Contents ON THE COVER: (left to right) Kendall (10), Samuel (10), and Kayla (6) enjoy the jungle gym next to the Butterfly Garden
Serving the Community of Cypress Creek Lakes
Photo Credit: Patricia Hudson
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Cypress Profile: Laura Royer
12 Best of Cy-Fair: Black Bear Diner
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Care Packages Bring a Touch of Home
14 Best of Cy-Fair: Athena's
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The Impact of College on a Cypress Creek Lakes Kid
15 Important Numbers
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College Bound Freshman Finds Strength in Trying Times
10 Playing Together
16 Do You Lift or Crush? 18 Cypress School News 20 Cypress Happenings 22 Pinpointe Wants To Know: Back To School
Laura Royer
CYPRESS PROFILE
By Patricia Hudson
I first met Laura several years ago, through a partnership between the Cy-Fair Women’s Club and Cy-Fair Helping Hands, the non-profit organization of which I serve as one of the Executive Directors. As President of CFWC, Laura impressed me with her leadership, positivity, and warmth. Dedicated to her family, work, and personal causes, she is a Cypress resident worthy of note. Husband’s Name: Shawn When/Where did you meet? We met through mutual friends, watching football at Buffalo Wild Wings. We both knew within a few weeks that we’d be together. Where did you get married? We eloped with the blessings of our families. A family friend blessed us with the use of their beautiful home in South Fork, Colorado. We were married in the snow, on the banks of the Rio Grande River, surrounded by mountains. Employment: Shawn and I have been self-employed since 2007. We are owners of Houston Permit Service. 4 August | September 2020
Photo Credit: Patricia Hudson
How long have you lived in Cypress? Shawn went to CyCreek High School, and has lived in the area most of his life. I grew up in Tomball, went to Tomball High School, and have lived in the Cypress area for 11 years. Children? We have one son, Trent, age 9. He will be
Laura and Trent Photo Credit: Patricia Hudson
Covid-19 Reflections
By Laura Royer As written and shared on Facebook - June 19, 2020
15 weeks since Trent has been in a classroom. 100 days since the pandemic reached Houston. So much has happened in the last 100 days. Sickness, death, job losses, shortages, ventilators, masks... and now, protests, riots, division. My family has learned so much in the last 100 days. We’ve spent time worrying, praying, hoping and watching the world around us. I think about the things we, as a society, are failing, and where we are doing well. I think about how I want my son raised, what I want him to know and understand, and what I hope he never will.
starting the 4th grade at Swenke Elementary next school year. He loves science, Lone Star Express Baseball, and fishing. (Note: While Trent normally plays catcher or third base, he recently pitched a perfect game in Game 1 of the World Series 2020 at Farm League Park in Klein).
I think about my Grandparents more, how they lived, lessons we were taught from their hardships growing up. I remember my Greek Grandmother never owning paper towels or any disposable items. Everything was used, washed, and used again. Food was made at home, never in a restaurant. I remember eating fresh garden vegetables from my Cajun Great Grandmother’s garden, figs off of the neighbor’s tree, and fresh meat from whatever was hunted or caught that day. I wonder how my Italian Grandfather felt growing up in Chicago in the 1930’s and 40’s with a Mom that didn’t speak English, and a Father that had abandoned them? How did he feel joining the Air Force at 17 and being shipped off to Korea? My Mom’s parents were self-employed most of my life. They had failures and successes in their businesses, but always lead with integrity. My Mom and Dad sold off everything they owned and moved across the country to start over when the economy
Family Time: It usually involves baseball, swimming, boating, and lake life. Lake Striker, a hidden gem in east Texas, is our favorite destination. Favorite Causes: Cy-Fair Women’s Club, (Board member for 6 years, 2 years as President, due to term limits, and served as Chairperson for Shop ‘Til You Drop, our annual fundraiser); Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo,(Shawn has been on Top Hand Cookers for 24 years, and a Rodeo member since 2010. He is the Vice Chairman of the School Art Auction Committee and on the Calf Scramble Donors’ Committee. I have been on the Area Go-Texan Committee, Horticulture, and the Souvenir Program Committee); and Cy-Fair Helping Hands, (Donor and Community Pantry volunteer).
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crashed in their town. It takes guts to pack it up, sell it all off, and move where no one knows your name, especially with a two-year-old and another on the way. Phone calls were long distance and expensive, no face time, no zoom. They were all so different, but all had one thing in common. Work hard, only buy what you need, and appreciate what you have. My Mom told me once that when she was growing up, it was frowned upon to live a lifestyle of excess. Now, we live in a world where it is celebrated. We, as a family, fight this battle on a daily basis. It’s so easy to “add to cart” online and eat out every night. But we are working on it. The last 100 days have helped re-focus our priorities as a family. As I sit here typing, Trent is reading his book to earn video game time later. After 2-1/2 years of him asking, I finally let him download Fortnite, an online game. We talked about how much time he wants to spend playing it, and how many fun things he has done in the last 2-1/2 years instead of playing a video game. I want him to understand how precious is time. During this 15+ weeks, Trent has spent his days fishing and playing with friends while we were at home. We’ve spent weeks at our lake house fishing, boating, building campfires and cooking. We are lucky in that Shawn can work from anywhere, hasn’t had to release anyone, and is still in business. We spend day after day in the swimming pool, and have had some great cookouts with the neighbors. All in all, we are very lucky, and we know it. Life is short, the economy is unstable and society is fragile. We still choose to look up to God for his guidance and walk in faith.
