2011 May Oak Cliff

EDUCATION, INTE R RUPTED

Life’s struggles threatened them, but these students fought for success

BLOGS, PODCASTS AND MORE AT

White Rock Lake Festival hosted by The White Rock Lake Foundation

Admission $5

White Rock Lake Centennial Half Marathon hosted by Dallas Running Club Register at www.centennialhalf.com

Family Fun Day

WRL Painting Day meet at Branchfield and W. Lawther, 8:30am Lake Demonstrations at Big Thicket, 10am www.whiterockdallas.org

Little League Baseball Tournament at Winfrey Point

Comerica LakewoodStock hosted by Lakewood Business Association www.lakewoodstock.com

Come watch the Centennial Sailing Regatta hosted by the White Rock Boat Club www.whiterockboatclub.org

2nd Annual White Rock Rowing Sprint Championships hosted by the White Rock Boathouse www.whiterockboathouse.com

Carry The Load hosted by Carry The Load and White Rock Lake Conservancy www.carrytheload.org

Last day to enter the Centennial Photo Contest hosted by the White Rock Lake Conservancy. Go online for details at www.whiterockdallas.org

The Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration is a marathon of events and activities to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of Dallas’ signature parks. Kicking off in March and culminating in a grand finale weekend in June, proceeds from the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration will help fund ten capital projects and improvements, including improving hike and bike trails, completely renovating the White Rock Dog Park and restoring the park forests.

The Comerica White Rock Centennial Celebration Pave the Way campaign allows families and businesses to forever commemorate their love of the lake on pavestones that will permanently grace the plaza at the spillway. Visit www.whiterockdallas.org to Pave the Way today.

To donate, buy tickets or for more information about the Comerica White Rock Lake Centennial Celebration, visit www.whiterockdallas.org or join us on Facebook at White Rock Dallas.

White Rock Lake Centennial Committee

2011 Designed by Allyn Media

Photo provided by Land Design Partners

fe Atures

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THe ToUrisTs

All Of u S Benef IT frOM A c A rInG GuIDe

During the past few years, we’ve visited quite a few colleges, preparing last year for our oldest’s decision and now giving our youngest a taste of what’s out there.

Speaking as the first in my family to attend college and as someone who didn’t visit the school I attended until it was too late to get into another one, these visits are a strangely numbing process.

There’s excitement, of course, about choosing a new home, and yet confusion and concern about making a mistake selecting the place where many of life’s crucial decisions could be formed, as if it’s possible to make the “right” life decision at 18 anyway.

Surprisingly, if you visit enough four-year colleges, the places start to run together. Public or private, expensive or not, many have or are building state-of-the-art student centers. And competition for students has spawned a surprising number of climbing walls, spin-class rooms, sushi restaurants and big-screen TVs — even many of the least expensive four-year colleges remind me of a cross between a sports bar and a cruise ship.

So after visiting lots of schools and trying, unsuccessfully for the most part, to view each spot through our potential student’s eyes, my wife and I concluded that there’s one thing that ultimately separates one school from another: the tour guide.

That’s right: A decision involving perhaps a hundred thousand dollars in educational “value” can boil down to whether a volunteer student tour guide was funny, entertaining, smart or simply a block-head.

In our travels, the schools judged most deficient were the ones that trotted out the most bored and disinterested tour guides, kids who acted (and sometimes even told us) they were a little too important to be leading a tour.

In fact, one tour guide spent a good portion of a 90-minute tour telling us repeatedly she wished they hadn’t called her in, but she was the only one in town and she wished she was still sleeping off the party from last night and this was a presumably high-achieving student at one of the country’s most highly rated private schools.

And the schools judged best by our sons? Often, it boiled down to tour guides who were enthusiastic, helpful and engaged. People who cared. People who went out of their way to make kids they’d never see again feel welcome, wanted and important. It wasn’t that they were the best advocates for their schools’ academics; it was that they were the most caring.

As it turns out, that same idea applies to stu-

dents featured in this month’s cover story. Many of them won’t be attending expensive colleges; in fact, most weren’t even on track to graduate from high school not long ago.

But if you read these stories, you’ll find there’s a “tour guide” of sorts who took an interest in these students, someone who helped guide them from almost certain failure to almost certain success.

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Someone — a teacher, a relative, a friend, a volunteer — convinced these students that their lives have value, that their efforts to succeed won’t be in vain, that if they focused their energy on accomplishments instead of bad breaks, they could break a cycle of misfortune and make something out of their lives.

Those of us who have been around awhile know that success in life isn’t as simple as just influencing someone in a positive direction. But for the most part, that’s where success begins. Most of us need a push from time to time, and it doesn’t take an expert to do the deed — it only takes someone who cares.

That’s how these teens found their way in life. And without an enthusiastic tour guide somewhere along the line, many of us wouldn’t be where we are today, either.

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Competition for students has spawned a surprising number of climbing walls, spin-class rooms, sushi restaurants and big-screen TVs.

Urban Hipster Checklist

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life on Jefferson

Our bloggers keep you updated on what’s new in the neighborhood’s most colorful corridor — Jefferson Boulevard.

To read these blog excerpts in full and to comment, search: Jefferson Boulevard life.

‘Dallas’ epis ODes every s un D ay nigh T aT Texas TheaT re

03.10.11 It’s the TV show that made us famous for something other than presidential assassination. The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, brings “Dallas” to the ’hood, screening every episode of the hit ’80s TV show at 8 p.m. Sundays.

The Texas, of course, is not just the best place for a Pearl Light in Dallas. It’s also where police nabbed Lee Harvey Oswald on Nov. 22, 1963.

Oak Cliff CinCO De MayO TO M ark 15 T h anniversary

03.25.11 “La Quinceañera” is the theme for this year’s celebration. Oak Cliff Coalition

Most popular bloG posts:

1. resTauranT Talk: Bee enChilaDeria search: enchiladas // 2. BishOp arTs DisTriCT sees upsWing in Car Break-ins search: upswing //

April 22nd 11am-12:30 Earth Day: Bountiful Backyard

Gardens Grow veggies, make compost, raise chickens & more!

