Garland students join
Texas Litter Force

Posted December 31, 2011

The Don't Mess with Texas Litter Force visited Weaver and Bradfield Elementary Schools on November 18 to teach students about litter prevention. The program, which features superheroes and their trash foes, is sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The Litter Force has been making the rounds of elementary schools across Texas for five years to present its high energy shows and interactive battles with the Evil Trash.  Every student can become an honorary member of the force by pledging to join the fight to “Blast the Trash.”

For five years, the Litter Force has been blasting into elementary schools all across Texas. Their high-energy shows and interactive battles with the Evil Trash help make litter prevention fun. And every student can become an honorary member of the Litter Force, just by pledging to join the fight. 

 The Litter Force, a group of four superheroes, aims to excite and inspire younger children to become litter-savvy and join their team. Each character uses special powers:
 

·      "Hawk" sees litter that may be hidden or is miles away.

• "Ultra" shoots a beam from her armbands that catches the trash.
• "Bolt" hears litter as soon as it is dropped and races with amazing speed to catch it.
• "K-900" the team's half-bulldog, half-robot canine, uses his expert sense of smell to detect litter and can teleport himself anywhere to pick it up.

The Litter Force's mission is to protect Texas roadsides from a gang of trash villains. The villains are representative of the most common types of litter found on Texas highways as recorded by TxDOT in the 2005 Visible Litter Study:

·      "Ciggy Butts" - Cigarette butts make up 33% of roadside litter.

• "The Chipinator" - Fast food wrappers and snacks make up 29% of roadside litter.
• "Pop Top" - Cans and bottles make up 11% of roadside litter.

• "Micro-litter" - like ketchup packets, straws and candy wrappers are also a problem. These are represented by Der Packet, Spit Wad, and Madam Gum

With more than 24 million people living in our great state and more moving in every day, there’s always work to be done in the fight against littering.

Photo:  Students at Weaver Elementary School enjoy the Texas Litter Force program.

GISD bus drivers collect food for Garland families

Kim Everett | December 24, 2011

Bus drivers at the Garland Independent School District’s Transportation Department teamed up with Good Samaritans of Garland to provide more than 6,000 pounds of food for Garland area families this holiday season.  Good Samaritans Executive Director Jim Griffin, who is also a GISD bus driver, approached the district’s Director of Transportation Brian Abbett in October with an idea about how the drivers could help Garland families.  Abbett agreed and they got busy.

The food drive was kicked off at the bus drivers’ November 29 safety meeting, when flyers requesting food donations were distributed.  The drivers gave the information to their student riders who passed it along to their parents.  Abbett sweetened the pot by offering a paid day off for the driver that collected the most food per route. 

GISD drivers transport approximately 15,000 kids per day who, with the help of their parents, donated more than 7,400 items.

Transportation Department office staff, along with several drivers, assisted by checking the expiration dates of the food, sorting, and boxing the food for delivery to Good Samaritans.

Griffin was impressed by the generosity of the drivers, staff, students, and parents.  “We have a bunch of great people here.  And these parents trust us with their most valuable possession,” he said.

NFHS LIGHT Brigade spreads holiday cheer

Kim Everett | December 13, 2011

The Naaman Forest High School Living Intervention and Guidance for Healthier Teens organization has been busy this holiday season.  The LIGHT Brigade’s main goal is to help prevent drug/alcohol abuse by young people, but the members also strive to be a positive influence – not only at school, but in the community as well.

To reach that goal members have been out in force this holiday season, and several groups have been the beneficiaries of their acts of kindness. 

Last week, they met at the Alternative Education Center to wrap gifts that the Noon Exchange Club of Garland had collected for needy children.  In addition, they had a shopping event during which they purchased household items for a family whose Habitat for Humanity home was dedicated on Saturday, December 10.  Members Joy Williams and Raven Myers, along with the organization’s sponsor, Vivian Johnson, attended the dedication ceremony and delivered the gifts to the family. 

Also on Saturday, Johnson and nine group members took gifts and snacks to the residents at the Autumn Leaves Retirement Home and entertained them with Christmas carols.  Students who attended the Autumn Leaves event include:  Kelsie Booker; Tiffany Lowe; Maya Minor; Joy Williams; Raven Myers; Astrid Hernandez; Gabby Reed; Julian Hayes; and Lynn Phan.

Autumn Leaves Activities Director Debbie Jarrett expressed gratitude for all the NFHS Light Brigade members do.  “The residents love children, and it’s so special for them to come and visit, especially at Christmas time,” she said.  “It means a lot.”

Johnson is proud of the work the club members do and she is dedicated to the organization’s success.  The LIGHT Brigade program is open to all high school students, and the members enjoy the group for a variety of reasons.  They like the feeling they get by making a difference in the lives of others and all are dedicated to its mission. 

NFHS history teacher
serves on national council

Kim Everett | November 27, 2011

History teacher Terry Cherry began his teaching career with the Garland Independent School District in 1995 at Memorial Preparatory, and he moved to Naaman Forest High School three years ago.  In addition to teaching eleventh grade U. S. history, he serves on the board of directors for the National Council for Social Studies.

Memorial Prep was a GISD school for kids at academic risk and his classes were much smaller than the classes at NFHS.  “There is more faculty at Naaman than there was student body at Memorial,” he said.  At Memorial, Cherry taught U.S. history starting with 1607 to the Reconstruction.  At NFHS he teaches U.S. history, covering the Reconstruction to current times, to approximately 170 students.

Cherry originally wanted to be a disc jockey and pursued that career early on, but his circumstances changed, and he decided to get a degree in history.  He chose history because it’s what he enjoys.  “I’m not a historian,” he said.  I’m just a guy who likes history and I like to teach it.”

“It’s important to know where we came from,” Cherry said.  “How did we [the United States] go from the little 13 colonies in less than 200 years to a world power?”  He believes that the key to getting students interested in history is to find a way to relate it to things that are happening today.

Cherry sees a lot of attention going toward math and science programs but said that most kids aren’t going to be scientists and mathematicians.  “All of my students are citizens, though, and hopefully they will be participating, voting citizens,” he said.  “I don’t care how much money we put in science and math, but we need to also put it into social studies because we are teaching citizens.” 

Through his participation on the Board of Directors of the National Council for Social Studies, Cherry gets to be involved in bringing more attention to the subject at the national level.  He was elected to the board in July after being involved on both the local and state levels for more than 10 years.  He served as president of the Texas Council for Social Studies before becoming a member of the Resolutions Committee on the national council, then joining the board of directors. 

The national council helps spread the word about the importance of social studies.  “We’ve got to get Congress to realize that we are teaching citizens about what they do in Congress,” he said.

The council promotes social studies in a number of ways which include lobbying Congress, holding national conferences, supporting social studies teachers, and conducting training seminars.  In addition, they are currently working to create a National Honors Society for Social Studies.

