School

“Don’t give up your landline,” is what we say to each other often in rural West Texas. When there are power outages, high winds, and powerful storms that knock out internet and cellphone service, our landlines are lifelines. Many of us also have old push-button telephones we use when our mobile phones go dead. We connect the vintage beauties to the landline jack, and we’re back in business. That trick may become common practice in the near future.

After a long process of applying to 12 Ivy League schools, senior Jackie Perez was accepted to the University of Notre Dame. Perez is the first student at CHS to apply to the Quest Bridge program. Quest Bridge made it possible for Perez to achieve a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Third-Grade Top Cats: Pyper Daniel, Natalina Rodriguez, Cindy Escamilla, and Parker Burrus. Fourth-Grade Top Cats: Kaylee Marquez, Brynne Krehbiel, Axel Talavera, and Abraham Valenzuela.

“All A” Honor Roll Fifth Grade: Kendall Bell, Alex Castaneda, Alan Chavez, Isaac English, Kate Escarcega, Ashley Frayre, Ava Johnson, Allie Lewis, Maddy Longoria, Weston Mitchell, Abby Moreno, Tyson Orrell, Ryan Purcell, Isaac Saenz, Brooks Wall, Ryahn Whitson. Fourth Grade: Sofia Avila, Cristal Blanco, Ainsleigh Boyd, Sadie Boyd, Callie Flowers, Waylon Hawkins, Baylor Hosford, Easton Jones, Kaylee Richardson, Harper Spencer.

Fifty-one FFA and 4-H students overcame pandemic res13rictions, quarantines, revised rules, adapted schedules, and a flagging economy to successfully compete in last weekend’s 2020 Hemphill County Junior Livestock Show and Sale, showing 81 animals. Only 51 animals went through the sale this year, compared to 57 in 2020 and 71 the year before that. Sales figures were roughly $62,800, with add-on money still coming in, compared to $65,700 last year.

In a school board agenda filled with fairly routine reports last Thursday evening, one stood out. The eighth-grade graduation report inspired a spirited discussion on the subject of whether or not to continue the tradition of graduation ceremonies for the Canadian Middle School’s eighth-grade class.

“All A” Honor Roll Eighth Grade: Brooklyn Beedy, Jessa Bell, Arionna Black, Lilly Bradford, Landry Cantu, Paula Castaneda, Connor Cipollone, William Davis, Julian Dominguez, Mackenzie Flowers, Margaret Hanes, Jacob Hayes, Delaney Huntress, Tucker Landry, Konnar McClendon, Iris Mondragon, Lucas Moreno, Morgan Orrell, Cooper Powell, Avery Ratliff, Cole Walser. Seventh Grade: Brianna Antillon, Kylie Cavalier, Collier Cook, Daniel Jimenez, Sophia Mills, Kimora Morales, Sarahi Moreno, Rene Osornio, Giovani Perez, Sage Saenz, Tate Wilhelm.

Reading the Chronicle of Higher Education on Jan. 6, I came across an advertising banner that gave me pause. It read, “A College Lifeline: Higher Education for incarcerated and rural students—and why it matters.” I downloaded this joint venture between Ascendium and the Chronicle of Higher Education. It provided some insight; however, the initial contrast between a felon and a person from a rural setting was startling to me. Charles Manson and Henry David Thoreau have similar needs and aspirations regarding educational aspirations? Profiling always misses the mark.

AUSTIN—Canyon’s West Texas A&M University is partnering with area high schools, community colleges, and other organizations to generate more career opportunities through the AmeriCorps program. WTAMU officials said collaboration with AmeriCorps will encourage young people to build skills and go on to become the next generation of leaders, in whatever capacity they choose.