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At Dana Palmer Law Group PLLC, they believe that divorce doesn’t have to be so hard. “What we try to do is get people through a divorce in the healthiest way possible so that everyone can move on to the next chapter in their lives, in the best way possible,” says Dana, creator of the Soft Divorce® brand. “We don’t define success by the other party’s failure. Instead, our goal is for our client, their children, and even their soon-to-be-ex-spouse, to be as healthy as possible after the divorce.”

A better way to divorce

Dana C. Palmer

It’s a concept that Dana created after focusing his law firm in McKinney on family law in 2011. “I opened the firm in 2006, practicing a wide variety of cases. I soon realized that family law cases provided me with the biggest opportunity to help people and that’s when I decided to narrow my focus,” Dana says. Quickly, he says,

he saw that when divorce is approached as a battle, with each spouse trying to extract as much money as possible from the other, then no one ‘wins.’ “I’m the type of person who is always looking for a better way to do something—and when I find that better way, I feel compelled to share it with others,” Dana explains. “That’s why I’m now sharing the Soft Divorce® program worldwide.” Soft Divorce® is a concept and framework of the best practices in family law and divorce procedures that aim to keep divorces civil, family-oriented, healthy and as painfree and stress-free as possible. “I believe in Soft Divorce® because it’s better than a ‘hard divorce.’” Dana says. “At the end of the day, former spouses will always be parents together and they need to have the best possible relationship with one another, as well as with their kids. A Soft Divorce® allows for that.”

Happier, healthier results Of course, the firm’s approach doesn’t mean that they’ll simply “lie down” and take whatever the other party’s attorney is offering. “There are times that we have to, and we do, ‘play hard-ball,’” Dana says. “We go into court knowing that we’ve taken the high road, but we’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the healthy result we’re after.” When prospective clients first hear about the firm’s Soft Divorce brand, Dana says, they’re often relieved to discover that there’s a healthier way to go through the divorce process. “You always see on TV and hear about divorces where people end up hating each other and losing so much,” he says. “We show people a different and better way.” For more information, please call or visit our website.

Allen Image INSIDE THIS ISSUE

May 2014

Vol. 24, Issue 5

cover story

Josh blalock: hometown to hollywood Josh Blaylock, who grew up in Lucas, has a career that spans everything from the Academy Award winning film No Country For Old Men to TV’s Bernie Mac Show, Numbers, Bones, Warehouse 13 and now, the groundbreaking web series, Video Game High School.

feature

22 Keeping ’em on ice

Hockey is a great way for some students to focus their time and energy. It isn’t officially recognized by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), but that isn’t slowing its growth.

special sections

24 KIDS KORNER

What are your kids doing this summer?

36 PET PAGE

Chip

38 CALENDAR 58 people seen

48 22

24 6

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE civic forum

education

gardening

10 Bringing groups “home” to Allen

26 Kindergarten builds foundation

34 Add perennials for water-wise

for a life of learning

Fete des Beaux Arts

State accreditation renewed

Gone to Texas

28 Online program leads to rock solid jobs

library

16 A home run for Allen Station Park 18

gardening

Summer Sounds Concerts

30 Adult anime interest group

19 Christ the Servant Concert Series

Roy Rogers’ daughter rides back to Allen

Strictly Baz Luhrmann

Super summer salads

8th Annual Lovejoy Country Run

Spain’s Golden Age and La Convivencia

The Great American Cleanup

28 publisher/editor Barbara Peavy

office administrator Carrie McCormick

advertising sales Sue Hardesty Kris Jones

cover photo Lauren Haroutunian, courtesy of RocketJump

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30 34 contributing writers Heather Darrow Deborah Dove Tom Keener Jeff Mues Heather Newman Dawn Bluemel Oldfield Keith Taylor Simon Valentin Kathleen Vaught

Allen Image © 2014 by Moonlight Graphics. All rights reserved. Allen Image is published by Moonlight Graphics and individually mailed free of charge to the residents of the Allen area. Subscriptions are available to residents outside the delivery area at a rate of $2.50 per issue—$30 per year.

Subscription and editorial correspondence should be sent to: Allen Image, P.O. Box 132, Allen, TX 75013, 972.727.4569, fax 972.396.0807 or visit our website at www.allenimage.com.

civic forum

Bringing groups “home” to

Allen by Heather NEWMAN

With an annual impact of over $120 million that supports a workforce of more than 1,300, you might say tourism in Allen is booming. While the numbers speak to the business of the Allen Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the real story has much more to do with the heart of the effort. “I think our successes over the last four years have a lot to do with our community pride and wanting to share and showcase our hometown. As we recognize National Travel and Tourism Week beginning May 3, it’s important to credit all the hands that have helped to shape our Allen destination story,” explained Karen Cromwell, Tourism Director. Recent examples of events that started with a call or email from a local contact include Triple Crown Sports baseball and softball tournaments as well as a Promise Keepers Men’s Conference. A Promise Keepers representative from Colorado visited Allen in March to tour Allen Event Center and the Courtyard by Marriott as part of a scouting trip for potential conference sites. The interest in Allen as a potential conference location was prompted by a suggestion from a former resident who had heard about Allen Event

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Center and thought that it might be a good fit. When Triple Crown Sports baseball and softball tournament numbers grew and they needed to add more fields, it was a resident that suggested adding Allen parks to the play roster. Keeping with Triple Crown Sports’ mission to host tournaments in premium destinations across the country and allow time for family fun as part of the youth sporting experience, they added fields from four of Allen’s parks during their North Texas Season Opener baseball tournament in March and plan to use the fields at Allen Station Park in June for their girls fast pitch tournament. With Allen Event Center and world class shopping, award-winning patio dining and a multitude of entertainment options offering everything from golf to cable wake boarding, to bowling and batting cages, Allen is a pretty easy sell. Assets like these show that Allen has a lot more to offer groups than just a meeting space or sports field. Competing against larger area CVBs that have been in operation longer, Allen CVB offers similar services such as site inspections, convention bags and brochures to help promote both the event and destin ation. But in a race where every detail matters, Allen CVB goes the extra mile to add a personal touch.

“We’ve done everything from creating a concept video depicting a group’s experience in Allen to presenting a framed photo of a site selection group at one of our Allen destination stops,” said Cromwell. Other finishing touches that keep groups coming back for more and please local contacts include items such as customized welcome signs, personal welcome letters from the mayor, event promotion and publicity. “As part of our branding process,

we would always return to defining Allen as having big city amenities with a hometown feel,” continued Cromwell. “It’s always been the place and the people. Just like our brand signature says: All the Best—Allen!” For more information about the Allen CVB or to find out how to bring your group “home,” call 214-509-4669 or view VisitAllenTexas.com. v Heather Newman is a specialist for the Allen Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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Fete des Beaux Arts The Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and Allen Civic Ballet present “Fete des Beaux Arts”—the perfect marriage of classical music and classical ballet with excerpts from one of the world’s most beloved fairy tale ballets, Tchaikovsky’s, The Sleeping Beauty. Special guest artists Tiit Helimets and Sasha De Sola from San Francisco Ballet dance the roles of Prince Florimund and Princess Aurora. The ballet culminates in the wedding of Princess Aurora and her handsome prince. Wedding guests include favorite characters Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, Puss in Boots and the White Cat and the beautiful Princess Florine and her Bluebird. Richard Giangiulio, conductor of the Allen Philharmonic, says, “This will be a historic event for the arts in the city of Allen.” Stefanie Best, Artistic Director of the Allen Civic Ballet agrees, “I don’t think there have ever been dancers of the caliber of these guest artists performing here in Allen.” In 2005 Tiit Helimets joined San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer. His expanded repertoire includes Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, King of the Snow in The Nutcracker, Basilio in Don Quixote and the Prince in Firebird as well as roles in ballets by contemporary choreographers that include George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton and Twyla Tharp. Mr. Helimets has appeared as a guest artist with the National Ballet of Canada, Ballet San Jose, the Hamburg Ballet and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Tiit Helimets

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At the age of 16, Sasha De Sola joined San Francisco Ballet where she quickly rose through the ranks and is currently a soloist with the company. Ms. De Sola has danced several principal roles with San Francisco Ballet including George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15, Tarantella and Symphony in Three Movements; Alexei Ratmansky’s From Foreign Lands; Serge Lifar’s Suite en Blanc; and Jerome Robbins’s In the Night. Allen Civic Ballet dancer Arnella Salimova, a sophomore at Allen High School says, “I’m very excited about our guest artists. Watching dancers like that reminds us what we are aspiring to and why we work so hard.” Both organizations are looking forward to this latest collaboration. Best says, “The ballet has collaborated with the philharmonic several times, but this is the most ambitious project we’ve yet undertaken.” Other orchestral and choreographic works will round out the evening, including a performance by the winner of the first annual Krassovksa Legacy Award. The Allen Civic Ballet will perform original works by Richard Trimmer and the Ballet’s Artistic Director Stefanie Best, accompanied by the orchestra. Fete des Beaux Arts will be held on Saturday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Allen High School. Tickets are $15-$30. For tickets or more information, please visit allenphilharmonic.org or allencivicballet.org. v

Sasha De Sola

State accreditation renewed by Kathleen VAUGHT

The Allen Police Department recently received recognition as maintaining its status for Texas Law Enforcement Best Practices Accreditation. The department received initial accreditation in 2009 from the Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation (TPCAF). The voluntary accredi t ation involved proving compli a nce with over 160 best practices set by Texas Law Enforcement pro fessionals. This accreditation process has become the gold standard for law enforcement agencies in Texas. “In the case of the Allen Police Department, the vote for rerecognition was unanimous,” stated Rockwall Police Chief Mark Moeller, who serves as Regional Director for

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TPCAF. “There are over 2,400 law enforcement agencies in Texas and only 94 have received recognized status. The real value of the program is actually going through that process. It is a very difficult process and it is a great accomplish m ent to the Allen Police Department.” Earning the original recognition meant the Allen Police Department met or exceeded all of the identified Best Practices for Texas Law Enforcement which cover aspects of operations such as use of force, protection of citizen rights, pursuits, property and evidence manage ment and patrol and investigative operations. To renew this accredi tation, not only did the APD need to maintain high service standards and report annually, there was an onsite visit at the end of the fourth year. The TPCAF board then votes to grant

recognized status to the agency based on the information collected. “A great amount of work went into the original recognition,” said Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey. “The entire process involved tremendous dedication in 2009 and in the years since, including Sergeant Bill Smith who did an outstanding job in stepping up as project manager towards the re-recognition.” The recognition program ensures an agency has addressed the most critical law enforcement issues in policy as well as actual operation. “With the recognition,” remarked Chief Moeller, “you can be assured that the Allen Police Department is one of the best police departments in the state.” v Kathleen Vaught is the Senior Marketing Specialist for the City of Allen.

Gone to Texas by Tom KEENER “Gone to Texas” was a term used by some pioneer families at their old homeplace to notify people that they had moved west to start a new life in Texas. It is also the title of a new exhibit at the Allen Heritage Guild Depot Museum featuring pioneer families that came to the Allen area before the Civil War. From the 1840s onward, several waves of immigrant families relocated here. Many were enticed by the advertising campaign of the Peters Colony Land Grant Company who offered 640 acres of land to heads of households and 320 acres to single men. They described the land features of the blackland prairie in glowing terms with the promise of a better life. Photos, documents and items used during this migration and settlement period will bring Allen’s original pioneer families to life. Excerpts taken from the diary of sixteen-year-old Mary Susannah Lunsford detailing her family’s travels with a wagon train from Kentucky in 1857 are featured along with stories of many other early settlers. All of these early pioneers made significant contributions to the community and its history and descendants of some still remain in this area. Copies of original survey maps will be displayed so the original homesteads in the greater Allen area can be located. An overlay map shows the land surveys overlaid with present-day roads so you can find out on whose original home stead you now live. Other maps of the central and southeastern states depict where many pioneers migrated from, along with the

dates of their arrival. Museum visitors will be invited to record their own information—when they came to Texas and their former location. The “Gone to Texas” exhibit will be on display April 26-August 30. The Depot is open the second and fourth Saturday of each month, 10 a.m.2 p.m. Group tours of the exhibit can be arranged by calling Ed Bryan at 972.984.9086 or Paula Ross at 972.740.8017. The Guild’s general meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 in the Heritage

Center Depot and feature programs on various aspects of Allen’s history. The Heritage Guild invites anyone who has reminiscences or printed materials about Allen’s past to leave a message on their website www. allenheritageguild.org. The Guild is striving to make the printed audio and photographic historical materials housed at the Depot available to everyone in the community. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.