April 23rd-24th Easter Egg Savings Save 10-30% off your entire purchase by finding colorful eggs in the garden center!

May 6th 12pm-1pm Start Tomato Seeds for Fall Harvest

3. Zang Triangle aparTMenTs unDer COnsTruCTiOn search: Triangle // 4. JeffersOn BOulevarD reviTaliZaTiOn: neW neighBOrs Bring neW life search: revitalization // 5. ODDfellOWs resTauranT TO Offer Dinner serviCe search: Oddfellows

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for the Arts started the celebration in 1997, and now their baby is all grown up.

A parade, just one of the events, will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 7, and begins at Jefferson and Cumberland.

—RACHEL STONE

JEFFERSON BOULEVARDREVITALIZATION: NEWNEIGHBORSBRINGNEWLIFE

03.30.11 In the past year, several new neighbors have moved onto Jefferson, the longtime heart of Oak Cliff, giving the street added life and vitality. Three of them are particularly unique.

The historic Texas Theatre is bringing folks from across the river with film classics, indie films, Texas-based documentaries and awards show watch parties. The bar is becoming a neighborhood hangout, particularly in view of its fine martini.

In the nonprofit arena, AIDS Arms now has its professional staff on four floors of Jefferson Tower. More than 75 staffers who now work at that historic building are patronizing the restaurants and shops in the area.

The Oak Cliff Cultural Center has recently opened and has already hosted many art exhibits. The Center is next door to the Texas Theatre and, between the two venues, Jefferson Boulevard is increasingly becoming an entertainment destination for the entire city.

—SCOTT CHASE

FIND EVENTS

Let the Advocate help you find fun things to do in our neighborhood! We can also help you get the word out about your own event. Create a listing for free, or receive extra attention with an enhanced Showcase listing. Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/events.

SEND WEBSUGGESTIONSTO

crobinson@advocatemag.com

L aUncH

Restaurateur Monica G R eene grew up in Mexico c ity in a wealthy family. She came to Dallas in the early ’80s to attend college. i nstead, she found a passion for the service industry and a 30-year career as one of the city’s best-known restaurant owners. Her newest concept, B ee : Best e nchiladas e ver, opened in o ak c liff this year. a nd she hopes the build-your-own enchiladas concept will spread like pollen among the blooms.

What inspired the concept for BEE?

I’m from Mexico City. I love Mexican food, and that’s the one thing I know the best. I didn’t want to open a taquería. A lot of people are doing a real good job with that. So I wanted to do something that is fast, casual and fresh. Enchiladas are a Mexican food segment that has not been explored. Where I come from, that’s comfort food.

A lot of people compare it to Which Wich or Chipotle because of the build-yourown aspect.

BEE was created to be a new kind of fast-casual concept. We feel once you taste the five-hour cooked brisket, you’re going to go “Mmm. Pretty, pretty good.” There are 1,200 combination possibilities. If you split the sauces, like a lot of people do, then the possibilities are endless. It’s a really unique product.

How is it going so far?

It’s going fantastic. We’re looking for another location, and I think we’ve found one. BEE was created to be a brand that could grow nationally. There’s a reason why people open businesses like this. You create jobs and expand, and you get to do something you always wanted to do. I hope to create a lot of little colonies that can create jobs and do something good for the world. Benito, the bee, is a recognizable logo. It’s trademark registered.

CAN YOU SAY WHERE THE NEXT LOCATION WILL BE?

We haven’t signed a lease yet, so we can’t announce it. It’s not in Dallas. It’s in the surrounding area.

YOU HAVE A WAY OF CREATING UNIQUE CONCEPTS. I REMEMBER WHEN YOUR MONICA’S ACAYALLA IN DEEP ELLUM WAS THE MOST HAPPENING PLACE IN TOWN. I opened Deep CityDeli first. It was a little supermarket in Deep Ellum. It was way ahead of its time, and even today it would be ahead of its time. Then I opened a steakhouse called Cayuse at Hall and OakLawn, and now they have concepts like Texas Land and Cattle, who are doing it much better than I did. I opened Picasso Taquería downtown on Main Street in the ’90s. Monica’s opened in 1992 with nothing over $10. It’s still going after 20 years. I know Deep Ellum is supposed to be coming back; people keep saying that, but we want it to be a reality. We’re hanging on there, and we hope to be there another 30 or 40 years. Monica’s will always be there.

WHYDID YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO PUT A RESTAURANT HERE?

I used to live in Oak Cliff before it was cool to live in Oak Cliff. I lived in Stevens Park for six years, and then I decided to run for city council, so I moved to Deep Ellum. SoI still live in Deep Ellum. I’m happy where I am, but it would be nice to live in Oak Cliff again. Oak Cliff has always represented a small town. People are very proud to be from Oak Cliff. They don’t just tell you they’re from Oak Cliff. They tell you what street they live on. There is so much diversity: gay, straight, Mexican, black. Everyone lives together here. It’s a very different environment. That’s why I want to be here. I want to be part of that.

THIS IS SUCH A TOUGH BUSINESS. WHYDO YOU THINK YOU’VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT IT?

If you go into Monica’s right now, there is a guy, Jose Huerta, who has worked with me since 1983. About 70 percent of the people at Monica’s have been with me since its inception. Four of them are now my business partners. I’m very proud of the fact that we consider ourselves family. It’s been a very rewarding career. My father was very upset with me for choosing this business. I was supposed to be an engineer. I call the restaurant business a noble profession because you get to touch people every day. I was really born to serve, and that’s what I want to do. When I hire people, I have a very unorthodox way of interviewing. I ask them what book are they reading, what music do they like. You’re going to spend more time with them than with your kids. It’s important to get a person who has a good attitude, some sense of pride and happiness.

