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(NEXT TO WATERSIDE) We are excited to welcome new and current patients to our completely new space built with you in mind. We have some amazing technology in our new home and are excited to give all our patients the tour. With over 25 years of experience, we’re here to take care of all your dental needs. We focus on excellent dentistry and a first class patient experience. Come see what makes us unique! To schedule an appointment or tour our new practice, head over to our website or give us a call.
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Q
Contributors Questions What’s something completely new that you would like to learn?
Issue 30 | Learn Something New July/August 2022 Publisher Editor Associate Publisher
Victoria Wise
Lee
Victoria
Carolyn
I’d love to learn how to draw. I’m hopeless!
I’d love to learn stone setting in jewelry.
I would like to learn a new language.
Lee Virden Geurkink Jennifer Kieta
Contributing Writers Sarah Angle
Buck Elliott
Lyle Brooks
Jackie Elliott
Edward Brown
Angela Weaver
Contributing Photographer Carolyn Morris
Illustrator
Trish
Lyle
Jackie
Sarah
I’d like to learn how to fly a plane!
Data visualization.
How to grill!
Spanish.
Trish Wise
Lead Design
Cover Design
Conor Dardis
Victoria Wise
Madeworthy Magazine is an extension of Tanglewood Moms, LLC., and serves to tell community stories for a family audience. For website and magazine advertising opportunities, please contact: Victoria@MadeworthyMedia.com
Angela
Edward
Buck
For my upcoming wedding, I really want to learn floral design!
Not new, but I would love to relearn proper cursive. Is chicken scratch a writing style?
I’d like to learn serviceable Spanish… I know the basics but would like to be able to converse better with students and others I encounter day-to-day.
Looking for more copies Madeworthy Magazine? You can subscribe at TanglewoodMoms.com for free or pick up copies at Central Market in Fort Worth or Whole Foods in the Waterside shopping center.
A Le er from the Editor by Lee Virden Geurkink
This issue of Madeworthy that you hold in your hands is our 30th issue. Not too shabby for a project dreamed up by a couple of people with absolutely no background in publishing or journalism.
It’s appropriate that this issue is all about learning something new. Over the course of the last five years, Victoria and I have learned a lot about running a magazine. I’ve come to realize that there is no better way to learn something new than to follow what I call the Victoria Method. Here’s a breakdown of the Victoria Method:
Step one... Come up with an idea. The crazier, the better. Seriously, the sky’s the limit on this.
Step two... Do some research. See if you can fill a niche.
Step three... Know that you’ll learn as you go, and if you fail, you’ll learn from those failures.
Step four... Hold your nose, possibly say a little prayer, and jump in. That’s it. That’s the Victoria Method. In April of 2017, Victoria and I were sitting at my
dining room table for a TanglewoodMoms.com editorial meeting. She casually mentioned that she thought we should start a magazine. I casually told her that I thought she had completely and utterly lost her mind. No one was starting a magazine in 2017. Magazines were folding right and left. Print was dead, hadn’t she heard? I thought that was the end of that. I have since learned to trust Victoria’s instincts. She knew that there was a wealth of great stories across Fort Worth that were just begging to be told. She knew that we had some great writers who worked with us on TanglewoodMoms.com who could tell those stories. And she knew that Fort Worth was ready for a magazine like Madeworthy. That meeting at my dining room table took place in the third week of April 2017. On August 26 of that same year, a mere four months after that initial idea, we had our launch party at Artspace111, complete with stacks of Madeworthys. And we haven’t looked back. We have made mistakes and missteps. We’re human, after all. But we learn from each mistake, and we (hopefully) do better afterward. We are fortunate that our designers and printers and writers and subjects have been patient as we learned to navigate the publishing world. But
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looking through our archive of past issues, I see that each issue is a little better than the previous issue. We are always learning. Speaking of always learning, you may have noticed that this issue of Madeworthy is a little different that previous issues. We have been doing a deep dive into the environmental impact of printing, as it were, and we decided to make some changes. Due to the lingering supply chain issues sparked by the pandemic, prices on paper stock have risen dramatically. Who knew? Additionally, we learned that when printing in bulk, as we do with Madeworthy, every ounce counts. This issue is lighter than our previous issues. Why does that matter, I hear you ask. We print and mail thousands of copies of each issue of Madeworthy. When delivering this issue to your door, the postal vehicles will burn less fuel. Lower carbon emissions are good for our planet and for our future. Little bits add up over time. So here’s to the next five years of Madeworthy! Our goal is to keep telling Fort Worth’s stories, big and small. Our aim is to learn from the previous five years to make each issue better than the one that came before it. And our hope is that you keep reading.
REAL CLIENTS, real work,
REAL LIFE... by Sarah Angle The real world is a scary place full of deadlines, conflict, and hard conversations. I know; I’ve been there. When I worked as an advertising copywriter, these types of obstacles are just part of the daily routine. I wish that when I was in college I had an opportunity to learn what the real world was so I could be prepared for life after graduation. Now, I am proud to say that I’m able to give strategic communications students that exact opportunity through my work with Roxo, TCU’s student advertising and public relations agency.
This program, housed in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication, is experiential and service-based learning combined. Students create real work for real clients in the community. A portion of the work we do each semester is pro bono and directly benefits a local nonprofit. Since Roxo’s inception over 10 years ago, the agency has donated approximately $50,000 worth of work to the Fort Worth community. This work for local nonprofits creates positive social change in Fort Worth, and it changes the students who do the projects; the action of working and learning to understand poverty, education inequality, hunger, and mental health gives students more than a letter grade ever will. It challenges and changes the way they think and see the world.
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This work for local nonprofits creates positive social change in Fort Worth
While Roxo is staffed by students, it’s as real world as it gets, complete with an Executive Creative Director and CEO (that’s me) and a hierarchy of leadership and accounts teams — just like any professional advertising or public relations agency. Unlike professional agencies, Roxo provides a safe space for students to fail. Yes, fail. Failure is one of the best gifts I can give my students because it gives them the opportunity to learn and improve.
We also work for paying clients who expect a high return on their investment, which puts more pressure on the students. This is that realworld experience. Sure, we mess up, but that’s part of the process. We grow together with clients like Cook Children’s Health Care System, MHMR of Tarrant County, The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, Near Southside, Inc., Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Project 4031, and Leadership Fort Worth, just to name a few. Each academic year, Roxo works with roughly a dozen clients. The agency
lot of time and energy creating an agency culture that proves we really care about our students and our community.
Photos courtesy of Roxo
accepts about 27 students each semester after a rigorous application process. After they’re accepted, the students are placed into four different account teams, with positions like public relations manager, creative director, copywriter, designer, and social media manager. The Roxstars, as the students are known, earn three credit hours and a stipend at the end of the semester. When I took over the agency about five years ago, I decided I wanted to run it as a social enterprise; we put mission over profit and integrate the greater good in all we do. Part of that mission and a piece of our corporate social responsibility agenda is mental health. We partnered with the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation to raise money during the pandemic to support the foundation’s mission to prevent suicide, and we dedicate a
Roxo has a long list of happy clients. “I’ve had the privilege of working with Roxo… and I’m always blown away by their energy, creativity, and professionalism,” said Kim Brown, Public Relations Manager for Cook Children’s. “Roxo has helped us think outside of the box and take our campaigns to new heights, especially with the Joy Campaign. They took a personal interest in our goal to reduce youth suicide attempts and were completely invested in our mission. We are so grateful for their hard work and commitment to helping Cook Children’s.” If we, as leaders and industry professionals, take care of our people first, those people — be they students or seasoned professionals — will gladly put in the hard work with us. Not for the agency. Not for the institution. But alongside the person who’s shown such care for them. That’s the power of developing and nurturing social capital. And I hope this empathetic style of leadership is carried on as my students become the next generation of advertising agency professionals. I’m grateful to the Department of Strategic Communication at TCU, the Bob Schieffer College of Communication, and clients like Cook Children’s for giving our students the real-world experience they need and the opportunity to lead with empathy and bold creativity.