6 August | September 2020
Care Packages
By Patricia Hudson
Bring a Touch of Home for College Students The car is packed, and the time has come to send that son off to college. Choking back tears, mom hugs her “child” fiercely. With a sense of false bravado, her son turns and waves as he drives away. How will he make it without mom’s hot breakfasts, appointment reminders and fresh laundry? Never fear; as a mom of a college grad, I can assure you that somehow, you and your child will survive! While that college student is certain to experience new and exciting things, he will most definitely miss the familiarity of home. Show him some love; send him (or her), a Care Package. Through my online research, I found several creative ideas. A “Birthday in a Box,” might include freeze-dried ice cream, a microwave cake, streamers or a birthday banner, birthday hats, noisemakers, and some favorite snacks. College can be rigorous, so a “Stress Relief Box” might be a great idea during mid-term or finals week. Pack up a Slinky, a marshmallow gun with marshmallows, some silly string, Silly Putty, Play Dough, a Bop It and throw in some card games. Cy-Fair families have their own Care Package suggestions.
Mac, coffee, creamer, and homemade cookies to share with the dorm. “Snickerdoodles! The kids love them and they travel well.” Lily Locke Cossé opted to send her daughter Valerie Lacy “Chocolate chip cookies, breakfast bars, pretzels, trail mix, and always, a little cash thrown in.” Susan Baldwin Glass says, “Both of my boys loved my Care Packages, at least that’s what they said!” Garrett, 27, attended Texas State, and Dillon, 24, went to Webser College in St. Louis. “I sent homemade goodies, gift certificates, and most importantly, hand written notes. Also, a quick tip: empty aluminum foil or plastic wrap containers are the perfect size for mini cookies or cut up cookie bars! Easy to pack in a Care Package.” Sarah Rathbun Pyles sent her son, Lee, chips and Easy Mac. “Actually, I found that my son really didn’t appreciate care packages like I thought he would. Sometimes, they sat for days in the mail room before he picked them up!”
When Madison, Stacie Guidry’s daughter, attended Stephen F. Austin, Stacie mailed off gift cards to Kroger and CVS. “She had a food plan, but would also find that essentials needed to be supplemented.” Cherri Rustad Barker, mother of SFA alumni Sydney and her brother Carson, filled packages from home with “Microwaveable food and quick to grab breakfast bars.” Veronica Swift, a talented cook and baker, knows how to make her boys Gabe, (Trinity University grad, 2020), and Jared, (Texas A&M soon-to-be sophomore), happy. “Homemade goodies! Chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, flour tortillas, Chex Mix, and meals: lasagna, enchiladas, chili. The boys lived close enough so when they came home for a weekend, I made up food for them to take back. I made them a 'finals' package that consisted of a meal and snacks to share with the roommates.” Glory Ferguson Hoeflich’s son Matthew will be a sophomore at the university of Arkansas. She plans to send him Easy PinPointe Magazine
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was born and raised in Cypress, Texas. As much as I love the town, when the time came to leave for better places, people, and things, I took that opportunity to start fresh at a school far away from here. So, off I went to The University of North Texas, (the only person in my high school graduating class to do so), and started my new adventure. Was it terrifying, leaving the comfort of Cypress, to be entirely on my own? Of course, it was, but that was the best part about it.
