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Event Calendar For Bethesda, Chevy Chase

By WTOP Staff

Spring is firmly here, which means a large selection of events over the next few weeks around the area.

If you’d like to see your event featured, fill out our event submission form. Also, please check out the event calendar to see all that is going on.

Saturday

Pike Central Farm Market yoga, photo via extendYogaPike Central Farm Market
11561 Old Georgetown Road
Time: 9:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m.

Pike Central Farm Market is open every Saturday through November, starting on April 26 from 9am-2pm! Come on out for great food from over 40 vendors!

11561 Old Georgetown Rd. (at Executive Blvd.) Rockville, MD 20852

TM-LOGOTranscendental Meditation
11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 408
Time: 12:30 p.m. — 1:30 p.m.

Want to Improve your health, happiness, and inner peace? The Bethesda TM Center offers free Introductory Lectures every Wednesday at 6:30pm and Saturday at 12:30pm. Come out and meet our teachers, learn about the TM Program and how you can sign up to begin the process of becoming a Transcendental Meditator! RSVP to (301) 770-5690 or bethesda@tm.org to reserve your seat.

Thursday

NPV-5th-anniversary-email-invite-finalNonprofit Village Awards Breakfast
5151 Pooks Hill Drive
Time: 7:30 a.m. — 9:30 a.m.

Nonprofit Village is celebrating 5 years of service to nonprofits. We provide shared space and essential support services to small and emerging organizations through affordable office space, capacity building, collaboration and virtual office services. Our annual awards breakfast honors an individual, business and two nonprofits that are Making A Difference in our community by supporting the work of nonprofits. This year we will honor Dr. Usa Bunnag, Bethesda Magazine, Adventure Theatre and the Maryland Women’s Business Center at Rockville Economic Development Inc.

indexMerritt Gallery Vintage Poster Show & Sale
Merritt Gallery Chevy Chase Center, 5445 Wisconsin Ave.
10 a.m. — 6 p.m.

Merritt Gallery in Chevy Chase is holding a vintage poster sale from May 1-10. Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun 12-4 p.m. 

For more information call 410-484-8900 or visit merrittgallery.com

Saturday, May 3

womens-retreat-with-copyWomen’s Wellness Retreat
Carderock Springs Community Center, 8200 Hamilton Spring Court
8 a.m. May 3 — 9 p.m. May 4

As busy moms, daughters, sisters, and caregivers, women tend to put themselves last in terms of priority. Despite the hefty roles that women play in caring for others, they still need to carve out solo time to recharge, renew and reconnect with their own personal goals.

This was the concept behind creating a local women’s retreat right here in Montgomery County at the Carderock Community Center in Bethesda, MD. All of the programs have been created with women’s needs in mind. “The main goal of this retreat is to get away for a day pass or the full day and a half without going away. Most family needs require women to be closer to home for most of the year and week-long retreats are not a viable option in their schedules. At this local Women’s Wellness Retreat they can re-connect with themselves through yoga, meditation, outdoor activities, kayaking, acupuncture and spa services,” says Leslie Edsall, Trifecta Wellness, LLC’s Director & Founder.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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