Page 44 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch December 20, 2013 Students In The News During each holiday season, Worcester Prep Lower School students bring in presents to give to children who might not otherwise receive presents on Christmas. Santa, who helps the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Deena Holloway, visits the school and collects the presents from the children. Pictured with Santa are, from left, Meeta Agarwal, Layla Webster, Alex Ray, Lynden Prosser, George Sapna and Minha Moinuddin. Showell Elementary third-graders Dalton Phebus, Jenna Olafsson, Aiina Bernal-Clark and Trey Winklbauer "Go West" after learning about the history of railroads. Submitted Photos The fourth-grade students at Buckingham Elementary School created a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activity to inform the public about the wild ponies of Assateague Island. Students researched this special group of animals using the Internet, pamphlets, books and other reading materials. An Assateague ranger came to school to speak to them and share more information. Shown with their work are Bryan Rappold, Aiyana Purnell, Meadow McGee, Marqui Henry, Jovanni Custellanos Nieves and Josa Gracia. During the week of Dec. 9, Worcester Prep students and faculty took part in the Hour of Code, a national project designed to help everyone learn more about the importance of understanding programming/coding. Here, grade five students, in their DARE T-shirts, visited Code.org to join in the project. They explored a variety of computer programming tutorials, one of which featured Light Bot programming. Pictured, kneeling from left, are Baylie Holmes, Chelsea van Vonno, Hannah Perdue, Carson Cebula, Ben Brandt, Hunter Gentry, Brugh Moore, Sydney Stebenne, Nathan Oltman, Nicholas Rilling, Mason Brown and Graham McColgan; standing, Kaleb Price, Braedan Lehman, Lexi Willey, Marika Vasilikos, Waverly Choy, Tenley Pelot, teacher Erika Phillips and fifth-grade teacher Kimberly Law. The Stephen Decatur High School National Honor Society presented an annual donation of $750 to Believe in Tomorrow for the holidays. Since 2005, the NHS has raised more than $14,000 for the local chapter. The group raises money selling cookie dough and candles. Pictured, from left, are advisor Mary Berquist, NHS members Bradley Miller and Josh White, NHS Secretary Samantha Quilter, Believe in Tomorrow Coordinator Wayne Littleton, NHS President Gabi Ortega, NHS Vice President Andrew Bradshaw and Principal Tom Zimmer. The 37th Annual Stephen Decatur High School Children’s Theatre production of "Phylicia and the Pot of Pinks" thrilled thousands of children from all over the Delmarva region from the beginning of December to the end. Above, fairies Charlotte Petsche and Emily Ladd interrogate the red hen played by Abby Stabinski. Third-graders at Showell Elementary School "Fashion a Fish” after learning about animal adaptations.