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As 2025 concludes, we reflect on the past year of stories about what makes our community so great, from student-athletes to hometown heroes to the individuals and organizations that work tirelessly to improve the lives of those around them. Here is a look back at the highlights of the year.
2025 was shepherded in with a snowstorm on January 6, giving kids a chance to enjoy playing in snow before returning to the classroom. At 22 years old, identical twins Katie and Christina Currie from Severna Park won $88,248 on a “Wheel of Fortune” episode that aired on January 9. The sisters were featured during a special week of episodes celebrating the show’s 50th anniversary.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools introduced a new program, Middle School Athletics, that launched during the second half of the 2024-2025 school year with soccer. New winter sports, unified bocce and flag football, were introduced recently for the 2025-2026 school year.
“We’ve been extremely busy for the last two years designing this initiative,” AACPS Coordinator of Athletics Clayton Culp said in the February edition of the Severna Park Voice.
The police department unveiled its new Anne Arundel County Real-Time Information Center (RTIC). Anne Arundel County Chief of Police Amal Awad described the RTIC as essentially “a consolidated state-of-the-art data hub under one roof where detectives and analysts examine information from a variety of sources to enhance crime detection, help solve crimes and conduct predictive analysis to better position us to prevent crimes before they occur.”
SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods) celebrated 35 years of serving the community, inviting the public to a service showcasing the nonprofit’s history and milestones. A few days later, people continued the celebration at SPAN’s Birthday Fest, enjoying carnival games, live music, food trucks and the chance to “vote” for their favorite Major League Baseball team by donating canned goods.
Linx Lawless won a Class 3A/4A wrestling state championship, improving from the prior year’s fourth-place finish to a first-place result during his final semester as a senior at Broadneck High School.
“Winning the title meant a lot to me because it was my last match,” Lawless said. “I was thinking, ‘Why not just go out on a good note?’ I am not going to be wrestling in college.”
Severna Park High School students came together for the school’s 36th “Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival” performance in late March. This year marked the first time the school’s Alternate Curriculum Classes (ACC) special education students took to the stage for the event. ACC students joined other SPHS performers for a rendition of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Elton John and Kiki Dee.
Parkinson’s disease took the life of Brian “Big B” Adam in 2023, but his son-in-law, Jeff Begin, his nephew Nick Manis, and Manis’ childhood friend LJ Urie showed in April that Adam left a lasting impact. The three raised over $256,000for the Michael J. Fox Foundation through completing a 100-mile run. “I also know that Brian will be watching over us, guiding us when the journey gets tough — which it inevitably will,” Urie said before the race.
Two Severna Park residents witnessed history in the Vatican this year. Seminarians Ben Oursler of St. John the Evangelist Church and Andrew Chase of Our Lady of the Fields Church were present during the election of the new pope. Oursler was close to the front of the large crowd of people waiting for news when white smoke arose from the chimney, indicating that a new pope had been selected.
“When the name Prevost was said, the seminarians and I were stunned, a pope from the United States of America!” Oursler said.
On Memorial Day, Severna Park Heroes of the Vietnam War Memorial LLC unveiled a new memorial honoring five Severna Park men who were killed in action during the Vietnam War: Major Ronald Britz, First Lieutenant Charles “Art” Bedsole, Chief Warrant Officer Edward “Louie” Mortimer Jr., and two men with the specialist fourth class rank, Danny Quaite and Richard Nitsche Jr.
The Severna Park High School boys lacrosse team won their ninth straight state championship, while the Broadneck High School girls lacrosse team won their fifth state title in a row. Tennis also offered state championship victories, including Broadneck’s Olivia Mellynchuk claiming the 4A girls singles title for the third time in a row, the Broadneck tennis team winning their third straight championship, and Severna Park’s Brynn Bilnoski clinching the win in the 3A girls singles tournament. The Bruins celebrated an additional win in the 4A East II regionals in baseball.
Kinder Farm Park also had reason to celebrate, as Kinder Farmhouse reached its 100th birthday. The farmhouse helps connect visitors with history by featuring relics from the 1900s, and the event held in honor of the anniversary emphasized that connection with history through games from the 1930s.
