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Saturday, August 15, 2015 • Vol. 60 • No. 41

Class is back in session The Leader is getting ready for the Back To School season with a rundown of the start 2014-15 school year for some of our area high schools, along with some tips for younger returning students.

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Looking ahead with area high schools • Page 8A

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Changing Faces

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Local groups to hold forum for 2015 mayoral candidates

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INSIDE.

Great things at Gr8 Plate In this month’s edition of Food & Drink, The Leader sits down with Paul Miller to learn more about Gr8 Plate Hospitality’s two new ventures in our area - The Rolling Kitchen and The Union Kitchen, the latter of which is expected to open its doors in 2016.

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Alabama Furniture to relocate as Yale Street developers move in

By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader

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INSIDE.

2015 Mayoral candidates weigh in on issues As part of The Leader’s continuing coverage of the 2015 mayoral race, we spoke with some of the candidates to have them weigh in on pressing issues throughout the Houston area, including crime, infrastructure, and the city budget.

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Top Photo by Christina Martinez (Top) Sherri Enroth stands outside of Alabama Furniture at 2200 Yale St., where her furniture store has sat for 20 years. In a bittersweet ending to her longstanding home, Enroth said she will be moving to a new location next year as developers look to transform the area into modern retail space. (Bottom) Renderings by Braun Enterprises show room for several new restaurants and other retail anchors.

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Sherri Enroth was 21 years old in 1992 when she opened Alabama Furniture on Alabama St. in Montrose. In three short years, she developed many loyal customers who appreciated the value offered by her resale store as well as Enroth’s eye for buying. When the young entrepreneur moved Alabama Furniture to its new location at 2200 Yale St. in 1995, many of her customers came with her. Over the next 20 years, Alabama Furniture’s patron base continued to grow.

“I love my customers, and I love what I do,” said Enroth.

“I think I was in denial when my landlord first told me he sold the building. I was not ready, I did not want to think about it.”

On March 1, 2016, Enroth will lock the doors of her location on Yale St. for the last time - something she says she

was “blind-sided” by.

“This building has been in my landlord’s family for four generations,” Enroth said. “They told me they would never sell it. If I’d have known it was for sale, I would have purchased it myself.”

For the time being, Enroth does not know where she will relocate, but her objective is to remain in the area. She is staying positive and laughs when she says many are upset as she is.

“Many of my customers are out there looking for a location for me,” Enroth said. “They call nearly every day to make suggestions or to give me tips.”

How did it come to this? The entire block fronting Yale St. between 22nd St. and 23rd St. has been purchased by Braun Enterprises, a locally owned, real estate company with a focus on acquisitions, development, operations and longSee Yale, P. 5A

New Metro bus routes seek to add greater mobility but doubts persist

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

Despite their efforts to help bring attention to some of the issues surrounding the proposed Metro bus route changes in Woodland Heights, Phil Teague and others say they are in a bit of a holding pattern until Metro’s reimagined bus system officially begins Aug. 16.

Teague and other residents voiced concerns in early June over Metro’s proposal to continue its #30 bus along West 11th, Pecore, Watson, Bayland and Houston Avenue, creating traffic headaches for those living in the growing community. There was also concern that those living along Studewood, White Oak, Taylor, Sawyer and Memorial Drive would be cut off from a direct route downtown. With just under a week away until the reimagined bus routes begin service, it appears that Metro will still be

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moving forward with its original plan for the #30 bus.

“We haven’t heard anything officially yet, and the only thing we’ve noticed on Bayland is that many of the bus stop signs have new signage covering them for the new routes,” Teague said. “Metro really hasn’t come forward with many details relating to our issues so we will be waiting to see what happens in the next week.”

While the proposal attracted criticism from Heights-area residents and those living at 2100 Memorial, a mixed-income senior community who felt they would be cut off from important transportation services, officials say the new bus map is designed to meet the needs of riders across Houston. Kurt Luhrsen, METRO Vice President of Service Planning, said the organization received over 1,100 comments from comSee METRO, P. 5A

Residents from across Northwest Houston will have a chance to gain new insight on the candidates vying for city mayor at a newly announced mayoral forum to be hosted by the Garden Oaks Civic Club, in conjunction with Super Neighborhood #12 and The Leader Newspaper.

Jonathan McElvy, publisher of The Leader, will moderate the forum, which will foster discussion of each candidates’ vision for the City of Houston. The forum will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Sept. 1 at Grace Church Garden McElvy Oaks, located at 3754 N. Shepherd Dr. and all members of the public are invited to attend.

Seven mayoral candidates – Chris Bell, Stephen Costello, Adrian Garcia, Ben Hall, Bill King, Marty McVey and Sylvester Turner – have confirmed they will be in attendance at the forum.

“The next mayor of Houston needs to be a champion of the people,” said Sheila Briones, president of the Garden Oaks Civic Club. “We need a mayor who will implement a bold vision that will bring increased awareness and resources to our neighborhoods which impact the city.”

“This election has enormous poten-

One of the new features of Metro’s updated bus route website is the ability to compare routes and travel times between the old bus system and the new system. To the left is the current system and to the right is the new system, determining how long it would be to travel from the area of Yale Street and 20th Street to the Houston City Hall Annex at 901 Bagby St. at around 8 a.m. during a weekday.

Source: METRO

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Saturday, August 15, 2015 • Page 2A

Police Reports • Aug. 1 - Aug. 7 AUG. 1

Theft 7:35 PM 200-299 W 25TH Robbery 11:45 AM 400-499 E 34TH Theft 8 AM 1000-1099 PINEMONT Theft 9 PM 1700-1799 W 43RD Theft 8:34 AM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 10:53 AM 1600-1699 N LOOP W Theft 11 AM 4400-4499 WASHINGTON Theft 11:10 AM 4600-4699 WASHINGTON Theft 5 AM 1500-1599 ALTHEA Theft 6:30 PM 3600-3699 WHITE OAK Theft 3:30 PM 2800-2899 WHITE OAK

Theft 2:17 PM 600-699 13TH Theft 2:05 PM 700-799 E 11TH Theft 2:08 PM 3600-3699 WILLIA Theft 2:07 PM 5200-5299 YALE Theft 10:40 AM 500-599 NORTHWEST MALL

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Burglary 6:00 AM 3400-3499 CASTOR Burglary 2:00 PM 3200-3299 MANGUM Theft 7:40 AM 400-499 E 20TH Theft 4:45 PM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 10:05 AM 1500-1599 N LOOP W Theft 7:30 AM 1700-1799 W 22ND Theft 12:18 PM 1600-1699 SHEPHERD Theft 4:23 AM 1500-1599 FOWLER Theft 1:06 PM 2500-2599 SHEARN Burglary 2 PM 1300-1399 YALE Theft 10:54 PM 500-599 STUDEWOOD Theft 2:10 PM 400-499 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 5 PM 1100-1199 W 20TH Theft 9:46 PM 1700-1799 OVID

AUG. 2

Theft 1 PM 500-599 CORTLANDT Theft 3:30 PM 1300-1399 W 23RD Theft 7:59 PM 1300-1399 FOWLER Theft 7:27 PM 4000-4099 LILLIAN Assault 10:30 AM 3800-3899 ELLA Theft 8:57 PM 2400-2499 WASHINGTON

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Theft 3 AM 200-299 W 16TH Theft 3:50 AM 800-899 W 25TH Burglary 8:50 PM 7400-7499 N MAIN Theft 11:43 AM 4000-4099 N SHEPHERD Theft 3 PM 600-699 OXFORD Theft 4:32 AM 1400-1499 W 20TH Theft 7:30 AM 1400-1499 W 11TH Burglary 12:45 PM 1500-1599 RUTLAND Theft 8:34 AM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 7:44 AM 400-499

HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 7:18 AM 400-499 HEIGHTS BLVD Theft 5:18 AM 600-699 ARLINGTON

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Theft 12:01 PM 100-199 W 20TH Theft 2:30 AM 4100-4199 BLUEGRASS Theft 9:53 AM 4800-4899 NOLDA Theft 4 PM 5300-5399 WASHINGTON Burglary 4:30 AM 6500-6599 APOLLO Theft 5:15 PM 1000-1099 W. 20TH Theft 5:23 PM 2100-2199 ELLA Theft 4:30 PM 1200-1299 W 43RD Burglary 11 AM 600-699 W DONOVAN Theft 2:45 PM 1300-1399 W 23RD Theft 5:56 PM 2100-2199 ELLA Theft 10:18 AM 1800-1899 EDWARDS Theft 5:48 AM 6600-6699 HASKELL

AUG. 6

Robbers take equipment, wallet from contractor cident and said the contractor will be returning home to retrieve receipts and any other information on what was stolen. He also offered some advice for anyone with equipment that might be a target for criminals in the area.

“Record your serial numbers and description of equipment for retrieval,” Gordon said online. “Some businesses even go further to place a unique hidden stamp of sorts in a discrete area just in case serial numbers have been filed off. Hopefully if we are all vigilant and take this extra step we can catch these thieves before they take more property from innocent people.”

Gordon said there has been equipment stolen in the past, however this marks the first time a weapon has been pointed at a sub-contractor.