Cherry said that social studies is not part of the state mandated elementary school level TAKS testing, and that a goal of the council is to have social studies be as respected and well-funded as science, math, and reading programs.  It is one of the core subjects in Texas schools, but he would like to see it get as much support and attention as math, science, and reading.

“Again, not all students will excel in math or science, but every one of them is a citizen and we teach that in social studies,” he said.  “It needs to be remembered that we are just as important.”

Jackson MS hosts multicultural event

Kim Everett | November 21, 2011 -- Photos by Laurinda Falk

The Garland Independent School District’s Jackson Technology Center for Math and Science hosted the fifth annual Multicultural Night on Monday, November 7.  The event was a time for parents, faculty, and students to come together and share their differences, as well as things they have in common.  The theme was "Proud to Be an American." 

According to photographer Laurinda Falk, it was a great evening with lots of families, food, and music.  GISD’s mariachi band performed, as well as the Jackson Middle School jazz band.  “It was a lovely evening,” she said.

NFHS Rachel’s Challenge
group reaches out to children

Kim Everett | November 19, 2011

Kids from Jonathan’s Place, a Garland children’s shelter, were the happy beneficiaries of a recent community service project.  The Naaman Forest High School Rachel’s Challenge group treated the kids to a trip to Build-A-Bear where each got the bear of their choice.  The next week, the Jonathan’s Place kids enjoyed lunch at Campisi’s and a shopping Spree at Nordstrom’s Rack, compliments of the Rachel’s Challenge organization.

Since September, the group has been busy with several additional community service projects including an Eastside Shopping Center Trick or Treat event and a fundraising project for a children’s cancer organization. 

“Our NFHS Rachel’s Challenge student members have opportunities to help our community and work diligently at what they have come to love doing,” Lutitia Featherston, the NFHS Rachels’ Challenge sponsor, said. “At Naaman, we are creating an environment of caring, outreach, philanthropy, community, and an unbreakable family bond.”

The group also worked tirelessly for a girl named Six Paige Minatrea who was in need of a bone marrow transplant.  The students held many events to raise funds to help with the medical bills, and the transplant was performed in July.  Sadly, Six passed away in October.

The public can help with the group’s outreach by dropping off new, unwrapped toys at the school for the WFAA’s Santa’s Helpers Toy Drive.  The toys will be distributed to needy families across North Texas.

The school that collects the most toys by December 12 will be featured in a live newscast with Pete Delkus on December 14 at Victory Park.

Posted March 20, 2011

Garland Football: A Century of Championship Competition, a book about the history of the Garland Owls, was published in early February and chronicles the football program from the early 1900s thru 2009.

GISD students excel at ACT-SO competition

Posted July 31, 2011

The Garland NAACP Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, Scientific Olympics program was well-represented by Ceon Rumphs of Garland High School, Shelmon Smith of North Garland High School and Adeyemi Adewuyi of Plano East High School at the 2011 ACT-SO Competition held in Los Angeles, California July 20-25.

Ceon won two gold medals in the areas of instrumental classical and instrumental contemporary during the Garland local competition held on the Richland College campus in April.  Shelmon won a gold medal during the local competition and competed at the national level in vocal contemporary.

Adeyemi won two gold medals in the areas of physics and oratory during the local competition and competed in these areas in Los Angeles. All of these young men competed well, were strong competitors and received favorable evaluations from the judges.

Adeyemi also won a bronze medal for his physics project, “Modeling a Magnetically Targeted Drug Delivery System,” which entitled him to a laptop computer and a $1,500.00 scholarship.

The ACT-SO program was founded by Vernon Jarrett, an African American journalist, more than 30 years ago. Jarrett wanted to develop a program for gifted and talented youth who could excel academically and win the same types of accolades and recognition as gifted athletes. The program consists of more than 25 categories ranging from the humanities, to visual and performing arts, sciences and entrepreneurship.

Students who score 95 or more points in the local competition win the gold medal which entitles them to compete during the national competition which is held prior to the NAACP national convention.

More than 600 high school youth from all over the United States participated in this year’s program. Garland ACT-SO was one of six Texas ACT-SO programs competing in Los Angeles. ACT-SO programs in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Garland brought a total of 12 medals, 12 laptops and in excess of $22,000.00 in scholarships back to Texas.

Hyundai donated $40,000 to ACT-SO and added $500.00 to the scholarship package for each gold medalist who is a graduating senior this year.

Recruitment for Garland’s 2012 program is underway. High school students who would like to participate in this program should contact Dr. Joyce Miller at jekmiller@verizon.net or 972-345-5386. Individuals and corporations may join Awards to Go, State Farm, Dee Dee Bates, CEO, and Wal-Mart in serving as donors for this program by contacting Dr. Miller.

Garland ISD students receive National Merit Scholarships

Posted July 23, 2011

This final group of 2011 National Merit Scholars winners brings the total to approximately 8,300. These distinguished high school graduates will receive scholarships for undergraduate study worth a total of nearly $35 million. In addition to college-sponsored awards, two other types of National Merit Scholarships were offered—2,500 National Merit® $2500 Scholarships for which all finalists competed and over 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who met criteria specified by their grantor organizations.

2011 National Merit Scholarship competition – This year’s competition for National Merit Scholarships began when approximately 1.5 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools took the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test which served as an initial screen of program entrants. In September 2009, some 16,000 semifinalists were named on a state representational basis, in numbers proportional to each state’s percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors. Semifinalists were the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of a state’s seniors.

To become a finalist, each semifinalist had to submit a detailed scholarship application, which included writing an essay and describing contributions and leadership activities in high school and the community, have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and earn SAT scores that confirm the qualifying test performance. From the semifinalist group, about 15,000 were chosen as finalists, and more than half of the finalists were chosen to receive National Merit Scholarships.

Established in 1955 to conduct the National Merit Scholarship Program is a not-for-profit corporation that operates without government assistance. Over the past 56 years, more than 284,000 outstanding young men and women have won National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $1 billion. The majority of awards offered each year are underwritten by approximately 440 independent corporate and college sponsors that support NMSC’s efforts to recognize scholastically talented youth and encourage the pursuit of academic excellence.

GILES K. CIZEK:  Naaman Forest High School – Probable career field: Architecture

National Merit University of Oklahoma Scholarship – Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting research university serving the educational, cultural, economic, and health care needs of the state, region, and nation. OU provides comprehensive learning experiences in more than 300 majors at the baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and professional levels.

EHREN J. MURRAY:  North Garland High School – Probable career field: Electrical Engineering

National Merit Rice University Scholarship – Rice University is a non-sectarian, privately endowed, coeducational institution in Houston. Majors are offered in humanities, music, social sciences, architecture, business administration, science, and engineering.

