2014 May Lake Highlands

WHAT’S A PID?

TASTE: KOREAN

HAPPY 50, LHHS

CLASS ACT

THE GRACE AND TENACITY OF TOMORROW’S LEADERS

Radiation oncologist Dr. Raquibul Hannan is offering a new approach to patients whose cancer has spread. By combining his research in immunology with a radiation therapy pioneered here called stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), he can stimulate supercharged white blood cells to help patients fight off cancer. These “i-SABR” trials are one of many trailblazing options you’ll find at UT Southwestern. Where scientific research, advanced technology, and leadingedge treatments come together to bring new hope to cancer patients.

To learn more, call 214-645-8300 or visit UTSWmedicine.org.

Find us on Facebook

The future of medicine, today.

This is where we’re teaching your body’s immune system to fight off cancer.

We’re

We’re open late because your health can’t wait at your new neighborhood Methodist Family Health Center –Timber Creek. Methodist Health System has been a trusted Dallas caregiver since 1927, and we are excited to announce that a Methodist Family Health Center is finally in your community. As your new neighbor for life, we’re nearby for all of your health and wellness needs.

Schedule an appointment today at 214-361-2224. To learn more about Dr. Beckstrom and our new location, log on to MethodistHealthSystem.org/TimberCreek.

Appointments are encouraged. Most patients can be seen the same day. Most insurance plans are accepted.

making more time for your family’s health.

Perry Beckstrom, DO

The graduates

Three successful seniors who overcame health problems, homelessness, heartbreak and more.

White Rock restaurant war

Developers make a case for a lakeside restaurant, but many area residents disapprove.

Fixing Lake Highlands

Our neighborhood is a great place to live, except when it’s not. It’s time for solutions.

14 Come on out A goat race, an art festival and a President’s paintings are on this month’s calendar.

16

Winner. Winner. Chicken dinner. Taste Bonchon and Koreaninspired poultry.

Above/ Kerutheha Nirmalanandha. On the cover/ Ksanet Seghid: Photos by Danny Fulgencio

FREE MELANOMA AND SKIN CANCER SCREENING

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, but it can be detected in the early stages through screenings when it is most curable. The major risk factors for the disease include a family or personal history of skin cancer, family history of atypical moles, high number of moles (more than 20), and history of excessive sun exposure.

Saturday, May 17

8 a.m. – noon

Call 866-764-3627 for reservations.

9440 Poppy Drive

Outpatient Registration

(Facing Buckner Blvd.)

Free parking

The Dallas and Fort Worth Dermatological Societies, Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake, the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Cancer Society are offering Metroplex residents an opportunity to have their suspicious skin spots checked during this free melanoma and skin cancer screening.

WHO CAN BE HEROES?

You’ll probably enjoy this month’s cover story about high school students who have beaten the odds and come out on the “right” side of difficult situations.

It has all the elements of a compelling story: Bad things happening to good people. Neighbors taking an interest in those whom others have ignored. Heroes who have overcome the odds.

And that is the point of each high school senior’s story: Each student has turned lemons into lemonade pretty much on his or her own terms.

We’ve written stories similar to these for the past few years; most people can’t resist reading about those who can’t and won’t be kept down by bad luck, people who have the will and the determination to turn something bad into something better.

The true test of this kind of story, though, is how you and I relate to the hero. We’ve seen what the hero does with his or her life, how things have been turned around against all odds. We’ve read about the causes, the betrayals, the strategies, the hard work and the ultimate victory, of a sort, over what seemed to be a foregone failure.

So the question we then ask ourselves, or at least the question we should be asking ourselves, is: Could we have done as well, given the same circumstances?

Or maybe not “could” we have done as well, but whether “would” we have done as well.

Because reading a story about incredible intestinal fortitude is easy. Reshaping your life while facing down impending failure is a more difficult task and, dare I say, most of us simply couldn’t do it ourselves.

We like to think we could pull the rabbit out of the hat, but the magician who does so has spent literally hundreds of hours learning the trick.

We like to think we could sink the tournament-winning putt or drain the gamewinning shot, but these athletes have given up their lives to practice and plan and prepare to achieve this ultimate goal.

Mostly what you and I do is dream. We don’t put in the time. We don’t do the work. We haven’t faced the situation because, for whatever reason, we haven’t been called to do so.

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publisher: CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

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senior editor: EMILY TOMAN

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editors:

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BRITTANY NUNN

And those mental gymnastics support a good measure of baseless confidence, leading us to believe that when the bell rings and it’s time to step up, we can be heroes, too. We’ve seen it done thousands of times. We’ve read about and watched plenty of others do it. Who’s to say we couldn’t overcome the odds, too?

It’s something to think about, though. Put ourselves in the shoes of any of the students we wrote about this month, and then ask ourselves that question: Could we have done what they did?

Be honest, now. Could we really have done what they’ve done and accomplished what they’ve accomplished?

I like to think so. But I’m not 100 percent sure.

214.635.2122 / bnunn@advocatemag.com

senior art director: JYNNETTE NEAL

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designers: LARRY OLIVER, LISA DUDLEY

contributing editors: KERI MITCHELL, SALLY WAMRE

contributors: GAYLA BROOKS, SEAN CHAFFIN, ANGELA HUNT GEORGE MASON, BLAIR MONIE, ELLEN RAFF, PAM HARRIS, KRISTEN MASSAD, WHITNEY THOMPSON

photo editor: DANNY FULGENCIO

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photographers: MARK DAVIS, ELLIOTT MUÑOZ, KIM LEESON, DAVID LEESON, JENNIFER SHERTZER

copy editor: LARRA KEEL

interns: JAMES COREAS

month. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one copy per reader. Advocate was founded in 1991 by Jeff Siegel, Tom Zielinski and Rick Wamre.

We like to think that we would doggedly conquer calamity, but many of us have yet to be tested

Mostly what you and I do is dream. We don’t put in the time. We don’t do the work. We haven’t faced the situation because, for whatever reason, we haven’t been called to do so.

Remodeling & New Construction Talk...

There’s Always a Solution

Whatever you think you can’t do to increase your home’s beauty, functionality and value, chances are you can do it; and chances are Bella Vista has done it. With today’s best-of-breed renovation techniques, there’s a solution to virtually any design challenge. Use these examples to envision the possibilities in your home:

Challenges:

Compartmentalized kitchen with too many walls and odd angles that cramped the functional space. Dim lighting, lack of functional cooking areas, and antiquated style.

Solutions:

We removed the clipped angles and walls to expand the functional space, updated the cabinetry, ventilation system, appliances and lighting. Even added windows to make this kitchen the functional and entertaining hub our clients envisioned.

Challenges:

Solutions:

We are expanding the living space and beautifying the exterior – in part by building an additional story, all with architectural elements that are consistent with the surrounding community.

Client needed more square footage and livable space but was concerned about creating a McMansion look that clashed with the surrounding architecture. They also didn’t want to tear up any of their landscape.

Challenges:

Bathroom lacked square footage and usable floor, counter, and vanity space. Needed modern, yet classic style to complement the rest of the home.

Solutions:

We made the space more functional by reorganizing the overall layout. The new design fit the home’s existing architecture while adding modern style.

Sprouts Lake Highlands: Certificate of Occupancy approved

1,000+ Lake Highlands apartments could become new homes, retail

Lake Highlands grad stars on CBS’ ‘Person of Interest’

A guide to Richardson ISD school board candidates for Lake Highlands

New owner says ‘exciting changes are in store’ for Highlands Café

TOP 5 MOST-READ STORIES THE DIALOGUE

on “Sprouts Lake Highlands: Certificate of Occupancy approved at 6770 Abrams” GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS?

“This is NOT absolutely fantastic news, if anyone is concerned about the continued prospects at the LH Town Center. A Sprouts at Abrams & Skillman makes the LH Town Center an even less attractive location for any sort of a decent grocery anchor, especially since Sprouts will have had a year or so head start on developing a loyal customer base.” —CircleK27

“There’s little data that suggests that the two locations, in such close proximity, and given the demographics in this area, could support two developments with competing quality grocery stores.” —sonic_dad

“Regarding the LHTC, I’m more hopeful about the leasing aspect now that Trammel Crow has become involved. I think it requires some thinking ‘out of the box’ to find that kind of tenant.” —LHhomeowner

WANT MORE?

“I’ve been told I can’t do that.”

Q&A: Kathy Stewart

All about the Lake Highlands Public Improvement District (PID) and how it is going to make our lives better

Several years ago when developers began planning the Lake Highlands Town Center, they initiated the process of creating a Public Improvement District, commonly known as a PID, around the property. A PID, an agreement between landowners and local government, provides an avenue for the improvement of infrastructure, safety and economic growth in an established area. While Lake Highlands boasts a wealth of beautiful homes, parks and trails, reputable schools and development potential, it also includes plenty of problematic apartment and condominium properties, families living in poverty, sketchy businesses and high-crime hotspots, which are some of the reasons a PID arguably was in order. In the six years since the LHPID inception, significant relationships among apartment managers and representatives of the PID and government have been forged, crime has dropped and aesthetics have improved. Recently the PID’s executive director, Becky Range, transferred to the nearby Vickery Meadow PID, and neighborhood resident Kathy Stewart — attorney, mother of three adult children and former owner of Highlands Café — was appointed executive director of the LHPID. Six weeks in, her plate is piled high with tasks, but she took time to answer a few of our more pressing questions.

How do you explain a PID and your job to the average person?

The property owners in a specific neighborhood decide whether they want a Public Improvement District. Basically, if 60 percent of property owners vote for the PID [they also must represent at least 60 percent

of the value of the property in the district] the City of Dallas approves its formation. Then property owners are assessed a tax [not to exceed 15 cents per $100 of property value]. The money is collected and given to the PID for disbursement, which is determined by a specific budget, with over-

sight by the City, and annual audits. Fifty percent of the funds are locked into public safety. The rest goes to things like park and infrastructure improvements, communitybuilding events and publicity. So basically, I work for the property owners and with the PID Board of Directors, which is made up of

Executive director of the Lake Highlands Public Improvement District Kathy Stewart: Photo by Kim Leeson

solutionsThe Advocate’s ongoing series about poverty-related problems in our neighborhood and the efforts to end them. To read more stories from the series, search “solutions series” at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com.

Advocate

May 2014

1/2 page, vertical 4 5/8” x 7 3/8”

Materials DUE

10 volunteer community leaders and property owners. My responsibilities include establishing relationships with local leaders, Dallas Police, community prosecutors and property owners; ensuring certain irrigation systems are working and that trash and graffiti are cleaned up; planning events; problem solving and envisioning capital improvements. It is a multifaceted position with many moving parts and I love it. The PID comes up for renewal in 2015 and the property owners will have an opportunity to vote again.

April 11

Where is the LHPID?

Delivery begins

April 24

Our PID encompasses about 500 acres along the Skillman corridor from LBJ on the north end down to Skillman and Abrams on the south.

What are the major challenges of the LHPID?

