Wolftrap Elementary to Honor Former Teacher Candace Leyton
Wolftrap Elementary School will hold a dedication ceremony for the new Candace Leyton Innovation Learning Lab on Monday, Feb. 4, at noon. The addition to the front of the school is named after the late Candace Leyton, who taught at the school for 23 years.

Family Remembers Life and Legacy of Kidnapped Libyan Human Rights Activist
Mansur Rashid Kikhia’s family lives in McLean and Vienna area.
Nineteen years ago, on Dec. 10, 1993, Libyan human rights activist and lawyer Mansur Rashid Kikhia, was kidnapped from his hotel room in Cairo, Egypt and spirited out of the country. Last month—December, 2012—Kikhia’s death in Tripoli was confirmed to his family, now living in the Vienna and McLean areas. On Saturday, Jan. 12, Kikhia’s family and friends celebrated the life of a man dedicated to human rights for all.
Vienna’s Simonton Burns Bright
University of Illinois at Chicago Flames player and Vienna resident takes one for the team.
Vienna resident Will Simonton, a class of 2010 graduate of Marshall High School, was featured in the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday, Dec. 8 for his performance with the University of Illinois at Chicago Flames in their 64-55 victory over Colorado State.
Author Reminds Children All Animals Need Sleep
“Animals Need Zzzs, Too” looks at the ways different animals sleep.
When Vienna resident Patricia Britz worked at the National Sleep Foundation, she fielded calls from parents wanting information on sleep needs of their children. Sleep, Britz observed, is not as valued as it deserves to be.
Aging with a Digital Connection
Local specialist guides seniors through the social network maze.
There’s a digital revolution blowing through Fairfax County and Vienna resident Cherie Lejeune is fanning it. And it’s not the tech-savvy young ones Lejeune is reaching out to now … it is the aging population who will use social media and networking software to maintain social networks and family relationships.
Maddie’s Blankets Makes 10,000th Blanket
Maddie’s Blankets has announced that on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, at Haycock Elementary School in Falls Church, Susannah Bianco, a fourth grade student at the school, made their 10,000th blanket. This blanket will be donated to the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation for use in their Tysons PetSmart animal adoption center.

How the Powerless Access Power
Immigrants make significant gains in influencing political system.
On Election Night Nov. 6, Keisy Chavez’s nerves were frayed. The Fairfax single mom had been campaigning hard for Democrats since the official launch of Latinos for Obama last April.
Brief: Detective Sylmar Graduates from the Leadership in Police Program
Brief: Detective Arturo E. Sylmar graduated from the Leadership in Police Organizations program on Dec. 7.
Brief: Hudgins Wins Award for Regional Leadership
Brief: At its Annual Membership and Awards Luncheon, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), a nonprofit association of 300 area elected officials, presented Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins with the organization’s highest honor.

A Message From Oakton: ‘We Care’
Money was flying everywhere the day before Thanksgiving break, as Oakton Elementary School students pulled spare change and dollar bills from their pockets, hats, lunch bags, purses and—in some cases—shoes.

Making Their Voices Heard
Caroling about "fiscal cliff" at Tysons Corner Center.
On Monday, Dec. 10, a group of 30-40 residents of Northern Virginia and beyond met by the entrance of California Pizza Kitchen in Tysons Corner Center in preparation to go caroling.

Christmases Past
Neighbors share traditions and memories of the holiday season.
Some Vienna neighbors shared their recollections with Vienna-Oakton Connection readers.

Brief: Yankees Win Vienna Little League Fall Majors Championship
Brief: On a cold, raw Nov. 1 evening, Vienna Little League’s Fall Majors-level baseball championship was played on Black Field in Nottoway Park.

Brief: A Witness to History
Vienna resident Richard C. Kirkland, an 89-year-old veteran pilot, author and artist, joined the Army after the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941, and flew 103 combat missions in the famous Flying Knights fighter squadron with America’s greatest ace, Major Dick Bong.
Feeling the Magic
Nationally-recognized musician wows audiences at Wolf Trap.
Born and raised in the Washington D.C. area, John Eaton is a life-long music enthusiast who has been following his passion for over 40 years.