Liberty Hill Digest • October 2022

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EDITOR’S NOTE | MEGAN DIANE BEATTY

Dear Readers,

PUBLISHER

Payne A nn Marie Kennon

Is there a cooler weather ritual dance of some kind? Because if there is, I am ready to summon in the breeze. Usually by now I am camping but right now I am still break ing a sweat while walking to the mailbox. Fall weather is my favorite and has been my whole life—I love the smells, colors, and overall excitement of this time of year.

COMMUNITY EDITOR

Diane Beatty

Megan, a mom of two, has been a part of the Liberty Hill community for 11 years.

trained as a nurse, today, she

her passion to help others into throwing birthday parties for kids battling cancer. Megan’s other passion is running, and that same zest for life flows into her writing and sharing the inspiring stories of Liberty Hill.

Kovalchuk

Plus, it’s festival season and you can find me at all of them, including one of Liberty Hill’s own, the Internation al Sculpture Festival. I had fun digging up history on the statues I often run past at Foundation Park. It made me ap preciate the artistic side of our town. Make sure you come out so you can appreciate it more too.

In our cover feature on CTX Home Gyms, you’ll meet an inspiring young couple who are ready (and well-equipped) to provide all the tools you need to create a workout oasis right in your own home to improve your physical health.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

& DESIGN

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tilly

It’s also time to think about leadership and civic duty so we have included a short feature about all the judge candidates on the November ballot. Our intent was to impress upon our readers that even if they aren’t somehow involved with a court, our judiciary affects our daily lives in surprising and important ways.

We also have news and information from Rep. Terry Wilson on the importance and evolution of vocational education in Texas public schools. I am happy to see the renewed interest and emphasis on trades and industry and it is reassuring that our state leadership is helping students find alternative routes to prosperity.

ADVERTISING

This past month I got to host my very first fundraiser; The Fight Gala, a black tie boxing gala that raised money for local families with children battling cancer. I had the best night of my life and fell in love with a sport I didn’t know I was capable of loving. Having experienced it myself with my own daughter, I got to speak about the effects child hood cancer has on families and it felt amazing spreading awareness. I cannot wait for the next gala!

Happy fall y'all—hopefully it will feel like fall in Liberty Hill soon!

A Monumental Event

Grab your family, bring your friends, and tell your neighbors to come on out! Follow Experience LHTX on Facebook to keep up to date with this festival and many others.

For the love of art—and Liberty Hill certainly loves its art—the annual Sculpture Festival is upon us. Each October, the Liberty Hill community gathers to celebrate the history of the park and its artwork. “The sculpture festival was created to celebrate, appreci ate, and educate our community about the treasure and history that lies right here in Liberty Hill,” the city’s communications manager Katie Amsler says.

THE FESTIVAL

In 1976, local artist Mel Fowler organized the first international sculpture symposium in the southwest, rallying 23 sculptors from six countries to create sculptures in Liberty Hill. At that time, only four had been held in America and none had taken place in the south. At first Mel considered holding the festival in Austin due to their available resources but decided, “To heck with Austin. What’s good for Austin is better for Liberty Hill.”

by Megan Diane Beatty

That first year, visiting artists stayed in residents’ homes while local businesses and organizations supplied meals and materials. The sculptors worked vigorously for two months straight to create the monuments and today 28 limestone statues, swirling stone structures, and metal sculptures make up the Liberty Hill International Sculpture Park at Noble Elementary School.

Mel Fowler passed away in 1987 at his home in Italy but his spirit lives on, some say perhaps literally, in the Stubblefield Visitors Center. City staff have reported strange flickering lights and noises at odd times in his former home and art studio.

WHEN YOU GO

The sculpture festival is an event for everyone, and the park is open all day. From 4pm to 7pm, visitors can enjoy crafts, vendor booths, live music, audio tours of the sculpture park, live sculpting demos, and an inflatable park for kids. At 7pm, 3 Chord Rodeo kicks off the country street dance and DJs will spin a variety of music at the silent disco. Revelers of all ages and musical tastes can trip the light fantastic until 10pm.