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Going to college far away from Cypress, a person can change for the better. By allowing distance from my family and friends, I saw myself gain independence. I was able to think as freely as I wanted and form my own opinions about the world as I saw it. I learned how to create the routine that best fitted my studying, work, social, and personal life (I thoroughly enjoy "Domestic Sundays," as I can do chores at my own pace). The friends I made my freshman year have grown to become some of my absolute favorite people. We accepted each other's faults, insecurities, and quirks and grew to be overdramatic and true to ourselves. I am so grateful to have found them when I did, as they helped make my university feel like home, with a new found family. To watch each other grow from confused freshmen to fullfledged adults, some with children and others with "Fur Babies," is among the biggest blessings I could have. I also think back to all
8 August | September 2020
The Impact of College on a Cypress Creek Lakes Kid By Hannah Kearns of the fun and new experiences college gave me. I was able to explore the Dallas/Fort Worth area with friends whenever I wanted; the world was my oyster! I still remember us discovering a tulip farm, only 30 minutes from campus. Every March for the next four years, it became a tradition to get dressed up, pick flowers, and take pictures. I still have our first group picture together, framed on my desk. Yet, despite all of the independence, I realized that distance truly does make the heart grow fonder. I started to miss eating dinner at the table every night with my family; having
company was a lot more enjoyable than eating Chipotle at my desk by myself. As I was growing on my own, so did my appreciation for my family. Being able to call my mom, dad, and sister once a day gave me that dose of family time that I needed, but I still had the independence and freedom I was embracing. (It's not so bad to call your parents every once and while too, you know. They do end up missing their kid more than you think). They say that college is some of the best years of your life; I have to agree. I like to believe that the person I was senior year of high school would be proud of the changes, experiences, and growth I have achieved in only four years. College prepares you for changes you hadn’t noticed about yourself until later down the road. What a revelation it was to hear my old high school best friend say, "Well, you've become Hannah 2.0, in a way." That’s when you realize that college has impacted you in more ways than a degree can show. About the Author Hannah Kearns is a graduate of the University of North Texas and is pursuing her Masters's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with a specialization in Adolescences and Young Adults at UNT. Her day job is as a substitute teacher specializing in English and History, while editing college admission essays as a side business. For more information, email HannahKearns@my.unt.edu.
College Bound Freshman Finds Strength in Trying Times By Stephanie Suddreth t goes without saying that this year has been a wild ride, causing the senior year for the class of 2020 to come to a screeching halt. Even now, there are so many unanswered questions about our first year of college. All current events and world news aside, our lives are about to change more than they ever have before. Personally, I have never been more eager to see what the future holds, now that college is next on the line-up. This entire experience has taught me the importance of rolling with the punches and adapting to my environment, something I’m sure I’ll find useful this first college semester.
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I think my generation especially fantasizes about the future, and it’s crazy to try and comprehend that our future is here. Undergoing one of the biggest changes of my life amidst all the circumstances is of course, scary at times. However, I think that’s part of the fun of it. There’s something to be said about the summer before your first year of college, the last moments of your present life before you submerge yourself into a completely new world. I’m sure many of the people in my situation can agree that we already feel like we’ve aged since high
school, despite knowing that this is only the calm before the storm. I’ve always been the type to romanticize the future, and being the very first chapter of my adult life, college has been something I have felt ready to take on, especially over the last couple of years. One of my biggest fears has been not being prepared enough, as I’ve always felt like I was supposed to have all the answers even before experiencing something, college being the biggest example of this fear. While some of those feelings still linger, I am growing to learn that no one will ever have all of the answers or feel like they know exactly how to handle
new experiences. Especially now, with all these unanswered questions about what our next semester is going to look like, learning as you go seems to be the way to live life as a college student. All in all, I feel terrified and excited and ready all at the same time. Something we’ve all learned in these past few months is the power of feeling connected to each other; this has helped me to overcome some of my fears of the future. While it’s easy to say that a pandemic is what defines our present, I think the excitement for the future links us all together. I continue to remind myself that the lessons I am learning now are only setting myself up for success in college, and even beyond. I find comfort in the peace within the hectic moments, though there have been many, even in the weeks since I’ve graduated high school. There is still so much I have to learn before leaving for college, but I can’t help but think that all of this has happened for a reason, forcing us all to cherish the tiny moments that have gone unappreciated. About the Author Stephanie Suddreth is a 2020 graduate of Bridgeland High School. She plans to study Communications at Texas State University this fall.
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By Liz Arrington
don’t think I need to point out the level of stress and anxiety that the parents in our community are experiencing right now. The topic of conversation swirling around us is filled with questions and fears about what is the best choice for our children. Back to school, online school, homeschool, forming a “pod”; parents are weighing all of their options. Most of us are afraid that no matter what we choose, something will be sacrificed.
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But, in all of the worry and stress about our children’s education, it’s critical that we not overlook the most important learning tool that our children need. Play. The unique thing about play is that children are born experts at it! In fact, they use play to teach themselves the things they need to learn. Play is the way that children internalize and process information, organize their thoughts and feelings, and express their inner voice. It improves dexterity and supports physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Play is so important that it has been identified by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the
United Nations Commission for Human Rights. Parental involvement in play is included in the many factors that support the role of healthy play in a child’s overall development, and we believe an equally important role in supporting the grown up’s own emotional and mental health. Play is a wonderful opportunity for parents to engage fully with their little one. Through play you are able to get a glimpse into their world, open up new channels of communication, and help to build enduring relationships. In my experience, play is one of the most overlooked tools for parents to use! However, for many parents, playing with their children can feel unnatural or uncomfortable, or at worst, like we are wasting time. If you are looking for ways to engage in play with your little one, try some of these suggestions. A few tips for parents to keep in mind when playing with their little ones: ● Resist the urge to direct or lead the play. It is critical for children to be self-directed during play, or it's not really play — it's following directions.
