March 2025 Student and Staff Recognitions

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) recognizes the accomplishments and activities that put the focus on our students, staff and community organizations each month. Here are some of the latest achievements.

ACHS Students Excel at DECA State Leadership Conference

It was a tremendous outing for the Alexandria City High School (ACHS) Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) at the DECA State Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This year, 29 Titan DECA students – the highest number in ACHS Chapter history – advanced to the DECA International Career Development Conference to be held in April 2025.

“I am incredibly proud of the dedication and late-night study sessions our students undertook to achieve such a remarkable reward. This exemplifies how to tackle a goal, prepare thoroughly, and ultimately succeed," said DECA advisor Catherine Lewis.

ACHS’ 29 state winners include:

• Jack Sutherland and Matthew Ralis: Titan School Store, School-Based Enterprise Team 
• Sally Cox and Akeda Tash: Titan SpiritBox, School-Based Enterprise Team 
• Ivan Blackwood: Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
• Randy Rojas: Restaurant and Food Service Management Series 
• Alexander Morris: Food Marketing Series
• Sofia Barlie: Principles of Hospitality and Tourism
• Taelor Mobley: Principles of Marketing
• Eleanor Eile and Rachel Eile: Travel and Tourism Team Decision-Making 
• Sebastian Dagsgard and Caleb Goodman: Marketing Management Team 
• Henry Mead and Christian Orrell: Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team 
• Matthew McFillin and Gabriel Sowa: Entrepreneurship Team Decision-Making 
• Leia Hubbard and Neve O'Leary: Sales Research Project 
• Nathaniel Weldemiskel: Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling
• Caleb Este: Accounting Applications Series
• Rohith Prince and Carter Lytle: Sports Entertainment Team Decision-Making 
• Megan Robbert and Adeara Eskinder: Business Law and Ethics Team Decision-Making 
• Jack Clark: Principles of Entrepreneurship
• Marisa Vidal: Principles of Business Management
• Finn McNabb and Molly Atkins: Buying and Merchandising Team Decision-Making 

In addition, the following students achieved honors and awards for their test scores and role plays in their competitive areas:

Jack Clark; Victoria Escobar; Ruby Gerstein; Julia Jefferson; Alexander Lindsey; Madesen Lynch; Mussa Semann; Peyton Turnbull; Marisa Vidal, as well as Molly Atkins and Finn McNabb; Nathan Biru and Will Price; Adeara Eskinder and Megan Robbert; Christian Orrell and Henry Mead; Grace Redican and Daniella McArthur; and Diamond Watkins and Zabrina Taylor.

As part of the second annual Entrepreneurship DECA Pitch Lab, three ACHS Entrepreneurship students, Khalil Morris-Johnson, Akeda Tash and Jasmine Bailey, held pop-up shops and sold their products to 5,000 DECA competitors. View photos and details on Instagram by searching for @titanschoolstore and @titanDECA.

ACPS Top Spellers to Compete in Scripps Regional Spelling Bee

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is proud to have four students represent the division in the Fairfax County Spelling Bee held on Sun., March 23, 2025. The ACPS students include:

• Sophia DeThomas – Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School
• Leo Patterson – George Washington Middle School 
• Abigail Westrum – John Adams Elementary School
• Joseph Zambuto – Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School

Nearly 90 spellers from the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County will face off in the Fairfax County Spelling Bee, with the winner advancing to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Students Make Their Mark at Science & Engineer Fairs

The Alexandria City Science Fair highlighted the critical thinking and problem-solving skills of nearly 300 Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) students. Scientists and engineers representing multiple subjects selected the winners in each category. Fifty ACPS projects were invited to the Northern Virginia Regional Science & Engineering Fair and 45 projects from Alexandria City were awarded various recognitions.

The 2025 Regional Category Awards winners can be accessed here along with Society Awards recipients.

Congratulations to all the students who participated in this year’s science fairs and thank you to the teachers, judges, dedicated volunteers and families who supported the events. 

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s Adopt-a-School Campaign Lends Support 

Music in Our Schools Month is being celebrated in a big way as the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation is lending its support to Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology for its dedication to music education. Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation is donating instruments to the school, including:

• Five clarinets.
• Five snare and bell kits.
• Three trumpets.
• Four violins (1/4 size).
• Three violins (1/2 size).

This donation is made possible through Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s Adopt-a-School campaign, with generous funding from the Van Halen family, the Meyer Levy Charitable Foundation and other generous donors who supported the campaign. 

ACPS School Nutrition Services Leader Named School Nutrition Association Awards Director of the Year

The Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Director of School Nutrition Services Dr. Eric Coleman has been named the School Nutrition Association (SNA) Awards Director of the Year.  

“The prestigious School Nutrition Association (SNA) Director of the Year award is a testament to Dr. Coleman’s exceptional leadership, dedication and innovation in advancing our divison’s nutrition programs,” said Chief Operating Officer Dr. Alicia Hart. 

“Under Dr. Coleman's guidance, our school nutrition program has not only met but exceeded standards in providing healthy, high-quality meals to students. His commitment to student well-being, operational excellence and community engagement has made a lasting impact. This well-deserved recognition highlights the incredible work he and his team do every day.”

The School Nutrition Association (SNA) Director of the Year award recognizes school nutrition directors for the contributions they have made throughout their careers in school nutrition services. The SNA awards program highlights the outstanding work of School Nutrition Association members as well as state affiliates. 

ACPS Is a Public Relations Society of American Silver Anvil Finalist 

Alexandria City Public Schools is among the finalists for the 2025 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil Award. ACPS’ submitted nomination is entitled “Building the Plane While Flying: The Academies at Alexandria City High School.” Silver Anvil Awards celebrate the best strategic public relations campaigns of the year, as well as outstanding organizational excellence. ACPS is humbled to be selected as one of over 140 PRSA Anvil finalists, who include such notable companies and organizations as Booz Allen, McDonalds, the Peace Corps and State Farm Insurance. The Anvil Awards set the standard for industry excellence and are considered the icon of the profession as well as the benchmark of outstanding performance in communications. Winners will be announced at the 2025 Anvil Awards Ceremony on May 15, 2025 in New York City.

PRSA is the leading professional organization serving the communications community through a network of more than 400 professional and student chapters in the UnitedStates., Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico.

ACPS Researcher Selected for American Educational Research Association Council

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Evaluation and Assessment Analyst Dr. Jennifer Whitson has been selected to serve on the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Council. Whitson will be among four education researchers who were voted in as division vice presidents-elect and will join AERA’s 2026-27 Council, serving three-year terms. Whitson will serve in Division H – Research, Evaluation and Assessment in Schools.

AERA is one of the largest education professional associations with over 25,000 members nationally and internationally. The association is organized by 12 divisions. Division H has roughly 2,000 members from a variety of settings including K-12 school districts, universities, federal and state agencies, testing companies and research institutions. “As the only K-12 practitioner researcher who will sit on AERA's Council, I look forward to bringing an important perspective to the decision-making body during this time of change,” Whitson said.

ACPS staff and an Alexandria City High School student will also be co-presenting at two sessions at AERA on April 27, 2025, discussing learnings from the youth participatory evaluation approach used in the recent evaluation of Social and Emotional Learning programs within ACPS.