Jim Ned Post: Vol. 1, No. 4 Summer 2023

JimNed POST

Front Cover: Julia Kyker

SMOKE Signals

Summer 2023 Update

By Glen Teal, Ed.D | Superintendent

Another awesome school year in the Jim Ned CISD is in the books!! We are so proud of all of our 2023 Seniors & all they have accomplished in their high school careers! We appreciate these seniors leading the way for all of our Jim Ned Indians & Lady Indians over the years! We will sincerely miss you & wish you the best in your next steps!

JNHS Principal

We also bid a bittersweet farewell to one of Jim Ned’s finest as our JNHS Principal, Ms. Treva Gambrell! Many of you know Ms. Gambrell & her wonderful family. She grew up in Jim Ned & then we were blessed to have her return to teach here, raise her kids here, & later become the Principal of her alma mater! Ms. Gambrell has done an outstanding job for the district & we wish her the very best as she settles down in the Brownwood area in her family home. Take care, Ms. Gambrell, & know you will be greatly missed in Jim Ned! As Ms. Gambrell departs, we welcome our next High School administrative team! Over the past few weeks, the JNHS Principal Interview Team has been interviewing candidates for this position. That led to my recommendation to the board of our next JNHS Principal, Mr. Richard Payne! Mr. Payne has been serving at a high level for the past 3-years as the JNHS Assistant Principal &, prior to that, served successfully as a teacher & coach at JNHS! No doubt he will do an outstanding job as our new Principal! Please welcome Mr. Payne into this position & offer your support as he leads JNHS into a bright future! Since we created a vacancy by promoting Mr. Payne into the Principal position at JNHS, we recommended one of the other strong candidates for that spot for the Assistant

Principal position. We welcome back to Jim Ned High School, Mr. Fred Dietz! Mr. Dietz is no stranger to Jim Ned as he served for several years as a successful JNHS Social Studies teacher & Boys Coach. For those that don’t know, Mr. Dietz was our Defensive Coordinator for our 2020 State Championship Football Team under the leadership of Coach Matt Fanning. Mr. Dietz also served as our Boys Athletic Coordinator prior to making the 1-year leap to Wylie High School to serve as an Assistant Principal. We are also blessed to have Mr. Dietz’ awesome wife, Laure, who has been serving at Buffalo Gap as a Teacher & Leadership Team Member. She will continue that role at Jim Ned Intermediate next year. The Dietz family has 2 sons (Ian & Brewer) that also attend our Jim Ned schools. Welcome home, Mr. Dietz!

2023 Retirees

We bid a fond farewell to three of our staff members who are retiring from the district after stellar careers: Jody Chambliss (Buffalo Gap Elementary), Laurie Irby (Lawn Elementary), & Lori Pittard (Jim Ned High School). We wish our retirees the very best in their next endeavors!

Jim Ned Intermediate Opens in August 2023

Our beautiful new Intermediate School is nearing completion & on-time for our opening as planned this August! What a wonderful building we are blessed with to serve our 4th, 5th, & 6th graders for years to come! We look forward to hosting an Open House in August (TBD) for the whole community to come to admire our community’s investment in a truly awesome educational environment! Special thanks to our new Intermediate Principal, Mrs. Che’ Corbin, & her Leadership Team who has worked tirelessly to

equip our new building with some wonderful staff members, furnishings, & other resources. We have been so pleased with the work of our partners at Jacob-Martin, led by architects Will Duncan & Tyser Robertson, as well as Collier Construction, led by Cache Tankersley as Project Manager, as well as Dylan Turner & Robert Wheat as our Superintendents. Without a doubt, great things will happen in our new facility as we continue to build the future of our Jim Ned Indians for years to come!

