Other players may have had the dream come true right out of high school, only to find that playing football at a Division I school while making the grade in 12
or more semester hours of classes is more of a challenge than getting past a lineman from an opposing team. Navarro College’s staff offers the individualized academic attention that can make all
the difference in these transfer student- athletes’ success.

The run toward the Division I goal begins with the recruitment process. “They’ve got to fit. We don’t want anyone who doesn’t conform to our program. The question is, ‘Are they going to be the guy that fits in?’” Coach Bobeck stated.

The fit Coach Bobeck is looking for applies not only to the recruit’s physical abilities; it is defined as total mind, body and spirit fitness.
The most important change for many of the new recruits is the stress Navarro College places on scholastic achievement. Student-athletes are truly considered to be students first, athletes second. That policy begins with Dr. Richard Sanchez, Navarro College District president who said, “At Navarro College, the term student-athlete implies these young men and women come to the college to prepare themselves for a career. The athletic director, coaches and the academic advisor do all they
can to ensure these student-athletes are provided every opportunity for academic success.”

These players’ summers on campus are not reserved solely for one-a-days or two-a-days in 110-degree heat. It is also a time for attending classes. Assistant Athletic Director and Women’s Soccer Coach Debbie Bonner also serves as athletic academic advisor. She oversees players’ placement testing, academic advising, grades, class attendance and tutoring sessions.
Students who show a need for academic remediation through placement testing receive instruction through the Navarro College PASS Department. “We have developed a close working relationship with our athletic department. All of our coaches have set high expectations for the players and stress the importance of achieving academic goals,” PASS Director Lesa Martin said. “PASS instructors delight to see athletes on rosters,
because they are focused, respectful and hardworking,” she added. Athletes receive no special consideration from instructors. They must meet all the same requirements expected of other students.

Many of the athletes at Navarro College are first-in-the-family college attendees. For these and other students needing academic support, Navarro College offers the Bridge Program, an intensive college preparatory program offered each summer to enhance academic success. “Our coaches strongly support the Bridge Program and help us fill it to capacity every year,” Director Martin said.

Each day, during these football players’ season, begins at 6:00 a.m. “We don’t have much of a personal life. We study and play football. We have to make
a lot of sacrifices,” Adrian Nelson, quarterback, said. “Our days are filled,” Calvin said echoing the sentiment.

Athletes must carry a minimum of 12 hours each semester under NJCAA rules. “Some of these guys are enrolled in 18- plus semester hours and play the game at this level,” Coach Bobeck said.

This team started its 2011-12 season as preseason favorites in two polls and realized they had to stay humble in spite of being the reigning 2010-11 NJCAA National Champions. “We are a big target,” Marquez Clark, wide receiver, said.
But they are a target together. “We have bonded with everyone and have become brothers,” Adrian said.
Coach Bobeck added, “We have to meet on everything.”

The team that plays together often gets punished together when an infraction
of Navarro College rules occurs. Josh, Adrian, Calvin and Marquez, along
with Joey Searcy, the team’s defensive lineman who has committed to play at Baylor University for the 2012-13 season, remembered the 2,000 yards of constant running they had to perform last season after an infraction. “The guys trust us. They know we will not hurt them. We don’t even hear a peep from them in the heat,” Coach Bobeck said.
“We have our ups and downs,” Marquez said.

Joey added, “But we have come together as a family with dedication to Navarro College.”
The work pays off. The team also remembers the run to the championship. “Just seeing Coach B’s face after we won!” Adrian laughed.
Josh has an excellent GPA. Joey is going to Baylor. Adrian; Marquez; and Calvin, a former Top 100 recruit, are being recruited heavily by Division I schools. “People don’t realize that with the kids you can see in Corsicana, you will turn on the TV next year and see them play in Division I. There is a lot of talent that walks on this campus, with three 2010-11 national championship teams [football, cheerleading and baseball],” Coach Bobeck said.
Audible calls from the field can be successful. Calvin advised future players, “Don’t get caught up with anything else but studies.”
“Don’t forget to dream,” Joey recommended.

Marquez offered, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you are not good enough. There is always a time, a place, to get better.” Navarro College offers the time and place that helps these student-athletes become champions in the classroom, on the field and, most importantly, in life.

Written by Virginia Riddle.

During the season, which runs from August to March, Amy wakes up at 3:45 a.m. to meet her team by 5:15 a.m. Practice, from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m., is at Duncanville High School — Cedar Hill does not have its own pool, despite having a swim program for 10 years. Amy ensures the students shower, change and get ready for school on time for their first classes.