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by Jeff MUES We’ve seen a lot of great improvements within the Allen park system over the past few years and we couldn’t be more pleased to tell you about one of the latest enhancements— the installation of a superior playing surface on all four softball fields at Allen Station Park. The latest generation of artificial turf is a far cry from the hard, abrasive astroturf surface popularized in the 1970s. The newest material is soft and spongy with synthetic blades of grass that provide a natural look and feel, holding up to the weather and to use— running, sliding, etc.

No matter how meticulous maintena nce staff is, a perfect natural surface with no holes, bumps, muddy patches or areas void of grass is a very difficult thing to accomplish. Improved safety is just one of many advantages of the new turf. In fact, there are scientific studies, which tell us that statistically speaking, you’re much less likely to turn an ankle at Allen Station Park now that the fields feature this state-of-the-art surface. There are many more advantages to be excited about as well. First, consider the minimized water usage. Previously, extensive irrigation was

required, even when drought con ditions existed, in order to maintain a safe playing field. Now, that resource and cost can be conserved. In addition to year-round irrigation, natural grass fields require fertilization, mowing and infield preparations throughout the year. That adds up in terms of maintenance costs, but also it’s important to realize the degree to which playing time is being increased by artificial turf. Fields with artificial turf rarely have to be shut down for rehabilitation and rainy weather and they do not require limiting the amount of organized and scheduled play in order to protect the quality of the field. Allen’s artificial fields will nearly double the number of hours that the fields can be used! A prime destination for softball tournaments, with more opportunity to book events throughout the course of the year thanks to increased field availability, the new turf installation brings with it the potential for substantial economic impact. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks and Recreation Department.

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Drain-free Tummy Tuck One of the most common plastic surgery procedures is the tummy tuck (or abdominoplasty) and the technique has not appreciably changed in decades. That is until Dr. Todd Pollock and Dr. Harlan Pollock of North Dallas Plastic Surgery developed the drain-free tummy tuck by adding what they call, “progressive tension sutures.”

What’s the difference? In performing a tummy tuck, the skin is separated from the underlying muscle so that it can be re-draped and tightened. This creates a space that wasn’t there before the surgery. To prevent fluid from filling that space before the tissues have a chance to heal together, most surgeons place several drains to remove that fluid. These drains are dreaded by patients because they are uncomfortable, often stay in for weeks and after removal, fluid collections can still occur and are, in fact, the most common problem seen after Tummy Tuck. Dr. Pollock’s tummy tuck technique eliminates the need for drains by closing that space with the dissolving stitches they call Progressive Tension Sutures. This closes the space and holds the tissues together to allow healing. This makes the surgery safer by nearly eliminating fluid collections (called seromas) that plague the traditional technique and more comfortable for the patients, allowing for quicker recovery, upright posture and an excellent cosmetic result. Details of the procedure (including illustrations and video animations) are available at www.drpollock.com. Dr. Todd Pollock says, “We are very proud of our contribution because it has fundamentally changed a

common plastic surgery operation, making it safer and better tolerated by our patients.”

Proven effectiveness The doctors have over a dozen publications in major plastic surgery journals and textbooks regarding progressive tension sutures and have given courses and lecture at national and international meetings. Their most recent publication is a study of nearly 600 consecutive patients using the technique, which was published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal in August 2012. Their technique has been widely adapted by surgeons worldwide and draws patients from around Texas and beyond seeking this innovative procedure. Tummy tuck, when combined with breast rejuvenation, is known as a “Mommy Makeover,” and has become their signature operation.

Emphasis on Education Along with providing quality surgical services, patient education is a priority at North Dallas Plastic Surgery. “We have developed our website to be as informative as possible through our blog and our series of articles that we call “Promises and Pitfalls of Cosmetic Surgery,” Dr. Pollock says. “We try to educate the public on trends, controversial topics and potential pitfalls in cosmetic surgery. We try to speak honestly and without the typical marketing backdrop. Subjects like before and after pictures, testimonials, proprietary procedures, and what to expect in a consultation, amongst other topics are addressed.”

Family Ties North Dallas Plastic Surgery is a family business where patients are treated like part of the family. With over 60 years of combined experience in plastic surgery, Dr. Harlan Pollock and Dr. Todd Pollock (father and son) are dedicated to helping improve lives through the art and innovation of their specialty. “The practice of plastic surgery is extremely gratifying and I’m pleased when I’m able to make a difference in patients’ lives through surgery and I am always honored when patients trust me with their care,” Dr. Pollock explains. In addition to tummy tucks, the doctors’ expertise extends to cosmetic and reconstructive procedures on all parts of the body.

Summer Sounds Concerts by Jeff MUES It’s beginning to feel like summer. Soon, it will be sounding like summer too as the 17th annual Summer Sounds concert series is set to kick off on Monday, May 26. Taking place every Monday evening through June 23, the natural amphitheater adjacent to Joe Farmer Recreation Center will feature a variety of different performers from pop to party to blues and funk. Thanks to the City of Allen and the Parks and Recreation Department, all Summer Sounds concerts are free, beginning at 7 p.m., with light concessions available for purchase. Starting things off on Monday, May 27, the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Chorus returns for its wonderful Memorial Day concert and tribute event. Not only will you delight in traditional Patriotic Pops music, but there will also be activities designed to honor our veterans and servicemen and women. As always, the event concludes with a patriotic fireworks show and traditional symphony etiquette applies. On June 2, make way for the Identity Theft Band, a group that promises to keep the party going, engaging all ages for an evening to remember. IDT (abbreviated because they’re cool like that) has studied the ancient secrets of partying and in the process, reinvented the “cover band” with a live show that is not to be missed. Energetic, soulful and electrifying are among the adjectives that best describe Matt Baron’s original acoustic music. With carefully chosen pop covers mixed in, Matt’s set on June 9 is one that will surely keep you on the edge

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of your seat, or blanket. An incredible talent, Matt’s the whole package with astonishing guitar playing and a sultry voice that’s truly one of a kind. Fueled by funky rock and blues guitarist Chant Duplantier with bassist Jerry Smith and percussionist Cedric Goodman, Chant brings their brand of good time blues and funk to Allen on June 16. If there’s one thing you know you can count on, it’s Chant delivering the party! The final concert in the series, June 23, features The Wonders. Members of The Wonders have performed together and individually for nearly twenty years bringing with them a huge song list including standards, classic rock, ‘50s, ‘60s and current pop favorites. The Wonders have just the right mix to keep the crowd dancing and are a most fitting way to close down this year’s Summer Sounds concert series. Of course, just as Summer Sounds wraps up, the Market Street Allen USA Celebration will be here, set for the last Saturday of June (June 28) as has become popular tradition. Featuring entertainment from Radio Disney, Chinatown, The 4 Troops and headliner Pentatonix, plus one of the largest and most magnificent fireworks displays in North Texas, you should probably go ahead and brace yourself for the biggest and best event yet. For more information on all these great music and other summer happenings, visit AllenParks.org. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks and Recreation Department.

Snippets Christ the Servant Concert Series On Tuesday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m., Concert Bells of Fort Worth will perform an exciting program at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 821 S. Greenville Ave. Concert Bells of Fort Worth is an auditioned community ensemble of advanced handbell ringers whose broad repertoire, musicality and advanced range of ringing techniques have thrilled and delighted audiences across North Texas. Founded in 1998, the ensemble is dedicated to musical excellence through artistic handbell performance. Its yearly spring concert series and holiday concerts, held throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, have been described as having achieved that “elusive balance of technique and musicianship.” Stephanie Rhoades, conductor and artistic director since 2003, brings 20 years of handbell experience to the ensemble. She is minister of music and the arts at Northaven United Methodist Church in Dallas. She holds music degrees from Yale University and Southern Methodist University. The choir’s members also bring years of professionalism and experience in both ringing handbells and directing handbell choirs. Please join us for this concert that is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the concert. Contact 972.727.3191 for more information. v

Strictly Baz Luhrmann During May, films directed by Baz Luhrmann will be featured at the Allen Public Library, 300 N. Allen Drive. Call 214.509.4905 for information. All films begin on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and are free. May 6—Strictly Ballroom (1992) (PG), starring Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice and Bill Hunter. A maverick dancer risks his career by performing an unusual routine and sets out to succeed with a new partner. May 13—Romeo & Juliet (1996) (PG-13), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes and John Leguizamo. Shakespeare’s famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue. May 20—Moulin Rouge (2001) (PG-13), starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent. A poet falls for a beautiful courtesan whom a jealous duke covets in this stylish musical, with music drawn from familiar 20th century sources. May 27—The Great Gatsby (2013) (PG-13), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Richard Carter. A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor. v A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

Snippets 8th Annual Lovejoy Country Run

The Great American Cleanup!

Join us May 17, at 7:30 a.m. for the start of the 8th Annual Lovejoy Country Run. Race day registration will begin at 6:45 a.m. The 5K race and the 1K Fun Run will begin at the back of Lovejoy High School, 2350 Estates Parkway in Lucas. The 5K is a certified, flat and fast course that will be chip-timed. Awards go to overall male and female winners and male and female master winners in the 5K as well as age group awards up to 70+. All 1K participants receive ribbons. Take the McDermott exit east. McDermott becomes Main and then Estates Parkway in Lucas— no turns until you see Lovejoy High School. The Lovejoy Country Run, a fun and healthy community event for all ages, was established eight years ago to support athletic booster clubs at Lovejoy High School. There will also be other activities—pancake breakfast (free for runners with entry), nonrace participants may buy tickets at the door (five and younger eat free), a health fair and face painting! Online registration is available at www.LukesLocker.com or in-store at Luke’s Locker in Allen prior to the race. Early registration is $25/adults and $15/students. There is an additional $5 on race day, so register early! All pre-registered runners guaranteed a custom race shirt. Visit our website at www.thelovejoycountryrun.org for additional information, course map and sponsorship opportunities. v

On Saturday, May 3, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be two locations in Allen to take your items for collection as part of the annual Great American Cleanup™ (GAC). Allen residents are encouraged to clean out unwanted junk to be trashed or to donate household items for reuse or recycling! To drop off trash, brush, white metal appliances and cardboard, head to just north of Allen Premium Outlets off of Stacy Road to the intersection of Chelsea Boulevard and Allen Commerce Parkway. Follow the signs. The collection site for donations, electronics and metal recycling and paper shredding will be in the Allen City Hall parking lot, 305 Century Parkway. Volunteers will be on hand to assist with vehicle unloading. Remember, for either location, you must bring your current City of Allen water utility bill and driver’s license to take advantage of this opportunity. This event is for residential customers only—no box trucks or commercial quantities of recycling, electronics or shredding will be accepted. For a complete list of items being collected or to sign up to volunteer, please visit www. keepallenbeautiful.com. v

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MARKET PLACE

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feature

Front L to R: Ryan Aylor, Joe Blaznek, Michael Engelbert, Chris Margiotta, Cory Dentler; Middle L to R: Jordan Ritter, Kyle Cloutier, Grant Master, Dang-Huy Do, Ibrahim Yaseen, Chad Wolaver, Christian Moran; Back L to R: Tyler Koath, Cole Bradley, Taylor Colbert, Reid Stewart, Cole Jones