Potential 2023 Bond Projects

Lastly, please stay tuned for additional information regarding potential 2023 Bond Projects to possibly consider in November. Our board, now along with our 2 new members, will engage in strategic facilities planning over the summer so that we continue to stay ahead of our growth in enrollment & needs for program expansion. You can count on us this summer to develop viable & reasonable plans for our community to consider in the fall. We will keep you posted along the way. In brief, we look forward to the following:

Getting our new Auditorium built with some additional funding to support the $7.8M from the 2020 Bond; Expanding our High School to accommodate more students & honor commitments to build certain classrooms; Getting our new CTE facility built from the 2020 Bond that we culled due to inflation

Considering other new projects, particularly in the Agricultural Education area All of these new facilities will set our Jim Ned Indians up for a VERY bright future as our Jim Ned graduates move on to serve the Big Country area in a variety of meaningful ways!

In closing, on behalf of the Jim Ned CISD Board of Trustees, we want to express our sincere gratitude to all of our awesome teachers, coaches, aides, principals, technology staff, maintenance staff, custodians, bus drivers, substitutes, & other excellent support staff who have made our 2022-23 school year so successful! We also want to thank our outstanding parents & community members who support us so strongly throughout each school year! We are also truly blessed to have 7-stellar board members who guide & steer us so well throughout the school year. We are so

grateful for the incredible service on the board by Mr. Marcus Denson & Mr. Kent Beck for their 2-terms. As they depart, we welcome in with open arms Dr. Belinda Southall & Mr. Jonathan Davis to their new positions on the board. After we’ve already experienced our first meeting together as a new team, it is clear that Jim Ned CISD continues to head in the right direction, focused on keeping our Children First. What a great team of staff, parents, & community members we are blessed to have in Jim Ned CISD! Have a great summer & ROLL TRIBE!

Springer’s Scrap Metal SCULPTURE

I began my journey with art a few years ago in 2018, focusing on creating sculptures of various shapes, sizes, and themes. It began as a hobby that stems from my history of welding on the farm, helping friends and family with remodeling and construction projects, and my career as a test instrumentation specialist for the B-1B Operational Test Squadron at Dyess AFB. At first, I did it as a creative outlet, but as my skills progressed, more interest came in from friends, family, and businesses to create something unique for them. I primarily use a 1993 Miller Bobcat arc/stick welder, cutting wheels, and a torch. My materials come from various sources, including scrap metal from friends/coworkers, with the majority donated by Ranchland Specialties LLC in Clyde, Texas. Without these donations, my art would not be able to grow, and I would not be able to share a piece of my creativity with the Jim Ned CISD community.

When I was young, my father instilled in me the importance of being able to tinker with, fix, and solve a wide array of constructionbased tasks. These skills have proven critical throughout my journey and set the foundation for the art that I create today. I have three sons

of my own that attend Jim Ned CISD. Cameron, my oldest, is part of the 11th grade band, while Kyle is a member of the 8th grade football team, and Dylan, my 6th grader; however, all three were critical in the design and construction of this sculpture for Jim Ned CISD.

Together, we spent close to 220 hours on this piece, and more importantly, been able to spend quality time bonding through the passage of skills and handiwork that my father instilled in me. Tuscola and the community surrounding the Jim Ned CISD has always been home for my family for the past 14 years. We built our home here and are excited for the growth that has occurred over the last few years. It is that excitement and community support that led to the creation of this sculpture. With this piece of art, we are honored to give back a small token of our appreciation. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did creating it.

If you are interested in a custom piece of your own, would like to donate metal to my work, or just interested in seeing more, you can visit my Instagram page at @Brian.Springer.395.

Design

Tipof the Spear Winners

Texas National Bank is proud to partner with Jim Ned CISD in recognizing the outstanding faculty and staff of the Jim

Teach of the Year Brandi Northrup

Auxiliary Staff of the Year Claudio Guardiola

Ned Valley with the Tip of the Spear Award. Roll Tribe!

March-Buffalo Gap Elementary Teacher - Ashley O’Dell Auxiliary - Kim Bunting

April-High School & Auxiliary Teacher - Kati Stewart Auxiliary - Santa Correa

COLLIER CONSTRUCTION

JIM NED CISD Pr�u��� S��p�rt� ROLL

We’re

Proudly representing West Texas and beyond.

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LEGENDARYtales

And….we are back.

Famous…..Infamous?....Game Warden

Cody Westly is back in action and prowling around. He has a few years on the job now and is starting to hit his stride. He heads out for the day and knows spring turkey season is in full swing but had heard that the crappie are spawning in the shallows at the area lakes.