He said the victim still returned to work the following day.

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

The owner of a custom home builder in Northwest Houston says he will be keeping a close eye on local pawn shops and Craigslist, following the armed robbery of a contractor Aug. 5.

At about 6:30 p.m., contractors were working on a home in the 1100 block of Wakefield Drive when they were approached in the lot’s front yard by two black males, according to officials with the Houston Police Department. One of the men drew a pistol and demanded one of the contractor’s wallet and phone. Both men fled the scene with personal equipment, a phone and a wallet in a red Chevrolet SUV, according to officials.

Justin Gordon, owner of Justin Gorden Homes which was working on the lot, posted on the Garden Oaks Facebook page about the in-

Burglary 2:30 PM 700-799 W 22ND Robbery 4:58 PM 1900-1999 TAYLOR Burglary 6:38 AM 1800-1899 SALFORD Theft 9 PM 100-199 W 20TH Theft 6:17 PM 600-699 W 28TH Burglary 6 PM 700-799 W 9TH Theft 5:55 PM 1200-1299 OMAR Theft 4:30 PM 1000-1099 MOY Theft 7:45 PM 2300-2399 WASHINGTON Theft 3:45 PM 2600-2699 ELLA Assault 6:14 PM 1300-1399 CROSSTIMBERS Robbery 3:10 PM 1100-1199 WAKEFIELD Theft 7 PM 5600-5699 YALE Theft 2 PM 1500-1599 SHEPHERD Theft 2 PM 5200-5299 WASHINGTON

“These guys work out in 100 degree weather and they’re good people,” Gordon said. “It’s disheartening to see this kind of thing happening and we’re kind of hellbent on finding the guys and making them accountable.”

Gordon said one of the pieces of equipment stolen was a 14-inch Dewalt chop saw with serial number 170757. He asks those in the community who might visit local pawn shops and other stores to keep an eye out for the saw and said it also has a bent base which makes it easily identifiable.

The robbers are described as black males between 25 and 30 years old, with one standing at about 6 feet tall and about 180 pounds, wearing a white T-shirt and blue pants. The other was described as wearing a red baseball hat.

COLUMBIA Theft 12:44 PM 900-999 N LOOP W Robbery 11 AM 900-999 N DURHAM Assault 8:11 AM 400-499 E 42ND Theft 11 AM 1400-1499 N LOOP W Theft 9:53 AM 4400-4499 N SHEPHERD Theft 8:37 AM 4000-4099 WASHINGTON Theft 1:29 PM 100-199 E CROSSTIMBERS Theft 10:32 AM 5300-5399 WASHINGTON Theft 5:14 AM 400-499 S HEIGHTS BLVD Reports are provided by SpotCrime.com based on data from the Houston Police Department.

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Shepherd Park Plaza/ Candlelight Plaza and Garden Oaks A follow up investigation has been completed in the theft of the generator that occurred on July 27, 2015 in the 1000 block of Cheshire Lane. A suspect was identified and charges have been filed on the suspect responsible for this theft.

Charges were obtained due to the resident having the serial number of the generator on hand at the time of the theft and the identification of the suspect by the local Pawn Shop employee.

Residents are encouraged to keep a list of Make/ Model & Serial numbers to

items that may later need to be identified for law enforcement or your Insurance companies.

On Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, Deputies were contacted by a local Sears store and asked if they could identify a suspect from a video of multiple thefts.

Immediately the deputy knew the suspect from previous encounters. The suspect had been stopped and questioned several times by various Deputies in Garden Oaks, Shepherd Park, and Candlelight for suspicious activity.

The suspect has a long history of Thefts and Drug Charges so the District Attorney’s Office was contacted and charges were accepted on the suspect.

Please report suspicious activity to local Law Enforcement.

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fice for Felony Theft.

The subject was booked into the Harris County Jail for Unauthorized use of a Motor Vehicle, Felony Theft, and his Felony Warrant.

Houston Heights Associations On Monday Aug. 10, 2015, at approximately 3:15 p.m., the Heights Contract Deputy was patrolling the 500 block of East 28th Street when the deputy observed a black male in a silver Toyota pickup crouched down in the driver’s seat in the driveway of a residence.

The Contract Deputy found his actions suspicious and ran the license plate.

The vehicle came back stolen from the Houston Police Department. The subject was detained.

There were stolen items from a nearby Home Depot that had just been stolen matching the description of the subject and the vehicle involved. The subject was run for a prior Criminal History and was found to have a Felony Warrant out of the Harris County Sheriff ’s Of-

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tial to jumpstart a new conversation about how important Near Northwest Houston is,” added Mark Klein, president of Super Neighborhood #12.

“If we are to preserve and nurture the quality of life in this area as growth continues unabated, we’ll need city leaders who will put neighborhoods

first. A neighborhood-oriented mayor will be more even more vital as high-density development adds more townhomes and more people, increasing pressure on infrastructure, public safety and transportation mobility.

McElvy, who will moderate the forum, said the open dis-

cussion with all of the candidates will have a strict focus on the needs of this community.

“While the overall issues of the city need to be addressed, there’s literally a forum a week for these candidates,” McElvy said. “While we have them in our backyard, we need to talk about our backyard.”

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UpStage Theatre finishes 10 year run at Lambert Hall with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nunsense, The Musicalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader

Since 2001, UpStage Theatre has been delighting Houston audiences with family friendly, all-volunteer, nonprofit theater. The company takes particular pride in offering quality performances at prices that make theater affordable and accessible for everyone, particularly those who might not be regular theater-goers.

In 2006, the UpStage troupe found its home on the small stage of historic Lambert Hall near the Heights Christian Church, at 1703 Heights Blvd.

Over nearly a decade, the troupe has contributed many memorable moments to the culture of the local community.

Sadly, UpStage Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current performance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nunsense, The Musical,â&#x20AC;? is its last in Lambert Hall for the time being. From now to Aug. 22, theater-goers can see the plucky musical. However, soon, the curtain will fall for the last time, ending a 10-year run for UpStage at Lambert Hall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We loved being a part of the Heights,â&#x20AC;? said UpStage Artistic Director, Sean K. Thompson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This community has been so welcoming; the audiences have been wonderful, and we intend to maintain a presence here. However, we are going to become a touring company throughout Houston and hope to expand our audiences with that. We are taking Mohammad to the Mountain,

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so to speak,â&#x20AC;? Thompson stated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am in the cast of Nunsense,â&#x20AC;? explained actress Emily Beth Lange. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This production is a great example of the quality UpStage has maintained through the sheer volume of its talent. This cast contains actresses from across the Houston area, including a former Vegas show girl, and the original Annie on the national Broadway tour of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Annie.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Released in 1985 by author and composer, Dan Goggin, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nunsense, The Musicalâ&#x20AC;? is the story of the Little Sisters of Hoboken and their wonderful attempt at cabaret. The Sisters are trying to raise money to bury a few nuns who died in an unfortunate culinary poisoning accident, and currently reside in the convent freezer.

Lange plays two roles: Sister

The Obituaries.

Elsie Kesseler, 96, born March 27, 1919, died Aug. 7.

Robert N. Lester, 91, born Sept. 20, 1923 in the Houston Heights, died Aug. 6. Lester is survived by his sons, Robert Neal Lester, Ray M. Lester, and Rick Lester, siblings Mary Jo Drott, Margaret Weisner and Skip Shay, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

Delwin Leon Ligon, 89, born May 14, 1926, died July 30.

He is survived by his wife, Wilma, son Bill Ligon, daughter Cindy Ligon, and two grandsons.

Mary Amnesia and Sister Mary Annette, a puppet nun. Notably, the talented Lange also designed the set of the show, choosing a graffiti theme, adding a thoroughly modern spin to the 30-year-old production. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the future, we will try out other ventures in other locations,â&#x20AC;? added Thompson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For a decade, we have been sharing Lambert Hall with Opera in the Heights and about a half a dozen other arts groups. Now we are spreading our wings. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncharted waters for us, but we are ready,â&#x20AC;?

Thompson concluded.

UpStage Theatre is planning its next show in the Obsidian Theater on White Oak Dr. The production will open in November and is slated to be Richard Miltby Jr. and David Shireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Closer than Ever.â&#x20AC;? Keep you eyes on The Leader for more details.

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The final show marks the end a 10-year run for UpStage at the venue.

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Louise Ida Wernecke Rochow, 92, born March 27, 1923, died Aug. 2. She loved baking, gardening, watching Wheel of Fortune and soap operas with her grandchildren and caregiver. She also loved to sew and create clothes for her children. Rochow is survived by daughter Karol Rover, son Ken Rochow, sister Gladys Bobo, brothers Carl Wernecke and Harry Wernecke, eight grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Renee Ester Taylor, 63, born 1951 in Spokane, Wash., died Aug. 5. Taylor is survived by her husband, James Taylor, sisters Cheryl and Karen; children Keturah and Avi, and four grandchildren.

George J. Veselka, 91, born July 25, 1924, died Aug. 9.

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Saturday, August 15, 2015 • Page 4A

When did this child become a real boy?