Keeping ’em on ice

by Simon VALENTIN Calloused hands draw the skate’s steel blade across a spinning magnesium grinding wheel, sending sparks flying everywhere. A dozen passes later it’s sharp enough to peel an apple. It will cut into the ice and propel a two-hundredpound hockey player at twenty-five-miles-an-hour toward the opposition. Ten players wielding four-foot sticks that resemble modified battle-axes fight to control a donut-sized vulcanized rubber puck that’s been frozen to keep it from bouncing and is now hard enough to shatter safety glass. Player after player will take shots on goal, some at speeds legal only on the Autobahn. A goalie will use his entire body to shield the net. Hockey is an amazing game that requires a myriad of skills and would be a great way for some Allen High School students to focus their time and energies…if we only had a hockey team. Oh, wait a minute. We do. “Unfortunately, a lot of students don’t know we have a team,” says Louise Master, President of the Allen Ice Hockey Club. “We’ve done events where we advertised it heavily at school, not charged to get into the game and had great turnouts.” Once students experience a game, they’re likely to come back because they get caught up in the game. “You have to remember,” says Allen High School Hockey Head Coach Joseph Blaznek, “players are skating

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on a blade less than a quarter inch wide, there’s a guy coming at you at twenty-five-miles-an-hour looking to rip your head off, you’re handling a stick, trying to get the puck, keeping your head up, because if you look down at the puck you’ll get taken out. There’s more to it than putting on pads and jumping on the ice.” Allen High School senior Michael Englebert knows first-hand how tough the game is, he’s been strapping on ice skates for a decade, a rarity in Texas. “The speed and the intensity draw me to the game, you have to have your head on a swivel, looking around all the time,” he says. “It’s hard to follow a puck going a hundred-miles-anhour.” If you ever want to get a taste of what it’s like, head to the Allen Community Ice Rink, lace up a pair of skates, get on the ice and whip around as fast as you can. Stop on a dime, skate backward, stop again and launch yourself to the left or right. You’ll see why not many people have mastered what physicist Thomas Humphrey calls “the fastest way to travel on the surface of the earth on your feet.” While you’re there, you might see a hockey player or two practicing explosive acceleration techniques and quick stops. If you ask where they’re from don’t be surprised if they’re imports from the north. Coach Blaznek is one of them and he realizes the game

Front L to R: Brent McIntyre, Joseph Blaznek, Alex Lilley, Chris Margiotta, Stefano Perrigo; Middle L to R: Raf Praysner, Ryan Casey, Nick Lazarev, Lincoln Hatten, Will Gongos, Owen Skorcz, Jordan Almeida, Preston Ford; Back L to R: John Kalebjian, Matthew Atkins, Spencer Lowe, Reilly Tuer, Joey Thompson is a lot more familiar to northerners. He was reminded of that when some of his players went to the Motor City for a couple of games. “Our guys did well, but up in Detroit they’ve got some really good teams, they have pedigrees,” he says. “Their dads played, their uncles played, their grandpas played. Down here, you have a lot of first generation players. We have some catching up to do.” And we’re doing the best we can. Though hockey isn’t given the official nod by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the state’s governing body for high school athletics, that isn’t slowing its growth. There are currently 49 varsity teams in Texas. Having UIL recognition would help the players, because team funding would come through schools instead of strictly from the families’ wallets, but there are also advantages. Since they’re not part of the UIL, Texas high school hockey clubs can hire coaches who aren’t members of the school faculty. That means lifelong players like Coach Blaznek are guiding our teams. Blaznek is from Detroit and has been on skates since he was three. He spent fourteen years playing professional hockey and retired with the specific intent of coaching. Allen High school junior Cole Bradley is one of Coach Blaznek’s players. “When I first got on the ice skating with him, he took shot after shot on goal. So fast, so hard, it was crazy,” says Bradley. “If I was a goalie facing him, I’d want to leave.” Coach acknowledges practice time isn’t just a lazy spin around the rink. “Our practices are extremely focused and

extremely fast paced,” he says. “That way when it’s game time, the players are ready to make game time decisions.” Despite preconceived notions, the decisions don’t simply involve whether you’re going to throw a left jab or a right upper cut. “The first thing people have to understand is, things changed. The reputation used to be, ‘I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out,’” says Doug Hunschild, former president of Allen Eagle Hockey. “This is a fast moving game of finesse.” That stereotype was once well deserved. “If you look at videos in the seventies and eighties, you’ll see tons of fighting, players grinding it out all the time,” says Cole Bradley. “But hockey has become more about the skill of the game, the speed, instead of just fighting everyone.” The changes were made by the National Hockey League around 2005 to reduce fights and increase both the speed of play and scoring to draw more people to games. It definitely succeeded in helping to draw more kids to the sport. “This year we are full to the brim,” says Coach Blaznek. “We’re thinking if it keeps going like this we’re going to have three teams soon.” Three teams will benefit from coach’s lifetime of experience and give hockey neophytes games that are so fast and high scoring they’ll wish they could strap a pair of skates on and hit the ice. Students as young as eighth grade interested in playing for the Allen Eagles Hockey Club should contact Louise Master at lmaster720@sbcglobal.net. v Simon Valentin is a freelance writer from Allen. A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

kids korner

What are your kids doing this summer? by Deborah DOVE With school out in a month, parents across Allen are scrambling to line up plans for their kids before the familiar complaint of “I’m bored” begins. Following is a compilation of camps and organized activities for kids throughout the summer. Be sure to also check out the various summer camps offered through Allen ISD (www.allenisd.org) and the City of Allen (www.cityofallen.org).

Eagles Wings Gymnastics Camp—104 N. Greenville Ave., Allen, 972-727-9911 or www.ewagym.com

When it’s too hot to play outside, campers can expend a little energy indoors on the trampolines, balance beams, tumble tramp or swinging a la Tarzan into the foam pit, as well as enjoy crafts, games and activities. Ages: Ages 3+ (must be potty-trained); half price for 7th and 8th graders who want to be counselors in training. Cost: Each four hour session starts at $25/session (the price goes down the more sessions you choose), or purchase an entire week of half-day sessions for $110 or a week of full day sessions for $200. There is a $20 registration fee, which includes a shirt.

Metroplex Gymnastics—205 E. Bethany Drive, Allen, 972-7279095 or ww.metroplexgymnastics.com

This local gym also offers full- and half-day sessions (with or without swim lessons) that include gymnastics, games, trapeze, zip line, rock climbing and activities geared toward each week’s theme. Special activities might include inflatables, a petting zoo, a magician, pony rides and more. Ages: 3+ (must be potty-trained). Cost: Ranges from $30 for one half-day to $115 for a full week. Half-day with swim runs $45-$180 and full-day with swim runs $55-$200. There is also a $20 registration fee that includes a shirt.

ASI Gymnastics—1280 Central Expressway, Allen, 469-5192985 or www.asigymnastics.com

Campers spend one hour of open gym time before breaking off into small groups (based on age) and traveling to different stations where they learn gymnastics, play games and participate in team building and problem-solving activities. Ages: 3-18 (must be potty-trained). Cost: Individual sessions start at $19/session and weeklong sessions are $104 for half days or $179 for full day.

Woodhaven Stables—3670 Orr Road, Allen, 972-562-6518 or www.woodhavenstable.com

Horse lovers will be in heaven at Woodhaven’s weeklong horseback riding camps, which include daily instruction on proper horse safety, tacking and horse care as well as daily horseback riding in a covered arena. Campers stay cool with water activities and an airconditioned cabin in between riding times. All campers participate in a demonstration on Friday of each camp week for friends and family. Ages: 6+. Cost: $300 for one weekly camp session (camp is held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Color Me Mine—3401 Preston Road, Frisco, 972-668-6201 or www.colormemine.com

This hands-on pottery painting studio offers weekly themed sessions that teach different ceramic painting techniques. Each weeklong camp is from 12:30-3:30 p.m., and artists can bring a snack/lunch

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Monday-Thursday with pizza provided on Friday. Themes include Color Me Groovy, Way Out Space Camp, Into the Wild, Happy Holidays, All About Me, Art Around the World and Paint Like the Masters. Ages: 6-13. Cost: $40 daily or $160 weekly.

Made of Sugar & Spice—207 N. Kentucky, McKinney, 972-693-6141

Little girls will love the girly-themed four-day or one-day camps, with themes such as Princess Camp, Diva Rock Star Camp, Under the Sea, Fancy Nancy Posh Pet Camp, Spa Girl Camp and Purplicious Camp. Camps include a variety of theme-related activities, games and crafts as well as dress-up, hair and makeup. Ages: 4-9. Cost: $110+tax for four-day camps and $40+tax for one-day camps.

SciTech Discovery Center Summer Discovery Camp— 8004 Dallas Parkway, Frisco, 972-546-3050 or www. mindstretchingfun.org

Numerous science-themed camps provide budding scientists with lots of hands-on fun with topics such as Can You Dig It?, Crash and Boom, Mother Nature Attacks, Robotics, Space Flight Explorers and more. Campers can also purchase optional camp kit take-aways for $15/week that include supplemental activities to do at home, such as a pyrite excavation kit, tin can robot kit or a forensic fingerprint kit. Ages: Pre-K through 6th grade. Cost: Weeklong camps cost $115 for half days (9-12 or 1-4) and $230 for full days (9-4).

Heard Museum—1 Nature Place, McKinney, 972-562-5566 or www.heardmuseum.org

Kids will explore nature, encounter animal ambassadors and investigate nature-themed topics throughout the Heard’s 289-acre sanctuary. Campers learn about nocturnal plants and animals, planets, animal communication and metamorphosis, stars, reptiles and more. The Heard also offers Keeper Camp for ages 10-15 with behind-the-scenes, hands-on adventures with the exhibit animals, as well as Nature Art Camp for ages 6-12. Ages: 5-12. Cost: Weeklong nature camps are $235 (non-members) and Nature Art Camp is $185. One day mini-camps from 9:30-noon are $20 for non-members.

Allen Community Theatre—1206 East Main, Allen, www. allenscommunitytheatre.net

These weeklong interactive camps allow creative kids to create their own theatrical productions—from writing the script to learning to improv and act, to creating sets—with a performance at the end of each week. Weekly camp themes such as Another Class at Hogwarts or Poetry in Motion get the creative juices flowing. Ages: 6-8 and 9-12. Cost: Weeklong camps run from 8:30-4:30 and cost $199/week (includes camp, t-shirt, snacks, camp newsletter and pizza Fridays). Teens interested in learning more about theatre production can sign up for the teen intern program for $99.

education

Kindergarten builds foundation for a life of learning by Keith A. TAYLOR

Bolin Elementary kindergarten teacher Ali Coe reads to her students. Children’s author Phil Bildner was a bit surprised during a recent visit to Bolin Elementary School. “I’ve been talking for 40 minutes and the kindergartners have been so quiet and patient,” he told the roomful of five-year-olds and first graders. “I’m really surprised.” Kindergarten teacher Ali Coe wasn’t surprised, though. “I’ve heard people say that teaching kindergarten must be like herding cats, but it’s really not like that at all” she said. “At least not every day.” Seventy-five educators work at 17 campuses in the Allen ISD to start more than 1,400 Kindergartners on their educational journey. It’s a job they take seriously since kindergarten is the first and best opportunity to foster a career of learning according to Bolin Principal Reena Varughese. “Our biggest goal is to build the foundation for the rest of their time in school,” she said. “We have to foster a love of learning and the desire to go to school every day.” That is a challenge that Coe is