Fresh Family Recipes by Lee Virden Geurkink
Chukauni - Nepali Potato Yogurt Salad
Saigon Pancakes (Banh Xeo)
One of the co-owners of The Table and a partner of Hao & Dixya, Dixya Bhattarai is a culinary dietician. As if she doesn’t have enough on her plate, she founded Indulge FW, a new cooking studio and tearoom inside the 3rd Street Market. Indulge FW will host cooking classes for all ages and skill levels, as well as a weekly afternoon tea because, as Dixya said, “Everyone deserves a break from this hectic life.” This salad is spicy, sour, zesty, and just plain delicious.
Hao Tran is another co-owner of The Table and the other partner of Hao & Dixya. She is also a chemistry teacher at Trimble Tech AND is opening Fort Worth’s first dumpling house, The Pantry, this summer. Her recipe for bahn xeo (“sizzling cake” or Saigon pancakes) is bright and utterly delicious.
Ingredients 1/2 cup dried mung beans 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, stirred before using 2 cups white rice flour 1 cup cornstarch 4 cups water 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric Salt Vegetable oil 1 pound cooked, sliced pork loin or belly 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 medium white onion, thin sliced 3 cups bean sprouts 1 cup of julienned jicama 1 cup of shredded carrots Red leaf lettuce and mint leaves, for serving
Ingredients 4 small, waxy potatoes (Dixya suggests red potatoes) 1/2 cup plain, full-fat yogurt (depending on your preference and the thickness of yogurt, may need more or less) 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 small serrano pepper, finely chopped 1 heaping tablespoon lemon juice (may need more or less depending on how sour the yogurt is) 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder Salt to taste 2 teaspoons mustard oil 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seed Small pinch of turmeric Chopped cilantro to garnish
Directions
Directions In a medium pot, add the potatoes and cover with about 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a fork, about 8 to 12 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, turn off the heat. Drain the potatoes and rinse them under cool water. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cube into chunks. Transfer to a large bowl. To the bowl, add the yogurt, chopped onion, chopped serrano, lemon juice, red chili powder, and salt. Mix everything well and adjust salt and acid to your liking. If the yogurt is too thick, add little water to help mix everything. Heat the mustard oil in a small pan. Add the fenugreek seeds to the hot oil. Adjust the heat as needed and once the fenugreek seeds start to turn dark, turn off the heat and add a small pinch of turmeric. Pour the hot oil with fenugreek and turmeric to the bowl. Mix everything together, adjust the seasoning and garnish with chopped cilantro.
In a small bowl, soak the dried mung beans in warm water until they are softened, about 30 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer them to a blender. Add the coconut milk and puree until very smooth. Transfer the mung-bean puree to a large bowl and whisk in the white rice flour, cornstarch, water, scallions and turmeric, and season lightly with salt. Let the crêpe batter rest for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet. Add a few slices of pork, a couple of shrimp, and a few slivers of white onion and cook for 30 seconds. Stir the crêpe batter and pour 2/3 cup of it into the pan; tilt and swirl the pan to coat the bottom with a very thin layer of batter, letting it come up the side of the pan. Scatter 1/4 cup of the bean sprouts over the crêpe and drizzle 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil around the edges. Cover the skillet and cook over moderately high heat until the bottom of the crêpe is golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Slide the crêpe onto a plate and serve with lettuce leaves and mint. If you like, you can serve it with a drizzle of sriracha and/or a combination of soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, minced garlic, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, serving the crêpes as soon as they are cooked. Makes 12 crêpes.
Enjoy the salad at room temperature or serve it chilled. Serves 4
The Perfect Picnic Sandwich This recipe, from the files of It’s About Thyme’s cooking classes, is truly what the name says. It’s perfect for taking on a picnic to the park or beach or serving at a casual party.
Ingredients 1 round loaf of bread, like a French boule or Italian pagnotta 1/4 pound thinly sliced Genoa or hard salami 1/4 pound thinly sliced Black Forest ham 1/4 pound thinly sliced mortadella 1/2 pound thinly sliced sliced mild cheese, like provolone or Edam 1 cup sundried tomatoes in oil Handful basil leaves 1 cup pickled banana pepper rings 1 small red onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup capers
Directions Cut the top off the bread loaf, saving the top, and hollow the loaf out. (Save the bread for breadcrumbs!) Start layering the meats, cheese, tomatoes, banana peppers, red onions, and capers in the bread. There should be at least three layers of good stuff, and the loaf should be filled side to side and top to bottom. Put the lid of the loaf back, and wrap the whole loaf tightly in foil. Weigh the sandwich. (A cast iron skillet with a couple of big cans of tomatoes is great. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use a cutting board or a plate instead.) Let stand, weighted, for about 30 minutes and then refrigerate. This sandwich ideally should be made the night before your picnic or party and brought to room temperature before serving. To serve, cut wedges or slices of the loaf.
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We Don’t Need to be SuperMom by Jackie Hoermann-Elliott If you’re expecting or recently had a baby, you’ve educated yourself on baby gear, feeding schedules, soothing techniques, and much more. But how much have you prepared yourself to take care of you? According to The Blue Dot Project, one in five women will face a maternal mental health disorder at some point in their life. This estimation is higher for first-time mothers, especially those suffering from birth trauma. Despite being so common, few women share their experiences with perinatal or postpartum mood disorders, seek professional counseling, or educate themselves on how to manage their new roles while also managing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or psychosis. Local therapist Kiara Williams knows because she’s been there. As a working mother to three daughters and a stepson, Williams established Pieceful Therapy Counseling Services, P.L.L.C., to uplift and educate moms like herself. “I experienced postpartum depression with all of my pregnancies.” Williams shared. “I had suicidal ideation, thoughts of harming baby; I was very irritable and lashing out a lot… I knew something was wrong, but I knew the
stigma of any mental health disorder.” In the same year that Williams started her practice, author Minna Dubin gained national attention for her memoir-esque article on mom rage published in The New York Times. In the last few years, maternal mental health awareness has been circulating in mothering support groups, but these groups tend to be frequented by moms who’ve been raising children for a while rather than soon-to-be or first-time mothers, who lack the words to describe what they’re feeling.
Nevertheless, we need to start somewhere. Williams has a few pocket-sized points of advice you can reach for at any stage in your mothering journey. Expect to Change As much as you gain as a mother, you also lose something – your free time, your privacy, your body, your hobbies, and even your sex life for a while. “Everything changes. You may not even like the same foods anymore.”
shared Williams. These changes are gradual, but they can result in feelings of identity loss. Lamenting these changes doesn’t make you a bad mom. Externalizing these feelings by talking about them in therapy or with trusted friends can help.