Garland student takes second place at international debate

Posted July 16, 2011

Manar Haseeb of Garland and Randall Oliver of Lindale teamed up to win second place at the Four Star Debate leadership and debate program on Thursday, July 14. Two teams of students competed in debating whether the 50 states in America should adopt a system of school choice for private and public primary and secondary schools.

Haseeb and Oliver each received a $1,000 scholarship.

Guest judges for the final debate include two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michele Smith, Peggy Pepper Wilkinson, Chris Burke, Mayu Takeda and Matthew Carswell.

“The final debate was a lively and informative session that showcased the skills and knowledge these students have learned throughout the program,” said Dr. John Goodman, NCPA president and final event moderator. “I’m optimistic that all the students will go on to be the strong leaders and thinkers we need for the future.”

“We are elated to see Four Star Debate continue to grow a national and international reputation,” said Dr. Mike O’Neal, president of Oklahoma Christian University. “Watching these very gifted young people from all over the U.S. and Jordan engaging in stimulating yet civil debate was entertaining and educational.”

Students received training from high-profile academic experts, NCPA professional policy analysts, debate coaches and university debate students.  Leadership development and communications training was provided by OC's nationally recognized faculty, staff, and academy contributors.

The highlights of the week included learning invaluable lessons on leadership from Franks, the four-star general who commanded American and coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a surprise visit from King Abdullah II of Jordan.

For more information, visit http://fourstardebate.ncpa.org.

Photo:  (l-r) Randall Oliver, Sydney Hayes, Dr. John Goodman, Manar Haseeb, Gen. Tommy Franks, Noor Masannat, Dr. Mike O'Neal, Amos Chapman and Edward Hoffman. Debate and award winners from the Four Star Debate program stand with Dr. John Goodman, NCPA president, Gen. Tommy Franks, U.S. four-star general and Dr. Mike O'Neal, OC president, after the final event on Thursday at Oklahoma Christian University.

Rachel’s Challenge members help family in need

Kim Everett | July 13, 2011

Dine4Six, a fundraising event to help 14-year-old Six Paige Minatrea and her family was held at Eastside in Richardson on Friday, July 8.  Six was diagnosed with aplastic anemia at the age of 4, and her platelets began dropping to dangerous levels last summer.  She has been receiving blood transfusions every two weeks and will go to Children's Hospital this week to have a port installed.  Six will then receive 10 days of chemotherapy after which she will receive a transplant. 

The fundraiser was organized by Naaman Forest High School teacher and Rachel’s Challenge sponsor Lutitia Featherston, along with Barbara Gatti, the marketing person for Eastside.  Six's mom, Melissa Burford Minatrea, her grandmother, mom’s friend Kevin, Gatti, and Featherston visited area restaurants, hotels, and other businesses to obtain donations of gift cards and/or services.  More than 1,000 items were collected for the raffle and auction. 

Along with the raffle and auction by Louis Murad, five restaurants donated a portion of their proceeds on event night.  Team Six bracelets were available, and a Carter Blood Donation Bus was on site that gave Six a pint of blood for every pint donated.  

John McCaa, WFAA Channel 8 news anchor, was on-hand to help with the event even though it was his week off.  "The students at Naaman Forest, as a matter of fact everybody involved in the fundraiser, continue to stun me," McCaa said.  "That so many people would gather to help someone they barely know during a difficult time brings tears to my eyes.. It should be encouraging to every parent in Garland that there are young people like this who call that city home and that they have a coordinator like Ms. Featherston to work with them."

The NFHS Rachel's Challenge organization had 20 students participating, and four Garland High School Rachel's Challenge volunteers were there as well.

More than $6,000 and 30 units of blood were collected for Six.  Her father’s name is Chris Minatrea, and she has a 20-year-old sister, Brianna; an 18-year old sister, Kristen; and a 1-year-old niece, Brooklynn.  She lives with her mom in McKinney and is a high school freshman.

LCHS teacher attends knowledge-enhancing program

Posted July 12, 2011

A Garland teacher recently joined outstanding teachers from across the state at “Shaping the American Republic to 1877,” an institute sponsored by Humanities Texas and the Center for Texas Studies at Texas Christian University.

“The institute enhanced my knowledge of the founding of our country,” said Julie L. Hershenberg, who teaches government and political science at Lakeview Centennial High School.

“Shaping the American Republic to 1877” drew more than 40 teachers to the TCU campus in Fort Worth for four days of dynamic lectures and inspiring small-group workshops.

The Fort Worth institute faculty featured Cynthia Kierner of George Mason University, who delivered the keynote address, State Historian Light T. Cummins, and Daniel Feller of the University of Tennessee, who is editor and director of The Papers of Andrew Jackson. Several TCU scholars, including Mary L. Volcansek and Gene Smith, also served on the institute faculty.

Charles Flanagan, director of educational programs at the National Archives and Stacy Fuller, director of education at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, provided teachers with facsimiles of historic documents and works of art that support the teaching of U.S. history and government.

The program was one in a series of six summer institutes held throughout June at major Texas universities. Other participating institutions included The University of Texas at El Paso, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M International University, The University of Houston, and The University of Texas at Austin.

“Humanities Texas was pleased to co-sponsor ‘Shaping the American Republic to 1877,’” said Executive Director Michael L. Gillette. “Giving talented teachers like Ms. Hershenberg the opportunity to interact with their peers and leading scholars will enable them to engage students with exciting new perspectives on our nation’s history.”

“Shaping the American Republic to 1877” was made possible with support from the State of Texas as well as from the National Endowment for the Humanities We the People initiative.

Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, sponsors programs promoting heritage, culture, and education throughout the state.

For more information about Humanities Texas’s programs, visit http://www.humanitiestexas.org.

 GISD Harp Ensemble performs at
American Harp Society Summer Institute

Posted July 6, 2011

Recently the Garland Independent School District Harp Ensemble performed at the American Harp Society Summer Institute in Denton.  Sixteen GISD harpists consisting of students from elementary through high school played a 20-minute program at the institute attended by over 500 other harpists from all over the United States. Several of the harpists in attendance at the institute were composers of the original works that the GISD ensemble performed. The American Harp Society aims to help cultivate among its members and the general public the appreciation of the harp through quality workshops and performances.

The GISD Harp Ensemble is comprised of students from Hillside Academy, Kimberlin Academy, Austin Academy, Garland High School and Rowlett High School. Harpist, Alison Read is the music enrichment teacher for the ensemble.  These harpists are members of the GISD orchestra programs complimenting each of their respective school’s orchestras. 

Created three years ago, the GISD Harp Ensemble has performed for other prestigious events such as the Texas Music Educators Association Convention 2011 in San Antonio and the Texas Arts in Education Day 2009 at the State Capitol in Austin. The ensemble and individual harpists are available for concerts and events throughout the school year.

For information email Judy Pruitt, GISD Harp Ensemble Director, at JCPruitt@garlandisd.net.

