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"Joining Hands To Touch Lives-Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation"
Official Publication of The Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas, Founded 1897 3ROTHERHOOD
IENEVOLENCE Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SPJST Home Office, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503
VOLUME 87 NUMBER 32
ISSN-07458800
August 18,1999
SPJST Royalty and Youth Achievement Day
Contests spotlight young talent he SPJST's rising stars shined bright in Temple August 7 and 8 as the city hosted the 1999 SPJST State Royalty and Youth Achievement Day competition. The events which were held at Temple's Maybom Convention Center attracted approximately 650 contestants, adult volunteers and supporters from around the state. The coronation of the 1999-2000 SPJST State King and Queen topped Saturday's activities with five district kings and five district queens competing. Paxton Davies, 16, of Lodge 92, Fort Worth and Colette Kenney, 16, of Lodge 84, Dallas were crowned king and queen. For the next 1.2 months, Paxton and Colette will represent the SPJST in public appearances throughout Texas. Their first public appearance will be September 4 when they will participate in the annual Westfest Parade. Upon graduation from high school, both will receive $750 SPJST scholarships. Paxton, who is a junior at Paschal High School, is the son of Pam Durham of Fort Worth. His youth leader is Gayle Fuller. Colette, who is a junior at Poteet High School, is the daughter of Michael and Jackie Kenney of Mesquite. Her youth leaders are Bessie Petr and Lynda Novak. The 1999-2000 State Duke is William Fuller, 8, of Lodge 92, Fort Worth. He is the son of Gayle Fuller. The State Duchess is Kayla Kenney, 10, of Lodge 84, Dallas. She is the daughter of Michael and Jackie Kenney. The king and queen were selected on the basis of a three-minute speech dur-
King Paxton and Queen Colette
The highlight of the SPJST State Royalty Contest held August 7 at Temple's Maybom Convention Center was the coronation of the 1999 2000 SPJST State King Paxton Davies of Lodge 92, Fort Worth and State Queen Colette Kenney of Lodge 84, Dallas. Royalty Court members include State Duke Wililiam Fuller of Lodge 92, Fort Worth and State Duchess Kayla Kenney of Lodge 84, Dallas. ing which they were scored on the speech content, delivery and overall poise. All of the individuals who comprise the 1999-2000 SPJST Royalty Court are winners in their own right, having been selected to represent their respective districts as kings and queens. Both Paxton and Colette are fifth generation SPJST members. Paxton's great-great-grandparents John and Philomena Krivanek and great-grand-
parents Mary and Richard Hubenak, Sr. were early members of the SPJST as were Colette's great-grandparents John and Lillie Becan and great uncle and great uncle, Josef and Anna Becan. According to A History of the SPJST, 1897-1980, the organizing meeting for Lodge 92, Fort Worth was held in the home of Brother John Krivanek. Charter members included ancestors of both Paxton and Colette's families.
Paxton's grandparents, Martha and Dick Durham are active members of Lodge 92, Fort Worth and Colette's grandparents, Johnny and Gerry Becan, are active members of Lodge 84, Dallas. In his presentation, Paxton explained how participation in the SPJST encourages good citizenship. "As a youth club, we have visited local nursing homes or delivered gifts to the elderly citizens in our community. Not only do they appreciate the gifts, but it gives us a good feeling knowing that we made someone happy by such a little gesture. "Learning to be a good citizen starts when you are born. The SPJST is just like a good parent. It shows you how to do things right and when to do them." In her presentation, Colette defined "perseverance" and "endurance" as two very important ingredients for a successful SPJST. "I feel that perseverance is more than enduranCe. .It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and the certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on." Sunday's activities included individual and group talent competitions, craft, poster and scrapbook judging, scholarship presentations, and a Beseda junior and senior dance exhibition by members of the Lodge 30, Taiton and Lodge 84, Dallas Youth Clubs. Young people entered eight craft categories and a special category, which consisted of participants creating a craft from recycled items. Results and photos of all contests appear on pages 8-10 of this week's Vestnik. —SPJST-
Lodge 66, Waco member receives scholarship Justin Engelke, 17, a member of Lodge 66, Waco, is the recipient of the 1999 SPJST State Merit Scholarship. He is the son of John and Diana Engelke of Waco and is a senior at Justin Engelke Connally High School. Justin received the $1,000 scholarship during the SPJST State Youth Achievement Day program on
Sunday, August 8 at the Mayborn Convention Center in Temple. Teens from each district with the most youth merit points over the last three years competed for the scholarship. As part of the competition, each teen submitted a 1,000-word essay. The winner was selected by a panel of judges using the following criteria: Neatness: 15 percent; Content: 50 percent; and Mechanics (grammar, spelling and sentence structure): 35 percent. District Merit Scholarship winners are pictured on page 7 of this week's Vestnik. Justin's essay follows:
SPJST: A Proud Past A Bright Future "A Proud Past and a Bright Future." That is exactly how I feel about the SPJST. In the past, the SPJST has had many respected and well known leaders, not only in the adult meetings, but in the youth club meetings as well. Each of those leaders represented what the SPJST meant to them as well as every other member of the SPJST. For example, when the president of the lodge goes to a district meeting, he or she is representing all
of the members and their ideas from his or her lodge. Or when the president of the youth club goes to a district or state lock-in, he or she can talk to the members of other lodges and share the ideas of their lodge. Even when a lodge member is not with their lodge, they are still representing the SPJST, such as at school or simply hanging out with their friends. It is their responsibility to get more members to join, so they must always show why they feel the SPJST is such a great organization to them. That is (Continued on page 3.)