Williams said this is the most common source of frustration she hears in therapy. “Moms need to know it is okay to pour into yourself because if you don’t, you’re going to… not have the energy you need to pour into your baby.”
Know the Signs “Baby blues” is a cute name for serious feelings. If you’re constantly feeling down, hopeless, irritable, fatigued, socially withdrawn, or are having trouble sleeping and eating, these are cues that you may have a maternal mood disorder requiring support. Williams wants women to know that experiencing an intrusive thought, such as harming a baby, is more normal than most people think. Think of intrusive thoughts as having a protective factor. Many parents (dads included) experience an intrusive thought and feel a sense of discomfort or disgust; that feeling is the brain’s way of ensuring the thought isn’t acted on. Again, talking about your thoughts can help you “feel more at ease.”
Identify Unrealistic Expectations When I delivered my first baby, I packed my work laptop because I thought I’d be bored while in the hospital. As a working mother, Williams knows my type. “Women today are expected to be independent, to run their own businesses, and to strive for equality because society emphasizes women in the workforce [being] completely equal to men.” she said. Stay-at-home moms place unrealistic expectations on themselves, too, possibly stemming from feelings of inadequacy for not working outside of the home. The reality is that all mothers can demand too much from themselves in the postpartum period.
Recognize Mom Guilt That feeling of having to choose between your baby or you is mom guilt. You can also feel guilt for not spending enough time with a partner, friends, other children, or even pets.
Create a Support System Early on, your partner may be the person you confide in, but your partner has probably never felt the pangs of postpartum recovery. Williams recommends finding authentic, nonjudgmental friends, mothers or mothers-in-law, or therapists who’ve been where you are now. Keep these people in your corner. Share with them, and you may be surprised what they share with you. Or as Williams told me, “I am an open book because moms need to know they are not alone. In experiencing [postpartum depression] myself, [my clients] don’t feel as though I’m talking from things I read in a book.”
Lessons from the Roadside by Lyle Brooks We’ve all seen stands selling products from the side of the road. Great farmfresh produce, handmade goods, and local charms awaiting passersby, who undoubtedly become loyal customers when they find something special. Peaches are one of the most popular treasures drivers discover on the byways of Texas. They come in various types: white, yellow, or red; those better for baking in cobbler, canning in preserves, or those that are delicious on a summer afternoon, ripe with a bounty of sweet juice.
Photos courtesy of Shannon Houchin
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Ten years ago, Shannon Houchin was between businesses and looking to build cash quickly. A good friend from Olanta, South Carolina, deep in peach country, convinced her that peach stands were perfect for her. Houchin took her son Finn east, where they learned all about peach brokering and negotiating prices for large quantities of high-quality peaches, whether with farmers or other brokers. “Peaches are good; peaches make people happy. Nobody is ever upset or disgruntled when they buy peaches,” Houchin explained. Houchin started with a hundred stands across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia before bringing the business back to Texas. She knows what she’s looking for in peaches from East Texas to the Carolinas, as well as the delightful peaches in Colorado, where her son studies business at the University of Colorado Boulder. Every region’s climate and soil impact flavor profiles. “I like to support Texas growers,” Houchin said. “No peaches are the same. I essentially curate peaches; I choose the best of the best.” Flavor Rich, for example, is the first of the season to harvest. Orchards pick the varieties of peaches, harvesting from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Commercial cold storage disrupts the natural ripening process, which is one of the advantages of buying roadside. These peaches naturally ripen and are fragrant and sweet. As she grew increasingly savvy about the peach game, Houchin also became an expert on how to sell virtually any product from a pop-up shop. Over the years, she showed people how to get established with this approach to business. When COVID-19 shifted the livelihoods of so many folks, she took the time to formalize her process to reach more potential entrepreneurs. And Roadside Republic was born. The Houchin model is now used all over the country, including Louisiana, Oregon, and Minnesota. “There were so many people at home who needed cash,” Houchin recalled. “That’s when I created the blueprint, put it on video, and started teaching it.” One big part of the process is locating spots with prominent visibility and plenty of traffic. Each municipality has different laws, and anyone considering starting a pop up or roadside stand should research ordinances to assure compliance. “With a couple of hundred bucks, you can get started selling peaches, and you can be in profit in the first couple of days you are in business because it is such an easy way to generate revenue,” Houchin said. Many of Houchin’s students are college kids who are able to earn money for tuition and expenses. Several of them were inspired to follow in the footsteps of Finn, a graduate of Trinity Valley School, who is also her business partner in Roadside Republic. Finn is developing his own business acumen. “We have made so many mistakes along our journey. It is because of our propensity to take massive action and learn through trial and error that we were able to become successful.” That success has allowed the Houchins to continue growing. Look for their fruit stands around Fort Worth, where you can find peaches, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and watermelon for sale. This summer, they expect to sell more than three thousand pounds of peaches per week. “Those are the things people love, and that’s what people in Fort Worth know us for,” Shannon said. “Mainly peaches… they call me ‘The Peach Lady.’” For the past couple of years, the Houchins have partnered with various HOAs, bringing produce straight to neighborhoods, where they set up and sell to residents, like June’s pop-up in Monticello. Additionally, the Peach Truck delivers half bushels (25 pounds) of peaches to customers who order online. These past few years have been uncertain to be sure, but a few things remain consistently true. Peaches make people happy, and there’s still room for old-fashioned business models if done well. As Finn shared, it is all about connecting, “The fastest way to connect with people is to ask questions about them, listen to their stories and make them feel heard.”