"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is a serious thing. Play is really the work of childhood." - Fred Rogers 10 August | September 2020
● Use reflective language, repeating what you see and hear. It helps to see yourself as a mirror for your child.
● Ask questions to clarify your role (what would you like me to do?) But avoid asking "Why?" or digging for meaning in play. It's frustrating for children to interrupt play to explain or examine what they are doing.
● When playing with toys or other objects, avoid the urge to move your little one's body or hands for them. Even if they are playing with a toy the "wrong" way, authentic play is meant to be an exploration. You may choose to model the "correct" way for them, and your little one might change their approach or save that information in the future.
Liz Arrington combines her background in working with children and families with her love of music, to provide early childhood music and movement classes to the families of Cypress. Online music classes also available. See more at www.songfulbeginnings.com.
● Play should be FUN! Relax, focus and fully engage in the activity and delight in this little window into your little one's world.
● Set aside some time this week to engage in play for 30 minutes with your little one. This makes a special time for the two of you, and ensures that it actually gets done during busy days. You may be surprised at how that 30 minutes recharges your battery and sets aside some of the worries of your day.
In a period of time when families are burdened with stress and uncertainty, one thing we CAN do is play. It’s mutually beneficial, brings families together, helps our children to express their thoughts and feelings, and supports all areas of development. So, get into the work of childhood, and play with your little one today!
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BLACK BEAR DINER
The Best of Cy-Fair P L AC E S TO E AT
By Patricia Hudson
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y husband and I checked out Black Bear Diner for a late lunch recently. My first thought was that the entire restaurant appeared to have been picked up and transported, wooden bears and all, from the Great Smoky Mountains. It was very clean and very empty; we shared the dining room with only one other couple, a hostess, several waiters, and a cook. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. The menu, available as a QR code or as a four-page “newspaper,” offers a wide variety of downto-earth, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food such as hamburgers, fried chicken, meatloaf, and pot roast. Breakfast is served all day. Choices include
classic egg combos, omelets, pancakes, waffles and French toast. I opted for one of the heartiest of breakfasts, The Volcano. The meal consists of a huge stack of three delicious sweet cream pancakes, two strips of bacon perfectly fried, two sausage links, and two eggs, ($9.99). I was barely able to eat half of the generously portioned meal, and enjoyed the second half for a late-night snack. My husband ordered the Bigfoot Chicken Fried Steak with green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. He chose the minestrone “Soup of the Day” over a side salad. My husband wasn't impressed
CYPRESS RESIDENT: LIVE HERE, WORK HERE, PLAY HERE!
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12 August | September 2020
with the chicken fried steak, but scarfed down the rest of the meal. (We later discovered that the chicken fried steaks are not made “in house.”) He especially enjoyed the delicious piping hot cornbread muffins with butter. We made a return trip before the week’s end, so my husband and son could try The Volcano; the massive meal definitely met with their approval. The next time I go back, it will be for their FRIDAY after 4 p.m. All-You-CanEat Fish Fry, and, yes, one of those tempting desserts showcased at the register.
Black Bear Diner 19823 Northwest Freeway Houston, TX 77065 346-277-9027 blackbeardiner.com Days/Hours of Operation: Sunday-Saturday: 6am-10pm
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.bestofcyfair.com. And follow us on facebook: Pinpointe Magazines - Cypress
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The Best of Cy-Fair
ATHENA’S GREEK & EUROPEAN KITCHEN
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P L AC E S TO E AT By Nancy Eugenio
finally hit up Athena's Greek & European Kitchen for lunch today and everything was fabulous! The restaurant is a lot bigger than I expected, so there is plenty of room to space out.
I started with a delicious hummus and warm pita, which was fantastic. I ordered beef Souvlaki for my main course. The beef was well seasoned, extremely tender and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The Souvlaki also came with a side of Greek salad. The portion size for what I had was very good. I ate the whole kabob, but not all the fries. For the kabob and the hummus, I paid less than $20, and the hummus was a generous portion. I wish that I had asked for more pita, though. Service was fantastic. Everyone was polite and the server always made sure our glasses were full. Everyone wore masks and social distancing was enforced. The owner, Maria, came by to check on us and to see how we liked the food. She was very nice. I visited Greece (Mykonos) almost 17 years ago, and still dream about the food. Especially the Greek salad and the slice of feta they would put in it. I’m hoping this place will fill that void. Athena’s Greek Kitchen has an extensive menu, and you betcha I am planning on trying out almost everything. Next up will be the lamb chops because if you know me, you know (that) I love them.
Athena’s Greek & European Kitchen 13250 FM 529 • Houston, TX 77041 832-328-5494 • athenasgreekkitchen.com Days/Hours of Operation: Sunday-Thursday: 11am-8pm Friday & Saturday:11am-9pm Locally Owned & Operated. Restaurant Seating is at 50%. Curbside Pickup & Delivery within 5 miles.
