Schoolhouse News

THE VINDICATOR „ FEB. 11, 2021 „ PAGE 11 Astros TV Analyst, Geoff Blum Tarkington ISD rejects resignation, speaks at Liberty Banquet keeps mask rule By Russell Payne show up today, we are [email protected] going to be fi ne. I wanted By Russell Payne vey sent out to parents to be that guy in the club- [email protected] and teachers of Tark- Liberty High School house. This goes to show ington ISD, which asked Baseball faithful were out you that you can lead, even A large crowd of Tark- for their opinions on in full force last Saturday if you are not on the fi eld ington area residents the mask issue and night for the Panthers’ every day, gett ing four hits made their way to the whether or not to vote annual fundraiser and a game and striking out 19 Tarkington High School to, “defy Governor Ab- banquet. The event serves guys a ballgame. You can Cafeteria for a pair of bott ’s COVID Executive as the Panthers’ kickoff to be that leader that pushes Tarkington ISD Board of Order GA-32, DSHS/CDC the season and provides other people.” Trustees meetings Mon- Health Protocols, TEA’s an opportunity to intro- After Blum spoke to day night. Public Health Guidance duce the community to those in attendance, he First up was a special and UIL COVID-19 Risk the team each year. spent time signing some called meeting to handle Mitigation Guidelines.” “It’s always a great event autographs and visiting the recent resignation A number of Tark- of the community to come The Vindicator | Russell Payne with att endees, as well as of Tarkington ISD Su- ington ISD residents together and support the Astros TV Analyst and former MLB Player, Geoff Blum was on posing for photos with the were there to address hand as the guest speaker for this year’s Liberty Boys Baseball Banquet. perintendent Dr. Marc kids and the schools,” Lib- Liberty baseball players. Keith, aft er he recently the board on a variety of Blum told his personal story of becoming a professional baseball player diff erent reasons and all erty Head Baseball Coach to those in attendance. Later in the evening Blum signed autographs and The night’s event was tendered his letter of Robb Kirkland said of the spoke to attendees. capped off with an auction resignation to the board. that spoke were against event. that was utilized to raise According to Tarking- the idea of changing made in life off the fi eld. would go on to sweep the This year’s event was funds for the Panthers’ ton ISD Board President COVID19 Protocols, at Known as a switch hit- Astros. headlined by former Ma- uniforms and equipment Pete Vandver, Keith cit- least at this point in the ter and utility player on He went on to discuss jor League Baseball play- expenses. Coach Kirkland ed his desire to retire. current school year. the fi eld, Blum made the the reasons that former er and current Houston estimated they brought Keith has been with the Some of the reasons rounds around the MLB White Sox Manager Ozzie Astros TV Color Analyst in around $10,000 at the district for three years. given were from parents over his 14-year career Guillen gave for trading for Geoff Blum. event. The only gentlemen that had children that with 1,389 games to his Blum that season. He said “He was great! He was The evening’s event was in the crowd that chose were at high risk for credit. Initially draft ed by Guillen cited that he could great for the kids and the put on by John and Amy to speak on the matt er health-related issues, the , he play utility where he was some of the teachers speech was just great. It Hebert, with the food were Tarkington res- spent the majority of his needed on the fi eld, and addressed fears that was awesome of him to prepared by Daryl Die- ident Kevin Johnson. time with the Houston that he was a switch hitt er, hl, Walt Saucier, and Red the district would lose give up his time to come Johnson shared his frus- Astros. Ironically enough, but the big reason was that Top Treats. Brady Hanson teachers due to resigna- and speak to our small trations with the board it was against the Astros he would not mess up the served as the auctioneer tions over the change, community,” Kirkland over the announce- said. where he would see the atmosphere in the locker on the night. and some felt it would ment that Dr. Keith was Blum spoke about the biggest highlight of his room. There will be plenty of cause problems for ex- choosing to step down road he traveled in his ca- career after hitting the Blum went on to say, other opportunities to get tra-curricular activities, from his duties. reer and how he was able game-winning “we have all played on that out there and support the including sports and “I’m hoping that this to overcome some obsta- in the 14th inning, giving team where there is that Liberty Panthers Baseball things like auto mechan- community will con- cles both on the fi eld as a the White Sox a one dude in the locker program this year, as the ics and One-Act Play. vince this board that we player, as well as through 3-0 series lead in the 2005 room that we are all like, season is just gett ing un- When the results of need that guy,” Johnson some of the decisions he , that they man, if that guy doesn’t derway. the surveys were shared, said of Keith. there was a direct con- There was a clear en- trast between the two dorsement of Keith’s groups of respondents. 