During the schoolyear, when I would ask my tenyear-old son how his day went, I was always pretty sure that his response was going to be “I forget.” This was often followed by an eyeroll and a sigh or a look of complete disbelief that his mom would still even bother to ask him such a ridiculous question. So I was completely caught off guard when one day after I asked, his eyes lit up, and he said with unexpected enthusiasm, “It was AWESOME! My student teacher, Ms. Gordon, told us that her rifle team at TCU won National Championship in air rifle! She is SO COOL, Mom!” My son adored his student teacher for her kindness and for her unique ability to connect with her students on differing academic levels. But what really got his attention is that she is an elite athlete. And she shoots a rifle. Abigail (Abby) Gordon stands five feet, one inch tall, and upon meeting her, you would never know what a powerhouse she is. While she may be small in stature, her accomplishments are enormous. At 22 years old, she is already a force to be reckoned with. At the time that this issue went to press, Abby is number seven in the nation in collegiate air rifle and smallbore. Her skills played a large part in helping Texas Christian University (TCU) get to the 2022 NCAA National Rifle Championship, where they came first in air rifle and lost to Kentucky in the all-around by just three points. Abby graduated from TCU in May of 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is planning to return in the fall to pursue her master’s. She is a natural born nurturer and a kind and creative educator. Her love of learning shines brightly when she’s around her students. She is warm and genuine and truly cares about the children who are lucky enough to be in her classroom. She did her student teaching at Lily B. Clayton Elementary School, which is where my son got to know her and learn about the sport of riflery. Abby’s family moved from Midland to a home near Granbury in 2005. Growing up outside of a small town, she was no stranger to rural pursuits. She and her brother spent most of their free time outside playing, and a lot of that play included target practice with BB guns. Her father Jeff and brother Brenham are both expert hunters, and they encouraged her to join them. By the time she was in fifth grade, Abby realized she had a real talent for shooting. She joined her elementary school’s 4H program. (4H isn’t just about raising livestock and growing vegetables!) Through the 4H program, she began to compete in BB gun competitions. From these humble beginnings, her love of for riflery took root and continued to grow. A tough and gritty competitor, Abby competed in BB gun meets across Texas, honing her talent. By the time she was in middle school, Abby had already made quite the name for herself in shooting circles. After winning 4H competitions across the state, she went to the Daisy National BB Gun Championships in Rogers, Arkansas. (Remember the classic movie A Christmas Story? Daisy is the company that invented and produces the iconic Red Ryder BB gun that Ralphie wants more than
Photo by Carolyn Morris
Getting Creative in the Classroom and in Competition by Angela Weaver
Cover photo by Carolyn Morris
anything in the world.) Abby had a lightbulb moment when, in sixth grade, an alumna member of the TCU rifle team visited her school to talk about the sport of riflery. “I said to myself, ‘Whoa! A girl did this? She’s doing the same thing as me!’” she remembered fondly. The speaker extolled the team while telling them about her journey from shooting BB guns to competing in national collegiate air rifle and smallbore competitions. Inspired by the speaker, Abby made the switch from BB guns in seventh grade. Because the Gordon family lived so far from town, her brother Brenham began driving Gordon to school. This meant spending a couple of hours commuting each day. This uninterrupted time in the
Photo courtesy of TCU Athletics
car allowed the sibling to become even closer, and they realized just how similar they are. They started to shoot together and even shared a rifle for the first few years. Abby started to laugh when she remembered how Brenham, convinced of his natural big brotherly superiority, challenged her to hit him. Without hesitation, she swung the rifle to her shoulder, aimed, and fired. She shot her smirking big brother in his posterior, deliberately hitting his wallet so he wasn’t injured. That’s the moment when Brenham realized he could no longer outshoot his baby sister. To this day, he will not even try. As middle school progressed, the riflery club began to dwindle as teammates left for more traditional
sports like volleyball and softball. Abby had to make a decision. She could either find a new team or go out and compete on her own. Her father, Jeff, and mother, Leah, are Abby’s biggest supporters, and they encouraged her to strike out on her own. They knew that riflery was Abby’s sport. They felt that, given her drive, determination, and work ethic, going it alone was the right path for their daughter. Although riflery was closest to her heart, Abby also decided to play volleyball in high school. She quickly realized that she needed to devote all her time and energy to just one sport. She explained how she made her choice. “I saw how I was progressing, and I wasn’t ready to [not succeed]. I also noticed my schoolwork was better when I focused on rifle. "[Before choosing to focus on riflery] I always felt like I wasn’t smart because I was in the middle of the road and couldn’t focus in class. I know I’m smart, but I just couldn’t apply myself.” Choosing to pursue only riflery allowed Abby to really focus on shooting and on schoolwork. Shooting requires intense concentration, and her training translated into better focus in class and better grades. During her sophomore year in high school, Abby found her mentor and role model. Dr. Mark Tarpley
a fantastic education program and a nationally recognized rifle team. After two official campus visits, Abby Gordon became a Horned Frog. Collegiate rifle teams have two shooting disciplines. One is air rifle, where competitors shoot 60 shots at 10 meters from the standing position. The other is smallbore. Competitors shoot 60 shots at 50 meters with a .22 caliber rifle from the prone, kneeling, and standing positions. Teams can be men only, women only, or coeducational. TCU only has a women’s team, and it’s great.
If your child is interested in riflery, the best way to find a team is through your local JROTC program. If your child’s high school doesn’t have a JROTC program, look into the 4H club in your area or find a civilian marksmanship program.
Abby is understandably enthusiastic about the rifle team and coach at TCU. Head coach Karen Monez both challenges and supports her charges. Under her guidance, TCU has not missed an NCAA Rifle Championship in 15 years, taking home the title in 2010, 2012, and 2019. “When everyone on the team is working toward the same goal and pushing each other, that is when the magic happens.” I asked Abby what she thinks makes her so competitive and so good at her chosen sport. She thought for a minute and then said philosophically, “There is a grit… if I decide to do something, there is no other option. I either am going to do it or I’m not… if I don’t, that’s okay. Maybe I need to grow in talent in some other area. If I decide to give it my all, that’s where I’m going to focus my energy.
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Photo courtesy of TCU Athletics
If I decide to give it my all, that’s where I’m going to focus my energy. Things will throw you off your game, so how are you going to get around it? You have to be creative to get around problems.” was Abby’s world history teacher. He had a real talent for understanding his students’ academic abilities and the knack to meet them at their level. He allowed his students to experiment and learn in the way that suited them best instead of forcing them to conform to a pedagogic method that didn’t work for them. He encouraged Abby in her studies and her shooting. This made an enormous impact on her, and she progressed rapidly academically. She gained the confidence that she really could succeed, not only in school, but in whatever she set her mind to. During high school, Abby spent her summers working as a camp counselor at Camp Siloam, a Christian camp in Arkansas. It was at this camp that she discovered her both her love of nature and the outdoors and her love of helping children learn. She realized that she wanted to be a teacher. Abby’s high school, Christian Life Preparatory School in south Fort Worth, is a hybrid-model school. This allowed her to spend a few days a week in class and a few days at home, training on the range. She was a four-time, Junior Olympic Rifle Championship qualifier, and she won the first round at the 2017 American Legion National Championships at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She received distinguished excellence awards and held the smallbore kneeling stance national record for a time. Abby graduated from Christian Life Preparatory School in 2018. It was during her sophomore year there that she began thinking about college and where she wanted to go. Initially, she wanted to go to college in Alaska, but throughout the recruitment process, she was introduced to other schools. She knew she wanted to become a teacher, and she knew that whatever school she chose had to have a top-notch rifle team. During the search, Abby remembered the visit from the alumna member of the TCU rifle team to her middle school. In doing some research, she learned that TCU had both
Things will throw you off your game, so how are you going to get around it? You have to be creative to get around problems.” College hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Abby. In her sophomore year, she struggled to make her grades. After testing, she was diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which didn’t come as a complete surprise to her. She knew she struggled with comprehension when studying. Receiving that official diagnosis of ADHD was almost a relief. In addition, Abby started seeing a sports psychologist who helped her learn to give herself a little grace, a little breathing room when she failed. That helped tremendously in both her school and her shooting. Abby knows she’s smart. She knows she’s got a lot of gifts, and she harnesses them to be a creative problem solver. This creativity gives Abby an edge not only in the classroom, but also when she’s competing. “You have to be daring and vulnerable [when competing] and wholeheartedly go for your goals,” she said. She’s a three time All-American, and before this issue went to print, she had just made the U.S. National Rifle Team for air rifle. She will start her fifth year of the team in the fall as a graduate student and is planning to try to qualify for the World Cup in 2023 and the U.S. Olympic Team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Abby credits her coaches, her team, her friends, and, most importantly, her family for pushing her, encouraging her, and giving her the strength to achieve both on the shooting range and in the classroom. Inspired by Mr. Tarpley and bolstered by her own ADHD diagnosis, Abby knows what she wants to do with her life. She wants to teach, to help students learn in their own way by meeting them on their level.
