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PTSA Newsletter Archive
Archived news articles by academic year 2000 - 2001 | 2001 - 2002 | 2002 - 2003 | 2003 - 2004 | 2004 - 2005 | 2005 - 2006 | 2006 - 2007 | 2007 - 2008 | 2008 - 2009
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Paint Branch High School Click here for easy to print Honor Roll (pdf)
* Indicates student earned all grades of "A" Click here for easy to print Honor Roll (pdf)
Panther of the Month Awards for October 2009
143 PAINT BRANCH STUDENTS NAMED AP SCHOLARS BY COLLEGE BOARD MOST IN SCHOOL’S HISTORY A record setting one hundred and forty-three students from Paint Branch High School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement ProgramÒ (APÒ ) Exams. The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the 1.6 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award. Students took AP exams in May 2009 after completing challenging, college-level courses at their high schools. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP exams. At Paint Branch, eight students qualified
for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an
average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and
grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. The students are:
Fifty students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are:
Thirty-three students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are:
Fifty-two Paint Branch students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are:
Of this year’s award recipients at Paint Branch High School, fifty-eight students were sophomores or juniors during the 2008-2009 school year:
These students have at least one more year in which to complete college-level work and possibly earn a higher-level AP Scholar Award. This is the eighth consecutive year that AP enrollment has increased and the fifth year in a row in which over 100 Paint Branch students were named AP Scholars. The number of AP Scholars at Paint Branch has more than doubled since 2003. Paint Branch offers twenty-four Advanced Placement courses to sophomores, juniors and seniors. Last year, 548 students sat for a total of 1070 exams with a majority of the students scoring a 3, 4 or 5 thus earning them college credit. Over twenty-five percent of Paint Branch students are enrolled in Advanced Placement classes. Most of the nation’s colleges and
universities award credit, advanced placement or both based on successful
performance on the AP Exams. More than 1,400 institutions award a full
year’s credit (sophomore standing) to students presenting a sufficient
number of qualifying grades.
Panther of the Month Awards for September 2009
Paint Branch High School Click here for easy to print Honor Roll (pdf)
* Indicates student earned all grades of "A" Click here for easy to print Honor Roll (pdf)
Summer Academy Classes Begin
Panther
Academy
Bus 1 Pick-up/Drop Off Times
for Panther Academy
(pdf) All Other PB For Credit Classes have been canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
Twenty-one Paint
Branch Seniors Honored at
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Paint Branch High School Principal Receives the
NAACP-MCPS Principal of the Year Award
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Paint Branch's Exchange Trip to France
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Paint Branch High School Navy Junior ROTC Cadets
Meet The Commander-In-Chief
By Commander John J. DeCavage, USN (Retired)
Forty students from Paint Branch High School had an opportunity Thursday, February 12, 2009, that few Americans ever have…..to meet the President of the United States. Cadets from Paint Branch’s Navy Junior ROTC Unit were excited about their six-day field trip to San Diego, the Navy’s second largest port city. They came to school in uniform, boarded their charter bus and were off to Andrews Air Force Base. There they would board a U. S. Marine Corps passenger jet for their government-provided transportation to Southern California.
The cadets anxiously awaited the arrival of their assigned aircraft from
Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina. While in the air
terminal, they learned that Vice President Biden was scheduled to depart via
Air Force II, which was parked one hundred yards outside the back door. When
their plane arrived, the cadets were bussed out to it, passing through
automatic, heavy steel security gates. The pilot came over to greet them and
provide information about the flight. Several of the cadets helped load
their luggage onboard before boarding the 100-passenger, C-9 aircraft. The
forty knot winds whipped across the runway as they headed toward the rear
ramp of the plane. While aboard the immaculately maintained Marine Corps
plane, students were invited to visit the cockpit and sit in the pilot and
co-pilot’s seats. Thirty minutes later the cadets were informed by their
Commander that the flight had to be cancelled because of the severe westerly
winds blowing across the runway that were forecast into the evening hours.
Vice President Biden’s plane had to receive a “wind waiver” and was allowed
to depart the airfield.
As the cadets dejectedly awaited the return of their charter bus, they saw Air Force I, President Obama’s aircraft, appear out where the Vice President’s plane had been an hour earlier. They gazed at the beautiful 747, painted in blue and white and shined to perfection. Commander Joe DeCavage, Senior Naval Science Instructor at Paint Branch, learned that President Obama was scheduled to depart for Illinois in one hour where he was to advertise the economic stimulus package and celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday.