Cody flips a coin and the coin decides to that he should head into the rough country and see if people are in camps, hunting turkey. He finds the first few camps empty but decides to keep after it. He finally finds one old hunter in camp but the old timer seems more interested in napping and a few drinks of scotch than calling in a gobbler.

Cody was thinking he wasn’t being very effective with the turkey hunters and decides to hit up an area lake. He checks a few fishermen and they do have crappie, but not many. The fishermen told him that most of the fish they are catching are too short and that the “big slabs” aren’t in the shallows yet. Cody moved around the lake and ran across a 16 year old, fishing alone. Cody asks her how she got to the lake, and she said she liked to fish and needed some alone time(like most teenagers do), so her mother dropped her at the lake with equipment, food and her phone. She said her name was Miranda.

Cody continues with his contact and notices she has some crappie in her fish basket. He checks the basket and notices a few that look a bit short. He begins to measure the fish and she has 2 that are just a freckle short.

Miranda asks why the fish has to be 10 inches to be kept. Cody, who loves educating, smiles and says “Well, they don’t really spawn until they are 10 inches long. So, if you were allowed to keep short ones, you’re hurting the future crop of fish.” Cody has a soft spot for young fishers and hunters, and tells Miranda, “Since these are both alive, Ill write you a warning for the 2 you have that are short, but make sure they are 10 inches from now on.”

Miranda was super worried about the warning so Cody asked her to call her mother so he could explain the situation. Mom was called and after it was assured to a frantic mom that Miranda was not in trouble, everything was ok. Cody said, “Ma’am, I would much rather her out here, fishing, than lots of other things a young person could be doing.” Mom agreed with that statement and thanked Cody. Cody gave mom his number and said to call if Miranda needed help while she was at the lake or if they had any questions.

Cody continued around the lake and found a man fishing near the docks. The guy’s eyes widened when he saw Cody. Before Cody could even greet the man, the man called up to Cody and said he had already been checked that day. Cody was 99% sure he was the only Game Warden out in the area, so he rolled the dice. He said, “Was is Zane? He was working this morning.” The man assured Cody that was who checked him. Cody smirked and said, “There is no Zane. I made that up.”

The fisherman dropped his eyes and took a deep breath. Cody asked for his license and was surprised when he produced one…..though it was valid 3 years prior. Cody noticed that the man had a gill stringer with about a dozen fish on it. Cody pulls the stringer out and they all seem to be short crappie. Gill stringers are can be fatal to just about all fish except catfish. Cody, wanting to be fair and consistent, makes the fisherman a deal, “For every fish swims away, I’ll write a warning. For every fish that’s dead, I’ll write a citation,….

on top of the one you are getting for No Fishing License.”

The fisherman breathed in deep and began to pull the fish off the stringer. He appears to be saying a small prayer while pulling them off. A few of the crappie swam off but most were struggling or clearly already dead. The fisherman waded out calf deep and was doing a excited form of fish CPR and, now very loud, prayers for the fish to recover. After about 10 minutes of lakeside repentance and fish baptism, 5 fish….. were never going to recover. Cody called the service to a halt before a hat could be passed around or an alter call. Cody ordered the man to the bank and issued him 6 citations, one for the fishing license and five for the crappie.

With Game Warden James Cummings

“The fisherman WADED OUT calf deep and was doing a excited FORM OF FISH CPR and, now very loud, prayers for the FISH TO RECOVER.”

Tales FROM THE CHAIR

by Kandon and Kelsey

This is a Salon story, about a bond that a group of women (& some men) share in a small-town, Southern community, and how through friendship they support one another and cope together, through all of life’s up and downs. It’s a movie called “Steel Magnolia---“, wait.

No.

This article isn’t about a famous movie.

This is about a place that exists in real life and that place is called “Meraki Salon”, in Tuscola, Texas; a real life “Steel Magnolias.”

Meraki Salon is owned by Michelle Bradshaw and run by a team of stylist working in beauty-ministry: Michelle Bradshaw (owner/hair stylist), Monica Powell (hair stylist), Terri Watson (nail tech).

