Sinclair’s Sharp wins Nell Baham Award

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

For more than 20 years, retired educator Nell Baham has honored an exemplary fifth grader at Sinclair Elementary in the Heights each year for academic achievements and their service to Sinclair and its surrounding community.

That tradition continued re- cently, as outgoing fifth grader Elle Sharpe was announced as this year’s winner of the 2023 Nell Baham Achievement Award at the school’s recent Fifth Grade Awards Program. For more than two decades, the annual award has recognized a student - selected by fifth grade teachers - who exhibited good citizenship traits, excelled in academics and made worthy contributions to Sinclair and within the community.

It was established in 1999 by then-PTA president Jill Hlavinka to honor Baham, a longtime educator who spent more than half of her 60-year education career teaching at Sinclair. After retiring from public education, Baham taught at the

Local brass band to be part of global music celebration

By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com

Joel Livsey is a relative newcomer to the Heights, having moved into the area just under a year ago. But armed with family roots in the neighborhood and a sense of how communitydriven the area is, he has wasted no time in trying to contribute to the fabric of the area.

On June 21, Livsey and his quintet band called Houston Heights Brass will be hosting a free community concert at Marmion Park, 1800 Heights Blvd., as part of Houston’s annual Make Music Day in collaboration with the Houston Heights Association. The event is one of a dozen registered events that will be happening around the city on June 21 as part of the larger national Make Music Day, and one of several in the local area. Celebrations will also happen at the Collier Regional Library (6200 Pinemont Dr.) as well as the Houston Farmers Market (2520 Airline Dr.), Guitar Center – Central Houston (195 Yale St.), Site Gallery (1502 Sawyer St.), and Sabine Street Studios

(1907 Sabine St.) among others.

“There is a common anxiety in much of modern society that we have lost that ‘third place,’ the space that isn’t work and isn’t home, where people who share something in common can gather to relax and enjoy each other’s company,” Livsey said. “These spaces are a vital part of a cohesive community. We hope that this concert can provide such an opportunity for neighbors to come together.”