Five minutes later, an Air Force Sergeant invited the cadets out onto the
tarmac to witness the President’s motorcade arrival and his departure via
Air Force I. The motorcycles came first, followed by a few escort Escalades,
and then came the President’s limousine. The cadets jumped up and down,
waved and yelled to the Commander in Chief. He waved back. His limousine
stopped a few steps from the aircraft. As he exited, the students yelled
even louder and began to chant “O-ba-ma” and “Yes, We Can!” To everyone’s
surprise, President Obama donned his jacket and started walking toward the
group of cadets. Secret Service and Press preceded him…..the students took
pictures and video. Cadet Olga Church said she shook uncontrollably as the
President approached. The President was personable, shook hands with most,
exchanged salutes with others, asked questions, and said hello to everyone
before walking to Air Force I. The cadets remained on the tarmac while the
747 with the Presidential seal took off.
Sooo….the day concluded with what most students felt was one of the most memorable experiences they had ever had. The bus ride back to Paint Branch was buzzing with excited phone calls home and sharing of pictures and video. When the students arrived at Paint Branch, many went up to show their Principal, Jeanette Dixon, their pictures and tell her of their experience. Ms. Dixon brought the NJROTC Program to Paint Branch five years ago. One cadet mentioned how soft the President’s hand was. Ms. Dixon was quick to reply, “See, if you get a good education like President Obama, you will not have to get a job that causes your hands to get rough and calloused.”
All went home with a lifelong, memorable “sea story.” All were happy that they had had the encounter with the President…….and knowing that their San Diego field trip would be re-scheduled in the near future.
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Obama Greeted
at Andrews by Screaming High Schoolers, High Winds
February 12, 2009 2:13 PM
ABC
News' Karen Travers reports:
President Obama received a raucous send-off at Andrews Air Force Base this afternoon, before his flight to Peoria, Ill.
Before boarding Air Force One, the president worked a rope line of screaming, cell phone picture snapping high school students, a few older people and younger families with kids.
The high schoolers were junior ROTC students from Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, Md.
As he made his way down the line, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, one girl could be heard shouting “We love you Obama!” and several dozen of the students started a chant of “Obama! Obama!”
High winds in Washington forced the White House to alter President Obama’s travel plans. He was not able to fly on the Marine One helicopter from the White House, instead traveling by motorcade to Andrews where Air Force One was waiting for him. Instead of the usual staircase that is wheeled up to the side of the plane, Obama used a set of steps that lowered down from the belly of the plane.
-- Karen Travers
Photo Credit: Reuters
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/obama-greeted-a.html
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Scores of African American and Hispanic Students
Surpass National Average for All Students
Paint Branch High School Leads
Nation in African American Performance in AP World History
ROCKVILLE,
MD—The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Class of 2008 set
new Advanced Placement examination (AP exam) participation and
performance records and capped a nine-year trend of higher
performance for graduates from all student demographic groups.
In addition, Paint Branch High School received national
attention for the performance of African American students on
the AP World History exam.
In 2008, 61.5
percent of MCPS graduates took at least one AP exam, compared
with 25 percent nationally and 37.2 percent in Maryland. More
than 46 percent of the Class of 2008 scored a 3 or higher on at
least one AP exam while in high school—more than triple the
national average of 15.2 percent and double the state average. A
score of 3 or higher is generally recognized as eligible for
college credit.
Nationwide comparisons in AP participation and achievement and
ranking of performance by state were released today by The
College Board in the Fifth Annual Advanced Placement Report to
the Nation. For the first time, Maryland was the state with the
highest percentage of graduates who earned one or more AP exam
scores of 3 or higher. MCPS graduates had a substantial effect
on this ranking. Without their contribution, Maryland would slip
from 1st to 10th place.
Systemwide
improvements in AP course and exam participation by
traditionally underserved minority student groups are
exemplified by the notable achievement of Paint Branch High
School. In its report, The College Board recognizes Paint Branch
High School for increasing access to AP, particularly among
African American students. The Paint Branch High School Class of
2008 led the nation in the percentage of African American
graduates who earned a 3 or higher in the AP World History exam.
Paint Branch has increased the percentage of all students taking
at least one AP exam from 30.2 percent in 2000 to 58.1 percent
in 2008. The percentage increase of students at the school
earning a 3 or more on an AP exam rose from 24.9 percent to 40.5
percent in the same time period.