Michelle, Monica and Terri all tell a story of how they came to work together as one of divine intervention and true friendship. In both Monica and Michelle’s words, when Michelle Bradshaw purchased the salon in 2019, Monica (who already worked in

with salon itself. The duo, Monica and Michelle, both went on to have separate interactions and light bulbs from Above, when meeting and adding Terri to the TEAM! If all roads lead “home”, that is exactly the map that these Meraki ladies followed right into the JNV, Tuscola, Tx, and the hearts of their clients; they live here, they work here, they raise their kids here.

The everyday plot at “Meraki Salon” is the definition of Southern hospitality. Whether a client walks in the door needing a dose of beauty on the inside or the outside, Michelle, Monica & Terri are jointly tag-teaming the main roles of leading lady by means of beautystyling tools, big hearts and lots of love.

Meraki-client-testimonials from several community members on repeat: “I feel so good when I leave”, “All the ladies remember me and tell me they love me when I leave”, “Meraki is uplifting and full of joy.” “Michelle is my vibe. Her company is like hanging out with a girlfriend. She has been doing my hair for 19 years (Kristen Skinner).”

At our photo shoot with Meraki Salon & clients, we met new members of the JNV (Kristen Skinner), we met longtime members of the JNV (Darby Grimes & Jo Ann May), we met matriarchs of the

community (Doris Rutland), and we even met three generations deep of family (Kathy Lefevre, Carolyn Golson, Dani Wahlert, Magnolia Wahlert).

Monica, hairstylist at Meraki who grew up in Jim Ned made the comment, “Although I’ve seen our little hometown grow and change, I’m very proud to say that I get to be a part of this loving community that still carries the same traditions and values that made me who I am.” As our story and pictures began to come together for this Meraki Salon/”Steel Magnolias” article, it became clear that maybe the underlying story we were all telling is that it is the hearts and shared-testimonies of community members that help keep

small towns small. There is so much good that this Salon of four years has brought to the JNV. There is so much good that the salon previous of Meraki also brought to the community. And while at the Jim Ned Post photo shoot we also learned the mother of Carolyn Golson and Kathi Lefevre, grandmother to Dani Wahlert, greatgrandmother to Magnolia Wahlert, Jean Sherley owned a salon in the JNV for 42 years. In the words of Kathi Lefevre, “Mom (Jean Sherley) was always all about “local”! In fact, she had a dress shop (Lawn), video store, floral shop and real estate office as well as her beauty salon! She’d be thrilled to see the growth of businesses out here, especially the beauty salon. It is such

a great gathering place to visit and catch up with our neighbors as well as meet the new folks! (Jean Sherley: owner of “Fashionette Salon” in Lawn, Tx 1965-1984, owner of “TanChance” (named after her grandsons Tanner and Chancey) in Tuscola, Tx 1984-2007.)

The symbolism here of progress and history, new and old, might simply be that growth does grow good fruit and proof of that is in the appointment books sitting inside Meraki Salon.

In the words of Michelle Bradshaw, “I could do what I do [without Monica and Terri] but I couldn’t love what I do without them. They are

truly the heart and soul of “Meraki Salon”… which by the way means soul, creativity and love; and to leave a piece of yourself in your work.”

What is Meraki Salon teaching us? Pour into community members/neighbors, plant resources into local businesses, and all together watch history keep telling Jim Ned Valley-verions, of “Steel Magnolias”-stories and the beauty of a Southern community and all the roots that run generations deep; oh and to always ”leave a piece of yourself in your work”, just like Michelle, Terri, Monica, & Jean Sherley.

“Although I’ve seen our little hometown grow and change, I’m very proud to say that I get to be a part of this loving community that still carries the same traditions and values that made me who I am.”

Fancy NANCY

By Summer and Charlie Heath

Included in Meraki Salon is Nancy Lou’s Boutique, named after long-time resident Nancy Lou Handley, founded in 2017 by us, Summer and Charlie Heath.