Garland students honored at SkillsUSA championships

Posted July 2, 2011

Students from Texas high schools and college technical education programs won the nation's highest awards at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. Industry leaders representing more than 1,100 businesses, corporations, trade associations and, unions recognized the students for their demonstrated excellence in 94 hands-on occupational and leadership contests, such as robotics, criminal justice, aviation maintenance, and public speaking. The SkillsUSA championships have been a premier event since 1967.

Top student winners received gold, silver, and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and/or scholarships to further their careers and education.  The SkillsUSA championships event is for high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA.

For the fifth year, high scorers in the contests received Skill Point Certificates.  The Skill Point Certificate was awarded in 86 occupational and leadership areas to students who achieved a high score defined by industry. The Skill Point Certificates were introduced in 2007 as a component of the SkillsUSA Work Force Ready System.

The following Garland students received Skill Point Certificates:

* Claudia Collazo, South Garland High School, was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Job Skill Demonstration Open.

* Team U consisting of Hayle Shipley, Courtney Shaw from Lakeview Centennial High School was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Crime Scene Investigation.

* Team N consisting of Amanda Boyd, Nicholas Foster, Ashley Walker, Lincoln Mondy, Katherine Willis, and Rebecca Ojini from Lakeview Centennial High School was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Chapter Business Procedure.

* Team U consisting of Aaron Winton from Lakeview Centennial High School was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Crime Scene Investigation.

"Over 5,600 students from every state in the nation came to compete in the SkillsUSA Championships this week," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Tim Lawrence. "This is the SkillsUSA partnership at its best. Students, instructors and industries are working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce and every student excels. These students prove that career and technical education expands opportunities."

According to Lawrence, recent survey data says that 75 percent of these students will go on to higher education. Included in that number are 40 percent who will be attending college and working at the same time. Of those graduating from school, 76 percent plan to work in the field for which they've trained.

Industry support of the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at over $35 million in donated time, equipment, cash and material. All contests are run and judged by industry experts using industry standards for employment. Contests assess hands-on, employability and academic skills. Over 1,700 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.

Visit www.workforcereadysystem.com and www.skillsusa.org for more information.

NFHS cheerleaders excel at camp

Posted June 25, 2011

The Naaman Forest High School cheer squads attended NCA Cheer Camp at SMU June 4-7.

The varsity cheerleaders came away with a sweep by winning both Top Team and Champion Chant awards.  They also won the Herkie award and Spirit Stick, and an All-squad, All-American nomination. 

The following girls were All-American winners: Maddie Wilson; Brittney Leonard; Reagan Elam; Kayla Thomas; and Makenzie Braak.

Kenzie Martin, the NFHS mascot, won Most-Improved Mascot and All-American awards.

The junior varsity squad received Spirit Stick, and the following girls won All-American: Kristin Larson; Lauren Nicol; Sarah Walker; Kelsey Bates; and Sierra Preston.

 The freshman cheerleaders received Game Day Top Team, the Herkie award, Spirit Stick, and an All-squad All-American nomination.

All American winners were:  Victoria Madrid and Brianna Hinson.

GHS students excel at national competition

Posted June 22, 2011

Bryan Wilcox, president of the Garland High School speech and debate team recently placed 14^th in the nation in Original Oratory at the National Forensic League Nationals.  Also from GHS, Leanza Bethel was a semifinalist in Prose Interpretation at the competition.  The students are coached by Lory and Derek Stewart and Erin Martins. 

In addition, Michael Bass was recently named UIL 5A Lincoln-Douglas Debate Champion and Derrick Rice was a bronze medalist in Persuasive Extemporaneous Speaking.  The GHS team placed second at the UIL 5A state meet.

NFHS band performs at Walt Disney World Resort

Posted June 18, 2011

The Naaman Forest High School band members became stars of their own Disney show on April 18 when they entertained resort visitors. They traveled from Garland to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to take part in a Disney Performing Arts Program.

Dance groups, choirs, ensembles and marching bands from around the world apply to perform each year as part of Disney Performing Arts at both the Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resorts. Once selected, they are given the opportunity to perform at the resort for an international audience of theme park guests. Millions of performers have graced the stages of the Disney Parks in the more than 25 year history of the program.

Disney Performing Arts offers band, choral, dance and auxiliary performers the opportunity to learn, perform and compete at the resort.  For more information, visit www.DisneyPerformingArts.com.

About the Disney Performing Arts Program

Disney Performing Arts Workshops, available at Disneyland(r) Resort and Walt Disney World(r) Resort, are an exciting way to sharpen performance skills by exposing groups to different teaching styles, interpretations, and instructional techniques, taught by Disney professionals.  Festival Disney, at the Walt Disney World Resort, is an exhilarating Disney-produced music festival where middle, junior, and senior high school choirs, bands, orchestras, and auxiliary ensembles compete for top awards on select weekends from March through May.

NFHS student receives US Achievement Academy recognition

Kim Everett | June 11, 2011

Naaman Forest High School graduate Maegan Vines was recently recognized by the United States Achievement Academy.  Her knowledge of science and leadership skills, along with her status as an honor student, were cited as reasons for her nomination for this honor by NFHS Coach Julius Glossen.

Maegan will appear in the academy’s annual yearbook.  “Recognizing and supporting our youth is more important than ever before in America’s history.  Certainly, United States Achievement Academy students should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to excellence and achievement,” Dr. George Stevens, the academy’s founder, said.

The academy recognizes students upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors, and other qualified sponsors and upon the Standards for Selection set forth by the academy.  The standards include academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, attitude and cooperative spirit, dependability, and recommendation from a qualified sponsor.

This honor qualifies Maegan to apply for one of 400 scholarship cash grants awarded each year by the academy and the $10,000 Dr. George A. Stevens Founders Award.

She will attend the University of Arkansas in the fall where she will study to become a registered nurse.

Maegan is the daughter of Tim and Patti Vines, and she has an older brother, Danny.  She is the granddaughter of Billy Joe and Jettie Vines of Garland and Roy and Bea McGinnis of Irving.

“We are very proud of Maegan and her accomplishments.  She was very fortunate to have outstanding teachers throughout her school days from Abbett Elementary to Webb Middle School and then Naaman Forest High School," Tim and Patti Vines said.  "She is a dedicated young lady and good friend to many."

GHS student receives award from Baptist General Convention

Posted June 4, 2011

The Baptist General Convention of Texas awarded the Ellen Battles Award to Shawnnice Davis, Garland High School graduate.  Dickie Dunn, Specialist, Discipleship/ Administration/Church Growth of the Baptist General Convention of Texas personally presented the award to Shawnnice at Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, where she is a member of the Bible Drill Team.  

“This is a new award we created to honor Mrs. Ellen Battles, an employee of Baptist General Convention who recently retired after a 30-year career with us. The award is special because it honors her commitment to youth and the Bible Drill program”, said Mr. Dunn.  “Shawnnice was one of only 10 students in the entire state of Texas to receive this prestigious award because of her participation in the program for nine consecutive years.”

