Can Austin Watershed keep its promises about the Reed Park playfield?
By Meg Rein, Friends of Reed Park
You may have seen the green signs popping up around the neighborhood this month, encouraging passersby to “Rescue Reed Park.” Reed Park is a beloved local park with a large recreational field, a treelined trail that connects to Scenic Drive, and the historic remnants of Taylor Lime Kiln, a structure dating back to 1871. The 6.37-acre park is also home to Taylor Slough South, a creek that winds its way through en route to Lake Austin. Since 2021, dedicated park-lovers have revived “Friends of Reed Park” (FORP), a group that existed before, but whose activities had waned until recent years. The new generation of volunteers came together with a mission to preserve and beautify Reed Park, and to coordinate with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) to advocate for needed grants and improvements. Slowly but surely, improvements have come. A new playscape was installed in March 2022, new tables and benches have appeared, Reed Pool was re-filled and re-opened (and even has a swim team again this summer, after four long years without). Reed Park now has its own website with park information and a calendar of events (reed-park.org), volunteer work days are happening with increasing regularity, and red Adirondack chairs are giving park goers shady spots to sit all over the park.
WHAT IS THE WATERSHED PROJECT?
Recently, however, FORP has been in the spotlight raising concerns about a project the City’s Watershed Protection Department is planning at Reed Park. The Watershed project is the reason you may have seen those “Rescue Reed Park” signs. Its plan, made public in May 2023, is to construct four “biofiltration basins” and one “sedimentation basin” on and around the Reed Park playfield—the large recreational field at the front entrance of Reed Park, along Pecos Drive. The field now is a sprawling 240 by 130 feet, with long areas to run or throw a football. It hosts everything from Soccer Shots classes to t-ball practices and football games, and it is common to see neighbors relaxing in the chairs and picnic tables around the edge of the field. The playfield was marked out and set aside in the earliest plans for Reed Park, in the 1950s, as a place for recreation-
al play.
Watershed’s project would put the largest biofiltration basin in the middle of the playfield, ringed with a raised concrete path. The basin would be a water retention pond in wet weather, holding water “for no more than 48 hours” after a rain, according to Watershed. Watershed says the basin would double as a playfield in dry weather but, even so, its size would be reduced to an area just slightly larger than a standard basketball court (about 100 feet by 60 feet). Under the plan, the backstop at the edge of the playfield would no longer be usable, nor would any of the picnic tables, benches or chairs set around the shady edges of the field. These would all be in no-mow basins, not usable for seating or play.
The plan requires concrete retaining walls for basins in the hillside at the left of Reed Park’s entrance, and to the right of the entrance, where the current backstop sits. Retaining walls would also be required along the pathway
acres of land upstream from Reed Park. They estimate some 30,000 pounds of sedimentation will be deposited annually in the basins, and will have to be removed by maintenance trucks (likely requiring a large truck access ramp off Pecos Street into Reed Park). The basins will also trap litter that will have to be removed by maintenance workers.
On a neighborhood call on May 11, 2023, and during a walk-through at Reed Park a few days later, interested neighbors expressed repeated concerns about changing the look and feel of Reed Park, and about the drastic reduction in the size of the playfield.
Watershed representatives pledged to take neighborhood input into account. Yet, over a year later, Watershed has not yet revealed any changes or revisions to its plan.
CONCERNS ABOUT PRECEDENT PROJECTS
that meanders down to the creek crossing, currently home to picturesque, split wooden fences. Watershed has said the excavation of these basins will require heavy equipment and take about a year from the start of construction, planned to begin in 2025.
Watershed says these biofiltration basins will treat stormwater runoff from 127
FORP has been raising questions and concerns about the Watershed project, along with West Austin Neighborhood Group, who has supported its efforts. The concerns they raise about Watershed’s project are of vital interest— not just for Reed Park, but for the City as a whole, and for other parks that may be targeted for Watershed projects.
WATERSHED FAILURES AT BATTLEBEND PARK
One concern is Watershed’s faulty execution of other, similar projects. In early 2023, Watershed representatives said their project at Battle Bend Park off South Lamar was a successful example of what
plan at Reed Park. The original renderings for Watershed’s Battle Bend project are similar to renderings for Reed Park, both featuring a “multifunctional water quality pond/playing field,” such as is envisioned for Reed Park.
FORP members visited Battle Bend Park in May 2023. James Page, who has led FORP’s efforts, described the scene: “The basin that was supposed to double as a playfield was overgrown and muddy, full of weeds. There was no proper grass at all; it was full of sediment deposited in the lawn area. There was a concrete entrance ramp for trucks to access the basin, surrounded by signs that advised you not to enter the water. It was an eyesore, and we became very worried about something similar happening at Reed Park.”
Watershed promised and what it delivered there really scares us in terms of what could happen at Reed Park.”
BROKEN PROMISES BY WATERSHED AT PEASE PARK
Battle Bend does not seem to be a one-off problem for Watershed. FORP members
Page raised Battle Bend Park’s poor condition with Watershed on the May 2023 community engagement call. Watershed representatives blamed problems at Battle Bend on poor communication with PARD about maintenance and unexpected issues with groundwater seeping into the park. Watershed’s Lee Sherman said Watershed was “very committed to getting [the project] in the condition that we promised the community,” he said, “and…very aware it’s not there right now.”