Our roots run deep in the Jim Ned community. My mom, Nancy Lou Handley, and the namesake of the boutique, was a member of the first graduating class of Jim Ned High School when they consolidated The Tuscola Flying Tigers and the Lawn Longhorns. She lived and worked in the community until she passed away in 2016. She was a member of the school board for several years and

stayed active watching her beloved Jim Ned Indians.

She rarely missed a game! She LOVED looking her best. You never saw her when she wasn’t dressed impeccably. And we figured, what better way to honor her, than to share her love of looking great by opening a boutique in her name. And here we are, 6 years later, doing what we love in the community that we love.

Come by and see us and let us help you find that perfect outfit. From ball games to a night out on the town, we’ve got you covered.

GROW YOUR social platforms

WITH @FOSTERMOMFARMHOUSE, PATTY WRIGHT, TEACHER AT BUFFALO GAP ELEMENTARY

Hey y’all, I’m Patty Wright and I launched my brand, Foster Mom Farmhouse, in 2017. It all started when I began to share my love of home decor and DIY projects on Instagram. Over the years, as my IG page grew into a business and my social media presence expanded, I learned so much about branding and different social media platforms. If YOU are trying to strengthen your on-line presence, here are 5 tips that are sure to help you!

1Be Yourself, Feature Yourself

It is super important to find your niche and just go for it! Post and create content about products or experiences that are meaningful to you. Keep in mind that people want to follow like-minded and relatable people so remember to be yourself and “your people” (aka your followers) will find you!

Timing is Everything: Be Consistent

When you’re starting out, the secret to growing your account is to focus on good content not just adding followers quickly. You will be surprised by how fast followers come and go so make sure you’re tracking trends. Create content regularly and often! Study when your page has the most activity to keep your followers the most engaged. Use different social media platforms and cross-post to take advantage of the various features and audiences offered by different platforms. You will find that the variety will help you grow and expand!

3 Going Viral is the Exception, Not the Rule

Growing your online business or social media platform doesn’t happen overnight and truthfully speaking, not all of your posts are going to perform equally. Rely on your girl gang to give your page love and support! A simple text to your friends when you post can help your content in the algorithm. Be patient and keep working toward your goals!

4

5

Collaborations: Small Opportunities Lead to Big Breaks

In order to gain a wide range of exposure, it is as equally important to collaborate with national brands as it is with local businesses. There are many types of collaborations for growth: product exchanges, paid product posts, and advertisements. To put this into perspective, not including paid collaborations, my page has generated home décor, clothing, trips, and renovations valued at over $100,000. When you collaborate, there is also the potential for you to gain a new audience. Use it to your advantage!

Be Social to Grow your Socials

The Jim Ned area has so much to offer for great content. Feature it! Get involved in your community as a volunteer at school, church, or non-profit organizations. Attend local events to meet new people. We are blessed to live in such a great area so shop and eat at local businesses and post about it! Plus, “Word of Mouth” and connecting with others are still some of the best ways to gain followers. You’ll often find local connections drive the most online interactions!

proudly surfing with the valley

FARM & RANCH

GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED IN THE OUTDOORS BY MATTHEW STOVALL

In this crazy world we live in, it is easy to get busy with work, life, hobbies, and friends. You name it, we can find time to work it in. The days of past, where the great outdoors was just a part of life, are for the most part gone. If we want our youth to grow up with the knowledge and understanding of the land, animals, and plants that provide us with not only food, but also entertainment, sport, and glorious views, it takes a special amount if effort to make it a part of life.

This past year my oldest son had the opportunity to participate in the Jim Ned FFA and Taylor County 4H and show chickens. We started this project both as beginning chicken farmers and didn’t know what to expect going in. My lovely wife has at times had laying hens and the beautiful creatures that provided us with free breakfast every morning were far from what me and my son would experience over the next few months. These beasts would go from little chicks that would fit in the palm of your hand to around 13-14 lbs. right at 2 months. We were all amazed at the growth of these broilers and as you can imagine, in order to grow this fast, they had to eat a ton. Along with eating a ton, they pooped even more. This became our bi-weekly ritual of cleaning out chicken

poop, figuring out what to do with it, and creating a system that worked. It would have been way easier for me to just tell my son to sit back and watch me feed, water, and clean up. In fact, I probably could have done it 10 times quicker than it actually took, but my wife and I knew this was a huge learning point for my son and we had an opportunity to let him start and finish a new project with just guidance and as little help as possible.