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Sixteen years ago, I accompanied a colleague to race motorcycles with his jiujitsu instructor at Cresson’s Motorsport Ranch. While changing into our leather crash suits, I couldn’t help but notice the physical impressiveness of Travis, our soft-spoken but broadbacked host. After our track session, we went to a local bar to watch the premier of the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter, which Travis had recently competed in. Little did we know that afternoon, but Travis had already won that competition and was on the cusp of competing for an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title. Travis Lutter doesn’t fight professionally anymore, but his eponymous gym is as dynamic as ever, and he can teach all of us a thing or two about how to roll on the mat. In their 25th year of operation, Travis Lutter Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu [sic] is on Camp Bowie, just east of the Benbrook traffic circle and The Mercantile. The gym, which has a membership close to 300 members, offers an array of combat-based classes including muay thai kickboxing, wrestling, boxing, and mixed martial arts, in addition to various classes for kids. Lutter, a former college wrestler transplanted from South Dakota to North Texas, has been coaching fighters for more than half his life. Ultimate fighting and the practice of
Lessons from a Life of Coaching by Buck Elliott
Photos courtesy of Team Lutter
jiujitsu have been linked for Americans since the sport’s inception in 1993. “At the time there were two gyms [for ultimate fighting training] – one in Los Angeles, and one in New York...” A derivative of the more traditional Japanese martial art of judo, modern jiujitsu was developed in Brazil when a touring judo master from Japan introduced the art to the five Gracie brothers in 1917. The Gracie family then modified judo and marketed it as a selfdefense style. One of their descendants, Rorion Gracie, co-founded the UFC, and one of his brothers, Royce Gracie, won three of the first four UFC championships. Lutter initially learned Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) – a more common name for the Gracies’ method – through instructional VHS tapes and sparring with his college wrestling teammates. Jiujitsu and wrestling are naturally complementary
since both see practitioners working from the ground to hold and control an opponent using the opponent’s own force. “It’s mostly based on disarming,” said Lutter when describing the origins of jiujitsu and judo. Both were invented after the feudal samurai system in Japan was disbanded and traditional weaponsbased training was outlawed by the government. “The primary difference between jiujitsu and judo is [jiujitsu practitioners] kind of forgot about ‘the rules.’ If it works, we’re going to do it; if it doesn’t, we won’t.” Lutter was intrigued with BJJ because he saw smaller fighters have the advantage over larger opponents. “I had to learn this,” he said. While in college, Lutter was presented with the opportunity to participate in a national college exchange program, moving to Denton to attend the University of North Texas (UNT) while receiving credit at his home institution. While at UNT, he started training with
Carlos Machado, a cousin of the Gracie family and a BJJ grand master. Machado may not be well known, but he was Chuck Norris’s primary jiujitsu instructor after the two met in Los Angeles in the mid-90’s. Machado moved to Dallas where he coached while assisting with fight choreography for Walker, Texas Ranger, as well as appearing in several episodes. “It was the best thing I ever did for myself,” Lutter said of moving to Texas and learning from Machado. Lutter, who still coaches most classes himself, spends half a class teaching a new skill or technique, then allows students to practice with each other situationally. His average student is in their 30s and is looking for variety and challenge, but the community is what keeps them coming back. “I have everywhere from five-year-old members to my oldest student, who is 73.” Lutter’s first client, almost 25 years later, still trains weekly. Lutter, who doesn’t coach but will demonstrate for the kids’ classes, said most martial arts gyms are childfocused; however, his membership tends to be predominantly adults. He says he prefers coaching adults because he values being honest and forthright about where they can improve without pulling punches. “Sometimes people aren’t honest with themselves. I’m going to be.” When asked what a new member should expect after training with him for six months, Lutter was on brand with his frankness. “You’re going to be able to win a fight and be able to kick youfrom-six-months-ago’s ass.”
Bask in the sunny sweetness of fresh fruit desserts filled with cherries, berries, and peaches. Top flaky crusts and crumbly cobblers with cool ice cream, and line picnic tables with lemon squares and strawberry shortcakes. Summer has never tasted so good!
FORT WORTH 4651 WEST FREEWAY | 817-989-4700 SOUTHLAKE 1425 E. SOUTHLAKE BLVD. | 817-310-5600
Creating New Rooms in Your Heart by Madeworthy Editorial Staff “It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn.”
Anthony Bourdain Travel changes you. It expands your horizons. As you learn a new language, you create new neural pathways in your brain. As you learn about a new culture, you create new rooms in your heart. One of the best ways for young people to travel is to take part in a student or cultural exchange program. These programs offer high school and college students the opportunity to study in another country, often living with a host family. The student is exposed to a different culture. Their understanding and tolerance of others increases; their social horizons are broadened. It’s not just the student who benefits from the exchange. The host family is also exposed to another culture and often ends up learning just as much as their student. We reached out to two host families with International Student Exchange (ISE). Jennifer is a substitute teacher, and she and her husband have four children, in addition to hosting
students. Wayne and his wife Amy live in Decatur and are going to host another exchange student in the fall. We asked Jennifer and Wayne to tell us about the hosting experience. Madeworthy: Did you have any background in hosting international students? Were you an exchange student yourself? Wayne: Yes, my mom placed students when I was younger, and my family hosted around 12 or so students over the years… I previously hosted students from Mongolia, Norway, and Italy. I was never an exchange student, myself. Jennifer: I didn’t grow up with any; however, my friend hosted a girl from Spain a few years ago, and that’s what got me interested in hosting. I have never been an exchange student. MW: What was the most unexpected thing about hosting a student? Wayne: Our student from Mongolia was a bit of a culture shock for us. She was from a very rural and not-somodernized area of Mongolia, and everything was very big, very new, and very different for her. She went
through a big learning curve after arriving here. She was a very sweet girl, and ultimately, it turned out to be a great experience both for her and our family. MW: Have you made plans to visit your student in their home country? Wayne: Not yet, but we often talk about it. It’s on the bucket list. MW: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from your student? Jennifer: We have learned they are more structured and study harder than American kids. They understand the importance of an education, and they enjoy the American way of life. MW: What would you say your students have gained from coming here to learn? Wayne: They may give different answers if they were asked, but for me, I believe the students have learned that they can go out into the world with confidence, be their true selves, and be successful anywhere they go. MW: Did you learn anything that surprised you about your student’s home country? Wayne: Italian food is one of our favorites… we learned what we think
of as Italian food with lots of sauce and cheese is more of an American concoction… authentic Italian food is lighter, full of fresh ingredients and vegetables, and uses more fresh herbs and less cheese for flavoring. We also learned that Norway is more than just the cold and hard land of the Vikings. The Norwegian people are a very loving, accepting, and happy people who are very in tune with nature – the phenomenal fjords and lakes, magical skies, and beautiful oceans. MW: Did you learn anything that surprised you about yourself during this journey? Jennifer: I learned I’m a little OCD when it comes to putting away groceries and how I like to clean. Wayne: I developed a deeper appreciation for others. This is going to sound silly, but as a grown man and father of seven, I am always the one that gets the most excited when we go to Disney World, and we are about to ride the It’s a Small World ride… it ties back to the deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures that I have gained from hosting exchange students.