The area is home to thousands of apartments — that type of density often results in crime and quality-of-life problems. My predecessor, Becky Range, created a new standard of communication among police, City Councilman Jerry Allen, apartment owners/managers, community prosecutor Patrick Sanders and social nonprofits, to name a few, and the result has been more action, more results when it comes to improving the apartments and making them safer. So one thing is to keep up the momentum there. Success depends on all those people and groups working together, and I expect it to continue.

Some of the specific actions include hiring off-duty police to patrol properties, educating apartment owners about background checks and eviction for bad behaviors, and working with established nonprofit groups like KidsU [an after-school program for children living in apartments]. However, what we have found is that when you kick the bad actors out of the apartments, they often move into condos. Becky, who now directs the Vickery Meadow Public Improvement District, and I are putting together a workshop for condominium owners. Condos present a special challenge because there are many different owners, and thus it is more difficult to affect sweeping change. Crime reports confirm that condos are seeing a great deal of crime even compared to apartment communities, so that is the next phase for us. While we spend a bulk of effort and funds to make the area safer, we also make visible improvements — such as the median at Skillman near Church — and cleaning up, trimming trees and bushes on

park land, along sidewalks and green spaces, eradicating graffiti, hosting events and publicizing the work so that taxpayers understand what they are getting.

So it is fair to say the main purpose of a PID is safety and crime reduction?

Well, I would say it is two-fold. It is about that, but it also is about promoting redevelopment and growth, and, though I have just been in this position six weeks. I see that both are very much at work.

Speaking of development and growth, any word on Lake Highlands Town Center retail?

No. No announcements yet, though the Haven Lake Highlands offices are open, they are leasing and they will have a retail tenant probably restaurant — as part of the development. That quite possibly could be the first thing announced.

Can you give us an example of an area in the city where a PID has made a big difference?

Uptown, Downtown, Deep Ellum, Oak Lawn, Vickery Meadow and University Crossing is on its way.

You mentioned community-building events supported by the PID. Isn’t there one this month?

Yes! Memorial Day, May 26, at Lake Highlands Town Center is the PID-sponsored Art & Play Festival, which shares time and space with the Camp Sweeney 5k. Camp Sweeney is a summer camp for kids with Type 1 diabetes. The 5k is at 8 a.m. followed by the festival featuring artists, food trucks, and lots of activities for families. This is our second year – last year was a big success raising money for many scholarships to Camp Sweeney and bringing 800-1,000 people to Town Center. While the race is a fundraiser, the purpose of the Art & Play festival is to bring our Lake Highlands community together, showcase local artists and raise awareness about the needs of our neighborhood and the PID. Maybe someday our festival will have the great reputation of the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson.

Questions and answers are edited for brevity.

—Christina Hughes Babb LEARN MORE lhpid.org/faqs

facebook.com/lakehighlandsartplayfestival

Event details in calendar on p. 14

Out & About

Send events to editor@advocatemag.com LAKEHIGHLANDS.ADVOCATEMAG.COM/EVENTS

MAY 3

The Goat Run

It starts at Flagpole Hill with runners’ choice of 5 or 10k. Following the human run, four teams — which combine man and goat — compete. It is all in an effort to raise money for nonprofits Seed Effect and Empower Sudan, which benefit the war and famine-affected South Sudan region of Africa. (Top fund-raisers over the past several months won the opportunity to race with goats). For the goatless, the 10k promises to be one of the toughest in Texas, and special prizes will be awarded to those who climb our neighborhood’s steepest hill the fastest. Flagpole Hill, 8100 Doran, thegoatrun.com, $20-$45

May 2014

May 26

Camp Sweeney 5k and Art & Play Festival

This annual race and after-party offers hours of activity and entertainment for Lake Highlands families and also serves a worthy cause. The 5k, at 8 a.m., is a fundraiser for scholarships to Camp Sweeney, a renowned summer camp for diabetes-diagnosed youths. The post-race party features a local-art show, face painting, food trucks, rides, games and vendors sharing information about Camp Sweeney, diabetes and related issues. It’s free and sponsored by the Lake Highlands Public Improvement District (which you can read more about on p. 11).

Lake Highlands Town Center, 7100 Wildcat Way, campsweeney.org or lhpid.org, race registration $30-$35

MAY 7-24

‘Equally Divided’

Enjoy this comedy about trying to do the right thing when there is an estate to settle.

Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8749, dallasculture.org/ bathhouseculturecenter, $10-$15

MAY 17

Pancake breakfast

Dine at the annual White Rock Kiwanis pancake breakfast from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Proceeds help fund the White Rock Center of Hope, scholarships for Bryan Adams High School seniors, coloring books and crayons for Children’s Medical Center and other community services. Lakeside Baptist Church, 9150 Garland Road, call Lloyd Marquis at 214.341.0985 for more information, $5

Presidential paintings

The 43rd President’s exhibit, “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy” features more than two dozen painted portraits of world leaders. The exhibit offers George W. Bush’s personal perspective on his relationships with them. Museum hours are 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday.

George W. Bush Presidential Center, 2943 SMU Blvd, 214.346.1650, bushcenter.org, $16

MAY 12

Wings for Wellness expo

Wings for Wellness is a nonprofit founded by Lake Highlands women and dedicated to raising awareness about postpartum depression. The foundation’s annual exhibition features more than 25 vendors focused on pregnancy, motherhood, babies, mental and physical health, and related themes. The event is open to the public and runs 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Fellowship Dallas, 9330 N. Central, wingsforwellness.org, free

MAY 18

White Rock East Garden Tour & Artisans

Stop and smell some roses during this self-guided tour through neighborhood gardens from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and appreciate local art along the way. Shop the plant sale from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Alex Sanger Elementary School. Buy tickets in advance online or at any garden on the tour.

whiterockgardentour.org, pre-sale tickets $12 (May 3-17), day of tour tickets $15

May 3

THROUGH JUNE 1

‘Charlotte’s Web’

Meet Wilbur, the “radiant” and “humble” pig, his savior Charlotte, and all their lovable barnyard neighbors, as envisioned by the pros at Dallas Children’s Theater. Enjoyed by ages 5 and older.

Dallas Children’s Theater, 5938 Skillman, dct.org, 214.740.0051, $13-$26

Native Plants and Prairies Day

Join the North Texas Master Naturalists for their second annual Native Plants and Prairies Day from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The day includes performances by the Dallas Storytellers Guild, more than 20 entertaining and educational vendors, a 30-minute wildflower and bug tour at 10:30 a.m., and informational speakers every half hour. Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8749, dallasculture.org/bathhouseculturecenter, free

Storm damage to your roof? June 13th is the deadline to replace it.

A couple weeks ago, the Dallas area hunkered down while baseball-sized hail and high winds took us by storm. Downtown was spared, but that wasn’t the case in 2012. Many people remember that terrible Texas storm a few years ago. Davette Cheney with Metal Roofs of Texas will never forget.

“I had just moved to Dallas from Oklahoma and I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with all the crazy weather anymore.”

What many Dallas residents don’t know is that after a storm, homeowners may only have up to two years to file an insurance claim for any roof damage. For those with damage from 2012, that potential deadline is fast approaching –June 13.

And Cheney’s team is letting residents know that after this date, any damage found to your roof might be considered “wear and tear,” and the insurance companies won’t have to give you a dime.

“We’re trying to remind folks not to let this potential deadline pass,” Cheney says. Metal Roofs of Texas also is letting Dallas residents know that insurance companies are starting to push homeowners into putting a cosmetic endorsement on their policy that would exclude almost all hail damage to roofs.

“They are trying to limit risk as much as possible,” Cheney says, “which puts you at risk more than ever before. It’s important to know your policy, and if you believe you have damage to your roof from a prior storm then we’re here to help. We offer a complimentary damage evaluation to all of our customers.”

Cheney boasts that Metal Roofs’ “Interlock Roofing System” can withstand up to a grapefruit-sized hailstone.

“It will withstand 165-mph winds, increase your curb appeal, is more energy efficient and saves you money on your electric bill.”

Plus, residents will be prepared if or when grapefruits start falling from the Dallas sky.

Metal Roofs of Texas is one of the largest residential metal roofing companies in North America and the exclusive, certified vendor of this type of roof in Texas. The company focuses on high-end homes and tries to eliminate hassles for homeowners.

So don’t wait for the next hailstorm, and certainly don’t wait past June 13 to take advantage of insurance premiums you pay month after month.

www.metalroofsoftexas.com

Special Advertising Partner Content

Delicious

Type of food

Nottoo long ago, finding a neighborhood restaurant with international flavors beyond Mexican, Italian and Chinese cuisine proved challenging. Nowadays, selection abounds with local culinary options such as Vietnamese, Thai, a Latin deli, and now: Korean fusion. Bonchon, which opened on Upper Greenville in December, serves various Koreaninspired dishes such as rice bowls, fried octopus dumplings and bulgogi (Korean beef), to name a few. But general manager Stewart Murray says the Korean fried chicken wings are everyone’s favorite by far.

For those uninitiated, these aren’t your typical Southern fried chicken wings, nor are they of the finger-lickin’ Buffalo wing variety. Think of Korean chicken wings as a sort of hybrid between the two — crispy, saucy, complex — but just as delightful to devour. The restaurant’s fried chicken recipe originated in South Korea, where founder Jinduk Seh opened the first Bonchon more than a decade ago with the goal of sharing his locale’s comfort food with the world. (Bonchon is Korean for “my hometown.”) To achieve the flavor, Bonchon lightly dusts its wings with flour and water before frying some 20 minutes. Once they’re cooked, the wings are hand-brushed with one of two top-secret sauces imported from Korea: soy-garlic or hot and spicy (made with gochugaro, a Korean spice).

The 20-minute wait time has been a gripe for some customers, but Murray says it is well worth it, since the wings are fresh and cooked to order. “We like to call ourselves craft wings and craft beer, and we stand by that.”

Similar to the carrots that often accompany Buffalo wings, cubed daikon radish comes with Bonchon wings, and it sufficiently cools the palate if you choose to go the hot-and-spicy route. Or you can find refreshment while sipping a pint from Bonchon’s horseshoe-shaped bar boasting 18 draft beers, the majority of which are craft beers made in North Texas.

Whitney Thompson

Korean chicken wings. Photo by Mark Davis

VIEW MORE PHOTOS at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com.

BONCHON CHICKEN

5500 Greenville, Suite 1300 214.346.9464

AMBIANCE: CASUAL

HOURS: 11 A.M.-11 P.M. SUNDAYTHURSDAY 11 A.M.-MIDNIGHT FRIDAY-SATURDAY

PRICE: $9-$15

TIP: HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS INCLUDE $3 WELLS, $4 HOUSE WINE BY THE GLASS, AND $1 OFF DOMESTIC DRAFTS, 3-7 P.M. MONDAY-THURSDAY.

| MORE KOREAN CHOICES | 1 Woo Mee Oak

Find this gem among a cluster of quality Asian restaurants just east of Richland College. The service is friendly, prices are low, atmosphere is laid back and the cuisine, which features Korean BBQ, earns consistently good reviews from even the pickiest critics.