Shawnnice completed her final year in the program last month. Over the nine year period, she participated in each respective category (children, youth and senior high) and even won the State Bible, which is the top award for the program.  Mr. Dunn said, “Starting in 4^th grade and going all the way to 12^th grade, Shawnnice has probably memorized nearly 600 scriptures and passages from the Bible, which is a major feat. We are thrilled to recognize her for this latest accomplishment.”

Shawnnice is the daughter of Darry and Shawnda Davis, members of Mount Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, Leonard O. Leach, Senior Pastor.  At Garland High School her activities included future teacher internship, fashion and design, and the Texas Association of Future Educators club. In the community she has been active in the Garland NAACP Youth Council and the Higher Ground Leadership Camp.   Her future plans are to attend college in Texas.  

Bible Drill is a program administered and sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Texas to help youth increase their knowledge of the Bible by memorizing the books of the Bible and key passages.  Mount Hebron has had a Bible Drill team for more than 20 years. The 2011 team received recognition at the church, region, and state BGCT tournaments held this year.  Shawnnice is the first team member of Mount Hebron to receive the Ellen Battles Award.

NFHS Rachel’s Challenge makes a positive difference

Posted June 2, 2011

The Rachel’s Challenge club at Naaman Forest High School had a busy school year, and their efforts will continue through the summer. 

Rachel Scott, who was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, is the inspiration for the groups in schools all over the country.  The six diaries that she left, along with her kindness and compassion, are the foundation of the program. 

The organization’s mission is “to inspire, equip, and empower every person to create a permanent positive culture change in their school, business, and community by starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.”

NFHS students have taken the mission to heart and are making a difference in lots of lives.  They volunteer at Jonathon’s Place in Garland to help abused children.  This school year, their monthly visits with the kids included taking them to Build-A-Bear where they each got to choose a bear; on a shopping spree at Nordstrom’s Rack; completing the MagiQuest at Wolfe Lodge; eating out at Campisi’s (where the Campisi family opened their kitchen for the kids to make their own pizzas) and Medieval Times; and more.  They also made sure that the kids received Christmas gifts complete with Santa.

On Thursday, May 5, the students attended Rachel’s Rally in Frisco where they won an award for being the most involved high school alongside a McKinney elementary school.  Also at the rally, Natalie Vinsey, an NFHS student whose father died three years ago and her mother passed away in December, was treated to a surprise that was proof-positive that acts of kindness and compassion do change lives. 

Speech and graphic design teacher at NFHS, Lutitia Featherston, who had helped Vinsey find grant money for college, put the word out that Vinsey needed a dependable car, and then things seemed to fall into place.  Ava Skipworth of Mazda of Mesquite, along with WFAA’s Meagan Harris and the Rachel’s Challenge Organization, got to work and Vinsey was presented with a pre-owned Mazda 626 at the rally.  “God made it all happen,” Featherston said.  “That’s the only true way to explain the amazing things we’ve been able to do.”

In addition, with the help of NFHS speech and debate teacher Rhonda Martin, fellow students and staff at Naaman collected more than $1,000 for Vinsey after her mom died and since. Natalie’s speech and debate team ended the year by helping her furnish her dorm room with all of the necessities.

The members of the NFHS Rachel’s Challenge group are quick to give credit to Featherston, who is the group’s sponsor.  In addition to Vinsey, she has helped many students find funding to continue their education.  As the Rachel’s Challenge sponsor, Featherston is involved in all the group’s activities and works tirelessly for the cause. The students describe her as having “a heart of gold,” and said that she is an inspiration to them.

Featherston, who managed to put herself through college while raising a child alone, understands the difficulties that young people face and is eager to help them in any way possible.  She said that she loves the feeling she gets when helping others.

There are 52 members in the Rachel’s Challenge group at NFHS, and they described it as being part of a family.  They also said that it is life-changing and they love being a part of something that they feel so good about.

These members, along with a few other schools’ Rachel’s Challenge members and sponsors, are currently helping a 14-year-old McKinney girl named Six Paige Minatrea who suffers from a serious medical condition, a-plastic anemia, which requires a bone marrow transplant.  The group is raising money to help her family with the considerable amount of expenses not covered by insurance.  They will hold several fundraisers, and they hope to collect more than $10,000. 

***Join NFHS and other area Rachel’s Challenge groups on July 8th at Eastside Centre, Richardson, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. for a benefit for Six Paige Minatrea – Dine4Six.  There will be free activities for everyone, giveaways, a raffle, and live auction.  WFAA’s John McCaa will make a special appearance as well.  Raffle tickets are $5 and you need not be present to win. Along with this, a Facebook group, Team Six, has been set up to follow Six’s journey.  Donations for her medical costs can be made through Paypal with email, Dine4Six@yahoo.com.

Daugherty ES raising funds for marquee

Kim Everett | May 31, 2011

Garland’s Daugherty Elementary School hosted its first carnival in 20 years on Friday, May 27, and a good time was had by all.  There was plenty of good food, face painting, games, a cake walk, and more for students and their families.

The PTA is raising money to purchase a marquee for the new school that is scheduled to be constructed on the property in the next year or two.  Built in the early 1950s, Daugherty ES is outdated and bursting at the seams, so students and teachers are excited about getting a new building.  Although it will be a hardship for the short term when both teachers and students will be assigned to other schools for a year, the end result will be worth it.

According to Julie Baruch, kindergarten teacher and PTA president, this is the first time that a Garland Independent School District school has been torn down and rebuilt on the same site. 

The funds set aside for the rebuild will not cover the cost of the sign, which will be $8,000 to $10,000.  Yvetta Morales, incoming PTA president for the 2011-12 school year, said that they have already held a silent auction and will continue to hold fundraisers for the marquee.

Baruch, who has taught at Daugherty for four years, said that they are fortunate to have great parent support.  “All you have to do is ask the parents, and they’re here,” she said.

Fourth grade teachers Vivian Estridge and Raquel Ortiz said that Baruch is responsible for many of the positive things going on at Daugherty.  “All the credit goes to her…She works so hard,” Estridge said.

NFHS student qualifies for national speech tournament

Rhonda Martin, NFHS teacher | June 1, 2011

When most people hear someone say NFL, they think of football.  For a speech/debate competitor, NFL means something different.  The National Forensic League is an honor society created to recognize high school students in speech and debate.  To earn membership, one must compete in such events as Debate, Extemporaneous Speaking, Original Oratory, Dramatic Interpretation, Humorous Interpretation, or Duet Acting.  The more the students participate, their point totals will achieve levels qualifying them for advanced degrees of Honor, Excellence, Distinction, Special Distinction, Superior Distinction, Outstanding Distinction, and Premier Distinction.