Get Social at Main Street

by Megan Dianne Beatty

Combining a love for community, play, and restaurants, owner Tambra Prince and her family began with a vision of a family friendly restaurant where everyone could get what they want. They created a unique dining experience where mom doesn’t have to give up her salad and wine to take the kids for a burger or pizza. Tambra says, “We wanted to create a place that had something for all ages in our big little town. We love that the people in Liberty Hill have so much support for each other and that we can be a gathering spot for rehearsal dinners, parties, meetings, and sports teams. We’ve even doubled the size of our parking lot for buses so visiting teams and their fans can fit too.”

With different tastes and dietary restrictions making dining out with a group tricky, food halls offer a one-stop culinary experience. Each caters to a wide variety of tastes with a mall food court design and open social gathering space.

Food for Thought

Main Street Social’s extensive menu includes nostalgic and award-winning recipes from different vendors all housed in one place. Dining options include street tacos, gourmet hot dogs, pizza, chicken, seafood, ice cream, and burgers from Moonie’s Burger House—Hill Country News’ Best Burger 12 years in a row. Adults are invited to pair their meals with select brews or wines from a carefully cultured wine list.

As diverse as the food and beverage choices are, the activities are equally as enticing. Everyone is encouraged to unplug and enjoy the many indoor and outdoor activities like arcade games, corn hole, horseshoes, and a playscape in the spacious backyard.

“I am very passionate about people having a safe place to unwind that offers a great atmosphere, cold beer, and good food. A place where kids can be kids and make new friends. I love offering teens their first job, teaching them good work ethic, and helping them find their passions,” shared general manager, Kate Bunch.

Playing in the ‘Street’

The Princes have plans to expand the play area and add a pickle ball court, basketball court, and possibly a volleyball option to allow them to host more tournaments. “Our daughter, Sedona Prince, graduated from Liberty Hill High School and now plays basketball for the Oregon Ducks. I thought it would be cool to have her basketball tournaments when she is in town. It’s something we are all really looking forward to,” Tambra explains.

Follow Main Street Social on Facebook or scan the code to see the schedule for live music and upcoming events.

In Liberty Hill, the fellowship and fun found at local sporting events doesn’t have to end when the game is over.

TRUSTED

Living at the Gym

When gyms were forced to close their doors during the pandemic, fitness enthusiasts had to relocate their exercise regimens to their homes Dillon and Alejandra Ivey included. Not only did their subsequent home gym journey allow them to stay healthy during COVID, it led to a business venture inspired by the realization that buying refurbished gym equipment beats paying for a pricey gym membership or waiting for new equipment amid supply chain breakdowns.

THE BUSINESS OF HEALTH

Alejandra and Dillon’s story dates back to 2019. The two health buffs met while working for a vitamin store franchise and during COVID, their business plan crystallized so they quit their jobs. “Neither of us have ever really been 9-to-5 people,” Dillon says. The Austin newlyweds and their husky hybrid Tala made Jarrell their new home on Christmas Eve that year, drawn by the affordability of the small community they had not previously heard of but have since grown to love. Today, the Iveys have the added excite ment of welcoming a baby girl to their family this December.

The pandemic occurred a few months after their move and put many gyms on hiatus, “We needed somewhere to work out like every one else in the world, so we started acquiring gym equipment on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist to create a home gym space for ourselves,” Dillon says. As they grew their new space and navigated the hurdles of finding affordable yet high quality gym equipment, the couple decided to launch a business dedicated to helping others start or maintain cost-effective fitness routines in the safety and comfort of their own home. In July 2020, CTX Home Gyms joined the Central Texas fitness scene and wel comed gym goers to a new era of home fitness where there are no monthly membership fees or expensive contracts, and you will always be able to say, “I made it to the gym today!”

Post COVID, CTX Home Gyms’ growth has been driven by a paradigm shift in more people working from home or in their own small busi ness wanting quick and easy access to commer cial grade equipment. Plus, it can be more cost effective for employers to build a small office gym than pay for staff memberships.

by Charlotte Kovalchuk • photos by Christianna Bettis Photography

IVEY LEAGUE OF FITNESS

Entrepreneurs to the core, Dillon and Ale jandra are grateful to be engaged in a fulfilling venture that allows them to work for themselves while meeting a need. “We worked really hard to get to where we are, and we’re trying to grow a lot more,” Alejandra says. “We’re grateful to be where we are at the moment. It has been extremely rewarding.”