10560 Walnut

972.272.9909

2 Joy Kitchen

Located near Berkner High School, it’s only a wee bit outside our neighborhood. Large portions of sizzling Korean beef and fresh vegetables, and all-you-want rice, tea and sweet rice milk make it worth the trip.

1455 Buckingham

972.479.9450

3 BB Bop Seoul

Spicy chicken and dumplings, Korean tacos or wings, and build-your-own bops (a mixed rice dish) are among the favorites at this low-key Upper Greenville (near Lovers) eatery. Sweeten the meal with green mint tea or hibiscus limeade.

5323 Greenville

214.812.9342

bbbop.com

Enchilada’s

Enjoy live music featuring Lake Highlands bands with your margaritas on Saturday nights. Our patio is always open. No Cover. Voted Best Wait Staff & Margaritas in Dallas. Greenville Location 214-363-8969

QUESA-D-YAS

Looking for a great meal in Lake Highlands? Come visit us where we take pride in making and delivering the best custom quesadillas using fresh ingredients and a variety of combinations that delight and satisfy.

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SPREADING MOTHER’S DAY LOVE

Let’s spoil all the ladies in our lives with some love and sweets this month. The best way to celebrate is to be with family and friends enjoying a wonderful meal, sitting around the table, and sharing love for one another. As you plan your menu for a simple brunch, lunch or a spring-filled dinner, add these glazed shortbread cookies to share with your special mom. What I love about these cookies is the combination of a buttery, flaky texture and creamy, soft icing for the perfect decoration.

Kristen Massad writes a monthly column about sweets and baked goods. The professional pastry chef graduated from the French Culinary Institute in New York City and owned Tart Bakery on Lovers Lane for eight years. She blogs about food and lifestyles at inkfoods.com.

Photo by Kristen Massad

Shortbread cookies

GROCERY LIST

1 cup sugar

2 cups unsalted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Royal icing

6 cups powdered sugar

3 pasteurized egg whites

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Cream sugar and butter in mixing bowl with paddle attachment. Add eggs, vanilla extract and lemon zest, and mix on low speed. Slowly add the flour and mix until the dough has come together.

2. Place the ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once dough is chilled, roll it out to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 2-inch squares or other desired shape.

3. Bake cookies at 350 F for 12-15 minutes or until light golden on the edges. Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing and decorating.

4. Make royal icing by combining powdered sugar and egg whites in mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. Icing will become very smooth and glossy. (Add more powdered sugar if you want it to be thicker. Cover icing if not using immediately, or it will get hard).

9. Draw a border around each cookie with royal icing. Once the border is dry, cover the entire cookie with icing.

6. Allow the base icing to dry completely, and then stencil or draw letters onto the cookies. Allow cookies to dry before serving or packaging.

Note: If you do not want to make a traditional royal icing with egg whites, you can replace the egg whites with meringue powder (follow directions on the container).

Makes 75 2-inch cookies

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NO EXCUSES

TEENS WHO HAVE OVERCOME

INCREDIBLE OBSTACLES TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE

STORY BY CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB | PHOTOS BY DANNY FULGENCIO

Growing up, earning good grades, pursuing a talent and gaining college acceptance is tough, but imagine doing it all in the face of abject poverty or an incurable disability or while you are the primary caretaker for a dying parent and your younger siblings. Such circumstances can become an excuse for teens to escape down a destructive, pain-numbing path. For a few Lake Highlands seniors who will graduate this month, however, hardship is reason to strive for a better future. Their determination, support from teachers and administrators, and, perhaps, the ironwill derived from a fight for survival has driven them to remarkable success.

At an age when most girls are experiencing a first crush or attempts at lipstick, Ksanet Seghid was emigrating from her country — Eritrea, in the horn of Africa, which was in the midst of political upheaval and religious oppression — to a place where the language and culture were a mystery; she was leaving behind her father and every friend she knew, save her two younger sisters, Bethlehem and Abighail.

Ksanet’s mom was experiencing health

problems. A midwife by trade, she had observed first-hand the inadequate healthcare system in Eritrea.

America offered better medical-care opportunities as well as freedom to practice their Pentecostal faith, which was illegal in Eritrea.

So the family entered the Diversity Immigrant Visa lottery, a program to help residents of qualifying countries obtain American residency, and was accepted.

Ksanet’s first American school, in Wylie, Texas, was a nightmare, she says.

“We didn’t know English, and [the other kids] made fun of us — made fun of our accents, made fun of my sister and me when we talked to each other in our language.”

With a sad smile and downturned eyes, she recalls, “They said we were monkeys from the jungle. It didn’t even make sense.”

Things improved when the girls moved to an apartment in Lake Highlands. At more diverse Forest Meadow Junior High, they made friends. And at Lake Highlands High School, Ksanet embraced every academic opportunity possible; she had decided as a child walking the halls of Eritrean hospitals with her mother that she wanted to attend medical school someday.

She enrolled in Advanced Placement courses and joined the track team.

But things unraveled when her mom was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Teenage Ksanet became her family’s main caretaker. She supervised her sisters, cooked, kept house and nursed her mom. Members of their Eritrean Baptist Church helped the family the best they knew how.

But Ksanet cries when she recalls the day church members rushed her mom off to the hospital and refused to tell her what was going on.

“They thought they were protecting me from something, so they would not tell me anything. Then, when I finally saw what had happened, I was shocked.”

Doctors had amputated Ksanet’s mother’s leg.

From there, things only got worse. “She got so skinny,” Ksanet says, her voice cracking.

“She went from this beautiful woman to [long pause] a skeleton. Her hair fell out,” says Ksanet, absently touching her own thick locks. “She couldn’t work or even move, or anything.”

The next year was the worst. Her mom was bedridden, swollen from head to toe; she could not so much as use the bathroom on her own.

The girls longed, emotionally, for their once strong and vibrant mother.

“My sisters missed her and wanted to talk to her, but she was so tired and sometimes couldn’t speak at all.”

Last year a hospice nurse began coming to their apartment, “but only in the mornings, like to change sheets,” Ksanet says;

HIGH SCHOOLER KSANET SEGHID WAS FORCED TO GROW UP.

WHEN HER MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS,

someone had to be with her the rest of the day. During that period Ksanet spent two school days a week at home and missed all her track meets. She says school administrators understood the situation and made arrangements regarding attendance. A neighbor/church member came the other days. On those days, Ksanet attended classes and track practice, then came home and cooked, and finally studied from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Just when Ksanet thought she would break, her father appeared, having acquired a temporary visa.

It was a godsend, Ksanet says. “I just don’t know how I would have gotten through it without him,” she says.

Ksanet’s 44-year-old mother died on a Sunday morning in winter 2013.

Ksanet had to stifle her own pain as she consoled her sisters.

“I tried to act OK, to look strong, for them,” she says. “But I did not feel OK. I was really, really sad.”

Her father, the church and Lake Highlands High School personnel sustained Ksanet.

“I nearly failed the six weeks when my mom died, but my teachers helped me. My counselor Shannon Rodriguez would sit and listen to me; I could talk to her. I had friends now at school, who also went to my church, and they prayed with me. My mom and dad had introduced me to my faith, and it is what brought us here. I know if I did not have it I would not have hope. And I know my mom was comforted by faith, too. She knew she was going to go. I heard her sing and pray to God to accept her soul a few days before she died.”

Running and writing also provide Ksanet some relief.

Though she didn’t know a word of English a few years ago, it now is one of her favorite subjects, thanks to inspirational teachers such as coach Misty Benson, she says.

“I love writing,” she says. “I like it because — well, you can talk and get your problems out there, but when you talk to people, they usually say something back, and sometimes what they say doesn’t make things better — when you write, writing doesn’t talk back.”

Benson says the idea of being an inspiration to Ksanet is gratifying but backward.

“It is she who inspires me. To be the

family caretaker, deal with the loss of a parent and still work so hard in rigorous classes — and mine is tough — is extraordinary, but Ksanet is also such a sweet, sweet girl,” Benson says. “She has always been so polite and shows her beautiful smile when she comes into your room or when you pass her in the hallways. Ksanet is that reallife example of someone who is beautiful both inside and out … she has persevered through all odds with such grace and poise it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.”

Ksanet continued improving academically. Joining the AVID organization her senior year helped her navigate the world

of college and scholarship applications, entrance exams and financial-aid paperwork, among other things, she says. She recently was accepted to Texas Women’s University, where she will enroll in the nursing program.

“I want to be like my mom. She used to take me with her to the hospitals. I saw people needing help. She told me how badly doctors and nurses were needed. At first I thought I would become a doctor and then go back to Eritrea, but now I know they are needed in many places, like Parkland Hospital.”

Ksanet says she had many conversations with patients in the beds next to her mom’s during stints at Parkland. She sometimes wrote about their stories in a private notebook, she says.

After graduation, when the time comes to move to the college campus, Ksanet and her sisters will miss one another. But Ksanet says she knows the best thing she can possibly do for them is pave the way.

“Like my mom always said, do not make any excuses — an education is the most powerful tool we can obtain.”

“ I tried to act OK, to look strong, for them, but I did not feel OK. I was really, really sad. ”

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The Faith Inclusion Network of Dallas (FIND) is a collaborative network of community leaders, organizations and service providers committed to impacting change within faith-based communities and congregations in the ways individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families find opportunities to fully engage socially, emotionally, academically, spiritually and in service to others.

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One of Ari Solorio’s most poignant pastel sketches depicts a male figure huddled inside a closet. Colorful garments shroud the subject’s face and shoulders; lanky arms clutch knees against chest. Depending on the observer’s take, the scene might illustrate an evasion of some domestic horror or merely a child partaking in a game of hideand-seek.

Ari says he usually doesn’t try to explain his work; he just lets it “speak for itself.”

He does expand on one aspect of the piece — a striped dress-tie hanging from the inside door. “Things like ties, razors — like shaving — those are important to me. I know it is a silly thing, but since my dad wasn’t around, learning to tie a tie or to shave was a big deal.”

At age 7, living in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in Mexico, Ari spent most days unsupervised, caring for his toddler brother while his mother tried to find work. For months on end, he says, they were homeless and slept in cars. Ari’s mother, Mireya Enriquez, an American citizen, finally decided to flee his violent father and the rest of the insufferable situation in Mexico.

They relocated to the Dallas area when Ari was 8, but things weren’t easy here, either. They stayed with family when they first arrived, which meant eight people in a one-bedroom apartment, he says. His mom worked retail, but she moved from job to job, and they moved from one apartment to another, thus from school to school, during the first two years. Ari cannot even recall the number of schools he attended. “It was a lot,” he says with an uneasy laugh. At the time, he spoke no English.

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes helped, but he says he effectively isolated himself from other people until high school. Through art, and eventually through

“ I know it is a silly thing, but since my dad wasn’t around, learning to tie a tie or to shave was a big deal. ”

THROUGH HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY AND TURMOIL,

ARI SOLORIO ALWAYS HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIND BEAUTY.

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playing the violin and viola, Ari expressed himself.