Nancy Eugenio is Co-Administrator of Cypress Area Eats, a social media facebook page for all things food related.
14 August | September 2020
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Do you lift or crush?
By Allison Okuneye
Spirits. Not weights. By spirits, I mean people...not alcohol. Ok let me explain,
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST REACTION TO A
FRIEND’S EXCITING NEWS?
Encourage. OR Discourage? 16 August | September 2020
I love people. I am a people person, I do not have a "type" of friend, I can find connecting points with most human beings. With that being said, in my small world of people I am connected to, I have them broken down into two groups:
Group 1 are people I have great relationships with and we can catch right back up after not talking for years. We can send random texts or GIFs for a good laugh. It is a great group of people and the relationship hardly every goes below the surface.
Group 2 is different, and A LOT smaller. Group 2 is filled with the select few who have witnessed me cry (actual, real, live tears) and have seen the absolute worst, and have also experienced my absolute best! They can hold my secrets, and encourage me when I am on a roll, but also can listen to me when I am knee deep in an emotional breakdown. I love AND need both groups in my life.
Now, there are some people that won't ever make it in Group 2, but it’s not because I don't want them to be there. I have had to learn through
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extensive therapy and of course the good old fashioned hard way that you can't go to everyone with everything. For example, I had a friend that I would call right away when I got good news and was so excited I could almost burst. My excitement was ALWAYS met with criticism, questions, doubt, cynicism, and before I knew it, my excitement was CRUSHED. It took me a long time to realize that I love my friend, but I cannot share good news with her. This is not because I don't want her to be a part of my good news, I just knew that for whatever reason, she did not know how to be a part of my joy. She was a CRUSHER.
It is important to know which of the friends in your circle are CRUSHERS, and which ones are LIFTERS. Lifters will not only match your excitement, but will sometimes even outdo you! This does not mean that they won't ever question or bring something to your attention if it seems off. But in the moment of your good news, they will be there, and they will be SUPPORTIVE. They will keep you lifted, and will choose another time and place for questions or criticism. They will join wholeheartedly in your excitement. These are the LIFTERS.
We understand the importance of knowing where our friends fall, but the most IMPORTANT question is which one are YOU? What kind of friend/sister/wife/mother are YOU? What is your first reaction to exciting news? Do you LIFT others up? Or do they leave a conversation with you and feel CRUSHED and defeated? We focus A LOT on the
way that other people treat us, and how they show up in our relationships, but it is rare that we turn the question around and dive deeper into the type of person we are. Take some time and look at the different relationships in your life; if you feel really bold, you can even ask those who you know will give you an honest answer where you fall. Chances are, you might not be as aware as you think you are when it comes to those closest to you, and that is OK. This is about being better than we were yesterday, and taking small steps in the right direction.
So here is your challenge. Be a LIFTER this month in as many of your relationships, and in as many situations as you can. If you want extra credit, journal about your experience. Where did you see a difference? Were some relationships easier to be a lifter than others? What reactions (if any) did you get?
I can't wait to hear about your experience! We can do this, let's get to lifting!!!
Take care of each other out there. Allison Okuneye
@dkdesignheadwear
dkdesignheadwear@gmail.com
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CYPRESS SCHOOL NEWS News Source: CFISD News
Cody Weatherly awarded CFisd secondary Teacher of the year
CFisd Celebrates serving 1 Million Curbside Meals The CFISD nutrition services department celebrated serving its millionth curbside meal on June 30, more than three months after launching the free community service on March 16 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Curbside meals have been available to children 18 years and younger at 19 CFISD school locations. Each child is provided with breakfast and lunch. Children do not have to be present in the car, but adults must have some form of documentation for each child, including the student’s school ID, birth certificate, report card or attendance record. Curbside meals will continue Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through August 21 at many Cy-Fair campuses. Visit bit.ly/2XzaQSO for site info and menus.
CFisd land slated for Performing arts Center, Offices
Bridgeland High School world geography teacher and assistant baseball coach Cody Weatherly was selected as CypressFairbanks ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year. He will be honored Aug. 3 at the Region 4 Education Service Center Teachers of the Year Ceremony.
Bridgeland Junior Makes Over 200 Masks for Community
A new $65.9 million ISC is proposed for the 26-acre plot of land owned by CFISD adjacent to Cy-Fair High School, to provide office and meeting space. A new performing arts center is proposed for the same parcel of land to accommodate growth in band, orchestra, choir, dance, theater and fine arts programs. The new facility would seat about 1,500. The average high school theater seats 800, and the Berry Center’s theater seats 490. Julie Hinaman, CFISD Board Trustee, reports that about 180 of the district’s more than 1,600 annual performances take place at external venues due to lack of capacity.