Among some distinguished alumni of this organization are Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, Vice-President Hubert Humphrey, Ted Turner – founder and CEO of CNN, Oprah Winfrey –  television host and philanthropist, Jane Pauley – news anchor and television host , Kelsey Grammer – Emmy award-winning actor,  and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

Since 1925, more than 1.3 million students have found their voice in the NFL. Currently more than 12,000 high school students and 5,000 coach educators are active members of the organization.  According to research, NFL membership is an asset for college admissions essays and applications.

The group’s vision is that every child in the United States will be empowered to become an effective communicator, ethical individual, critical thinker, and leader in a democratic society.

For Naaman Forest High School junior, Alexa Thomas, this vision is especially true.  On March 5, she accomplished what only two other NFHS students have ever achieved by qualifying for the National Speech Tournament.

Alexa will have the opportunity to compete against the best in the nation on June 13-17 at the Sheraton in downtown Dallas.  She will compete in Dramatic Interpretation along with more than 100 other students.

“To qualify for nationals is a great honor and something I worked very hard for.  I am looking forward to the upcoming competition and will do my best to advance as far as I possibly can,” Alexa said.  Top students take home more than $200,000 in scholarships each year at the tournament.

As a dedicated member of the NFHS Speech/Debate Team for the past two years, she earned the NFL Degree of Distinction, the highest degree held by a Naaman Forest student this year.  She is currently co-vice-president of the award-winning organization and will serve as president next year.

Alexa competed at 11 tournaments where she won a total of eight first place trophies this year.  Along with qualifying for the National Speech Tournament, she qualified for the Texas Forensic Association State competition.
 

“The entire team is extremely proud that Alexa has done so well this year.  She has truly earned all the accolades she has received this year because she works extra hard to perfect her talents,” current Speech/Debate president, Audrey Mercado said.

New Swingsters selected

Posted May 21, 2011

Sachse High School recently held tryouts for next year’s Swingsters Drill Team.  The new Sachse Swingsters for the 2010–11 school year are: Hayley Bannister, Baylee Brake, Tessa Brown, Savannah Capehart, Megan DaSilva, Bria Devine, Lauryn Forrestor, Megan Hall, Kendrea Harris, Carlie Hughes, Nina Leger, Katelyn McRae, Holly Medlin, Daniela Pineros, Chelsea Shaw, Maryelle Stephenson, Kailey Stout, Ivy Szafran, and Raven Williams

The top scorers during the tryouts were, in order, Maryelle Stephenson, Kayla Morrow, Leah Mesfin, and Isabella Muller.  The Swingsters are led by Director Brittany Shaver.

For more about the drill team, visit www.sachseswingsters.org.

Kim Everett | May 14, 2011

One of only 35 high school seniors out of an applicant pool of more than 8,000, Garland High School senior Mehdi Hami has been named a President’s Scholar at Southern Methodist University.  As a President’s Scholar he will receive full tuition and fees for four years of undergraduate study, along with tuition and transportation to study in one of the university’s international programs.

Hami is looking forward to the variety of classes offered at SMU as well as studying abroad in Spain in his junior or senior year.  He will major in biochemistry and international studies, and possibly, a third major. 

“I feel very honored and blessed to have a chance to attend a great school like SMU without the financial burden that comes with any college education,” Hami said. “I never dreamed of attending a private university, but this amazing scholarship has given me the opportunity of a lifetime.

Hami has been in the Garland Independent School District for his entire school career, attending Club Hill Elementary School, the Classical Center at Vile Elementary School, the Classical Center at Brandenburg Middle School, and GHS.

In addition to the President’s Scholar award, he also received a Campus Community Award which will pay for housing and meal plans.

SMU is a private university in Dallas with an approximate enrollment of 11,000 students and faculty of more than 600.

Posted May 11, 2011

Students from both Naaman Forest and Garland High Schools participated in a recent Teens in the Driver Seat, and both were named TDS Cup Outstanding schools.  To see the complete list of 2010-11 Teens in the Driver Seat Cup Winners and Outstanding schools, visit http://www.t-driver.com/tds-cup-winners/.

The following information about major driving dangers for teens was taken from the above website.  Visit the website above for complete information.

Nighttime driving:   Driving at night is the single biggest risk factor for teen car crash fatalities.  In 2009, 17 percent of teenagers’ fatalities occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight, and 26 percent occurred between midnight and 6 a.m.

Distractions:  There are three main types of distraction:  (www.distraction.gov)   Visual — taking your eyes off the road, manual — taking your hands off the wheel, cognitive — taking your mind off what you’re doing.

The under-20 age group represents the greatest proportion of distracted drivers – 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving.  (NHTSA)

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.  (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

In addition, more fatal teen crashes occur when passengers (often other teens) are in the car.  (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Speeding:  Teens do not consider driving 5 or 10 miles above the speed limit to be dangerous. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)  Among male drivers between 15 and 20 years of age who were involved in fatal crashes in 2008, 37% were speeding at the time of the crash.  (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Not wearing a seat belt:  Seat belts save over 13,000 lives every year.  (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)  However, seat belt use continues to be lowest with 16- to 24-year-olds.  (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Driving under the influence of alcohol:  In 2009, 16- to 20-year-old age drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher were involved in 19 percent of all fatal crashes.  (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Additionally, during the past month (30 days), 26.4% of underage persons (ages 12-20) used alcohol, and binge drinking among the same age group was 17.4%.  (SADD)

GISD partners with warren center

Posted May 2, 2011

The warren center announced a joining of services with the Garland Independent School District Early Childhood Intervention program that will double the total number of children birth to three served by the center from 350 to 700. 

Due to the expected cuts in state funding for education, GISD requested the release of administration of their ECI contract from the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services who requested that the warren center assume those duties and operate under the warren center name effective June 30.

Early Childhood Intervention serves babies and toddlers who have developmental delays by providing therapy at home, at daycare, or at the warren center in Richardson.  Therapies strive to improve motor skills, speech, feeding, cognition, social skills, and sensory difficulties, including vision and hearing, by designing a plan for each child’s needs.  Families in the program will see a minimal change in services during the transition.

Kay Hopper, executive director, will remain at the helm of the expanded organization and said, “This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to provide quality services to the children and families in the Garland ISD.”  Ms. Hopper credits the Garland program director, Janet Centola, with developing and maintaining a high quality program for the Garland children. The warren center staff serving the Garland ISD families will retain their same offices at 2625 Anita Drive in Garland.

The warren center was established in 1968 and has operated under various names, most recently the Richardson Development Center for Children.  Today, their ECI service area extends north to the Collin County line, west to the tollway, south to Baylor Hospital and now east to Rowlett and Wylie.  In addition to ECI, other programs offered are Rollercoaster Kids and Family Outreach and Support. 