However, when FORP rechecked the condition of Watershed’s Battle Bend project almost a year later, in March of 2024, conditions were worse, if possible. Landscape architect Cameron Campbell, who has donated his time and professional expertise in support of FORP’s efforts, was there for that visit. “There was a significant amount of mud, cones marking off areas, and signage and gates telling the community to ‘stay out.’ Someone walking by could never tell this was intended to be a playfield. The difference between what
toured Pease Park in June 2024 to view completed Watershed projects there. Richard Craig, founder of the Pease Park Conservancy, described Watershed as “an unreliable partner” that has abandoned large areas it originally pledged to maintain for the public’s use at Pease Park. Craig cites copious examples: on the west side of the park, along Parkway, Watershed proposed “swales”—areas where water could collect during significant rain events—that would be mowed and available for multiuse, unstructured recreation such as throwing a football or sunbathing. Craig says the Conservancy had “extensive discussions” with Watershed about its proposal in 2016-17,
Our PATRON SPONSORS/SUBSCRIBERS
and “we were promised this whole area would be regularly mowed and that unstructured recreation could continue there as it had since the 1920s. We would have strongly objected to taking this huge area out of public use if they had suggested that.” However, according to Craig and Ted Eubanks, a neighbor whose home borders the park, the promise to mow was broken after the swales were installed. Now, acres of impenetrable weeds cover the area. Eubanks pointed out huge growths of ragweed, hedge parsley, prickly lettuce, and bastard cabbage—all invasive plants that will quickly take over any disturbed piece of ground, he said, unless the landscape is maintained. On the east side of the park, along Lamar, is another example. The Pease Park Master Plan called for a “seasonally mowed wildflower
meadow” doubling as a basin, open for park goers to walk through and enjoy. Rather than following the Park’s Master Plan, adopted by the City Council, Watershed allowed thick vegetation to take over the basin; today, it is impassable, choked with weeds and invasive plants. Any wildflowers have long since been crowded out.
they
Around the Neighborhood:
openingexpandingcelebrating
Shopping Cart Corral sponsored by Shoal Creek Conservancy on July 27. Volunteer registration opens July 5 at shoalcreekconservancy.org with work scheduled from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Last year’s Corral took 48 shopping carts out of Shoal Creek, along with six scooters and 111 bags of litter. Five cleanup locations along Shoal Creek: Crosscreek Drive, Foster Lane, 2222, Jefferson Street, W. 10th Street
Tarrytown Fourth of July Parade starts at Tarrytown Texaco at Exposition and Windsor at 9 a.m. and sashays its patriotic self to Reed Park for a Party in the Park from 9:30 a.m. till 12:30 a.m. Start lining up at Tarrytown Texaco at 8:15 a.m., and all are welcome. 2 Howson Library hosts Tuneful Tales on July 24 with a Wind Quintet from Austin
Around the Neighborhood:
Rox Golf opened in April at 701 S Capital of Texas Hwy Suite E 520 in the Village at Westlake. The indoor golf lounge offers Trackman Data + HD Video + Instructors to help customers learn and practice their golf swing. Patrons can also choose to watch sporting events on a huge TV, shoot pool, and enjoy an adult beverage while competing with friends golfing in their virtual bays. They are open from 10:00 am-9 pm Monday through Friday and from 9:00 am-7:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit www.rokgolf.com or call 512-8564653 to schedule an appointment.
Reach for the Stars ATX will be at the Laura Bush Community Library at 9411 Bee Cave Rd on July 27th at 10:00 a.m. for a special Back-to-School “Yes, I Can!” program.
Centered around the power of positivity and perseverance, the program will tackle first-day jitters and the importance of mindset through book readings, discussions, and hands-on activities.
Hill Country Embroidery (HCE), located at 8906 Wall Street, #507, is under new ownership. The new facility owner, Brad Cole, offers a custom embroidery shop with simple monograms to complex custom art on shirts, caps, towels, bags, and other items. Email with questions or design specifics to HCEaustin@Yahoo.com. Call (512) 358-6131 for further information about HCE. 8
Sharon Watkins
1. What’s something about you that not many people know?
I founded a Children’s theatre (Creative Theatre for Youth) in Princeton, New Jersey with Arthur Lithgow when I was 20.
2. What was your first job?
Working in Playhouse Toys for .75 cents an hour.
3. If you could have dinner with three people — dead or alive, at any time in history — who would they be?
Maria Kalman, Raymond Carver, Tommy Tune
4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be?
REED PARK
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Craig laments that these areas were taken out of public use by Watershed’s failure to oversee and maintain them as required by park plans and per their explicit promises. Adding insult to injury, Watershed did not advise the public of the changes, or pay any compensation to PARD or Pease Park, though such compensation is usually required under Chapter 26 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code (“Chapter 26”) when parkland is requisitioned for a new use. “This has caused real damage to the park, as these areas seed invasive plants in other areas, and drive all public park use into smaller, more crowded areas,” says Craig. Watershed’s track record at Pease and Battle Bend have sparked real concerns among Reed Park patrons, who worry that Watershed will once again fail to maintain this project— whether through lack of budget, changes in personnel, or poor coordination with PARD—and leave Reed Park in far worse condition than they found it.
BETTER SOLUTIONS
There are also questions about whether the project is the best way to address any water quality issue at the park. Watershed calls its plan the “Water Quality Improvement Project” and, according to Watershed on its May 2023 Zoom call with the neighborhood, the primary purpose is to improve water quality in Taylor Slough South, the creek that runs through Reed Park. Watershed’s Kshitiz Gyawali and Lee Sherman blamed “urbanization” as the major cause of the degradation in water quality, and explained that urbanization creates increased stormwater run-off that, in turn, increases erosion and degrades water quality in Austin streams, including Taylor Slough South. Gyawali also noted, however, that a wastewater line that runs through Reed Park is degraded and leaking, and said Austin Water plans to repair and re-route this line around the park in conjunction with Watershed’s project.
But as recently as March 2022, an article in the Austin-American Statesman discussed the water quality in Taylor Slough South and Andrew Clamann, an environmental scientist with Watershed, said the quality of Taylor Slough South had improved under a five-year improvement plan implemented by TCEQ. He noted it was among the creeks that “show[ed] clear reductions in concentration,” and said it “should be back in compliance in a few years.” Clamann said TCEQ’s five-year plan included steps like building up plant life along creek beds and a more aggressive approach to inspecting and repairing leaking sewage lines.