Bridgeland High School junior Ruth Poole made more than 200 cotton masks for Cy-Fair community members amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Poole recognized a need for masks, especially among the elderly community. “I feel really good about being able to provide masks to those who need them,” Poole said. “Oftentimes, community service is more of a long-term project, but by doing this there was near-instant fulfillment of a need and I am proud to have contributed.”
softball athletes named to 2020 academic all-district Teams Softball athletes named to the academic all-district teams finished the season in good standing and earned a composite weighted grade point average of 5.5 or higher for all classes for the two identified six weeks that make up the majority of their regular season. The following student-athletes were named to the academic all-district teams: Bridgeland Trinity Allen Hailey Stum Mallory Bonvillain Shelby Frazier Makenzi Jenkins Kaylee Kelso Lindsay Polleschulz
Brodie Quinlan Tyler Scott Jaelyn Simmons Avery Wagner Emily Jara Raina Lange Acie Prince Mackenzie Stuart
18 August | September 2020
CyPress ranCh Vanessa Soza Adelyn Becerra Ariana McCarthy Caylin McCorkle Molly Yo Ashley Buss Camryn Carmouche
Delaney Phares Emily Strupp Kendall Johnson Khloe Jowers Britton Rogers Madyson Wiggins Khloe Jowers of Cy-Ranch
Cy-Fair students named to 2020 academic all-district Baseball Teams Thirty-two Bridgeland and Cypress Ranch student-athletes qualified for the Academic All-District 14-6A and 17-6A baseball teams, released earlier last month. Athletes who earned academic all-district recognition finished the season in good standing and earned a composite weighted grade point average of 5.5 or higher for all classes for the two identified six weeks that make up the majority of their regular season. The following academic all-district athletes were recognized: Bridgeland Murphy Brooks Ryan Williams Tripp Cromer Kyle Dickey Liam Koleci Conner Motsinger Josh Phillips Ethan Brockman Matthew Garza Landon Herrmann Patrick Hogan Bryce Hughes Jaxon Jordan Taylor Phillips Ethan Sipes Ryan Stevenson Chris Wattinger
CyPress ranCh Royce Congi Alex Renfrow Christian Salazar Griffin Abercrombie Connor Fulbright Parker Harris Jason Kelly Mason Neal Weston Williams Colby Wilson Connor Sprouse Blaine Burris Fabian Mayfield Mitchell McAfoose Luke Negrete
Cypress Ranch High School graduate Fabian Mayfield was named to the 2020 Academic All-District baseball teams.
golfers named to 2020 academic all-district Teams Nineteen Bridgeland and Cypress Ranch student-athletes qualified for the Academic All-District 14-6A and 17-6A golf teams. Athletes who earned academic all-district recognition finished the season in good standing and earned a composite weighted grade point average of 5.5 or higher for all classes for the two identified six weeks that make up the majority of their regular season. The following academic all-district athletes were recognized: Bridgeland Carson Chandler Ryan Woods Cole McClellan Nicholas Labarbera Andrew Nichols Tyler Hebert Braeden Burditt Adam Cain Lucas Borrero Mattew Andrews Kolton Nunez
Bridgeland High School juniors Cole McClellan, left, and Nick Labarbera both qualified for the Academic All-District 14-6A team.
CyPress ranCh Drew Dean Leo Luo Michael Rivich Zachary Smart Joshua Fourie Davis McNeely Nicolas Yargo Logan Stiba PinPointe Magazine
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need to register your child for school? CFisd registration is now online! www.cfisd.net/en/parents-students/registration/admissions-attendance-and-transfers "There’s no good answer,” Mark Henry, superintendent of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District near Houston, told trustees at a recent special meeting in which they voted to postpone the district’s hybrid reopening until September. “If there was a good answer, if there were an easy answer,” he said, “we would lay it out for you and everybody would be happy.” Source: New York Times: “A School Reopens, and the Coronavirus Creeps In” August 1, 2020
aquatic athletes earn Tisca academic all-state honors
Tennis Players named to 2020 all-district Teams
Twenty-two of the Thirty-four CFISD swimmers, divers and water polo players named to the Texas Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (TISCA) Academic All-State Team represented Bridgeland and Cypress Ranch High Schools. To qualify for academic all-state honors, athletes are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.750 on a 4point scale, for five semesters (juniors) or seven semesters (seniors); be classified as a junior or senior; and lettered in their high school program (swimming, diving or water polo) during their junior or senior year. TISCA recognized the following students:
37 tennis players from Bridgeland and Cy-Ranch were named to the Academic All-District 14-6A and District 17-6A tennis teams.