Dillon adds, “Right now, new gym equipment is really backed up due to supply chain break downs. It takes anywhere from six months to a year to buy new commercial gym equipment, and it is also extremely expensive. The average consumer is not able to entertain realistic expec tations for new treadmills, ellipticals, or bikes for their home. That’s where we come in.”

CTX Home Gyms is a comprehensive solution for those who want what they are used to seeing at their local gym without the long wait time and high prices of new equipment, or the headache that comes with installation. Dillon and Alejan dra are also dedicated to putting in the time and effort to produce the kind of high quality they’ve seen lacking in other vendors in the industry. “We pride ourselves on cranking out the best of the best,” Dillon says.

Most of their treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, and strength equipment come from gyms that are closing or replacing their equip ment inventory. After being refurbished, the products are sent to a very diverse client base: homeowners in search of cardio equipment or a full home gym, large and small commercial gyms, hotels, condominiums, and apartment complexes.

All customers receive white glove delivery and installation service. CTX Home Gyms offers start-to-finish design service to bring your home or commercial gym vision to life, including floor ing, mirrors, equipment, even video and audio. “Our passionate team of trained professionals ensure you are taken care of professionally and safely through the entire process,” Dillon says.

CTX HOME GYMS

CTX Home Gyms, which serves the greater Austin area, is located just two miles from I-35 in Jarrell. Visit ctxhomegyms.com to learn more and schedule an appointment to find the equipment you need to kick start your own fitness journey.

County Road

Your Health Insurance

Tips and options for end-of-year planning

contributed by Taylor Rogers

Many companies change health plans at the end of the year

ASK

It is critical for those with existing needs to understand the nature of these changes and how their care will be impacted moving forward. There is a laundry list of acronyms in the health insurance world, and selecting the 'wrong' plan for your circumstance can either cost or save you thousands of dollars. Always factor the premium contributions, expected medical expenses, and financial ability to cover unexpect ed expenses into your health plan selection.

What should people consider when updating or choosing a new plan?

Members need to consider their existing and potential medical needs in relation to their household budget. It is not always as simple as “I have an expensive condition, I need the richest health plan,” as you must also consider the premium contributions that are coming out of your paycheck.

For example, someone with type 2 diabetes may feel they should select a $1,000 deductible plan with low pharmacy copays, due to their known drug and physician expenses. However, if that plan is $4,000 more per year in premium contributions, perhaps a $5,000 HSA-qualified plan with 100 percent coinsurance is a better option, knowing you will also be able to pay for your health expenses with taxfree dollars.

What about using your HSA; does it roll over to the next year?

An HSA is a great tool for individ uals or families who feel confident in their ability to manage expected or unexpected medical expenses. HSAs must be accompanied by a qualified high-deductible health plan (HDHP), which requires the member to be responsible for all medical expenses up to a his or her deductible.

HSAs allow members to put away and use funds tax-free for approved medical expenses. The money is retained by the individual in per petuity. It is important to note the median household in America has approximately $5,000 in combined checking and savings assets, which could be consumed by a single health encounter. For those indi viduals, it may be advantageous to select a non-HSA qualified plan with reasonable physician and prescrip tion copays, even if the patient responsibility for hospitalization or emergency is considerably higher. These individuals can often take ad vantage of charity care options and payment plans to assist with out-ofpocket responsibility for unforeseen expenses.

What can people do before their deductible starts over?

I recommend refilling prescrip tions, and checking your deductible accumulation to see if scheduling any important but non-urgent care makes sense. If you’ve accumulat ed very little to your deductible, it could make sense to schedule for

the beginning of the year. If you are near your deductible or outof-pocket maximum, it could make sense to schedule before the end of the year. Make sure you schedule as soon as possible, as physicians’ offices tend to fill their schedules for the end of the calendar year. What about getting services after meeting your deductible?