I n an odd sort of way, readers of this weekly column have followed along as my wife and I have spent the past two years pretending we know how to be parents. And we are not alone.

Go visit Donovan Park on a Saturday morning – visit any park in the area – and you’ll see shoulder-to-shoulder, groggy-eyed parents with IVs hooked to disposable coffee cups wondering how any of these termite children survive to the age of two. That’s because half the children are gnawing on wood chips; the other half gargling rocks.

Our son, Master Hank, miraculously has lived through his parents’ ineptitude, and as a dear friend told me last week, “Wow, Hank isn’t a baby any more. He’s an actual boy.”

That got me thinking, which seems to happen less and less these days. At what point, exactly, did our son transform from Pinocchio into a “real, live boy?”

Let me forewarn you that no reputable university gave me a degree in child behavioral sciences, but after about 700 days (or 17,000 hours) of being a father to Hank, I’ve spent as much time studying as any Ph.D. And I’ve broken down the transformational period into two key categories: Consumption and Selection.

gin picking up handfuls of dirt and even consider the option of ingesting it?

Jonathan Neither my wife nor I eaten an insect off McElvy have the ground. Neither has Publisher Hank, because I slapped that captured roach out of his hand right before he took a bite.

But let us not be conOnce your child passes fused about this consumpthese milestones, he becomes tion phenomenon; there’s a boy. (And I don’t use the more to it than Bizarre Foods pronoun “he” in any sort with Anthony Zimmern. The of sexist manner. There is ab- moment I knew Hank gradusolutely no way little girls go ated from baby to little boy through any of these stages. came just this week.

They move directly from As any loving father might bottles to Drivers’ Ed.) do, I stood over the stove Let’s start with consumpcooking my son real, protion, because that’s what cessed noodles and his favormost babies enter the world ite frozen vegetable. Meandoing. They consume milk, while, my son disappeared formula and boxes of Pamfrom sight and reappeared pers. And for many months, a minute later holding a box that’s what our son did. He of cookies. Now holding the consumed the things we gave box would be a cute sort of him, because that’s what thing, if that’s all he did. But obedient children do. by some ingenuity he did not Then – and I don’t relearn from his father, Hank member exactly when this had opened the box, had two happened – Hank’s appetite cookies in his mouth and changed, and I’m not talking three more in his hands. At about formula versus whole that moment, I realized this milk. I’m talking about dirt. booger had become a boy.

At no point in the rear“Selection” is another key, ing of our son have either scientific finding in my lab Meghan or I picked up a – I mean house. For new, handful of dirt and purposeyoung parents, you know I’m fully inserted said dirt into talking about the selection of our mouths. That’s not to say entertainment here. my wife hasn’t considered Long, long ago, Meghan doing it to me, but she has and I could place nearly gracefully restrained. So anything in front of our son where… why did my son beand get a good 15 minutes

Tripping over the light, fantastic THE DEN – The couch is over here, so the coffee table must be….OUCH! My foot seems to have found it. If I just take two steps to the left, I’ll… OUCH AGAIN! Maybe I should stand still until the lights come back on, but that could be next Guy Fawkes Day. And here’s the odd part: Even with the power off and the house dark as a banker’s heart, every time I walk into a room I automatically flick the light switch.

But let me explain: For a late Father’s Day gift, my kids gave me Netflix and, better yet, one son came along to install it. (I am on the cutting edge of technology – tomorrow the wheel!)

This is great. Now my wife and I can sit back and watch all the new movies that have just come out, like “Ice Station Zebra” and “Giant.” So my son installs this mysterious black box and shows me how to work it. My single remote has grown to three, a total of 1.2-million buttons. In the midst of his explanation (“No, Dad, not that input button, this input button.”) my other son calls and asks if I need help. Silly fellow. He’s talking to Thumbs Ashby who, one Christmas Eve, put together a Super-Duper Space Ship in a mere four hours and 15 minutes with only three calls to the toy store and a small sack of parts left over.

At 4:30 p.m. I hear a loud Bang!, and the lights go off. My computer goes down and its emergency bing starts binging. The constant binging is to tell me the power is out. The digital clocks go dark. The a/c stops. Obviously a transformer blew somewhere in the neighborhood. Probably the local branch of the Crips was stealing the copper wire, and one of them made contact with a thousand-volt line. Hehehe. Anyway, if history is any guide, two cherry-pickers and six work trucks from my utility company, Texas Outage & Overcharge, will be here shortly – you can always hear their guttural engines blocks away. The outside temperature is 98 (“But it feels like 198,” the semi-hysterical TV weather guy fairly shouts in a fit of victimization and selfpity.) But it’s still cool inside.

In the winter you throw another log on the fire, hunker down and wait for the heater to resume blasting. Or maybe it‘s a three-dog night. But in a Texas summer when your fingernails melt, this is serious. Until then, a few recommendations: Don’t open the refrigerator door. On the other hand, the ice-dispenser in the door doesn’t have power, so how can I get ice, the necessity of 15 minutes without a/c? The garage door won’t open or close. The doorbell won’t chime (but those bings from the computer are driving me daffy – they are on batteries). You can’t use your cordless phones. The coffee pot, blender, stove and oven are frozen, so to speak, and, of course, you can’t watch TV to see if a quarter of the city is without power.

It has now been an hour and no sound of the utility trucks. Certainly TO&O knows one of its areas is blacked out, or one of my neighbors called in to notify the company. Then again, maybe not, so I call. Wait. I can’t

Lynn Ashby Columnist

use my cordless phone, and my cell phone only works when standing a city block away from any tree, house or car.

But I do have that land line. You know the routine, “Thank you for calling your beloved TO&O. All of our workers are busy with other customers, who are a whining bunch, always complaining that Texas has some of the highest electric rates in the country, and that their power is out. But your call is very important to us, so please stay on the line, like you’ve got a choice, and soon a surly associate will listen to your boring complaint. This call will be recorded, so watch your profanity. We have lawyers.”

Finally another recorded voice says: “Yes? Got complaint? Punch 1 if it’s electric, 2 if it’s about your bill, 3 to report another copper wire theft. For all other whines, touch 4 and be prepared to wait.” I never get to talk to a human, but I do register my gripe. Now the sun is setting, the house is getting darker and hotter, and still no power. I start looking for a flashlight, which is hard to find in the dark, so every room I enter, I attempt to turn on the light.

This problem can be solved by always keeping a small flashlight on a cord around your neck allowing you to use it to find a larger flashlight. Also, you can keep one in every room in the house, preferably on the floor near the door so you can easily locate the device by tripping on it. Candles work well, too.

Put candles throughout the house and tape a box of matches to your belt.

Torches are even better, and also keep away vampires.

It is dark, so dark that I can hardly see the cobwebs in my office. We have two sweaty, irritated bodies loudly griping about the situation. We would go out to a nice air conditioned restaurant except our power usually comes on by now. My wife tells me it’s time we go out to a restaurant. Some of you may remember “Wait Until Dark,” in which Audrey Hepburn is terrified by a gang of thugs. But Hepburn is blind and knows her way around the house, so when the power goes off, she has the upper hand. The thugs don’t know their way around, nor do they know Audrey Hepburn is not English as everyone thinks, but is actually Dutch, her real name is Audrey Ruston and she was born in Belgium. Now where was I, or where am I? First, I’ll switch on the light.

Ashby is in the dark at ashby2@ comcast.net

It seems like overnight when a child transitions to a real boy.

of entertainment from it. In other words, our son was not selective with what humored him. Then, we relinquished our good parenting model and let him watch educational TV. That gave us 30 minutes of entertainment.

Then came the toys.

Nearly all of them – that creep Elmo included – talked to Hank. Animals barked, instruments played songs, books read themselves, and Elmo suggested Hank open the square on his pocket (creep, I tell you).

And then, one day, Hank

took all those toys and carried them to a box in the attic. He watched the first four minutes of the educational TV (translation: cartoons) and then walked to the kitchen to get a doughnut, because apparently our son eats when he gets bored.

Here’s what we discovered about our budding boy. He didn’t want animals to make sounds anymore. He wanted to make the sounds for them.

He didn’t want instruments that played music for him.

He wanted his own drum set, which his dad bought, which

The reader.

Dear Editor: I would just note that I think the public survey is very important. While I think it would be nice having sidewalks, where I live, the street isn’t that busy and everyone seems to get by just fine walking on the street.

My main concern is that this would be a lot of cost for very little utilization. Additionally, I wonder about people who have gardens, trees, or sprinkler systems right by the road. Would the city pay to relocate or remove these? Or would it be putting a burden on each homeowner that could stretch into the thousands?

The homeowners would then also be responsible for paying to fix these sidewalks, on top of all the other house related costs they incur. I think it’s now mandatory and you can be reported for having a cracked sidewalk. Recently, a City of Houston official boasted that replacing a few cracked panels could run a homeowner ONLY about $1,000 or less now.

Just a couple of things to consider off the top of my head if you owned a house which was about to have 2-3 feet of its yard removed and then have to maintain the sidewalk.

C.J.

