Biking is paying off for some employees in the Washington region.

Jessica Forres reports.

LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO

For some, free parking and metro benefits are job perks. But for Angela Atwood-Moore, a biologist, it’s bike bucks…a program she started for commuters who cycle to work at the National Institutes of Health.

PEOPLE ARE SO HAPPY TO GET SOME MONEY BACK IN THEIR POCKET BUT THEY’RE ALSO REALLY HAPPY THAT CYCLING IS GETTING RECOGNIZED BY SOMEBODY.

She says employees get five bike bucks for every 1-hundred miles they commute, which they can cash in at two local bike stores.

[NAT: Bike noise]

At City Bikes in Bethesda, Shawn Blumenfeld says they have a similar program but with a few local companies.

AS A BIKE STORE IT’S WORTH OUR WHILE AT CITY BIKES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT KIND OF PROGRAM CUZ IT GETS THOSE COMMUTERSTHOSE EVERYDAY RIDERS INTO THE STORE.

Henry Mesias is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. He says shower facilities and lockers are some other employee benefits.

LIKE YOU’RE SEEING WITH NIH THEY’RE STARTING TO BECOME MORE PRESENT BUT THEY’RE NOT AT WHAT THEY NEED TO BE YET.

Mesias says federal legislation allowing incentives for bikers has passed in the House. It still has to be approved by the Senate.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

What started off as one firefighter helping a friend has grown into a national cause.

Jessica Forres met up with local firefighters who are helping to raise money for muscular dystrophy.

LISTEN TO STORY 1 THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO

[NAT: AFTER THIS WE ARE GOING TO JUMP OVER ON THE CURB. FOOTSTEPS. WE ARE ALL GOING TO TAKE A LANE AND UH FILL THE BOOT.]

A driver...stopped at a red light on Wisconsin Avenue...drops a bill into the rubber boot Bethesda Firefighter Ty Dement is carrying.

[NAT: THANK YOU
YOU'RE WELCOME]

Jaime Lareau is with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She says firefighters across the U.S. have been collecting money for MDA since 1954...when a firefighter in Boston wanted to help his friend’s two crippled sons.

THAT FIREFIGHTER WHOSE NAME WAS GEORGE CRANEY ACTUALLY TOOK UP A CANISTER COLLECTION AND THEY WENT DOOR TO DOOR AND JUST COLLECTED THAT WAY AND MADE 5,000 DOLLARS. AND THEY REALIZED WHAT A HUGE IMPACT THEY COULD HAVE.

Last year, Fairfax County raised the most money nationwide, which is why Montgomery County is out in full force. Chevy Chase Firefighter Tony Bencosmy.

WE ALWAYS TRY TO COLLECT MORE MONEY THAN FAIRFAX. MAYBE IT’S A LITTLE BIT COMPETITIVE BUT IT’S FOR THE KIDS BUT WE ARE MOTIVATED BY THAT.

MDA’s Lareau says the campaign brings in about 35 million a year.

________________________________________________________

Local firefighters are hitting the streets to raise money for muscular dystrophy.

Jessica Forres reports…

LISTEN TO STORY 2 THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO

Michael Cohen lives in Prince William County….nine years ago he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.

MY MUSCLES ARE A LITTLE BIT WEAKER THAN THE KIDS MY AGE LIKE WHEN KIDS MY AGE WERE ALREADY WALKING, I WAS STILL CRAWLING.

This week, firefighters will be at intersections throughout the area collecting money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

I HAVE OTHER FRIENDS THAT ARE ALREADY IN WHEEL CHAIRS AND WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT THEY WOULDN’T HAVE THE WHEEL CHAIRS BECAUSE THE WHEEL CHAIRS FOR THEM ARE 16,000 FOR ONE AND THEY NEED TWO.

Ron Mastin is Fairfax County’s Fire Chief.

WE COLLECTED MORE THAN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE NATION SO OBVIOUSLY WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT. OF COURSE THAT SETS THE GOAL, THE TARGET FOR US AGAIN THIS YEAR

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

Some students in Beltsville, Maryland arrived for the first day of class at Prince George's County's first all-green school.

Jessica Forres toured the facility...

LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO

[NAT: Toilet Flush]

Prince Georges County’s Chiqui Sanchez shows off a dual flush toilet designed to conserve water.