“In Mexico, I didn’t have TV or Xbox or toys. I did have a pen and paper. So when I was alone, I would draw. Art and music takes me out of all the things that have happened. A lot of things that normally matter don’t matter when I am drawing. Rent is due, we don’t have any money — maybe it doesn’t make sense, but art helps. When I couldn’t communicate well with people, because of my English, I could draw or play the instrument.”

Orchestra and high school Advanced Placement classes helped Ari “get out of his comfort zone,” he says, and build confidence. And art contests — such as that of the national PTA School of Excellence program, which he won his sophomore and senior years — as well as teachers and other students, began validating Ari’s artistic abilities.

Serious creative endeavors, however, are expensive. Ari says his mother went to great pains to buy him supplies.

“We could never afford to put me on a soccer team, send me on school trips or anything big like that, but she always tried to support my art, as soon as she saw how serious I was, she worked extra to buy sketch pads, pens, that kind of thing.”

Art teacher Tina Walker helped Ari procure more-advanced art tools and pushed him toward excellence, he says. “The best thing she taught me and the rest of the class was: ‘You might think you are good at art, but you are not. But if you work hard at it, you can be.’ I needed that, because by that point a lot of people were telling me how good I was. Now I feel like I always need to challenge myself to break new ground with my art.”

Though Ari was settling in socially and academically, the troubles at home continued. His freshman year, Mom told him she had breast cancer. “She had had it for a long time by the time she told me, and once she explained it, so many things made sense,” he says.

Then Ari’s little brother had a cancer scare. “Eventually we learned it was something less serious, but we had to pay for a whole bunch of tests and scans and medical bills,” he says.

Even while taking all AP courses, playing in the orchestra and winning art contests,

Ari worked as a waiter to help pay the family’s bills. He also volunteers at Dallas Society of Visual Communications, which allows him free admittance to seminars and workshops, and he is a fund-raiser for MusAid, a nonprofit that helps supply musical instruments to underdeveloped countries. Recently, his mother gained steady employment, and he was able to quit working to focus on exams, and the family even moved into a townhome, where Ari and his brother share a bedroom. It’s the first time he’s ever had his own bed; he’s always slept on a couch.

His GPA is 94.3. And he credits teachers such as Bob Williams (for just finding time to talk to him) and David Wood (whom he thanks for his mastering of English and literature) for his success in the face of challenge.

Wood recalls an essay that Ari wrote for his class. “He not only revealed his considerable compositional skills, but also both his aesthetic sensibilities and how his artist’s soul infuses his responses to life’s vagaries.” Ari’s essay was about his brother’s illness, Wood says, and what most impressed the teacher was Ari’s “keenly analytical and artistic sensibility to do what the best artist’s do: change our perceptions of our human experience.”

Ari was accepted to Savannah College of Art and Design and received more than $11,000 in scholarship money, but he is unable to afford the remaining costs, he says. He expects to have full United States citizenship by the end of the summer, but he now is in the states legally under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) law. He is ineligible for financial aid until he is a citizen. Instead, he says, he plans to attend the University of North Texas and study graphic design.

While he has never experienced direct prejudice as a result of his ethnicity or socioeconomic status, he says, he has noticed that people seem to expect more out of wealthier, American-born kids.

“The biggest form of discrimination is that people naturally have low expectations of you. I feel like I have to work extra hard to change the perception.”

Graduation, he says, will be bittersweet.

“I kind of feel like I just found a home here,” he says with a grin. “Now I have to go be the new guy again.”

Introductions begin with a struggle and awkward laughter. It is the norm, she says. Her name — Kerutheha Nirmalanandha — is difficult to pronounce, even after she has repeated it for you multiple times. Like most other challenges in her life, she meets the situation with a gleaming smile and a joke.

“You should see what standardized tests are like for me,” she says. “Everyone else has finished, and I am still filling out the name section.”

When she was born in Sri Lanka, Kerutheha was practically asphyxiated by the umbilical cord; the incident caused permanent damage in the form of cerebral palsy. The first hint of a temper rises as she talks about it. Looking down at her frail left arm resting in her lap, she says, “This — this was a doctor’s fault.”

“The cord that attaches the baby, it got tied around my neck. The doctor told my parents I was dead. There was then a chief doctor that came and gave me oxygen and revived me,” she says. “Everyone was happy, but … ” Kerutheha says the doctor gave her an injection in her arm that left the limb completely immobile.

Today she has no use of her left arm, her whole left side is feeble, and her heartbeat and lungs are labored, so she cannot participate in strenuous activity.

In lieu of physical activity, she fantasized about someday working as a scientist at NASA, she says. “I was obsessed. I cut out every article I found about the space program, astronauts, missions. People said, ‘How are you going to even get to NASA — it is in the United States, and you are here?’ I did not care. I dreamed about it.”

Her family moved to New Jersey when she was 12. What was it like moving from Sri Lanka to Jersey? She shakes her head, closes her eyes and finally says, “not good.” At first, she explains, she was very excited about moving to America — land of opportunity, and NASA, where doctors might even be able to treat some of her more severe cerebral palsy symptoms.

“But when I got there — oh my, I was so scared. I cried and cried and screamed! It was bad. Every day was like a nightmare. There were drug dealers on the street when I walked home. Every day I thought, ‘I am dead.’”

She says the worst of the problems had nothing to do with other people, though. She

Creative Water Gardens

wasn’t bullied or harassed, really.

“It was within myself. I was scared and isolated.”

Things improved when her father, a teacher, found work in Boston. There she finally made friends and gained self-esteem.

“Math and science were my best subjects. In my country, I was failing math, but it turned out it was because the teachers couldn’t teach. Here, I am like, wow, I can do math, and in fact I am really good at it.”

Then, Dad announced that they were moving to Dallas. It was her sophomore year and she was again alone and confused in a strange place. (Of course, she was now a little closer to Houston-based NASA, she conceded). But the students and staff at Lake Highlands, she says, were nice.

Sometimes cerebral palsy, a brain and central nervous system disorder, causes cognitive problems, but Kerutheha is sharp, and she thrived into Advanced Placement classes. She says she did not necessarily mean to enroll as a sophomore in classes with juniors and seniors — it really was an accident — but it worked out.

Recently she met with a team of doctors at Dallas Children’s Hospital to discuss the possibility of surgery to give her limited use of her left arm. “If it worked, it could allow me to move left and right but not up and down,” she explains. “But there are risks.”

She admits to being petrified because if something should go wrong with the operation, she could suffer more damage, lose the use of her leg or even end up in a wheelchair. She must decide before the year’s end, she says, or she will be too old for the treatment.

She recalls times when, at her old school, though she is a pretty good singer, she was not picked for parts because of her condition. She does not try out for roles these days. But she chooses not to dwell on all those things too much. Instead she concentrates on what she does have — a strong side, a good arm, a sense of humor — and on helping others.

Kerutheha spends a large chunk of time tutoring other students. She says helping others makes her feel normal.

She is generally more confident and selfassured than she once thought possible, and she credits the AVID program and her family. “I feel like I can do anything right now,” she says. She beams when speaking about

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her parents and teachers — she could never name a favorite.

“I love every one of them,” she says.

She does mention Ms. (Candice) Nichols, who she says never shows any negativity. “She is always positive and radiant,” Kerutheha says.

“That is what I want to be like. Everyone thinks I am always happy, but I am not. I can be serious. It is not good. I have seen myself serious, in the mirror, and I do not like it.”

Nichols says her student is one of a kind — a charismatic and determined dreamer, she says. Earlier this year, she recalls, Keruthrea gave a speech at the Lake Highlands Exchange Club (where she was receiving an award) about how much her parents had done for her

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and how nothing would stop her from repaying them.

“She wrung our hearts when she talked about how hard they both worked to support the family, and they couldn’t always make ends meet,” Nichols says. “Then she filled us with pride as she described her determination to, ‘do something no one has even thought to do before,’ so that she could buy her parents a big house and a new car and everything they could want ... Keruthea is proof that the American Dream is real; she is proof that if you work hard, and keep pushing forward regardless of the obstacles, you can achieve anything.”

After a couple of semesters at Richland, she plans to attend the University of North Texas or the University of Texas at Arlington, where she will study biochemistry and biophysics, and learn skills that will come in handy when she applies to NASA.

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“ Keruthea is proof that the American Dream is real; she is proof that if you work hard, and keep pushing forward regardless of the obstacles, you can achieve anything.”

The big five-oh

Captured moments from Lake Highlands High School’s 50th anniversary celebration

Lake Highlands High School celebrated 50 years, and did it big — from a mayoral proclamation and high-profile alumni visits to Wrangler, Highlandette, Folklorico, band and choir performances. Photographer Danny Fulgencio was on site to capture a little bit of the magic.

MORE PHOTOS online at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com.

Opposite/ An attendee admires the

Below/ Current students,

LHHS Wall of Fame. Above/ Band members Carmelo Jimenez, Morgan Petty and Alex Hoch perform in front of the high school.

alumni and teachers, present and past, gather for the 50th anniversary.

A high school history

This past March Lake Highlands Advocate online (advocatemag.com), in honor of Lake Highlands High School’s 50th anniversary, published a series of short articles about the school. Snippets from those stories are provided below, but for the full read, visit goo.gl/zC45QC.

Olympian recalls Lake Highlands High in 1964

Archilla was part of the first graduating class, which used Lake Highlands Junior High as a campus. Archilla recalls classmate Bill Bickley, who became a writer for the show “Happy Days,” a senior trip to Lake Murray and the day President Kennedy was shot, to name a few. Archilla was a biathlon contender in the 1988 Olympics.

Retired teacher Laura Alverson reminisces

“When I came to LHHS, I was in my 11th year of teaching,” Alverson says. “From the very first day, I knew that I was in a remarkable school. My colleagues were creative, well prepared, fun to work with and committed to the success of the students. Our faculty was a ‘family’ and we still feel that way about each other.”

Counselor Jerry McVay recalls 33 years at LHHS

She fondly recalls the senior trips to Lake Murray. “[The seniors] and the chaperones rode the train to get there. In one car, there was music, and the students engaged in a relatively new craze, ‘the dirty bop.’

Shooting of Lake Highlands cafeteria worker Thelma Row

On May 16, 1983, 64-year-old cafeteria supervisor Thelma Row was counting the daily receipts in a back room at the high school when a

robber wearing a stocking mask reportedly shot her with a .357-caliber pistol. He made off with $1,600. She died 11 days later. Billy Conn Gardner was executed on Feb. 16, 1995 for the crime. At trial it was discovered that the husband of Row’s coworker Paula Sanders, who had learned of the daily cash intake from his wife, was an accomplice.

Dr. Bob Iden: Student, athlete, teacher, coach, principal These days Dr. Bob reflects often upon his days at LHHS, entertaining his many Facebook friends with games of LHHS Jeopardy (Who sang “Seven Bridges Road” in the 1998 Senior Show? Granger Smith, Patrick Freshwater, Kevin Graham and Taylor Vieger. Who earned the infamous “Highlandette Hellraiser” award in 1981? Julie Jordan Gargus.) Dr. Bob remains close to many former students and teachers, including Coach Higgins, who once cut him from the baseball team. It’s OK — he played football instead.