Once members hit the deduct ible, they often have a responsibility called 'co-insurance.' This is a per centage of the total claim members are responsible for until they meet their out-of-pocket maximum, and it typically ranges from 10 to 30 per cent of the total allowed charges. Any tips for those with non-traditional health plans?

I encourage members to always ask: 1) What does this service cost?

2) What are the possible outcomes if I choose not to proceed? 3) Are there any alternative treatment options?

There is a great myth that if “insur ance covers it,” we do not pay for it. The cost of unnecessary and costly treatment is felt through increased premiums and increased deduct ibles and patient responsibility for years to come.

For individuals in non-traditional arrangements like health sharing plans, there is a unique “unsharable amount” (effectively a deductible) for each specific encounter. In these arrangements, it is essential for an individual to understand the cost and value of a service to ensure that it is of sufficient value to proceed.

A Family-Owned Success Story

Texas Discount Furniture Respects Your Time and Appreciates Your Style

When it comes to creating your dream home, Texas Discount Furniture makes shopping for the right furnishings easy, personable, and affordable.

Shelley Barker, owner of Texas Discount Fur niture, had a front row seat to see her father achieve his dream of opening a family-owned business in 1989. For 11 years she watched him manage and grow their store in Houston and was proud to continue his legacy when she took over ownership in 2000.

In 2020, Shelley and her husband decided to move their business to a smaller town where they could serve and

be a bigger part of their local community. Shelley affirms that even though the store’s clientele comes from all over the region, her local custom ers have a special place in her store. “We never forget local customers because they are our neighbors too,” Shelley says.

Since relocating to Lib erty Hill, Texas Discount Furniture has continued to provide top-quality services and bring the most competitive prices to Liberty Hill. Texas Dis

count Furniture also sells mattresses and rustic furniture, and features national brands like Ash ley and Vaughan-Basset. Plus, sales associates are empowered to match or beat the price of any big-box store—no credit check needed—and pro vide standard financing.

“You are definitely supporting local if you shop here. It’s not only that, it’s the service! Just really good people who just want to make you happy and give you a fair deal!” ~Google Raves

LIVE HERE, SHOP HERE

The philosophy at Texas Discount Furniture is that they will never be undersold and will always provide the best one-on-one service for every customer. “We can meet a range of budgets,” Shelley promises, “from singles who have just signed their first lease to mar ried couples with families who have been at this a long time.”

Texas Discount Furniture is also

pleased to sell items direct from the showroom floor, a refreshing change from shopping in chain stores. Plus, whether customers choose to shop in the showroom or online, store staff will deliver furniture and décor to any home within a two-hour drive. “We know online shopping does not al ways guarantee immediate shipping,” Shelley says. “We take the worry out of making sure you get your furniture when you want it.”

Shelley and her family invite cus tomers to visit Texas Discount Furni ture or scan the code to learn more and begin your furniture shopping journey.

MENTORING: It’s About the Relationship

Angela Williams had been mentoring kids for near ly 30 years when she embarked upon a new learning experience mentoring two high school girls struggling with truancy. “I’m a mother of six so it’s not like I’m new to helping shape and mold kids. Still, doing it outside my home gave me a different perspective on the hard ships kids go through.”

As a candidate for Precinct 2 justice of the peace, An gela proactively engaged with the Catalyst Collective to augment the critical skills that she will need, if elected, to support truant juveniles in the courtroom. Catalyst Collective is a nonprofit organization in Cedar Park that helps the next generation discover their identity and purpose by pairing them with mentors who are passion ate about setting youth on the right course.

In the collective, Angela helped a sophomore and ju nior student from Leander ISD who were having difficul ties with school attendance and court compliance. She met with both girls once a week for six months, helped them complete court-assigned essays and videos, and helped both find community service opportunities. “I think mentorship is so satisfying because it’s not about giving consequences to students who are not attending school or have committed some type of offense. It’s spending time with them and encouraging them. To them it may seem like a punishment—’Oh, I have to be with my mentor,’ but hopefully it is more about connecting. Yes, they are court ordered to go to meetings, but in the end, it’s about building a relationship.”

Angela wrapped their time together with some words of wisdom: “Always remember, no matter what, if you put your mind to something and apply yourself, there is nothing stopping you. Anything is possible.”

