European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday january 17, 1994 education the stars and stripes Page 13 it s t t s a y e l. H y �6 University of Maryland holding term 3 registration by the stars and stripes Heidelberg Germany a a registration is under Way for the University of Maryland system graduate programs Europe. Courses to earn masters degrees in business administration. Management information systems Public administration and counselling Ana personnel services Are offered at Central locations throughout Europe. To accommodate working adults classes Are held either evenings or weekends. Term 3 registration began Jan. 3. Students should  weekend courses no later than Friday. Local University of Maryland Field representatives have More information on graduate programs and. Course schedules. War fighting essays sought Annapolis my. A discussions of joint combat capabilities tactics and strategies could help some author win up to $2,500 in the . Naval institutes latest essay contest. The naval Institute has announced the first annual Colin l. Powell joint War fighting essay contest and will award prizes to the top three authors in the amounts of $2,500, $2,000 and $1,000. Essays should be about combat readiness in a joint context a persuasive discussions of tactics strategy weaponry combat training or other issues involving two or More services. Entries May be heavy in single service detail but must have joint application in terms offered Structure doctrine operations or organization for combat. Interoperability of hardware and procedures May be discussed within the context of combat readiness. Entrants May be military professionals or civilians. The essays maximum length is set at 3,000 words but Shorter opinion pieces or a professional notes typically 2,000-word technical arguments May also compete. Essays must be original and must not have been previously published. An exact word count must appear on the title Page. The name of the author should not appear on the essay. Each author shall assign a motto in addition to a title to the essay. The motto shall appear on the title Page of the essay along with the title in lieu of the authors name. The motto shall also appear by itself on the outside of an accompanying sealed envelope a containing the name address Telephone social Security number and Short biography of the essayist the title of the essay and the motto. The envelope will not be opened until the naval Institute has made its final selections. Essays must be typewritten double spaced and on Normal paper. The author should submit two Complete copies. If typed on a computer also submit an ism compatible disk and specify word processing software used essays will be screened by a panel of officers from the five armed services who will recommend six of the essays to the institutes editorial Board. The editorial Board will award the prizes. Entries should be sent to Colin l. Powell joint War fighting essay contest . Naval Institute 118 Maryland ave., Annapolis my. 214025035, essays must be postmarked on or before april 1. Awards will be presented to the winners at a ceremony in july. Winners will be notified by phone on or about May 20. Letters notifying All other entrants will be mailed by mid june. The three prize winning essays will be published in proceedings the  s Magazine. Essays not awarded a prize maybe selected Tor publication in proceedings. The authors of such essays will be compensated at the rate established for Purchase of articles. Diploma applications due Heidelberg Germany University of Maryland students who will graduate in May with an associate in arts or with a baccalaureate degree from the school should submit diploma applications Early school officials said. T applications must be received in the registrar s office in Heidelberg by feb. 15. Applications Are available from Maryland Field representatives at local education centers. More information is available from the registrar s office in Heidelberg or a local Field representative. Sheer grit helps school make most of final Days by sue Palumbo Mediterranean Bureau san Vito Dei Normanna Italy a How Many High school seniors does it take to have unsuccessful graduation six. Or eight when you count the two who must Transfer Early from Brindisi elementary High school and will celebrate with a graduation  in their Honor. A we never emphasize How Small the class is or How few there Are. Instead we put All the emphasis on what we can do a said Cary Blacker a teacher arid girls basketball coach. Brindisi a class of 1994 will be the last to graduate from the school which is slated to close june 16. About 200 children Are enrolled in the combined or a a unit school at san Vito Dei Normanna air station compared with More than 450 last year. Tie air station the schools Home base will officially close in september. A by sheer grit and determination ,. The commander of the base and the principal decided this was going to be a Good year for these kids and that a what s happening a Blacker said. Despite the impending closure and dwindling student body the school has not shortchanged pupils on services or programs. Hot lunches will be served on the last Day of school and buses will continue to run even if there is Only one rider according to principal Frank of Gara. To ensure pupils would not suffer because of a Lack of staff or resources the