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tasks at the same time. “By the third month, they have learned their way with a clear understanding of expectations.” Structure is important because Varughese said kindergarten repre sents a big change for many students. Kindergarten students in Allen ISD attend class on the same schedule as the higher grades in elementary school “A lot of kids have been home with mom for the past five years,” she said. “Others may have attended preschool or day care, but usually not all day and certainly not all-day in a learning environment.” All-day kindergarten also does not include naps. “There’s no time for naps in kindergarten,” Coe said. “It’s go-go from the start of the school day. They still fall asleep, though, especially at the beginning of the year. We tell parents that they are going to be tired in the first few weeks.” “For some parents, kindergarten represents the first time they may find out about learning issues regarding their children,” she said. “We have to

ready to accept—starting on the first day of school. “People under e stimate what a five-year-old can do,” Coe said. “However, I think children actually grow more in kindergarten than at any other time. It’s really amazing.” The seven-year kindergarten veteran believes success stems from consistency. “They respond to structure. They need it and want it,” Coe said. “They know the rules because they help set the rules. Starting on day one, I ask them to suggest rules for the class and then we work together to decide what rules we will have.” Creating a structured learning environment requires rewarding positive behavior and Coe said she found a great motivator— stickers. “They just love stickers,” she said. During the first two months of school, Coe has the Bolin Elementary Prinicpal Reena Varughese students perform the same

be sensitive to the feelings of the parents and show them that we care.” The district provides support services for children who may need additional help with learning. “A big part of kindergarten is identifying problems and behaviors before they become impediments to learning in the future,” Varughese said. Coe and Varughese both said that parental involvement is important to the education of a kindergartner.’ “I’m very fortunate that my parents are heavily involved in the school and their children’s education,” Coe said, noting that 17 parents volunteered to chaperone a field trip to the Dallas Arboretum. She has 21 students in her class. “Kindergarten is an experience the kids will never have again,” Varughese said. Michelle Skidmore’s daughter, Shelby, attends Coe’s class. She said that being involved with the class as a parent has been an eye-opening experience. “Before Shelby started school, I was looking forward to her learning social interactions. I wanted her to learn how to work well with others and how to wait her turn,” she said. “I have been very impressed with how she has advanced academically. Her reading and writing skills are amazing. She even keeps a writing journal. She’s been exposed to a lot academically and socially.” Skidmore said her biggest reward may be seeing Shelby with her new friends every day. “It has been so much fun watching her make and have friendships. Every morning when she arrives at school, they all hug like they haven’t seen each other in years.” Coe said rewards of teaching kindergarten far outweigh any challenges. “Kindergartners are excited about everything,” she said. “They are so fun. We had a PTA popcorn party and one little girl told me it was the best day of her life. “Every day is like that. We have a program, ‘Book Buddies,’ where second graders come in once a week to

Kindergarten mother Michelle Skidmore read to them. They love it when the ‘big kids’ come to see them,” Coe said. Varughese said a successful kindergarten year depends on teachers taking advantage of the willingness and openness of five-year-olds to new experiences. “You have to be a special person to teach five-year-olds. These teachers

have the qualities, experience and talent to work magic in their classrooms. When I think back to kindergarten, I may not remember what I learned, but I do remember that I loved my teacher.” v Keith Taylor is a public relations specialist for Allen ISD.

A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

Online program leads to rock solid jobs by Heather DARROW

Edward William’s friend earned a degree in HIM. William did not understand the acronym. He only knew it had something to do with coding. Years later, he wished he had paid more attention. William was unfulfilled in his customer service job for a call center. The grass looked a lot greener for his friend whose dynamic job was offering a much higher salary. Belatedly, William began to learn about Health Information Management (HIM). He wanted to be like his friend— he wanted a job like HIM. “When I compared my job and HIM, for me there was no comparison. My friend was doing much better.

Edward William

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His career was so good. It was stable, and there was so much diversity,” William said.

The people with the answers According to Michelle Millen, Collin College director of HIM, most people are completely unaware of this promising profession. “As a child, no one says I want to be in HIM. Why? We don’t wear the scrubs or white coats, so people assume we are administrative staff. People in this field were called medical records technicians, but today it is

much bigger than that. Electronic medical records have created a ripple effect that has brought the need for an evidence-based practice. Doctors understand the clinical aspect of their areas. We have to touch every area to make sure we have a complete record. If you are looking for something, you call the HIM person,” she said. According to Millen, the college’s program is filled with students who are re-careering. Prospective students may be surprised to learn that this 60-credit-hour degree is completely online. Students can earn an associate degree in two years, if they attend full time, or they can take

a couple of classes each semester a nd enjoy a slower pace. After earning a degree, students are encouraged to take a national exam to become certified in HIM. “There was a time when people in HIM were not credentialed, but that time is ending because of compliance. Our students learn practical information they will be using every day. Because the nature of health information is technology driven, it is important for our students to be comfortable with technology. We reinforce the kind of netiquette that is necessary,” Millen added.

Job security and diversity Today, William is the director of HIM at Glen Oaks Hospital in Greenville. A 2012 Collin College graduate, he says he would not have been able to switch careers if he had to attend classes during the day. “The fact that it was online was the biggest convenience of all time. I left work at 8 p.m. and completed my coursework at night. I had the opportunity to be in school and work at the same time,” he said. William said what he learned at Collin College was practical know ledge that is relevant to his job today. “The education at Collin was excellent. The performance improve ment, release of information security and privacy I deal with at work mirrors what is being taught at the college. I really enjoyed the management class. I learned a lot about how you measure success, implementing new ideas, benchmarks and research. In management, you collect data, discover issues and why they occur and present proposals illustrating potential solutions.” Independence and a secure career with flexibility are the hallmarks of success for William. “An accountant can only be an accountant. In HIM, there is room for everyone. If you don’t like manage

Kim Rodenbusch ment, you can be an expert in documentation or medical coding. If you like helping people, it is a great way to help patients. This is a job you can always depend on. Hospitals are not going anywhere. You really can’t go wrong, and the pay is good,” William said.

From stay-at-home mom to director A mother of four, Kim Rodenbusch did not want to work outside the home until her youngest child was in middle school, so she worked at home as a medical transcriptionist. She chose Collin College for her HIM degree because she was pleased with the previous transcription training she received at the college. A 2013 Collin HIM graduate, Rodenbusch says she could have continued to work from home as an HIM coder, but she was ready to work in the field. Today, she is the director of HIM at Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital in Allen. “This field is interesting. I don’t

have the patience to be a practitioner, but biology and the medical sciences have always fascinated me. This is an ancillary way to be involved in medicine. With HIM you can go in several directions. You can choose information, coding, performance improvement and more. Rodenbusch could not be happier about her career change. She looks forward to heading to the office each morning. “This job has benefits, and I am making three times as much as I did as a transcriptionist. Of course, transcription is production based. I love working in medicine because I learn something new every, single day. We are dealing with people and medical issues, and no two people are the same, so there is always something to learn. It is awesome,” she said. For more information about HIM at Collin, visit www.collin.edu/him. v Heather Darrow is a public information writer for Collin College.

Photos, Nick Young, Collin College. A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

library

The Allen Public Library presents…

Adult anime interest group

Lara Woodhull Lara Woodhull, a voice actor from Funimation, will be the special guest for the screening of Wolf Children, a film directed by acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda at 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday, May 20, in the 2nd Floor Program Room at Allen Public Library. This event is sponsored by Collected: Plano. Refreshments and door prizes will be available. This free program is for adults only, age 18 and up, and no registration is required. A fan of anime since childhood who attended many anime conventions in her teens, Lara won the People’s Choice for Best Supporting Actress in an Anime Movie 2013 for her work as Yuki in Wolf Children. A voice-over actress for anime films, Lara’s first role was Clara in Princess Jellyfish. She has since been in numerous films including Wolf Children (Young Yuki), One Piece (Chimney), B Gata H Kei (Misato), Fairy Tail (Kinana) and .hack//Quantum (Mary). Lara also won the People’s Choice for Breakthrough Voice Actor of the Year for the BTVA 2012 Anime Dub Awards. For more information, contact Susan Wedding at 214.509.4905 or swedding@cityofallen.org. v

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by Tom KEENER

Roy Rogers’ daughter rides back to Allen Cheryl Rogers, daughter of film, television and rodeo icons Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, returns to the Allen Public Library 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 16, to present a newly-released documentary on her parents. Cheryl will also discuss the legendary Roy Roger’s life, which for most Americans embodied the spirit of the American West—horsemanship, honesty, courage and romance. Viewing this film is a unique opportunity for Allen Public Library patrons because copyright issues require a Roy Rogers family member to be present when shown. Western swing band Shoot Low Sheriff will perform Roy Rogers’ music. Lead by Erik Swanson, this band’s music combines strings, horns and a piano that evoke memories of Texas and the West.

For an opening act, local resident Kristyn Harris will perform cowboy and western ballads. Kristyn is the winner of the 2013 Western Music Association Cowboy Swing Album of the Year for her CD Let Me Ride and 2014 Academy of Western Artists’ Female Performer of the Year.

Kristyn Harris Cheryl Rogers serves on the advisory board of the Western Music Association and appeared in the History Channel’s When Cowboys Were King. She is also the author of two books. AllAmerican Cowboy Grill, which she co-wrote with Ken Beck and Jim Clark, features grilling recipes from “reel and real” cowboys. Her autobiography Cowboy Princess: Life with My Parents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans tells the story of America’s most famous cowboy and cowgirl. Accompanying Cheryl will be Brown Jug Reynolds who will discuss his colorful career as a child actor and his role as Trigger’s handler. As an adult, he trained Shadowfax for the Lord of the Ring film series. Brown Jug appeared with Roy Rogers and Dale in The Yellow Rose of Texas (1944) and Song of Arizona (1946). He also appeared with Gene Autry in The Last Round-up (1947) and Robert Mitchum in The Red Pony (1949). His most memorable role was as Little Beaver in the Red Ryder film series. v Free tickets will be issued at 7 p.m.

Super summer salads

Just in time for summer! Super Summer Salads will be presented by County Agricultural Agent and Home Economist Carrie Brazeal at noon, on Thursday, May 8, at the Allen Public Library, 2nd floor program room. Test your knowledge of different types of lettuces; discover new concepts regarding food safety and choosing healthy salad ingredients; and compare fast-food salads to making your own. Toss it together for a free salad tasting! Carrie has served with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service since 1979, responsible for planning, conducting and evaluating educational activities in the areas of health, wellness, nutrition, parent education, food safety and management and financial literacy. Carrie holds an MS in Home Economics from Texas A & M and is a regular contributor to local media. Carrie notes, “Since summer is peak time for most veggies, salads are perfect for quick and easy family meals that fit into a healthy lifestyle. With the selection of several salad greens and fresh veggies, along with choices of protein and other ingredients, today’s salads don’t resemble the salads we grew up with at all. Start your summer with Carrie Brazeal fresh menu ideas that are perfect for families of all sizes.” This free program is for adults age 18 and older. Registration is requested at www.allenlibrary.org. For more information, contact Debbie Vavra at 214.509.4913 or dvavra@cityofallen.org. v

The library is located at 300 N. Allen Drive. Call 214.509.4911 for more information. Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library. A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

Spain’s Golden Age and La Convivencia by Tom KEENER

Spain’s Golden Age and La Convivencia are a milieu in Spanish history when Jews, Muslims and Christians had a tacit truce with each other, which allowed the arts, literature and architecture to flourish. For over 400 years, knowledge and mysticism thrived in the Spanish towns of Toledo, Cordoba and Granada as students and teachers in

all three disciplines helped one another to learn, translate and understand ancient teachings. Artists such as Diego Velázquez, composers such as Tomás Luis de Victoria, Cervantes and Don Quixote and the Granada Cathedral were products of that era. A Sephardic Jew born and raised in the multicultural Izmir, Turkey,

Rachel Amado Bortnick will discuss Spain’s Golden Age and La Convivencia at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 8 at the Allen Public Library. Rachel came to the U.S. in 1958 as a foreign student. Rachel and her husband, architect Bernard Bortnick, have lived in Holland, Israel, Kansas City, St. Louis and San Francisco, and since 1988, in Dallas. In 1988, she was featured in a documentary film, Trees Cry for Rain, a Sephardic Journey, which has been featured on PBS and in film festivals around the world. In Dallas, she has served as president of the Dallas Jewish Historical Society and twice took Jewish groups to Turkey. On January 12, she presented a public program at SMU on Ladino, the medieval Spanish-based language of the Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire, which was her home language in Turkey. In an effort to preserve this endangered language, in 1999 she founded the first-ever Ladino correspondence group on the Internet, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ Ladinokomunita/, which today has over 1450 members from 42 countries. Sponsored by Bach to Books, this program is free. Call 214.509.4911 for more information. The library is v located at 300 N. Allen Drive. Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.