Wannabe presidents are militarily a sorry lot

Dear Editor: So, is Mr. Ashby implying that you should not become President — simply because you never served in any capacity in the military? In other words, one having never served our nation would not make a good President? In my opinion — these days — there are far more qualifying factors to be nominated as President of the USA (to name just a few — a lot of common sense on issues of upmost important to our nation, high intellect, a good plan to get our economy back on track with more of our citizens securing jobs, and less dependence on welfare handouts). As far as not having military experience — a President can consult with his knowledgeable “Generals” on matters of national security. Any President should do that — whether or not they have been in the military (our present President, who has not served in the military, doesn’t believe in doing such consulting, which has resulted in the evil doers in the world gaining a foothold in their plight for a caliphate.)

Barbie Miller Dear Editor:

Though I do not personally care for Mr. McCain’s politics, I do applaud with deep gratitude his military service!

W. McNamara

A night on the town at White Linen with Mitch Cohen

Dear Editor: Agree with some of Mr. Hochman’s recommendations, but disagree entirely with the crotchety sentiment. It’s high time this become a more cohesive and organized event.

No outside food or drink could be less a bummer, and more of an opportunity for sales. No open containers is a bit much though. It’s summer at a Houston festival and I like beer. Sorry.

Love watching this event grow and think it will be even better 10 years from now!

Monstermash Dear Editor: Thanks for your reply. You state that, “It’s summer at a Houston festival.” That’s my point, White Linen Night didn’t start out as just another festival; it was a time to see the artists, the unique stores and cafes of the Heights, and mingle, while most of the stores and galleries handed out free refreshments.

Jason Hockman Dear Editor: I sadly concur with Mr. Hochman’s assessment of White Linen Night. Did not even go this year because the crush and the cacophony of competing bands were so unpleasant last year. What was once a fun neighborhood event has become a stifling mob scene.

R.M.

Summer fun has turned into felonies Dear Editor: The lesson? Stop voting for Democrats.

John Peahy

Dear Editor: Just wanted say hello and let you I really like the article.

Robby

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his mother hated, which his dad immensely regrets.

He didn’t want books that read themselves. He wanted to pull back the tab on a macaroni penguin strutting by me.

He didn’t want Elmo telling him what to do anymore (and thank the good Lord for that).

He wanted cars that crashed off tables and made crushing noises.

More than anything, he sees his parents flip through on-demand TV programming, and he tells us what he plans to watch next. Usually, he garbles together something that sounds close to “Mickey” or “Widdle Weinsteins,” but we usually know what he means.

And that’s when you really know your child has become a little boy. Like when he doesn’t want you to leave him at night. When he grabs your hand because he wants you to build a block house for his animals. When he asks you to pull him up on the couch so he can sit by his daddy and watch golf. When he gives mom a huge hug, using some sixth sense because he knows she had a hard day at work.

That’s when you know your baby has become a boy.

When you know what he means.

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Saturday, August 15, 2015 • Page 5A

Metro from P. 1A munities across the region during its public engagement process.

“We incorporated quite a few of those comments that the board eventually approved,” Luhrsen said. “With regard to the issues in Woodland Heights, we did get some additional comments and we proposed some additional changes for the routes based on some of the information the community had given us.

In the end, our board elected to go with the route they had previously approved.”

Part of the focus with the reimagined system has been

to refine the bus system into more of a grid-like system Luhrsen said. He pointed to the issues with the current system with traveling from North Shepherd to the Texas Medical Center.

“If you want to travel between the North Shepherd Park & Ride, you have to take three buses and also walk a few blocks for a stretch of the journey,” Luhrsen said. “On that corridor, we now have a bus system that runs the entire length arriving every 15 minutes.”

Officials will be hard at work raising awareness about poten-

tial changes to commutes and new signage has already been placed on buses, bus signs and at stops, Luhrsen said. Some officials will also be handing out information in person at stops throughout the city and a dual trip planner is also available on Metro’s website to compare new routes with the old ones.

With any major change, there will be some pushback but Luhrsen said extensive public outreach focusing on the initiative’s benefits – easier transfers to other services and increasing the number of areas commuters can travel to,

as examples – will help frequent riders understand the new changes.

“A lot of our riders have been with us for many years and they have gotten used to riding the same bus routes every day,” Luhrsen said. “People are naturally apprehensive about change but we’re communicating with folks about all of the new opportunities on the network and how we’re greatly expanding our Saturday and Sunday services.”

Maps and more information regarding the new route can be found online at www. ridemetro.org/Pages/New-

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and restaurant developments in the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest. The company enjoys a reputation for quality – developments that add value to the community. A good example of Braun’s work is the old Harold’s in the Heights location on 19th St. Today, it’s a tasteful retail/restaurant property that has managed to retain its welcoming originality.

“We always try to add value to the community,” said Ken Braun, President of Braun En-

terprises. “Also, we always try to add sidewalks to advance a site’s walkablity. This costs us money as it cuts into space, but it benefits the neighborhood. It’s a legacy thing for us.

We want to create nice work for our neighbors and leave things better for our children.”

To thank the community for 20 years of patronage, Enroth commissioned a large mural on the north side of the cinder block building that Alabama Furniture has occupied for all

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Yale from P. 1A term ownership of commercial projects. The company plans to build a new retail/restaurant center from one end to the other.

“The Braun folks have been nice and helpful,” said Enroth.

“They offered to lease me new space right here after the buildings are constructed, but I could not afford the price.

They are also helping me look for a new space.”

Braun Enterprises is responsible for several of the retail

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this time. It’s the work of local mural artist Wiley Robertson and includes some of the businesses that have thrived in the old building over its 65 years of history. The word “Love” is painted in big letters and is the work’s most prominent feature.

“It’s my way of thanking the Heights,” Enroth said. “My way of sending my customers gratitude and love for all these years.”

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Page 6A • Saturday, August 15, 2015

Neighbors: Congratulations to the 2015 Ellen O’Neal Art Scholarship recipients

Happy 38th anniversary to Glenda and Willie Jackson! Wishing you many more years of wedded bliss.

Happy anniversary wishes go out to Kate and Brad Beless, formerly of Garden Oaks and now living in the South Sudan in a village named Tonj. Kate and Brad celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary on July 30th with their two little sons, Asher, 3, and Michael, 1. A vibrant young couple, Kate and Brad answered a call to serve as missionaries and are now working very hard to serve those in need and to create a safe home for their family.

Amazingly, in less than a year in the Sudan, in addition to building nine water wells in the Tonj area and teaching villagers how to care for and maintain the wells, the couple worked

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The 2015 Ellen O’Neal Art Scholarship Winners: sitting left to right - Evan Hudgins, Lola Baccus and Natascha Wabnitz; standing left to right: Sofia Lorina, Emily Winesett and Abigail Bowlin.

with their team to build their homes on their compound and together they are building a radio tower. What an inspiration they are!

Please keep our neighbors, Kate, Brad, Asher and Michael in your prayers. If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution to join the effort to make clean, accessible drinking water possible in South Sudan, or to learn more about this missionary group called Every Village, you can find more information at this website: http://everyvillage.org/missionaries.

Are you ready for some baseball? Or softball? Or soccer? It is sign up time for Oaks Dads Club Fall Baseball, Softball and Soccer.

Registration is already open so check out www.odcsports.com for registration information. Timbergrove Sports Association is also signing up for Fall Baseball and Soccer and registration begins Aug. 10. For more information, see www.timbergrovesports.com. A little birdy told me Timbergrove Sports and ODC are partnering up for Fall Ball, so classmates and neighbors will play one another in good spirited fun.

Waltrip High School invites all returning students and new students – as well as the community – to join in the fun at Ram Rally on August 13th from 5-7 p.m. This will be a super opportunity to meet the new principal, Mr. Mitchell, coaches, teachers, and students, and ask questions about clubs, Ram Band, Dance/Roses, Robotics, JROTC and so much more.

Liver diagnosis in Lazybrook Dear Liver diagnosis, Like humans, pets depend on their livers to clean their blood and regulate their metabolism. Pets are susceptible to a variety of liver diseases that can be caused by birth defects or can develop with age. Fortunately for Fido, a change of diet can help manage some of these diseases and regulate the animal’s metabolism again.

One of the many roles of the liver is to regulate the body’s metabolism by cleaning the blood. Since the liver plays a very important role in the regulation of the body’s metabolism, disorders of the liver can be very serious.

Dogs and cats can develop a wide variety of liver disease.

Dr. Jonathan Lidbury, assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explains some of the most common forms of liver disease our pets are susceptible to getting.

“Common liver diseases in dogs include chronic hepatitis (chronic inflammation of the liver) and portosystemic shunts (abnormal blood vessels that bypass the liver).

Common liver diseases in cats include feline hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver), cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts) and portosystemic shunts,” said Lidbury.

Early in the course of liver disease many of these dogs and cats will not show symptoms. Other pets experience symptoms that are not specific to liver disease, such as weight loss, decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting and diarrhea. At a later stage in the disease, symptoms like jaundice, (yellow

discoloration of the gum, the whites of the eyes and sometimes the skin) a distended, fluid-filled abdomen, and unusual behaviors (such as walking in circles, pressing of the head against walls, or apparent loss of vision) can occur.