The new toilets, she says, are one of the many features qualifying Vansville Elementary for LEED certification, or, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

THE BENCHES WERE MADE FROM THE TREES THAT WERE CUT OFF FROM THIS SITE. THEY WERE SENT TO MILLING COMPANIES SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE BENCHES OUT OF THOSE TREES.

The school which serves nearly 800 students has waterless urinals, a geothermal heating and cooling system and a large number of windows and skylights.

WE HAD A ROOM HERE THAT WAS NOT READY. IT WAS A MUSIC ROOM…THE LIGHTS WERE NOT QUITE READY TO BE TURNED ON BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THIS MORNING BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL LIGHT THAT CAME IN.

Principal Tom Smith says the new building sets an example for students on how they can become environmental stewards.

IF WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE A GOOD FUTURE AND BE ABLE TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT. WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT. WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT AS ADULTS.

The total project cost is estimated to come in at nearly 30 million dollars.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News
_________________________________________________

In Maryland, nearly 800 students have started classes in Prince George's County's first all-green school.

Jessica Forres reports…

LISTEN TO THE SECOND STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO

At Vansville Elementary School in Beltsville, sunlight beams through large windows and skylights that line the main hallway where Principal Tom Smith stands.

WHEN YOU LOOK INTO A CLASSROOM THE CEILINGS ARE SLANTED BECAUSE IT LETS IN MORE NATURAL LIGHT. THERE’S GEOTHERMAL RUNNING UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING TO THE PARK AND PLANNING. THE CHEMICALS USED TO CLEAN THE BUILDING ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.

Even the toilets… [NAT: FLUSH]designed with a dual flush to conserve water… are environmentally friendly.

Brigitt Brevard with Prince George’s County Public Schools says the new school is LEED Certified…meaning it meets industry standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

WE NEED TO START WITH THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE THE TEACHING GOES ON.

The cost of the new school is estimated to be at 30 million dollars.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

Young people in the District are flocking to "Teen Nights."

The events hosted by the Department of Parks and Recreation are meant to create a safe space for teenagers from different backgrounds.

Jessica Forres reports...

LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 NEWS

Music blares in the background as Shanay Cox... who is seventeen...stands with friends on a grassy field at Harry Thomas Recreation Center in Ward 5

PEOPLE WHO DON’T COME OUTSIDE HERE THAT PROBABLY NEVER BEEN OVER HERE ARE HAVING FUN. I’M GLAD THEY DID SOMEHTING LIKE THIS.

The recent wave of violence in Ward 5 didn’t stop Cox and more than a thousand teens from attending the Teen Night Summer Finale.

DPR spokesperson John Stokes.

THIS EVENT TRANSCENDS ANY TYPE OF BEEF, ANY TYPE OF TURF WAR. THEY COME OUT HERE, THESE TEENS … LOOK AT THEM THEY ARE ALL COMING OUT HERE THEY’RE HAVING FUN, THEY’RE PLAYING KICKBALL, THEY’RE EATING FOOD. THEY’RE LISTENTING TO MUSIC.

Stokes says these events attract about 4-hundred teenagers on any given Friday.

FROM ALL WARDS, ALL JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE CITY. THEY JUST WANT TO COME OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. THEY WANT A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO WHERE THEY’LL FEEL SAFE WHERE THEY CAN INTERACT WHERE THEY CAN JUST BE TEENAGERS AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY CRIME.

Stokes says the teen events will start again in October.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the District, "Teen Nights" run by Department of Parks and Recreation have become safe havens for many of the city’s teenagers.

Jessica Forres reports...

LISTEN TO THE SECOND STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 NEWS

More than a thousand teenagers are standing on a grassy field at the Harry Thomas Recreation Center.

[NAT: MUSIC]

Some are listening to live music, eating hot dogs, playing kickball or getting their faces painted like Chelsey Coles... who is almost 13.

I’M SUPPOSED TO BE A CAT. I GOT WHITE WHISKERS, A PINK NOSE AND RIGHT HERE IS SOME INITIALS FOR MY KNICKNAME PC, PARMEGIAN CHEESE.

The recent explosion of violence in Ward 5 didn't seem to bother Coles or her peers. Marcus Ellis is with the Department of Parks and Recreation.