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MARKET PLACE

A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

gardening

Add perennials for

water-wise gardening by Dawn Bluemel OLDFIELD

Temperatures can warm quickly in May. Summer seems to be hotter and longer each year. Water restrictions are the new normal. The on-going drought combined with this winter’s Arctic cold, snow and ice inflicted great damage on landscapes across Collin County. Trees lost limbs, shrubs suffered freeze damage and some perennials perished. By the end of April homeowners were able to ascertain which plants were beyond saving. Now the big question is what to replant and what not to? My husband and I had plans to re-do a large garden area. But, with Stage 3 Water Restrictions in place and Stage 4 a real possibility, a new landscaping project is a bad idea. Instead the beds have been covered with compost and a thick layer of mulch. This adds nutrients to the soil and makes the space visually attractive. That project can wait for another year. As for the rest of the landscape, plants that need to be replaced will be varieties that can survive without excess irrigation. Following water restrictions needs to be a part of every Texan’s lifestyle. A growing population and inadequate rainfalls have left our area in a water deficit. At the time this article was written, Lake Lavon, our primary source of water, was only 44% full. Unless Asters

“Climate is the single-most important factor in how plants grow— indeed in what we select to plant in the first place.” – Jack Kramer 34 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

North Texas received significant rainfall since then, the outlook for our water supply this summer is dismal. Before purchasing replacement plants, do your research. If they are water guzzlers cross them off your list. Water-wise landscapes conjure images of rocks, cactus and plastic flowers. However, you don’t have to sacrifice curb appeal to have a landscape that is both beautiful and will conserve water. Many drought-tolerant plants including natives, adapted plants, perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs and ornamental grasses attract birds and butterflies, and their diverse blooms and foliage weave a tapestry of color through the garden. If reading up on plants sounds daunting, don’t despair. The homework has been done for you! Robin Lankford, a Collin County Master Gardener and co-chair of the Myers Park Research & Demonstration Gardens in McKinney, shares some of the top perennials that have not only survived, but thrived through our weather extremes in the research gardens. As a bonus, these plants are disease and insect resistant, too! There are factors to consider when selecting water-wise plants for your landscape. Robin advises, “Watch your sun pattern, particularly in the summer. Shade and sun patterns change dramatically from early spring to late summer. Some plants that have not been “proven” in our area will state that they are still suitable for full sun, but are unable to stand up to our western exposure in the summer. Also check for “boggy” areas or areas that receive irrigation from lawn sprinkler heads. Some plants will die if the soil retains excessive moisture.” Drum roll please…some of the top research proven perennial favorites for our area are: flame acanthus, fall aster, butterfly bush “nanho blue”, orange zest, Wheeler’s sotol, Gregg’s mist flower, guara, red yucca, yellow flowered yucca, new gold lantana, pink Turk’s cap, red Turk’s cap, blackfoot daisy, catmint, Augusta duelberg sage, Henry duelberg sage, salvia greggi, Mexican bush sage, red mountain sage, mystic spires salvia, lavendar cotton, flowering senna, Mexican mint marigold, esparanza yellow bells, germander, skeleton-leaf goldeneye, twist-leaf yucca and zexmenia. Not only are these plants hardy and beautiful, they are all hummingbird and butterfly magnets! Perennials may be a more expensive investment initially; but they pay for themselves by coming back year after year.

According to Robin, once the summer heat kicks in, these perennials really hold their own and still look good. “These plants survived the droughts of 2012 and 2013. Other than rainfall, the only water they received was in August of each year. Because we incorporated three inches of compost and maintain three inches of native tree mulch no additional fertilizer has been added or needed once they were planted in 2009 and 2010. These plants have never been sprayed for insects or diseases.” Robin advises, “Establishing perennials depends on the time of year they are planted. Fall is the best because the temperatures are cooler and we usually receive more rainfall. If they are planted in the spring, when many nurseries have their best selection, ensure they are watered through the first two months (but don’t over water!). Most perennials are low maintenance, needing little supplemental watering or fertilizer. Some look better with mid-season shearing to encourage additional blooms, but it is not required. The biggest maintenance occurs during late winter or early spring when dead stems need to be cut back.” Looking for seasonal color to brighten beds and containers? Annuals (a plant whose lifecycle is only one year) are fairly inexpensive and bring long lasting color to the garden. There are several varieties that, once established, have low water requirements and stand up to our brutal summer heat like warriors. In addition to drought tolerant plants, homeowners need to implement other water saving strategies to their landscapes: • Amend soil by incorporating organic compost to add nutrients and improve drainage. • Plant the right plant in the right place! Group plants according to light and water needs.

Yucca • Reduce lawn size. Most people over-water anyway. • Control weeds. They steal water needed by desired plants. • Upgrade your irrigation system to meet new standards. • Water deeply, but infrequently. This encourages deep roots for healthy, hardy plants. • Water efficiently and only when needed. Turn off the timer! • Mulch! A 2-3” layer of mulch keeps weeds at bay, con serves soil moisture and keeps root temperatures cooler. Robin concludes, “Everyone wants a beautiful, colorful landscape. As we enter our third year of drought it is important that we choose plants that are native or well adapted to our North Texas weather so we can minimize our water use. These plants (and others from Texas Smartscape and Texas Super Stars) will provide many years of color and enjoyment in the landscape.” For more information about the best water-wise plants for our area visit a trusted nursery professional or call the Collin County Master Gardener Association help desk at 972.548.4232. Visit www.ccmgatx. org for a complete list of favorite perennials, annuals, other recommended plants and information about water-saving Earth-Kind® gardening principles. Happy planting! v

Lake Lavon—our water source—growing grass instead of being filled with water.

Dawn Bluemel Oldfield is a freelance writer. A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

pet page

“Chip” Chip was taken to the local shelter after his family could no longer care for him. When a CCHS foster heard his story and found out how long he had been waiting for a family, she quickly stepped up and took him into foster care where he is waiting for his forever home! Chip is a sweet boy who is remembering how wonderful it is to be part of a family. He is very mild mannered and shy and needs a home willing to work with him and continue to build his confidence and trust—he’s worth it, we promise. He’s so sweet and silly when he lets his guard down and has an adorable personality. He does well with dogs and cats, but would do best in a home without small children (their sudden movements scare him). He rides well in the car and is good on a leash (although a bit afraid around traffic). He is crate trained and is almost all the way there with house training.

Chip is about 4-5 years old and weighs 21 lbs. He is neutered, heartworm negative, up to date on vaccinations and is microchipped. So, if this sweetie is the furry companion you’ve been looking for, please fill out an application online at: http://collincountyhumanesociety.org/ adoption-application and his foster mom will be in touch.

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MARKET PLACE

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civic forum calendar

MAY

Allen’s Great American Cleanup, 8 am-1pm, at various locations in Allen. City of Allen water utility bill and driver’s license required. Please visit www. keepallenbeautiful.com for site locations and details on donations accepted and unnacceptable items.

area beautification to collecting and packaging donations in support of local service agencies. For more information or to volunteer visit www.changetheworldallen.org or call project leader David Wuensch, 214.470.5599.

Fairview Community Pancake Breakfast, 9 am-noon, Fairview Fire Station #2, 1200 Stacy Rd., Fairview. Eat breakfast with friends, family and firefighters. Tour the newest fire station in Fairview and see the fire & rescue apparatus up close. For details or tickets visit www. friendsoffairview.org. Allen High School Tallenettes Junior Clinic, 9 am3 pm, Allen High School Performing Arts Center. Girls in grades K-8 spend the day with the Allen Eagle Tallenettes learning dances and kick fundamentals. Registration is $45. For further details visit www.allendrillteam.com. Equest Triple Crown Gala—Hats & Horses, 3-7 pm, Texas Horse Park, 811 Pemberton Hill Road, Dallas. Derby attire is encouraged! Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, hat contest, live and silent auctions and riding demonstrations by Equest clients and horses. The Kentucky Derby will be broadcast live at 5:15 pm. Equest is a therapeutic riding center for children and adults with disabilities and learning differences. Visit www.equest.org for more information.

8th Annual Lovejoy Country Run. A 5K race and 1K fun run begin at 7:30 am at the back of Lovejoy High School, 2350 Estqates Parkway in Lucas. Online registration is available at www. LukesLocker.com. Visit our website at www. thelovejoycountryrun.org for course map and additional information. Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and Allen Civic Ballet present “Fete des Beaux Arts,” at 7:30 pm at the Performing Arts Center at Allen High School. Guest dancers are Tiit Helimets and Sasha De Sola. For tickets or more information visit allenphilharmonic.org or allencivicballet.org. Prairie Jubilee Festival, 10 am-4 pm, Haggard Park, 901 E. 15th St, Plano. Live music from cowboy songster Andy Hedges, Texas blues man Rafael Espinoza and conjunto band Los Morales Boyz, the Faith Lutheran School of Plano student choir and others. Trackless train rides, face painting, sidewalk chalk art area, cane pole fishing, stick horse races, cow roping, tours of Plano’s Interurban Railway Museum and Rail Car #360 and much more. For details visit www. planoconservancy.org or call 972.941.2117.

Allen High School Tallenettes present their Annual Spring Showcase, 2 pm & 7 pm, AHS Performing Arts Center. The Allen Tallenettes will be performing traditional drill team numbers as well as professionally choreographed dances with elaborate costumes and set designs. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online or at the Allen High School box office prior to each show. Visit www.allenisd.org/finearts/PAC for tickets or details.

Change the World Allen—a three-day weekend of serving others in Allen, Fairview and Lucas—is looking for volunteers to complete 72 projects, ranging from home improvement and yard work/

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The Concert Bells of Fort Worth—a community ensemble of advanced handbell ringers—will perform at Christ the Servant Church, 821 S. Greenville Ave. at 7:30 pm. Call 972.727.3191 for more information.

Bike the Bricks, 2:30-11 pm, Downtown McKinney. Do you have a need for speed? Experience the heart-racing thrills as criterium racers from all over the nation battle it out on the bricks and tight turns of Historic Downtown. Bring the whole family to enjoy food, spirits and festivities at this free cycling event. The event will include interval races along with activities, live entertainment, food and drink. Cyclists will square off and chase a $25,000 purse. Visit www.mckinneytexas.org for additional details.

Tickets on sale now through Ticketmaster (www. ticketmaster.com), charge by phone at 800.745.3000 or at the Allen Event Center box office. For more information, visit www.alleneventcenter.com.

Allen High School Senior Prom

16 Collin County Community College Graduation

17 Texas Revolution vs. Tri-City Fever

24 Texas Revolution vs. Sioux Falls Storm 31 Lovejoy Graduation

Parks and Recreation Events 3/17 Saturday Night Rec n Roll, Joe Farmer Rec Center. Fun, safe social program for students in 3rd-6th grade. Gym games, dancing, music, dodge ball, pool, table tennis, theme nights, contests and prizes. Supervision provided, concessions available. An identification card (annual $5 fee) is required to participate. Walk up admission available for $10 at the doorues! 3

Youth Fishing Derby. Here fishy, fishy! Don’t miss the Youth Fishing Derby at the Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium! Prizes will be awarded for the largest fish caught per age group and overall. Pre-registration is recommended by May 2. The first 30 children to register will receive a free T-Shirt. Check in time is 7:30 a.m. with fishing instruction by Willis Hudson and the McKinney Bass Club to follow at 7:45 a.m. SNAP Dance, 7-10 pm, Recreation Hall. Special needs adapted program! Live music, a

live music. Thanks to the City of Allen and the Parks and Recreation Department, all Summer Sounds concerts are FREE and begin at 7 p.m. each Monday night. Light concessions and snow cones are available for purchase. Ground blanket seating is preferred so that concert goers of all ages can enjoy the best line of sight. Performing artist for this evening will be Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony (contemporary composers).

fun and creative theme, snacks and photo. Email tharben@cityofallen.org or call 214.509.4707.

CITY OF ALLEN Allen Event Center

10 Mom’s Swap Meet. Browsing is FREE! Moms are invited to make a little extra money by selling kid’s clothes, knickknacks and other items your family may have outgrown. All proceeds from sales are yours to keep.