44 exceptional students selected for the award- performance as super- There were nearly 300 intendent by Johnson, parents that responded winning Brooke Owens Fellowship Class of 2021 and the audience gave a to the survey and most rousing standing ovation were in favor of gett ing The Brooke Owens Fellowship—a provide opportunities and access aft er his comments. rid of the mandatory nationally-acclaimed nonprofi t or- to talented young professionals Following the com- mask rules in Tarking- ganization recognizing exceptional from historically-underrepresent- ment period, board ton. On the other hand, undergraduate women and other ed genders. members took the meet- out of the 139 teach- gender minorities with space and This past year, as organizations ing behind closed doors ers and staff that were aviation internships, senior men- across the United States under- to discuss possible ac- polled, an even larger torship, and a lifelong professional went long-overdue and necessary tions on the resignation, majority was in favor of network—announced its newest refl ection into the historical mar- as well as an agreement keeping the mask pro- class of Brooke Owens Fellows to- ginalization of racial groups, the on the issue. Aft er just tocols in place and giv- day. Brooke Owens Fellowship under- over an hour, the board ing two starkly diff erent The Class of 2021 marks the fi ft h went a change in leadership bring- returned to the open perspectives. class of “Brookie” Fellows and were ing on new perspectives. Garver session to take a vote There was a brief dis- selected from the Fellowship’s most stepped down from the Executive on the executive session cussion and it appeared competitive application year. More Team in June 2020 and was recent- discussion. somewhat contentious than 800 promising and talented ly recognized with the WIA Life- The vote was original- between a few of the students applied from Ivy League time Achievement Award for her ly three in favor, with universities, major research uni- dedication to the program. Three trustees, but aft er a mo- members Pete Vand- tion was fi nally made by versities, historically black col- new leaders were welcomed to the ver, Donny Haltom and leges and universities, liberal arts Executive Team: Diana Trujillo, Arnold and seconded, Contributed photo Dwayne Stovall voting to the board voted to keep colleges, community colleges, and TaNia Donatto was one of 44 students selected aerospace engineer at NASA’s Jet accept the resignation, the rules in place. Vot- major international universities. for the award winning Brooke Owens Fellowship Propulsion Laboratory; Caroline while Kem Arnold, Lane Forty-four Fellows were selected Class of 2021. Donatto, daughter of Tonya and Juang, Ph.D. student at Colum- ing in favor of keeping Victor Donatto, is currently a sophomore at Stan- Gulledge and Paige Bost- the order were Arnold, through a competitive application bia University; and Kayla Watson, wick voted to take no process involving writt en and cre- ford University studying Materials Science and En- System Reliability Engineer at Anderson, Bostwick and action. Initially, board ative submissions, interviews with gineering at . Donatto will work Amazon Prime Air. Meanwhile, Gulledge, while Haltom at SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA. TaNia was the Liberty member Cory Ander- the Fellowship’s volunteer-based Pomerantz co-founded the Patti and Stovall were in fa- High School 2019 Salutatorian graduate. son abstained, but aft er leadership team and its close net- Grace Smith Fellowship in Octo- vor of gett ing rid of the asking if he was the tie work, and interviews with the Host alumnae join the Fellowship as ber 2020 to introduce Black and mandatory rule. breaking vote, Anderson Companies. The selected Fellows Alumnae Volunteers to foster the African-American undergraduate In other action items, have demonstrated their desire to next generation of Brooke Owens students to their fi rst aerospace joined with those voting the board voted to ap- pursue a career in aerospace, a re- Fellows. internship, and now he leads both against the action to prove a stipend for the cord of leadership, a commitment The Brooke Owens Fellowship sister Fellowships. The