FBISD chooses new school namesakes - Page 10
Soliz Casa de Tacos recently showed why it has become a Stafford mainstay for almost 40 years. Read our restaurant review inside on Page 16. (Photo by Stefan Modrich)
WEDNESDAY • APRIL 14, 2021
Visit www.FortBendStar.com
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 45 • No. 34
Local students crowned in rodeo arts contests Elkins High School senior Jaydan Kisinger's "Through the Years" was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art show's Grand Champion. (Photo from Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo)
By Landan Kuhlmann LKUHLMANN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
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Elkins High School senior Jaydan Kisinger can’t remember a time when she didn’t have some sort of art utensil in her hand. Her lifelong passion has helped Kisinger take the top honor in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s 2021 student art competition. The 18-yearold’s painting was named as “Grand Champion” last Sun-
day, after she was named a Class Reserve Champion in 2020. Kisinger’s piece entitled “Through the Years” was crowned out of more than 3,000 pieces of artwork initially submitted for pre-
liminary judging in January. The judges selected 712 pieces of artwork to advance to the next round of judging on Feb. 13, when 72 students were selected to participate in the School Art Auction. “I almost jumped out of my seat before running to the stage, I was just so excited and thrilled. It’s a dream come true, really,” Kisinger said. “I never expected this to happen. Going in, I just wanted to at least get into
SEE CROWNED PAGE 14
Drawn to Create
Elkins teacher earns districtwide award By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Sherman Batiste wears many hats at Elkins High School. On Monday, he added another feather in his cap. Now in his fourth year working at the school, Batiste was named Fort Bend ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year. “I’m not your average teacher,” Batiste said. “If you picture the quintessential teacher in your mind, a picture of me may not pop up. However, I’m a representation of telling kids, “Yeah, teachers wear suits and ties, but they also wear jeans and Jordans.’ And they still do the same thing effectively. It’s just about being good enough at your craft and everything will take care of itself.” The New Orleans native was forced to flee to Texas after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, landing at Marshall High School, where he played football. He went on to attend Texas A&M Kingsville, where he played football and ran for the Javelinas’ track squad. Batiste said he is a proud
SEE ELKINS PAGE 2
Sugar Land author and illustrator Charlie Beyl, left, interacts with kids during a 2018 visit to Shady Oak Elementary in Richmond. (Contributed photo)
Children's book author shares stories with students By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Charlie Beyl has taken his work as a designer, illustrator and art director around the country, making stops in
Pennsylvania and Virginia before settling in Texas. When Beyl’s son moved to Sugar Land to work as a Houston Ship Channel pilot in 2015, Beyl soon followed to be closer to his grandchildren.
The author of “My Friend Ben Won’t Share” and “Scout the Mighty Tugboat” recently published a third children’s book, “Little Lunch Truck,”
SEE MENTOR PAGE 13
FBISD board hopefuls address voters during candidate forum By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Elkins High School teacher Sherman Batiste was surprised Monday with the honor of being named Fort Bend ISD's Secondary Teacher of the Year. (Photo from Fort Bend ISD Twitter)
Fort Bend ISD is faced with the looming challenge of replacing outgoing Superintendent Charles Dupre, and voters served by the district are tasked with electing two new members to the FBISD Board of Trustees who will be expected to provide their input in hiring a new leader. Nine candidates vying for two seats on the board, Positions 2 and 6, addressed the public and the issues
facing the school district — including how the board is organized and whether or not it should employ taxpayer-funded lobbyists — last Wednesday during a virtual forum hosted by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. Early voting is scheduled for April 19-27, and Election Day is May 1. One of the most contentious topics of the forum
came in the form of a question about single-member districts. Addie Heyliger, the Position 6 incumbent who also serves as board president, said she supports singlemember districts for electing trustees, noting that the district has grown in terms of ethnic diversity and population. “Every 10 years, every other local entity actually changes how their lines are
SEE FBISD PAGE 15
Markus Mollberg of Sugar Land, at right, is one of the area students that children's book author and illustrator Charlie Beyl has taken under his wing over the last few years. (Contributed photo)
Council candidates discuss city's issues By Stefan Modrich SMODRICH@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Candidates for two Sugar Land City Council seats gathered to discuss their visions for the city and the challenges facing it in front of an online and in-person audience during a forum last Friday. The event, held at the Ismaili Jamatkhana and The forum featured the Center in Sugar Land and streamed on Facebook Live candidates for District 4 – inand YouTube, was co-hosted by The Ismaili and the Fort Bend Chamber of Com- SEE SUGAR LAND PAGE 15 merce.
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