As a girl, Amy began her swimming career in the well- established swimming community of San Antonio. “The aquatics program in San Antonio is pretty evolved. Neighborhoods have teams which compete against each other. Those teams feed into club teams, which in turn, support the high school teams,” she explained. She competed through her senior year in high school and considered continuing her career in college. Ultimately, she decided to pursue a different interest and enrolled at the University of North Texas, with a major in photography.

While at North Texas, Amy was hired as an assistant photographer where she met Jay Lamar, the communications and marketing art director, who later became her husband. When she got the job, she changed her major to art education. After graduation, Amy became an elementary art teacher in Grand Prairie. Wanting to pursue photography and help Jay build their photography business, she left the school and began looking for part-time work. The Duncanville Natatorium needed managers and swim instructors, so she applied and was hired as an assistant manager, water aerobics and swimming instructor. She also took a summer job at Kirby Creek in Grand Prairie, coaching the precompetitive team to gain experience.

Last summer, Amy applied to coach the swim teams at Cedar Hill and was hired almost immediately. She credits her familiarity with many of the swimmers, through her work in local swimming circles, for her quick hire. The first-year coach led her teams to a great season, with the girls placing third in the district and the boys, sixth. The girls finished 10th at regionals, and Amy is confident that both squads will continue to improve. To help that process, she started a challenging new sport — water polo — to help the swimmers with their off-season conditioning and build team unity.

“When I was younger and swam, I always played water polo. I told the kidsfrom the beginning of the swim season that I wanted them to play water polo this spring, but they didn’t believe me. It’s a great way to stay in shape. Because it’s a team sport and swimming is an individual sport, it’s an exciting way to get the
kids together as a team and keep them mentally engaged,” Amy said.

Water polo wasn’t entirely foreign to her swimmers because they’d played for fun during practices. However, playing the sport correctly required learning a lot of technique, as well as adjustments for the different conditioning necessary. Amy started by teaching the basics: the six field positions and goal keeping, ball handling, using an eggbeater technique to tread water and communication with each other. Once the students started mastering those skills, she began to introduce drills and scrimmages to reinforce them.

“Water polo takes a lot of endurance. It’s like swimming, but there are distinct differences. For instance, there are fast sprints, followed by treading water. In the beginning, I got in the pool with them, and they were very entertained,” Amy smiled. “This is all very new for the kids. They’re close as a team, and they did a lot of bonding stuff together during the swim season, but working together is new, and it has molded them in a very positive way.”

Amy also accepted an offer from local water polo coach, Joe Linehan, to conduct a free clinic for the Grand Prairie and Duncanville programs. He taught the swimmers the basics of the game, how it flows and the specifics of the rules. “Joe told me there were only a handful of teams in the region three to five years ago, and now there are over 30. Some are consolidated between school districts, and some are coed,” she said.

Initially, Amy got some resistance DeSoto NOW has worked with them to accommodate their pursuit of other interests. However, Duncanville NOW team in the future, she plans to eventually
in the interest of fielding a successful require her teams to compete in water polo. “This year we needed time to learn the game, and I’ve been patient with some of the kids wanting to do dry land conditioning or pursue other interests. Next year, though, I want everyone involved, so we can compete from the very first tournament,” Amy explained.

As if she wasn’t busy enough, Amy started Cedar Hill’s first middle school swim team this spring with 30 swimmers signing up — almost double the high school team. This now requires her to make the trip to Duncanville’s pool twice each day. She looks forward to the future, especially with some potential changes on the horizon.

“Both teams are young, so in the next few years, we will see some amazing stuff from them,” she said. “In the future, we are hoping for an athletic facility with a four-lane indoor pool. We rent space and have to travel all over to practice and compete, so having our own facility would be huge. We got our first official board this year, and the team is extremely excited about that. The support of the administration and the athletic director for me as a first-year coach, in my first [high school] coaching gig, has been so great. It helps me maintain my momentum.”

Written by Jeremy Agor.

They have fun creating their own recipes. Jacqueline, who is from a family of eight, noted, “All of my siblings are amazing cooks, especially my brothers.” Both Danny and Jacqueline’s mothers are also excellent cooks. Jacqueline is famous for her chicken enchiladas, hot sauce and Italian dishes. Italian food is the specialty of the Hughes family. Jacqueline claims that “the secret is definitely in the sauce.”

Written by Adam Walker

Lasagna Italiano
Pasta:

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
Cheese Mixture:
1 large tub Ricotta cheese
2 eggs or equivalent amount of Egg Beaters
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley flakes
2 Tbsp. garlic powder

Provolone cheese slices
1. To make pasta, combine all ingredients together just like pancake mix, only thinner. 2. Pour into a sprayed, non-stick saucepan and cook like pancakes.
3. Prepare the cheese mixture by combining all ingredients, except provolone cheese. 4. In a 9×13-inch pan, layer pasta and cheese with Rich Italian Spaghetti Sauce (see following recipe), top with slices of provolone cheese. Cook 20 minutes, covered, at 350 F. Uncover and cook 15 minutes more, until bubbly.