—RACHEL STONE

PETPAUSE dirty nose

EINSTEIN was rescued from Dallas Animal Services and now lives the good life in Oak Cliff with owner KATHEE CROUGH.

out&about

05.01

05.07.11

oa K CLI ff CI n C o de M ayo

FREE Jefferson Boulevard will transform into a huge festival, celebrating Cinco de Mayo and the 15th anniversary of the Oak Cliff Coalition for the Arts Inc., which promotes arts education. Fittingly, the theme is “La Quinceañera”, and the party starts at 11 a.m. with a parade on East Jefferson at 200 S. Cumberland. It’s billed as the largest Cinco de Mayo parade in North Texas, including marching bands and folkloric dance groups, and draws thousands of spectators. The noon-8 p.m. festival follows at Casa Guanajuato at Brooklyn and Polk, featuring food booths, more dance performances, school groups and other activities. First, second and third-place trophies will be awarded to the best parade floats. 1002 Brooklyn, 214.569.8381. —E

MILy TOMAN

05.05 and 05.08 BLue deMon fILM feStIVaL $9-$12 La Academia de Estrellas, a charter school at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, is raising money by celebrating a famous luchador and movie star. This two-day film festival at the Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, examines the life of wrestler the Blue Demon, aka Alejandro Muñoz Moreno. Moreno was born in Nuevo Leon and is considered by many a national hero. He died in 2000. The festival includes screenings of a 30-minute documentary, “The History of the Blue Demon”, and a feature film starring the Blue Demon, “The Mummies of Guanajuato”. The wrestler’s son, “Blue Demon Jr.”, has inherited the mask and will be onhand for Q&A sessions at both screenings. Tickets are $9 for children and $12 for adults. thetexastheatre.com.

05.07 SIde WaLK StorIeS $12-$25

Contemporary Ballet Dallas closes its 10th anniversary season with a performance at 8 p.m. at the Texas Theatre. “Sidewalk Stories” includes all original works, examining urban life from different perspectives. Admission is $22 for adults and $12 for students if purchased in advanced. Tickets are available at the door for $25 and $15, respectively. 231 W. Jefferson, contemporaryballetdallas.com.

dr. StranGeLoVe $8 The Texas Theatre launches a new film series to celebrate Oak Cliff, beginning with a screening of “Dr. Strangelove” to honor Terry Southern. Southern, who wrote the screenplay for the 1964 film with Stanley Kubrick, grew up in our neighborhood and attended Winnetka Elementary and Sunset High School. The theater has dubbed May 1 “Terry Southern Day”. 231 W. Jefferson, 512.936.4639, thetexastheatre.com.

Delicious

A guide to dining & drinking in our neighborhood

Oddfell O ws Seventh & Madi S on 214.944.5958

oddfellow S dalla S .co M

Breakfa St Bounty

e ven at 2 in the afternoon, Oddfellows is buzzing with a substantial crowd. They come for the beignets, the signature eggs benedict and the towering buttermilk pancakes. But the coffee is the star of the show here. And it should be, with a $15,000 espresso machine, the newest model of the La Marzocco Strada. “A big part of doing coffee right is having the right equipment,” says Chad Sepulveda, one of eight owners, who also include Oak Cliff luminaries Jason Roberts, Matt Spillers and Amy Cowan. The Strada allows baristas to manually control the steam pressure to make each latte perfect. Sepulveda says the machine is also quite rare. “Last we checked, there were four,” he says. Oddfellows sources the top-notch Austin roaster, Cuvee Coffee, rotating its selection every month. The menu follows a concept of timeless dishes — pancakes, bagels, omelettes things that never get old. “They’re things people want to eat all the time,” Sepulveda says. After a successful run with breakfast and brunch, the restaurant recently began offering dinner, another menu centered on comfort food items such as fried chicken, cheeseburgers and fried green tomato sandwiches. —Emily

The owners of Hula Hotties Café have gone i talian with a new look and a new menu, including brunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. daviS & elSBeth 214.943.2233

2 n o R ma’s Café

you can’t beat the indulgent biscuits and gravy at this longstanding oak Cliff establishment. daviS & willoMet 214.946.4711 norMaScafe.coM

3 tI llman’s Roadhouse

Toman

Pictured: Top, buttermilk pancakes with seasonal fruit; right, latte

food and wine online. Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/dining

During its Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., this Bishop a rts staple offers a hangover breakfast platter for four, which includes a variety of items such as the restaurant’s signature dish, Bennie & the Jets — poached eggs and pulled pork over blue corn pancakes with green chile baconadaise. Seventh & MadiSon 214.942.0988

tillManSroadhouSe.coM

1 InfoRzato’s Café

EAT S in our neighborhood

The BEST

ASIAN MINT $$ODFBWB Our Highland Park location, The Mint, offers an array of Asian-fused cuisine, specializing in Bangkok style dishes. We feature farm fresh ingredients, beautifully presented, coupled with a chic atmosphere and friendly service. Happy Hour is 5pm-6:30pm Mon.-Fri. – all beers and house wines are $3; $2 off appetizers, soups & salads. 4246 Oak Lawn Ave. 214.219.6469. The Asian Mint, along with its fused and sushi menus, also offers one of the best dessert bars in Dallas. 11617 N. Central Expwy. 214.363.6655. themintdallas.com

BACK COUNTRY BBQ $WB Over 30 years of Texas-style BBQ. Family dining –8 different meats, variety of homemade vegetables. Complete catering & custom cooking. Beer, wine, margaritas. 6940 Greenville Ave. 214.696.6940.

TEX MEX GRILL $WB

If you are looking for great Tex-Mex dining at reasonable prices try Tex Mex Grill and Cafe at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Plano Rd. Everything on the menu is quickly prepared using fresh ingredients. Offering a different lunch special each day, beginning at $4.99. Private Party room, seats 40 people. Adult beverages are limited to margaritas and beer. Catering beginning at $6.50 per person. New Hours: Mon- Sat 11 am - 10 pm, Sunday 10 am - 4 pm ALL DAY BRUNCH texmexlakehighalnds.com

THE GOODS

LE JAJA DE JAUSYRAH ($12) FRANCE>

Mother’s Day is upon us, so here are a few thoughts giving Mom wine and serving wine for a Mother’s ner or brunch.

First and foremost, if you know what Mom give it to her. That means that if she appreciates white zinfandel, let her drink white zinfandel. aren’t the wine police.

Second, don’t worry too much about pairing wine and food. You aren’t the wine police there, either. If Mom likes red wine with fish or white wine with beef, she’s allowed to drink it.