IT’S A SAFE HAVEN. THAT’S HOW WE ADVERTISE IT. THAT’S HOW WE PROMOTE IT. THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME HERE AND BE THEMSELVES AS WE SAID CROSS WARDS AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.

He says Teen Nights are growing in popularity. Since March the events have attracted about 13-thousand kids.

Angela Butler...who is a parent...watches from a distance.

THIS IS VERY COOL BECAUSE IT GIVES SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND EVERYBODY IS JUST COMING TOGETHER IN A POSITIVE WAY. EVERYONE IS JUST ENJOYING THEMSELVES.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

KIPP DC…a growing network of college preparatory charter schools... is investing millions of dollars in a Southeast public school Chancellor Michelle Rhee closed this year.

Jessica Forres attended the ribbon cutting ceremony…

LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 NEWS

________________________________________________________

[NAT: MY EIGHTH GRADERS.. WHAT YEAR DO YOU GO TO COLLEGE

CROWD: 2013]

Founder of KIPP DC Susan Schaeffler screams out to the crowd of middle school students in the gymnasium of the former Douglass Junior High School.

EVER SINCE KIPP HAS EXISTED IN THE DISTRICT I’VE BEEN EYEING THIS BUILDING AND IT’S BEEN UNDERENROLLED BY HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE THAT IT WAS ON THE LIST TO BE CLOSED AND REASSIGNED TO SOMETHING THAT COULD MAKE BETTER USE OF IT.

The network of KIPP Schools serves nearly a thousand disadvantaged students in the District... the new building gives them enough space to to start a high school.

WE WILL BE INVESTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS SO THAT IT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE 1500 STUDENTS WE PLAN TO SERVE.

Schaeffler says most of the students enter KIPP two to three grade levels behind and after four years are often outperforming their peers nationwide.

IT’S GOING TO BE GREAT TO FINALLY SEE PEOPLE HAVE TO DRIVE TO SOUTHEAST FOR THE HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS.

LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 NEWS

Metrorail is trying to accommodate shorter passengers by installing overhead handles on some trains.

Jessica Forres reports...

Metro’s Senior Program manager Jeff Pringle tours one of nearly 300 metro cars where new overhead handles will be installed and tested.

PRINGLE: IT’S EXCITING BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND GIVE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERTICALLY CHALLENGED ANOTHER LOCATION TO HOLD ON TO.

It’s hard to believe Pringle….whose head grazes the ceiling when he walks down the metro car…is so passionate about the three handle designs made of nylon fabric, vinyl and spring-loaded stainless steel.

PRINGLE: WELL I THINK IT WAS NEEDED WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHEN WE REMOVED THE CENTER POLE FROM THE 6,000 SERIES THEY WANTED MORE HAND HOLDS.

But one metro rider Rosa Zulu...who is 5’3…says the hanging straps could be dangerous.

IT’S NOT A GOOD IDEA NO NOT AT ALL… JUST IN CASE DURING RUSH HOUR IT’S ALL PACKED AND THE TRAIN BREAKS AND PEOPLE USUALLY MOVE FORWARD BUT IT’S EASIER AND THE STRAPS MAY BREAK AND SOMEBODY FALLS.

Pringle says the new handles will cost about $500 dollars per rail car.

LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 NEWS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking a grassroots approach to saving the environment by teaching local students about water pollution, childhood asthma and lead.

Eighth grader Zoe Haynes performs a skit she and three other girls…who call themselves Glamorously Fabulous…created about endangered species.

HAYNES:DO YOU KNOW THAT I COULD GET 1-HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR ONE TIGER PELT.

GIRL: THAT MAY BE TRUE MS HAYNES BUT THERE ARE ONLY 7, 500 TIGERS LEFT IN THE WORLD. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ENDANGERED SPECIES?

As a matter of fact Zoe knows a lot about endangered species…especially now...after she and 14 other area students spent seven weeks this summer in EPA’s Student Environmental Development Program.

HAYNES: I THINK I’M PROBABLY GONG TO TAKE NOT ONLY ENDANGERED SPECIES FACTS BUT THE MOST LEADERSHIP SKILLS BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU LEARN A LOT ABOUT BEING A LEADER AND HOW HAVING TO LEAD PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND REALIZING THAT WHEN YOU ARE A LEADER YOU ARE WRONG AND NOT GOING OH NO I WASN’T WRONG.

