Youth Group

Jeff Rosenberg ranks as one of the two most successful high school wrestlers in Howard County history. In four varsity seasons at Oakland Mills High School in the 1980s, Rosenberg won four straight county championships and three straight Maryland championships. He won 106 high school bouts, lost 15, and does not recall losing to a Howard County opponent, not only in high school but in junior wrestling, where he accumulated an impressive trophy collection, as well. Next came college, but after a year split between Clarion (Pa.)

HUNGER AND poverty are not topics most people willingly focus on, but this weekend they will be all some teen-agers think about. More than 65 young people from Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, St. Stephen's Reformed Episcopal Church and Wesley-Freedom United Methodist Church will go without food for 30 hours Friday and Saturday to help fight hunger and poverty around the world. The teens will join thousands of others across the United States in the annual World Vision 30-Hour Famine. Participants are asking family, friends and neighbors to sponsor them as they go without food.

Tara Howard served meals to Baltimore's homeless every third Sunday, founded a "social justice" club during her senior year at Mount de Sales Academy, and at the age of 8 or 9, asked Santa for "Peace in the World! PLEASE!!" in a letter to the North Pole. Yesterday afternoon, on the weekend of the first anniversary of her death at age 18, when a tractor-trailer struck a friend's car at a dark traffic light, her mother carried on that spirit of service. Linda Howard recruited her daughter's friends, who then enlisted other friends, to provide a hot meal to more than 250 needy people in the basement of Baltimore's St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church.

The Carroll Promenaders, a local modern western square dance club, will hold a Jingle Bell Rock square dance from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at North Carroll High School. The cost is $4. Doren McBroom will be the caller and Just Tim will be the cuer. Attire is proper square dance dress with a bell. The school is at 1400 Panther Drive, Hampstead. Information: 410-552-3094. Church youth group offers baby-sitting night Dec. 13 The Trinity United Church of Christ Youth Group is sponsoring a free holiday baby-sitting night for Manchester-area residents from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 13. Baby-sitting will be at the church, 3229 York St., and is open to children age 3 and older.

ALEX HRYBYK, a sixth-grader at Linthicum Elementary School, took first place in the Linthicum Lions Club's poster contest, the first step in the Lions International Peace Poster Contest.Alex, 11, received his award in a ceremony at St. John's Lutheran Church. He was among 11 children from the St. John's Youth Group who participated in the contest, according to Beth Sandifer, club president. They were asked to draw, paint or sketch their interpretations of this year's theme, "Planting the Seeds of Peace."

No time for a choir or even a sermon during the Rev. James Manning's service tonight.That's because his service will be taking orders for burgers, drawing drinks and tossing fries at the Odenton McDonald's in the 1500 block of Annapolis Road.It's all part of an effort to raise money for the Nichols Bethel United Methodist Church youth group. The teens are planning a mission in July to repair dilapidated homes in Kentucky. They need $3,600 to pay for travel, lodging and equipment.The group hopes to make $300 from the night at McDonald's, the third fund-raiser this year.

Robert GreinerSchool: Hammond High SchoolHometown: LaurelAge: 17His accomplishments: He's vice president of the senior class and had the lead play in the spring play, "The Pajama Game." He's also the student conductor for a madrigal singing group and was captain of the cross country team. He runs outdoor track. He is a member of the National Honor Society and the Drama Honors Society. Outside of school, he belongs to the youth choir and youth group at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Highland.

Student achiever: Jessica Lee, 17 School: River Hill High School Special achievements: First-place poster presenter at the Maryland Junior Science & Humanities Symposium. Participant at the National Junior Science & Humanities Symposium in Orlando, Fla. First-place senior biological sciences division winner at the Baltimore Regional Engineering and Science Fair. First-place mentored projects division winner at the Howard County Science Fair. Jessica does cancer research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the National Cancer Institute as a summer internship.

Catherine M. PreisingerSchool: Mount Hebron High SchoolHometown: Ellicott CityAge: 18Catherine, known to her family and friends as "Chatty," graduated from Mount Hebron on May 30. She maintained a 3.67 grade point average and was on the honor roll 15 times. She was a member of the National Honor Society for two years.Catherine was a member of the Viking Service Club for four years. She participated in school-run activities such as freshman orientation, banquets and luncheons for teachers.

These groups meet regularly. Asperger's Syndrome - Second Thursday, 7:30-9 p.m. Support and education. Howard County Autism Society Resource Center, 10280 Old Columbia Road, Suite 215, Columbia. Elaine McAuliffe, 410-730-0068 or elainemcauliffe@yahoo.com . Autism Biomedical Support Group - Every other month, second Wednesday, 7 p.m. Nourishing Journey, 10440 Shaker Drive, Suite 105, Columbia. Jennifer Palmer, 410-992-3001 or jenn_palmer@comcast.net . Care for the Caregivers Group - Running Thu., Feb. 7, through May 2. The group will meet at 11 a.m. weekly and provide information, support and counseling for anyone in contact with an adult with any kind of cognitive or communication disorder.