WHO:                        Walker Milll Middle School

                                Montpelier Elementary School

                               Valley View Elementary School

WHAT:                     Annual celebration for recipients of the Excellence in Gifted and

                               Talented Education (EGATE) award

WHEN:                    Wednesday, February 29

                               5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

WHERE:                The Kossiakoff Center

                              Johns Hopkins University

                              Applied Physics Laboratory

                              11100 Johns Hopkins Road

                              Laurel, Maryland

BACKGROUND:

Montpelier and Valley View elementary schools along with Walker Mill Middle School will receive 2012 Maryland Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education (EGATE) School Awards from the Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education. The award recognizes programs that offer superior and equitable gifted and talented education. Accokeek Academy will be recognized as an “EGATE Participant” for submitting an application. The schools will receive citations from Gov. Martin O’Malley and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE); display the EGATE school banner and plaque; serve as models and resources to other schools planning to achieve similar designation; and will be featured on the MSDE website.  Last year, Kenmoor Middle School was in the inaugural class of EGATE recipients.