Waverly Elementary School

The student: Matthew Jolles, 10 School: Waverly Elementary School Special achievement: Won first place in the Susquehanna Scholastic Chess Tournament in the K-5 division by winning all five of his matches. The tournament was held in Havre de Grace in November. He is a member of Waverly's 42-member chess club. How did he learn to play? "My dad taught me and then I entered the UMBC Chess Club." He went on to take lessons from the UMBC team's top players and was soon able to teach his 5-year-old brother the game.

Waverly Elementary School grounds will go herbicide-free this springto test whether teachers and students can find an alternative for killing weeds and grass where mowers cannot reach.The school is thesecond in Howard County to request a halt to herbicide sprays. The Thunder Hill Elementary School PTA is working with the school system'sgrounds staff on plans to maintain the grounds without herbicides this spring and during the 1992-1993 school year.Grounds workers routinely spray areas outside the reach of mowerseach spring and summer.

MOUNT HEBRON High School's Marching Unit leaves Ellicott City Friday morning to participate for the 20th time in the Miss America Pageant Parade in Atlantic City, N.J. The students will be wearing commemorative T-shirts and marching as the Honor Band, leading the parade because they won first place in the pageant's band competition last fall.It's the fifth time the Mount Hebron band has won the Honor Band distinction. The parade will be held Friday, one day before the pageant.Turn on the television at 6: 30 a.m. Thursday to catch the Mount Hebron band members on the tube.

The younger bowlers at Brunswick Normandy are rounding into midseason form.Two 10-year-olds, Marty DeBolt and Daniel Furlow, were Bowlers of the Week in Division I of the Young American Bowlers Alliance Saturday morning league.DeBolt took honors for week seven by posting games that put him 56 pins above average. He is in the fifth grade of Waverly Elementary School and lives in Ellicott City.He started bowling about three years ago and carries a 96 average. He has shot a high game of 153."

Looming city budget and job cuts dominated questions fielded last night by Mayor Martin O'Malley from an audience of about 300 at a community forum in Govans. Among the concerns was the city's proposed closing of six child care centers for school-age children. "I do not plan on having my son as a latchkey kid," said Sophia Hurt, a federal employee who said she leaves her 9-year-old son at a center at Waverly Elementary School before commuting to Washington. Several custodians in the Department of Recreation and Parks protested a city plan that might move their jobs to the private sector, but O'Malley assured them the city most likely would be able to find them other jobs.

Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks has announced that Elkridge Adult Athletic Association and Elkridge Youth Organization formally "adopted" Rockburn Branch Park on Sept. 19.A maintenance agreement was signed, and an official Adopt-a-Park sign was unveiled at the ceremony.The groups plan regular park cleanups, installation of a batting cage and refurbished bleachers.The Recreation and Parks Department and Elkridge Adult Athletic Association will co-sponsor the seventh Haunted House & Hayride at the park from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 16, 23 and 30, and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 17 and 24.The cost is $6.A "Not-So-Scary" Hayride, for children ages 2 to 7, will be offered from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 and 25.The cost is $3.Information: 410-313-4721; text telephone, 410-313-4665.

Six pupils to serve on poster committee for annual book drive BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Reads literacy organization has chosen six area pupils to serve on its Books for Kids Day 2002 Committee, which will help draw attention to the group's annual spring book drive. The six will conduct and judge a poster contest to promote reading and the donation of books. Last year, the drive brought in more than 50,000 books for distribution to low-income families throughout the area. The six pupils on this year's committee are Mitchell Cohen, a sixth-grader at Franklin Middle School, Baltimore; Manuel Eliopulos, a fifth-grader at John Ruhrah Elementary School, Baltimore; Carson Satterfield, a fourth-grader at Sparks Elementary School, Baltimore County; Sophie Hess, a third-grader at Jacksonville Elementary School, Baltimore County; Sead Richardson, a fourth-grader at Calvin Rodwell Elementary School, Baltimore; and Rachel Richardson, a fourth-grader at Waverly Elementary School, Baltimore.

Some Ellicott City parents are concerned about how a preliminary boundary line proposal for the new Hollifield Station Elementary School would affect the racial and socioeconomic balance among elementary schools in the area.Hollifield Station, scheduled to open next fall, is being built off Rogers Avenue in Ellicott City.The parents question whether the boundary lines would create disparities in the percentages of minority and low-income students at Hollifield and two other area elementary schools.

In yesterday's editions, the number of absentee ballots returned to the Baltimore County election board for the 7th Congressional District race was incorrectly reported. The number of ballots returned was about 400.The Sun regrets the error.Baltimore city and county voters in the 7th Congressional District are expected to come out in record numbers today for the special election to pick a successor to former Rep. Kweisi Mfume.Those would be record low numbers, election officials fear."It's going to be a sorry election," said Doris J. Suter, Baltimore County election administrator.

North Baltimore residents in the neighborhoods surrounding Memorial Stadium will take an informal vote at 7 p.m. tomorrow, indicating what kind of demolition method they prefer for the former home of the Orioles and Colts. Myles Hoenig, president of the Waverly Improvement Association, said yesterday all community residents are welcome to vote. While the results will not be binding, Hoenig said they should show whether there is a clear consensus on using a conventional wrecking ball or a controlled explosion.