Rich Italian Spaghetti Sauce
1 package of uncooked Italian sausage
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 white onion, chopped
6 cloves of fresh garlic, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup oregano
1/4 cup Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
4 28-oz. cans of San Marzano
Tomatoes, crushed
1. Cook sausage on a broiler pan in the oven until done. 2. Fry ground beef or turkey until done. 3. Saute? onion and garlic in olive oil on low heat until caramelized. Do not burn.
4. Add seasonings and tomatoes. Heat slowly. Do not cook. The sauce is best after it is frozen and reheated.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
10-12 flour tortillas
2 lbs. cooked chicken, chopped
1 8-oz. bag sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 bunch green onions or scallions
8 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can green chilies
1/2 cup milk
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 small can evaporated milk
1. Soften tortillas in greased pan or microwave for a few seconds. 2. Fill with chicken, shredded cheese (saving 1/2 cup for topping), onions, sour cream and 1/2 can cream of chicken soup.
3. Place seam down, in a baking dish. 4. Combine remaining ingredients (except shredded cheese). 5. Pour over enchiladas. Top with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. 6. Bake covered at 350 F for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Joe Wilson’s Hot Sauce
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 whole mid-sized white onion
2 14-oz. cans Hunt’s fire roasted diced tomatoes
2-4 fresh jalapen?os (start with two, you’ll need to test for desired heat)
Salt, to taste
1. Put everything in a food processor. 2. Process to desired consistency.

Sorbet With Strawberry Sauce
1 16-oz. container strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup strawberry All-Fruit
1 tsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. orange juice Lemon or other flavor sorbet
1. Combine all ingredients, except sorbet, in a medium bowl. Let stand at least 30 minutes to blend flavors. 2. To make strawberry sauce, remove 1/2 cup of fruit mixture and puree in food processor. Spoon into a Ziploc bag. The strawberry sauce can be made up to two days beforehand and refrigerated.
3. Spoon fruit on each plate; top with a scoop of sorbet. Cut tip off corner of Ziploc bag; pipe pure?e on sorbet.

Ravi agreed, “It would be great if we could continue to play sports together at the same college, but we will just be thankful to get any scholarship.”

Both young men were bright and articulate as they teased each other and talked about their love of sports. Curtis’ favorite sport is football and he wants to play it forever. Ravi’s favorite sport is track and he has loved to run for as long as he can remember — always running with his cousins and uncles.

Curtis, Ennis’ starting quarterback, began running track in junior high, which helped him stay in condition during football off-seasons. Ravi has run track since the eighth grade. A coach, watching him run and high jump, asked him to play football. He has played wide receiver during his junior and senior years. They both agreed the bond that grew between them from running track first, helped them immensely in football. “We have such good chemistry in or out of sports, from friendship and running track, that the trust was already there when we played football as the quarterback and receiver,” Curtis said, looking toward Ravi. “It really helped.”

The emotions and excitement really went up a notch though when the two athletes started talking about track. Both young men have been on the varsity track team since their sophomore year. While Ravi has always focused on track, Curtis began to really focus and learn to love the sport in high school.

Ennis Coach Steve Morrow has been a driving force in both of the runners’ lives. Coach Morrow’s passion has inspired Ravi to do better and work harder every day. “Coach means a lot to me,” he said. “I appreciate that he pushes us to work hard. He takes time out for all of us.”

At first, both young men tried all running and field track events, but Coach Morrow has since helped them narrow down to three running events each. Ravi runs the 200-meter and is the first leg of the 4×4 relay. Curtis runs sprint relay and is the fourth (anchor) leg of the 4×4 relay. And, here is where it gets really interesting — they both run the 400. This of course, means the two friends are competing against each other. “We love running against each other,” Curtis said, while Ravi nodded his head in agreement.

“It keeps us constantly pushing ourselves and each other, trying to beat one another,” Ravi grinned. When asked who wins the most they looked at each other and laughed. They agreed their best times switch back and forth. Curtis ran the 400 last year at district in 50.6 seconds and at regionals he came in at 50.3 seconds. Ravi thought he had run it at 49.9 seconds. Both young men seemed genuinely humble when asked their winning times and seemed to remember each other’s times better than their own. They moved quickly on to the next subject.