Nikhil Joshi, of Millersville, competed on “Jeopardy!” in early June, making it through three episodes and winning a total of $20,199. “I realized no matter what happens, I’m proud of myself for making it on the show, and hoped for the best, but I wasn’t expecting anything,” Joshi said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win, but I was obviously thrilled when I did.”
July brought the beloved annual Independence Day parade, with Severna Park historian Scott Jay as grand marshal. Best Overall float this year went to Linstead on the Severn’s Chessie the Sea Monster, which also won the Best Community category. Other winners included Olde Severna Park Improvement Association with Best Theme, Airman First Class Nathaniel McDavitt Memorial Scholarship Fund with Most Patriotic, Homestead Gardens with Best Commercial, and Magothy River Association with Maguire Marine Construction with Best Club/Nonprofit Organization.
After the sudden tragic loss of 18-month-old Hugh Nie, his parents Edward and Jessica chose to honor their son’s memory by raising money for “Hugh’s Corner,” a refresh of the children’s area in the Severna Park Library. By late July, they had already raised over $163,000.
Hugh’s Corner is planned to come together before June 2026, coinciding with a broad refresh of the library.
Severna Park resident and cancer survivor Chris Peters became one of less than 1,200 people in the world to have joined the Seven Continents Club by completing a marathon on every continent. He completed his 20-year effort by running the Big Five Marathon on a game preserve in Africa. After a delay for rhinos entering the course and a second delay for cheetahs, the marathon got underway. “I run because I can and others can’t,” Peters said. “There are so many people with different challenges in life who would do anything to do this. It’s a gift.”
Broadneck High School Principal Patrick Gelinas left the school in July, and Katherine “Katie” Smith took over the role in August. Smith graduated from Broadneck in 1997, giving her familiarity with the Bruin community. “I plan on getting in classrooms and seeing the instruction, and just working with everyone to figure out — how can we make those little improvements to reach that better report card?” Smith said, referring to her goal of Broadneck reaching the status of a five-star school. “But I have a lot to learn first. I’m not coming in and just changing everything; clearly they function really well.”
St. John the Evangelist Church renovations, which were decades in the making, were completed in August. The renovations cost millions of dollars, and were completely funded by donors. The updates included new interior design, asbestos removal, energy-efficient heating and cooling, and a new sanctuary.
For one Shipley’s Choice resident, the beginning of autumn was accompanied by a reunion with a team who helped him and his family at a crucial moment. At just 12 years old, Ethan Patty saved his grandmother’s life with CPR after she had a heart attack when they were the only two people home. About a month later, he went to the Anne Arundel Fire Department and met the fire communications operator who guided him over the phone and the engine and medic crews who came to his house to take over helping his grandmother.
“Every doctor and nurse that has read it and has seen what he was able to do with (Gowland’s) help … We know she would not have made it otherwise,” said Ethan’s mother, April Patty. “Thankful is not the word.”
The Walk the Walk Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary as a nonprofit organization in September with an event that allowed members of its community to tell stories of impact, honor the founders, recount memories and discuss the future. The foundation helps children through Christmas for Children, Backpacks for Kids and Diapers for Babies.
Community members gathered to raise money for nonprofit organization Bello Machre during Art in the Park, an event co-hosted by the Severna Park Voice and Cafe Mezzanotte. During the music and arts festival, attendees enjoyed live music, art demonstrations, vendor offerings, a gourmet picnic and a wine garden.
Severna Park High School field hockey players showed support for breast cancer patients and survivors by wearing pink hair bows, glitter and socks during varsity and JV games on October 9. For three sophomores, this was made more personal due to their mothers being breast cancer survivors. “It means a lot of people are supporting women and supporting each other in the community, as well as the research and health and wellbeing for women,” said Meridith Tetrault, breast cancer survivor and mother to field hockey player Addison Tetrault. “It makes me proud to see the girls learn and understand that at a young age.”
The Severna Park girls cross country team took first place at the state finals at Hereford High School for the fourth straight year on November 9. They weren’t the only team to put their stamp on the state athletic record books. The Falcons girls soccer team won their third straight state title
Broadneck’s volleyball team knew they had a special squad last season when they came up one game short during the state finals. This fall, they got redemption and won the championship. Fellow Bruin Ben Coe finished as the Class 4A/3A boys golf champion. After Broadneck cheerleading made some changes to their routine, the squad captured their first title in program history.
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