All Girls’ and Women’s Try Hockey Clinics. Girls and women, experience ice hockey and learn the basics of the sport during a free 3-week clinic at the Allen Community Ice Rink. Includes skate rental and a 45-minute on-ice group skills session. Participants required to bring a helmet (bike helmets OK) and gloves (thick, winter mittens OK). Rental skates available at no charge. Pre-registration is required; space is limited.

14 “Just for the Health of it.” Allen Senior Rec Center’s ninth annual Health and Wellness Fair. More than 40 vendors will be available to provide screenings, goodies, prizes and useful information covering a variety of health related topics. Prizes provided by the vendors will be put into a drawing held during the event!

17 Quarterly Dance. Allen Senior Rec Center welcomes The High Caliber Band. Light refreshments served during break. Membership not required; members are encouraged to pre-register. For more information, call the Allen Senior Recreation Center. 26 Summer Sounds Concert Series. Spend the evening with family over a picnic dinner on the lush, fresh grass of the Joe Farmer Recreation Center Amphitheater and enjoy

Adults 7

Noontime Pageturners, noon, 2nd floor program room. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. Bring a lunch and a friend and join us for a lively discussion! Free. No registration.

14 Twisted Threads—A Fiber Craft Circle, 6:30 pm, 2nd floor program room. Do you knit? Or crochet? Or make spectacular things with thread and yarn? If so, Twisted Threads is for you! It is a social group for knitters, crocheters, felters, quilters and any other type of craft with thread or yarn! All skill levels are welcome! So, bring your latest project and work on it with other fiber crafters. 8

Discover a Healthier You—Super Summer Salads, 12-1 pm, 2nd floor Program Room. Carrie Brazeal, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Age 18+. Test your knowledge of different types of lettuces; find out about food safety and choosing healthy salad ingredients; and compare fast-food salads to making your own. Then we’ll toss it all together for a salad tasting! Reg. requested www.allenlibrary.org. For more information, contact Debbie Vavra, 214-509-4913 dvavra@ cityofallen.org.

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21 DIY@APL—Butterfly Crafts, 10-11:30 am, 2nd Floor Program Room. create your own butterflies out of clothespins and beads. These make great decorations or gifts for the spring and summer months. Ages: 18+. No children, please. Register online at allenlibrary.org or call 214.509.4905.

27 Armchair Travelers Visit Fiji, 7 pm, 2nd Floor Program Room. Travel to Fiji with Steve Ogden, as he shares pictures, stories, and anecdotes from his time on the islands. Fijianinspired snacks will be served. Free. Registration required. Register online at www.allenlibrary.org or contact the Reference Desk at 214-509-4905.

Connemara Conservancy Connemara Meadow Preserve

Bird Walk at the Connemara Meadow Preserve, 8-11 am, Allen. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them; learn what to watch for in habits, characteristics and calls from Gailon and Rodney, with Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society. All ages welcome. We recommend wearing long pants, closed-toed shoes, sunscreen and insect repellent.

25 Open House, 1 pm, Connemara Meadow Preserve. Join us to wander (and wonder) at the meadow hiking the trails, watching flora and fauna. Enter at Wooded Gate on East side of Alma, south of Bethany.

Heard Museum

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Ropes Course Adventure Day, 1-4 pm. Individuals or groups get a chance to experience the challenging ropes course and zip line. Meet at the ropes course. Flower Power-Nature Investigators, 2-4:30 pm. Go on a flower hunt to see what’s blooming and investigate. For grades 1-6. Children may attend alone or with a parent. Reservations required.

City of Allen offers a variety of affordable recreational classes and programs. Register at Joe Farmer Rec Center, 214.509.4750 or Rodenbaugh Natatorium, 214.509.4770. For more info: www.allenparks.org. American Cancer Society Road to Recovery needs volunteers to drive cancer patients to appointments. If you have a car and can spare time 9-5, you can help. For more info: Debbie Moen, 972.712.5711.

Kids Helping Kids, bring new or gently-used toys to Kids Pediatric Dentistry, donate to kids in the area. Receive chance to win prize. For more info: 972.727.0011 or www. kidspediatricdentistry.com. MOMS Club of Allen, group for moms and children who live in Allen, Fairview and Lucas. Monthly playgroups, kid field trips and business tours, special events, Mom’s Night Out and more. For more info: http://momsclubofallentx.weekly. com or momsclubofallentx@gmail.com.

Baylor Health Care System offers support groups, medical information and events. For more info: www.BaylorHealth.com.

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Texas Health Presbyterian, a variety of events. For more info: www.texashealth.org.

Allen Early Childhood PTA, support for parents & caregivers of preschoolers. Each month has fun activities. Play groups, park days, lunch with friends, field trips, Mom’s Night Out, Dads & Kids and other events. Come play with us. For more info: www.aecpta.com or information@ aecpta.com. Heart Link Women’s Networking group, women only business networking. Monthly meetings—days and locations vary. For more info: www.75013.theheartlinknetwork. com. Plano Bicycle Association, club rides, social activities, monthly meetings, newsletters. For more info: Chris Mathews, 972.964.2869 or www.planobicycle.org.

MOMS Club McKinney Central, support group for stay-at-home moms. Play groups, daytime activities, Mom’s Night Out, parties, babysitting co-op, etc. Monthly bus. meeting. For more info: MckinneyMoms@yahoo.com. Every Monday-Friday

For more info: www.heardmuseum.org.

Night Hike, 8-9 pm, explore the thrilling sights, smells and sounds of the night with Heard trail guides. Registration required.

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS

Urban Explorers, laid back, fun, diverse social group with meetups throughout Dallas area. Something for everyone! For more info: www.meetup.com/getoutandabout.

The Shores AA Group, noon, Raceway Profesional Building, 200 W. Boyd, Suite C (Adjacent to Dayrise Recovery), Allen. Open AA discussion group. Everyone welcome. For more info: 469.854.9593.

Divorce Care, 13-week courses—biblical teaching for recovering from divorce. For more info: Kim Tedford: 214.544.8050 ext. 109, ktedford@creekwoodumc.org or www. creekwoodumc.org. Every Monday-Sunday

Allen AA meets, 601 S. Greenville. Mon.-Fri., 7 pm; Sat., 9 am; Sun., 7:30 pm. For more info: Joe, 214.564.9403 & Tina, 214.566.7561.

Every Monday

Ericsson Village Toastmasters Club, 12-1 pm, Ericsson, 6300 Legacy, Plano. Guests welcome For more info: Per Treven, 972.583.8273 or per. treven@ericsson.com.

Preston Persuaders Toastmasters, 7:15 pm, Custer Road United Methodist Church, Rm B2, 6601 Custer Rd, Plano. For more info: Ed Meissner, 469.323.0538 or Todd Richardson, 214.497.4495 or www. prestonpersuaders.org. Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany #208, Allen. Work out to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net.

Allen Symphony Chorus rehearsals, 7-9 pm, choir room at First UMC. For more info: Henry@ WealthManagementGroupLLC.com Allen Toastmasters’ Club, 6:30 pm, Train Depot, 100 E. Main, Allen. Guests welcome. For more info: Joe Nave at 214.566.3100.

First and Third Monday

Singles Mingle 60+, 5:30 pm, Zin Zen Wine & Bistro, 6841 Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. A group for single men and women 60+ living

in McKinney and surrounding areas who are active and enjoy meeting new people. For more info: Bill, 214.544.5835.

Second Monday

The MOB (Men of Business), 11:30 am-1 pm, TopGolf USA, Allen for male bonding and networking over lunch. $20 chamber members; $25 non-members/general public. For more info: www.allenfairviewchamber.com.

Veterans of Foreign Wars “Lone Star Post 2150”, 1710 N. Church Street, McKinney. Post Members, 6:30 pm; Ladies Auxiliary, 5:45 pm; Men’s Auxiliary, 6:30 pm. For more info: 972.542.9119, gmlsp2150@gmail.com or visit on web: www.vfwpost2150.org. McKinney Ladies Association (SRLA), 7 pm. Various locations and service projects monthly. For more info: www.mckinneyladies.org. Heard Museum Collin County Hobby Beekeepers, 7 pm, Heard Craig Center, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566 or www. northtexasbeekeepers.org.

American Association of University WomenPlano/Collin County Branch, 6:45 pm, 2nd Floor Conservatory, Senior Living Center, 6401 Ohio Dr., Plano. Open to anyone with assoc. or bachelors degree interested in helping women. For more info: Carol, 972.862.3460 or www. aauwplanocollin.org. Collin County Early Childhood PTA, 9:45 am, Parkway Hills Baptist Church, 2700 Dallas Pkwy., Plano. Nursery res. req. For more info: Suzanne Judkins, 972.712.3634.

Sons of Confederate Veterans, William H. L. Wells Camp, No. 1588, 7 pm, Tino’s Too Restaurant, 2205 Ave. K, Plano. Speakers, school programs, etc. Open to anyone interested. For more info: Lloyd Campbell, 972.442.5982.

Third Monday

Allen Retired Educators, 10:30 am, Heritage Ranch Country Club, 465 Scenic Ranch Circle, Fairview. For more info: or RSVP: Jerri Caldronia@ jlcaldronia@suddenlink.net. Collin County Aggie Moms, 7 pm, Texas A&M Ext. Center, Coit between Bush Tollway & Campbell. For more info: 972.382.3124 or www. collincountymoms.aggienetwork.com Breast Cancer Support Group for patients, family & friends, noon, N. Central Medical Center, 4500 Medical Center Dr., McKinney. For more info: Kelly Finley Brown, 972.540.4984. Plano Amateur Radio Klub, 7 pm, all welcome. For more info: www.K5PRK.net.

NARFE Chapter 559, 2 pm at Golden Corral, 475 S. Central Expressway (75 & Virginia Pkwy), McKinney. All current government employees and retirees are invited.

Fourth Monday Allen Seniors Genealogy Club, 1 pm, Allen Seniors Center. Must be a member of ASRC. For more info: www.asgconline.com or Richard Henry, 972.390.7402.

Plano Photography Club, 7 pm, Grace Presbyterian Church, 4300 W. Park Blvd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.planophotographyclub.com.

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Every Tuesday Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Live networking breakfast, 7:30 am, 5th Street Pizza, 111 Central Expwy., #102, (Inside Stacy Furniture). $1 member/$10 non-mem. 1st visit free. For more info: 972.727.5585.

2ChangeU Toastmasters, 7-8:45 pm, Custer Rd. United Methodist Church, Rm B5, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.2changeu.org.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:15-8 pm, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 750 W. Lucas Road, Lucas. For more info: 1.800.YEA.TOPS or www.tops. org. Toastmasters Creative Expressions, 11:15 am-12:30 pm. Raytheon, McKinney. Guests welcome.

Every Tuesday & Thursday Volunteer Master Gardeners offer landscaping & gardening advice, 9 am-4 pm. Texas A&M’s Co-op Extension, 825 N. McDonald #150, McKinney. For more info: 972.548.4232 or 972.424.1460. Allen Serenity Al-Anon Family Group, 7 pm, 1st United Methodist Church, Wesley House, 601 S Greenville. Offers strength and hope to friends & family of alcoholics. For more info: 214.363.0461 or www.al-anon. alateen.org. First Tuesday Heard Museum Native Plant Society, 7:30 pm, One Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566.

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First and Third Tuesday

Common Threads of Allen, 7 pm, Whole Foods Market Café, Stacy Rd., Fairview. Share needlework projects, learn new techniques, make friends. For more info: contact Debi Maige at 214.704.0994 or debik@verizon.net. Allen Lions Club, 7 pm, Kelly’s at the Village, 190 E. Stacy Rd., #1204, Allen. For more info: Bob Schwerd, Secretary, 214.402.0982. Legacy 4-H Club (Allen and Lucas), 7 pm, Lovejoy High School, Lucas. For more info: kathrin_esposito@asus.com or 214.616.2460.

Allen Senior Citizens Luncheon, 11:30 am, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville. For more info: 214.509.4820.

