Sponsored by Weinstein Law/Weinstein Real Estate
Mabank High School’s Jacey Pridgen finished 5th in congressional debate in UIL state finals Thursday in Austin and was the top state presiding officer. Pictured is Jacey and UIL speech and debate director Jana Riggins, a MHS alumnus. (Courtesy photo)
((Thank you to reader Jason Caldwell for sharing.))
By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow
So Malakoff ISD, what’s better than having a nationally-recognized, Blue Ribbon elementary school?
Having two.
Malakoff Elementary School was nominated and earned the national Blue Ribbon recognition in 2015, and Wednesday it was announced that Tool Elementary School has been nominated in 2016.
“Tool Elementary is one of only 26 campuses from all the campuses around the state to receive this honor,” said Superintendent Randy Perry. “Malakoff ISD is very proud of the leadership of Principal Christal Calhoun and the hard working teachers, staff and students of Tool Elementary.
Calhoun said the school and community were excited to hear the news.
“Today has been a great blessing for the staff, students and the many community members who support Tool Elementary,” she said. “To have an opportunity to be acknowledged for your effort and achievement is a wonderful experience. We are excited to accept this nomination and will wait anxiously for the final results. Tool Elementary will continue to give everything we’ve got to provide a strong foundation for each student.”
Continue reading “Tool Elementary nominated for national Blue Ribbon recognition”
The Athens High School Speech and Debate Team had a very successful weekend at the Van High School Invitational Tournament. Ten students competed in a total of 14 events, and all 10 placed. Athens was awarded the first-place speech team with a total of 150 points. The second-place team trailed far behind in points with twice as many entries as AHS.
In Lincoln-Douglas (LD) debate, Dusty Rhodes placed first. In informative speaking, Matthew Hernandez placed first. In persuasive speaking, Madeline Clay placed first, Michael Pulver placed second, and True Head placed first. In prose, Emma Grey placed first, and Lydia Strand placed fifth. In policy debate, True Head and Matthew Hernandez placed second; Jordan Ramirez, Jose Sanchez, Madeline Clay and Baylee DeShazo were semifinalists. In congress, Michael Pulver placed third.
Pictured (from left) are Will Honea, True Head, Jose Sanchez, Michael Pulver, Dusty Rhodes, Matthew Hernandez, Lydia Strand, Emma Grey, Madeline Clay, Baylee DeShazo and Jordan Ramirez. Ten AHS students competed and placed. (Courtesy Photo)
Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
Athens High School students made a sweet noise Saturday at UIL Area Competition. Between band and choir, five students earned all-state honors.
In band, senior Gerardo Godinez was named first-chair tenor saxophone, junior Russell Ingram was named first-chair trumpet, and freshman Yuvia Leon was named second-chair flute. In choir, sophomore Jacob Moore was named first-chair bass, and sophomore Bethany Oglesby was named fifth-chair soprano. Ingram and Moore qualified for state last year as well.
Continue reading “AHS band and choir members make all-state”
By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
Years before becoming a teacher at Athens High School, Janet Green taught at Mabank junior high and high school. At both campuses, she had a student who made an impression on her: Stephen Smith.
“He was a good kid, always happy and always at school, and always talking. Stephen was the good kind of mischievous, the kind that keeps a teacher on her toes,” said Green. “He worked hard because he knew college was his ticket to a better life. … He is a true success story of what hard work and perseverance can do.”
That hard work started when Smith was young. Coming from a single-parent family, he found himself homeless at the age of 16, floating from “friend to friend to friend.” He kept himself clothed and fed by working grocery store, gas station and lumberyard jobs.
Continue reading “Tennessee Vols assistant coach visits AHS classes”