Van Morrison, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell
5. Favorite book and TV show?
All The King’s Men, West Wing
6. Most powerful movie you have seen.
BY FORREST PREECE
Sophie’s Choice
7. Favorite place in Austin?
Rooftop of the Central Library
8. Favorite restaurant and
This disconnect raises questions: if the water quality at Taylor Slough South was improving and on track for compliance in 2022, why did Watershed begin preliminary engineering studies for the
makes you happy?
Reed Park project within the same year? When and why did the degradation in Taylor Slough South’s water quality begin? Since Watershed reps say that aging wastewater infrastructure may be a source of pollution in Taylor Slough South that has not been addressed, might this be the main cause of any sudden degradation in the creek’s water quality? Should the leaking sewage pipe be repaired first, to see what impact the fix has on Taylor Slough South’s water quality, before drastic changes are made to Reed Park? Campbell affirms FORP “is certainly not opposed to wellplanned efforts to treat water quality issues, but the cause of degradation should be clearly identified and the plan narrowly targeted to fix the issues that are actually causing the problems.” Campbell says he and other FORP members are very supportive of efforts to improve water quality, reduce erosion, and treat stormwater, “but it can and should be done in ways that are thoughtful, will be sustained in the long term, are good for Reed Park, and will cause as little harm as possible.”
PRESERVING PRECIOUS PARK SPACE
As PARD Board Member
Holly Reed said at PARD’s recent board meeting, “We need to preserve every inch of parkland for our citizens… We don’t have it to spare, and we don’t have the funds to acquire new parkland.” Reed Park sits in a dense urban area, and its playfield is a desperately needed field that gives recreational space to citizens for miles around. The City recently passed new land development code amendments that will increase impervious cover, and therefore stormwater run-off issues—the very same issues Watershed says necessitated this project. According to Reed, the project may well set a precedent and is one that must be handled carefully and correctly, lest the City make a habit of solving stormwater runoff issues by taking precious parkland out of public use.
Chapter 26 does limit City agencies from using or taking any public park land unless there is “no feasible and prudent alternative to the use and taking of such land” and every effort has been made to “minimize harm to the land.” There has been no Chapter 26 hearing for this project, even though it will
fundamentally change the use of the playfield at Reed Park from a recreational playfield to a stormwater treatment area. Watershed has acknowledged this change would require a Chapter 26 finding and, ultimately, the payment of mitigation costs, but many questions remain unanswered: what evidence is there for a Chapter 26 finding in this case? Even if Chapter 26’s strict standards were met, what would be paid, to whom, and how would it be spent?
WHAT’S NEXT?
After studying Watershed’s plans for Reed Park, seeing the precedent projects at Battle Bend and Pease, and engaging with Watershed for over a year on its proposed project, FORP has ramped up efforts to galvanize and educate the community about Watershed’s plans at Reed Park and their track record with other projects. FORP’s membership has grown rapidly in the past few months, as KVUE News ran a story in May on the proposed project and its precedent at Battle Bend Park, signs went up around the neighborhood in June, and a petition started by FORP to stop the project recently reached over one thousand signatures. FORP members attended a PARD Board meeting on May 20, 2024 to ask PARD to recommend that the City Council direct Watershed to seek alternative solutions to its plan, so that its goals could be met without changing the use of a beloved and much-used neighborhood park. The measure was voted down 4-2, on the basis of Watershed representative Janae Spence’s statement that Watershed is pausing design work to consider revisions to its plan and work on its community outreach. The PARD Board, for now, expressed a desire to let that process continue to play out. FORP’s efforts seem to have gotten Watershed’s attention, but it remains to be seen whether the concerns FORP has raised will be addressed in the next version of Watershed’s plan, whenever it comes. For its part, FORP is working on proposing alternative solutions to the plan, such that Watershed’s goals can be met in a way that does not fundamentally change Reed Park. Are you interested in learning more? Want to sign FORP’s petition? Visit reed-park.org to learn more and join FORP’s mailing list, or follow @FriendsofReedPark on Instagram to stay in the loop.
Olga Campos Benz
MBY FORREST PREECE
any Austinites recognize Olga Campos Benz from her career on the air as a television news anchor and reporter.
These days she and her husband Kevin Benz, also a well-known news professional, run a media relations/ consulting firm with a number of high-profile clients. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I wanted to find out more of her story.
While growing up in Houston, family was important to Olga and she still reveres her elders. She comes from a clan with a rich tradition of proud and successful women. Her grandmother, Concepcion Guzman, her great Tía Paz Hernandez, and her father’s mother, Maria Ramos Campos, were role models and she often thinks of their escape from the horrors of the Mexican Revolution, when they immigrated to Texas from Mexico in the early 1900s.
Olga’s turning point in life came when she was a junior at Stephen F. Austin High (in Houston). Because of one regrettable decision, she got into trouble, and the costs were grievous. She had to forfeit honors received and couldn’t run for cheerleader or class officer. Feeling defeated and angry, she was ready to cave in and fulfill the “bad girl” label that she’d been saddled with. That is when Ms. Alford,
her school counselor, stepped in with advice that would reset Olga’s trajectory. The advisor held her arms wide apart to signify Olga’s life still ahead of her. Then she pinched an index finger and thumb together to show the relatively minuscule size of that one misstep. “She urged me to put it behind me and to get on with proving my self-worth,” Olga says.
The next year Olga was crowned Miss Fiestas Patrias, a serious honor in Houston’s large Mexican-American community. She also earned a college scholarship and appeared in Seventeen magazine -- all thanks to that advice. Olga says that she has shared those words of wisdom with several young adults whose lives might otherwise be derailed by one mistake.