Allen Democrats, 6:30 pm, Reel Thing Catfish Cafe, 600 E. Main St., Allen. For more info: Deborah Angell Smith 214.893.3643.

Collin County Archaeology Society, 7 pm, Texas Star Bank, McKinney. For more info: archaeology@netzero.net.

Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, 10:30 am check-in, Stonebriar Country Club, 5050 Country Club Drive, Frisco. Program: Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show. Music by Jazz, After All. Cost: $35; reservations must be made by May 5. Visitors and their guests are welcome. For more info: www.newcomerfriends.org or Patti Egbert: pattie2606@gmail.com.

Collin County ADD/LD Parent Support Group of Collin County, 7-9 pm, parlor, 1st UMC, 601 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. For more info: Shirli Salter, sscaroline@aol.com.

Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, 7-9 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.bptmn.org or email info@ bptmn.org.

Third Tuesday

Second Tuesday

Plano Pacers run at Schimelpfenig Library parking lot, 5024 Custer, in Plano, 7 pm. For more info: www.planopacers.org.

Daughters of the American Revolution, NSDAR, The General Bernardo de Galvez Chapter meets Aug.-May. For more info:txshawm@sbcglobal.net.

Plano Republican Women’s Club, 11:30 am, Southfork Hotel, 1600 N. Central Expy., Plano. For more info: www.planorepublicanwomen.com.

Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parents Group provides support & resources for parents of children with autism & related developmental disabilities. Join online group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ autismparentsupport. McKinney Area Newcomers’ Club, welcomes new residents, 9:30 am, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 W. Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. Program: Introducing our interest group activities offered within our club and acknowledging our awesome leaders of these activity groups. For more info: www.mckinneynewcomers.com.

Fourth Tuesday

Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon, 11:30 am-1 pm. $20 member/$25 guest. For more info: www.allenfairviewchamber.com.

Heard Museum Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society meets at 7 pm, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566..

Every Wednesday

First and Third Wednesday

Allen Rotary Club, noon, Courtyard by Marriot, 210 East Stacy Rd. For more info: www.allenrotary.org.

Allen Sunrise Rotary Club, 7 am, Twin Creeks Hospital, 1001 Raintree Circle. For more info: 972.673.8221 or www.asrotary.org. McKinney Chess on the Square, 4-7 pm, Downtown McKinney Performing Arts Center. Open play & lessons. Promotes creativity, imagination & strategic thinking. For more info, 214.620.0527 or mckinneychess. org.

Toastmasters SpeakUp Allen, “Become the Speaker and Leader you can be”, 7 pm, IHOP, 315 Central Expy,Allen. For more info: Daniel Dodd, 972.571.7527.

First Wednesday

Art History Brown Bag Series, 12:30-1:30 pm, Heard-Craig Carriage House, 205 W. Hunt St., McKinney. Lectures presented by Annie Royer. Bring lunch. For more info: 972.569.6909 or www.headcraig. org. Collin County Master Gardeners Assoc.

guided tour of Myers Park, 10 am, 7117 County Rd. 166, McKinney. Res. requested. For more info: 972.548.4232 or go to mgcollin@ ag.tamu.edu. Allen Heritage Guild, 6:30 pm, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main. For more info: 972.740.8017 or www. allenheritageguild.org. MOPS of Hope Plano, Hope Community Church, 9:30-11:30, 3405 Custer, Ste. 200, Plano. For more info: 214.762.0037 or www.mopsofhope. com.

Second Wednesday

Collin County Genealogical Society, 7 pm, Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano. For more info: ccgs.programs@gmail.com.

VFW Post 2195, 7:30 pm, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, 1015 Hwy. 121, Allen. For more info: Larry Nordgaard, 972.727.9956 or www.vfw2195.org.

Every Thursday

Allen Kiwanis Club, Noon, Hilton Garden Inn on 75 just North of Bethany. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.allenkiwanis.org.

Allen Classic Cars, 7-10 pm, 103-111 N. Central, parking lot of Chipotle & Stacy Furniture.

Sweet Adelines, NoteAbly North Texas Chorus, 7 pm, Grace Evangelical Free Church, 2005 Estates Pkwy, Allen. Women of Allen & surrounding area invited. For more info: nntsing4fun@yahoo.com.

Bible Study, 9:30–11:30 am, Community North Baptist Church, 2500 Community Avenue, McKinney. Bible study for women and children. Studying Luke. Reg. req. For more info: katpf@att.nett or mckinneyallen. cbsclass.org.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness of Collin County), Recovery support for adults living with mental illness. Led by trained individuals. Free, 6:30-8:30 pm, Custer Road UMC, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. For more info: 214.509.0085 or www.namicco.org.

Weight Watchers, 12:15 and 6 pm, 1st United Methodist Church, 600 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. Enter south entrance, 2nd floor. Speak Up! Frisco Toastmasters Club, 7-7:30 pm social, 7:30-8:30 meeting. U of D-Frisco campus, Frisco Chamber, 6843 W. Main St. For more info: http://speakupfrisco.freetoasthost. ws.

First Thursday

Allen Garden Club, meets 7 pm, monthly gardening talks by area experts, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main Street. For more info: Denise Webre, 972.390.8536 or www.allengardenclub.org.

Second Thursday W.I.S.E. (Women in Support of Enterprise), 11:30 am. Location varies. Networking & discussion of women’s issues. Fun & informative meeting for women in Allen & surrounding areas. $20 member/$25 guest. For more info: www.allenchamber.com North Dallas Newcomers, 11 am., Various locations. For more info: www.northdallasnewcomers.net.

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McKinney Area Republican Co-Ed Club, 7 pm, Collin County GOP Headquarters, 8416 Stacey Rd., #100, McKinney. Location sometimes varies. For more info: collincountyconservativerepublicans. com. Legal Aid Clinic, 6 pm, First United Methodist Church. For more info: www.lanwt.org or 1.888.529.5277. Lovejoy Preschool PTA. Monthly general meetings at Creekwood UUMC, 261 Country Club Road, Fairview. Different topic and guest speakers each month. Lunch provided free; babysitting available for nominal fee. For more info: www.lovejoypa.org, meetup.com/ Lovejoy-Preschool-PTA/.

PSA:NAMI [National Alliance on Mental Illness] of Collin County, 7:30 pm, Custer Road UM Church, 6601 Custer Road, Plano. Enter at the SE end, room B2. Peer support group, B6 and Family support group, B1, meet from 6:30-7:20 pm. For more info: www.namicco.org. Second and Fourth Thursday

Allen High Noon Lions Club, 5th Street Pizza (inside Stacy Furniture), 111 Central Expwy. S. For more info: Peter Young, 972.849.4952. Allen Area Patriots, 7-8:45 pm, Failth Fellowship Church, 415 West Lucas Road, Lucas. Local Tea Party presents speakers, enlightening and motivating citizens to participate in the political process. For more info: www.AllenAreaPatriots.com.

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Third Thursday Knights of Columbus, 7:30 pm, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville, Allen. For more info: Steve Nagy, 469.569.3357 or www. stjudekofc.org. Live @ 5 Business After Hours, 5-6:30 pm at various member businesses. Free. For more info: www.allenfairviewchamber.com.

Xtra Years of Zest Seniors Luncheon, noon, First United Methodist Church Allen, 601 S. Greenville, Fellowship Hall. Lunch, fellowship, speakers & entertainers. For more info: griflkl@sbcglobal.net.

Allen Quilters’ Guild, 6:30 pm, 1st Presbyterian Church, 605 S Greenville. For more info: www.allenquilters.org.

Collin County Republican Men’s Club, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: www.ccrmc.org.

Allen/McKinney Area Mothers of Multiples, new & expectant moms’ forum, 7 pm, First Christian Church, 1800 W. Hunt, McKinney. For more info: www.amamom.org or 972.260.9330.

Voyagers Social Club of McKinney, 10 am, Heard-Craig Hall Gallery, 306 N. Church St., McKinney. Social club open to women in McKinney and surrounding areas. For more info: voyagersofmckinney@gmail.com.

North Texas Referral Group, 11:45 am, Friday’s (121 & Preston). For more info: www.ntrg.info.

Every Friday

Cancer Support Ministry, 7 pm, 1st Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E101. For more info: James Craver, 972.727.8241.

Fourth Thursday

Every Other Thursday

Allen Senior Rec Center Dances, 1-3 pm. Ages 50+. Members free/Non-mem. Allen resident $3. For more info: 214.509.4820.

McKinney Chess Club, 2-5 pm, Senior Center, 1400 South College Street, McKinney. Adults 50+(Free). For more info: 972.547.7491.

Every Other Friday

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), nondenominational support group for moms with kids 0-5 years, 9:30-11:45 am, First Baptist Church in Allen. Childcare provided. For more info: 972.727.8241.

First & Third Friday

Classic 55+ Game Night, 6:30 pm, First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E104. Snacks, fellowship and games. Open to community, no res. required. For more info: 972.727.8241 or Eddie Huckabee at huckgolf@hotmail.com.

Every Saturday

McKinney Chess Club, 10:30 am-1:30 pm, McKinney Public Library, 101 E Hunt St. Any age. Free. For more info: 972.547.7491.

First Saturday

Open Forum, meaningful discussions, 3 pm, Delaney’s Pub, 6150 W. Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney. For more info: Charlie, 214.585.0004. VFW “Lone Star Post 2150” Motorcycle Group 33, 10 am, 1710 N. Church St., McKinney. For more info: “Driveway John” 971.822.4483, gmlsp2150@gmail.com or visit www. vfwpost2150.org.

Second Saturday

Heard Museum Nature Photography Club meeting. 1:30 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566.

Vrooman’s Regiment, Children of the American Revolution, service organization to teach children to serve their community. For more info: 972.396.8010.

Department 56 Village Collectors Club meets in the Plano/North Dallas area to share ideas. For more info: www.bigd56ers.com.

Third Saturday

Single Side Up, 7 pm, This Side Up Family Center, 1100 Capital Ave., Plano. Single parent support group. No charge to attend. Low cost child care is available. For more info: www.singlesideup.org or info@ thissideupfamily.org.

Allen Folk Music Society, 7-10 pm, The Blue House, 102 S. Allen Drive, Allen. Musicians aged 15-100. Bring snacks to share. For more info: www.twiceasfar.com.

Fourth Saturday

American Sewing Guild, 10 am-noon, Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Rd (at Parker), in Plano. For more info: Jane Johnson, 972.841.6854 or www.planoasg.org.

Last Saturday

Plano Pacers run at Bob Woodruff Park on San Gabriel Rd., Plano, 8 am. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972.678.2244, or www.planopacers.org.

Every Sunday

Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany #208, Allen. Work out live to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net.

First Sunday

United Methodist Women’s Reading Group, 2 pm, First Methodist Church of Allen, 601 S. Greenville, Church Parlor. Join us for book discussion and refreshments. Book selections are determined at the January meeting. We do encourage women of all faiths to participate. For more info: http://www.fumcallen.org.