To that end, here are three wines that offer value and fit those criteria:

PAINTING WITH A TWIST

Express your inner artist! Instructors lead attendees in creating paintings with a featured piece of art, bring nothing more than your imagination, wine or beverage. Perfect for Private Parties as well. 5202 Lovers Ln. 214.350.9911 paintingwithatwist.com

This French red isn’t quite the steal that it was in the old days, but still offers decent wine at a decent price. Best yet, it’s a fruity red wine that pairs with everything from roast chicken to roast lamb.

This is an odd white blend from Australia riesling, sauvignon blanc and marsanne. It’s not sweet, despite the riesling, but is clean and crisp with bit of lemon fruit. It’s a shellfish and salad wine.

This is very well done California chardonnay — oak for people who like that sort of thing, plus green apple fruit and enough acid to balance the fruit and the oak. The wine to treat Mom with.

—JEFF SIEGEL

GLASSHOUSE

Silvered and Antiqued Blue Glass Tiles of All Shapes and Sizes. For use on any wall or ceiling surface. Showroom: 905 Dragon St. 214.761.1100 glasshouseproducts.com

JEFF SIEGEL’SWEEKLYWINE REVIEWS appear every Wednesday on oakcliff.advocatemag.com

WITH YOUR WINE Roast chicken thighs with mustard, garlic and rosemary

Like roast chicken, but dislike how long it takes? Then try roasting individual parts. Thighs are the quickest, but you can also use breasts. Just let them cook a little longer. Any of the wines mentioned here would pair well.

Serves 4, takes about 40 minutes

8 chicken thighs

1/3 c Dijon-style mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp rosemary, ground

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450. Combine mustard, garlic, rosemary and 3 Tbsp olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Salt and pepper the thighs. In an oven-safe pan large enough to hold all the chicken, sauté the thighs, starting skin side down, in 1 Tbsp olive oil for about 3 1/2 minutes on each side, until well browned.

3. Put the thighs in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Flip the thighs over so the skin side is down, and brush the mustard mixture on the thighs. Cook for 10 minutes, flip again, and brush the mustard on the skin side of chicken. Cook 10 or 15 minutes more until chicken is done.

ask the WINE GUY?

WHY IS RESTAURANT WINE SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WINE IN STORES?

This is one of the most controversial parts of the wine business, and there are many reasons. But, typically, restaurants charge three times what the wine costs the restaurant. And why do they do it?

Because they can.

—JEFF SIEGEL

test of strength

Neighborhood seniors overcome obstacles to achieve academic success

Story

by Rachel Stone

Photos by Can Turkylimaz and Benjamin Hager

High school graduation is a milestone.

Some acquire their diploma easily. Others earn theirs against all odds.

These graduating seniors didn’t let life’s blows keep them down. This month, they will cross the commencement stage knowing their tribulations made them stronger.

WATCH

A VIDEO at lakehighlands. advocatemag.com/ video

KIMBERLY AGUIRRE is not going to Mountain View College.

It’s a perfectly good school, but she’s determined to attend a university, and it’s not going to be in Dallas.

The 17-year-old senior at Adamson High School was born in Oak Cliff to a 15-year-old mother and raised here by her grandparents. When she enrolls at the University of Houston next fall, she will be the first person in

her family to attend college outside of Oak Cliff.

Her grandparents, whom she calls mom and dad, were born in Mexico. Their traditional values call for sons and daughters to live at home until they’re married. Her aunts and uncles, whom she considers brothers and sisters, all followed that tradition.

But Aguirre is different.

continued on page 21

Just after he was born, his dad committed suicide. And when he was 5 years old, he was in a car accident that injured his digestive system.

Possibly one of the best-liked students at Sunset High School, Reyes could pass for 14 or 15. But he has an old soul.

“I feel old already,” he says. “My friends will come and ask for advice about their girlfriend or whatever, and I’m like ‘Why are you asking me?’ ” he says.

They tell him it’s because he has been through a lot in life.

He has certainly known a lot of pain.

For most of his life, he blamed himself for his dad’s death, and he thinks some of his relatives blame him, too.

The car accident that damaged his intestines left him with digestive difficulties that many hospital stays, many doctors and many medications couldn’t solve.

When he was about 12 years old, he decided to stop taking medication for his digestive system. He was tired of always trying something new and dealing with a whole new set of side effects for little or no relief.

Reyes closes his eyes, shakes his head from side to side and sucks air through his teeth, remembering his stomach pains.

There were good days. But most mornings, he forced himself to stand up, get out of bed and go to school.

And when he got there, he often stayed quiet. He didn’t want anyone to touch him or talk to him.

“If I had a headache or something, it wouldn’t bother me,” he says. “But when my stomach would hurt, I would be in agony. I would be so frustrated, and I would have mood swings.”

But he was there, and he was learning.

One morning last year, around Halloween, Reyes woke up in tears. His stomach had been bothering him for weeks, and he couldn’t stand it any longer. He asked his aunt to drive him to the emergency room at Methodist hospital.

“I told her, ‘Watch. You’ll take me to the hospital, and I won’t get out for a month,’” he recalls.

Doctors removed a portion of his intestines. It was a difficult and painful surgery with a long recovery time. He stayed in the hospital until just before Christmas. And he was in homebound classes until the end of January.

Now, he can’t lift anything over 20 pounds. But he is healed from the surgery.

Reyes is on the golf team, and he’s

in theater tech, doing all the lighting and sound for the school’s stage performances.

“He came to school when he was sick, and he refused to graduate a year later,” assistant principal Belinda Rosas-Delgado says. “He would come to school even when he was not supposed to.”

The 20-pound weight limit prevents him from doing some of the things he used to do. But he still volunteers to help teachers with their rooms — painting, hanging pictures and reconfiguring desks.

And in the summer, he volunteers at the Hampton-Illinois Branch Library.

After his graduation in May, Reyes and his mom plan to go to his dad’s grave and take pictures with his cap and gown, holding the diploma.

“Now I’m like, ‘You know what? That’s not my fault. That’s his fault,’ ” he says.

Reyes is the second person in his family to graduate from high school, after his mom.

He plans to attend community college and transfer to a university to study theater tech.