Lidbury encourages pet owners to seek veterinary attention if their dog or cat experiences any of these signs.

“Diet can play a very important role in the management of liver disease, but it is important to realize that the nutritional needs of patients with these different diseases vary,” Lidbury explains. “For example, some dogs develop chronic hepatitis due to accumulation of copper in their livers. These dogs are sometimes started on medications to reduce the amount of copper in their livers, but feeding a copper-restricted diet can also be beneficial.”

Though he uses this example in dogs, Lidbury discourages pet owners from feeding cats protein-restricted diets, even while they are living with liver disease. “Cats have a higher dietary protein re-

quirement than dogs, so they should not be severely protein restricted or fed a nonmeat protein-based diet,” he explained. “The provision of adequate nutrition, especially protein, is essential for the treatment of cats with feline hepatic lipidosis. These cats are often anorexic which can mean possible tube feeding.”

Your pet’s liver disease should be discussed with a veterinarian before you make any changes to their diet. A number of commercial prescription liver diets are available for your pet, as well as the option to cook meals at home for your pet under the supervision of a veterinary nutritionist. An improvement in your pet’s health can be observed in as little as a day to several months. Though liver disease can have a negative impact on your pet’s life, a change in diet can help monitor the disease and help improve your pet’s health.

Do you have a burning question for Tabby? If so, email her at deartabbyquestions@gmail. com

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Ellen O’Neal was a first grade student at Harvard Elementary when she sadly lost her battle with brain cancer in January 2001 at age 7. Ellen loved art and enthusiastically participated in Kenneth Robertson’s art classes at Harvard, in Naomi Smulian’s Art Studio on the Boulevard, and in art sessions with the Children’s Art Project at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Through the Children’s Art Project her art has been kept alive in a very meaningful way: several of her designs have been chosen for cards, note cubes, calendars, jewelry, decorative metal, and even a wonderful Christopher Radko ornament and pin/pendant.

Soon after Ellen’s death, two special friends, Beatrice Mladenka-Fowler and Jane Luco, helped Ellen’s parents, Joellen Snow and Stan O’Neal, establish the Ellen O’Neal Art Scholarship at Harvard Elementary. Each year the scholarship fund pays for 6 artistically talented students in grades K-5 to attend the Mad Hatter Arts Camp, a two week visual and performing arts summer camp held at Lambert Hall on Heights Blvd. Following receipt of the scholarship, the winners’ art is framed and hung in the hall outside the cafeteria for a year, along with a photo of Ellen.

The 2015 winners of the Ellen O’Neal Art Scholarship at Harvard Elementary School are Abigail Bowlin, Kindergarten, Sofia Lorino, First Grade, Emily Winesett, Second Grade, Natascha Wabnitz, Third Grade, Lola Baccus, Fourth Grade, and Evan Hudgins, Fifth Grade. The winners recently attended the Mad Hatter Arts Camp and had a grand time.

If you would like to donate to the scholarship fund and help make summer art camp a reality for some deserving children, contributions can be made payable to Houston ISD, with “Ellen O’Neal Art Scholarship” on the memo line, and mailed to Joellen Snow at 1148 Heights Blvd., Houston, Texas 77008.

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Saturday, August 15, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 7A

The calendar.

INFORMATION SESSION Lone Star College-CyFair Gain first-hand knowledge about LSC-CyFair facilities, programs and resources with attendance at one of multiple summer information sessions.

Sessions are available at 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 18-19; and 9 a.m. Aug. 15 and Aug. 22 in the Center for Academic and Student Affairs Building, 9191 Barker Cypress. To register, email name and date of session. Information: CFOutreach@Lonestar.edu, 281290-3420.

1776 Houston Family Arts Center Sherman Edwards and Peter Stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tony Award-winning musical about the birth of the United States of America is coming to the Houston Family Arts Center, 10760 Grant Road, on the Garza Mainstage, through Aug. 16. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.

Information: www.houstonfac. com, 281-587-6100.

UPCOMING EVENTS The Lift Marian Sczcepanski, author of Playing St. Barbara will be avail-

able for a book talk and signing, from 7-8:30 p.m. Aug. 19. On Friday, Aug. 21, from 4-7 p.m. come enjoy mimosas while perusing the new line, Sticks, decorative and functional wood items. Story Slam is from 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 24, and features an evening of fiveminute stories. Karaoke night is from 5-7:30 p.m. Aug. 27. The Lift is located at 365 W. 19th St. Information: 713-868-LIFT (5438), www.thelifton19th.com.

MOVIE AT OAKS DADâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLUB Oak Forest Homeowners Association The Oak Forest Homeowners Association is holding an end of summer event with a free movie at Oaks Dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Aug. 22. â&#x20AC;&#x153;SandLot,â&#x20AC;? a great childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baseball movie will be featured.

Gates open at 6:30 p.m., movie begins at 8 p.m. The concession stand will sell hot dogs, snow cones and popcorn. There will be fun door prizes. Bring chairs and blankets. Information: 281-6859929.

JAMBALAYA DINNER FUNDRAISER Reagan Masonic Lodge The Reagan Masonic Lodge, 1606 Heights Blvd., will be hold-

From the Pews.

Garage sale fundraiser at St. Joseph St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1505 Kane St., is having a garage sale fundraiser for its annual festival, which will be held Sept. 26. The sale is located at the St. Martin de Porres building. Shop the sale after Mass each Sunday in August. Mass times are 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon.

Call 713-222-6193 or visit www.facebook.com/stjosephannualfestival.

Indoor garage sale at Advent Lutheran Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that time again. Shop Advent Lutheran Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indoor garage sale from 8 a.m.1 p.m. Aug. 15. Free popcorn will be provided.

The church is located at 5820 Pinemont Dr. Call 713686-8201 for information. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Saints of Our Timesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; icon tour at All Saints All Saints Catholic Church, 215 E. 10th St., will feature icon artwork which shows â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saints of Our Times,â&#x20AC;? saints canonized by St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII as well as portrayals of the Holy Trinity and the Annunciation. Msgr.

Adam McClosky commissioned this work from Brother Robert Lentz.

The icon tour will be at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 16 and Sept. 20, in the sanctuary. Call 713-8642653 for information.

Hope Episcopal holds back to school blessings Hope Episcopal Church, 1613 W. 43rd St., is having a Blessing of the Backpacks and Blessing for Teachers, at the 10:30 a.m. service Aug. 16. All children and teachers

are welcome to participate in a sendoff for the 2015/2016 academic year.

Call 713-681-6422 for information.

Lifeline screening at St. Matthewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Matthewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s United Methodist Church, 4300 N. Shepherd Dr., will offer Life Line Screening from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 20. Pre-registration is required. Call 1-888-6536450 to register. For information about the screenings, call 713-412-2629.

Sunday morning worship starts at 9:30 a.m. followed by Sunday School for all ages at 10:30 a.m.

Anyone in need of some quiet, spiritual time may visit the Wednesday evening prayer and praise service. This time of reflection song and prayer is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday evenings. Virginia Wall leads the service in the parlor.

Call 713-697-0671 or visit www.stmatthewsmethodist. org for information.

Men in Mission barbecue dinner at Zion Lutheran The Men in Mission will be hosting their annual barbecue dinner from noon-2 p.m. in Zionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Room, Aug. 23.

All free will offerings for the meal will go toward the Men in Missionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seminary Student Scholarships. The community is welcome.

Zion Lutheran Church is located at 3606 Beauchamp. Call 713-869-1493 for information.

Fun4Seniors luncheon at St. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s United Methodist Church, 2003 W. 43rd St., will host a Fun4Seniors luncheon, sponsered by Har-

ing a scholarship fund-raising jambalaya dinner from noon-5 p.m. Aug. 22. Authentic Cajun Jambalaya. Plates are $10, with drinks and desserts sold separately. Cash, credit/debit cards are accepted. Dinners are to go only (no onsite dining). All proceeds go to college scholarships for Reagan High graduating seniors.

Information: 713-861-1037.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A WONDERFUL LIFE AUDITIONS Houston Family Arts Center Houston Family Arts Center announces auditions for Doug Randâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stage adaptation of Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Wonderful Life. Open auditions are from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 22.

Callbacks will be on Aug. 24 by invitation only. Audition appointments can be made at http://bit. ly/HFACauditions. Many actors will play multiple roles in this show. Families are encouraged to audition. The minimum age to audition is 8 years old. Houston Family Arts Center is located at 10760 Grant Road. Information: 281-587-6100, www.houstonfac. com.

L.I.F.E. PROGRAMS Lone Star College-CyFair Attendees of the Learning,

ris County Precinct 4, at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 24, in the fellowship hall. Students from a Hawaiian Cultural School in Houston will provide the entertainment, including colorful costumes, songs and dances.

Benâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chuck Wagon will cater a grilled chicken meal.

RSVP to Precinct 4 at 281893-3726. The cost is $10 per person. Checks are payable to Fun4Seniors and should be mailed to 1731 Hugh Rd., Houston, TX 77067, within one week of making a reservation.