“Remember the Corsicana meet last year?” Curtis asked.
“Oh, man,” Ravi fell back against the couch and shook his head slowly. “That was the first time I ever saw Coach Morrow smile! He said the 4×4 relay was the best race he had ever seen!”

And, what a meet it was! Earlier in the day, there had been a “photo-finish” ending between Curtis and Ravi in the 400. The computer at the finish line indicated Ravi had come in first and Curtis second. But what came up later is still the talk of the high school track world.

Midlothian had beaten Ennis during the 4×4 relay the year before in another photo-finish ending, making them district champs. Ennis’ four-man team had been focusing on that rematch ever since. Curtis said he had run the sprint and the 400 earlier and had rested, but he was quick to point out that Ravi, their first leg runner, had run the 400 and then had just finished the 200, when it was time to start the relay. There was no time for a break. “Man, I was so tired,” Ravi remembered, “but I said to myself that I was going to give it my all, and I went ahead of my opponent at the last 80 meters.”

“Ravi was awesome,” Curtis bragged. They agreed their second leg runner really held his own but Midlothian passed him. By the time the baton was passed off to their third leg runner, Waco had also passed them, leaving them in third place. When the baton was finally passed to anchor-runner Curtis, Midlothian, Waco, Waxahachie and Ennis were packed together. Waxahachie handed off the baton badly, so that left three teams in a clump of runners. As they came into the last curve of the home stretch, Waco tried to make a move on Midlothian from the outside, trying to cut them off.

Ravi could barely finish the story. “So that gave Curtis the inside lane, and he took advantage of it and won! I will never forget that race!”

Their passion for track has also spilled over to their teammates. “We try to be leaders by example,” Curtis said. “I’m more outspoken, but Ravi mostly leads by example.”

“Yes,” Ravi agreed. “I think others see when we step it up and push each other. The hardest part of track is consistency, like one meet you could do really well and the next meet you do not. Consistency is hard, but if you really work at it, it’s worth it.”
Curtis added, “We don’t want each other to fail in anything. I mean, if I would see that Ravi’s grades were down and he wouldn’t qualify academically to run, what good would that be?” That does not seem to be a problem however, with Ravi getting all A’s and B’s, and Curtis in the National Honor Society.

These two outstanding young men want what is best for each other. Ravi emphasized, “Getting an education is really the most important thing to us. We both want to go to college and graduate.”

Written by Aleta Penfold

One day at school, Kelby’s art and music teacher, Ms. Sykes, told him and his classmates about a contest to create a character that promoted safety awareness. “We were supposed to do a drawing about what to do during a fire or tornado — stuff like that,” Kelby remembered. “She told us we could win a T-shirt if our drawing was chosen as a finalist. I thought it would be really cool to win a T-shirt.” When he got home, Kelby told his parents that he wanted to enter the contest so he could get that shirt, so his mother helped him research animals that might make a unique mascot for safety awareness. They came up with an anteater. “We weren’t even sure what one looked like before we Googled it,” Kelby’s mother, Jessica, admitted.

Once Kelby had an animal to base his drawing on, he had to find a name; since he was using an anteater, it only seemed natural to call his creation the AntEnator. He took out a sheet of paper and drew his character protecting a little girl from playing with household chemicals while holding a tornado and sucking the H1N1 virus out of the air. After practicing one time, he was pleased with what he had drawn. Then he had to redraw his creation in the much smaller space provided on the entry form.

The contest Kelby entered went beyond his school — way beyond. It was open to every student, from kindergarten to 12th grade, in 16 counties. At this point you might think Kelby’s chances of winning that T-shirt were rather slim. But here is where the story gets interesting.
Kelby and his parents and sister were at church when his parents received a call from www.knowwhat2do.com, the people running the contest. They had good news for Kelby. “We took him aside to tell him,” said Kelby’s father, Rob.
“We were afraid he might freak out and didn’t want him to embarrass himself,” Jessica explained. Despite their good intentions, they might have overdone it a little.

“He thought he was in trouble,” Rob confessed.

Kelby had been waiting for this call. “I got better than a T-shirt,” Kelby reported with a smile as he held up his giant-sized “check” for $500. “I thought it’d be cool if I won. Then one little ring on the phone, and I got it!”

The group running the contest received more than 500 entries, but the team evaluating the entries chose Kelby’s drawing of the AntEnator. Apparently, the meteorologists on the selection panel were especially pleased, voting unanimously for Kelby’s drawing. Now the North Texas Emergency Management System is using Kelby’s AntEnator on its Web site and a life-sized mascot costume is being made for school appearances. The AntEnator will even have his own comic strip, which will be used in safety education materials throughout the area.