“MCPS has focused intensively on raising the performance of all
students and closing the achievement gap,” said Board of
Education President Shirley Brandman. “While recognizing
that we have a way to go, I feel we are on the right pathway, as
evidenced by the accomplishments of Paint Branch High School and
all of our high schools.”
“Our
goal—plain and simple—is to get our graduates ready to succeed
in college, and getting there depends on taking rigorous
courses, such as AP, in high school,” said Dr. Jerry D. Weast,
superintendent of schools. “It’s phenomenal to see that so many
of our students are participating in these classes and excelling
in them, as evidenced by today’s record-setting results by the
MCPS Class of 2008.”
AP exam performance among African American graduates in the
Class of 2008 is noteworthy districtwide as well as at Paint
Branch High School. African American graduates in the MCPS Class
of 2008 were nearly three times more likely to take an AP exam
than African American graduates nationwide. The percentage of
African American graduates in the MCPS Class of 2008 who earned
at least one AP exam score of 3 or higher was more than three
times the rate for African American graduates in Maryland and
more than five times the rate for African American graduates
nationwide. The percentage of African American and Hispanic
graduates in the MCPS Class of 2008 with at least one AP score
of 3 or higher was above the national average of 15.2 percent
for all graduates.
African American students taking one or more AP exams increased
from 12.4 percent in 2000 to 37.6 percent in 2008, and the
percentage of African American students scoring a 3 or higher on
at least one AP exam increased from 9.1 percent to 19.6 percent.
"I've got great kids here and a great staff," said Jeanette
Dixon, principal of Paint Branch High School. "They work very
hard and want to do well. I'm very proud of that, and of the
deserving recognition they are receiving in this AP national
report."
System Performance
Overall, MCPS 2008 graduates as a class far exceeded the
participation and performance of their peers in Maryland and the
nation:
In the MCPS
Class of 2008, 61.5 percent of students took at least one AP
exam during high school, compared with 37.2 percent and 25
percent, respectively, of public school graduates in
Maryland and the nation.
In the MCPS
Class of 2008, 46.4 percent of graduates earned at least one
AP score of 3 or higher, a rate that was nearly twice the
rate for public school graduates in Maryland (23.4 percent)
and more than three times the rate for public school
graduates in the nation (15.2 percent)
Between 2000 and
2008, the percentage of MCPS graduates who took at least one AP
exam increased 24.9 percentage points, compared with increases
of 17.0 and 9.1 percentage points for Maryland and the nation,
respectively (Table 2). The percentage of MCPS graduates who
earned at least one AP exam score of 3 or higher increased 15.7
percentage points between 2000 and 2008, compared with increases
of 9.3 and 5.0 percentage points for Maryland and the nation,
respectively.
Read the full College Board Fifth Annual AP Report to the Nation
See Related Links:
Tables demonstrating AP participation and performance for MCPS
students
Charts demonstrating AP participation and performance for MCPS
students
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PAINT BRANCH NEWSPAPER TAKES TOP HONORS
FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW IN THE
AMERICAN SCHOLASTIC JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL COMPETITION
This is the fifth year in a row that the Paint Branch newspaper, Mainstream, has achieved a first place finish and its second with Special Merit in the American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual newspaper competition.
First Place with Special Merit is awarded to a publication that scores over 900 points out of a 1000 point scoring system. Mainstream earned 955 points.
Also, Mainstream
staff writer Julia Grinberg was awarded Best Investigative Reporting for
“Paying Students for Performance.” The organization stated that, “The story,
‘Paying Students for Performance’ by Julia Grinberg, is excellent.
Congratulations on a job well done!”
Mainstream was commended for its “Superior academic excellence . . .
. attempting to follow professional guidelines” and “showcasing the best
your students have to offer.”
Paint Branch graduates, Adrienne Chlumsky and Sanata Sy-Sahande were the Co-Editors-in-Chief of the First Place winning newspaper.
Brian Woodward is in his sixth year as Mainstream Advisor. The Mainstream has won a number of awards from national and local journalism organizations under Mr. Woodward’s supervision including: three Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medals, a 2008 All-American rating (highest possible) from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), a first place in Best Sports Feature Story from Towson University, first place for its online newspaper in the Montgomery County Media Festival, and five first place awards in the American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual newspaper competition.
To view the Mainstream online go to:
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Three Paint Branch
Students Chosen as
Maryland General Assembly Pages
Paint Branch High School seniors Jared Adkins, Maxzeller Thomas, Jr. and Daniel Gregoire have been chosen as pages for the 2009 session of the Maryland General Assembly.