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

photos courtesy of Angela Williams

SYMBIOTIC BENEFITS

Now a certified mentor, Angela reflects on her mentorship journey as a rewarding experience, one she shared as the keynote speaker at Catalyst Collective’s annual fundraiser October 4. “You get a feeling of accomplishment seeing the students’ sense of achievement when completing some thing they were required to do. I got to see these young ladies overcome some difficult situations.”

Angela highlighted two other impactful youth programs she looks forward to potentially sup porting as justice of the peace—Upward Bound and Teen Court. Upward Bound is a multi-year program designed for high school students who have the potential to succeed in college and could benefit from tutoring, pre-college skills de velopment, career counseling, and college visits. The program is run by Southwestern University in Georgetown and over the summer Angela had the opportunity to work with students from Georgetown and East View high schools. “Teen Court is a perfect fit for JP2,” she says. “Students not only get the opportunity to practice law in the courtroom but learn public speaking skills and become leaders among their peers and in their communities.”

The Many Courts of Williamson County Your Votes Matter Even if You’re Not a Part of the Justice System

by Ann Marie Kennon

This vote is worthy of our study to ensure our taxes are managed and spent in a way that matches our personal priorities for the place in which we live.

Judges and Justices

The court system in Williamson County affects citizens’ daily lives more than they may realize and the bench positions in many of our state and county courts are on the ballot next month.

County Judge / Commissioners Court

Our County Judge isn’t just a throwback to the Old West when one person was sheriff and judge and maybe even the librarian. The County Judge is a Constitutional Judge, so named because he pre sides over the Commissioners Court, the governing body of Williamson County. Our four commissioners and County Judge affect our lives every day in the taxes we pay and the quality of the roads we drive, and public safety services we enjoy. This court also helps determine what support and incentives are offered to entities wishing to provide goods and services for and within our county.

Judges and justices are elected positions and can didates will have law degrees plus at least 10 years’ experience as attorneys. Judges preside over cases that may or may not have a jury and they may also be responsible for sentencing.

District and County courts hear criminal, civil, and family law cases and are established based on pop ulation. With growth reflected in the 2020 census, Williamson County added County Court at Law #5. Newly appointed to the bench, Judge Will Ward explained the reason district and county judge votes must also be researched. "The judges we elect de fine the atmosphere of the community. Safe commu nities have strong judges that protect public safety. Strong economies have diligent judges to settle dis putes quickly. Judges may not always be seen, but they are the decision makers keeping each county safe and operating smoothly for its residents."

While some voters probably expect they won’t ever be in a courtroom, there are valid reasons to know the differences in our state's court hierarchy especially during election season.

Commissioner Terry Cook, Commissioner Cynthia Long, Amberly and Will Ward, Commissioner Valerie Covey, County Judge Bill Gravell, Commissioner Russ Boles after Judge Ward's confirmation vote.

IMAGE: FACEBOOK

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

ELECTION INFORMATION

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS

At the state level, the 87th Leg islature created the 480th District Court as a court of general juris diction. Governor Greg Abbott appointed Scott K. Field, former Justice on the Third Court of Ap peals to the bench, and he will hear primarily civil and family cases.

When he takes the oath October 10th, Justice Field will be the first Judge to preside over the 480th District Court, which is the first new district court created in Williamson County since 2007.

As well, votes for appellate and state Supreme Court judges are worthy of our time because even if we are not personally appealing a

court decision of some kind, the de cisions the higher courts make have bearing on things like how state taxes are paid; or a higher court decision about a police action may determine how your next traffic stop proceeds according to statute.

Justices of the Peace

There are more than 800 JPs in Texas, and their jurisdictions are based on population. They are typically elected positions and when a vacancy occurs off-cycle, the Commissioners Court makes an appointment. JPs do not need a law degree, but they do have jurisdiction in Class C misdemeanor

criminal cases, e.g., traffic violations and truancy. These courts also have jurisdiction of minor civil matters like evictions or small claims dis putes. For many people, this is the only court in which they will ever appear. A justice of the peace may issue search or arrest warrants and may serve as the coroner in coun ties where there is no provision for a medical examiner.

