The Gunston School is pleased to welcome Mike Hardesty as its new Director of Facilities. Hardesty brings 18 years of experience in maintaining and enhancing educational campuses, combined with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability—a core Gunston value. He is a graduate of Washington College with dual Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Environmental Science, as well as a Master’s in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University.

Most recently, he was the Associate Director of Staff and Programs for the Center of Environment and Society at Washington College, as well as the Director of their River and Field Campus–a 5,000 acre property that was gifted to the college for integration into their educational mission. During his time there, he served as the staff lead for the design and construction of Semans Griswold Environmental Hall, the college’s 10,000-square foot flagship sustainability facility, and was responsible for ensuring that the building achieved certification under Living Building Standards.

“I am excited to join the Gunston community,” said Hardesty. “As someone deeply committed to environmental sustainability, I am eager to help shape a campus that reflects the school’s commitment to not just the environment and sustainability but also innovation.”

In his new role at Gunston, Hardesty will manage all aspects of the school’s 75-acre campus and physical plant, overseeing a team of support staff and vendor partners. Additionally, he will oversee the upcoming campus upgrades including new athletic fields, a new campus quad, and will work closely with Gunston’s Director of Sustainability Brad Hirsh on the development of the recently-acquired 40 acres of property that include plans for outdoor educational spaces, trails, signage, and more.

“Mike offers a unique combination of buildings and grounds experience, coupled with a deep understanding of a core Gunston priority–environmental sustainability,” said Head of School John Lewis.

Gunston has long been a leader in environmental education, with its annual Chesapeake Bay Studies experiential learning program, the Environmental Leadership for Independent School Leaders workshop, and the innovative Chesapeake Watershed Semester (CWS), now in its sixth year.

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Founded in 1911 and currently enrolling 247 students, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

Back in 2005, Lloyd Devigne was recently relocated to Easton, Md., and looking for a way to get engaged with his new community. A newspaper article about volunteer training at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum caught his eye.

More than 10,000 volunteer hours later, Devigne is part of the fabric of CBMM and a leader within the team of volunteers that shares the Chesapeake story with guests throughout the year.

“The maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay is a fascinating one,” Devigne said. “Sharing the stories of the peoples that have lived here and the artifacts and exhibits at CBMM is personally rewarding to me and a lot of fun. And meeting new people and enjoying the camaraderie of the Volunteer Team is an added bonus.”

CBMM is looking for newcomers to join Devigne in the vital role of volunteer interpreter with a busy 2025 season ahead. These volunteers serve as tour guides, exhibit hosts, and Shipyard interpreters to enhance the guest experience through engaging and accurate conversations and activities.

Prospective volunteers are invited to a Volunteer Interpreter Info Session on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 10am in the Van Lennep Auditorium. Light refreshments will be served, and a brief campus tour will be offered afterward. Registration is encouraged but not required. Learn more at cbmm.org/VolunteerInterpreter2025.

Over the coming weeks, CBMM will host a series of trainings for its interpreters highlighting CBMM’s mission and all that its waterfront campus has to offer, including sessions on Working with Guests, Chesapeake Explorations, and Shipyard Interpretation as well as tour-specific training.

The benefits of volunteering at CBMM can include free programming, festival entry, and branded gear, early access to new tours and exhibitions, continuing education opportunities, social events, and more.

No experience is necessary, but an enthusiasm for the Chesapeake’s history, environment, and culture and sharing it is essential.

“We are excited to add to our passionate and talented team of volunteer interpreters,” Vice President of Education & Interpretation Jill Ferris said. “These volunteers are key to sharing stories and making connections across our campus to help guests to have a meaningful and personalized experience. We encourage anyone who might be interested to come out and learn more about the opportunities available and the training we provide to get you started.”

At the info session, participants will meet current volunteer interpreters like Tom Dalrymple, who has been a part of the team for seven years.

One of Dalrymple’s favorite parts of the role is the opportunity to continue learning. There’s so much to explore at CBMM with an 18-acre campus filled with historic structures and purpose-built exhibition buildings, a floating fleet of traditional Chesapeake watercraft maintained by a working Shipyard, and a collection spanning more than 80,000 objects.

He takes pride in his ever-growing mental rolodex of fun facts and interesting anecdotes that bring the Chesapeake story to life for guests of all ages from across the region and often far beyond.

“Quite simply, I love the Chesapeake Bay,” Dalrymple said. “As a CBMM interpreter, I can share something I love with guests, and whether they are visiting to learn, explore, reflect, or simply to enjoy being here, that makes me happy.”