Call 713-686-8241 or visit www.stsumc.org for information.

All Saints TALC to hold fall semester registration All Saints Catholic Community Third Age Learning Center senior program will hold its fall semester registration from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 27, in the parish hall, located at 215 E. 10th St. The Fall Semester begins Sept. 8, and will conclude Nov. 13. Registration will continue the first two weeks of the semester.

TALC offers a variety of activities and classses including exercise, woodworking, conversational Spanish, computer, line dancing, hula, stain glass, watercolor painting, bridge, Lifelong Learning and more.

A hot lunch, cooked on-site, is available at noon Monday through Friday during the semester for $2. Reservations are recommended.

For program information and lunch reservations, call 713-248-1277.

John Knox Church holds Arts and Crafts Charity Bazaar The 7th Annual John Knox

Inspiration, Fellowship and Enrichment weekly programs this August will learn a little family history through Ancestry.com (in Computer Lab 105 in the library), Aug. 19; as well as the Hawaiian hula and treats, Aug. 26. All classes are Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. in the library (Room 131), at 9191 Barker Cypress.

Information: 281-290-3214, LoneStar.edu.

EVENING OF STORYTELLING The Houston Storytellers Guild The Houston Storytellers Guild presents an evening of storytelling for children and adults from 5-7 p.m. Aug. 29, at Saint Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parish Hall, 1819 Heights Blvd.

Featured storytellers are Larry Thomas, Sally Bates Goodroe, and Sheila Phillips. Admission is $10 a family and $5 for individuals.

Information: www.houstonstorytellers.org.

LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE Celebration Theatre Come see this hilarious, poignant and provacative play about women and the dilemma of what to wear. The play will run through Aug. 30 (no performance Aug. 13) at Music Box Theatre, 2623

Church Arts and Crafts Charity Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 19. Guests include Animal Ambassadors Smash and Iris from Houston Mounted Police, Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition, Houston City Councilwoman Brenda Stardig, Texas District 138 Representative Dwayne Bohac, and television anchor and reporter Sharron Melton.

The free family event will feature unique handmade arts and crafts, a bouncy castle, animal exhibit, live music, food, raffle and silent auction.

Proceeds go to four non-profit groups.

John Knox Presbyterian Church is located at 2525 N. Gessner Dr. Call 713-462-5448 or visit www.johnknoxhouston.org for information.

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ChurCh Guide

Oaks Christian ChurCh

First FirstChurch Church

(Disciples of Christ)

1216 Bethlehem at Ella Blvd.

(713) 688-7761

Heights

Sunday School ........9:15 am Sunday Worship......10:30am Thursday Bible Study & Prayer Service 6:00pm

Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Worship10:45 AM Pastor Don Joseph Member of MANNA Visit us on FaceBook www.oakscchouston.org

Pastor C. David Harrison

201 E. 9th St. â&#x20AC;˘ 713-861-3102 www.fbcheights.org Ad # 22283

GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN CHURCH 4040 Watonga â&#x20AC;˘ 713-688-5227 Reverend John Cain, Pastor Worship Services 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. (Nursery Provided) Sunday School & Bible Classes 9:15 a.m.

Preschool Program â&#x20AC;˘ Mon. - Fri. 9-2 p.m. www.gethsemanelutheran.org

Member of MANNA

Oaks Presbyterian Church New Beginnings Happen Here

Sunday Worship - 10:30am Bible Study: Wednesday Noon - 1:30pm Bible Study: 2nd & 4th Tuesday 7:00 - 8:30pm Reverend Noelie Day

(713) 682-2556 1576 Chantilly @ Piney Woods www.oak s p r e s b y t e r i a n . o r g

A House of Hope and Prayer in the Heart of Houston Rev. Elizabeth Grasham

1822 W. 18

th

Sunday - Bible Study For All Ages .. 9:30am Morning Worship............ 10:45am Age Graded Zones ...........6:15pm Wed. Prayer Meeting & Missions Organization .....................6:15pm Dr. John W. Neesley - Senior Pastor

713-864-1470

You are cordially invited to the church that can guide you in what you must do to be saved.

it is the norhill Church of Christ.

Hear The Gospel - Mark 16:15; Roman 10: 14-17 Believe The Gospel - John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 Repent - Luke 17:3-5; Acts 17:30 Confess - Mathew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10 Be Baptized - Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Col 2:11-13 Live Faithfully Till Death - John 8:31; Revelation 2:10; Hebrew 10:23 The Norhill Church of Christ is a non-denominational church located in the near north side of Houston in the inner loop 77009 area.

It has operated as a church of Christ since 1927, it is located at 634 West Cottage on the corner of West Cottage and Reagan streets.

The Norhill Church of Christ teaches only the Bible, without reference to any man-originated creed. Bible study services for all ages are held at 9:30am Sunday mornings. Sunday morning Worship begins at 10:15am. Sunday evening worship is at 6:00pm Wednesday evening worship and Bible study is held at 7:30pm.

Norhill welcomes everyone to attend worship or Bible study to learn more about the truth of the Bible.

www.noRHiLLCoC.oRG

Colquitt St. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances will be at 7:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sundays.

Visit the website for performance dates and to purchase tickets.

Information: 832-330-5478, celebrationtheatrehouston.com.

AARP MONTHLY MEETING AARP Chapter 1265 The monthly meeting will be held at 10 a.m., Sept. 14, in the community room at 1520 Candlelight Dr. The special guest is Jan Flewelling, Stroke Outreach Coordinator with the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute.

The meeting is open to anyone

50 or older, and will be preceded by a meet-and-greet at 9:30 a.m.

Information: 713-681-1133.

FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Society of St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a local non-profit in need of volunteers to help at the food pantry, located at 2403 Holcombe Blvd. The pantry is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdaySaturday. Opportunities include greeters/receptionist, stocker, shopping assistance and data entry. Information: 832-538-0323, http://svdhouston.org.

BaCk to SChool DEntal tiPS Chase Baker, D.D.S.

A

s school gets back into session itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the perfect time to review some dental tips to keep your studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smiles bright!

To begin with, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great time to schedule for your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dental check-up! The American Dental Association recommends that children are seen every six months for a regular cleaning and exam, and the first of the school year is a perfect time to make that happen.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to stress to your child about making healthy snack decisions while they are at school. Lunchtime outside of your watchful eye it is great to know that your student is enjoying snacks that are low in sugar to keep those dreaded sugar bugs from making a home in their teeth.

I always recommend that your child rinse well with water after eating lunch or any snacks. This helps to wash out any food sugars that might accumulate on their teeth. If your child is old enough that they are wearing braces, I highly encourage that they bring a toothbrush to use after theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve eaten. Braces tend to collect food more readily around the brackets and can very easily lead to decay which may not be detected until after the braces are removed. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no fun to have really straight teeth that have cavities all around them because they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t kept clean!

Finally, for those little athletes out there, be sure that they are wearing a mouthguard to help protect their teeth from any impacts. This can keep them from an unnecessary emergency dental visit.

Good luck this year to all of the little scholars as they begin this semester. With a few easy tips, we can make sure our children are smiling until next summer!

Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health. From the office of: Chase Baker, D.D.S., 3515 Ella Blvd., 713-682-4406.

Veterinary Specialists Veterinary medicine is far advanced from where it was ďŹ fty years ago.

At that time most veterinarians practiced on more than just cats and dogs. Horses, livestock, birds, reptiles, small mammals and even skunks were patients of most veterinarians. They had to perform medicine and surgery on all of them, because no one else was available.

They also did not have the advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools that are now available.

Today, it is not uncommon for your primary care veterinarian to refer your pet to a vet specialist. Together, they can provide the best care before, during and after more difďŹ cult health issue or crisis.

There are specialist for different species such as birds, exotic pets, zoo animals, horses and cats only.

Other categories specialize in surgery, dentistry, dermatology, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology, cardiology, behavior, neurology, emergency and critical care.

These specialties require additional dedicated years of study and testing to become board certiďŹ ed.

Their advanced knowledge and tools provide the Best Medicine available today. Best Medicine will will cost more.

All professional veterinarians and support staff who love and treat animals should be applauded. The veterinarians of yesteryear remain special for the deeds they did with what little they had.

Always call your Vet if you have any concerns or questions

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MESSAGE OF THE WEEK

Desperation

The shining dreams and ideals of youth often become tarnished and faded in mid-life. We expected great things from life but are disappointed to see our dreams unfulfilled and time running out. Thoreau famously remarked that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Living with this desperation takes a heavy toll which few can bear. Most of us either relinquish the dreams or lower our expectations. Some of us continue to believe that the brass ring might still be grasped. But no one can live with the thought that they have somehow failed at life, or failed to live up to their own ideals. So how should we face this? How do we live in such a way that we can approach the grave with a full-throated singing of our dreams and ideals? One way is to keep doing the best that we can, knowing we are finite creatures who often stumble. But, at least if we know that we have run the race with determination, never giving up, we will know we have done our best. We should also realize that this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an individual race, but a relay race, where we have taken the baton from others and will soon pass it on. And finally, to complete the analogy, the coach of our team is God, and ultimately Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team will win. We are all cosmic winners if we are on the side of goodness.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When my spirit growsfaint within me, it is you who watch over my way.â&#x20AC;?