Over the two-month project, we had days where it was freezing and had to make sure the heat lamps were all set. We had days that were really hot and had to make sure they had ventilation and water. We even had times we would go out of town so he had to prepare days in advance and calculate what it would take for the animals to be alive on our return.

As this project progressed, we began to question if we made the right decision by starting this project as our chickens began to pass away one by one. We started out with 25 chickens, and by the time we got to the week of showing, we were down to just 13. We needed 8 for the show so it really didn’t leave much room for many more deaths. Thanks to Dr. Rita at Tuscola Vet Clinic, she was able to diagnose the problem and

we were able to get the chickens the antibiotics they needed to keep sickness from spreading.

All the steps it took to go from the small chick to the 14 lb. monster my son was showing at the competitions really took a lot of hard work and dedication. Both on my son’s behalf and probably even more on my wife and I. We walked our son through everything time and time again. It is crazy how attached you can become to these animals and it is crazy how good they actually taste. My son now has a real appreciation for what it takes to grow a chicken and he thinks differently while he is eating at Chicken Express. In the end, it was a great experience for all of us. Even though we had to drag our 8-year-old son out there at times to “enjoy the great outdoors”, it is a project I know he is sure to remember for years to come and is already planning on what animals he would like to show this upcoming year. We can keep our lives busy and try and fill it with as many activities as possible, but I think we must make a continuous effort to make the great outdoors at least a part of it. In my family, we choose to make it a BIG part of it.

“IF WE WANT OUR YOUTH TO GROW UP WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAND, ANIMALS, AND PLANTS THAT PROVIDE US WITH NOT ONLY FOOD, BUT ALSO ENTERTAINMENT, SPORT, AND GLORIOUS VIEWS, IT TAKES A SPECIAL AMOUNT IF EFFORT TO MAKE IT A PART OF LIFE.”

ERASING THE PAST...

TO ENSURE A NEW FUTURE.

Big Country Laser Center started as Abilene Tattoo removal almost 10 years ago. 2013 Tracy Yoder had a dream, a dream to fill a need in her community, all the while helping others and being a mother to 4 children.

Over the years tattoo removal had grown and so had the need to remove tattoos from those that had the courage to start a new life. Tracy helped as she could be giving free tattoo removals to ex-convicts, gang members, military cadets, partnering with “new Beginnings” and other charities. Shawna Hodge, Licensed Medical Laser Tech, joined the Big Country Laser Center in 2019; just as Tracy found a passion for helping so did Shawna. Between the two they were able to help even more clients.

In 2022 Big Country Laser Center grew to 2 locations and needed another team member. Troy Williams was hired as the office manager. It wasn’t long before Troy found a passion for tattoo removal. At a sales meeting it was agreed that Tracy, Shawna and Troy would establish the “Big Country Laser Foundation”. It wasn’t going to be easy. The paperwork is relentless, and the red tape is not for the faint at heart

2023; Tracy, Shawna and Troy manifested their dream. Big Country Laser Foundation 501 c 3 was established. With Great Joy and excitement.

To donate, questions, or nominate someone for a free removal contact Troy at:

Info@bigcountrylaserfoundation.org

www.Bigcountrylaserfoundation.org

Tracy’s dream was now a reality. By establishing the foundation, donations could be accepted to help further the reach of their help. Big country laser foundation: It is a community outreach initiative designed to provide safe, effective, and free tattoo removal from the hands, neck, and face to those in need who were formerly incarcerated, gang members, survivors of human trafficking and those who wish to remove hate or racist tattoos. They also remove the names of former spouses in domestic violence cases and visible tattoos of people wanting to join the military.

Just last year in only 6 months Big Country laser Center did over $50,000 in free tattoo removal.