You could say that TCU Whiskey School has aged quite nicely. The coursework is every bit as nuanced as the peatiest Scotch, and the six-year-old class’s professor, Dr. Eric Simanek, delivers highly refined, balanced, and complex lectures that combine economics, politics, and science as they relate to whiskey. The researcher, author, and Robert A. Welch Chair of Chemistry told me that he has always enjoyed teaching courses that use science as the launching pad for discussions of topics that traditionally lie outside the realm of what is considered science. During his previous work on faculty at Texas A&M University, Simanek taught a Cowboy Organic course to agriculture students. The chemistry professors weren’t keen on teaching the class, but Simanek found that he loved teaching the applications of chemistry to farming. Several years ago, Simanek began toying with the idea of offering a class to any undergraduate who wanted to learn about the science and history of whiskey. A chance encounter with distiller Rob Arnold in 2014 resulted in Simanek and Arnold collaborating on Shots of Knowledge: The Science of Whiskey, published by TCU Press in 2016. Arnold was looking for lab space to isolate yeast strains that would later make Firestone and Robertson Distilling Company an internationally renowned whiskey producer. “I wanted to teach a class on whiskey,” Simanek recalled. “Here is [a] distiller, and he’s interested in collaborating. The book is a journey through the scientific aspects of making whiskey.” Shots of Knowledge was a finalist for the 2017 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and laid the basis for TCU Whiskey School. At the time of our interview, Simanek was wrapping up a summer session of the whiskey class. He said his students are majoring in business, political science, and theater, among other fields. The course’s curriculum has evolved over the years, Simanek said. History portions have balanced out chemistry sections, and the average class size is 11 students. That number allows Simanek to fit everyone in a 12-passenger van for field trips to local distilleries where students speak with industry professionals. “We just went to Blackland Distillery,” Simanek said. “The owner has great insights into the business of whiskey.” Any study of whiskey requires an understanding of the numerous categories that the spirit has been divided into over the centuries. “Whiskey is a product that we all recognize because legislative bodies everywhere have defined it,” he said. “The first level of sorting is geographical. There is Canadian, American, and Japanese whiskey, among many others. I can’t make Scottish whisky in America. We’ve agreed that Scotch is made in Scotland and Irish whiskey is made in Ireland. So, we have these conventions.” [Editor’s note: You will see the word spelled as “whiskey” or “whisky,” depending on the geographical origin of the liquor. It is generally spelled “whiskey” with an “e” in America and Ireland, while the Scottish, Canadian, and Japanese liquors are spelled “whisky” without the “e.” The umbrella term in America is spelled with an “e.”] I was surprised to learn that there are upwards of 37 distinct styles of American
whiskey of which bourbon is the one most of us readily know by name. Compared to Ireland’s four styles and Scotland’s five, the United States has an incredibly rich and diverse range of whiskeys. Each American variety is defined by the grain build.
Photos courtesy of Eric Simanek
Science plays an active role in identifying the molecules that define a whiskey’s flavor profile, Simanek continued. “Aromatics give medicinal flavors, esters give you fruity flavors, and sulfur-containing molecules give coffee or rubbery flavors,” he said. “We can analyze a sample of bourbon to find every molecule that is detectible. If you want to argue for
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complexity, you can compare lists.” High levels of complexity do not always equal great flavor. I asked Simanek to describe the difference between two revered spirits: Scotch and bourbon. “Complexity is often a description levied at Scotches because the barrel plays a lower role in aging,” he said. “That dominant flavor [of the barrel’s wood] you get in bourbon doesn’t appear in Scotch. The yeast and grains have a bigger role.” In true professorial style, he made a classroom analogy. “You can have two different classrooms,” he said. “If someone is yelling in one class, you don't hear anyone else. If most of the people are making the same amount of noise, you aren’t being washed out by some single dominant characteristic. I describe bourbon as a whiskey that punches you in the nose. Scotch, I think, more whispers in your ear.” Simanek’s newest book, The Whiskey Thieves: An American Adventure in 1871, is a historical novel that tells the forgotten story of one of the great whiskey capitals of the world. “It traces the story of an aspiring journalist and a 13-year-old boy as they go from Washington D.C. across the country,” he said. “St. Louis was the fourth-largest city [in the United States] at the time. They go to Peoria, next to where I grew up. (I didn't know I was being brought up next to the whiskey capital in 1871.) President Grant is up for reelection. To finance that election, some coffers are filled with tax revenues stolen from whiskey revenues. If one loves historical fiction, it moves in that direction.” Throughout our interview, Simanek continually described his love of teaching. TCU’s chemistry department, he said, involves undergraduates in research and work that other universities might relegate to research staff only. “Because TCU is smaller and our focus on our undergraduates, we will produce less knowledge based on scale, but the knowledge we do produce is by a generation that will go on to great research universities to make great contributions,” he said. Chemists are tasked with solving some of science’s most challenging and complex problems, Simanek said. TCU’s graduating chemists will pursue careers in research, business, and medicine. The chemists who do research at TCU or go on to study at other universities and institutions will look for solutions and cures for climate change, cancer, and other maladies that afflict humanity. The TCU Whiskey School is more than a deep dive into the science of making whiskey, Simanek said. Students learn how science shapes civilization and how society, in return, shapes science. “The most important lesson these students learn is the intersectionality of science, technology, and society,” he said. “One doesn’t move forward without the other. Whiskey is what it is because of society’s reaction to it, taxation, the engineering processes, and the science itself.” by Edward Brown
There Aren’t Enough Apples in the World to Show our Gratitude At First Financial Bank, we understand how important teachers are to our community. Teachers shape the future and set the tone for future generations. Teachers putting others First is a source of inspiration, and something we should all aspire to. So to all teachers, we simply say, “thank you.”
We hope you have a wonderful summer!
YOU FIRST | FFIN.com
art tales Wednesdays, July 6–27 10 a.m.–noon Join us every Wednesday in July for family friendly storytime fun. Hear stories, play gallery games, create artwork, and enjoy performances inspired by artworks in the Carter’s collection. Learn more!
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided during this event.
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FORT WORTH'S TOP STUDENTS OF 2022 IQ gain was 5.4 months for this test. This girl worked so incredibly hard and gained 23.8 months! She grew by almost two years... I want to recognize the Child Study Center and The Jane Justin School for providing so much hope for our family. Camila is being challenged to surpass expectations at JJS, and she is so proud when she reaches new milestones! Misty Harris, mother
Photo by Jason Munford/Munfy Photo
Avni Girish Ramrakshani
Anna Escovedo
Charlie Robbins
I would like to nominate a young 13-year-old Avni Girish Ramrakshani, who moved from India to Fort Worth in February of 2022 with her parents and younger sister. She [attended] WP McLean Middle School… she was awarded the Ann Brannon Award, the A Honor Roll award, and was named most outstanding in science and most improved in choir.
I would like to nominate my daughter, Anna Escovedo. She is a member of the first graduating class of I.M. Terrell. Because they started with only freshmen, she has always been an upper classman. During COVID… she organized a peer tutoring program… and virtual game nights to help students find a sense of community during that lonely time. She was the first All-State musician in the new school's history. She has served as the student council president for the last two years and helped foster school spirit and start new traditions…
Charlie Robbins, one of the first graduates from I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA, has been a vital part of our Terrell Community. To those who haven’t met him, Charlie is the quiet guy who inadvertently tricks freshmen into thinking he’s a teacher. He holds the door open for everyone and has a sweet disposition, like a big bear.