Though he has already been presented with an award for his creation by the vice program chair in a ceremony at church, Kelby has been invited to a dinner in April where the costume will be unveiled, and Kelby will be on stage with his character as its creator. He may even be called upon to make appearances promoting safety alongside the AntEnator.

Kelby’s parents are very proud of him. “It’s been nice to have him recognized,” his mother beamed. “He loves drawing,” his father added. His sister, Kim, agreed, “I think it’s kind of cool.” Kelby spent his prize money on new clothes and took his family to dinner and a movie. He offered to give some of it away, and even bought shampoo for his sister.

This is not Kelby’s first recognition for his drawing. Last year he won first place in a school art contest with a drawing of an octopus. And recently his drawing of a helicopter was presented to a veteran on Veterans Day.

Despite the recognition the AntEnator has brought him, Kelby said his favorite thing to draw is Spiderman. “When I draw,” Kelby said, “it’s like the thing I’m drawing is really real — like drawing Spiderman makes him feel like he’s real.” Kelby likes to have good paper and pencils for his drawings and his sketch pad goes everywhere with him — even to the race track for the drag races. He also enjoys how-to-draw books, especially those that teach him how to draw his favorite comic book characters.

Kelby is thinking about entering a comic strip contest as a follow-up to his success in the character contest. With all the acclaim he has found in drawing, you might think Kelby would be considering a career in art, but he is not. “I want to serve in the military.” After all, flying helicopters might be as fun as drawing them.

With the help of Lee and other DeSoto ISD colleagues, the Where I Now Gain Success Dropout Recovery Program (WINGS) was formed. WINGS was created to help young people between the ages of 16 and 25 who have dropped out of a Texas public school finish their coursework and earn their high school diploma. WINGS is not just a program providing education. This is a program where young people can replenish their hopes and dreams.

The goal of the program is to provide students with an opportunity to earn the credits and skills needed for a high school diploma and beyond. Students are allowed to work at their own pace and as their schedules allow. The program offers basic subject classes, as well as computer programs, dual credit, tutoring, job and career fairs, college entrance counseling and financial aid assistance. The center also provides free child care during classes,
Duncanville NOW area transportation, family and substance
abuse counseling and mentoring. Lee had no problem proposing her
grant to the superintendent, teachers and community-based organizations. All were on board. “The community has been behind us, and has been instrumental in our success,” Lee stated. She hired great retired teachers and DeSoto ISD staff
to teach and run the programs, including Jane Koch, Kathy Goad and Linda Murphree. “The staff has been fabulous — so excited about the program.
They see the kids work hard and are determined,” Lee shared smiling. “They are committed to the program.”
WINGS received the funding from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in August 2010 with a $100,000 grant. Since their start-up, the TEA made a visit to the center and nominated it as a model school for state dropout recovery programs. “I was happy to get it done “We want people who care about young people, to encourage them to stay in school, talk about life and help them through problems.”

this quickly,” Lee said. “We are doing so well. They wanted to make us a model school after three weeks.” This is a huge honor for Lee and her staff, as they hope this will draw support and sponsors. Next year, the school will only be funded by donations, sponsors and average daily attendance record funding from the
state government. At the heart of WINGS are its beneficiaries. The students have a variety of backgrounds and reasons for their high school departure, but all have a common goal now to receive their diploma and finish what they started. Many realized it was too difficult without a diploma or felt it was still needed. “These students come back ready to work,” Lee shared. “We have a lot of interesting students — lots of different types of stories.” Lee even shared how one of their students was an actor in Los Angeles and came back home to enroll in WINGS. He turned down a role from a major TV network in order to finish his
Duncanville NOW education.
Another star student in the program is Varri Harrison, age 19, who enrolled in WINGS in October. Originally from New Orleans, she is a Hurricane Katrina survivor who moved to DeSoto. After having issues with depression, she left high school during her senior year to take time off. She heard about the program from a friend and quickly enrolled. “I want to be successful and get my high school diploma, so I can continue on with my modeling career,” Varri said. She is not only enrolled in WINGS, but she is also enrolled in a modeling school in Dallas. Lee and the staff describe Varri as a hard worker who comes in daily at 8:00 a.m. for coursework and leaves around 3:00 p.m. They believe this will take her to a quick graduation date. Varri enjoys the staff and the program, as well. “I love it. You don’t have to rush, and you have tutorials to help you. No excuse not to pass,” Varri explained. “I’m making great progress.” Varri’s plan is to finish the program so she can fully commit to her career choice.

The center usually gets about one new student a week and currently has 50 enrolled. Lee thought the center would have a slow admission rate, but students have been streaming in since August. “We pulled records and started calling students who dropped out about the program,” Lee explained. Teenagers and those within the age limit interested in the program can continue to enroll anytime throughout the year.