Larry Brown is the Program Director.

BROWN: THESE ARE THE FUTURE DOCTORS, LAWYERS AND EVEN POSSIBLY PRESIDENTS AND THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPREAD THAT ON TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.

He says the DC program is in its seventh year.

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It’s not all keg stands and beer pong for some freshmen at American University. They're spending the week before classes helping out the community.

Jessica Forres met up with one group of student volunteers at a school in Southeast, DC.

Listen to Story

__________________________________

SCRIPT:

[NAT: SHOVELING DIRT:

As Michael Flynn plants pink and white flowers in front of Davis Elementray School... he displays enthusiasm as only a college freshman can!

IF WE DIDN’T HAVE TO BE HOME BY FIVE WE WOULD PROBABLY BE HERE ALL NIGHT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT’S BETTER THAN DRINKING FROM ONE OF THOSE KEGS.

He is one of nearly 600 freshmen at American University who are contributing more than 13,000 hours of community service this week.

WE ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN. YOU KNOW YOU CAN NEVER DO ENOUGH BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS DO SOMETHING THAT’S WHAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY.

But the enthusiam Flynn feels as he digs in the dirt.... pales in comparison to his excitement over classes next week...

I CANNOT WAIT I’M MORE EXCITED THAN ANYTHING I’VE EVER BEEN EXCITED FOR IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.


Listen to Story

At the Beijing Olympics , The U.S. may dominate...but as Jessica Forres reports a leading think tank says American students are losing badly when it comes to academic competition....

LISTEN TO THE STORY

---------------------------------------------------
SCRIPT:

Michael Petrilli is with the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. His organization is hosting an Education Olympics designed to measure and asses the test scores of students from around the world.

RIGHT NOW IN THE EDUCATION OLYMPICS WE ARE TIED FOR 19^TH WE ARE BEHIND

POWERHOUSES LIKE ESTONIA AND SLOVENIA TIED WITH COUNTRIES LIKE GHANA SO THIS IS NOT GOOD. WE ARE PERFORMING MUCH WORSE IN THE EDUCATION OLYMPICS THAN WE ARE IN THE BEIJING OLYMPICS.

He says there are 58 events, each based on test scores from a section of four international exams covering Math, Science, Reading and Civics.

OUR EDUCATION PROBLEMS ARE REALLY ACROSS THE BOARD IT’S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT’S HAPPENING IN THE INNER CITY OR IN POOR RURAL COMMUNITIES. IN THE AFFLUENT SUBURBS TOO OUR KIDS ARE SIMPLY NOT LEARNING AS MUCH AS THEIR PEERS OVERSEAS

He says Finland is leading the way with 32 medals while the U.S. is still at zero.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

The turn over rate among new teachers is on the rise. One research group called the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future says it's costing local school districts millions of dollars to replace educators who leave the classroom.

Darren Harp expresses the frustration he had as a first year teacher in Maryland.

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Disadvantaged children are about to embark on a new school year. One local organization called Urban Change is making sure they have a fresh new start with free book bags and school supplies.

Urban change gave away nearly 10,000 book bags filled with notebooks, pencils and erasers. Soul Singer Ginuwine even showed up for the event and handed out autographs.

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Montgomery County Public Schools say they didn't violate privacy rights when a PowerPoint presentation for educators containing pictures of local students was posted on the Internet.

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High gas prices are causing several local governments to rethink the five day work week.

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The District is holding a final meeting tonight on its plan to improve pedestrian safety, such as, marking crosswalks more clearly and extending sidewalks.

But some pedestrians think improvements will have a small impact on their safety.

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DC's Department of Transportation has proposed to spend nearly 18 million dollars over the next ten years to improve pedestrian safety.

But some pedestrians and motorists are still unsure about current pedestrian safety laws

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A local food safety group says consumers are often left in the dark when it comes to health violations at most DC restaurants.

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Fire-safe cigarettes are now mandatory in the state of Maryland.

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Metro riders are being urged to take some simple precautions against robbers.

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Statistics released by Metro Transit Police show robberies on the Metro system have increased nearly forty percent since last year.

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Howard University has launched a campaign to test hundreds of District residents for Diabetes, the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S.

I met up with one of the mobile testing units.

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