Best Buddies awarded $5,000 Howard County Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!). Laurel, MD - Best Buddies Maryland is proud to announce it has been awarded a $5,000 grant through Howard County's FY26 Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) Grant Program to support an inclusive after-school program at Laurel Woods Elementary School in Laurel, Maryland. The highly competitive YEP! Grant Program supports initiatives that provide meaningful opportunities for young people across Howard County. Best Buddies was selected for funding based on the strength and impact of its proposal to create inclusive programming that brings students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) together to build friendships and foster a culture of belonging. Through this grant, Best Buddies will expand its elementary school programming at Laurel Woods Elementary School throughout 2026. The after-school program will provide structured activities designed to encourage friendship, teamwork, leadership development, and social inclusion among students of all abilities. Best Buddies programs are built on the belief that meaningful friendships can transform communities and create more inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and supported. "We are grateful to Howard County for investing in youth programs that promote inclusion and connection," said Best Buddies Maryland. "This support allows us to continue empowering students to build friendships and create a more inclusive school community." The grant period runs from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. During this time, Best Buddies will work closely with Laurel Woods Elementary School to provide engaging after-school activities that help students develop social skills, build confidence, and form lasting friendships. To learn more about Best Buddies, Howard County's FY26 Youth Engagement Programming (YEP!) Grant Program, or to join the Laurel Woods Elementary School chapter or another Best Buddies Maryland chapter, please contact [email protected] or visit https://www.bestbuddies.org/maryland/get-involved/.

HCPSS partners with South Korean school District to facilitate cultural and educational exchange. March 18th, 2026 Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) partners with more than 1,000 community groups and organizations to support its schools and its students, and recently added a new international partner to the mix: the Gyeonggido Gimpo District Office of Education in South Korea. Under the terms of the partnership agreement, HCPSS and Gyeonggido Gimpo District Office of Education staff will have the opportunity to share professional learning and cultural experiences as well as instructional resources. In addition, the two districts will establish and maintain relationships between several HCPSS and Gimpo "sister schools," with the goal of facilitating the exchange of educational and cultural experiences and helping to strengthen mutual understanding and appreciation of each school's cultures, communities and traditions. HCPSS' Chief Schools Officer Jennifer Robinson and Multilingual Family Services Supervisor Min Woo traveled to Gimpo in December to formalize the partnership. "It was an absolutely beautiful trip," recalls Robinson. "In addition to meeting with the superintendent of Gyeonggido Province and the Gimpo District superintendent, we had the opportunity to visit several Gimpo schools. It was amazing to see their classrooms, interact with their teachers and students, and compare and contrast with our experience at HCPSS." "Just as an example, there are no custodians at the schools we visited. Students take off their shoes when they arrive at school and they all have brushes and dust bins at their desks to keep their space clean," adds Woo. "Students also serve their teachers lunch before they themselves eat and are responsible for cleaning up their area." Robinson and Woo also observed several similarities between Gimpo and HCPSS schools. "As is the case in our schools, they use a standardized curriculum and teach a lot of the same subjects we do. And, like us, they have many very talented educators," says Robinson. "Also, kids are kids. No matter where they are from, they love to play, laugh, and discover new things." While they were in Gimpo, Robinson and Woo also had the opportunity to represent HCPSS and the United States at a two-day international educational symposium, organized by the South Korean government's division of international education. Titled "Unlearn to Learn," the symposium brought together representatives from educational institutions around the world to discuss the current state of education, as well as its future. "There was definitely a big focus on artificial intelligence," recalls Robinson. "We talked about how we are all in this together, trying to figure out what AI means for education in our own countries and as members of a global community." Both Robinson and Woo came away from their experience feeling grateful to their South Korean hosts, and in particular to Mr. Sung Hwa Jung, a former Korean Assembly staffperson who has helped facilitate meetings between HCPSS and South Korean officials over the years. "From the beginning through the end of our trip, Mr. Jung was there, ensuring everything went smoothly and helping us to feel welcome. He truly made us feel like VIPs," says Robinson. HCPSS initially established a relationship with South Korea in the early 2000s, when South Korean Assemblywoman Cho Bae Sook contacted the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., and asked the education consulate to arrange a meeting with HCPSS. HCPSS leadership then visited Korea and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Iksan District of Education. In the years that followed, groups of Korean students traveled to Howard County as part of a summer cultural exchange program, where they stayed with Korean families living in Howard County and took classes designed to immerse them in the English language and expose them to American schools and culture. Korean gifted and talented science teachers also came to visit HCPSS schools and meet with staff. HCPSS renewed its partnership with Iksan in 2017, and Korean students visited every summer until 2023, with the exception of two years around COVID. With the strong history that exists between HCPSS and South Korean educational institutions and the positive experience they had meeting with South Korean education officials in December, Robinson and Woo are excited about the future. "The Korean government has shown us that they are truly invested in their partnership with us. We are inspired to do our part to make this a successful partnership," Woo says. "This is such an awesome opportunity to build connections with educators who share our priorities, and for our students to gain exposure to, awareness of and appreciation for international cultures. In the future, I hope we can expand our work together to include sharing educational standards and enabling our students to spend time in each other's countries," adds Robinson.