Since students decide their own schedule and pace, their graduation depends on how often they attend classes, where they started in the program and how
hard they work. A classic, cap-and-gown Duncanville NOW program. Afterward, students have the
skills needed to move on to the next step in life. For example, Aaron MacKenzie, another WINGS student and Lee’s mentee, plans to join the Army after he graduates. “I also want to go to college, study business and move to Los Angles to start a business,” Aaron shared.
Lee explained most students seek to join the military and attend community colleges after graduating. “We are pushing
for beyond college,” Lee emphasized. The program also recruits mentors to
support the students in all areas, including friendship. Mentors visit students once a week and most are usually community and business leaders in the area. “We want people who care about young people,
to encourage them to stay in school, talk about life and help them through problems,” Lee said.

The center has gained great tangible support and donations, including computers. These items allow small classes, independent study and tutoring to run smoothly and efficiently. “We don’t have a lot of money for the program, so we are looking for volunteers and retired teachers,” Lee explained. WINGS also accepts individual donations of items on the center’s wish list.

WINGS is not alone. According to an ABC news report, President Barack Obama called the U.S. dropout rate a “crisis” in America and announced in March that he plans to grant $900 million to school districts and state governments. Two students graduated with their diploma from WINGS last year, and several more graduated in January. The WINGS program is not just changing the lives of young people in DeSoto, but is also part of a plan to change the future of an entire nation.

Written by Antoinette Nevils

Editor’s Note: For more information on the WINGS program, contact Lee Merryman at lmerryman@desotoisd.org.

“We’re original for each other,” Glena added. And considering the circumstances that brought them together, it would seem their destinies were determined.
Larry grew up in Sweetwater, Texas, and had it not been for an odd turn of events, he and Glena might never have met. It was the late ’60s. Larry was a missile technician in the Army, and he had every expectation of going to Vietnam. “The day we were to leave, my unit received orders to report to Key West, Florida, instead. When we arrived, we were given the choice to report to any missile base in the United States. I picked the Nike Hercules Missile Base in Alvarado because it was in Texas.” He was stationed in Alvarado for six months and, in that time, a mutual friend introduced him to Glena. Before long, the two native Texans were married. They began their lives as husband and wife in a marriage that continues to be powered by a spirit of collaboration and an agreement to keep each other a priority.
When Larry retired in 1994 following 28 years with Amoco Oil, Glena suggested moving from Odessa to Fort Worth. They purchased a condominium overlooking the fastidious lawns of Ridglea Country Club, which was also convenient to the elementary school where she is a diagnostic technician.

Until the beginning of last year, Burleson was nowhere in their future. “I was born and raised in Cleburne,” Glena said. “For me, Burleson was a place to drive through to visit grandparents in Fort Worth.” As it turned out, 2010 was a pivotal year. It began with their daughter Pamela, 2-year-old beloved granddaughter Katheryn and son-in-law Pete moving from Dallas to San Jose, California, and with Larry discovering something in Burleson that would turn
their worlds upside-down. “We like to collaborate,” Glena said. And that is a good thing, for it was this spirit of collaboration that enabled them to build their dream home and move to Burleson last July.

It began when the Burleson neighborhood of Southern Oaks caught Larry’s attention. “He thought we would like the area,” Glena explained. “He knows I am all about a view. We picked our Fort Worth condominium largely because it overlooked the country club.”

When they saw the lot in Burleson and realized it was an opportunity to customize a home against a backdrop of trees and the Southern Oaks Country Club, they agreed it was time to build a home and that Burleson was the place to do it. “We looked at a house in the neighborhood that had already been built and made changes to fit our style. We like the Tuscany look, and I found a photo in a magazine to guide us,” Glena said. “The house, built by Peter Thomas of Oakmont Classic Homes, is basically designed around the view from the back of our house. We wanted the inside to be as open as possible so the great room, breakfast area and kitchen are banked by large windows with full views to the outside.” The master suite is also fitted with large windows and offers stunning morning views. “I like to have my coffee sitting in the oversized chair in our bedroom,” Glena said.

Attention to quality and detail is abundantly apparent in the 2,800-square- foot home. From the custom front door with scrolled ironwork on a glass panel to the striking “art piece” of a copper vent-a-hood over the island cook top in the kitchen, it has all been carefully chosen.