[She was accepted] to the Young Women’s Leadership Academy for high school. She spends her weekends learning Indian dance (Bharatanatyam) online, goes for long nature walks, plays volleyball, and loves to volunteer, too! She recently volunteered at Mayfest 2022 and ArtsGoggle 2022. People around her find her very inspirational, and I think the same about this young teenager. Deeya Ramrakshani, mother
She volunteers as a student leader at her church (Doxology Bible Church). She leads worship for both the youth and the main services and volunteers in children's ministry. She is heading to the University of Oklahoma in the fall where she has been accepted into the honors college and will major in education. Kristen Escovedo, mother
Lori Bennett and Cora Bennett I’d like to nominate my wife and my daughter… I think you will find them as awesome as I do. My wife, Lori, is currently attending the Energy MBA program at TCU, and is set to graduate in the spring of 2023. She serves on the student senate and has perfect marks. But that is not the only reason I think this is noteworthy; she also works full time during the day and loves being the mother of our six year old, who started kindergarten this year at Ridglea Hills.
[As Student Council Vice President] he always lent a helping hand… His work ethic smoothly falls in tandem with his generosity. This is all seen, especially, within our friend group… He’s the epitome of caring and protects our group, and we wanted to celebrate him. He was elected as one of the Class Parents… and was awarded a Panther Award for Pride and Nurturing, which we immediately nicknamed the "Mom Award." Being a “top student” doesn’t just mean “smartest” or “most popular;” it is also the ability to act as a beautiful human being, bringing care and respect into a community without being concerned with what you’ll get back. Charlie Robbins, the protector, the parent, the rock of our friend group, is a beautiful human being. Here’s to my best friend, a person who’s doing good when he thinks no one’s watching. Don’t worry, Charlie. We see you, and we love you. Evelyn Vi, best friend, writing on behalf of Charlie’s friends
Gemma Miller My eight-year-old daughter, Gemma Miller, is the brightest, kindest, most emotionally intelligent child that I’ve ever known. Not only does she have an extreme eagerness to learn, but her favorite pastime is reading and learning everything about everything! [Gemma] is in the GATES gifted student program at school and was voted a future scientist by her teacher… She’s the most kind and gentle little girl you could possibly meet, and I’m so blessed to have been chosen to be her mama. Karen Coughlin, mother
by Madeworthy Editorial Staff
Camila Harris I am so proud of our seven-year-old daughter, Camila. This sweet girl was diagnosed with a language disorder in addition to autism spectrum disorder, which made letter recognition and their sounds difficult when she was in kindergarten. She was delayed amongst her peers, and you could tell she didn’t feel successful or understood. We had our first end of year conference with her teachers… at The Jane Justin School, and I was blown away with her… test results from the beginning of the year to the end… Based on her IQ level at the beginning of the year, her predicted
Cora was apprehensive to the changes kindergarten could bring, and boy, did we have our moments, but I believe that seeing her mom get ready every night for school gave her a sense of courage that only parents can teach by example. Cora went from a timid, nervous kid to a real success in her own right…To say that my daughter has confidence in herself now is an understatement… She’s excited to get to the first grade! I think they both deserve an "Atta Girl" from people… I could not be prouder as a husband or father. Patric Bennett, husband and father
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St. Paul Lutheran School admits students of any race, color, or national and ethnic origin.
Photo by Robert Chura Courtesy of Ford Worth Camera Club and Transform 1012 N. Main Street
Transforming Hate into Inclusivity and Creativity
Concept rendering by MASS Design Group. Courtesy of Transform 1012 N. Main Street.
You may have heard that a group of artists is transforming 1012 North Main Street, originally the Ku Klux Klan Klavern Number 101 Auditorium, into the Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. It made the Washington Post. It made Smithsonian Magazine. Heck, it even made the Dallas Morning News!
of the few purpose-built KKK halls, opened in 1924, and eventually became the headquarters of the KKK in Texas. An imposing building, it was designed and located along North Main Street to intimidate Black, Hispanic, and immigrant Fort Worthians returning to their homes on the Northside from their jobs downtown.
A coalition of local nonprofits, Transform 1012 N. Main St. (aka Transform 1012), acquired the building in December of 2021 through a significant donation from the former owners of the building and a grant from the Rainwater Foundation. The building, one
Transform 1012 aims to transform a building that was once a symbol of fear and hatred and turn it into a space that celebrates truth and healing. The Center will be named for Fred Rouse, a Black Fort Worthian who was lynched by a white mob in 1921.
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here all crossroads w where a n io is v n e “I h can gather; of Fort Wort group feels a sense of l , every culturabeing seen, represented f belonging, o to; where we celebrate s and listened f our individual culture g o the richness enly; and where repairin r te p freely and o d damage leads to grea nd past harm an ppreciation, creativity, a a respect and f self and one another.” love – o
and Board Chair ., .D h P s, k n f Daniel Ba c Director o r/Co-Artisti of n o ti a iz n a Co-Founde ing org d n u fo a , S DNAWORK 012 Transform 1
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"The Fred Rou Community H se Center for Arts and ea the Fort Worth ling will contribute to oasis of love, ac of the 21st century an of expression foceptance, and freedom r all peo and communit ple, cultures, ies."
Fred Rouse, III , grandson of Fred Rouse, Transform 10 12 Board Mem ber At-Large, representing the Rouse fam ilies
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of see membersrm to g in th l fu ti eau ansfo “It is a truly bnity band together to tr into a u ry m to h his our com g the of Fort Wort a dark piece art, and beauty. In naminated ic t, place of ligh r Mr. Fred Rouse, a ded ployee, e m ft e a g t orkin projec father, hard-w munity “I’ve been very husband andr of the Fort Worth com aten and membe cruelly and violently be color of the Ellis Pecasupportive of the reimaging n C o of the mpany buildin who was the beginning o g from ply because lso stand to m si d e f h th c e n p roject. I’m pro la and ly Transform 1012 ud of is project wil rth’s of his skin, thhim and affirm Fort Wo cism playing a role in and all of the organizations memorialize gation to stand against ra hope is that a spthe revitalization effort. My bli ac e w hich at one po continued o history was a ga and hate.” in t in th er in g place for hate bigotry will be and a Parker felt disenfranch haven for those who have ayor Mattie ised or disparag ort Worth M F ed to find peace, and celebrate life.” heal,
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Councilmemb
er Michael D.
Crain
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The founding board of Transform 1012 includes such local organizations and entities as the Opal Lee Foundation, DNAWORKS, The Welman Project, LGBTQ SAVES, SOL Ballet Folklórico, Window to Your World, 1012 Youth Council, and the Tarrant County Coalition for Peace and Justice. These groups represent and/or serve the people who were targeted by the KKK. It is fitting that Black, Catholic, Hispanic, immigrant, Jewish, and LGBTQIA Fort Worthians have come together in this labor of love and community reconciliation.
