While heading to her office, the last thing Kristen Detwiler expected to see as she merged from northbound Route 29 onto eastbound Route 100 at 3:30 p.m. Monday, June 23, was her 7-year-old autistic son walking along the highway.

Yet, there he was, all alone, heading west against eastbound traffic.

Detwiler's son, Colin Hays, was supposed to be at Veterans Elementary School until 6 p.m. that day, where he was enrolled in a Howard County Recreation and Parks day-care program.

Although Colin is high functioning, he needs constant supervision and had a companion aide assigned to him as part of the day-care program, Detwiler said.

Despite that, Colin managed to leave the school at about 3 p.m. that day, setting off a search of the school by staff. Officials say Colin left during a moment when his aide turned away from him.

Colin told his mother that he was bored and was trying to get to their Ellicott City home.

In the wake of the incident, county officials have requested a July 16 meeting with Autism Society members, said Beth Benevides Hill, co-president of the Howard County Autism Society. Hill said she hopes to offer the society's input into the county's training protocols for companion aides, which the society has done with other county departments.

-- Sarah Daniels

Memorial scholarship honors teen who served

Peymaan "Sam" Banankhah remembers Ryan Conley as a great chess player and friend who was fun to horse around with at school, at chess club, and in the Lisbon Volunteer Fire Department.

This year, Banankhah, 17, of Glenelg, became the second person to receive a $1,000 scholarship in Ryan Conley's name from Ryan's parents Shawn, 45, and Kathy Conley, 44.

"I'm really honored that I got it. I truly am. It's really great having some reminder of Ryan with me," Banankhah said June 30.

Ryan Conley was killed Feb. 22, 2007, on his family's Mount Airy farm after the 16-year-old sledded down a 1,000-foot hill in icy conditions, fell into a ravine and struck a tree.

Shortly after the accident, the Conleys established the Ryan Conley Memorial Fund Scholarship in his name. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a high school senior at Glenelg High School who has a history of serving the community through volunteer or other work, Shawn Conley said.

The scholarship is not intended to reward students who only excel in academics although a 2.5 baseline grade point average is required. Instead it is meant to reward students who have volunteered in the community, Shawn Conley said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Trip to China a big success for BMX racer

Luke Roarty is a world traveler at age 12. The Lime Kiln Middle School student returned from China recently after competing in the 2008 Union Cycliste Internationale BMX World Championships.

Upon returning from Taiyuan, China -- southwest of Beijing -- he had time to do a few loads of laundry and rest up before heading for a regional competition in West Virginia, which he won, despite crashing in the qualifying round.

Last Wednesday, he set off for a national competition in Pittsburgh. This summer he'll also compete in events in New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and ahh, finally, Maryland, his father, Dave Roarty, said with audible relief.

Luke had a rough go in the 20-inch tire competition at the World Championships, but made up for it in the 24-inch tire "cruiser" class, finishing third in the world.

"I was very happy, I was excited, it was definitely my best race there," said Luke, who added that the two riders who finished ahead of him were also from the United States.

While Luke has a summer full of competition lined up, he is already looking forward to the 2009 UCI World Championships in Australia.

-- Andrew Conrad

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