Staff Danielle Rice Publisher Editor Aimée O’Grady Kara Beebe Thorpe Graphic Design Editor’s Note Gretchen Franti Sales Representative Parenting Editor Carol Osborn Pam Kamphuis Graphic Design (Advertising) Tammy Wannemacher Circulation Manager D A Unique Region for Raising a Family Katie Fuster Proofreader Piedmont Family Magazine is published six times a year and is distributed free through libraries, community centers, advertisers, and family-oriented businesses in Culpeper, Fauquier, Prince William, Loudon, and surrounding counties. Visit us on the web at www.piedmontfamilymagazine.com for a calendar of events, local resource lists and more. For advertising rates and details, look in the advertising section of our website or send an email to adsales@piedmontfamilymagazine.com. © 2013 Piedmont Family Magazine. Warrenton, Va. Any reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without expressed written permission from the publisher. Questions, comments or feedback? Send an email to editor@piedmontfamilymagazine.com Find Piedmont Family Magazine Online at www.piedmontfamilymagazine.com @piedmontfamily facebook.com/ piedmontfamilymagazine uring attendance in kindergarten, my teacher, Mrs. DiLoro, had us answer roll call by saying “I am here, Mrs. DiLoro, and I am unique.” Every day for the entire school year, this was how I announced my presence that day: by proclaiming that I was unique. How poignant it is that I find myself living in an area that spills over with uniqueness. Mere miles from our nation’s capital and steeped with our nation’s history, this is a region where ordinary people make dreams come true by launching new ventures and organizations that help the greater good, where a trip into town takes longer than anticipated due to the requisite catching-up with familiar faces along the way. Our region offers quintessential small-town living with all the conveniences and privileges of a larger metropolis. It is an ideal environment in which to raise a family. Top-notch educational and cultural opportunities are around every corner. Consolidating the uniqueness of the Northern Virginia Piedmont region into 36 pages was quite the challenge for this issue. With our rich history, unique art, and bountiful harvests, it was required that we cast a small net because that already yielded more content than we could print. In this issue, we have highlighted opportunities for families to become reacquainted with history, gave acknowledgements to the beauty found in a bouquet arrangement from home-grown blooms, and the benefits of a raingarden installed with the help from family members. We have also included articles offering guidance on how to foster your child’s talents, the value of an art education, and profiles of some of our area’s hard-working students. In this issue, we share ways to enjoy our community and make the most of family time within the boundaries of our unique region. Sincerely, About Us Aimée O’Grady, Editor editor@piedmontfamilymagazine.com www.piedmontfamilymagazine.com 2013 • Issue 4 Piedmont Family Magazine 3