SSHS Credit Recovery, EOC Exam Reviews Offered
Summer school in 2017 has two components: Credit Recovery and End of Course Reviews. There is no cost for summer school. Applications must be received before the first day of the summer school session.
Credit Recovery – for recovery of credit not earned during the regular school year. Dates are Monday-Thursday, beginning 6/5 and ending 7/6. Hours are 8:00-12 Noon or 12:30-4:30 p.m. Location is Austin Academic Center, 808 S. Davis, Sulphur Springs, TX. Coursework is online. Since students will work at their own pace, it may not be necessary to attend the entire Credit Recovery time period. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
End of Course Reviews – for students who were not successful on one or more EOC exams. These will be taught at the high school by certified teachers. Dates are 6/5-6/8 AND 6/12-6/15 (16 hours); sessions are two-hour blocks. Preference for time slots will be given on a first-come, first served basis.
SEE COUNSELORS FOR APPLICATION. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SIGNED BY STUDENT AND PARENT, AND APPROVED BY COUNSELOR.
NOTE: EOC retests will be given at the high school the week of June 19-22.
Video of Event Included: Over $4 Million in Scholarships Presented SSHS Grads in Awards Ceremony; Burleson Awarded Over $1.7 Million in Scholarships;
When scholarships and awards were presented Thursday night during the Sulphur Springs High School Awards Assembly conducted in Wildcat/Lady Cat gym, Lydia Burleson, Valedictorian for the Class of 2017, received approximately $1.7 million dollars in scholarship offers. Just over $4-million in scholarships and awards was presented in varying amounts to students. Also Awards for scholastic achievement including honor graduates, UIL Academic competition, FCCLA, Choir and Ensemble, Business Professionals of America, and perfect attendance were presented.
Burleson, who has stated she will attend Yale University, received a Yale scholarship in the amount of $285,000. Also offering scholarships in amounts approximate to or more than the Yale offer were University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Columbia University, Trinity University San Antonio, Vassar College in New York, and Wesleyan University. She also received several smaller monetary awards and scholarships.
Military scholarships available following the fulfillment of commitment to military service totaled near $2-million. Commitment to the military service include: Sloan McGahee to the U. S. Army; Lamar Gasaway, U. S. National Guard; Mason Cleveland, U. S. Navy; and to the Marines, Jaylen Hall, Isaiah Neal, and Jason Ponce Bonilla.
Athletic scholarships totaled over $337,000 and included student-athletes in volleyball, football, golf, tennis, baseball, and soccer.
Baylor University presented Owen Lee a $127,000 scholarship package as well as a $79,000 scholarship to Sarah Anderson and an $88,000 award to Sarah Berning. Berning also received $24,000 from Farmers Insurance Leavey Foundation.
Mandy Echardt received a $108,000 scholarship from Austin College.
Sadie Evans will have her choice of Azusa Pacific University ($98,000), Pepperdine University ($99,200), Belmont University ($60,0000) or Mary Hardin Baylor University ($20,000).
A large number of other scholarships were also presented.
Dismantling Eagle Stadium Provides Parking for Numerous Activities
Dismantling Eagle Stadium will benefit not only parking for visitors during football season but also provide parking for activities such as the Hopkins County Stew Contest, parade staging, and other school and city activities, according to Dan Froneberger, SSISD Maintenance Director.
In a money saving move, Froneberger is once again using Hopkins County inmates to dismantle the historic stadium. Froneberger said the materials gained from the tear down are not worth selling for salvage. Therefore, the materials will be used for the county farm. The press box will be turned into produce stands and the windscreen will be used around the chicken yards. Grass from the stadium will be taken to the new stadium to be used in landscaping. Eagle Stadium bleachers will be used at the Lady Cat Park.
The new baseball stadium is moving along quickly. Framing for the press box, poles for the outfield fence, and one half of one dugout are in place. Froneberger said the work on the new stadium is ahead of schedule.
When demolition of Eagle Stadium is complete, the Lady Cat press box will be dismantled and a new press box put in place.
NETBIO Holds Big Sale
by Paul Bailey
The May Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization’s (NETBIO) Pre-Conditioned Calf and Yearling Sale held at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission Wednesday attracted a full house of buyers, sellers and visitors, and continued its record-setting trend in 2017.
Consigners shipped 6,643 head of calves and yearlings to the sale, a new record for a May sale. Those cattle sold for an average of $875.19 per head.
A capacity crowd of buyers, sellers and visitors filled the auditorium at the May NETBIO Pre-conditioned calf and yearling sale held this week at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission.