Rollercoaster Kids serves children from all over the Metroplex ages 3 through 16 in individual or group therapy for a wide variety of services such as speech, occupational, and feeding and social communication. Services are offered at the warren center headquarters in Richardson.  Family Outreach and Support is a resource for families with children with developmental differences and helps them find resources and become advocates for their children.

The warren center is a non-profit organization governed by a voluntary board of trustees and is funded by the state of Texas, United Way, insurance, family fees, foundations, and corporate and individual gifts.

For more information, please call 972-490-9055 or visit www.thewarrencenter.org.

NFHS news

Kim Everett | May 2, 2011

John McCaa, WFAA News 8 anchor spoke to Naaman Forest High School students on Monday, May 2.  McCaa, an award-winning journalist who began his career with WFAA in 1984, talked to students who are interested in pursuing a career in mass communications.

On Friday, April 29, NFHS hosted an African American History Program.  The show featured skits, dance, and music by the NFHS Jazz Band, Gospel Choir, and Step Team.

NGHS senior receives Dell Foundation scholarship

Posted April 24, 2011

Jose Ramirez of North Garland High School was one of 27 Dallas area high school seniors named Dell Scholars by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation out of a total 300 students receiving $6,000,000 in college scholarship funds.  

These scholarship recipients represent low-income or underserved students who have overcome some significant obstacles to pursue their education, but are determined to succeed.  To date, 80 students from the area have received $1,600,000 in scholarships from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

Dell Scholars will receive $20,000 each to continue their higher education for the next six years, in addition to mentoring, technology, and resources to ensure they have the support they need to make a college degree a reality.  These students are typically overlooked by other scholarship programs because their numbers don’t indicate that they qualify, and they are usually the first generation in their family to go to college. 

The Dell Scholars Program offers them not only the chance to receive an education, but also creates an atmosphere that helps to ensure that they graduate.  The wrap-around services that they offer, including support and mentoring from their peers as well as counseling when issues arise, contributes to the program’s retention rate of almost 95 percent, well above the national average of 23 percent for students with the same socioeconomic profile.  As a result, these scholars have a better chance at getting through college and then ultimately serving as positive role models for their siblings, friends and communities.  

The Dell Scholars Program was named the 2008 “Scholarship Provider of the Year” by the National Scholarship Providers Association because of its unique scholar profile and retention success.  

Posted April 17, 2011

On Thursday, April 14, the Naaman Forest High School Honors Band participated in the UIL Region 3 Concert/Sight-reading Contest held at Richardson High School.  The band, under the direction of Mr. Larry Schnitzer, received a unanimous 1st division rating from the concert judging panel.  

This was the 21st consecutive year that the band has achieved this mark.  Visit www.naamanforestband.com for more information.

Dashing Debs announce officers

Posted April 17, 2011

Garland High School's Dashing Debs are pleased to announce officers and squad leaders for 2011-2012.  Leading the award-winning Debs will be Captain Katelyn Ledbetter, daughter of Cathy and Tony Ledbetter. 

Co-Captain Alee Calloway is the daughter of Debbie and Clay Calloway.  First lieutenant Jasmine Minnieweather is the daughter of Cherie and Marcus Minnieweather. 

Nancy Salcedo, daughter of Lorena Salcedo and Marty Salcedo, and Alexis Thackurdin, daughter of Ann and Martin Thackurdin, will be junior lieutenants. 

Head squad leader will be Leanna Noblett, daughter of Linda and Bruce Noblett.  Senior squad leaders will be Emma Spann, daughter of Sarabeth and Noel Spann; Krystina Valdes, daughter of Leslie Fox; and Lauren Yzaguirre, daughter of Debbie and Tommy Cleere. 

Mary Henderson, daughter of Jeannie Henderson and Jeff and Toni Henderson, and Lauralee Penafuerte, daughter of Milna and Roberto Penafuerte, will be junior squad leaders.

All of the Debs are excited to get kicking in 2011-2012.

Posted April 15, 2011

For the first time in 20 years, the Garland Independent School District and Garland High School have a Texas Forensic Association State Champion. Sophomore Elliott Garza competed at the TFA state meet March 3-5 and came back as the 2011 Prose Reading Champion.  Elliott is coached by Lory Stewart and Erin Martens.

In addition, Garland High School was also named Seventh Place Sweepstakes out of 207 Texas high schools, and senior Ashley Kim received Fifth Place Overall in Dramatic Interpretation.

GHS grad chosen to work in Austin

Posted April 11, 2011

Matthew Cope, a 2008 graduate of Garland High School and renewable natural resources major at Texas A&M University, recently began a spring internship in Austin.  Cope will spend the semester as an integral part of Representative Kelly Hancock’s team.

He is one of 14 students selected for a policy internship through the Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Internship Program at Texas A&M.  Cope’s duties include monitoring legislation, attending committee hearings and briefings, researching and responding to constituent requests, and preparing reports for senior staff members.  He is the son of B.J. and Debbie Cope.

“This internship program plays an integral role at Texas A&M,” Breanne Svehla, director of the ANRP Internship Program, said.  “It gives agricultural students the opportunity to gain real world experience in a challenging and rewarding environment.  The program is one of the few in the nation specifically geared toward transforming today’s agricultural students into tomorrow’s leaders.”

The program is supported by private donors and commodity organizations, such as the Texas Corn Producers Board, the Texas Grain & Feed Association, Blue Bell Creameries, Texas Farm Bureau, the South Texas Cotton and Grain Association, Farm Credit Bank of Texas, and Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.

The program is in its ninth year of sending students to Austin to work in legislative offices and other agricultural organizations.  Since its inception, more than 700 Aggies have worked in Austin and Washington, D.C. through the program.  Each student receives course credit for their internship as well as a monthly stipend.  To learn more, visit www.agintern.tamu.edu.

Posted April 8, 2011

The robotics team from Garland High School will be competing in the FIRST Robotics Dallas Regional Event this Friday and Saturday, April 8-9, at the Dallas Convention Center.  Although the team has built robots for the local Dallas BEST competition, this is their first time to build and compete in the US FIRST Robotics competition.  There are 52 teams competing in the contest this weekend from across Texas as well as two teams from Mexico. 

The GHS Robotics Team began in the fall of 2009 building a robot to compete in the Dallas BEST competition.  They competed again in the fall of 2010 at Dallas BEST.  In December, they received a grant from NASA and evolved into FRC Team #3795, the Knight Owls.  There are 24 freshmen through senior students on the team representing the wide diversity of our student population. They have had the opportunity over the past 12 weeks to learn from a dozen mentors and work together within the team, whether their interests are in programming, machine shop crafting, public relations, or robot design. 

April 9 begins National Robotics Week recognizing the growing importance of “robo-technology” and the tremendous social and cultural impact that it will have on how people live, work and play in the future.  Robotics technology is expected to fuel a broad array of next-generation products and applications in fields as diverse as manufacturing, healthcare, national defense and security, agriculture and transportation.