Psalm 142:3

Weekly Sunday Services â&#x20AC;˘ Bible Study: 9:15 a.m. â&#x20AC;˘ Morning:10:30 a.m. â&#x20AC;˘ Evening: 4:15 p.m.

1700 West 43 rd at Rosslyn 713-682-4942 Pastor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dr. Richard Walters

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Page 8A • Saturday, August 15, 2015

Reagan eyes becoming full international baccalaureate school

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

The next school year at Reagan High School will be focused on strengthening its strong academic foundations, as the campus sets its sights on becoming a full international baccalaureate school for grades 9 through 12, principal Connie Berger says.

Currently, Lamar High School is the only other full international baccalaureate school in HISD and Reagan officials are hoping to receive their authorization for “diploma years” 11 and 12 in the fall. The move represents a natural evolution for the school and how it fits in line with its feeder schools.

“It’s particularly important to us as Harvard Elementary and Hogg Middle School are both international baccalaureate schools so having those natural feeders into our school will be important to the community and our students,” Berger said. “This will be a huge part of moving forward for us.”

Administrators and faculty will be sticking to proven curriculum and methods that have made the school successful, Berger said. Like other HISD schools in The Leader

area, students and teachers alike will be off to a fresh start with the PowerUp program and teachers and administrators will benefit from having a full year training students in their use.

“For more and more of our textbooks we no longer get hard copies, so it’s important students have their laptops with them each and every day, fully charged,” Berger said.

The school will be welcoming close to 2,200 students to start off the year, a number which has continued to grow each year, Berger said. Building and maintaining relationships with students and the community will once again be a big part of moving forward, particularly when working with community business partners to determine traits most valued by employers and recruiters.

Berger also praised Rice University for their program which provides student-teachers to classrooms at Reagan High School. The program has been beneficial to both students and the Rice University student-teachers, as it allows them to understand what teaching an entire year truly feels like.

“What makes it really nice is the team that oversees the

Berger

program over at Rice is very involved,” Berger said. “Sept.

10 was the first day back for the student-teachers and the dean was there the whole day with them, as they wanted to know what their students were going through in their program.”

While academics still rule the roost, athletic programs at Reagan will also get plenty of time to shine once again, although a recent meeting with school staff reiterated that students must be good performers in the classroom and out on athletic fields and inside gyms.

“One of our coaches stood up during a meeting and spoke about how a student had applied to a college that didn’t award athletic scholarships,” Berger said. “This particular

File Photo by Jonathan Garris While Reagan High School’s academic future is looking bright, the same can’t be said about the school’s name which might be getting a big change this school year.

college had to ensure that the student was performing well academically and they were. I know our school is really doing its part in focusing on the whole child even if they are a great athlete.”

With becoming a Texas UIL Division 6A school in Fall 2014, Reagan High School might also be attracting coaches and other athletes as students will compete with larger schools like Lamar, whether it be sports, fine arts

or even band competitions, Berger said. During the summer, however, Reagan received unprecedented attention over its potential name change, floated by members of the HISD Board of Trustees.

On campus, Berger said the response has been muted so far, but there is a clear level of uneasiness among older alumni from the 1950s and 1960s.

“It kind of raises a flag for

me, not only because I’m a principal but also an alumni, so Reagan High School is very near and dear to my heart,” Berger said. “I’m friends with many members of the alumni group online and people from that period in the 50s and 60s are very concerned about it. I personally have not heard any more about it, and I haven’t heard from the school district, but I do believe during this school year we’ll be hearing more about the name.”

New look, new principal await students at Waltrip High School

By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com

Principal Dale Mitchell said he is excited to begin his first full year as principal at Waltrip High School. With the first full year of the PowerUp program around the corner and newly renovated classrooms, Mitchell knows it will be a challenge, but it’s one he can’t help but look forward to.

“I know you would think the word would be ‘stressful’ rather than ‘exciting’ but all of the teachers are genuinely looking forward to getting back to school,” Mitchell said.

One of the biggest challenges for students returning to Waltrip will be the inverted nature of their school – the back of the school is now

going to serve as the main entrance for students for the time being as renovations continue at the facility and some classes normally on the third floor of the school have been moved around.

“We’ll have six or seven new classrooms open at the start of school Aug. 24 and about 12 or 15 more will be done as the year goes on,” Mitchell said.

The renovations also mean challenges for the school’s athletics program as each group will have to cooperate and share space to practice in, Mitchell said.

“We’ve got the band practicing on parts of the baseball field and our softball and soccer teams sharing some space as well,” Mitchell said.

“Having one gym is a big part of the challenge but I’ve

been really impressed with our athletics staff and our students as they’ve all collaborated very well. It’s been very humbling and very exciting to be a part of this.”

When it comes to the Waltrip Ram Band, Mitchell said the band really hasn’t had much of a break during the summer and much of their time was spent training for their trip to the nation’s capitol for the Independence Day parade back in July.

“We’ll be working closely with [band director] Jesse Espinosa to continue growing our band program,” Mitchell said. “We’ve also been talking about the next few years – we already have a jazz program and a small ensemble program but we’re thinking about perhaps adding an orchestra down the line.”

This year will also mark the first full year for the PowerUp program, and Mitchell says

by Sept. 14 that 100 percent of students will have a laptop in their hands. Initiatives like Linked Learning and streamlining academic pathways for students to help them better prepare for skills necessary for solid paying jobs will also be a focus for Mitchell and staff at Waltrip in the coming years.

“I’ve been so lucky and so blessed to be part of a really top notch and collaborative staff,” Mitchell said. “It could be stressful and chaotic but it hasn’t been that way at all.

We have some exciting things happening this year.”

HOST AN EXCHANGE STUDENT TODAY! (for 3, 5 or 10 months)

Marco from Italy, 17 yrs.

Loves soccer and would like to learn to play baseball.

Marco is a boy scout and enjoys the outdoors.

Make this year the most exciting, enriching year ever for you and your family. Welcome a high school student, 15-18 years old, from Italy, France, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Thailand or China as part of your family for a school year (or less) and make an overseas friend for life.

For more information or to select your own exchange student please call:

Julie from Denmark, 16 yrs.

Enjoys gymnastics, swimming and photography. She’s positive, fun loving and easy to get along with.

Natasha at 1-979-540-8498

Marcy at 1-800-888-9040 (Toll Free) or e-mail us at info@world-heritage.org For privacy reasons, photos above are not photos of actual students

www.whhosts.com World Heritage is a public benefit, non-profit organization based in Laguna Beach, CA.

the leader Puzzlers.

Harvard principal says position is a ‘perfect match’

Answers found in this week’s Classified section

SUDOKU

By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com

For Laura Alaniz, the new principal at Harvard Elementary, the job is a perfect match.

“My vocation in life is serving students and their families,” she said. “It is a dream come true for me to be able to work in the Heights community because it has been my home for 13 years. It is where I live with my husband, my daughter and our dog. I am proud to be joining the learning community at Harvard.”

Alaniz has twenty-three years of educational experience. She previously served as the principal at Gabriela Mistral Center for Early Childhood for five years. During her tenure, the school established a working collaboration with Rice University to create the Rice Oral and Written Language Lab, which operates as a teaching lab for educators in the greater Houston community.

But her teaching career began long before that in her hometown of San Antonio. Alaniz moved to Houston to accept a position as faculty at the University of Houston-Downtown where she taught Urban Education content courses. In subsequent years, she worked in HISD as an elementary teacher, a bilingual/dyslexia specialist, and an assistant principal.

She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Our Lady of the Lake University and a master’s degree from the University of the Incarnate Word.

It’s her varied experience that Alaniz believes makes

Alaniz

her well suited for Harvard Elementary. “I am excited to join teachers and staff on the journey of implementation of the IB curricula and I have no doubt Harvard will receive IB reauthorization this year,” she said. “Over the years, this community has evolved and created a culture of academic excellence. It is such a vibrant community of learners.”

She said that one of the greatest challenges in education is to provide differentiated rigorous instruction for all students.

“As a principal it is my responsibility to provide meaningful professional development for teaching and support staff so they are prepared to meet varied student academic needs,” said Alaniz.

Alaniz believes there are untapped opportunities within the district and the City of Houston and means to explore them.

“I see developing relationships with a variety of organizations to partner with Harvard Elementary as a means of supporting rigorous individualized instruction for all students,” she said.

aCrOss 1. Fashion dandy 4. Cycles per second 7. Strikebreaker 11. Aquatic reptile (informal) 13. Express pleasure 14. Swiss river 15. Contains cerium 17. Ribonucleic acid 18. On top 19. Taxis 21. Banking machine 22. Small salamander 23. Voltage 25. Pointed summit 27. DWTS host 33. In a way, smoked 34. Peat moss source 35. W. African nation Sierra ___ 36. Cocoa plum tree 41. Holiday (informal) 44. Venezuelan capital 46. DWTS hostess 48. Hideouts 50. Actress Lupino 51. The content of cognition 53. Point one point N of due E 55. Plunder a town 59. No. Albanian dialect

60. No (Scottish) 61. Blatted 64. X2 = a Pacific tourist commune 65. AKA option key 66. Angelina’s spouse 67. “Wedding Crashers” Wilson 68. Grassland, meadow 69. Laughing to self (texting)

dOwn 1. Licenses TV stations 2. Metal-bearing mineral 3. Meat from a pig (alt. sp.)

