School

CES kindergarten teacher Mandee Wall captured this moment with Waylon Blair during a class study of Texas history. As they concluded the unit on Friday, the students dressed like cowboys and cowgirls. During their usual moment of silence at the Friday morning meeting in the cafeteria, she snapped this touching photograph of Blair, and thought it was too sweet not to share. We did, too. PHOTO BY MANDEE WALL

THE PRIMARY ELECTION this week was an all-out war in my West Texas county. With three to six candidates battling for some offices, the votes were split. The result is a few runoffs. Here’s what has been frustrating about this year’s elections.

After a series of weather and COVIDrelated postponements, Baker Elementary School third- and fourth-graders got their moments in the spotlight at the Texas Crown Performance Hall on Monday. The third-grade classes presented Pirates from Grammar Island, a musical play intended to energize the language arts curriculum.

Cambree Pittman wins her class at the Fort Worth Stockshow in the open Braunvieh division.

CHS senior Logan Gatlin has been invited to the Texas Forensic Association (TFA) State Lincoln-Douglas Debate Tournament, which will be held March 9-12 in Portland, Texas. CISD will not be funding this trip, but he has sponsors—Alexander’s Grocery & Deli and Pit Stop Tire—who are helping make this happen.

Canadian High School was abuzz Monday with students, staff, and parents rolling up their sleeves for the Valentine’s Day blood drive. Health Science Teacher Rosemary Koetting reported that 32 individuals successfully donated blood. Altogether, 42 donors answered the call, but some were unable to participate due to being anemic or under the required weight limits. “Every unit of blood helps save three lives,” Koetting said, “so we were able to help at least 96 people. I’m very proud of our kids, teachers, and other adults that stepped up.” Several of Koetting’s students also worked during the morning and afternoon, checking in donors and gaining a little extra experience towards future careers in the medical field. Among the donors were (from top left) senior Alan Cedillo, Athletic Director Chris Koetting, seniors Jake Krehbiel and Ashlyn Critser, and (at bottom) community member Sellecca Juarez. PHOTOS BY LAURIE EZZELL BROWN

I SAW A LOT of mirages as a kid. A couple of times a year, my family would make the 530-mile trip between our home in the Rio Grande Valley and my grandmother’s house in the West Texas village where I now live in my grandmother’s house. Before the interstate highways and state highways were completed, the 12-hour trip was arduous, especially in the summer. To keep my brothers and me entertained, our parents made a game out of mirages.

Following three days of rehearsals, CHS senior and clarinetist Leo Avila performed last Saturday, Feb. 12, with the 2022 Texas All-State Symphonic Band in San Antonio. The concert was held during the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) annual clinic and convention. The band presented a program titled “The Essence of Memory,” a piece composed by B.J. Brooks, and commissioned by the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) in honor of Darin K. Johns, the director of bands at Andrews High School. Johns was one of three killed in a tragic bus crash as the AHS band headed to Sweetwater to perform at a Mustang football playoff game. It was premiered by the Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Emily Threinen in the Lila Cockrell Theatre.

Kansas State University announces Fall 2021 semester honors Nearly 4,480 Kansas State University students have earned semester honors for their academic performance in the fall 2021 semester. Among those students was Canadian High School graduate Darby Cook.