Every year, six Lancers make a return to high school, but why come back? These alumni are making a special appearance to receive a Distinguished Graduate Award. The award recognizes success in academics, arts, athletics, business, humanities, and public service, unfortunately there were no entrees in the athletics category this year.
The winner of each category receives a plaque and gives a presentation to the freshman in the auditorium. They talk about the effect of Linganore on their careers, and their road to success after graduation. This year the assembly will be held on November 26th during 2nd period.
Dr. Janice O’Hara, Class of 1972
Academics
Everyday O’Hara helps run the halls of New Market Elementary school as the assistant principal, as well as being an adjunct professor at McDaniel College, but it’s been a long journey getting there. She began her career as a daycare provider; during this time she was working on earning her Bachelor’s Degree from Hood College.
With her degree she became a teacher, then later a reading specialist with Frederick County Public Schools. She also earned a Master’s Degree from Western Maryland College and a PhD from the University of Maryland.
With O’Hara’s expertise in the classroom, she was honored by TIAA-CREF as a University of Maryland “Top Terp Outstanding Educator” in 2004. In addition to all of her school work, O’Hara volunteers for the Frederick County 4-H and the Great Fredrick Fair.
Kelly Fiore, Class of 1998
Arts
Young adult author Kelly Fiore has taken a break from teaching English at Frederick High School, to pursue her dream of writing. Her decision has proven to be a good one, with several published works.
Fiore’s college career earned her a BA in Creative Writing from Salisbury University and an MFA in Poetry from West Virginia University. West Virginia must have taught her well for her poetry has appeared in Potion, Samzidada, the Grolier Annual Review, and the Mid Atlantic Review.
Taste Test was Fiore’s first published novel and her second novel, Just Like the Movies, comes out this spring. Also be on the lookout for The People vs. Cecelia Price, which will be released in 2015.
David Maestri, Class of 2001
Business
Have you ever played Facebook’s notorious Mob Wars? Our very own David Maestri is the mastermind behind this game.
His interest in games came as no surprise. In high school Maestri was always programming his friends’ graphing calculators to play games.
Though he attended the University of Maryland, his computer programming skills were mostly self-taught. He began as a programmer for Freewebs Inc. and then decided to go on his own.
Maestri currently lives in San Francisco, California, where he is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of the social gaming business, Metamoki.
Kirsten Brown, Class of 1990
Humanities
For the past 14 years Brown has been active in the community. She now works in the District Court of Frederick County as the Assistant State’s Attorney, Chief of Violent Crimes. She also instructs at for the Frederick Police Department and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.
Brown is a graduate from Frostburg State University and University of Baltimore School of Law. She started off as a law clerk, then later the associate attorney for MacKenzie A. Kantruss’s law office.
With her expertise in recognizing and prosecuting homicides, drug abuse, domestic and gang violence, as well as elder abuse, her high career status is of no surprise.
Winslow Burhans, Class of 1983
Public Service
New Market’s very own mayor, Winslow Burhans, was elected for his fourth term last May. Burhans said he strives to make New Market not just a tourist attraction but, “a great place to live, work, play, dine, shop, and experience life.”
Burhans earned a BA from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Hood College. He is also Vice President of Burhans Cabinet Co., established in 1968, for he is a cabinetmaker by trade.
The Burhans family has been in New Market for six generations. The New Market General Store was owned and operated by Burhans great-grandfather and much of the family has played baseball on the town’s team. Burhans played on the last baseball team in 1977, he is currently trying to bring the sport back into the community through LOUYYA.