Please keep us informed of any local activities or events of general interest to our readers by fax to the Allen Image at 972.396.0807 or email to contact@ allenimage.com. A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

For Your Health

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For Your Health

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cover story The director is Video Game High School’s Freddie Wong, one of the next generation filmmakers turning the entertainment industry on its head using the Internet. The knockout in the driver’s seat is VGHS leading lady, Johanna Braddy; the handsome kid with the gun is her reallife husband, leading man Josh Blaylock. They’re having a blast driving fast and filming stunt shots near abandoned bunkers on a ranch in California. It’s good to be Josh Blaylock. The 24-year-old, who grew up in Lucas, has a career that spans everything from the Academy Award winning film No Country For Old Men to TV’s Bernie Mac Show, Numbers, Bones, Warehouse 13 and now, the groundbreaking web series, Video Game High School. “I’m so blessed,” Josh emphasizes. “I never dreamed I’d do this.” What he’d dreamed of was training horses. “He always loved the outdoors, loved animals,” emphasizes his mom, Tonnya Blaylock. As a kid Josh spent a lot of his free time hunting, fishing or riding. “Honestly, I’m kind of socially awkward. I love horses, feel comfortable around them. You get to hang out with creatures that have strong personalities and you can see God’s spirit in them,” he says. “There’s no feeling like riding flat out as fast as you can, hearing nothing but wind and the pounding of hooves.” The transition from outdoorsman to actor was a fluke. His uncle was making an independent film for the Deep Ellum Film Festival and asked thirteen-year-old Josh if he’d play a role. It sounded like fun so he did. And he did it well. “At a showing of the film at the Angelica in Dallas someone asked who his agent was, he didn’t have one,” his dad David says. “We were surprised and asked Josh if he wanted to do this and he said ‘sure’.” That turned into a visit to the Kim Dawson Modeling Agency in Dallas and a “cold read”—they handed scripts to Josh and his mom and an agent said, “act.” “I read the parent part, he was the kid and I was a mess, I butchered my role,” Tonnya recalls. “He read his lines back to me and sounded great. When the agent found out he hadn’t been trained she said, ‘You’re really good…’” The agency signed Josh on the spot. His unique look landed him plenty of catalog work, but true to his nature, he wanted more and he was willing to work hard to do it right, so he trained at Cathryn Sullivan’s Acting for Film. “I had him nearly four years,” acting coach Cathryn Sullivan comments. “He’s the perfect blend, he’s a little sensitive, but he’s macho, he’s handsome, built well, he has good interpersonal skills. All I had to do was teach him how to act.” Josh spent hundreds of hours training, learning to tap into the myriad of emotions needed in an instant to be a successful actor. He learned quickly, it wasn’t a matter of simply taking classes and auditioning for a role. It was a long process. A l l e n I m a g e | M ay 2 0 1 4

Video Game High School team in competition “You read for the casting director in the first audition; if all goes well, you get called back to read for producers and directors,” he says. “If that’s good, you read with other actors and even more people in the room watching you. Then if they like you, you’re put on hold, the casting office puts a ‘pin in you.’” Don’t expect to get pinned often. “Auditioning stinks. You go out for parts every week and you get rejected 95 percent of the time, even if you’re a fabulous actor,” Cathryn

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Sullivan says. “If you’re not fabulous, you don’t even have an agent in L.A.” Josh plays off the stress of waiting and getting rejected, but his mom isn’t as casual. “I went with him to auditions when he was younger and rejections affected me more than him,” Tonnya says. “I learned if you didn’t hear anything after so many days, that was probably a no. They never say no, they just don’t call.” When Josh was fourteen, the pair flew to California for pilot season,

when new shows look for new talent that will help ensure their success. They stayed in an apartment complex with dozens of other child actors and their parents and weathered a slew of rejections before Josh got a break. “His second audition was for a small part on the Bernie Mac Show and he didn’t get it,” Tonnya says. “This time he was visibly disappointed. But the next week, the show called and he got the role of Todd, a bully. He came back three times to do the same role.” Josh recalls the show’s creator

MARKET PLACE

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Josh and Javier Bardem fondly. “Bernie Mac was the most down-to-earth guy I’d ever met who reached that level of success,” he says. “He was the nicest person, well loved, always joking, he’d roll up to the set in a golf cart with spinners on the wheels, wearing a big purple robe.”

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The young actor was impressed with how Mac treated everyone on his show. “He got to where he was not only because of his talent, but because of his kindness and professionalism. It was very sad when he passed away.” (Mac died of pneumonia in 2008.)

Not long after his role on the Bernie Mac Show, Josh landed the movie role of “Kid on Bike”. It doesn’t sound like much until you realize he was THE “Kid on Bike” in the Academy Award winning film, No Country for Old Men. The film follows a seemingly soulless character on a deadly rampage tracking down two-million dollars in lost drug money. Javier Bardem portrays Anton Chigurh, the man who doesn’t think twice about eliminating people he feels are a threat. At the end of the film, he’s driving away when his car is crushed by another vehicle. That’s where the “Kid on Bike” and his friend come in. Chigurh stumbles to the curb and the boys approach him. “He asks how much I’ll take for my shirt,” Josh says. “I’m a little confused, I take it off and tell him he can have it. He has me tie the shirt into a sling and he puts his broken arm into it. He gives me a hundred dollars and says ‘Take it. You didn’t see me.’” The two-minute snippet of film took an entire day to shoot. Josh says Bardem was fantastic to work with. “He was the most relaxed guy, goofing around, joking with us, running his lines a lot. But when he filmed, it got really intense. It was great to see him turn it on and off just like that. I want to take my acting in that direction.” Bardem went on to win an Oscar for his performance and the film would win another three Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture of the Year. Josh was aware this was a rare opportunity, so when he wasn’t on camera, he stayed on the set and soaked it all in. “I spent a lot of time watching the directors, the Coen brothers, how they acted and reacted,” Josh says. “They have their own language, they’d look at each other, and without speaking, one knew what the other was thinking.” A couple years later, Josh moved by himself to Hollywood. Acting coach Cathryn Sullivan says he brought a not

so subtle reminder of his roots along to help keep him grounded. “Josh, his dad and his brother are hunters and he had a mounted boar’s head hanging in his room here,” she says. “He took it with him to Los Angeles to feel at home.” The young Texan found room mates, more acting roles and a fastpaced lifestyle that musicians write heartbreak songs about. Like a lot of other actors before him, he got caught up in L.A.’s darker side and he admits even his Bible and a boar ’s head weren’t enough to keep him on track. “I was distracted, in a circle where it was hard to have my morals and honor my faith,” he says. “One night I went to my room, looked at my Bible and it was covered in a layer of dust. That burned into my mind. I broke down right there on the floor. I was completely unfulfilled, I wasn’t myself anymore so I opened the Bible, started reading, and got back in touch with my walk with Christ.” His wife, Johanna Braddy, also a Christian, empathizes. “They say Christianity can be a lonely path and it’s even more so out here,” she says. “It’s a common thing for people to make fun of Christians, they’re looked

down upon. It gets difficult. You don’t want to chime in, join their criticisms, and you also have to be careful how you respond, so the people criticizing don’t feel scolded.” Sharing their faith helps provide Josh and Johanna a much-needed anchor in the land of make believe. And having a spouse who understands the demands of a business with 18-hour workdays and, sometimes, months spent apart, is also a big help. VGHS brought them together. The

story is set in an alternate universe where video gaming is the planet’s most popular competitive sport. Video Game High School is an elite institution that teaches kids to excel in their chosen video fields. In the show, their passion runs so deep, they’re immersed in what they do, becoming part of it— whether it’s battle-action-based or a dance game. Josh is BrianD, the slightly geeky underdog who eventually steals the heart of Johanna’s character, Jenny

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Josh and Johanna Braddy Matrix from skeezy international video champ, The Law, played by Brian Firenzi. “It’s John Hughes’ style comedy that blends high octane, visual effects and action sequences,” says writer, creator and director Matthew Arnold. (Think The Breakfast Club-style depth

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combined with The A-Team’s adrenaline-fueled mayhem.) Johanna and Josh met at one of the final auditions, a sort of actors’ mix and match geared to let the directors see who has the best chemistry. “On the way out, he was really friendly and asked what I was doing

later. I was completely put off. You don’t ask someone out at an audition, that’s rude! So I blew him off and went to hang out with my mom.” Getting blown off for dinner with mom didn’t discourage Josh. When he and Johanna were chosen as the leads for Video Game High School, they hung out on the set and bonded over a Bible verse, Isaiah 43:1-2, that reads, in part, “When you pass through the water, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned…” Many deep conversations later, they were dating. Matthew is adamant he was the first to see their connection. “I’ve never been more right because they got married by the second season,” he says. “We saw really good chemistry early on,” writer, creator and director Freddie Wong says. “The problem now is, it’s so good we have to tell them, ‘Okay, in this scene, you’re on the rocks, you have to act like you’re not totally into each other.’” The show itself has an impressive following, with more than 65 million individual views of the first two seasons alone. “It’s interesting, we don’t have a narrow demographic,” Freddie says. “Matt always says ‘mom and grandma love the show too’ and that’s great.” The full-length web series has Hollywood rethinking how to make and distribute high quality enter tainment. It was born from the creators’ love of playing video games and their desires to make a different kind of film, something the old studio system wouldn’t fund. Freddie had already developed a strong fan base on YouTube with short videos he created and he turned to that base for help. Video Game High School became fan funded—each season paid with online donations, the budget increasing from more than a quartermillion dollars in season one to nearly one million dollars in this third and final go round.

Video Game High School team in competition Until this year, the series was only seen on YouTube or the website of digital movie studio RocketJump, outlets that some people saw as too limiting. The responses from some entertainers asked to be a part of

VGHS were reminiscent of the days when the cinematic elite turned their noses up at television roles. “We tried to cast some TV actors this season and their response was ‘I don’t do any web stuff’,” Freddie says.

“To me that’s very short-sighted. Josh is representative of a new generation.” The show’s tight scripts, increas ingly sharp acting, special effects and humor caught the attention of Variety Magazine, which voted Video Game High School the top web series of 2013. Writer Fruzsina Eordogh was instrumental in that choice. “Freddie Wong has always been a little bit ahead of the curve,” she says. Being ahead of the curve includes a recent attention getting deal. “I love that their show is now available on NetFlix (Forty million paid subscribers). That is a great little coup,” Fruzsina says. “They’re self-funded, they’re not with any major network, they’re changing the way the entertainment industry operates.” The young journalist was also drawn to the series for another reason—the acting. “A lot of YouTube actors are goofy…I can’t see them in a longer format, but with Josh, I was really

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Jimmy Wong and Josh impressed, I was like ‘Wow! YouTube really is a place to vet and find new talent’,” she says. “And I like Josh’s look, he’s a little nerdy, but he’s also attractive, he has a bit of the Michael Cera (Juno and Scott Pilgrim vs the World) feel.” Johanna understands Fruzsina’s observations. “Josh has this quality, he is relatable and that comes across on screen. His character is an extension of himself. He’s a goofy, quirky, innocent, bright light. He has this brightness you don’t see in other people. When he walks into a room he brings an energy that sets him apart.” Matthew saw that same thing. “Josh was an incredibly fortunate find,” he says. “A character like Brian is always hard, the good guy is the hardest character to write, he’s the moral center… Josh brought this every man quality.” The crews who work with Josh inevitably use the same words to describe him, hard-working and respectful. On the set of Video Game High School, even after weeks of 12- to 18-hour workdays, both he and Johanna are exhausted, but they still sit and talk with the show’s fans who’ve come to hang out and watch it be created. Josh’s brother and best friend, Luke, explains why. “There was an expectation in our house that we work

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hard, that we would treat people with respect,” Luke says. “Our parents raised us in a loving, Christian home. They instilled in us the morals that we have, taught us how to live a Godly life, how to glorify Him in all we do. It’s a reflection of them… bringing God into every aspect of our lives.” Josh does that not only with his acting, but now, photography as well. He’s done everything from headshots for actors to a funky little Super-Dog

picture of a feisty Chihuahua named Milton who’s battling cancer. “Photography is something I’ve completely fallen in love with. It’s another way to create characters and bring stuff to life,” he says. “I believe God’s given me a talent for it and I’m running with it.” Judging by what he’s already done in his young life, the best thing to do is get out of the way and let this boy run. In this case, literally.

Follow Josh on Twitter—@blaylock_josh

Ellary Porterfield, Jimmy Wong and Josh

Josh has provided ample interview time for this article. He’s got to hit the road, and it’s not about photography, it’s not about auditions or rejections. It’s about things that go BOOM! As part of his job, he and Johanna are heading to the shooting range for firearms instruction. A veteran Los

Angeles Police Department officer is taking them through urban training, where bad guys jump out and you better get them before they get you. Johanna is carrying a nine-millimeter pistol, Josh has an AR-15, semiautomatic rifle. They’ll be on the range shooting all day. Tomorrow, it’s back

to making movie magic. It’s good to be Josh Blaylock. You can catch Video Game High School’s third and final season on RocketJump.com, YouTube or NetFlix.v Simon Valentin is freelance writer from Allen. Photos: Danny Vink.

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