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that they “I want people to know e together, play can work together, livilding personifies together – and this bume.” that to
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ize ist, Nobel Peace Pr Dr. Opal Lee, activ r be em ding board m Nominee, and foun of Transform 1012
“We beli opportunityeve the Fred Rouse Ce n our past an to acknowledge the h ter is an d p re se nt so that re ard truths of occur, and al healing c w e c a n mo a united com munity. We ve forward together asn 're finally bu where every a il belonging aone gets to feel the samding a place and Fort W nd have the same opp e sense of incredible m orth will be at the fo ortunities, along with ovement by support refront of an th in the Fort Wo e National Juneteenth g this Center rt Cultural Ce h African American Museum and n our city tha ter. I can't imagine a b Museum and inclusive, vibn being internationally etter future for way there. Thrant cultural hub, and known as an groups who is work is rightly be we're on our marginalize have historically be ing led by the e d an active su , but we all need to sh n targeted and o pporting ro le as these pw up and play rojects mov forward.” e Taylor Willi s,
Executive
Director o f The Welm Project an
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Answers can be found on TanglewoodMoms.com/blog
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Luncheon & Awards Luncheon & Awards August 26, 2022 at 11:30 August 26, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. a.m.
Women of Distinction Co-Chairs Women of Distinction Co-Chairs Laura Geninatti Paulette Turner Laura Geninatti Paulette Turner Benefiting Benefiting
Honorees: 20222022 Honorees: Christie Eckler, LMSW, Christie Eckler, LMSW, CFRECFRE Woman of Distinction Woman of Distinction
Ginny Montgomery Ginny Montgomery Lifetime Achievement Lifetime Achievement
Thumb/Albertsons Tom Tom Thumb/Albertsons Outstanding Community Partner Outstanding Community Partner
Tori McDonald Tori McDonald Rising Rising Star Star
Dr. Carlos L. Walker, Dr. Carlos L. Walker, Sr. Sr. Man Enough Girl Scout Man Enough To BeTo A Be GirlA Scout Special thanks Special thanks to: to:
Press play fun, friendship, and Press play onon fun, friendship, and amazing adventures. amazing adventures. Looking a place where belong? Somewhere make Looking for afor place where you you belong? Somewhere you you can can make new friends, go on exciting adventures, and make a difference new friends, go on exciting adventures, and make a difference in in the world? place is Girl Scouts. the world? ThatThat place is Girl Scouts.
Become a Girl Scout by scanning Become a Girl Scout by scanning the the QR code or by going to gs-top.org/join. QR code or by going to gs-top.org/join. For sponsorship and ticket information, For sponsorship and ticket information, scan the QR code or contact Wendy Lee at scan the QR code or contact Wendy Lee at wlee@gs-top.org or 817.735.5315. wlee@gs-top.org or 817.735.5315.
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A Place to Create, Fail, and Learn by Lee Virden Geurkink America in the 21st century has become a throwaway society. Because we weren’t taught to or can’t be bothered to learn to fix things, we simply throw away anything that’s broken and toddle out to buy a replacement. The result is that our landfills are overflowing, and our bank accounts are overstretched. The Welman Project is trying to do something to fix that. If you’re a teacher in Fort Worth, you know what The Welman Project is. Taylor Willis and Vanessa Barker took an idea for a way to upcycle business supplies and materials to help local teachers and have built it from a tiny nonprofit run out of their living rooms into a creative reuse empire.
They put together hands-on learning kits for FWISD middle schoolers and made a lot of book deliveries. In their spare time, they found a new location that could support their dreams of expansion and had heating and air conditioning. Now happily settled in their location on West Vickery, The Welman Project has the space to really grow. Not only do they have a greatly expanded (and air conditioned!) Educators Warehouse full of goodies that are completely free to teachers, they have a Teachers’ Lounge where teachers can gather, have an adult beverage, and collaborate. Out front, the Curiosity Shop, or what Vanessa calls a “funkyweird” collection of incredible finds, will spark the imaginations even the most creatively-impaired among us.
One of the first classes The Welman Project ran was The Secret Society of the Imaginari. Vanessa explained that she wanted to do something that wasn’t an art class; she wanted to introduce children to new skills, new tools, and where they can see their ideas through from start to finish. “In the Imaginari Society, we have a six year old who now knows how to use a drill. She knows how to use a wood burner. She knows how to use a cutting board – you know, all these things you think, ‘Oh no! A six-year-old kid shouldn’t do that!’ But they are! They’re doing it in a controlled, safe environment, and we’re raising the next generation of people who can fix things instead of buying new.” As talented as Taylor and Vanessa are, they can’t run The Welman Project by themselves. They have a team of dedicated volunteers who help keep the Warehouse running and now are working in the Curiosity Shop and the Makerspace. One of the things the founders are most excited about is a grant from AmeriCorps Seniors. “We got grant funding from AmeriCorp Seniors, which is really exciting,” said Taylor. “Starting in July, we are looking specifically for senior volunteers to work in our Educator Warehouse and in the Makerspace because there’s just so much experience there. We’re excited to have them come hang out and help teachers with their projects and help with workshops and pass down their knowledge and skills.”
Taylor and Vanessa are both proud products of the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD). Their mutual interest in helping the planet was sparked by their seventh-grade science teacher at William James Middle School, Mr. Sill. “We joined his Eco Club, and it was his passion and excitement for taking care of our planet that made us more conscious of that at a young age and into our adulthood,” Vanessa, the more voluable of the two, remembered.
(That’s me. I’m completely creatively impaired, and I came away wanting to do nothing but create.) They also have a brand spankin’ new Makerspace. This space, sponsored by the JLFW, Rotary Club of Fort Worth, and Meta, is the perfect place for teachers, for students, and for the community to create, experiment, fail, and learn. Because the best way to learn is through failing and trying again.
All the revenue from the Curiosity Shop and the Makerspace goes back into The Welman Project’s goal of supporting local educators. “There’s a lot of talk about what we can for teacher retention. Why are teachers leaving in droves?” Vanessa asked. “There’s a lot of answers for that, depending on who you talk to. There’s a lot of discussion around pay, which obviously would not
Both women have had a variety of jobs over the years. Vanessa said that her dual passions of creative reuse and helping teachers was born when she was both working in the fashion industry in New York and teaching preschool in San Francisco. “I was working in NY and was also teaching in San Francisco, flying back and forth, and I saw a lot of waste in one arena, which was the fashion world, and a lot of want in the other, which was the preschool world.” In 2015, the friends were both back in Fort Worth, and they decided “that reducing waste and increasing resources in schools sounded like a good time,” so they started The Welman Project out of their living rooms. 2016 saw the move from their homes into a 10x20 storage unit, and then they slowly started taking over the old gym at the First Congregational Church. They held their first Teacher Tailgate in 2017, and Barb the Bus made her debut in 2018. As the duo were listing their previous locations, Vanessa started giggling. “In 2020, we decided it would be really cool to find a new building during the pandemic!” COVID hit local teachers hard, and The Welman Project did all they could to help turn living rooms and dining rooms into virtual classrooms.
hurt. They should be paid more! I mean, it’s truly shocking – they’re literally shaping our future.
“Taylor and I both grew up in our dads’ garages,” said Vanessa, as we sat in the Teachers’ Lounge. “[The Makerspace] is our homage to the dads and that generation who gave their young daughters a screwdriver and taught them how to use it. That’s the thing we do in our camps and classes, too.”
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"This is our Fort Worth workforce that they are tasked with teaching… But talking with our teachers, they say, ‘We knew what we were getting into financially. We knew what this country thought of us in terms of our paycheck. It’s the respect we don’t have.’ They want the respect back. We’re hoping that by opening our doors to the community that the teachers can feel that respect again.” Photos courtesy of The Welman Project
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