“It was an excellent sale and we had a lot of buyer interest in cattle being purchased that will be shipped to summer grazing,” said David Fowler, co-owner of the livestock commission. “There was also a lot of interest among the buyers in replacement cattle, and they sold really well.”
A total of 298 producers from Texas and neighboring states shipped cattle to the sale. Fowler said that in addition to the 31 buyers who bought cattle at the sale, a total of 2,235 head of the pre-conditioned calves and yearlings were purchased via Internet bidding.
“It was a very good offering of cattle and buyers recognized the excellent quality,” Fowler said. “The demand for all weights and kinds of cattle was good, and it was again evident that producers are doing a great job of pre-conditioning and getting their cattle ready for this sale.”
The next sale will be held at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Commission on Wednesday, July 19. The weaning deadline for calves consigned to that sale is June 4. The last date for booster shots is June 19.
The July sale will be followed by a sale on September 20 and the anniversary sale on November 15.
The NETBIO Pre-Conditioned Stocker and Feeder Calf Sale gives producers a market to offer their pre-conditioned calves and yearlings in load lot quantities. NETBIO holds seven pre-conditioned calf sales per year, which is the marketing arm for members of the organization.
For more information about the NETBIO organization or the sales, call Fowler or Joe Don Pogue at 903-885-2455 or email them at [email protected].
Tira News May 19, 2017
by Jan Vaughn
Yvonne Weir from Tira, Brenda Allen from Yantis, and Pam Cathey from Como flew into Las Vegas, Nevada on May 1st and rented a car to begin an adventure they called “California Dreaming.” The first night was spent in Beatty, Nevada, where they met two families from France at the local cafe. They began their drive on Tuesday and toured Death Valley. Yvonne commented, “It was much more scenic than we expected.” From there they traveled through the Sequoia National Forest and National Park and report that it was amazing. They report moving on from there to Yosemite National Park, which was already crowded, but so beautiful. Yvonne says, “The waterfalls were plentiful and the rivers were raging due to a drought-relieving winter.” She adds, “We then drove across to Mendocino, where we had fun eating in an Irish pub and staying in a motel that was designed like an old frontier town. We started our drive down Highway 1 with a stop to do laundry and to tour Anchor Point Lighthouse. It was windy and cool next to the ocean. On Saturday we arrived in San Francisco and found it difficult driving up and down the hills .We met up with Pam’s cousin Peter Matthews and his daughter Madison and they took us to Golden Gate Park to a historic restaurant for brunch. They then drove us around to see the sights. We had a great time. The next two nights were spent in Paso De Robles. We really liked that little town. We toured the Hearst castle and went to a beach covered with elephant seals, which were supposedly molting. From there we went back to Las Vegas and spent the night. We took the shuttle to Mandalay Bay and dined at the House of Blues. After losing each other in the casino we were glad to meet up and shuttle back to our hotel. We flew back into Dallas late Wednesday night and drove on home. It was a beautiful trip and we had so much fun with each other.”
Yvonne reports, “Mother’s Day at the Weirs was shared with all the kids except Destri. We had lunch at La Pietra in Cooper and it was excellent. The moms got free mimosas and delicious dessert. Then of course we all went to Justa’s and shopped.”
Our great-grandsons Rylan, Brailon, and Slaiden spent Friday evening and night with us. We always have a good time watching them play. On Saturday Chip, Tiffany, and I went to Broken Bow, Oklahoma for Thomas Vaughn’s high school graduation party. Thomas is the son of Johnny and Cindy Vaughn and grandson of Jim and Sandra Vaughn. Guests were treated to grilled hamburgers and a graduation cake. After the party, we came back by way of Dike, where we went to the fish fry at Community Bible Fellowship Church, which was a fundraiser for their youth camp.
Grace Vaughn, Tiffany, Kenden, and Jaidyn were with us for Mother’s Day lunch. Chip served the mothers (and guests) taco salad and angel food cake with strawberries and whipped topping. John Vaughn came by later that afternoon and took Grace to have dinner with their family.
I’m sure that many families in our community celebrated Mother’s Day. I hope to have more reports next week.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-945-2190 or 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Miller Grove News May 19, 2017
by Brandon Darrow
Another week has gone by and another week closer to summer. I’m glad we have had a few little cool spells to keep the spring weather from getting hot too quickly. I know that some years, by this time, it’s already hot, humid, and we’re needing rain – but not this year.
