Here is a list of the computer classes held in the month of October for the Roanoke County Library:

Headquarters/419 Library
3131 Electric Rd. Roanoke, VA 24018
772-7507 Read more »

Attention to those who are Self-Employed AND want a different result next year:

Start planning for next year TODAY!  Where do you want to be 1 year from today?  What’s going to impact your ability to make it happen?  Do you have your path laid out to get there?

Let me help you create a personalized G.P.S. to focus your energy and increase your chances of arriving.

Join me at G.P.S. for Business on FRIDAY, 10/8.  Space is limited.

Time: 11:30 – 1:30pm

Location: Goodwill Corporate on 2502 Melrose Ave, Ste A

Investment: $49

RSVP to Laurie@AchieveSuccessLLC.com or 540-597-0813.

Wishing you much SUCCESS!!!

Submitted by: Laurie Mrva

laurie@achievesuccessllc.com

www.achievesuccessllc.com

Hidden Valley cross country took part in the Greensboro Invitational on Saturday; the girls team finished second.

Jeff Cutright shares this photo gallery.

Do you have photos involving people or events around Southwest Roanoke County? You can share at news@swo-co.com.

Twenty Timesland schools will be attending the 37th Annual Metro XC Championship scheduled for September 29. Read more »

Local gardener Linda Holt grew these large sweet potatoes this year in her garden.

“They both weigh several pounds each”, Holt said.  “This is the first year I have tried to grow sweet potatoes.  I think one of the pictures looks like a mama elephant holding a baby elephant.”

Thank you Linda!

Send us your photos by email at news@swo-co.com.

We have a gallery of photos from a game Saturday at Bogle Field between the U12 teams Valley AFC Crush and the Glenvar Renegades, taken by Scott Craig.  You can view them in the slideshow above, or in another view here.

Do you have youth sports photos to share? Send them to news@swo-co.com, and we’ll share here on The Notebook and possibly in print.

North Cross school students in a Yagua village on the Amazon River.Photo By Dr. H. Bruce Rinker

NCS senior Khaki Comer learned first-hand this summer that the world is truly a very small place! Comer was one of six students who participated in a two-week-long (June 28 – July 11) trip to Peru as part of the School’s International Experience program. Six NCS students and two faculty members, along with four other adults, participated in the trip, which was led by NCS Science Department Chair Dr. H. Bruce Rinker.
The petite 17-year-old high school student checked her bags at the Roanoke Regional Airport but learned about 12 hours later when she arrived at Miami International Airport that her bags had not made the first leg of the trip along with her. Nevertheless, Comer, along with the rest of the group, boarded another plane and set out for Lima, Peru, crossing

Dr. H. Bruce Rinker with some of the upper Amazone Village, La Esla. The group spent a day of community service painting the playground equipment, putting in a trench for a fresh water line, and placing cement sidewalks.Photo By Dr. H. Bruce Rinker

their fingers that her luggage would find her. And, that it did, several days later from deep in the Peruvian rainforest, Comer received notice that her bags had been found.
The eight-day Upper Amazon portion of the trip included fieldwork in primary rainforest at the Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies (ACTS), the highlight of which included a walk across a canopy walkway 120 feet high. Rinker is a longstanding member of the research board for the ACTS.

While in this region of the country, the students also participated in a service project in a local village and had the opportunity to spend time with Yagua natives.
The six-day High Andes portion included visits to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu, a portion of the Inca Trail, and the great cities of Cuzco and Lima.
While travelling, the students and adults shared meals with the local people in their homes and stayed in several lodges along the way, one of which surprisingly had solar paneling and Wi-Fi connections.
It was an especially interesting trip for senior Tyler Lystash as well. Lystash celebrated his 18th birthday in a Yagua village along the Amazon River. The native custom includes an egg-breaking ceremony on the head of the birthday recipient as well as boisterous singing by the entire community.
“It excites me no end to have trips like these available to our students,” said Headmaster Timothy J. Seeley. “On it they are able to do genuine research with world class researchers. There is no better way for a student to understand the true nature of science, nor to discover if that is a field which he or she might pursue. Science, especially biological science and environmental science, is studied best in the field, in the dirt and heat, not in a classroom out of a book. Our science curriculum as a whole is based on inquiry, and the research model this trip exemplifies does that best. Students are also able to experience another culture, and have an exciting experience they will remember their entire lives.”
The NCS foreign travel program also includes a student exchange program in the spring and a community service trip to El Salvador during this year’s spring break (March 2011).
“This trip, with its science focus, complements our other international trips, among them ones geared towards language acquisition, cultural exchange, and community service work, said Seeley. “They are all intended to provide students with an unforgettable experience that also touches them deeply.”

The students who participated in the trip gave a presentation about their experience to their peers yesterday, Sept. 24, and are preparing to make a presentation to the larger community as well.

North Cross School is a college-preparatory, day school grounded in a strong liberal arts and science curriculum combined with exceptional co-curricular programs. The academic program, from junior kindergarten through twelfth grade, prepares students to become responsible, successful citizens by encouraging them to explore their interests and develop their talents. The School is located at 4254 Colonial Avenue, Roanoke, VA, 24018.

Submitted by Laura Neff-Henderson

Hidden Valley High Archery Club is hosting an “Indoor Fleamarket” on Saturday November 13th from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the gyms. If you are interested in reserving a table for $15.00 to sell your items, contact Kim Stevens at (540)562-3900 ext.22040 or email kstevens@rcs.k12.va.us

Submitted by Kimberly Stevens

Roanoke, VA - On Saturday, October 2, Mill Mountain Zoo will host a Kids’ Day.  Mill Mountain Zoo recognizes the importance of keeping children safe.  From 11am to 3pm on Saturday, families visiting the zoo will receive free fingerprinting and photo id’s for their children by the Roanoke City Police Department.  Also present will be the Roanoke City Fire Department with their fire trucks and equipment as well as a trainer with her tracking dogs.

The event is free with admission and free to members of Mill Mountain Zoo.