MHTV Class of 2000 STAR Talks TV & More!!

i am so blessed to work with such great kids! year in and year out i get to know them and sometimes they come back to visit and even email! i recently got an email from a former MHMS student and MHTV crew member who updated me on her life. WOW!
LeKesha Lewis was one of those kids who was VERY involved and pitched in to learn and help wherever she could! i have some great memories of her...what a great kid!
here are some excerpts from her and my emails back and forth and pics of her all grown up~!

"Hi Mrs Jones!!!

How is everything? I wish I still lived in the area so I could come and visit.
I can't say I expect you to remember me, but I was one of your kids from the Murray Hill's class of 2000. I got a little nostalgic and Googled MHMS and wondered if you had any more pictures from MHTV 99-2000. I'd love to be able to see if I can remember anyone

Thanks so much!

LeKesha Lewis

and my reply was:

"AWww you're gorgeous!!
i'm so happy to hear from you and see what an outstanding, smart, accomplished and AWEsome person you stayed! (cause you always WERE!) and got even better growing up! i'm SO proud of you!! congrats baby!
~gwyneth"
(and yes MHMS kids, when you turn 18 & graduate HS you can call me gwyneth, too! LOL)

and hers:

"Well, I'm an event planner in DC and I will be graduating from UVA next summer (Architecture major, minor in Japanese language). You can imagine how gas prices have been murdering me between Charlottesville, VA and DC. I will also be getting married May 22nd 2010 to this absolutely amazing guy. He's a teacher and mixed martial arts instructor. We'll be opening an MMA school in the DC area in a few years.
The black and white picture is of me and my best friend Chelsea. The second one is me in an awesome leather mask at a Renaissance festival last year, and the third picture is of Dave and I at a John Mayer concert at Merriweather in July.

thanks so much for the link and i'll be in touch with wedding invitations as soon as I start sending them."

i then asked her...since we're doing MHTV apps this week to write a little something about her experiences on the show and how it helped her in her school career and life! and if i could post these, show her super cute pic and quote her.... here's her answer!

"I LOVED MHTV. When I got to Long Reach I was on their TV crew as well. In 12th grade I became Director of LRTV, composed the Senior Video (much like the experience I had doing the 8th grade slide show!) and I was the greeting speaker at our graduation. I was in the Visual Communications practicum at LRHS as well and MHTV definitely helped me as far as developing that all-important sense of teamwork and basic understandings of visual artforms and technology. That, of course, led me into my major in Architecture, so in a way all the magic started in MHTV!
THe TV studio became something of a haven for me. It was a creative outlet and often got me out of class. ;) There was always something new to learn. It was especially rewarding to be able to go to bed at night, then get up in the morning and have an idea for a new segment or way to run the show, and have the support system there that is willing to develop your ideas. Everyone had an important role in creating a successful and unique show everyday. Anchoring helped build my confidendce in public speaking (and I do a LOT of that), and camera work and research prepared me for team-leading and directing. Its definitely a uique experience that not a lot of people especially at that age, can say that they have.

I definitely miss it!

You can totally use my picture. I think it would be an honor to help get kids interested in one of the principle programs that made me so happy as a kid and played a role in defining what I do with my career."

So see? being part of the MHTV crew helps in SO many ways that you will later see...and if nothign else it may get you out of class....wait! Mr. D! i'm just kidding about that part!!!
and let me say it again....i'm so proud of you LeKesha!

~Miss Jones