Lead Interpreter Bill Hough said the joy of the role is rooted in the people. He’s met thousands of them at CBMM over the past 15 years, from the CBMM staff who lead the program to the like-minded community of volunteers who have become his friends to the many guests he’s led on tours while sharing Bay history and convivial conversation.

With spring on the horizon and dozens of tours and interpretive opportunities on the schedule, Hough is excited for a new group of volunteers to join the team and get to experience all that makes CBMM special.

“The fine folks at CBMM have given me a whole new challenge in retirement,” Hough said. “There’s always something new and exciting going on, and what a blast it is sharing the knowledge I have with people from all over the world!”

CBMM offers volunteer opportunities across its campus spanning every department to complement and enhance the work of its professional staff. To learn more about all the roles available, visit cbmm.org/volunteer, where prospective volunteers can complete an online application to get started. For questions and further information, contact [email protected].

After the tinsel has settled and the last of Santa’s helpers has gone back to the North Pole, it will be time to join Chesapeake Forum for its annual Winter Preview Party on Wednesday, January 8th at the Academy Art Museum, Easton from 3:30 – 6 PM.  The event is free, but reservations are required at https://chesapeakeforum.org.

Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments while getting a first look at what is coming up at the Chesapeake Forum this winter.   Brief video clips from each Chesapeake Forum teacher will explain what their course is about and what students can expect.  There are a wide variety of subjects on offer from cooking, local history, global events to literature, museum trips, personal enrichment and more.  Classes open for registration January 9th at 7 AM. 

Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization that provides lifelong educational opportunities for residents of the eastern shore. To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your name and contact information to [email protected].

When the new year begins, the Kent County Board of Education will officially seat its two recently elected members.

Laura McKenzie and John Queen took the oath of office Monday evening, Dec. 9 in advance of the official start of their first term on the board.

The pair were elected to the Board of Education in November to four-year terms.

McKenzie and Queen arrived at the Kent County Public Schools Administrative Building in Rock Hall Dec. 9 with Clerk of the Circuit Court for Kent County Sherise Kennard.

They individually took the oath of office with family members and friends present in the Board of Education meeting room.

Superintendent Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas and the current slate of board members were on hand for the ceremony as well.

McKenzie, a mother of four, is a case manager at the Benedictine School in Ridgely and a licensed mental health therapist practicing at Discovering Serenity Counseling in Chestertown.

For McKenzie, the swearing-in ceremony was a very emotional experience.

“I felt overwhelmed by the privilege of taking a solemn oath to serve our schools in faithfulness and to the best of my ability,” McKenzie said. “I very much appreciated the congratulations and welcome I received from our superintendent, current board members and central office staff.”

A father of two, Queen is a youth and community organizer and founder of the Bayside HOYAS (Helping Our Youth Achieve Success) program.

“For over a decade I’ve been on the front line, serving Kent County youth and their families while providing solution-based initiatives,” Queen said. “I’m excited to bring my skill set and community experience to the Board of Education and help provide Kent County Public Schools with leadership, accountability and a vision for the future.”

Learn more about the Kent County Board of Education at https://www.kent.k12.md.us/SchoolBoard.aspx.

Kent County High School’s culinary arts and music students are getting ready for the annual Seasonal Sensations dinner and concert.

This year’s program starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18 in the high school’s cafeteria, with appetizers, followed by dinner and musical performances.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for children 12 and younger. They can be picked up at the door the evening of the event.

Culinary arts teacher John Keller and his students will again prepare the customary holiday dinner.

Musical performances will feature seasonal selections from the Kent County High School Concert Band, Jazz Band and Show Choir, all under the leadership of director Jodi Bortz.

The evening will also include a silent auction fundraiser.

To reserve tickets, email Malorie Martinez at [email protected].

Kent County High School is located at 25301 Lambs Meadow Road, Worton.

 

The seventh annual Sensory Holiday Celebration is being held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18.

The holiday party will in the media center at Kent County Middle School for students and their siblings who receive special education or related services or have a 504.

Santa will be joining the holiday fun for photos. There will be games, crafts and food.

RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/msbkt33f. Registration closes Friday, Dec. 13.

The Sensory Holiday Celebration is presented by Kent County Public Schools’ Infants and Toddlers program, the Family Support Resource Center, the Kent County Judy Centers and the Office of Special Education.

Kent County Middle School is located at 402 E. Campus Ave., Chestertown.