New grant supports HCPSS Apprenticeship Program, helping prepare students for future careers. The Howard County Public School System's (HCPSS') Apprenticeship Maryland Program recently received a $130,000 grant from the Columbia (MD) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth services and programs in Howard County. The grant will be used to expand access to high-quality apprenticeship opportunities for students and help cover apprenticeship-related costs, such as tuition, certification and assessment fees, transportation, wraparound services, and required work equipment. To date, it is the largest donor grant HCPSS' Apprenticeship Maryland Program has received. "The Columbia Chapter of The Links, Inc. is committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the cultural and economic vitality of the Howard County community," says Chapter President Diana Smith Coleman. "Supporting HCPSS's Apprenticeship Program aligns directly with our mission by expanding pathways to academic success, workforce readiness, and long-term opportunity for students. This grant strengthens our shared goal of empowering young people with the skills and support needed to thrive and to build stronger communities." "HCPSS is incredibly grateful to The Links, Inc. for its generous grant," says HCPSS Superintendent Bill Barnes. "Beyond covering the cost of tools and training, the grant fuels a shared commitment between education and industry. By helping employers offset the expenses of related instruction, we remove barriers, open doors for students, and prove what is possible when schools and businesses invest in the future together." Open to high school seniors, HCPSS' Apprenticeship Maryland Program connects students with local businesses that provide on-the-job training and industry-related classroom instruction. In doing so, it equips them with both the practical skills and the academic knowledge necessary for immediate employment and a successful long-term career. "The Apprenticeship Maryland Program is truly transformational for students," says Stephanie Discepolo, HCPSS' facilitator of Apprenticeship Programs. "The program gives students the opportunity to begin their career journey while still in high school, building pathways to lasting success and real upward mobility. Through partnerships with employers and sponsors, we're creating opportunities for students to earn while they learn, gaining hands-on experience through paid on-the-job training and receiving industry-specific instruction that builds a strong foundation for their future." The Apprenticeship Maryland grant is just the most recent example of support HCPSS has received from the Columbia (MD) Chapter of The Links, Inc. Over the course of its decade-long partnership with the school district, the organization also has supported HCPSS' MESA (mathematics, engineering, science, and technology) program; helped implement a "Can You Imagine Me?" afterschool program for elementary school students, promoting healthy choices and wellness habits; volunteered at countless school events; and awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships to Howard County students. "We chose to partner with HCPSS because we share a deep commitment to nurturing the whole child and their wellness and expanding opportunities for all students," says Smith Coleman. "Together, we are able to create a meaningful, lasting impact that prepares young people to succeed academically, socially, and in their future careers." HCPSS' Partnerships Office has united schools with more than 1,000 businesses and community organizations to enhance the educational experience of Howard County students. Learn more about HCPSS Partnerships and read HCPSS Partnerships 2024-2025 Annual Snapshot, highlighting the important role school system partners play in providing essential services and supports, fulfilling student needs, and creating opportunities for learning and exploration.