“My client, a father of three with face tattoos, is wanting a better life and employment opportunities, and to fully leave the gang life and stigma behind,” said Troy Williams. “Our foundation clients are the most polite, grateful, and punctual clients. They realize how great of a gift they are being given” “We have clients from all walks of life and 2 clients drive over 2 hours for their treatments.” Said Tracy Yoder

It started as a new road for Tracy 10 years ago … and that new road is offering so many a Second Chance.

jim ned 100

CAPTURING MEMORIES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR: ONE POLAROID AT TIME

CREATED BY JNHS SENIOR, KADE NIX. FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM: @JIMNED100

Dear Jim Ned High School Seniors,

Through my year-long project with the Jim Ned 100, I realized that it’s difficult to capture all of senior year in only 100 photos. We as students get so caught up wishing that high school would come to a close, that we forget to enjoy it while it lasts. High school is exactly what you make of it, so it’s important that we make it worth remembering.

With that in mind, I created the Jim Ned 100. The purpose of the 100 polaroids is to leave students with 100 memories that they can always look back on. The project is a fitting

tribute to the graduating class, who will be able to look back on the Jim Ned 100 and remember the people and experiences that shaped their high school years. Throughout this project, I strived to capture the essence of each moment and to tell a story with each image. The Jim Ned 100 is a testament to that philosophy.

The Jim Ned 100 is not just a project; it’s a celebration of the people, events, and moments that make Jim Ned High School a special place. As I prepare to graduate and move on to the next chapter of my life, I am proud to have created something that will be a lasting memory to the community. Kade Nix

MANAGINGThe Market

By Michael Hull, , CPFA, CRPC®, Founding Partner | Senior Wealth Advisor: michael@cedargapwealth.com

EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES

STILL STRONG

May5th, the April jobs report was released, and the report came in stronger than expectations – both non-farm and private payrolls were up sharply versus expectations, but for the previous month, both of those data points were revised down. The unemployment rate fell to 3.4% from 3.6% and wages rose yearon-year 4.4% from an expected 4.2%. Net net, the jobs report was bullish for the economy and bearish for the Fed. This is not the kind of report the Fed wants to see while fighting inflation. The stock market reacted favorably while interest rates rose – two actions that we believe were justified.

TRADING RANGE

The S&P 500 has been stuck in a trading range since November ’22 with resistance at 4200 and support range at 3900-3800. Price momentum has been improving with the S&P breaking above its 200-day moving average (DMA) and holding above it; by trending higher it is making higher lows. Volatility has been a theme for us and continues to be. Should the equity market

break above 4200 and rally, we will be watching the breadth of the move. If the rally is selective with only a few stocks driving the performance, it will be a weak rally but could last into the summer months. Many markets reach a topping process in the month of August, then the markets “fall in the Fall” as many mutual funds have their tax year-end in October. Then as the holidays approach, followed by the end of the year, the market celebrates and rallies. So, we expect volatility to remain – but that volatility could lead to higher prices if the debt ceiling and banking concerns are resolved.

EUROZONE MARKETS OUTPERFORMING THE WORLD

When we compare the iShares MSCI Eurozone ETF (EZU) to the iShares MSCI All Country World ETF (ACWI), the Eurozone has broken to the upside from a multi-year downtrend. Europe is beginning to see signs of a economic improvement and

it is benefiting from the China reopening recovery. This appears to be a good time to consider diversifying portfolios more globally.

POSITIONING

The best practice when investing is to be diversified. This helps to minimize risks but there is nothing that fully removes risk. In times of uncertainty, it’s important to have Quality investments and to have a balanced portfolio. We are neutral or balanced across asset classes (Growth vs. Value; Large Cap vs. Small Cap) and slightly underweight equities with a bias toward fixed income and cash. Patience is a virtue when investing.

To be financially successful, it takes Attitude, Aptitude and Ability from both you and your financial team. Your priorities should be heard, your goals understood, and a clear and concise plan should be built to help you achieve your goals.

Pint Sized Ranch, proudly owned and operated in the heart of Buffalo Gap, breeds and sells registered Miniature Scottish Highland. Small but mighty.

Learn more at PintSizedRanchTX.com.