Speaking of that Seventeen Magazine appearance -- during high school, Olga served on the Foley’s Teen Council. Girls from Houston area schools worked together on community projects and were in-store models under the guidance of Dallas Hill, Houston’s first supermodel. Thanks to her work on the council, Olga was selected to travel to New York City to be featured in an issue of Seventeen magazine.
It was a whirlwind trip that included a private jet, a party at the Elizabeth Arden penthouse, and a photo shoot in The Hamptons. Not bad!
So how did she get into the broadcast news business? Olga says that when she was growing up, most young Latinas dreamed of getting married and having kids. Those who worked outside the home followed more gender-specific paths toward teaching, nursing, housekeeping, or child care.
Olga’s parents had instilled the value of higher education as a path to a professional career that would make the most of her talents. After reviewing her choices, Olga came to the University of Texas and earned a degree in Radio-Television-Film, leading her to the world of broadcast news. That business has been a constant source of excitement and satisfaction for her, especially when she interviews people with interesting life experiences and then shares their unique stories on the air.
After graduating from UT-Austin her first television job was at KIII-TV in Corpus Christi. Since she had zero reporting experience, she was offered a hybrid position that required her to serve as the newsroom secretary in the morning before being allowed to tackle minor reporting assignments in the afternoons. “My first assignment was covering the grand opening of a Levi Strauss factory, but on the way, I was redirected to a multi-car crash with fatalities. I ended up with the lead story that evening which never happens to rookie reporters,” Olga says.
She was only in Corpus Christi for a year, but remembers the biggest news story of 1978 was a massive oil spill about 500 miles off the coast. National reporters descended, tarballs washed ashore, and it was the first time she witnessed serious damage to the environment.
events, such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, and ice storms. Along the way, there were some unforgettable crises. In 1995, she flew to Oklahoma City when the Murrah Building was leveled by a bomb. She also covered a gas pipeline explosion that
Her TV career included a stint in Austin at KTBC (1980 - 1985), then she went to the Fox affiliate in Houston (1985 - 1995) before returning to Austin to join the news team at KVUE (1995 - 2012). She covered many major weather
killed more than 200 people in Guadalajara, Mexico. Olga traveled there twice for the initial explosion and followed doctors from Houston back there with medical supplies. She adds there have been too many homicides and criminal
trials to count during her onair career.
One tragic reporting assignment still haunts her -- waiting outside the home of US Congressman Mickey Leland of Houston when his plane went down following a mission trip to Ethiopia. He was a friend to many people in that area, including Olga’s parents. Election nights hold vivid memories, including November 7, 2000 when she stood on scaffolding in freezing temperatures outside the State Capitol as the world waited for returns in the Bush-Gore Presidential election. And then there was the excitement at the Texas Democratic Victory Party eight years later when Barack Obama clinched the Presidency. “Every story of that caliber is important to me because of the direct impact on the lives of others,” Olga says.
It’s been a natural transition to media consultant as Olga guides clients on how best to craft messaging and branding for their products and services. The goal is to capture the public’s attention in order to grow their customer base and with it, revenue. In broadcasting, success is measured by viewership: the better the ratings, the higher a station can charge for commercial airtime. “Both processes begin the same by earning trust, something I’ve been doing my entire professional life.” Olga has a great home life as well. She loves being around her husband of 35 years, Kevin Benz, and their twin daughters, Corazon and Allegra. “They’re such amazing, successful, beautiful young women -- just seeing their faces or hearing their voices makes me happy! Add their boyfriends, David Henry and Adam Paris, our collective rescue dogs, and knowing they are all healthy makes me ecstatic! Our time with loved ones and friends is the best!”
CureDuchenne, a leading global nonprofit focused on finding and funding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and the Revell family of Austin hosted the 15th annual gala, Champions to CureDuchenne: Disco for Duchenne. The event raised $385,000 to benefit CureDuchenne as it accelerates scientific research and pioneers educational programs to care for families affected by Duchenne, a progressive, fatal disease affecting 300,000 worldwide.
Austin’s own “Saturday Night Fever” brought together hundreds of philanthropists, businesspeople, and local community members at the University of Texas Golf Club to disco for a purpose. The evening was a fusion of entertainment and inspiration, featuring emotionally moving speeches from Ramiro and Maribel Munoz, parents of a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, alongside a vibrant disco dance party.
Amidst the festivities, guests enjoyed signature cocktails, a silent auction, and dinner before hitting the dance floor to classic tunes.
“We are eternally grateful to Tim and Laura Revell and the entire Austin community
for their continued dedication to our mission of finding a cure for this devastating disease,” said CureDuchenne founder and CEO Debra Miller. “We are on the cusp of transformative treatments, and with generosity of the Austin community, we can make a tremendous impact in accelerating treatments for all those affected by Duchenne.”
The Revells learned their two boys, Timothy and Andrew, were diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy, at just two and five years old. Duchenne is a 100% fatal disease that affects 1 in 5,000 boys. At the time of their boys’ diagnosis, treatments and information on Duchenne were limited. The Revells began to research the rare disease and connected with CureDuchenne. Tim and Laura have created several annual fundraising events to raise awareness and funds for CureDuchenne. To date, the family has helped raise more than $6.6 million through their collective fundraising efforts.For more information and ways to support CureDuchenne, please visit cureduchenne.org.
A Vacation Story
I asked a few friends to give me favorite vacation stories and then I came upon this wonderful piece about being in London by Ruth Pennebaker. She was happy to let me share it. Forrest Preece
My family never traveled much when I was growing up. I was 22 when I first came to London in 1972, so green I probably glowed in the dark.