“Larry was there through the building process,” Glena said. “We would come out in the evenings. We made most of the decisions together, except for the vent-a-hood that was Larry’s project. He designed it, but it was handmade by a local craftsman.”
The kitchen’s granite countertops and exquisite cabinetry, coupled with the copper vent-a-hood, make the perfect statement at the heart of the home. The kitchen opens to the great room which is lined with tall windows and accentuated by a large remote-controlled gas fireplace. “Larry’s favorite rooms are the master bath and game/media room,” Glena
said. The master bath includes beautiful travertine tile and birch cabinetry. It is home to two angel statues mounted above each entrance. Larry’s game/ media room sports a full-sized pool table and large-screen TV with four electric- controlled leather recliners. The walls are deep red, the carpet is stylishly patterned and the bar countertop is made of rainforest marble. There is also a balcony that affords a view from the upstairs.

Glena picked most of the home’s interior colors which, in Tuscan fashion, are “tannish” yellow with a soft faux peach on some of the ceilings and in the formal dining room. The ceilings, most of which are at least 11 feet tall, have varying architectural features including the “barrel” entrance with two chandeliers that cast their own patterns. The ceilings are accented with crown molding throughout.

There is an office toward the front of the house with custom-made cabinetry and a not-so-custom statue. “I call him Einstein,” Larry said. The 3-foot plaster statue with a stack of books in his hand resembles the famous scientist.

Not surprisingly, one of the three bedrooms was decorated and reserved especially for “Princess Katheryn.” Although she lives in California now, she has already visited her special room, and like grandmother like granddaughter, her favorite spot is the little table in front of a big window.

The Bagleys left the backyard small to minimize maintenance and for the enjoyment of having a long back porch. “The foliage from the natural stand of trees and tall grasses between the house and golf course cools the wind as it comes through in the spring and summer,” Larry explained. “We like the wilderness of the natural area, and it helps with drainage during heavy rains. In the springtime, the trees fill out, but we can still see the golf course when we’re sitting down. Our condominium was on a golf course in Fort Worth, but this is different because it is natural.”

“I could have a little hut out here as long as I have the view,” Glena said. “But I love the style, and we love living in Burleson. I don’t mind coming from work on that busy highway because I know I’m coming home.”

Written by Carolyn Wills

EarthKind roses have been tested all over the nation and found to be sturdy, as well as beautiful. Knock Out, one of the first EarthKind roses, has been cultivated to include pink, yellow, rainbow and blushing white varieties. Plan your color scheme and look around. Hybrids can be great roses, but they usually bloom only once a year whereas EarthKind roses bloom all season. An attractive bed could include Sea Foam roses crawling over the edges and then a bed built with varying sizes and colors. With the white edging, an apricot yellow small shrub like Perled’Or or a lilac pink one like Caldwell Pink would begin to show off the multi-color beauty. Depending on
the size of the bed, medium and large roses of many colors can be added. They all require sun, careful watering and mulching.

Turn your lawn sprinklers away or off, and go to drip- or hand-watering for this bed. EarthKind roses can be found at local nurseries. Buy small and leave extra room between plants for the air to get through after they mature. Damp leaves and poor air circulation are the primary causes of black spot and other rose diseases. Any roses already in your beds should be cut back now. Any canes that cross should be evaluated and one of them cut severely. My two
roses that struggle in the shade are cut back to 6-inch canes and come on like gangbusters until the trees leaf out! For a brochure on EarthKind roses and hints for
growing, call the AgriLife office at (972) 825-5175.

Written by Nancy Fenton,  Master Gardener

“It’s important to look at the needs of our children, understand how to fulfill those needs and examine our progress,” Deborah said. “Our school district has adopted a program based on the Baldridge Criteria for Performance Excellence, which is a comprehensive plan toward continuous improvement across an organization.” She also participates in the Quality Texas Foundation, which helps Texas businesses and associations improve performance. “I have been asked to serve on the Quality Texas Foundation board, and I am thrilled to be part of such an important organization.” The Baldridge program encourages a focus on quality and improvement. “It is easy to get caught up in the blowin’ and goin’ of everyday tasks,” Deborah explained, “and this data-driven study enables us to monitor our performance. We have scorecards and ‘secret shoppers’ who regularly measure our attitudes, service and appearance so we can get better. Recently, we learned that we have become so busy we are forgetting to smile, and we are working on that!”

According to Deborah, the biggest issue facing education in Texas is a potential shortfall of $25 billion in state funding over the next two years. “We are blessed because our community has approved a shift in tax money toward maintenance,” she said. “We’re well within our capacity for serving students, but have a need to maintain our facilities. This forward thinking has helped to ease concerns.”