JPs are worthy of our votes be cause they help arbitrate our civil needs at the most basic level; i.e., they are the most like us citizens with experience and wisdom, and capable of ensuring our laws and statutes are followed without bias.

Monday, October 24 - Friday, November 4: Early voting at designated locations (below) Tuesday, November 8: Election Day

ROCKPOINTE CHURCH, 107 CR 214, LIBERTY HILL Leander Public Library Annex, 1101 S. Bagdad Rd., Leander

Cedar Park Public Library Community Room, 550 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park Randall's, 1400 Cypress Creek Rd., Cedar Park

Other locations are available in Austin, Georgetown, Hutto, Jarrell, Round Rock, and Taylor. Scan the code to view the full list, visit: wilco.org/Departments/Elections

Public and higher education has been the focus of Colonel Terry M. Wilson’s three terms as state rep resentative for District 20 in the Texas House since he was elected in 2017. We sat down with COL Wilson to discuss his work in the Legislature and his priorities for education funding.

LHD: In the 2021 Legislative Session you served on the House Appropriations Committee as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Article III. What did that entail?

CW: The Appropriations Committee writes the House's first draft of the state Budget, which is divided into arti cles that cover a different section of state government. Article III covers public education and higher educa tion. Our subcommittee drafted the education budget for the state for 2022 and 2023, which represents more than one third of the state budget.

LHD: Was there one specific area of interest for you?

CW: Yes, vocational education. So much about pub lic education has evolved into getting kids ready for college, but college is not the only path to a bright future. The Texas Constitution makes it clear that it is the responsibility of the state government to provide an education sufficient for every Texan to continue to higher education or enter the workforce directly, and we haven’t done a great job fulfilling the workforce promise.

College is a great path, but it should not be the only one open for Texas students. Quality education requires feeding a child’s passion for learning some have a passion for trade skills and love for hands-on work. We should be encouraging those students, giv ing them a launchpad to build the future of our nation.

Making Vocational Education Happen

Texas Representative Terry Wilson

LHD: What originally sparked your interest in vocation al education?

CW: As an Army acquisition executive, I was chartered by Congress to turn completed research and develop ment efforts into real physical products to be manufac tured for the defense department. I was responsible for awarding contracts and then, on behalf of the govern ment, with my engineers, scientists, and production specialists, managing the companies that were actually producing the products.

We sent requests for proposals that stated we want this package of products built. Companies like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, etc. made bids and went through source selection. I never found a company who could build anything by itself each always had to have foreign partners.

Why? Because there wasn’t enough domestic production capacity, and we didn’t have the required skilled workers to manufacture these products at scale. That’s why they brought foreign partners to the table, which is how we lose our intellectual property and compromise national security. You can’t keep major innovations in military technology if you send them overseas to be built, where they can be copied, repro duced, and sold to others. Vocational education is the key to building up the skilled workforce our country so desperately needs.

LHD: What do you think has held vocational education back in Texas?

CW: Funding, faculty, and flexibility. First, putting to gether a vocational training program is expensive. If a school wants to put in a plumbing or automotive shop

option, the tools, space, and necessary safety equipment require a substantial investment.

A smaller rural school is not going to be able to put that together easily.

Second, finding quality instructors is not easy, especially in areas where the skill set is in high demand. When experts can make twice as much money in the job market over teaching their skill set in a public school, it can be hard to find people able and willing to teach the necessary courses. State teaching certification standards are also a barrier that must be addressed.

Finally, flexibility. In the last few years, the Texas Education Agency, Texas Workforce Commission, and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board have come together as a tri-agency commission to identify where the greatest needs are in the Texas workforce, what skills are in the highest demand and in shortest supply.

These can shift quickly, so if a school wants vocational training relevant to the demands of the job market, it needs to be able to put new programs together quickly, which isn’t always easy, given the financial and faculty challenges.

LHD: What steps did you take in the 87th Legislature to help schools overcome these hurdles?

CW: To help fund startup costs, we put $180 million into the Pathways in Technology Early College High School, also known as P-TECH, a program in which schools work with community colleges, technical colleges, and indus try to share resources and develop long-term paths for

students to graduate with an associate degree or a trade certification.