London! I’d never been to a great city before, where people swarmed the streets, always in a rush to get to work, to the theater, to museums, to cinemas showing obscure movies. Even the
subways were exotic to me — a quick paced underworld of escalators, trains and tunnels snaking beneath the city. It was winter then and the sun crept up grudgingly at 9 or so, then set before 4 — but you rarely saw it, since the skies were always a brooding pewter. You were always cold, even indoors, since no one had central heat, and you were often in the dark, since
Group holds 3rd Annual Garden Party
The Austin Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary (SAWA) held their third annual Garden Party of Tablescapes and Spring Style Show at the Four Seasons Austin. The event was a luncheon, complete with elegant tablescapes, live entertainment, and a fabulous fashion show with styles from The Garden Room. The keynote speaker was Kreis Beall founder of Blackberry Farms and author of "The Great Blue Hills of God." Event proceeds benefit The Rathgeber Center for Families, one of two Salvation Army family shelters in Austin.
Attendees watched a video from Latrice, who lived at The Rathgeber Center when she was in crisis. In the shelter, Latrice was able to get the help she needed to regain self sufficiency and get her daughter, who has autism, the help that she needs. Latrice successfully
exited the shelter and now has her own apartment. Latrice attended the event as a special guest.
Event planning efforts were led by the SAWA host committee, comprised of Linda Dryden (event chair), Jenny Jopling (tablescape chair), Shannon Elmquist (public relations chair), Jennifer Riojas-Santos (SAWA Liaison), and overseen by Major Jacqulyn Reckline (Austin Area Commander). The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary (SAWA) is a volunteer educational and fundraising arm of The Salvation Army Greater Austin Area Command. SAWA sponsors initiatives that enrich the lives of citizens in Travis and Williamson counties by meeting them at their point of need. For more information, go to sawaaustin.org.
some group or another was always on strike. But who cared? I was in London for the semester with my then-boyfriend, now-husband and I was exhilarated by this new world opening up to me. Here was a city crowded with humanity and old buildings and monuments to history, while I’d only seen West Texas’s empty horizons and new, windswept towns. I guess we all have markers in our lives that we can point to and tell ourselves that yes, this time and this place changed me and I was never quite the same. I loved that time and place in my life so much that, even after I left it, if it was freezing cold and I inhaled a lungful of bus exhaust,
I was strangely happy again. London opened up a bigger world that had only been accessible to me through books and my idle dreams. My time there made me think it was possible to have a better traveled, more interesting life than I’d ever thought I could.
It’s funny what happens when you get a gift like that early in your life. You never want to let it go.
Throughout the decades, I’ve come here again and again. London is even more vibrant and diverse than it used to be and I’m closer to the end of a life that’s been surprisingly fortunate and interesting.
It’s so good to be back. Here, I always feel at home.
Pi Beta Phi gives 45,000 books to Austin children
This spring, Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women gave away 45,000 new, culturally responsive books to children in need in the Austin area. In partnership with First Book, the books and supplies were donated to children through local schools, after-school programs, and community programs serving families from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The in-person book giveaway in Austin was a signature event of Pi Beta Phi’s Day of Service, and was coordinated by the Austin Alumnae Club of Pi Beta Phi. A virtual book giveaway happened simultaneously in Honolulu, open to the greater Hawaii community to meet needs following the hurricane and fire devastation in Maui.
First Book, Pi Beta Phi’s Day of Service literacy partner, reaches five million kids each year in low income communities across North America, providing books and resources through a network of 575,000 educators, professionals, and volunteers.
College-sponsored National Merit Scholarships go to area seniors
By Alana Moehring Mallard
National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced on June 5 local winners of college-sponsored merit scholarship winners. Another round of college-sponsored winners will be announced in July.
College-sponsored scholarship winners include: Owen Almy of St Andrew’s Episcopal School, who will attend the University of Southern California in Los Angeles where he will study for a career in screenwriting and directing; Sean Anderson of Regents School, who will attend the University of Alabama where he will study for a career in physics; and Emily Fletcher of Anderson High School, who will attend Trinity University where she will study for a career in bioinformatics.
These awards provide between $500 and $2000 each year for four years of study. These three students are part of nearly 7,000 high school seniors who will receive National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million. More than
16,000 semifinalists were announced in the fall, when each semifinalist was asked to submit a detailed application, write an essay, and provide information about extracurricular activities, awards, and leadership positions.
Reagan Nash of UBS Financial Services Named Austin YMCA Board Chair
The Greater Austin YMCA named Reagan Nash, Senior Vice President of Wealth Management with UBS Financial Services, as the next Chair of its Metropolitan Board of Directors during its 71st annual meeting held in May at Huston-Tillotson University. Nash began his Y service over 15 years ago with the TownLake YMCA’s Community Advancement Board, where he led the Y’s oldest and largest facility through a major renovation in 2012. As a member of the
Y’s Metro Board, Nash played a key role on its COVID-19 Recovery Task Force in 2021, helping guide nonprofit back to stability and growth.
“The Y has been such a big part of my life and of this community for so long, it’s humbling to be chosen to serve in this role and help elevate quality of life across Greater Austin,” Nash said. “We learned during the pandemic that our community needs
the Y to step up in new ways, and I’m excited to help lead that evolution.”
Supporting Nash will be Dorothee Auldridge, of Dripping Springs, who will serve as Vice-Chair. Attorney Evan Johnson, Partner at Coffin-Renner, will serve as Secretary and General Counsel, and Mariko Boswell, Executive Vice President at PIMCO, will serve as Treasurer.
Outgoing Board Chair Brian
Haulotte, Vice President and Regional Director of Construction Operations for JE Dunn Construction, who led the Y through a period of dramatic change for the organization, concluded his tenure by teaming with the JE Dunn family to award the Greater Austin YMCA a $100,000 Centennial Grant to support construction of the Airnasium at YMCA Camp Moody.
The Greater Austin Y is one of 10 organizations selected from across the country to receive the gifts.
The Greater Austin Y serves over 100,000 people across Travis, Hays and Bastrop Counties, including seniors, children and families.
“On behalf of staff team and the people we serve, we are grateful to Reagan and to each of our Metro and center board volunteers,” said Kathy Kuras, President and CEO of the Greater Austin Y. “We are thankful that they choose to share their time, talent and treasure with us – and with the greater community.”