Miller Grove Cemetery’s annual Memorial Day and homecoming turned out great. It was a very nice day to have dinner on the grounds and I was glad to see so many folks that I knew. As usual, I didn’t have long enough to talk to everybody. Mark Garrett did a great job bringing the message and Kellie Rowbotham (Mary Lou Akins’ granddaughter) was a top-notch Master of Ceremonies. Ann Ferguson sang two specials and played the piano and I thought she did a fantastic job as well. I was also glad to meet a few new folks that day. I met Wanda Williams from Cumby. Her grandparents (the Eddins) are buried at Miller Grove and this was her first year to come but she said she would definitely be back next year – which is always good to hear.
I was told that 2 golden retriever’s were found on FM 2653 near county road 1152 in Miller Grove. If you know the owner please contact Lee at 903-335-1051.
Happy Birthday to Troy Horton & Kim Irby on May 22, Holly Wilbur on May 23, Bertha Sparks on May 25, Bettie Garrett & Denise (White) Jamison on May 26, and Billy Lynn & Jace Potts on May 27.
Happy 34th Wedding Anniversary on May 21st to Barry and Julie Smith.
School is winding down quickly for summer vacation. Don’t forget these end of school activities: Senior Hamburger Supper at County Line Baptist Church (May 24), Elementary Awards Ceremony (May 24), Kindergarten Graduation (May 25), Junior High Graduation (May 25), High School Graduation (May 26).
As you travel the highways and byways don’t forget that all roads lead back home and back to Miller Grove. Please send me any newsworthy information. My email address is [email protected].
High School Graduation is Upon Us! By Johanna Hicks
High School Graduation is Upon Us!
School is winding down for the year, and for many, this will be the end of familiarity and the beginning of the unknown. High school seniors are the “big men on campus”, and then all of a sudden, they become freshmen again, thrust into new surroundings and the unknown. Temptations and radical thinking will bombard these young people. As a parent, I encourage you to stay true to your belief system and don’t be easily swayed to follow the wrong crowd. Alcohol and drugs are a huge problem in our society. Nobody ever had the dream of growing up to be an alcoholic or drug addict. However, this can be avoided by making wise decisions and sticking to them!
College is not for partying, although good clean socializing is possible. Attending college to pursue higher education is the main focus. College can be expensive, but more and more scholarships and financial aid are becoming available. Why would you want to waste your (or your parents’) hard-earned money by skipping classes or shirking your assignments? And as for the fun aspect – there are many opportunities to enjoy fellowship with classmates. Most campuses have faith-based student organizations that offer meals, special programs, retreats, banquets, trips, and more. Most campuses also have sororities and fraternities, but be cautious with these. Some have good academic and service-based reputations, while others are known for their partying and moral indiscretions. Do your research in order to make informed decisions.
Most of all, remember that there are people who love you and want to see you succeed. Think of all the individuals who have had an impact on your life, whether they are parents, teachers, grandparents, relatives, or other adults outside your family or school. Tell them you appreciate their influence, because kind words and thoughts often go unspoken.
Hats off to you, class of 2017! Don’t do drugs or alcohol, make wise choices, and follow your academic or career goals.
Almost Final Call for “Dinner Tonight – Cooking with Chef Cruz”
Calling all hunting enthusiasts! If you have overlooked this event, you might want to reconsider. A team of Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Agents worked diligently to bring this event to East Texas, and we want you to be a part of the action! Here are the details:
- What: “Cooking with Chef Cruz”
- Where: Hidden Lakes Hunting Lodge, Yantis
- When: Tuesday, June 6
- Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Cost: $25
- Includes: cooking demonstrations with Red Stag Venison, Duck, Quail, Buffalo and side dishes
Each attendee will receive a goody bag with full-color recipe cards for six complete menus, along with recipes from the Texas Beef Council, rub mixes, handouts for proper storage and handling of wide game, and many other goodies. Door prizes will also be given. A tasting panel will provide feedback on each dish.
For registration information, drop by any Extension Office in Hopkins, Hunt, Wood, or Rains County, or go to: Http://hopkins.agrilife.org and click on events. Scroll down to “Dinner Tonight – Cooking with Chef Cruz”. Directions to Hidden Lakes Hunting Lodge can be found on the registration form.
Don’t delay! Seating is limited and as of this writing, we only have 35 spots remaining! Call my office at 903-885-3443 if have questions.