4. A bottle with a stopper 5. Short labored breath 6. Hair washing soap 7. Steam bath 8. “R.U.R.” playwright Karel 9. Beside one another in lines 10. Not straight 12. Former OSS 16. Truck driver’s radio 20. Dried-up 24. Million gallons per

day (abbr.)

26. Encircle (archaic) 27. ‘__ death do us part 28. A single unit 29. A siemens 30. Prohibition 31. V. William’s clothing line 32. Scotland’s poet’s initials 37. Auto 38. Single spot card in a deck 39. Crow sound 40. Former CIA 42. Factory where arms are made 43. Radioactive unit 44. Scoundrel 45. Freshwater duck genus 47. 9 decades 48. Makes tractors 49. 55120 51. Southeast Nigeria people 52. Arab sailing vessel 54. Hay bundle 56. Blood type 57. Driver compartment 58. “Das Kapital” author Marx 62. Consume food 63. Dental degree

WORD SCRAMBLE

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one friendships and integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Faculty and staff also got a headstart this year on enhancing their own relationships by â&#x20AC;&#x153;preaching in actionâ&#x20AC;? at the Houston Food Bank, Target Hunger, Society of St. Vincent de Paul Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normally, these kinds of immersion experiences focused on community service are done primarily with our students,â&#x20AC;? Pollard said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After a conversation with our faculty, we decided to do something for the first time with just them and it really opened their eyes.â&#x20AC;?

With one year left before the school celebrates 60 years in Northwest Houston, Pollard said her faculty remains committed to students and

Lee Mashburn, assistant principal at Scarborough High School, says one of the objectives of school administration this year is clear â&#x20AC;&#x201C; make Scarborough the go-to high school for the surrounding area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last year we had a brand new administrative team and I guess you could say weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been under new management,â&#x20AC;? Mashburn said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to put Scarborough on the map.â&#x20AC;?

By the end of the 2014-15 school year, Mashburn said the high school had a graduation of 95 percent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an â&#x20AC;&#x153;exceptional numberâ&#x20AC;? for the school, likely bolstered by Scarboroughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs focused on preparing students for careers with partnerships through Houston Community College and Lone Star Community College. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future Academy Porgram accounted for about 130 out of 700 students, according to a November article in The Leader and a considerable portion of the 20 percent of Scarborough students who come from outside the area. The

program allows participants to earn an associates degree in Network and Computer Administration.

Mashburn hopes other programs, such as an HVAC certification for students working with local businesses, will continue attracting students to the school and build upon last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful graduation rates.

Another way to attract students? Maintaining a good athletics program, something that will be done with the help of recently promoted athletics director Martin Wall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our football team has had a losing record for quite some time but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to put Scarborough on the map in regards to athletics with having a few notches in the win column,â&#x20AC;? Mashburn said.

Among some of the staffing changes includes a new full-time college access coordinator, brought on as part as a district-wide initiative to employ counseling-type positions to ensure students get the help and assistance needed for applying for post-secondary education.

However, all of these im-

Invest in Your Future Through Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Past...

Contributed Photo While normally done in conjuction with students, teachers and staff at St. Pius X High School had their own community service day at the Houston Food Bank last week as staff were â&#x20AC;&#x153;preaching in actionâ&#x20AC;? through the Target Hunger initiative.

the community and said she was excited to welcome some of the new head coaches, assistant coaches and other enhancements to the campus.

About 180 ninth graders will

provements will need to be bolstered by greater involvement from the community and parents of students. Mashburn said administrators are already hard at work on reaching out to parents to help with volunteer duties and other opportunities to stay involved on campus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the challenges weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen is almost everywhere you go, parents stay involved in with elementary students,â&#x20AC;? Mashburn said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once the children reach middle school, that drops off and in high school it continues to drop off. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hoping to reach out to them and bring them in, and having a band back on the football field, getting people riled up for football games and other events and getting parents involved as volunteers will be beneficial to our school.â&#x20AC;?

Overall, Mashburn said administrators are looking forward to increasing their academic standing in the next year and raising awareness for the accomplishments of local students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have done a really good job of staffing this school with super energetic people

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be arriving at school for the 2015-14 school year and Pollard anticipates big things for those next in line to graduate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all excited,â&#x20AC;?

Pollard said.

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While the new science building at St. Pius X High School might not be complete until 2016, Head of School Donna Pollard says breaking ground on the new facility this year will be a huge step forward for the school.

The 26,000 square foot building was spurred following a feasibility study within the school and the surrounding community and the need to keep up with providing quality science classes and to stay competitive with other schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s STEM initiatives. The school will be breaking ground formally on the project Sept.

17 and will be dedicating the building the next day, which is also the same day the school first opened in 1956. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last year was our best ever for scholarships with about $10 million awarded to our graduating class last year,â&#x20AC;? Pollard said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always looking for ways to expand that and for our students to be able to garner more scholarship money and achieve bigger and better things. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hoping some of our science and technology offerings will help, particularly through the new facility.â&#x20AC;?

Science courses will also be expanding with AP physics class and a forensic science class as well, Pollard said. The school is also promoting its activities focused on sustainability and environmental awareness, and is also looking to grow its Best Buddies International Chapter, a nonprofit organization that helps develop opportunities for one-to-

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School zone safety tips from HCDE For The Leader Six school zone safety tips from Harris County Department of Education It’s the end of summer and soon, school zones will be much more active. Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Safe and Secure Schools urges drivers to exercise extreme caution when traveling through school zones.

Follow these tips to keep kids safe and avoid costly fines: • Remember to avoid double parking or stopping on a crosswalk to let children out of a car. These areas are designated for crossing guards to safely walk children across the street.

• Put away electronic devices. Cell phone use is prohibited in school zones. Violators face fines up to $200.

• Watch out for crossing guards and obey their signals.

• Never pass other vehicles in a school zone.

• Obey the speed limit. Fines usually double in school zones.

• If you are not a parent dropping off or picking up a child, choose a different route and avoid the school zone altogether.

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“These distinctions are proof of the phenomenal work being done every day by the students and teachers in our schools,” said HISD Superintendent Terry Grier. “I’m thrilled to see so many of our schools recognized for their efforts.”

Elementary schools taking home all five distinctions include Bush, Carrillo, Condit, De Chaumes, De Zavala, Horn, Lovett, Lyons, Oak Forest, Park Place, Pleasantville, River Oaks, Roberts, Roosevelt, Travis, West University, and E. White. Baylor College of Medicine Academy, a middle school, also was recognized. However, due to a different configuration, the campus earned academic achievement in math rather than science.

Secondary schools taking home all seven distinctions include Lanier, Pin Oak, and Project Chrysalis middle schools, T.H. Rogers School, Wharton K–8 Dual Language Academy, DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Eastwood Academy, High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and Bellaire, Carnegie Vanguard, and Challenge Early College high schools.

Just 153 secondary schools across the state earned all seven distinctions, according to the Texas Education Agency.

“Earning any type of distinction under the state accountability system is commendable and should be a source of pride in a community,” Commissioner of Education Michael Williams said in a statement released by the TEA. “Achieving all seven distinctions reflects extraordinary work taking place on a campus while affirming a strong commitment to students.”

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Twenty-nine HISD schools awarded by TEA for top performance in 2014-2015 Twenty-nine schools from across the Houston Independent School District earned the maximum number of distinction designations from the state for their top performance throughout the 2014-2015 school year. Among schools in The Leader area, Oak Forest Elementary received all five distinctions for the school year.

The campuses – 17 elementary schools, six middle schools and six high schools – earned every distinction designation awarded by the Texas Education Agency. Schools are eligible for distinctions if they are rated as having “Met Standard” — the highest rating under the state accountability system — and meet various other performance standards.

All schools that “Met Standard” were eligible to earn five distinctions: Academic Achievement in Reading/English Language Arts, Academic Achievement in Science, Top 25 Percent: Student Progress, Top 25 Percent: Closing Performance Gaps, and Postsecondary Readiness.

Secondary schools also had the ability to earn two additional distinctions: Academic Achievement in Math and Academic Achievement in Social Studies.

Seventeen HISD elementary schools and one middle school earned all five TEA distinctions. An additional six HISD high schools and five middle schools took home all seven available TEA designations.

The 29 schools were among 147 HISD schools to earn at least one distinction designation from the TEA.

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About Harris County Department of Education: HCDE provides education services to the general public and 25 school districts throughout Harris County and beyond. Services include adult education, programs to promote safe schools, after-school programs, Head Start, therapy services, professional development for educators, alternative certification for principals and teachers, and special schools. We offer purchasing procurement, grant development, program research and evaluation, records management, and school finance support. Since 1889, our services continue to evolve to meet the needs of our education public. Visit us at www.hcde-texas.org.

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