At the same time, robotics is proving to be uniquely adept at enabling students of all ages to learn important science, technology, engineering and math concepts and at inspiring them to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. National Robotics Week is being coordinated by a National Robotics Week Advisory Council, along with a number of other companies including FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) which is hosting the contest this weekend at the Dallas Convention Center.

For more information visit www.ghsrobotics.org/blog,www.nationalroboticsweeks.org, and www.usfirst.org.

67^th Annual Livestock and Plant Show

Kim Everett | April 6, 2011 -- Photos by Edd Holden

The FFA and horticulture programs in the GISD high schools held their 67^th Annual Livestock and Plant Show and Sale Saturday, April 2 at the Special Events Center.  The livestock judging and auctions were held on Friday night and Saturday, and the plant sale started at 8 a.m. on Saturday.  In addition, the 30^th Annual Career and Technical Education Exhibit was held at the same time.

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Catholic school teachers and staff honored

Posted April 4, 2011

Nine area Catholic school teachers and staff were recognized this month by the Catholic Foundation for going above and beyond their responsibilities as teachers and staff members. These individuals inspire and motivate students, make themselves available to their colleagues, and earn the trust and respect of students’ parents. For these reasons, the Catholic Foundation is honoring them with a Work of Heart Award and $500 grant in appreciation of the commitment they display to their schools and communities.

 “The Work of Heart Award recognizes unsung heroes, those that go the extra mile, putting their students and schools before themselves and setting an excellent example for those around them,” said Edwin M. Schaffler, CEO and president of the Catholic Foundation.  “We continue to be inspired by their stories and are thankful that their good works are positively impacting Catholic schools within the Diocese of Dallas.”     

The nine recipients of the Work of Heart Awards were selected from nominations written by students, teachers, parents, administrators, and community members.  The criteria is based on traditional merit including tenure and leadership, acts of kindness or charity, Christian example, mentoring, and going the extra mile for a student, family or the community.

The Work of Heart Award program was established in 2005 by an anonymous Dallas family through the Catholic Foundation.  The Catholic Foundation continues the program, providing funding for the grants from its Work of Heart Award Fund.  Individual contributions can be made to the Work of Heart Award Fund at the Catholic Foundation.  

The following Garland teacher from Good Shepherd Catholic School received a Work of Heart Award and $500 in recognition of outstanding service.

Joanne Vitek, Art Teacher -- “By definition, a work of heart would be something done out of love with no expectations or rewards. This is Joanne Vitek’s work at Good Shepherd. Among her jobs is preparing the 8^th graders for Confirmation. She attends practices, meetings, gathers paperwork and is there at Confirmation to watch her kids come fully into the faith. She decorates the main school bulletin boards beautifully each month. She prepares baby and wedding showers for staff and teachers. She prepares the children who participate in the St. Patrick’s Academic Fair art competition. Joanne Vitek is one of those people who truly gives of herself as a Catholic educator.”

To nominate a candidate for the Work of Heart Award, visit the www.catholicfoundation.com for instructions on the nomination process.  Anyone serving as a full- or part-time employee in a Catholic school located in the Diocese of Dallas may be nominated.

Posted March 29, 2011

The Garland City Council wants to hear from the city’s youth and invites young people to apply to serve on the Garland Youth Council. The Youth Council’s mission is to provide a forum, which educates youth to the various workings of city business and allows youth to voice ideas and concerns.

Garland residents who will be in grades 9-12 during the 2011-12 school year are eligible to apply. Each applicant should submit a completed GYC application and two letters of reference by May 16 to Dorothy White, Public & Media Affairs Manager, 200 N Fifth Street in Garland. 

Applicants should plan to attend at least one Youth Council meeting. Regular meetings are set for the second Tuesday of each month, with committee meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The GYC meets at Granger Recreation Center, 1310 W. Avenue F. The mayor and each of Garland’s eight City Council members will select two applicants to serve a one-year term.  

Applications and meeting agendas are available at Garland City Hall, 200 N. Fifth Street, in the city secretary’s office and at www.garlandyouthcouncil.org.   For additional information, contact Dorothy White at 972-205-2879 or dwhite@ci.garland.tx.us.

Posted March 31, 2011

The Sterling Stars Drill Team racked up several awards at a competition in Justin, TX on March 5.

They are the new Texas State Champions in the Military category, and they were awarded the Judges Award for Excellence in Choreography, along with the Judges Award for Excellence in Presentation.

This year’s captain is Whitney Robertson and Senior Lieutenants are Cara Mackey and Michelle McDonald.

GISD to offer employee buyout plan

Kim Everett | March 29, 2011

Because of state budget shortfalls, The Garland Independent School District Board of Trustees recently announced that they will offer a cash buyout to employees with 30 or more years of service.  The district will offer more than 400 employees 15% of their annual salary, up to $10,000 payable in a lump sum, to resign effective at the end of this school year.

No limit was placed on the number of employees who can take advantage of the buyout.

The GISD Human Resources Department will accept resignations through Friday, April 8 at 4:30 p.m.

The new 2011-2012 Sachse High School Swingster Officers have been announced and pose here with the current Swingster Officers. They are from left to right: Jr. Lieutenant Kaysie Clem, 1st Lieutenant Savannah Fredrickson, 2010-2011 1st Lieutenant Alexis Coleman, Captain Alisa McIninch, 2010-2011 Sr. Lieutenant Emily Smith, Sr. Lieutenant Morgan Harris, Jr. Lieutenant Kendyll Parker.

The new 2011-2012 Swingsters Sergeants have been revealed, they are: Sr. Sergeant Holly Olszewski, Sr. Sergeant Chelsey Palmquist, Head Sergeant Erin Harper, Sr. Sergeant Krystal Brown, Jr. Sergeant Miranda McKinney.

GHS art student chosen as contest finalist

Kim Everett | March 21, 2011

Garland High School art student Katie Yager was recently selected as one of 30 finalists in the Sixth Annual Lucerne Art of Dairy Contest.  Katie found out that her design had been chosen in February, and she is now painting it on a life-size plaster cow sculpture.  The sculpture is eight feet long, five feet tall, and three feet wide. 

Katie, with the help of many friends and GHS art teacher, Jessica Thompson, worked through spring break and will continue working at whatever pace is necessary to meet the April 1 deadline.  Now a senior, Katie has been interested in art since second grade and is also a film student.

High school freshmen through seniors are eligible, and entries were submitted from more than 20 states.  Katie’s design is one of three selected from Texas students.

Once the cow is completed, it will be photographed and judged.  The potential prize winnings range from $1,000 to $5,000 for the winning students and up to $20,000 for the school’s art program.  Winners will be announced in early May.

This year’s theme is “sharing joy,” and each entry must show the student’s interpretation of how they are sharing joy through the arts.  Students must also incorporate at least two dairy products in their designs, which will be judged 30% on originality, 30% technical ability, and 40% relevance to the theme.