ONE STELLAR NIGHT
Any Baby Can Highlights the Impact of Therapies for Kids with Special Medical Needs
Any Baby Can supporters gathered at The Mansion (TFWC) for One Stellar Night to celebrate the 45th anniversary. The event aimed to raise funds for children and families in Central Texas and share their stories of courage and resilience.
Gloria, an Any Baby Can client, shared her experience with her daughter Sophia’s therapies after she suffered an in-utero stroke and faced several life-threatening diagnoses. Gloria says, “Any Baby Can came into our home, saw life in Sophia, and established services for physical, speech, and vision therapy, even while she was still in hospice care.” Sophia is now 18 months old and exceeding everyone’s expectations. She continues to receive therapies from Any Baby Can and is thriving despite the odds.
“Stories like Gloria and Sophia’s are a testament of Any Baby Can’s impact over the last 45 years in our community,” said Any Baby Can President & CEO Veronda L. Durden, adding, “We aspire to create a community that empowers parents, prioritizes healthy families, and invests in child development.”
A record-breaking $267,225 was raised at the One Stellar Night gala. These funds support families facing difficult medical diagnoses; low-income, first-time pregnant mothers; and children with developmental delays. The annual gala raises private donations that fill the gap in program funding and allows Any Baby Can to meet the increasing demand for services.
Event co-chairs Amy and Greg Van Wyk were supported by committee members: David Bader, Kimberly Levinson, Tracey Ortega, Zeena Querbach, Madi Rawlings, Alexandria Robertson, Van Vo, and Kevin Wood The emcees for the evening were Zeena and Adam Querbach who are parents and former clients of Any Baby Can’s Early Childhood Intervention services.
Any Baby Can, a Central Texas nonprofit, partners with families to overcome obstacles and achieve well-being. With programs that meet clients where they are -- at home, work, or school – Any Baby Can helps build stability, develop skills, and navigate systems, so children and families reach their full potential. For more information, visit www. anybabycan.org.
South Texas Celebrates
30 Years of Life Changing Work
The Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas held its annual Cheers for a Cause Gala at the Hotel Van Zandt in Downtown Austin. It was an especially significant celebration marking 30 years of life changing work by the foundation. The keynote speaker, Beatrice “Bee” Martin Lee, is the CEO of Epilepsy Foundation’s national organization and she gave a moving address highlighting her own lived experience with epilepsy. Co-Chairs Marc Salvato, EFCST Austin Board President, and Cindy Mitchell, EFCST Board Member, ensured that this event was the most successful fundraising event in the history of the organization. Unsung hero awards were granted to community members who have made significant contributions to improving the lives of those with epilepsy — including Dr. Dave Clarke of Dell Children’s Medical Center, Dr. Kate Labiner of Child Neurology Consultants of Austin, and John Avery of Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. For more information, visit www.efcst.org
Epilepsy Foundation Central &
MJ&M Fundraiser Generates $16 million for Children’s Education, Health, and Wellness Charities
Mack, Jack & McConaughey (MJ&M), the annual joint fundraising effort of Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, ACM Award-winning recording artist Jack Ingram, and coaching legend Mack Brown, kicked off the 12th Annual Gala at Austin City Limits (ACL) Live at The Moody Theater. The evening began with the American Airlines Red Carpet Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction, followed by the Gala Dinner, Program and Live Auction. Luke Combs headlined the MJ&M Gala on the Live Nation stage with a sold-out concert.
The MJ&M two-day event also included a golf tournament, runway show and luncheon featuring Oscar de la Renta, and the best pickin’ party in Texas at the Jack & Friends concert.
The fundraising event resulted in over $16 million for charities focused on children’s education, health, and wellness. Funds raised through MJ&M 2024 support CureDuchenne, Dell Children’s Medical Center, HeartGift, just keep livin Foundation, and The Rise School of Austin. For more information about MJ&M, visit www. mjm2024.com.
The Young Woman of AI at the Alpha School in Austin
By Anne DeVries
The Alpha School in Austin is helping students harness AI’s power, fostering young minds’ growth and encouraging them to embrace this transformative technology. Seven young women from the school are standouts, using the power of artificial intelligence to exponentially increase their academic achievements while stepping up as innovators and the next generation to lead Alpha in this tech revolution.
The Alpha School, a private school in Westlake (K-8th) and downtown Austin (Grades 9-12), was founded in 2014. They believe that success comes from hard work, learning life skills, and fostering student’s individual passions. The school was designed to develop future leaders who are self-directed and motivated learners.
Alpha students master academic subjects through personalized learning plans, studying the core curriculum for only two hours daily. This efficient approach scores students in the top 1% nationally, leaving most of
the school day open for students to learn life skills like teamwork, public speaking, entrepreneurship, grit, and financial literacy.
The pursuit of innovative ideas is encouraged at Alpha, and students rise to the challenge as they lead the way forward, harnessing AI applications in creative ways. One Alpha teen is building a healthy living app for Gen Z to track the foods they eat and understand the impact on their overall health. Another is building a safe teen dating app, using generative AI and feeding her models with expert advice from child psychologists, teen counselors, and top physicians.
The future is bright for these young leaders. Their drive to make a difference in the world inspires other young women, and their innovative creations are already being embraced on a large scale.
For more information about the Alpha School, visit www. alpha.school. Summer camps are being offered for middle schoolaged students to explore AI technology and space.
Kate is the creator of the Austin Scholar Newsletter. Her newsletter teaches parents how to help their kids learn through online, adaptive apps. Kate herself learned this way at Alpha, starting in the fourth grade. She scored a perfect 1600 on her SAT and will attend Stanford University in the fall.