We adjusted per-student funding formulas to reward schools focusing on vocational skills that provide grad uates with in-demand jobs. The more demand there is for a particular skill set in the Texas workforce, the higher the tier or funding the school receives for that student.

We also adjusted formulas so schools receive more money for student longevity in a particular track. For ex ample, a student who began a 7th grade survey class of trade skills, found a track that sparked his interest, and continued that track until graduating with a certification would earn far more program funding than a student who started in 10th grade. Incentivizing schools to get kids started well before high school increases their chances of graduating with a job.

LDH: What results have we seen from those investments so far?

CW: Before this last session, hundreds of schools applied for the P-TECH program each year, but we only had funding for 81. As of the 2022-23 school year, 235 schools have been approved and gone through the pro cess of adding new and relevant vocational education options, with many, many more still to come.

We want every cent put toward vocational edu cation to lead to a well-paying job so the opportu nities for students are based on what our economy needs and not limited to what their school could afford to offer on their own.

Finally, we are not going to waste taxpayer dollars on Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that don’t put kids on a pathway to a well-paying job right out of school, filling the gaps in our tech nical workforce that Texas so desperately needs.

WHAT MAKES TEXAS “TEXAS”?

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

Each year, high school and college alumni “come home,” greet long-lost friends and beloved teachers as they join students in the fall celebration of school spirit with pep rallies, parades, football games, dances, tailgates, and mums.

While it is unknown which school hosted the first homecoming celebration, gather ings began taking place in the early 1900s at colleges like Southwestern, Baylor, Michi gan, Indiana, and Missouri. “It was beyond any doubt the greatest day known in the history of any educational institution in the State,” said Southwestern’s newspaper, The Megaphone, after the inaugural event in 1909 (facing page). The event was inspired by a former Southwestern employee, Allen K. Ragsdale, who suggested that former stu dents and professors be invited back to the university on San Jacinto Day. It turned into a community initiative, with Georgetown residents and former students raising funds, providing homes, decorating town build ings, and preparing and serving a barbecue picnic at San Gabriel Park, where senior classmates waited tables.

The Megaphone described it as an event that “grew out of the love borne for it by stu dents of the last 35 years who wished once more to visit their alma mater and grasp the hands of those beloved professors who labored for their interests and to greet other students, roommates, classmates and chums of the bygone days of youth.”

TEXAS MUMS

Homecoming soon grew from an alum ni reunion into a full week of school spirit festivities, from parades, football games, pep rallies, dances, and homecoming king and queen. In recent years, it has evolved to include a most extravagant, Texas-sized tradition mums.

Originally a small chrysanthemum corsage given as a token of affection to a girl by her date to wear on the day of the home coming football game, mums have been transformed into massive floral creations covered with ribbons, bells, glitter, lights, football trinkets, and stuffed animals. Fresh flower adornments were later replaced with artificial mums for girls who wanted to pre serve the homecoming memory. Guys also

2022 Homecoming Queen Ellie Thompson and King Logan Dyer. Photo courtesy LHISD

get into the fun by wearing garters on their arms with smaller, less elaborate versions of the mum.

While the origin of the mum is debated some say the first ones were worn in Missouri while oth ers claim the tradition was born in Texas around the 1930s the homecoming staple exploded in the Lone Star State. Today, these mega mums have grown so large that instead of being pinned they are usually worn around a girl’s neck and can hang down to her feet.

Whether you decide to go with a professional mum maker or visit a craft store and make your own, an average homecoming mum can cost hundreds of dollars.

SPIRIT OVERALLS

Another tradition unique to Texas is Senior Over alls. While no one knows for sure where or when it took root, this spirit apparel has been a staple of foot ball season since at least the early 2000s and many schools claim a bit of fame for the scale and variety of their designs, including sewn fabric, ironed-on pic tures and a total cost that is often in the triple-digits.

As much as showing spirit, the overall tradition is about spending time with friends to collaborate, share, and decorate the fabric, as well as a feeling of being connected via a quintessential senior expe rience. Another important priority in the making of senior overalls is to emphasize uniqueness. Most write on the bib portion of the overall, but other dec orations vary. Common design features include grade level, class year, and the school mascot.