Two life-changing events happened to 19-year-old FERNANDO REYES before he entered kindergarten.

continued from page 19

“I love Oak Cliff, and hopefully, after I graduate, I can come back here and be a teacher,” she says. “But I don’t want to be in a bubble and not see the world.”

That attitude is a change from a year ago, when Aguirre almost dropped out of high school.

She had attended private schools all her life. But when the recession hit, her grandfather was laid off from his job as a janitor, and she had to switch to public school. It was a rough time, and Aguirre wanted to drop out so she could work full time and help the family.

“My mom looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘No. You’re not dropping out,’ ” she recalls.

She started spending time in Adamson’s Education is Freedom office, where the nonprofit’s employees help students prepare for college.

She found a role model and mentor in “Miss Kim”, Education is Freedom’s Kimberly D’Mello.

“If it wasn’t for her and this whole organization, I would’ve never gone,” she says. “I might go to Mountain View and get a part-time job or something. But I wouldn’t be going away to college.”

It took many months of stubbornness, but Aguirre’s parents finally accepted her decision to go away to college.

“Kim was never given any support from her family with respect to forwarding her education, but she realized that in order to get out of the struggle, she needs to get a college degree,” D’Mello says.

“To her family, college was for rich people. It took her years to get her grandmother to let her apply to a university.”

Recently, Aguirre’s parents went with her on a university visit, and they started to see her side of it, she says.

“I’m not going to be left behind and not do anything with my life. I’m not going to have a baby,” she says. “I want something bigger. I don’t want conformity. I want something big.”

Aguirre plans to earn a degree in education from University of Houston and become an ESL teacher.

HEALTH RESOURCE R

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OPHTHALMOLOGIST

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years

“If I didn’t see half the things my mom did to me, then maybe I’d be a little bit different than I am,” she says. “Maybe I would be a happier person and maybe not as insecure.”

Tovar, an 18-year-old senior at Adamson High School, was born to a teenage mom. From the time she was a baby, she bounced from one caregiver to another. She stayed with her grandma for about two years. Once, her mom asked an aunt to watch little Ariel while she went to the store; mom didn’t return for two months.

Later, when her mom was fighting with a live-in boyfriend, the boyfriend gave her mother an ultimatum: the kid or me.

“She didn’t say anything,” Tovar says. “She just let me go that easily over some guy.”

The next day, her mom drove her to San Antonio to live with her grandma.

While she was there, from the ages of 8 to 12, she says a male relative regularly molested her.

She received what she describes as a strict Christian upbringing from her grandma. And she has two aunts who she says love her and often help her out in life. One is her mom’s sister, who lives in the Dallas area, and the other is her uncle’s ex-wife, who lives in San Antonio.

Tovar returned to live with her mother eventually, but after a fight last year, she

ARIEL TOVAR has a tattoo on her chest that reads,

was kicked out of the house.

“I had no car, no money, no job, nothing,” she says.

So she couch surfed, spending the night with friends, with her aunt, living in a different place every night or two. That went on for three months, but Tovar made sure she never missed a day of school.

She always told herself she didn’t want to be like her mom.

“She dropped out of high school, and she had a difficult childhood, too,” she says. “If I’m like her, then I’m going to be dependent on other people for everything, for comfort, for happiness, for money, everything.”

Kimberly D’Mello of Education is Freedom says Tovar is naturally ambitious.

“She doesn’t want to work for minimum wage all her life,” she says. “College has always been a goal. She knows that’s her ticket to the life she wants to live.”

Tovar’s mom recently let her move back in with her. But she doesn’t spend much time there. She leaves school at 12:30 p.m. every day and goes to work at a barbecue restaurant, where she works 30-40 hours a week.

She is protective of her 15-year-old brother, and she sometimes gives him money or buys him video games. She drives him to school every day in the ’99

Chevy Cavalier a friend’s dad is letting her buy in payments of $300 a month. She pays for her car insurance, buys her own clothes and generally takes care of herself.

Tovar’s favorite class is Advanced Placement biology, and she wants to study biochemistry at Texas Woman’s University and then go to medical school to become an obstetrician.

“I’ve pushed myself this far, so I’m pretty sure I can do it,” she says.

She says she forgives her mom, who lost her oldest child (Tovar’s older brother) to Child Protective Services, and her youngest, a 7-year-old daughter, to a custody battle.

“My little brother and me are the only ones who she’s always going to have,” Tovar says. “She’s had so many boyfriends come and go, and we’ve always been by her side.”

Even though her childhood was difficult, Tovar has no regrets. If things had been different, she could be “like other girls, partying every weekend and getting drunk and sneaking out of their moms’ houses.”

She might not have pushed herself so hard. She might not have that confidence, knowing she’s smart and that no one can take it away from her.

That’s why she wants another tattoo, this one on her back: “Knowledge is Key”.

“Ignorance is Bliss”.

Home coming

These alums now stand at the head of the class

High school is a time of memories, growth and learning, but most of us, if we had the opportunity, would never return to our former high schools. After graduating, we leave high school in the past and dive head first into the future.

However, several alumni have traded in their backpacks for briefcases to return to their alma maters as faculty. Read about what motivated these former students to reenter the classroom in a very different role.

Ad A rely Trejo

ROAD TO BISHOP DUNNE: Trejo says she was introduced into the Catholic school system “kind of forcefully.”

Her parents emigrated from Mexico, so when she began grade school she didn’t have a Social Security number.

“I had my passport and my visa, but I didn’t have a Social. So the public school system didn’t allow me to attend school.”

Trejo attended St. Cecilia, where she graduated valedictorian and was offered a scholarship to attend Bishop Dunne.

ScHOOl DAyS: As a student, Trejo observed that Bishop Dunne was a “family-oriented atmosphere.” She found a support system to help her achieve goals as a student. Trejo was the first generation college-bound woman in her family.

THE jOURNEy BAck: After graduating from Notre Dame, Trejo participated in the Alliance for Catholic Education program. The two-year service program allows college graduates to work as full-time teachers at under-resourced Catholic schools in the southwest United States.

She was sent to San Antonio, where she taught fourth-graders.

“I really enjoyed it, but for me it was time to come back to Dallas,” she says.

She talked to the Bishop Dunne principal at the time about openings and was able to return to teach.