Patt i Grace make it 4-3. district’s nursing staff, to their communities, and their in- was founded in 2016 to honor the Smith Fellowship is the second Fel- Vandver said in a with the head Regis- exhaustible creativity. memory of beloved industry pi- lowship program modeled aft er the phone interview that he tered Nurse receiving The Brooke Owens Fellows will oneer and accomplished pilot D. Brooke Owens Fellowship, joining did not want to see Keith $2,500, the two Licensed be matched to an executive-level Brooke Owens, who passed away the Matt hew Isakowitz Fellowship leave his post. Vocational Nurses re- mentor committ ed to helping the in June 2016 at the age of 35, aft er Program as a spinoff sister pro- “I’d rather he not re- ceiving $1,750 and the Fellows launch their careers. This a hard-fought batt le with cancer. gram. signs; I think he has Aids receiving $1,000 summer, the Fellows will start their The program was co-founded by Together, the 5-person Brooke done a great job. I hate each. Keith cited the internships and come together vir- , the former Deputy Owens Fellowship Executive Team to see him go, but if it’s fact the school’s health- tually for the annual Brooke Owens Administrator of NASA and now led the selection for this year’s Fel- his time to go, I wish him care professionals had Summit. Like last year, the Fellow- CEO of Earthrise Alliance; Cassie lows. Refl ecting on the latest class, well and we will hopeful- gone above and beyond ship commits to providing these Lee, Advanced Programs Lead for Lee says, “The Brooke Owens Fel- ly fi nd someone that can during the COVID19 experiences even if the Covid-19 Weather and Remote Sensing at lowship Executive Team is thrilled fi ll his shoes,” Vandver pandemic. pandemic continues through the Lockheed Martin Space; and Wil- to welcome our Class of 2021. As we said. The board also voted summer. The Class of 2021 will also liam Pomerantz, the Vice President celebrate our fi ft h year of the Fel- The board then ad- to table an action item become part of the network of more for Special Projects at Virgin . lowship we extend our sincere grat- journed the special with regards to the Su- than 150 Brookie alumnae spanning The Brooke Owens Fellowship cele- itude to all of the Host companies, called meeting and perintendent aft er opt- all aspects of space and aviation brates its 5-year mission and legacy Mentors, donors, applicants, alums, opened up the regular- ing not to proceed with including engineering, scientific of disrupting the historical gender and supporters who have made this ly scheduled meeting, any action on his resig- research, policy, journalism, and imbalance in the aerospace indus- program and our two spinoff s an where the attention nation in the earlier spe- entrepreneurship. Some of these try by continuing its mission to extraordinary success.” turned to a recent sur- cial called meeting. Dayton ISD teacher selected to receive teacher assist grant Roxie Asbill, a Reading att ention on writing.” Said 200 submissions for the a long history of working Instructional Coach at Roxie, “They would re- program, demonstrating the with teachers, educators, Dayton ISD, will be cre- search cross curricular need in the state for support. and students across Tex- ating a before and after topics social studies and Out of the 200 submissions, as,” said Felicia Hutchins, school tutoring program science or create ‘Podcasts 40 were selected. State Farm Corporate Re- to help deal with the chal- by Kids, For Kids’ where State Farm is proud to sponsibility. “It is import- lenges facing students in learners showcase skills recognize and award each ant to give back and help literacy and conceptual in various subjects.” of the following 40 Texas create safer, stronger, math missing face to face Teachers in Texas were teachers a $2,500 grant to bett er educated commu- instruction during quar- asked to share their innova- create or support their ex- nities.” antine. tive teaching ideas in Janu- isting classroom projects. Thanks again to all the “Students would study ary for an opportunity to be To see the full list of Tex- teachers that submitted project based learning top- selected for a State Farm ® as Teacher Assist Winners their ideas. Your work is Contributed photo ics such as ‘Choose Your Teacher Assist grant. In less at htt ps://newsroom.state- making our neighbor- Top row, left to right: Alicia Cox-math instructional coach, Jessica Ott-prin- Own Adventure’ where than 30 minutes, teachers farm.com/tx-teacher-assist/ hoods safer, stronger and cipal, Roxie Asbill-Reading instructional coach. Bottom row of KMB stu- students concentrate their across the state submitt ed “As a company, we have bett er educated! dents left to right: Kate Gatlin, Carter Durdin, Rayvn Johnson, Sebastian.