Former English teacher Dot Biggs recalls hilarity and heartbreak

A staffer for 25 years, Biggs taught English and co-sponsored The Pub, the school’s student-produced magazine. “Some teachers didn’t like it because it was highly satirical and the kids sometimes made fun of teachers and other students.” Her students were quite the pranksters, she says. “I remember Chris Pyryt, who was president of

Wildcat band member Tennessee Bonner is wiped-out after the day’s festivities.

the senior class at the time, got a buddy and picked me up in my chair and carried me out in the hall and closed my classroom door. He went to work for the FBI, I believe …” She adds that her worst memories “are of kids who fell between the cracks. I recall when drugs were coming onto the scene. I had one student who went into the corner of the room and curled up, shivering. I had no idea what to do. We got help, but it was scary for me and for the kids.”

Killing at the Winn-Dixie

Tammy Davis was a senior at Lake Highlands High School when she was gunned down during a robbery at the Abrams-Royal Winn-Dixie. She worked there after school, checking groceries and greeting customers. Harold Joe Lane would later say he was high on drugs and alcohol that day in November 1982. After bagging $3,300 at the check-cashing booth, he tried to flee through the store entrance but the automatic door wouldn’t open. He started kicking it. That’s when Davis, unaware of the robbery, tried to point him to the other door. He shot her in the head. Police chased Lane and his getaway driver through the streets of Lake Highlands, and they were captured in the in Northlake Shopping Center parking lot.

‘Original Wildcat’ Sue Passmore

“I came to Lake Highlands in October 1959 at Wallace Elementary I arrived just a few days after the indoor plumbing was completed and the port-a-potties had been removed from campus.” The only other neighborhood school at that time was Lake Highlands Elementary; she married its principal, Bill Passmore. Sue’s most significant memory is of November 22, 1963. “I had already prepared material to begin a poetry unit the next week. When we received the announcement that the president had died, I immediately pulled out the purple ditto pages I had run of Robert Frost’s ‘The Gift Outright,’ the poem Frost had read at Kennedy’s inauguration. We read and discussed the poem in class. To this day, students tell me they still have that old purple ditto.”

The Lake Highlands mom and the hit man

In 1983 Joy Aylor hired an assassin to off her husband’s mistress, Rozanne Gailiunas. Years after Gailiunas’ unsolved murder, Aylor reportedly attempted unsuccessfully to have her husband killed. The whole saga was made into a movie starring Cybil Shepherd.

Above/ Anniversary attendees thumb through old yearbooks and newspapers. Right/ The Fang, the Wildcats’ student newspaper, has been in print for decades.

Bob Iden

CLAIRE’S CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOL

8202 Boedeker Dr., / (214) 368-4047 / clairesdayschool.com At CCDS, we encourage a child’s sense of exploration and discovery in a loving, nurturing, and safe environment. We offer a parent’s day out program with a play-based curriculum fostering socialization, motor skill development, and an introduction to academics for children aged 4mo – 3yrs. Our preschool for children aged 3-5 further develops these skills, along with a more focused approach to pre-math and pre-reading. At CCDS, we have developed our own science, math, and reading enrichment classes to ensure kindergarten preparedness for every child. We make learning fun!

INSPIRE PEDIATRIC THERAPY

5439 Glen Lakes Dallas Tx 75231 / 469-9641554 / ethurman@inspirepediatrictherapy. com / Inspirepediatrictherapy.com Inspire Pediatric Therapy is excited to offer enjoyable and exciting camps this summer for articulation and language therapy ages 3-5.These intensive four week camps will increase your child’s articulation and language in a fun day camp setting. During each session your child will receive individual and group therapy. Camps include summer themes, rotating centers, snacks and games. Call to register today. Spots are limited. Inspire also offers private speech therapy for all children.

THE KESSLER SCHOOL

Pre K – 6th Grade / 1215 Turner Ave, Dallas TX 75208 / 214-942-2220 / www. thekesserschool.com The Kessler School offers an innovative academic environment that gives students a solid foundation, confidence, and a love of learning. Located just minutes from downtown Dallas; The Kessler School’s mission is to “educate the whole child,” and provides an individualized approach to teaching – meeting the student where their needs are. Students are educated socially through community time, physically through daily PE, academically through a well-rounded curriculum, and spiritually through a fostering of awareness and individual growth.

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep. org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

OUR REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL OF DALLAS

214-368-1371, ext 238 or carolb@orlcs.com www.orlcs.com At Our Redeemer Lutheran School, your child will receive more than academic excellence and a creative, individualized approach. For over 50 years, our caring, dedicated faculty has introduced positive Christian values—giving students a solid foundation to grow in love and commitment to God, family, community and individual excellence! Our affordable tuition is possible through the loving support of our sponsor congregation, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Call for a private tour and see why students and their families love our school! Limited spaces available for Fall. See ad for more details.

SPANISH HOUSE

5740 Prospect Ave. & 4411 Skillman / 214-826-4410 / DallasSpanishHouse.com Spanish House is a Spanish immersion school with two Lakewood locations for children ages 3 months - Kindergarten. We offer half-day and fullday programs, with extended care available from 7:30am - 6:00pm. We also offer after-school and Saturday classes for PK and elementary-aged students, both on- and off-site. Additionally, we have an adult Spanish program for beginning, intermediate and advanced students.

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S MONTESSORI SCHOOL

7900 Lovers Ln. / 214.363.9391 stchristophersmontessori.com St. Christopher’s Montessori School has been serving families in the DFW area for over a quarter of a century. We are affiliated with the American Montessori Society and our teachers are certified Montessori instructors. Additionally our staff has obtained other complimentary educational degrees and certifications, including having a registered nurse on staff. Our bright and attractive environment, and highly qualified staff, ensures your child will grow and develop in an educationally sound, AMS certified loving program. Now Enrolling.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service.St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.

UT DALLAS CHESS CAMP

800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson 75080 / (972) 883-4899 / utdallas.edu/chess ) 2014 Summer Chess Camp Campers learn while they PLAY. Chess develops reading, math, critical and analytical skills, and builds character and self-esteem. Just don’t tell the kids…they think chess is fun! Join beginner, intermediate or advanced chess classes for ages 7 to 13 on the UT Dallas campus. Morning (9am-noon) or afternoon (1-4pm) sessions are available June 9-13, June 16-20, July 14-18, July 21-25 and extended playing classes. Camp includes t-shirt, chess board and pieces, trophy, certificate, score book, group photo, snacks and drinks. Instructors are from among UT Dallas Chess Team Pan-Am Intercollegiate Champions for 2010-2012!

WHITE ROCK NORTH SCHOOL

9727 White Rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410 / WhiteRockNorthSchool.com

6 Weeks through 6th Grade. Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Character-building and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and state-ofthe-art technology lab. Kids Club on the Corner provides meaningful after-school experiences. Summer Camp offers field trips, swimming, and a balance of indoor and outdoor activities designed around fun-filled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus.

WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL

100 S. Glasgow Dallas 75214 / 972-502-4400 / woodrowwildcats.org A proven college preparation program and a true high school experience. Woodrow graduates attend, year after year, our state’s and country’s finest colleges including Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, TCU, Tech, West Point, Georgetown, Duke, North Carolina, Princeton and Yale, often with meaningful scholarships. With academic programs equaling the best private and magnet schools, Woodrow’s diverse student body also enjoys a traditional high school offering arts, music, dance, theater, math and science clubs, debate and writing competitions and a broad, inclusive and successful sports program, with cheerleaders and drill team. “It’s all at Woodrow and it works.”

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL

6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / ziondallas. org Toddler care thru 8th Grade. Serving Dallas for over 58 years offering a quality education in a Christ-centered learning environment. Degreed educators minister to the academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of students and their families. Before and after school programs, Extended Care, Parents Day Out, athletics, fine arts, integrated technology, Spanish, outdoor education, Accelerated Reader, advanced math placement, and student government. Accredited by National Lutheran School & Texas District Accreditation Commissions and TANS. Contact Principal Jeff Thorman.

of our 200,000+ readers with average income of $146,750 want more info about private schools.

ED & LH

Rotated for 5-14>>

Teaching empathy

Story by Lara Keel | Photos by Kim Leeson

In 2011, Richardson ISD started a program called SAGE — Special and Gifted Education. It was a promising idea, one that aimed to facilitate communication and understanding between families and faculties regarding children with unique educational needs.

Unfortunately, it never really got off the ground.

But thanks to Alicia Post and a group of like-minded parents, SAGE has been given new life. In 2013, Post had been doing PTA leadership training and wanted to talk to someone about her son, who is autistic. She spoke to Liz Gluckman, the RISD Council of PTAs president. “She said there was no one in the role [for SAGE],” Post says. So Post was voted chairwoman. “We saw a need for it because there was no community

health & wellness

REPORT

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION For more information call 214.560.4203 or email jliles@advocatemag.com

COSMETIC AND GENERAL DENTISTRY

DENA T. ROBINSON, DDS www.drdenarobinson.com

This year, we are celebrating our 10-year anniversary serving the East Dallas/ White Rock Lake Community. Thank you for your loyalty and support along the way. Join us on Facebook as we celebrate!

FAGD - Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry 8940 Garland Rd., Ste. 200, Dallas, TX 75218 214.321.6441

OPTOMETRIST

DR. CLINT MEYER www.dallaseyeworks.com

for us,” she says.

Now there are more than 200 parent members, and that number is growing. SAGE provides twice-monthly districtwide workshops for parents on topics such as dyslexia, giftedness, education rights and laws, and coping and stress management. Fourteen RISD schools now have a SAGE representative who is working to bring advocacy programs to their campus and the district as a whole.

One new SAGE program is Understanding Differences (UD), which shows participants what it may be like to have different impairments. In late January, Richardson Terrace Elementary became the first school to implement the UD program, followed in mid-February by Merriman Park Elementary. These schools set aside time to allow the entire

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FEATURE

Reach our 200,000+ readers with average income of $146,750

ADVERTISE

For more information call 214.560.4203 or email jliles@advocatemag.com

Imagine trying to learn in an environment where there are sudden loud noises, strange odors and a teacher who whispers instructions — this is what it is like every day for students with certain learning differences.

Seth Pangilinan and Taylor Baxter, sixth-graders at Terrace Elementary, attempt fine motor skill activities wearing gloves and mittens to simulate a disability of the hands. The exercise was part of an “Understanding Differences” workshop by Richardson ISD’s SAGE (Special and Gifted Education) program.

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student body and faculty to experience impairments in vision, hearing, motor skills and verbal communication.

In one segment of the UD program, students play a game of bingo. But in this game, the bingo caller is whispering, there is a loud static sound accompanied by other sudden noises, the children have itchy tags affixed to their collars, and someone is spraying a strong scent near them. Needless to say, it’s hard to focus on the bingo game. Children with autism or other conditions that cause sensory sensitivity deal with such distractions every day. The goal of the UD experience is to foster empathy among the students and faculty who can’t relate to the way some kids experience their surroundings. Rachel San Jose, the assistant principal at Richardson Terrace, says the faculty has been very supportive of the program.