“Coming back here was like coming back home,” she says.

WHAT’S cHANgED: When Trejo tells her students she attended Bishop Dunne, they’re always interested in her experience as a student. She tells the students about the differences in uniforms and how they have more choices now.

Trejo says alumni returning to work at the school help students feel more support.

“It speaks to the greatness that is Bishop Dunne, that it’s not only said in words but in action,” she says.

RElATINg TO TEAcHERS: Trejo had kept in touch with several of her high school teachers while in college, which made coming back to the school as a teacher easier.

“I did have family right there next door, whether it be a teacher I had in the past or a teacher that had just come into Bishop Dunne. We were all working together for the better of our students,” she says.

FAMIly cONNEcTION: Trejo’s niece attends Bishop Dunne’s early childhood center, and her cousin, who attends the school, is a student in one of her classes. Trejo says she treats him as she does the rest of her students.

“As his teacher, as his cousin, I’m helping him, igniting him to achieve to the very best of his ability in his studies while here in school.”

Story by Ashley Hudson Photos by Benjamin Hager

Geometry and theology teacher

Bishop Dunne High School, class of 2001

Janelle Bates

English, journalism and yearbook teacher Sunset High School, class of 1971

SCHOOL DAYS: When Bates was a student, Sunset had no air conditioning.

“We had large fans, and even the ladies sweat,” she says.

Bates was on the newspaper staff, and the paper was called The Stampede.

“The newspaper was for the thinkers, and the yearbook was where the socialites were,” she laughs. “And now I’ve gotten socialized.”

THE JOURNEY BACK: After graduating, Bates pursued journalism. She worked as a journalist in Rockwall County.

During her second year on the job, she started to think, “I’m just reporting on what’s going on. I’m not helping anybody.”

She decided to earn her alternative certification in teaching and did her observational student teaching in Sunset during summer 1993. Ten years into her teaching career, she returned to Sunset — again.

WHAT’S CHANgED: Bates says the demographic of the school has gone from predominantly white to majority Hispanic.

She also says the student body has grown so large that there’s no longer a teacher’s lounge. There were two lounges when she was a student.

“Sometimes it’s weird to teach where you went to school, and sometimes it just feels normal,” she says.

BISON PRIDE: Scribbled on the board in Bates’ purple classroom are the words: “I was a bison long before you were born.”

Bates says she has probably half a dozen stuffed bison as well as a couple of bison throws.

“I am a bison, and I’ll always be a bison,” Bates says.

She’s even fond of eating bison chili and stew that she makes herself because she says it’s healthy.

“My question is: Is it cannibalistic to eat bison chili?”

WHAT’S THE SAME: Students still try to sleep in class just as Bates did when she was a student. She says they often ask, “Why won’t you let us do so and so?” to which she responds, “Because I did.”

Bates says she has a “tough mother love” for her students.

“I love the kids. They’re my kids, and they know it,” she says.

PAUL WOOD

Deacon and director of technology

Bishop Dunne High School, class of 1974

SCHOOL DAYS: Wood’s older brother and sister attended the school before him.

“My parents were very involved, so we were just kind of up here as children,” he says.

He entered Bishop Dunne as a seventh-grader. As a student, he was involved in several sports and extracurricular activities, including football, baseball, basketball and student council.

HELPING KIDS: As a high school student, Wood said he considered working in a setting where he would be able to help kids. “I could see some of the struggles my friends went through during school, and I always thought it would be nice to be in a setting like that — to maybe help their struggle through school be a little smoother, maybe help reduce some of the obstacles.”

THE JOURNEY BACK: Wood attended the University of Dallas, where he played baseball and majored in psychology. He had the opportunity to assist with Bishop Dunne’s baseball program the last semester of his senior year.

After he graduated, the school hired him to teach theology and social studies. He taught at Bishop Dunne for two years, left for one year, and then returned the following year.

Wood interviewed with other Catholic schools in Dallas, but decided to return to his alma mater.

“It was familiar. It was home. It was comfortable. I wanted to make a difference where I grew up,” he says.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT: In fall 1966, when Wood was a Bishop Dunne seventh-grader, the school was split by gender.

“As far as the brothers of the Sacred Heart and the sisters of Saint Mary were concerned, never the two shall meet. Except maybe at lunch or in chapel.”

The school became co-ed his sophomore year. Now, Wood says, girls and boys attending Bishop Dunne have almost an equal number of athletic opportunities available to them.

TECHNOLOGY: As director of technology, Wood works to keep the school up to date.

“Some of the things we do technology-wise, I think we kind of try to push the envelope,” he says.

Ultimately, though, Wood says he and his team use technology to benefit teachers in their teaching and students in their learning.

“I just think it’s fun,” he says. “I’ve been here 35 years, and I’m having a good time. I don’t think I’d trade it for anything.”

THE ULTIMATE RETREAT

Patsy Davila took her Advocate to Bangkok, Thailand, on a meditation retreat for world peace. She toured the city and tasted a fair share of exotic food. “I had my fill of fried crickets and other bugs,” she says. “I guess Texans will eat anything fried. It was a first for me.”

BHEALTH RESOURCEBULLETIN BOARD

EMPLOYMENT

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Gloria’s Flowers

CELEBRATE

HELP FOR HAITI

In February, members of Cliff Temple Baptist Church traveled to Grand Goâve, Haiti, where they helped rebuild homes and provide medical care. Pictured from left: Bill Leftwich, Sonny Lewis, Greg Evetts, Jen McDougal, Michelle Collins, Wes Keyes and Randall Harris.

BUY/SELL/TRADE

DONATE YOUR CAR Free towing. “Cars For Kids” Any condition. Tax deductible. outreachcenter.com 1-800-597-9411

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ESTATE/GARAGE SALES

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THE DALLAS ZOO is offering $5 admission every Wednesday for patrons 65 and older as part of Senior Safari. Regular adult admission to the zoo is $15. Parking is $7, but parking at DART stations is free, and a local ride is $1.75. For more details, call 469.554.7500 or visit dallaszoo.com.