Utilizing AI, Maddie is creating a musical for the TikTok generation. It’s a musical for teens, performed exclusively by teens. She uses AI tools to assist in the creative process and plans to debut her musical on Broadway one day as the first production to utilize AI technology.
The “Ask Elle” app, currently available in the app store, was developed by Elle to guide teens on safe dating practices. The app allows teens to interact with Elle’s avatar to have a conversation in real-time. Users can chat with Elle’s bot to get quick answers to their dating questions. The app is trained on data input from top child psychologists, counselors, physicians, and life coaches.
Grace built an app that helps teens track foods and scan food before eating. She encourages her generation to focus on the intersection of food and disease and avoid consuming ultraprocessed and sugary foods. Her documentary on X (Twitter) about the subject has gained over 5 million views.
Hope traveled to a Ukrainian refugee camp and taught students how to utilize AI-assisted educational tools to restore their learning. Many of the students she’s helping have gone without access to textbooks or teachers for over two years, their home schools having been destroyed. The program provides access to education during wartime.
A seventh grader at Alpha, Emma utilizes AI to critique her presentation skills and implements the feedback she receives to improve and grow. Following tours she gives at the school, Emma enters her voice recording into her AI-assisted app and gathers input from CHATGPT to give her feedback and help her adjust her skills.
Regents School of Austin Earns TAPPS 5A Henderson Cup
Regents School of Austin has secured the prestigious Henderson Cup title for the 2023-24 school year, emerging as the top private school in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 5A division.
The Henderson Cup, TAPPS’ highest honor, evaluates over 200 private schools across Texas. It recognizes overall excellence in athletics, fine arts, and academics. Regents’ victory marks its first time clinching this coveted award, finishing with 85 points.
Regents’ achievement results from exceptional performances in athletics (55 points) and fine arts and academics (30 points). This comprehensive success is a testament to the school’s dedication to fostering a balanced and robust educational environment.
This year, Regents’ athletics teams reached new heights in multiple sports. Highlights include the football team’s State Runner-Up finish, the baseball and basketball teams’ District Runner-Up titles, the volleyball team reaching the Regional Finals, and the boys and girls tennis teams earning State Runner-Up and third place, respectively. The girls’ soccer team also won the Regional Championship, the boys’ swim team achieved State Runner-Up, boys’ golf won the District Championship, and girls’ golf
secured third place at State.
The Knightline Dance Team won the State Championship in fine arts, while the Honor Orchestra and Concert Band received Sweepstakes awards at the TAPPS Championship.
Eighteen orchestra solo and ensemble students earned Superior ratings at the TAPPS Solo and Ensemble contests, and the Regents Drumline also achieved a Superior rating. Moreover, four rhetoric students were recognized at the TAPPS Art Championships, and six received awards at the Scholastic Art Competition.
Academically, Regents garnered 23 awards across diverse categories, including Science, Biology, Mathematics, Ready Writing, Spelling, Current Events, Spanish, and Yearbook. Notably, Keri Collins, a rising senior at Regents, received the TAPPS Jeff Shelton Award for the highest individual points at the Academic State competition.
“At Regents, our heart is to give God glory in all things,” said Head of School Dr. Dan Peterson. “This achievement reflects His blessings and guidance on our community and the hard work of our students, faculty, and families.”
The comprehensive success in athletics, fine arts, and academics underscores Regents School of Austin’s commitment to providing a well-rounded, classical, Christian education.
Paragon Prep Students Travel to Washington, D.C.
By Reena Dixit, Rising 7th Grader at Paragon Prep
In an effort to bring the classroom to real life, Paragon took us on a trip to Washington, D.C. The trip was my first with the school and the first time I had been away from my parents for a week. I would sum up this experience as unforgettable, the greatest time I have spent with my friends, and learning to be flexible and responsible. We tirelessly visited almost every historical location, but it was all worth it.
Our Paragon group walked miles a day, feeling physically tired but also accomplished to have made it! We saw historical landmarks such as the Washington Monument, Lincoln and 9-11 Memorials, and the Holocaust and Smithsonian Museums. Our chaperones worked hard to give us an enjoyable and educational trip, but it was so much more. I bonded with my friends and my teachers, seeing a different side of each of them outside of school.
There are a couple of moments that stick out for me from our trip. Our chaperones helped push not just me but everyone out of their comfort zones by visiting the Holocaust Museum and 9-11 memorial, which were solemn and
moving. I was surprised by how emotional history really is when connecting classroom learning to the stories in the museums. I was amazed by both the Natural History and American History Museums and how much there was to see, and we
only saw two of them! I could have spent a whole day there if I had the chance. Overall, I had an incredible time and would like to thank our wonderful chaperones, as
well as everyone involved, who made this trip a phenomenal experience. If you ever have a chance to go on a school trip, do it, because I assure you it is an incomparable experience.
Paragon Knights are headed to: ParagonKnightsareheadedto:
l.a.s.a.(9)
St.Stephen’sEpiscopalSchool(8)
AndersonHighSchool(6)
GriffinSchool(3)
WestlakeHighSchool(2)
St.DominicSavioCatholicHighSchool(2)
St.Andrew’sEpiscopalSchool(1)
LeanderHighSchool(1)
HydeParkSchools(1)
HeadwatersSchool(1)
Huntington-SurreySchool(1)
ParagonPrepcelebratedthegraduationofits27thclassonWednesday,May22nd.These accomplishedgraduateswillcontinuetheiracademicpursuitsatvariouspublicandprivate schoolsintheAustinarea.TheentireParagonteamextendstheirheartfeltcongratulations andbestwishestotheClassof2024astheyprogressontheirKnight'sJourney!