Most seniors agree the best thing to do is start with inexpensive over alls and enjoy the process rather than worrying about making them perfect. One member of the class of 2017 wrote, “Don’t care too much about how it looks. Even if you mess up, no one really notices. Mine were really bad, but I did that on purpose. I messed up, and then I thought ‘Oh, I liked that I messed up,’ so I messed up everywhere, on purpose."

Southwestern University Homecoming 1909

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Panther Pride: Santa Rita Ranch Middle School students Emily, Landry, and Lily show off their homecoming bling. Photo courtesy: Kris Rich

BELLE CHIMES

Where are all the Teleporters?

Iknow I’m getting old but I am still going to brag about the fact that my generation will always be the one that happily sandwiched the Age of Information. We understand and enjoy technology so much because we remember what it was like when we didn’t have it. I stole this 1953 snippet from Facebook. It is amusing because I grew up in a house with a phone that was attached to the kitchen wall by a curly cord that only reached to the sink so there was no such thing as talking without parents listening, or even answering before you knew who it was. Lo and behold, Mr. Sullivan was probably considered a nut back then but he was clairvoyant after all. Maybe he was a time traveler and he hasn't shared that technology with us yet.

I also watched the Jetsons, Star Trek, and Star Wars and they all had iPads. People laugh about how we thought we’d have flying cars by the year 2000 but we do have hover boards and self-tying shoes like Marty McFly. People likely thought Gene Roddenberry was a nut but we do have armaments that are 'set to stun' and the military even has a direct ed-energy weapon that sends a pulse of electromagnetic radiation to stop someone cold in their tracks.

We don’t have warp speed but we do have Elon Musk and Erik Lentz who are working on negative mass and the math that will bend space-time and bring the stars to us. To answer your next question, I have no idea how so I am grateful to the Degrasse-Tysons of the world who will make a PowerPoint for me when the time comes.

We don’t have tractor beams but MIT invented laser beam 'tweezers' that can hold and move microscopic objects. And the list goes on.

Meanwhile, and totally digressing, I'm watching hummingbirds on my back porch and marveling at how much better our Creator is at technology anyway. The size and energy it takes to make human aircraft hover and fly back wards (a.k.a. helicopters) is cosmically silly compared to the simplicity of this little feathered guy who weighs as much as a penny and lives on sugar. Yes, I know we have drones now but I'd rather have a Blackhawk in a fight and science still doesn't know how hummers change direction so quickly during aerial 'dogfights'. Okay, maybe that's a wash... or a tie.

In any case, we have figured out how to teleport, but only at the quantum level. Information from this photon is transferred to that pho ton without either of them actually moving. My question then is whether there has to be a copy of me already on the other side of the transporter to paste all the information from my 15 trillion cells? Even so, the original is destroyed in the process, so would I know I was a copy of myself? Can we style my photon copy to have less gray hair and abs?

I know there are already real-world applications. Quantum banking is in the works and the servers-in-space will be impossible to hack so no one can steal my money. Unhackable?... are you listening, every election board in America?

Still, I hope banks don't do away with dollars and cents all together. I'd miss dumping a coffee can of coins on the porch and counting them while I watch birds and clouds. Heck even Captain Kirk would enjoy that. By the way, he's due to be born in Iowa in just 206 years so let's be sure to save some sentimental things for him too.

As writers, we know a few people might notice a typo every now and then, but we don’t immediately hear comments from our readers. Thankfully.

But that first pitch thing? Trying to throw a strike in front of thousands of excited baseball fans who are all waiting to see if your performance will land you some where between legend and embarrassment certainly takes confidence and maybe even a bit of bravado.

To no one’s surprise, for Superintendent Steve Snell, it was a strike, a literal walk in the park, and an honor to represent Liberty Hill while throwing a great first pitch at the Round Rock Express game against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys September 10. Mr. Snell said, “Baseball is the great American pastime, and a game with the Round Rock Express is a great experience.”

by Ann Marie Kennon

PANTHER PRIDE ON THE LINE

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FESTIVAL SCULPTURE