Each page will serve two nonconsecutive weeks in either the House of Delegates or the State Senate. During the thirteen weeks of session, each page will serve one week during the first eight weeks and return for his second week during the last five weeks.
While a page, the duties will revolve around the schedule of the chamber to which he is assigned. The students will work with members in their offices and on the House and Senate floors, filing legislation, answering phones, working with staff in committees, and essentially, doing whatever is needed to help keep the legislative process moving smoothly and efficiently.
Mr. Adkins is a Gilder Lehman American History Scholar and President of the National English Honor Society at Paint Branch. Mr. Adkins is extremely interested in government and history and is interested in studying history and journalism in college next year.
Mr. Thomas loves history and government. He volunteers in his community, most recently in the past election working the polls. He is a varsity athlete in both football and lacrosse. He is planning to study pre-law in college next year.
Mr. Gregoire is a Gilder Lehman American History Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, Model United Nations, Social Studies Honor Society and English Honor Society at Paint Branch. Mr. Gregoire is extremely interested in government and politics and is interested in studying Political Science in college next year.
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PAINT BRANCH NEWSPAPER TAKES TOP HONORS AT THE
COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL COMPETITION
The Paint Branch Newspaper, Mainstream, was named a Gold Medalist in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s (CSPA) Annual newspaper competition. This is the third time the Mainstream has been named a Gold Medalist.
“The Mainstream staff has so much of which to be proud . . . Interesting articles, a wide variety of coverage, and student personality. Well done.” states the CSPA reviewer. Mainstream was commended for its “very lively” writing and its “excellent” coverage of a variety of sports. The newspaper’s overall coverage was praised as “definitely student oriented.”
Mainstream earned near perfect scores in several categories including: Coverage, Writing and Editing, Business Operations and Graphic Presentation. Of note was the advertising found throughout the newspaper.
Paint Branch graduates, Adrienne Chlumsky and Sanata Sy-Sahande were the Co-Editors-in-Chief of the Gold Medal winning newspaper.
Brian Woodward is in his sixth year as Mainstream Advisor. The Mainstream has won a number of awards from national and local journalism organizations under Mr. Woodward’s supervision including: two consecutive Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medals, a 2008 All American rating (highest possible) from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), a first place in Best Sports Feature Story from Towson University, first place for its online newspaper in the Montgomery County Media Festival in 2005 and a first place award in the 2005 – 2006 American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual newspaper competition.
To view the Mainstream online go to:
http://my.highschooljournalism.org/md/burtonsville/pbhs/
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PAINT BRANCH NEWSPAPER TAKES
TOP HONORS
IN THE
NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL COMPETITION
The Paint Branch newspaper, Mainstream, has achieved the top All American rating from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Mainstream was also commended with Distinction for the paper’s – coverage and content; photography, art, and graphics; layout and design; and its overall leadership.
Mainstream earned 280 out of 300 possible points to earn the All American rating. The NSPA Judge commented, the “2007-2008 Mainstream . . . clearly reflected the talent and dedication of the staff and adviser. I found it evident that this staff contributed countless hours and effort to produce this publication. Your numerous strengths include photography techniques, interviewing skills and variety of topics.”
Mainstream was also commended for its Writing and Editing and was praised for its “excellent” inclusion of international and national news in each paper. Also the students’ “outstanding selection of coverage” of news was highlighted.
Paint Branch graduates, Adrienne Chlumsky and Sanata Sy-Sahande were the Co-Editors-in-Chief of the 2007-2008 Mainstream.
Brian Woodward is in his sixth year as Mainstream Advisor. The Mainstream has won a number of awards from national and local journalism organizations under Mr. Woodward’s supervision including: a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist two years in a row, a first place in Best Sports Feature Story from Towson University, first place for its online newspaper in the Montgomery County Media Festival in 2005 and a first place award in the 2005 – 2006 American Scholastic Press Association’s Annual newspaper competition.
To view the Mainstream online go to:
http://my.highschooljournalism.org/md/burtonsville/pbhs/
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Paint Branch Marching
Band Takes 1st Place
Drumline and Colorguard Also Best in Competition
at Northwest High School
The Paint Branch Marching Band competed at Northwest High School on Saturday, October 25, 2008 in the US Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) Marching Competition. They received 1st place in Group I, and were recognized for best Drumline, Colorguard, Music, Visual and Overall Effect in their division. The band's score of 80.6 was an 11-point improvement from their competition on October 11, 2008, and was the marching band's best score since 2004!