“We want to create an environment where all kids are accepted,” she says.

“It’s hard when we aren’t aware what they go through.”

Post points out that empathy is the most effective deterrent to bullying. Rachel Chumney, a volunteer who acts as Post’s unofficial SAGE committee cochair, agrees. “Compassion is a result of understanding,” she says. “And when we educate people, there’s a lot more understanding.”

Post says SAGE already has made a difference to many RISD families. “We see parents breathing a sigh of relief,” she says. “I see my own son flourishing.” Since there are about 9,400 students in the district who could be helped by SAGE programs, she says it’s important to get the word out about the group. “We want to make their lives as normal as we can,” she says.

Sixth-grader Tiara Anderson struggles to reach a bean bag after being outfitted with a walker and leg restraints, one of several SAGE workshop exercises to teach empathy for students with disabilities.

Will the White Rock Lake restaurant proposal live or die?

Story by Emily Toman

The long and arduous process that must take place for a White Rock Lake restaurant to ever become a reality still is in its infancy as area residents Lyle Burgin and Richard Kopf continue to present their proposal to neighborhood groups.

So far, anyone who supports the restaurant has not gone to such lengths as those who oppose it in the form of petitions, and the Save Boy Scout Hill website and Facebook page. The notion of permanently handing over parkland is too hard to swallow for many residents around the lake.

Nonetheless, Burgin and Kopf are forging ahead, discussing details they hope will result in a few more open minds.

“A big portion of what we’re doing relates

to the restoration of the Blackland prairie,” Burgin says. “We want this restaurant to feel like a place that’s been here forever.” Besides preserving native prairie grasses, the developers want to plant more around the site and add an educational nature trail that would extend from the restaurant down the hill, featuring markers to identify the different types of native grasses.

As for the location, Burgin and Kopf say the restaurant and its decomposed granite parking lot of 160 spaces would cover about two and a half acres of the hill southwest of Mockingbird and Buckner. The site totals about 14,500 square feet, although opponents estimate its footprint would be much larger, considering the effect on the surrounding area.

A coveted view from Boy Scout Hill: Photo by Danny Fulgencio

One of the chief concerns is that the restaurant could open the door for other commercialization at the lake. Burgin and Kopf insist they’ve chosen the most ideal spot with the lowest impact. “We think this is the best location,” Kopf says, “but we also think it’s the only location.”

The developers suggest that the restaurant would act as a nonprofit similar to Savor in Klyde Warren Park, but they have not released any details about how it would work — such as who would operate it, and what percentage of profits would actually benefit the lake. Enough to make a difference?

“Those are details that are too far into the future,” Burgin says.

Opponents aren’t buying it and have gathered more than 2,000 signatures against the restaurant.

City Councilman Sheffie Kadane says he can’t take an active role in the debate since the proposal hasn’t yet reached the city. But says, “I’m leaning with the neighborhoods. That’s not to say it wouldn’t be a good idea.”

Amid all the noise against the restaurant, Kadane says he has received just one formal letter of opposition from the newly formed White Rock East Coalition of Area Neighborhoods, which includes Old Lake Highlands, Peninsula and Lochwood.

The White Rock Lake Task Force hasn’t taken an official stance on the proposal, pending more information, but the general feeling is negative, says president Michael Jung.

The developers and Willis Winters, the Dallas Parks and Recreation director, have stressed from the outset that the restaurant will not reach city hall without enough neighborhood support. How is that support measured? After years of dreaming up the idea and months of neighborhood meetings, Burgin and Kopf don’t have an answer to that question.

“We haven’t developed a measurement mentality yet,” Burgin says. “That’s what were working on right now.”

STAY IN THE KNOW

Follow the latest updates about the White Rock Lake restaurant proposal at lakehighlands.advocatemag.com.

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BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to livelocal@advocatemag.com

Redevelopment of old Lake Highlands apartments possible?

The new owners of several Lake Highlands apartment properties are exploring the possibility of turning four complexes into mixed-use developments.

Ronald Weisfeld is part of the local partnership that recently acquired the Adagio Palms, Toscana Palms, Sontera Palms and Montecito Palms apartments in the north Lake Highlands area. He and his partners have initiated a feasibility study to analyze the financial possibility of redeveloping the properties into a mix of residential and retail uses. The goal is “for a majority of the property to be used for residential owner occupied homes,” he says. Redevelopment would be contingent on financial assistance from the Lake Highlands TIF (Tax Increment Financing along the Skillman Corridor) and the City of Dallas planned development approval, he says.

Though this is only in the analysis phase, the implications such an idea has for the Lake Highlands area, home to a glut of the city’s affordable housing, are vast — according to Weisfeld, these four apartment communities contain 1,060 apartment homes and are more than 90 percent occupied. If analysis shows the complete redevelopment to be unfeasible, Weisfeld promises renovations to the existing buildings, which all were built well over 30 years ago. Prior to acquiring these properties, Weisfeld and partners bought and renovated both the 120-unit Everwood apartments and the 65-unit Newport Condominiums.

New Highlands Café owner to make changes

L Streets resident and restaurateur Peter Touris recently bought the Lake Highlands Café, and he says “exciting changes are in store.” His main motivation in purchasing the restaurant was to expand on what he believes the neighborhood is missing — brunch. He says he gradually will make changes to the restaurant including an updated menu and table service.

More business bits

C.C. Young retirement community adds to campus

A covered performance pavilion with seating for 150 and outdoor seating shaded by 30-foottall and newly planted live oak trees will be features of a new campus, Central Park, under construction at C.C. Young Senior Living Center, 4847 W. Lawther at Mockingbird. When completed next month, the park will be located at a central point in the campus and will be adjacent to C.C. Young’s The Point, Center for Arts and Education building, and the six-story Overlook building. Funding for the new park and pavilion was provided by Nancy Ann and Ray Hunt. Matthew Murrey Design and D2 Architecture handled planning the landscaping and the pavilion.

Lake Highlands writer launches Fan Fiction site

Lake Highlands resident Dru Ubben recently launched a site called Authors Tea, which provides a forum for writers of, mostly, fan fiction. She says her teenage daughter introduced her to fan fiction. Some 30 authors from around the globe volunteered their time and expertise to make the Author’s Tea site a reality, says Ubben.

1 Dallas ISD recenlty employed the architects at Dallasbased th+a to remodel Robert T. Hill Middle School in Old Lake Highlands. 2 Just Dogs “A Taste of Chicago” is coming soon to 5942 Abrams near Northwest Highway. 3 McCree Cemetery, located near Walnut Hill and Audelia, is moving forward with restoration efforts thanks to a $200,000 grant received by Dallas Preservation last fall. 4 Park Lane Ranch, located near Top Golf on Skillman, closed in March.

C.C. Young Senior Living Center’s new campus, Central Park

ANGLICAN

ALL SAINTS DALLAS / 2733 Oak Lawn / 972.755.3505

Radical Inclusivity, Profound Transformation. Come and See!

9:00 & 11:00 am Sunday Services. www.allsaintschurchdallas.org

BAPTIST

LAKESIDE BAPTIST / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Worship — 8:30 am Classic & 11:00 am Contemporary

Pastor Jeff Donnell / www.lbcdallas.com

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

All services & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45. Trad. & Blended (Sanctuary),

Contemporary (Great Hall), Amigos de Dios (Gym) / 214.860.1500

PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH / “A Church to Call Home”

Sundays: Bible Fellowship (all ages) 9:15 am /Service Time 11:00 am

12123 Hillcrest Road / 972.820.5000 / prestonwood.org

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00 am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

BIBLE CHURCHES

NORTH HIGHLANDS BIBLE CHURCH / www.nhbc.net / 9626 Church Rd.

Sunday: LifeQuest (all ages) 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am

Student Ministry: Wednesday & Sunday 7:00 pm / 214.348.9697

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / THE TABLE Worship 9:30 am

Worship 8:30 & 10:50 am / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

LUTHERAN

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln.

Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

METHODIST

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee

Worship: 8:30 am & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary

WHITE ROCK UNITED METHODIST / www.wrumc.org

1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

LAKE HIGHLANDS CHURCH / 9919 McCree / 214.348.0460

Sundays: Classes 9:30, Coffee 10:25, Assembly 10:45

Home groups meet on weeknights. / lakehighlandschurch.org

PRESBYTERIAN

LAKE HIGHLANDS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 214.348.2133

8525 Audelia Road at NW Hwy. / www.lhpres.org

9:00 am Contemporary, 9:55 am Christian Ed., 11:00 am Traditional

UNITY

UNITY OF DALLAS / A Positive Path For Spiritual Living

6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 / 972.233.7106 / UnityDallas.org

Sunday services: 9:00 am & 11:00 am

GET OUT OF DODGE

Are you going places?

Summer plans often include vacations away from home. Whether you board a plane for Europe, a train for Chicago, or a minivan for grandma’s house, taking a trip gets you out of your comfort zone.

Turns out that if you are going places, you may end up going places. Travel not only takes you places, it stretches you in ways that are good for you.

The Bible tells of one journey after another that ends up being soul travel. God called Abram to leave his home in Mesopotamia to go to a land God would show him. So Abram went. That’s all we hear about his decision to leave everything and go. The payoff of that answered call to travel was that he became the father of multitudes and the forebear of the three great monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Jesus forsook a quiet life among kin in Galilee for a showdown with demonic powers that needed defeating. He knew in his bones he had to travel to Jerusalem. It wasn’t vacation; it was vocation. His sacrificial journey taught his followers not to settle. Each of us, too, has to risk security for salvation.

St. Paul’s missionary journeys across the Mediterranean broke the church out of its provincialism. Christianity thus began 2,000-plus years of adaptation to culture. Faith truly is at home in the world only when it refuses to make itself at home in any part of the world.

Homer’s “Odyssey,” Virgil’s adaptation of it called “The Aeneid,” and Dante’s spiritualized rendering of the same theme in “The Divine Comedy” all employ this motif of life as a journey. Great things are learned on the move.

The peril of meeting up with people who live differently from you, who look and

dress and eat differently from your folk, who think and work and play differently from the clan you were reared in, is more promising than the opposite peril of staying put. Never venturing far from home, you breed fear of outsiders, reinforce walls of prejudice, and pass on only local knowledge. When you encounter a wider world, you find that kindness takes you far, that

hospitality to strangers is in your self-interest, and that God is bigger than your tribe.

Travel teaches flexibility. It tests ingenuity. It expands the soul.

Of course, you can travel like you never left home: insulating yourself from the foreigners you visit by staying inside the resort the whole time and never interacting with the people. You can eat at McDonald’s almost anywhere and miss the flavors of foods you would never taste otherwise. You can carry the ugly American brand with you instead of showing off our national spirit of discovery. But what would be the point of leaving home if you don’t really leave home at home?