St. Stephen’s Class of 2024
129 graduates • Matriculating to 72 colleges in 23 different states and 1 international campus
15 graduates will play NCAA sports • Students from Austin and 13 cities throughout Texas, 2 states outside of Texas, 12 countries including China, Congo, India, Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam
We wish our graduates the best of luck at the following high schools:
St. Theresa Catholic School Honored as a Blue Ribbon School
St. Theresa Catholic School has been named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School, a prestigious honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of Education. This characterizes the school as an Exemplary High Performing School. Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Only a select few schools are chosen each year for this distinguished recognition. St. Theresa Catholic School is one of only 40 non-public schools in the United States and the only school in Austin to receive this award in 2023. Located in scenic Northwest Hill, St. Theresa Catholic School serves PreK – 8th grade students. As a parochial school, St. Theresa provides students with more than an
excellent education. It offers them a strong, integrated community to be part of, one that propels them to reach their full potential. A special place with strong spiritual principles and high academic standards, St. Theresa, helps today’s children grow into tomorrow’s leaders. The 22-acre campus provides children with a safe and healthy environment. Tours of the school and surrounding campus are being conducted this summer, and enrollment is available in most grades for the Fall. Contact Susie Thompson, Admissions Director, with questions at 512-275-7261 or sthompson@st-theresa.org.
About St. Theresa Catholic School
• Only 2023 National Blue Ribbon School in Austin, Texas Issued by the U.S. Department of Education, this award characterizes our school as an Exemplary High Performing School.
• Students place in the top 15% of nation in assessments with middle school scoring top 10%
• No-cut sports teams starting in first grade
• St. Theresa Catholic School is loca ted on 22 acres in scenic NW Hills
The Artist Award
JOHNNY GALLICK & OLIVIA LAMIN
The Athlete Award EMILY GREGG & GUS STRATTON
The Scholar Award BELLA BENKE
The Scott Field Bailey Servant Award
LOULA AYCOCK & AMY LI
The Faculty Prize KACIE JAGGER & ADDISON SELL
The Hilary H. Carlson Award SOLOMON MARSHALL
The Cornerstone Award CADE MCCALL
100% acceptance to a four-year college/university Accepted by 146 schools E Th JO LO ize & d NY % college/unive ward GAL IA e A MI GU Th B e S Ser AY The F E JA ON lso SH w L ro W G rew AH CE T A A OULA Th E T Th HN OLIV
The Lucy Collins Nazro Award PRUETT FEDOROWICZ & EMILY GREGG
The St. Andrew Award FINLEY AHEARN & GRACE TUHABONYE
Artist Y tA P y Pri GGER n Awa HALL ard Award ICZCZ& G EARN UHAABON CK t Fi ant Aw O ottF LLA Scho L ns N DOR LY GR to pte a fou dby ur-y y 146 ear sch t AM e EGG ATTON rA N Ba rd DDI e Hilary H Corne DE C EM Th TO ward KE ailey The e Co CAD RUET
Hope Elizabeth Aboel-Nil Northeastern University
Nathan Jeffrey Brown University of Texas at Austin
Wade Driscoll The Fashion Institute of Technology
Tovar M Friedman American University
Matthew Grupp Texas A&M University
Rhett Jones University of Austin
Benjamin Peter King Howard University
Kate Alexandra Liemandt Stanford University
Parker Dale 0’Hará Savannah College of Art & Design
Conner Pesek Gap Year
Grace Isabell Lee Price University of Austin
Peyton Mackenzie Price Vanderbilt University
Austin-Based Imagine Scholarships Launches New Platform
College tuition has risen faster than housing, medical services, and child care in recent years. In response to growing concerns over college affordability, Imagine Scholarships, based in Austin, launched its new online platform this month.
Imagine Scholarships' founder, Sherri Ross, is a single mother of four who was profoundly motivated to find a way to fund her children's college education. Through sheer determination and focus, she gained a deep understanding of college scholarships, available federal funds, and the college admissions process. Her success in securing funding for her children's education, including advanced degrees, has fueled her commitment to share her knowledge and help others.
Ross secured local investors and collaborators to complete the newly launched platform for Imagine Scholarships, which features a database with over $10 billion in scholarships for high school, college, international, trade school, and graduate students.
One of Ross’s partners, Jamie Rodriguez, is the award-winning head of the creative department for Tilted Chair, an Austin-based creative agency. His motto, “Where there is a will, there is a way,” matches Ross’s can-do attitude. With his help and that of a team of like-minded local talent, Imagine Scholarships is making a splash in the complicated process of identifying college tuition acquisition.
Rodriguez shared, "With top-notch web development and design, we've built what I believe is the best scholarship-matching system available. I'm truly honored to be part of this initiative and can't wait to see its positive impact on students pursuing a debt-free education."
Imagine Scholarships stands out as more than just a scholarship locator. It also serves users on a unique Edtech (educational technology) platform, leveraging IT tools and educational practices to facilitate and enhance learning. Members in their community, including students, parents, and IECs (Independent Educational Consultants), gain access to a wealth of resources. These include a vast library of videos, e-books, and blogs offering mentorship in the admissions process, college preparedness and success, financial literacy, career counseling, and internship opportunities.
Director of Business Development for Imagine Scholarships, Seth DeVries, is a graduate of Hyde Park High School and the University of Pennsylvania. He stated, “Our approach to gathering online resources for scholarship access is unique in its comprehensive nature. We understand the challenges of paying college tuition, and we are making it our mission to support families and students in one of the most pivotal and complicated tasks young people face today — pursuing an education after high school.”
Imagine Scholarships was created to transform how students achieve their academic goals. Comprised of a diverse team of parents, recent graduates, and experienced creative content creators, Imagine is dedicated to helping students realize their college dreams.
Imagine Scholarships Founder Sherri Ross with Imagine Scholarships Director of Business Development Seth DeVries
"Our new platform is about scholarships and so much more. At Imagine Scholarships, we tirelessly seek new ways to connect with students, parents, and educators to help those striving for a brighter future”.
SHERRI ROSS, Founder of Imagine Scholarships
Creative Director for Tilted Chair, JAMIE RODRIGUEZ