng – Silver Key in Painting, HM in Painting
Honorable Mention awards
These students will have their work included in a slide show of Honorable Mention winners. Please join me in congratulating these students who were recognized with Honorable Mention awards for their work:
- Samuel Adalbert – HM in Photography
- Amelia Adcock – HM in Sculpture
- Om Ajith – HM in Comic Art
- Thaman Sai Arepalli – HM in Drawing & Illustration
- Ashley Booker – HM in Mixed Media
- Ziggy Booker – HM in Photography
- Lillian Davies – HM in Sculpture, – HM in Mixed Media
- Caelan DiCosmo – HM in Mixed Media
- Amelia Downey – HM in Sculpture
- Zoe Fang – HM in Painting
- Charlie Hill – HM in Painting
- Stig Larson – HM in Photography
- Cam Meacham – HM in Sculpture
- Rahmat Okegbenro – 2 HMs in Photography
- Nora Rentschler – HM in Photography
- Sophia Runberg – HM in Painting
- Caitlyn Smith – HM in Sculpture, HM in Mixed media
- Missy Stephenson – HM in Drawing and Illustration
- Miles Swenson – HM in Drawing and Illustration
- Lily Voorhees – HM in Sculpture
- Jasmine Wen – HM in Painting
- Yan Angela Yu – HM in Photography
In conjunction with the Visual Arts Center of Richmond and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, Candela Books + Gallery would like to recognize Chaitly Marapareddy, a photographer with a unique personal voice and vision, and their photography teacher, Georgianne Stinnett, who has encouraged students and helped them to apply. She was hand-selected for this award for your work titled “Alone”! She will be recognized during our Gold Key ceremony, which will be in person this year.
Congratulations to these students on their well-deserved awards. Go Dragons!
GO DRAGONS!
“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” —Herman Melville
