Auditions will be held this week and next in the amphitheater at the following times:

• 3/19 – Lunch
• 3/23 – After School
• 3/24 – Lunch
• (Additional auditions may be added, as needed. Watch this space and Eubiemail for announcements on any additional dates.)

To audition, please bring at least one-two minutes of original material that you are ready to perform. Those who are picked for the Last Comic Standing competition will be expected to perform a three-five minute routine.

Questions? Email Jack Goble at comedynight@gmail.com.

In addition, this year we now offer the option of donating to the After Prom festivities using your credit card or PayPal. For more information, see “After Prom Donations” on the After Prom page on this web site.

Minutes for this school year are available from the About Blake PTSA page, under PTSA Minutes.

This annual event, sponsored by the Blake PTSA, lets Blake families and friends  socialize and share some laughs.

Auditions for Blake Last Comic Standing, will start at the end of this week. Watch this space for more information.

Tickets are $8 and will be available at the door or online at: Blake Fundraiser.com.

If you would like to volunteer to help set up the night of Comedy Night, or if you are available to judge student auditions during lunch or after school, please contact Jack Goble at comedynight@blakeptsa.org.

The 2010 PTSA Auction is in full swing!  While Blake families have recently received letters, over 700 business letters went out in early February.  We are both excited and grateful at the overwhelming response Blake has seen from the business community.  To date we have over 100 donations that cross the spectrum of the imagination!

We’ll be offering a weekly update, to include news about Online Auction activity … so watch here for new information!

This Week’s Auction Offerings: “Sneak-Peek”

•  Guided White-Water Rafting Tour for 2 on the Lower Yough! (Youghiogheny River) – from Wilderness Voyageurs, Inc.
•  Executive Courtesy Passes for 4 to the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum of Baltimore.
•  Gift Card valued at $250.00 from Dave & Busters of Rockville.
•  Wine Tasting & Tour for 10 Adults from Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards & Winery.

Volunteers and Donations Still Needed
• Donations, Donations, Donations -
— Do you have a talent, a business service or a gift you’re willing to contribute?
— Have a favorite gym, store, restaurant or hobby?
Then download our Auction Donation/Sponsorship Form (and please, feel free to copy and share!).  Need an Auction Letter for a Community Business or Organization, you can download this too!
Next time you stop at the gas station – ask for a $25 gas card, free oil change, or car wash (every parent of a teen could use  this!). Heading to the dry cleaner?, everyone can use help with the household budget! Heading to the hardware store?, ask for a Foreman or Hibachi grill, bird feeder and food, etc. We all need the basics!

New! Any business that donates over $100 can receive a direct link to their website from our Online Auction! (or courtesy to any other non-profit.)  Any cash sponsorship over $250 can receive a Sponsorship Button on the Online Auction Homepage! (Other acknowledgments are noted on our downloadable Donation Form).

• Food & Dinner: Proud of your food savvy? Then help solicit and arrange the dinner menu & service for our school community patrons at the Silent Auction & Festival on May 7th.

• Online Auction: Are you an e-bayer or want to learn the ins & outs of Online Auctions? Help monitor activity and manage communications for the PTSA Online Auction.

For More Information:
1. Contact:  Dawn Dolan, Silent Auction Chairperson, at: auction@blakeptsa.org
2. And see our other postings on the Blake PTSA website.

• Theme: We decided on “Into The Night” as the After Prom theme.
• Treasurer’s update: We are receiving responses to our Parent Letters but we still need a lot more donations.
• Current Fundraisers:
-Pizza sales have been going well. We have ~6 more left. If anyone wants to volunteer on Tuesdays at 2:00 please let Maura know.
-Fundraising letters were mailed. We have received donations from approx. 40 families and some businesses have sent donations and prizes.
-Dine-outs: Mama Lucia has been very successful. There is a dine-out planned at the Burtonsville Cheeburger on April 19.
• Bus Info.: We are offering one-way bus transportation from the Prom to the AP. Under the conditions that we have to have enough takers to fill(pay) for the bus. So far no takers.
• MCPPG: Heidi updated us on the last meeting. They discussed check in/out. Also there was discussion at the MCPPG meeting about the impact of “After Prom Only” students and if that defeats the idea of the MCPPG which is to make sure that students who go to Prom go to a safe, controlled venue after the prom. Everything is in the discussion stage now. There will be a MCPPG meeting in the future about how to identify students impaired by alcohol or drugs—everyone is welcome.
• Volunteers: Cathy Clark (jclark0007ATaolDOTcom) has started to collect names of parents interested in volunteering the night of After Prom. If you are interested in volunteering and haven’t yet let Cathy know by sending in your donation letter with your volunteer information please email her.
• T-Shirt committee: Theresa can now go forward with the T-shirt contest since we choose the After Prom Theme. She has already contacted Mr. Overman and has enlisted the National Honor Society to be in charge of the student voting. Currently we have one $500 T-shirt sponsor and are looking for more.
• Decorations: Mary Flynn already has some volunteers to help her. She will need a team of helpers that will work a couple days before the event to make things for the front entrance of Dave and Busters.
• Activities: Maura and Diane have signed a contract with the company we used last year for the same activities we had last year. We will have the photo keychains and the casino. We are still in need of a Casino Manager if anyone is interested! Marie Choppin has already ordered the tattoos, which were a big hit last year.
• Prizes: Jack and Lisa will start purchasing prizes soon. We will need volunteers on the night of After Prom to organize prizes and distribute them.
• Senior Parent Meeting: Will be on Thursday, March 25. We had several volunteers to sell raffle tickets (for a tuxedo, flowers, and manicures from Luxuria) and to collect volunteer forms and donation checks after the meeting. We could use additional non-senior parent volunteers. We are still working on getting the Tuxedo donation from Sears and the manicure donation from Luxuria—we did have a parent who might be able to help get the manicures.

The next AP meeting is April 12 at 7pm in the Career Center. Please mark your calendar now. Things are really starting to move ahead. Thanks so much for your continued support. We are 10 weeks and counting until the After Prom. Thanks to everyone for their help. Please email Maura with any questions (McMullens2ATverizonDOTnet).

La Palapa 3 Again
13816 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD
http://lapalapa3again.com

We encourage your participation – please stop by for lunch or take a night off from cooking and enjoy visiting with other Blake families and friends. 15% of Blake sales will be contributed to After-Prom!

No flyer is required but please let your server know you are from Blake High School!!

Just drop off your goodie in the office before 10am. Please send any questions to Patrice and Cathy at kellychirigosATverizon.net. Thanks!!

Hay una reunión importante para los padre de 12 grado (Seniors) para el Jueves, 25 de marzo a las 7:00 pm en el Auditorio. En esta reunión, usted encontrará todos los detalles de los eventos de graduación de la escuela secundaria de su hijo. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor póngase en contacto con Ms. Gelb at Christina_R_Gelb@mcpsmd.org.

To learn more about how this program works, please view this inspirational article about students from Winston Churchill High School. The students themselves have coordinated and prepared several meals for our shelter. The story can be read on the Gazette website by following the link below: http://www.gazette.net/stories/03032010/montsch184002_32547.php. Could you lead our next student group? Other ways to help:

• Hold a collection drive for gift cards, sample sized toiletries, paper goods, or household cleaning supplies. All collection drives must be pre-arranged.
• Volunteer for our annual Shelter Walk’n’Roll on May 2nd at 1:00pm in Rockville Town Center.

More information can be found at www.mcch.net or by contacting Amanda Lewis at amlewis@mcch.net or 301-917-6654.