Bridgeland Aldercy Bui Lianne Duran Ashley Harris Lane Hovorka
Mia Lawton Hanna Vinklarek Jackson Dement Hayden Faulk Ezequiel Imbern
John McMahon Jonathan Ware Nail Wright Nicholas Wright
CyPress ranCh Kevin Pham Eric Gabriel Azcoitia Dev Randalpura
Vedaant Kaura James Gavin Wyatt Fredrickson Pranav Sosale
Austin Jones Colin Wenger
20 August | September 202020 June | July 2020
Athletes named to the academic all-district teams finished the season in good standing and earned an overall weighted grade point average of 5.5 or higher for all classes for the two identified six weeks that make up the majority of their regular season. Bridgeland Divya Tuluri Alison Chen Emma Eads Abbey Faggard Lauren Green
Abby Porter Adi Makthala Ethan Payne Lucas White Carston Heinrich Elise Barlow
Denny Hwang Haley McNabb Dallas White Sid Rayapur Ethan Reader
CyPress ranCh Darcy Thompson Abby Guillaume Nathan Hill Sophie Ritter Keith Seafous Manvir Singh
Vinayak Belavadi Grant Curington Hiba Dadabhoy Mikayla Flippin Jasmine Flores Corinne Francois Carolina Gonzalez
Keegan Smith Valeria Tellez-Dara Michael Thompson Chloe Vancemelbecke Arka Bose Maya McDaniel Julia Tran
Cypress
HAPPENINGS
F O R M O R E , G O T O B E S T O F C Y FA I R . C O M
gulf Coast regional Blood Center Blood drive & Covid-19 antibody Testing at the Berry Center The Berry Center • 8877 Barker Cypress Rd. • Cypress, TX Appointments available throughout August. Please visit www.berrycenter.net/events to view available dates and sign up.
Mint express Car Wash Food drive & grand Opening FOOD DRIVE: August 24 - September 6, 2020 GRAND OPENING: Friday, August 28 - Sunday, August 30 2020 8640 Barker Cypress • Cypress (across from the Berry Center) Mint Express Car Wash, a new state-of-the-art express car wash, is opening its first location in Cypress. The Grand Opening event will be held August 28-30, 2020 offering free car washes to all customers. “As part of our motto to be part of the community that we serve, Mint Express is hosting a food collection drive August 24 - September 3, in partnership with Cy-Fair Helping Hands, a community non-profit which serves the homeless and hungry. Our goal is to give back to the community during these uncertain economic times; we hope to collect 10,000 cans of non-perishable food during the campaign. We look forward to meeting people in the community as we work together to feed those in need. As our commitment to the campaign, Mint Express pledges to donate at least 1,000 food cans,” states owner Vinay Chhabra.
Benefit for hPd helicopter Pilot, Chase Cormier Sunday, August 23, 2020 • Noon-6pm Bareback Bar & Icehouse • 19940 Kuykendahl • Spring $10 for Adults, $5 for kids 12 and under (3 & under free). Live Music with Neal McCoy. All Proceeds go to the Cormier Family.
Blood drive - giannina’s Pizza and Catering Sunday, August 30, 2020 • Noon-4:30pm 9740 Barker Cypress Rd. • Cypress, TX 77433 Free pint of Blue Bell Ice Cream & Free Covid-19 Antibody Testing*! Sign up online at www.CommitForLife.org and enter Sponsor Code: GIAN. Contact Giannina Cicciarella at 832-963-8008 or gianninaspizza@gmail.com with questions. *This test is authorized by the FDA only for detecting the presence of antibodies against SARS-Co V-2 and is not intended for diagnosis of Covid-19.
Cypress-Fairbanks isd Classes resume Tuesday, September 8, 2020
senior Travelers of Cypress nashville show Trip Sunday, November 29 • 8am - Saturday, December 5, 2020 Good Shepherd Methodist • 20155 Cypress Wood • Cypress Transportation, meals, live shows, guided tours and much more! Cost: $765 - $75 due upon signing. Final payment due Sept. 22 (Per person, double occupancy. Add $255 for single occupancy.) For more info and reservations contact: Jo Ann Lambert at pstlgrl@gmail.com or Jackie Devine at jackie.devine@comcast.net
a Message From The Commissioner I write to you with a message of hope and encouragement. Although our world these days may seem bleak when we watch the news, this coronavirus pandemic will not break our spirit. In the midst of this storm, Harris County Precinct 4 still celebrates many small triumphs. Commissioners Court recently passed the Small Business Recovery Fund (SBRF) program offering up to $30 million in grants to small businesses. We hope these funds, provided by our federal partners under the CARES Act, will give businesses the spark needed to survive this pandemic and serve us long into the future. Those in need may also qualify for food, masks, and other assistance. Learn more about some of these resources below. In Precinct 4, we offer an abundance of beautiful parks to explore and virtual programs to see. Your county workers also continue to repair streets, build roads, and find contactless ways to provide entertainment and recreation. My staff recently hosted a virtual concert spotlighting the music of The Beatles. The event reached 13,298 people and received 5,900 unique views as of July 21! While the pandemic continues, we hope to present many more virtual programs like this to inspire and entertain you. Stay tuned for details on Precinct 4’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HCPrecinct4. Stay safe, wash your hands, and remember that your servants here in Precinct 4 continue to serve you.
harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner r. Jack Cagle
Cy-Fair helping hands annual Backpacks and school supplies drive nOW through augusT 18 The Coronavirus has put a great financial strain on families that are already struggling within our community. This has been evidenced by the long lines of cars that are coming through our Cy-Fair Helping Hands weekly drive-thru pantry food distribution. CFISD students will begin classes on September 8, 2020. Cy-Fair Helping Hands is committed to providing backpacks filled with school supplies to registered CFHH clients whose children attend CFISD schools. We are asking community businesses, churches, organizations, neighborhoods, and families to purchase and fill new backpacks with school supplies appropriate to the ages of the students. Our annual Backpacks and School Supplies Campaign will run through Tuesday, August 18, 2020, with a drive-thru distribution Wednesday, August 26, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, and Saturday, August 29, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, or until all supplies are distributed. EligiBiliTy reQuireMenTs Registered CFHH clients that have received food through the Cy-Fair Helping Hands Drive-Thru distribution in the month of July, with children that will attend CFISD schools beginning September 8, 2020 (Must have school identification or documentation from school campus for each student), are eligible to receive backpacks and school supplies. To commit to donating backpacks and school supplies, and to arrange delivery to our Cy-Fair Helping Hands office, 7520 Cherry Park Drive, Ste. B, Houston, TX 77095, or email phudson@cyfairhelpinghands.org. To donate funds, please go to www.cyfairhelpinghands.org, or mail to: 7710 Cherry Park Drive, #T-385, Houston, TX 77095. PinPointe Magazine
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Back To School
CFISD Schools will begin the 2020 - 2021 School year on September 8, 2020. As a result of Covid-19, Cy-Fair families have the option to (a), send their children back to the classroom, or (B), select online learning. Of the 41 families that responded, 71% are opting to return to their designated campuses. One family will be homeschooling this year. Here are a few of the responses. samantha spencer a - Both my husband and I have to work. If one of us doesn’t work, we cannot provide for our children, or won’t have a place to live. We don’t use the schools as daycare, we use it for enrichment, and the ability to stay above the poverty line. Lorraine Skipper B - I'm fortunate to have grown children who can do things for themselves. Plus, I only work part time, so I can monitor. We'll see what happens over the first grading period, then make a decision based on that info.
Christine nguyen a - I asked my kids what they wanted to do and they both said that they wanted to go back to school. Kelley ennis Mauk a - my boys are soooooooo missing the social interaction! They will both be wearing masks ALL DAY and washing their hands often, as we have been discussing it daily. I will also be sending their lunches daily to reduce trash and unnecessary contact with others! I will say, as a mom of a second and a third grader, it is so hard to homeschool both! renee Matso gray a - My girls miss their friends and are excited to be going back to school even though they have to wear masks.
KNOW: By Patricia Hudson
anna Johnson Cordova a - 7th & 8th grade. ashley Martin dunham a - Freshman at Woods
Kathleen smith seaver a - Junior at Bridgeland. During the first phase from home when grades were not recorded, there was no incentive to participate or penalty for not, so my son took no action. During the second phase when attendance and grades were recorded, there wasn’t any challenging instruction in order to teach the masses, so he participated as needed, but no real gains in learning. My son is in the STEM program, gets good grades and plays football. He needs the in-person instruction to remain engaged and invested. Melissa durham a - my only child will be starting kindergarten in person this year. As a widow who works outside the home and has a limited income, I am grateful for the choice to send her to school. Kellye engelbracht slatton a - my daughter is a senior, and the isolation in the spring really got to her. Having another child who was diagnosed with severe depression last year during his freshman year at college, the mental health repercussions are of great concern to me. donnell Walker a - my son transferred after his sophomore year to Brautigam (Center) in efforts to graduate early. Guess this will be his senior year but I would rather die than have most of his high school memories spent at home.
Treasure West a - high schooler (her choice) B - Elementary schoolers (parents’ choice)
erin Kamery Medina a - I am a teacher and will be required to be on campus, so I don't get the "luxury " of keeping my children home where they are safe.
sallee saltzman riegler a - I get the feeling CFISD has grossly underestimated how many kids are coming back. I personally do not know of a single family that is signing up for virtual.
amy Pepples Klafka C - After 6 years in CFISD, we are homeschooling with our own curriculum. Neither mode of learning was acceptable.
Meka Brown B - My child will not be a Guinea pig. Kasi land B - I feel if they are keeping the bars shutdown and I can't work, then I can stay home and take care of my son and not have to worry so much. Valerie rodriguez arnold a - It was my high-schooler’s decision. gail Marxhausen B - freshman in high school.
22 August | September 2020
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