The newest challenge for Texas schools, according to Deborah, will arrive this fall in the form of a new accountability system. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is significantly more rigorous than previous tests and will measure a child’s performance, as well as academic growth. “This is not a bad thing,” Deborah explained, “but it is a challenge. We want every child to be successful, and transferring to a new system will involve a lot of planning and training.”
Deborah sees her relationships to the school principals as central to her job. “Every six weeks I visit schools, talk with each principal and visit classrooms. This allows me to stay in touch with the most important thing we do, which is to teach.”

Deborah was born in Hamlin, Texas, just outside of Abilene. Her family eventually settled in Garland, which became her home from the fourth grade through high school and, ultimately, through a 29-year career with the Garland Independent School District. “I graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton, and taught
high school English in Garland for nine years,” she said. “I loved teaching and thought I would do it forever. Back then, administration was focused mostly on discipline, and I didn’t see anything interesting about that.”

While it may have seemed her path was decided, and she would forever be a teacher, Deborah was destined to move beyond the classroom. Her abilities and commitment led her through a series of accomplishments, connections and opportunities. She earned a master’s degree, and then a doctorate degree. With each step in her career, she also acquired the necessary accreditations. After teaching in Garland for nine years, she became an instructional administrator and an assistant principal. Then, for three years, she served as the Garland ISD director of communications, and ultimately, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. “That was my dream job for 15 years,” she said, “and although I was encouraged to apply toward becoming a superintendent, I loved being involved with the classroom and felt it suited my skill set.”

Once more, though, destiny prevailed. By the time Weatherford announced an opening for a new superintendent, Deborah was ready. Her parents had retired and moved to Mineral Wells. By taking a position in Parker County, she would be closer to them, and importantly, she was qualified and ready for the new challenge. “Weatherford has been a blessing to me,” she said. “We have a strong board and a caring staff, and I love being part of the team.” Coming from a much larger district, she was quickly impressed by how supportive the Weatherford community is. “Garland has multiple high schools and over 60 school principals,” she explained. “We are a one- high-school town with seven elementary schools, two middle schools and one ninth-grade center. With 11 principals, we can sit around a table and talk.”

Deborah and her husband, Bill, made the decision to move to Weatherford in 2001, knowing that his position at Southern Methodist University in Dallas would involve a long commute. “The superintendent is required to live in the school district,” Deborah explained, “so we purchased a home in Lake Weatherford.” Thankfully, Bill’s commute lasted only one semester before he was asked to join the Neely School of Business at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth as the associate dean for graduate programs.

Deborah and Bill have parented three children, all of whom are now educators. “Our son, Christopher, is an English teacher in Switzerland,” she said. “He and his wife wanted to teach and see the world. So far, they’ve taught in schools in Portugal, Morocco and Switzerland. Our grandson is 20 months old and he was born in Morocco.” Deborah and Bill’s daughters are also teachers. “Jennifer is a health teacher and head volleyball coach at Plano Senior High School, and Jessica is an assistant principal in Aledo.” The couple has three grandchildren. While Switzerland is a little far to visit that one, the other two often spend weekends with the Crons.

“I am so fortunate,” Deborah said, “to work in a job that I love, to live in an active community like Weatherford and to be part of such a great family.” When she is not at work or spending time with a grandchild, Deborah loves to garden; meet with her Mahjongg group and book club; play with their 10-month-old Bichon Frise, Baxter; watch hummingbirds in the spring; and work out with Bill three mornings a week. “It isn’t that I like to exercise,” she smiled, “but it is something we have done together for 10 years. We work with a trainer at a gym. We start the mornings together, and it sets up the day!”

Written by Carolyn Wills

When you want to read about people who love their families, friends and neighbors, just turn to your new community magazine, WeatherfordNOW. Weatherford residents will soon receive the premier issue of WeatherfordNOW, the newest addition to a growing publication group known as NOW Magazines. In this full-color magazine, which will be mailed monthly, free of charge, to each physical address in Weatherford, you will find good stories about good people: your friends, your neighbors, maybe even yourself! We are proud to be a part of your community. We are 100 percent supported by our advertisers, and to them, we say, “Thank you.” We, in turn, encourage our readers to support our advertisers.

NOW Magazines is an independently owned company started in Corsicana by Publisher Connie Poirier. Under her strong leadership and vision, it has grown to include nine magazines: Corsicana, Weatherford, Burleson, Ennis, Mansfield, Red Oak, Waxahachie and Southwest (which includes Cedar Hill, DeSoto and Duncanville).

We hope you enjoy flipping through these pages and learning more about your community. In this issue, we have featured some of the “movers and shakers” in town, as well as some neighbors you may not yet know. I am excited to learn more about the heart of Weatherford and look forward to meeting you. Feel free to e-mail me or call me — I welcome your feedback and story ideas.

Melissa Rawlins — WeatherfordNOW Editor