The marching band includes students in grades 9-12, with 20 total members. Members include Bummah Ndeh, Eric Rosario, Jennifer Stanton, Ryan Anderson, Robert Johnson III, Alex Measday, Annie Vital, Kavi Girdhar, Cyrell Lawson, Jordan Lloyd, Edward Wilson, Marly Diallo, Amanda Lay and Kade Nicholson.
The Marching Band is led by senior Drum Major Jong Park. Section leaders include Jessica Tran for Colorguard, Steven Friedman, Percussion, Eric Kuhn, Brass, Marthe Ambroise, Woodwinds, and Claudy St. Paul as the Field Captain.
The band is Directed by Sean Kirchhoff in his second year as the band’s Director, and assisted by Band Instructor Dorothy Lee and Colorguard Instructor Laura Hoffmaster.
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A bigger, better Paint
Branch High could cost $100M
Early plans for new three-story school add educational amenities,
expand capacity to 2,400 students
by Danny Jacobs | Staff Writer
Gazette, January 23, 2007
Click here for Gazette Article
Plans for a new Paint Branch High School are
still in the design stages, but a new building should be ready for the first
day of classes in the fall of 2010, Montgomery County Public School
officials told members of the school’s PTSA last week.
Under the proposed, preliminary plan, the new three-story building, which
could cost nearly $100 million, would be constructed south of the existing
building on land MCPS bought from Montgomery County Park and Planning in
September. Students would remain in the current building while the new one
is being constructed. When completed, the three-story building would be 25
percent larger than the current building and have a maximum capacity of
2,400 students, up from 1,600.
‘‘We hope it will be the jewel of Burtonsville,” Principal Jeanette Dixon said. ‘‘We’ll have everything we need to deliver our outstanding educational programs.”
The new building would have 93 classrooms, including 12 science labs, a 900-seat auditorium and a greenhouse. The entire campus, scheduled to be finished in 2011, would have a new football⁄soccer stadium, a track located around a practice field and 400-500 parking spaces. A third access road would be added near the southwest corner of the campus for buses, and fields available for use by the whole community would be placed near Old Columbia Pike.
However, the plan would leave Paint Branch without its current stadium for as many as three years, as it is converted into practice fields.
Jim Henderson, a project manager with Moseley Architects, the Harrisonburg, Va.,-based firm chosen by the county for the project, showed parents updated drawings of the building’s interior, exterior and surroundings Jan. 16. Moseley has previously helped design Parkland Middle School in Aspen Hill and A. Mario Loiederman Middle School in Wheaton. Henderson was accompanied by Dennis Ross, a senior facilities designer, and Deborah Szyfer, a senior planner, both with MCPS.
The two dozen parents in attendance had questions about some of the details of the plan, but overall were pleased. ‘‘I think it’s going to work,” said Tamara Stoner, whose daughter is a freshman at Paint Branch.
Carlos Hunter, whose son is also a freshman, agreed. ‘‘It’s more space for more students [and] I like the idea of community involvement,” he said.
The plan was chosen last year by a committee of Paint Branch staff, students and PTSA members and county and state education officials.
Community input was also taken into consideration. ‘‘This has been the most inclusive process for a project of its size,” Ross said.
In fact, concerns about student safety if renovations were done in the existing building or if construction were done adjacent to the existing building, the other two modernization options considered, made the committee’s choice clear. ‘‘That was fundamental in our decision to build a new building,” Henderson said. Originally built in 1967, Paint Branch High School added a wing on its northeast side in 1986.
Dixon, the committee’s chairwoman, said the new building would be on higher ground than the current one, meaning passersby will have to look up instead of down as they do at the existing building. ‘‘It will be beautiful and inspire those that learn there,” she said of the new building. ‘‘We wanted to be a marker in Burtonsville.”
‘‘It’s a much more positive presence at the top of the hill,” added Don Hauprich, the PTSA president.
One topic not discussed at the meeting was the cost of the new building. In a feasibility study presented to MCPS in September, Moseley estimated the total cost of the plan at $97 million, but Henderson said that was only an early projection.
The project was approved by the County Council in May 2006 as part of the 2007-2012 Capital Improvements Program, Szyfer said, but that it may be amended when the 2009-2014 Capital Improvements Program is approved later this year.
Budgeting and construction deadlines are out of Hauprich’s hands, but he is glad the vision of the Paint Branch community has been kept in mind for the new school. ‘‘Everyone is focused on what’s good for the community and the school, and that’s a blessing,” he said.
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Second Floor
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