Closing Thought
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens – Jimi Hendrix
Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
1200-B W. Houston
P.O.Box 518
Sulphur springs, TX 75483
903-885-3443 – phone
903-439-4909 – Fax
[email protected]
Know Your Native Plants By Mario Villarino
Know your native plants: Queen Anne’s Lace or wild carrot
It is hard to miss the abundance of flowering Queen Anne’s Laces in Northeast Texas at this time of the year. If for some reason you have not notice yet, pay attention in the south side of Sulphur Springs (Highway 154 south and highway 11) and you might notice road ditches covered with it. According to the University of Arkansas –Extension horticulturist (retired) Gerlad Klingaman, Queen Anne’s Lace is one of our most common roadside wildflowers or weeds, depending on your perspective. Mr. Klingaman admired the delicate, lacy character of the white flower in early summer, but to him it’s not a weed. Not everyone agrees. As I mowed my lawn at home, I have left part of my front property currently covered with Queen Anne’s Lace untouched to observe the diversity of pollinators visiting the patch. I am curious to find out how long until my neighbors start to wonder why the patch was left not mowed!. Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), a member of the parsnip family, is the wild progenitor of the cultivated carrot. It’s native across much of southern Europe and central Asia but has spread throughout all regions of the United States and Canada. It’s most at home along roadways that are periodically mown to keep down really tall vegetation, but it’s never a serious lawn weed because it can’t tolerate close mowing. In our climate, Queen Anne’s lace behaves as a winter annual with seeds germinating in the fall. The slender, white, branched taproots forms lacy leaves reminiscent of the cultivated carrot. Though the taproot is as woody as a tree limb, it gives off the distinctive carrot smell when crushed. The summer plants send up 3 feet tall, branched, hairy stems bearing flowers and lacy leaves. The terminal flower cluster (an umbel) is the largest and may reach 4 to 5 inches across. Side branches form freely, but the umbels are usually half as large. The umbels are made up of hundreds of tiny white blossoms, except for one central floret that’s a deep purple. Speculation has it that this tiny purple floret in the lacelike array of white flowers may have been an example of floral mimickery. It probably looked like the alluring end of a female bug, inviting amorous males in for a visit, only to do pollination work instead. When the seeds mature, the umbel curls inward and forms a nest-like collection of bristle-armed seeds that cause them to stick easily to passing pets or pant legs. As the seeds begin ripening, the plant dies. The widespread occurrence of Queen Anne’s lace is probably due to reversion of the cultivated type to wild forms. The first cultivated carrots were from Afghanistan, but they were either white or purple. The purple color came from anthocyanin pigments, the same pigment found in beets. The stubby, yellow and then orange anthocyanin-free carrots we know today appeared as mutants in the 16th century. Apparently, there was not an organized environmental movement at the time, because the frankenfood label didn’t appear until genetically engineered crops arrived in the 1990s. A French seedman, Henri Vilmorin, demonstrated in the 1840s that in three simple crosses using wild plants it was possible recreate the carrot grown in the garden. So, it seems likely that the reverse happened when a few cultivated plants were allowed to go to seed without supervision. Reversion occurred, and Queen Anne’s lace filled the waste places of the world. Carrot breeders must carefully inspect all of their seed production fields, because the presence of a single wild plant can ruin an entire seed field. For more information on this or any other agricultural topics please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Mario Villarino DVM, Ph.D.
Hopkins County Extension Agent for Ag and NR
1200B Houston Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas 75482
903-885-3443
Spring Football Practice Ends; Spring Game Friday at 6 p.m.
Owens on Spring Football
At the conclusion of spring football workouts for the Wildcats, Football Coach Greg Owens gave the spring practice a grade of A-plus saying it was another great spring. He called the attitude of the players great. It ended with what Coach Owens called a really good day Wednesday. Drills included ones for certain end of game or quarter situations. Coach Owens said blitz drills continued to be beneficial for offensive and defensive players. He said he was able to mix in some special teams work designed to make sure players get on and off the field for special teams. Fans are expected to see some of this also during Friday’s Spring Day at 6 p.m. at the SSHS Track Field, weather permitting. Wet weather would force the game inside in the Multipurpose Building. Putting a damper on things a little Wednesday were some injuries. Coach Owens said none appeared to be season ending except an ACL knee injury. He said he continued to be impressed with the retention level during spring football. After practice, Coach Owens said he met with next years seniors to get their input concerning an issue that has cropped up for the team. He said he sought the seniors’ input because they have a lot invested in the team.
Abron’s Defensive Outlook
After the last football workout of the spring, Wildcats Defensive Coordinator Triston Abron met with some of his seniors for next year and told them they have the potential to be at the top or even the top team in the district defensively this coming season. Coach Abron said his entire defensive scheme was installed earlier this spring and lately players have been working to polish it. He said last year’s defense would have been near the top of the district except for a bad Marshall game and one long run allowed against Greenville. Coach Abron’s defense will return nine starters from last year’s team. He said guys who stepped in this spring to replace last year’s seniors have done a remarkable job. He said the defense in the spring picked up right where they left off last fall. Coach Abron said he is happy where the defense is right now.
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