In the last of his “Four Quartets” called “Little Gidding,” the poet T. S. Eliot hints that it is the God who made us who beckons us to embark on this spiritual journey. “With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling/ We shall not cease from exploration/ And the end of all our exploring/ Will be to arrive where we started/ And know the place for the first time.”

You have to leave home in order to know it.

Great things are learned on the move

Travel teaches flexibility. It tests ingenuity. It expands the soul.

George Mason is pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church. The Worship section is a regular feature underwritten by Advocate Publishing and by the neighborhood business people and churches listed on these pages. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

Local Resources

TO ADVERTISE 214.560.4203

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

ALL AGES: LEARN PIANO WITH WADE COTTINGHAM LakewoodPianoLab.com Since 1998. 214-564-6456

ART: Draw/Paint. Adults All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Yearly fee. 18-59 yrs-$15, 60+$10 Mon-1-3: Wed 10:15-1:15, Jane Cross, 214-534-6829.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

Casa Linda Plaza. Art Classes & Drop In Pottery Painting For All Ages. 214-821-8383. Tues-Sat 10am-6pm

DRUM & PIANO LESSONS Your location. UNT Grad. BucherMusicSchool.com or call 214-484-5360, 469-831-7012

GUITAR OR PIANO Fun/Easy. Your Home. 11 Yrs Exp. Reasonable rates. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

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TUTORING: Writing coach. Manuscript Editor. 20+ years exp. 469-263-7004

On the money

The Lake Highlands Women’s League recently distributed $80,000 to multiple neighborhood agencies including Network of Community Ministries, which serves families in need within the Richardson ISD. Women’s league disbursements chair Julie Jodie gives the good news to Network’s Mary Barnes and Debbie Childre.

How the ball bounces

The Wildcat men’s soccer team went all the way to the regional tournament, finally losing in the second round to McKinney Boyd by one point. Wesley Osborn (pictured), Aaron Volkert, Grant Norris and Roberto Lopez were among the scorers during the playoffs.

Local BULLETIN BOARD

CHILDCARE

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982 Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

EMPLOYMENT

AIRLINE CAREERS Begin Here. Get Trained As FAA Certified Aviation Technician. Financial Aid For Qualified Students. Job Placement Assistance. AIM 866-453-6204

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SERVICES FOR YOU

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $60/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

A WILL? THERE IS A WAY Estate/Probate Matters-Free Consultation. 214-802-6768 MaryGlennAttorney.com

ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903

Proper sendoff

Roger Moon (right) retired after three years as the YMCA’s Executive Director. Aquatic Director Bobby Timmer and Lake Highlands Women’s League disbursements chair Julie Jodie joined him on his last day, when the LHWL presented a check for the Make-ASplash program — it teaches swimming to youngsters living in Lake Highlands-area apartments.

Welcoming committee

The Lake Highlands Chamber officially welcomed Gecko Hardware, located at Northwest Hwy. and Ferndale, to the neighborhood business community. In April they hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Haven Lake Highlands, the first phase of the Lake Highlands Town Center development. Ted Hill (center) recently founded the chamber.

Local BULLETIN BOARD

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

OSTEOPATHY—CRANIAL OSTEOPATH For structural or internal problems, head & body, newborn, young child, all ages. Liz Chapek, D.O. 214-341-8742. www.chapek.doctorsoffice.net

REED & RIORDAN PLLC Dallas Family Law Attorneys 10000 N Central Expy Dallas. 214-570-9555 reedriordan.com

TRAVEL

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JOURNEY WITH JANE for a unique travel experience. Travel dreams become reality. 469-662-5212. journeywithjane.com

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In-Home Professional Care Customized to maintain your pet’s routine In-Home Pet Visits & Daily Walks

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BUY/SELL/TRADE

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TEXAS RANGERS AND DALLAS STARS

front row seats. Share prime, front-row Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars tickets (available in sets of 10 games). Prices start at $105 per ticket (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available) Seats are behind the plate and next to the dugouts for the Rangers: seats are on the glass and on the Platinum Level for the Stars. Other great seats available starting at $60 per ticket. Entire season available except for opening game; participants randomly draw numbers prior to the season to determine a draft order fair for everyone. Call 214-560-4212 or rwamre@advocatemag.com

TOP CASH FOR CARS Any Car, Truck. Running or Not. Call for Instant Offer. 1-800-454-6951

ESTATE/GARAGE SALES

CLUTTERBLASTERS.COM-ESTATE SALES

Moving/DownSizing Sales, Storage Units. Organize/De-Clutter Donna 972-679-3100

ESTATE LIQUIDATORS DALLAS Prof. service since 1981 Call Ruth. 972-818-3000. 214-566-3861 estateliquidatorsdallas@yahoo.com

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203 JUNE

Moving, Retirement, Downsizing. One Piece or a Houseful. David Turner. 214-908-7688. dave2estates@aol.com

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CARPENTRY & REMODELING

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Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

CABINETRY & FURNITURE

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Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 214-324-7398

THE

CARPENTRY & REMODELING

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BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

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BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

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D SQUARED Design, Build, Remodel, Additions 214-213-2716

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right! www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

KITCHEN AND BATHROOM SPECIALISTS

JCI Remodeling: From Simple Updates to Full Remodeling Services. Competitive Pricing!

JCIRemodeling.com

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CLEANING SERVICES

AMAZON CLEANING Top To Bottom Clean. Fabiana.469-951-2948

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INGRID CLEANING SERVICES Reliable, Dependable. Habla Español 214-395-1190

MAID 4 YOU Bonded/Insured. Park Cities/M Streets Refs. Call Us First. Joyce.214-232-9629

MAID PRISTINE House Cleaning For Perfectionists. Reliable. Leticia. maidpristine.com 972-971-1571

MESS MASTERS Earth friendly housecleaning. 469-235-7272. www.messmasters.com Since ‘91

YOU HAVE IT MAID SERVICES

972-859-0287 bonded/insured. Youhaveitmaidservices.com

COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

ALL COMPUTER PROBLEMS SOLVED MAC/PC Great Rates! Keith 214-295-6367

BILL’S COMPUTER REPAIR

Virus Removal, Data Recovery. Home/Biz Network Install. All Upgrades & Repairs. PC Instruction. No Trip Fee. 214-348-2566

CONCRETE/ MASONRY/PAVING

BRICK & STONE REPAIR

Don 214-704-1722

BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319

BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS Mortar Repair. Call George 214-498-2128

CONCRETE REPAIRS/REPOURS

Demo existing. Stamping and Staining Driveways/Patio/Walkways

Pattern/Color available

Free Estimates

972-672-5359 (32 yrs.)

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001

EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001

Swimming Pool Remodels • Patios Stone work • Stamp Concrete

972-727-2727

Deckoart.com

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

4 U ELECTRICAL SERVICE, LLC

We will be there 4 U. 972-877-4183

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com

Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 214-328-1333

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

EXPERIENCED LICENSED ELECTRICIAN Insd. Steve. TECL#27297 214-718-9648

GOVER ELECTRIC Back Up Generators. New And Remodel Work. Commercial & Residential. All Service Work. 469-230-7438. TECL2293

LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

TEXAS ELECTRICAL • 214-289-0639

Honest, Quality. TECL 24668 CCs accepted.

TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd. E795. 214-850-4891

FENCING & DECKS

#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

4 QUALITY FENCING Call Mike 214-507-9322

Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC.

Automatic Gates, Iron & Cedar Fencing, Decks. Since 1996. MC/V 214-621-3217

HANNAWOODWORKS.COM Decks,Doors, Carpentry, Remodeling 214-435-9574

KIRKWOOD FENCE & DECK

New & Repair. Free Estimates.

Nathan Kirkwood. 214-341-0699

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975

Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com

All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

EST. 1991 #1

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates

cowboyfenceandiron.com

FIREPLACE SERVICES

CHIMNEY SWEEP Dampers/Brick & Stone Repair. DFW Metro. Don 214-704-1722

FLOORING & CARPETING

ALL WALKS OF FLOORS 214-616-7641

Carpet, Wood, Tile Sales/Service Free Estimates

DALLAS CARPET OUTLET Carpet/Wood/Tile. dallascarpetoutlet.com 214-342-1100

HASTINGS STAINED CONCRETE New/ Remodel. Stain/Wax Int/Ext. Nick. 214-341-5993. www.hastingsfloors.com

WILLEFORD HARDWOOD FLOORS

214-824-1166

• WillefordHardwoodFloors.com

FLOORING & CARPETING

Restoration Flooring

HANDYMAN SERVICES

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HOUSE PAINTING BRIAN GREAM

PAINTING

25+ Years Experience

469.774.3147

Hardwood Installation · Hand Scraping Sand & Finish · Dustless restorationflooring.net

FOUNDATION REPAIR

• Slabs • Pier & Beam

• Mud Jacking • Drainage

• Free Estimates

• Over 20 Years Exp. 972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

GARAGE DOORS

ROCKET GARAGE DOOR SERVICE -24/7. Repairs/Installs. 214-533-8670. Coupon On Web. www.RocketDoorService.com

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

A FATHER, SON & GRANDSON TEAM Expert Window Cleaning. Haven 214-327-0560

CLEARWINDOWSANDDOORS.COM

Replacement Windows & Doors Free Estimate 214-274-5864

DOVETAIL CUSTOM SHUTTERS Louis Wiggins 214-342-0889 dovetailshutters.com

LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR custom mirrors • shower enclosures store fronts • casements 214-349-8160

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HANDYMAN SERVICES

#1 AT BIG JOBS. NO JOB TOO SMALL. 40+ years exp. Ron Payne 214-755-9147

A R&G HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044

ALL STAR HOME CARE Carpentry, Glass, Tile, Paint, Doors, Sheetrock Repair, and more. 25 yrs. exp. References. Derry 214-505-4830

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right. www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

HONEST, SKILLED SERVICE With a Smile. General Repairs/ Maintenance. 214-215-2582

WANTED: ODD JOBS & TO DO LISTS

Allen’s Handyman & Home Repair 214-288-4232

Your Home Repair Specialists

Drywall

Safety

HOME INSPECTION

KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT

BATHTUB, COUNTERTOP & TILE Resurfacing: Walls, Tub Surrounds, Showers. Glaze or Faux Stone finishes. Affordable Alternative to Replacement! 972-323-8375. PermaGlazeNorthDallas.com

D.R. TILE SERVICE

Free Estimates•Wood•Marble•Tile•Travertine Kitchens & Baths•Countertops. 214-536-0045

FENN CONSTRUCTION Any Tile Anywhere. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” Remodels

HOUSE PAINTING

1 AFFORDABLE HOUSE PAINTING and Home Repair. Quality work. Inside and Out. Free Ests. Local Refs. Ron 972-816-5634 or 972-475-3928

#1 GET MORE PAY LES

Painting. 85% Referrals. Free Est. 214-348-5070

A+ INT/EXT PAINT & DRYWALL

Since 1977. Kirk Evans. 972-672-4681

A1 TOP COAT Professional. Reliable. References. TopCoatOfTexas.com 214-770-2863

ABRAHAM PAINT SERVICE A Women Owned Business 25 Yrs. Int/Ext. Wall Reprs. Discounts On Whole Interiors and Exteriors 214-682-1541

ALL TYPES Painting & Repairs. A+ BBB rating. Any size jobs welcome. Call Kenny 214-321-7000

BENJAMIN’S PAINTING SERVICE Quality

Work At Reasonable Prices. 214-725-6768

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Painting Interior/Exterior, Stain Etc. Custom Finishes, Custom Texture, Custom Trim www.blake-construction.com

Fully Bonded & Insured. 214-563-5035

MANNY’S HOME PAINTING & REPAIR

Int./Ext. Sheetrock. Manny 214-334-2160

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT

Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

ROMEO’S PAINTING Int/Ext. Drywall, Damage Repair. Prep House To Sell. 214-789-0803

TONY’S PAINTING SERVICE Quality Work Since 1984. INT/EXT 214-755-2700

VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111

Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

MELROSE TILE James Estrello Sr., Installer 40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS

Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. 972-276-9943 stoneage.dennis@verizon.net

TOM HOLT TILE 30 Yrs Experience In Tile, Backsplashes & Floors. Refs. Avail. 214-770-3444

WE REFINISH!