THEMOUNTAINVIEW COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM won the 2011 NJCAA Division III Men’s Basketball championship in New York in March. Marcus Price, a 19-year-old freshman, scored 18 points in the final game and was the tournament MVP. The trip to New York was Price’s first on an airplane.

THE NORTH OAK CLIFF UNITED POLICE PATROL (NOCUPP) is a Dallas Police Department Expanded Neighborhood Patrol program impacting the Kessler Park, East Kessler, Winnetka Heights, Kessler Plaza, West Kessler and Stevens Park Village neighborhoods. For $365 a year ($1 per day), residents can subscribe to the program to supplement police patrols in their neighborhoods by off-duty, uniformed officers in squad cars. NOCUPP subscribers also receive benefits such as vacation watches while they’re out of town and a dedicated cell phone number for NOCUPP police officers. An information meeting was scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, at Turner House, 401 N. Rosemont. For details on the program, visit northoakcliffpatrol.org.

development

LANG PARTNERS HAS BEGUN its project at Zang and Colorado. Zang Triangle is the first new multifamily property built in Oak Cliff in some 12 years. The 260 units will lease for an average of $850 a month. Most of the units will have one bedroom, but there are a few two-bedrooms and efficiencies. It’s a 3-acre property, and the buildings will be four and five stories. There will also be 4,000 square feet of space on the ground floor facing Zang that will be set aside for “flex space”. It could be leased for professional services, office, retail or live/work space.

HAVE

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag. com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.

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ADVOCATE PUBLISHING does not pre-screen, recommend or investigate the advertisements and/or Advertisers published in our magazines. As a result, Advocate Publishing is not responsible for your dealings with any Advertiser. Please ask each Advertiser that you contact to show you the necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work you are requesting. Advocate Publishing takes comments and/or complaints about Advertisers seriously, and we do not publish advertisements that we know are inaccurate, misleading and/or do not live up to the standards set by our publications. If you have a legitimate complaint or positive comment about an Advertiser, please contact us at 214-560-4203. Advocate Publishing recommends that you ask for and check references from each Advertiser that you contact, and we recommend that you obtain a written statement of work to be completed, and the price to be charged, prior to approving any work or providing an Advertiser with any deposit for work to be completed.

we’re the talk of

HT HE C as H I n THE C los ET vanI s HE d.

At 2:30 that afternoon, a neighbor noticed a white Chevrolet Suburban parked in Jennifer Ruiz’s driveway. She distinctly remembers seeing the vehicle at the house, but just assumed her neighbor was at home that afternoon. Ruiz has a similar vehicle, and the neighbor did not realize Ruiz was in fact not there.

The Crime: Burglary

date: Friday, March 8

Time: 2:30 p.m.

location: 3300 block of Falls

Instead, however, an intruder was breaking into the home in broad daylight and making off with Ruiz’s property.

“They broke in through the back door,” Ruiz says.

After arriving home around 6 p.m., she noticed the door’s glass was shattered and covering the floor. Scared an intruder might still be in the home, she quickly called 911.

“All our TVs were gone, and all our electronics,” she says.

Along with a 52-inch flatscreen TV and a 32-inch TV, the burglars made off with $100 in cash that Ruiz kept in between some shoes in her closet. Because the house was left in such neat order and the

hidden cash was targeted, police believe the crooks may have possibly known Ruiz, who could not think of anyone who would commit the crime. The break-in was the first Ruiz and her family had experienced, and she was a bit scared and frustrated by the crime and loss of her property.

“It was bad, very bad,” she says. “You work so hard and someone just breaks in and takes your things.”

Dallas Police Commander Vernon Hale of the Southwest Patrol Division says despite a TV being large and seemingly difficult to move in such a short period of time, thieves are able to move very quickly when they know what they are looking for. He recommends keeping serial numbers of all electronics to make it easier for them to be returned when retrieved by police or found at a pawn shop.

“The time it takes to steal depends on the number of people, skill level, strength, etc., but it does not take long, that is for sure,” he says. “Keeping track of serial numbers is imperative. In fact, we are starting a property identification program as soon as the resources arrive. The citizens can also log their property in the same database that detectives use for free at leadsonline. com. Then when something is stolen, they can just print it out.”

—SEAN CHAFFIN

AgE o F lE or EN t r E vor g lymp H , A lEWIS v Ill E m AN WH o pull E d IN to A g AS S tAt I o N IN t HE 2000 blo C k o F Fort Wort H Av EN u E Apr I l 3 WI t H A gu NSH ot W ou N d; HE l At E r d IE d At pA rkl AN d Ho S p I tA l

NumbE r oF S uS pECt S IN volv E d IN A robbE ry At t HE IN dIgo ApA rtm EN t S IN t HE 2500 blo Ck oF W E dglEA WHE r E t HE t ENAN t WAS HE ld At gu N poIN t WHIlE t HE y S tolE $2,344 Wort H oF vA luA blES

$600

SOURCE: Dallas Police Department

Wort H o F C opp E r tub IN g S tol EN

F rom A WAt E r l INE Apr I l 4 At Cl IFF

tE mpl E bA pt IS t C H ur CH IN t HE 100 blo C k o F Su NSE t

The v ictim: Jennifer Ruiz

700

TETER’S

LIVE LOCAL THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

AIDS Arms Inc. moved recently to Jefferson Tower and now has its professional staff on four floors of that historic building. This is Jefferson Tower’s first multi-floor tenant in many years. More than 75 staff members now call Jefferson Tower home-away-from-home. The nonprofit also is renovating a building on Sunset to become a medical clinic that will employ more than 25 healthcare workers.

When neighbor Zac Lytle moved back to Oak Cliff from North Carolina last year, he brought his work with him. Lytle helped start up a branch of the nonprofit EcoLogical Community Builders here. The agency reuses old school portable buildings, among other structures, to create homes for low-income families. To donate a structure or funding to the cause, contact him at zac@ecologicalcommunitybuilders.org.

1948. The city bought the abandoned building in 1991 as part of a land acquisition for the Blue Line. The 69,000-square-foot building took two years and $20 million to renovate. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and DART is applying for LEED certification.

—RACHEL STONE

Tax Tip

Re: Extensions. IRS form 4868 allows the taxpayer 6 extra months to “file”. Note: Taxes “owed” are due on April 15th.