two schools were combined last. Year. A a a a a a a a a a a a a emerging the two made it easier for us to share key personnel a of Gara said. A we have a number of teachers who work with both elementary and High school students which has enhanced the Quality of  the administrative staff carries the Load for both sections of the school. The assistant principal also runs the talented and gifted program. The music teacher instructs All pupils and the High school science and computer teachers also assist the elementary youngsters. _ younger pupils carry out projects and use facilities and equipment that Are normally not available for elementary age children of Gara said. Full blown science labs and advanced computer equipment Are resources elementary school teachers usually Only dream of. But being in such High demand can take its toll on teachers. Most teach several classes and have a slew of on by sue Palumbo Mediterranean Bureau san Vito Dei Normanna Italy a More is not necessarily better particularly when the subject is Cauca Tion. Pupils at Brindisi elementary High school have found out that fewer classmates mean a better education. Enrolment is less than half of what it once was because of the scheduled closure in september of san Vito Dei Normanna air station. The combined elementary and High school which will close june 16, has 272 pupils. The largest class has 23 children. The smallest has one. Although most teachers admit it is a Little disconcerting to see your class shrink from 30 to 14, or less pupils such As sixth grader Christopher Weaks say they re getting a better Deal because fewer children Lead to More individualized instruction from the teacher. Christopher for instance said he struggled through social studies at his last school but is doing very Well now. He said that having a teacher who spends time with him . Classmate Chan till Smith likes a Small class because she does no to have to wait As Long to Start a new project. Of course a Small class also Means its harder to hide when you done to have your Homework done come in late or done to know the answer in class. Alice rambo team teaches her sixth Grade class with another teacher and his class. She has 14 in her class As does Steve Payne her husband and fellow teacher. A we can do a wide Range of projects this Way a rambo said. A i can give them individual attention and if i had to a amps 3u Palumbo teacher Cary Blacker left coaches basketball and plays too other duties such As running extracurricular activities. Blacker for example teaches several social studies classes As Well As coaching the High school girls basketball team. But since there Are Only six girls on the team she often has to join in practice sessions just so they can play a game. Tom Preble the band and chorus teacher is also the boys basketball coach the team has eight players. The Competition usually has 12 to 15. A we May not win any awards but every kid will play a Preble said. A anyone who wants to can play a sport Here. Many might never have that Opportunity in a Large school because there arc a lot of kids and Competition is very  Preble said participation in team sports teaches the children leadership builds self Confidence and gives them a sense of camaraderie that just May help them make the competitive Cut in their next school. There May be Only 70 High school students but the student Council is still alive and Active. Senior year is a tumultuous time at Best for teen agers but of Gara made sure seniors would not have to worry about getting All the courses they needed to graduate a i have algebra ii As Independent study All by myself Quot Geri Wilson said. A there was another class but i  get it in my schedule so they found another Way. In a learning More this  1 on i could Call every Parent every Day. Its  but smaller classes often mean greater challenges for teachers. Its hard to hold a mock trial in government class with Only four students for example. Some teachers change the furniture to accommodate their new class sizes. Cary Blacker pushed her desks to the Side and brought in a Small round table so she could be closer to the four pupils in her minority studies class. Rather than standing in front of a class and lecturing she expects youngsters to be More involved in deciding How they will cover the lesson. A most people assume its easier to teach a Small class but its More difficult a Blacker said. Quot you have to throw out a lot of things you used to do with a big class. I used to spend a lot of time lecturing. There is some Comfort in that space Between you and  but smaller classes do give teachers the Opportunity to try out techniques they learn in teacher enrichment workshops Blacker said. Having the pupils set class goals and hold open discussions on topics Wasny to possible m a Large class but it works Well in her Small ones. Some teachers however want a Large class Lor example try to get As much sound out of an eight person chorus As you did out of one with 40. Tom Preble the chorus and band teacher concedes that it Isnit easy for him but the youngsters often Benefit. Because not All of his band pupils can make it to one class he gives five private lessons. A each student got to do a Solo for the Christmas program a Preble said. Quot that would never happen in the states. Just because there Are fewer of them does no to mean they done to have to play All the notes