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

www.allsurfacerefinishing.com

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

25% OFF TREE WORK Trim. Roberts Tree Svc. Insd. 10 yrs exp. 214-808-8925

A BETTER TREE COMPANY • JUST TREES Complete tree services. Tree & Landscape Lighting! Mark 214-332-3444

A&B LANDSCAPING Full Landscape & Lawn Care Services. Degreed Horticulturist. 214-534-3816

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

ALL YARD SERVICES Fertilization, Trim, Edge, Color. Com./ Res. 30 Yrs. Exp. Call Brooks. 972-279-3564, 214-923-5439

AYALA’S LANDSCAPING SERVICE

Call the Land Expert Today! Insured. 214-773-4781

CHUPIK TREE SERVICE

Trim, Remove, Stump Grind. Free Est. Insured. 214-823-6463

COLE’S LAWN CARE • 214-327-3923

Quality Service with a Personal Touch.

DALLAS K.D.R.SERVICES • 214-349-0914

Lawn Service & Landscape Installation

GREENSKEEPER Winter Clean Up & Color. Sodding, Fertilization. Lawn Maintenance & Landscape. Res/Com. 214-546-8846

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061

ORTIZ LAWNCARE Complete Yard Care. Service by Felipe. Free Est. 214-215-3599

RONS LAWN Organic Solutions. Not Environmental Pollution. Landscape & Maintenance 972-222-LAWN (5296)

SERIOUSLY METICULOUS Verdant Grounds. 214-763-0492

SPRINKLER REPAIR SPECIALIST $25Off. 972-226-1925 www.rainmakertx.com LI#7732

TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 M-469-853-2326. John

THE POND MAN Water Gardens Designed & Installed. Drained & Cleaned. Weekly Service. Jim Tillman 214-769-0324

TRACY’S LAWN CARE • 972-329-4190

Lawn Mowing & Leaf Cleaning

U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Your Personal Yard Service by Uwe Reisch uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

WATER-WISE URBAN LANDSCAPES www.TexasXeriscapes.com 469-586-9054

PLUMBING

ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521

# M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. plumberiffic69@gmail.com

Sewers • Drains • Bonded 24 Hours/7 Days

*Joe Faz 214-794-7566 - Se Habla Español*

ARRIAGA PLUMBING: Faucet, Sewer, Sink Repairs. Water Leaks. Water Heaters, Gas Testing. Remodels, Shower Pans, Stoppages. Insured. Lic 20754. Since the 80’s 214-321-0589, 214-738-7116,CC’s Accptd

HAYES PLUMBING INC. Repairs. Insured, 214-343-1427 License M13238

JUSTIN’S PLUMBING SERVICE For All Your Plumbing Needs. ml#M24406 972-523-1336. www.justinsplumbing.com

M&S PLUMBING Quality Work & Prompt Service. Jerry. 214-235-2172. lic.#M-11523

NTX PLUMBING SPEC. LLLP 214-226-0913

Lic. M-40581 Res/Com. Repairs & Leak Location

REPAIRS, Fixtures, General Plumbing, Senior Discounts. Campbell Plumbing. 214-321-5943

SPECK PLUMBING

Over 30 Yrs Exp. Licensed/Insured. 214-732-4769, 214-562-2360

POOLS

ADAIR POOL & SPA SERVICE

1 month free service for new customers. Call for details. 469-358-0665.

LEAFCHASERS POOLS

Parts and Service. Chemicals and Repairs. Jonathan. 214-729-3311

LOCK’S POOL SERVICE - 469-235-2072

40 years experience. Pool Electrical TICL #550

MICHAEL’S POOL SERVICE

Maintenance & Repair 214-727-7650

ROOFING & GUTTERS

A&B GUTTER 972-530-5699

Clean Out, Repair/Replace. Leaf Guard. Free Estimates. Lifetime Warranty

ROOFING & GUTTERS

Never re-roof again. Free 10-Point Inspection & Estimate Shake, Slate, Shingle, Tile,

•Exterior

A Better Tree Company

WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS Professionals, Experts, Artists. Trim, Rmv, Cable Repair, Cavity-Fill Stump Grind. Emergency Hazards. Insd. Free Est. 972-803-6313 JUST

MEDRANO ROOFING Resd/Comm. Quality Service & Craftsmanship. Free Est. 469-867-2129

NATIONWIDE ROOFING

Fencing, Gutters BBB member. 214-882-8719

Allstate Homecraft Roofing

BERT ROOFING INC.

Family owned and operated for over 40 years • Residential/Commercial

Over 30,000

Production be sure to CHECK ALL PAGES

SOMEONE KNOCKED HER DOWN.

UPDATE all instances of an ad

Carol Compton had been doing some grocery shopping that night, strolling the aisles that night and making her selections. She checked out, grabbed her bags, and headed out the front door. She carried a new lavender purse, which she loved because it had big pockets and was made of soft leather. The bag was perfect, Compton says.

She had parked near the entrance, and as she made her way to her vehicle, she noticed two black men she guessed were between the ages of 18 and 20 standing near the door.

“All of a sudden, they pushed me down on the concrete,” she says. “The bigger one hit me at full speed.”

In the process of knocking her down,

The Victim: Carol Compton

The Crime: Theft from a person

Date: Tuesday, March 25

Time: 10:45 p.m.

Location: 10200 block of East Northwest Highway

the men snatched her purse, which included her cell phone, check book and credit cards. A woman who helped her to her feet said the two men had been seen in the area before and “were up to no good.”

The fall left her shaken and her leg injured. Even two weeks after the crime, Compton was still having trouble walking and was taking pain medication.

Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the

Northeast Patrol Division encourages residents who see anyone loitering around a business to notify police and help prevent crimes like this.

“If you see something, say something,” he says. “If something doesn’t seem right, tell someone — anyone — and preferably the police. A simple call of a suspicious person might prevent a crime.”

offer the finest floral arrangements in the neighborhood. LH Flowers is locally owned by Lake

WHAT I LEARNED INSIDE RISD

Our district shares its specific plan for education domination

COMMENT. Visit lakehighlands.advocatemag.com and search Ellen Raff to tell us what you think.

You know Richardson Independent School District is awesome, but don’t you wonder how and why?

First, let’s get a couple of comparisons with DISD out of the way. The districts differ in size (RISD’s 38,000 students compared to DISD’s 159,000) and percentage of economically disadvantaged students (RISD’s 58 percent compared to DISD’s 89 percent.) Ultimately, these numbers factor into a difference in college readiness: RISD’s 22.4 percent, compared to DISD’s 14.5 percent. (The average in Texas is 20.8 percent.)

RISD’s successes are driven by a capable board of trustees, proactive stewardship of financing and a no-drama superintendent, Dr. Kay Waggoner, who joined the district in 2010.

“Inside RISD” is a community outreach program designed to provide parents and local businesses a behindthe-scenes, in-depth look at the district. Participants meet once a month to be schooled on everything from administration to technology in the classroom. This time last year, I discovered the program and immediately volunteered to participate.

I haven’t regretted one meeting.

Our year began in early October, at the district headquarters on Greenville Avenue, where Waggoner and the board greeted us and answered questions. That was where I first heard of RISD’s improvement initiative called

“Vision 2020,” which lays out four specific goals that guide the board’s actions through the end of this decade.

Goal 1: Students are highly engaged in their educational life. The district asks the students for direct input on whether they find their classes interesting and relevant to their lives.

Whether they go to college or directly into the workforce, today’s students will need to be ready to hit the ground running with the latest technology. That’s why RISD strives to refresh technology every five years. We “Insiders” were challenged with opportunities to try iPads, apps, and interactive response buttons, which projected results instantly on screens in the classrooms.

If students have their own devices (iPads, smartphones or laptops), they can bring them to school at the secondary level. If they don’t have access to computers, some are available in the school’s libraries or even for home use during the school year.

Goal 2: Profound curriculum is the foundation for learning. By “profound” they mean vigorous, relevant, and incorporating 21st-century skills. Teaching toward “career clusters” gets kids thinking about turning their personal interests into future work.

Students now record their interests in a new online system called “Naviance,” which helps them keep track of their ideas. Naviance later becomes a springboard when it’s time to identify colleges or programs that will best fit individual interests.

Goal 3: RISD has high-performing, student-focused teachers. Whenever we observed teachers in action, it always reinforced my respect for them and their vocation. RISD focuses on

maintaining competitive salaries and also surveys teachers about job satisfaction. Budget cuts have translated into zero-to-minimal raises in recent years. Here’s hoping RISD’s lawsuit against the state will determine that Texas owes its schools more of the money it took away five years ago. (A decision is expected in May.)

Goal 4: RISD ensures excellence in operations. All through Robin Hood and the draconian legislature of 2011, RISD maintained a fund that ensures repayment of necessary bonds, along with stability of operations. At one session we met with the staff that runs security, maintenance and housekeeping for all the schools. We learned that field employees are monitored for productivity, and that almost every angle in every school is visible on camera. We viewed the design boards for current construction and renovations in the schools.

According to the RISD website, Inside RISD participants are “future members of district committees and teams — those who can help make a difference in the school community as opinion leaders.” If you are interested in attending, the best route is by referral through your PTA or principal of your school.

Even if you don’t go “inside,” you can visit RISD’s YouTube channel, where Dr. Waggoner stars in monthly updates about the district. Google “Spotlight on RISD” and connect to the latest video.

FOR MORE INFO go to risd.org/group/community/InsideRISD

SOURCES: risd.org educationblog.dallasnews.com dallas-area-schools.blogspot.com

Ellen Raff, a neighborhood resident, writes a monthly opinion column about neighborhood issues. Her opinions are not necessarily those of the Advocate or its management. Send comments and ideas to her at 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; FAX to 214.823.8866; or email editor@advocatemag.com.