Aviation Cinemas , 1 the management company that runs the Texas Theatre, recently announced they are launching “crowd funded” independent films, which they will produce directly from the Texas Theatre. The partners Barak Epstein, Adam Donaghey, Jason Reimer and Eric Steele — will seek projects and use fundraising website kickstarter.com to back them.

CPA

Metro Paws Animal Hospital 2 purchased a Fort Worth Avenue property for a new clinic. The property, at 1007 Folsom, is adjacent to the Belmont Hotel. It’s the front half of a 21,000-square-foot lot with the old stone house on it. The back portion with the house was not included in the Metro Paws sale, according to Options Real Estate. This is an expansion for Metro Paws, with its original location in Lakewood. dallasmetropaws.com.

The new DART police headquarters 3 opened in March in the historic Monroe Shops building, near the Corinth Street Station. Monroe Shops was a train maintenance facility for the Texas Interurban Railway, starting in 1914. The Interurban stopped running in

3 1

2

DO YOU KNOW OF A NEIGHBORHOODBUSINESS renovating, expanding, moving, launching, hosting an event, celebrating an anniversary, offering a special or something else noteworthy? Send the information to livelocal@advocatemag.com or call 214.292.0487.

W. Davis St., Dallas 75208 214.948.4770 www.repotted.co

large selection of texas native flowers

ThaT ’s a firsT

The Moreno fa M ily has a T rack record of being originals

over the centuries, there have been many first families. There have, however, been few “families of firsts.” but oak cliff had one: the abel Moreno family. living in kaufman and a friend of the cuellar family, when the cuellars needed a logo for their expanding restaurant business, they asked the artistic abel to design one for them. he didn’t disappoint.

“dad put on a sombrero, sat down at a mirror, and, well, basically, drew himself,” says the family’s younger daughter, elsie.

any longtime diners at the el chico restaurants easily recognize the chain’s traditional (and first) logo — in actuality, a self-portrait of abel Moreno.

in 1945 abel returned from WWii and married aurora rodriguez, daughter of the first spanishspeaking Presbyterian minister in dallas. at one time abel managed one of the dallas el chico restaurants, and he also taught commercial art in a studio off Jefferson boulevard. The family lived on saner avenue and became active in the new Wynnewood Presbyterian church before deciding to open the first Mexican eatery in Wynnewood Village: Moreno’s Patio restaurant. in the late ’60s, the restaurant closed, but abel went on to run the dallas Morning news and Zales building cafeterias, where his enchiladas were a popular menu item. according to elsie, her mother was the first hispanic woman to graduate from s outhern Methodist University. With a degree in spanish and education, Mrs. Moreno was one of the first hispanic teachers hired by the dallas isd, and did become the first hispanic personality to work for Pbs’s dallas channel, kera , slotted to teach spanish on the small screen. she taught at W. e greiner Junior high before transferring to the newly opened Justin f kimball high school, where she was named the first department head of the school’s foreign language department. how’s that for firsts?

e lsie and her older sister attended

Jefferson davis elementary school (now barbara Jordan elementary), but after a move to the k iestwood addition, e lsie finished at daniel Webster. both sisters attended T. W. browne Junior high, and were members of the drill team both there and later at kimball.

elsie earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of north Texas and, following in her mother’s footsteps, worked for the disd Teaching and coaching, she joined the family tradition of firsts when she became the district’s first female high school athletic director — serving in that position at bryan adams high school. a trailblazer for girls’ athletics in dallas, she was promoted to assistant athletic director at the disd administration level (not the first this time, but she was the second).

but of all the Morenos, the most recognized is the family’s other daughter, belita.

after receiving a full-tuition theater arts scholarship from southern Methodist University, she earned a bfa in theater arts and appeared in the first production to open the bob hope Theater on the sMU campus. and then, for belita, it was westward — to hollywood!

The former cliffite acted in, among others, television’s “ roseanne” and “Murphy brown”, and in 13 major motion pictures such as “Mommie dearest”, “ clear and Present danger”, “swing shift” and “oh god, you devil”. she’s appeared both on and off broadway and has also worked as an acting coach for numerous well-know hollywood stars, among them: britney spears, eminem, kate hudson, rene Zellweger, david boreanaz, holly hunter, diane keaton, lindsay lohan and katherine heigel.

as a successful comedic actress, belita starred in television’s (you guessed it) first successful all-hispanic sitcom, “The george lopez show”, as lopez’s grumpy, sarcastic, ever-complaining mother, benny.

according to elsie, belita is better known now than during the lopez show’s original tenure. With reruns showing constantly on numerous channels,

“her face is all over the place,” elsie says. along with the lopez show, her other highly recognizable TV role occurred a decade and a half earlier. Playing lydia, the advice columnist on “Perfect strangers”, she attempted to keep cousins larry and balki in line at their newspaper office jobs.

belita is now in the new Tbs series “fairly legal” and is appearing in a foX TV movie, “Truth be Told” (out in april). also on her schedule is another role in an upcoming series for nbc about the inner workings of los angeles, written by someone belita describes as “the brilliant writer and director, stephen gaghan” (also the author of “Traffic”). “as well as having many ‘firsts’ in our lives as a family, i think we all truly appreciate and are grateful all of the time for our wonderful lives,” belita says. “We were raised never to take anything for granted, and as a result, most every day, i feel like one very lucky woman.” abel and aurora are gone, elsie lives and works here in dallas, and belita now calls Tinseltown her home. but during their lives, these cliffites all achieved lofty goals and certainly proved their mettle in their fields of choice, all rising to the top. for the Morenos, the accomplishment of being first appears to have been a family tradition.

The Moreno family, elsie, belita (top right), aurora and abel. PhoTo coUrTesy of elsie Moreno

Gayla Brooks Kokel can date her neighborhood heritage back to 1918, when her father was born in what was then called Eagle Ford. She was born at Methodist Hospital and graduated from Kimball High School. Kokel is one of three co-authors of the recently published book, “Images of America: Oak Cliff”, and writes a monthly history column for the Oak Cliff Advocate Send her feedback and ideas to gkokel@advocatemag.com.