Madeworthy Sep/Oct 2021 by Madeworthy Magazine

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CONTRIBUTERS’ ® What was your major, and if you could change it, what would it be now?

Issue 25 | Education Is the Key | Sept/Oct 2021

P U B L I S H E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Wise E D I T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Virden Geurkink A S S O C I A T E P U B L I S H E R . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Kieta ILL U S T R A T O R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trish Wise

A: I plan to getting a B.F.A. in musical theater.

- Amaya Adams

A: Journalism (specializing in advertising). And I wouldn’t change it!

A: I majored in philosophy and English, but I would probably study journalism instead.

- Sarah Angle

- Lyle Brooks

A: English literature and

A: I went against the grain and didn’t attend college. If I did pick, I’d major in psychology and counseling.

A: Music. I wouldn’t change it because it prepared me to be a music teacher and writer. The fine arts are invaluable. - Edward Brown

L E A D D E S I G N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sovic Creative C O V E R D E S I G N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Wise C O N T R I B UTI N G W R I T E R S Amaya Adams

Jackie Elliott

Sarah Angle

Gretta Hendricks

Lyle Brooks

Elisabeth Ivy

Edward Brown

Caroline Pierce

Hannah Bush

A: I majored in journalism but might change to business… mostly because there was an escalator in the business school!

language. It still suits me.

- Jackie Elliot

- Hannah Bush

A: I majored in English literature. I would change to musical theater.

- Gretta Hendricks

- Elisabeth Ivy

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Carolyn Morris, OMG Photostuff

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.

A: I went into the Army, and my “major” was ultrasound. I wouldn’t change it for the world!

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.

- Carolyn Morris

A: I’m planning on majoring in

A: I was a fine arts major (painting/

- Caroline Pierce

- Trish Wise

journalism with a minor in either international studies or European history.

drawing). I wouldn’t change my major, but I might change my school.

photo courtesy of Charity Robinson

Alexa (9), Bristol (2), and Charlotte (5) are the ABC Story

Sisters. While usually they tell stories on their podcast, in this issue, we tell their story on page 21. - Lee Virden Geurkink, Editor

Writing Our Way Back by Jackie EH Elliott

On a blistering hot Tuesday, I escaped to a little café to lunch with Dr. Carrie Leverenz. These semiannual retreats have become something of a tradition ever since Carrie, my mentor-turned-friend, first invited me to lunch nearly seven years ago. We begin by asking each other what’s changed in our lives since we last met, and we almost always end with whatever has changed in our work as writers and teachers. For over 21 years, Carrie has been teaching writing at Texas Christian University (TCU), where she has served as both the Director of First-Year Composition Program and the AddRan College’s Center for Digital Expression. With over two decades of teaching experience at TCU and another five years of teaching experience accumulated at other universities, she has much wisdom to impart on what it means to write well. Through the lenses of her turquoise-studded glasses, I watched her reaction to a question I have never asked before: “Looking back on all your years of teaching writing, what are the best writing tips you have for first-year college students… or writers in general?” She gave a hard blink followed by a quick response. “That writing is practice. That you need to make it habitual.”

Her simple advice is corroborated by dozens of studies confirming the effectiveness of a regular writing practice. Numerous books have been published on the benefits of daily writing, and yet my own ten years of teaching writing and being a writer tell me that there is nothing simple about Carrie’s suggestion. In a room full of scholars, Carrie is the first person to downplay her accomplishments, but with one co-edited book, at least eleven journal articles, sixteen book chapters, and forty-two conference presentations under her belt, she’s figured out how to write productively and regularly throughout her career. She also knows why cultivating a regular writing habit is easier said than done. For many, she believes, the pleasure of writing for oneself flatlines when students start writing for teachers. As a mother to two adult children, she recalls watching her oldest son, Jay, write imaginatively as a child, but before long, the pressure to perform in schoolwriting scenarios depleted his creative reserves. “If you think about it, we don’t lose our joy in talking to people. We don’t lose our joy in playing games.” Carrie said. “Something happens to writing where it becomes this thing that is painful… it has to do with

judgment, too. You’re writing [a piece] to be judged.” Once reluctant writers identify these roots of their writing woes, it can be easier to trace one’s way back to the actions that make writing feel rewarding. Carrie takes inspiration from the musicians in her life: her youngest son, Karl, who plays the French horn, and her husband, Andrew, who is a trained vocalist and plays piano. “You have to go to the instrument.” she said. She recounted how Karl was once instructed by a teacher to practice for 30 minutes every day of summer vacation but sitting still for that long was difficult for a preteen. Carrie set an alarm for 15 minutes a day, twice a day. By the end of the summer, Karl’s teacher said, “You are the only student I’ve had all summer who actually improved.” After 37 years of marriage to Andrew, Carrie has watched him practice scales enough times to know that consistent practice is a balm for pre-performance nerves, as is practicing in the company of others. “If you’re in an orchestra or a choral [ensemble], you go and you warm up… and there’s a great performance at the end of it.” she said. “I think that we make writing an isolated task… writing with other people, having a writing group makes writing a lot more fun, and then you have accountability to other people to do it.” Carrie told me that she looks forward to stepping out of her administrative role to do more teaching in her final years at TCU and more writing that brings her joy, even entertaining the idea of writing a book about teaching. “I know it’s going to be hard when I go back [to the writing]. I’m going to be rusty… the words aren’t going to come easily.” Such an admission from a writing professor with an impressive career may drop a jaw or two, but writers will be able to relate. Like musicians, writers fall in and out of practice. We are always honing our craft. We are always working our way back to our instruments.

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RICOTTA WITH LOCAL HONEY This is probably the world’s easiest, and yet so amazingly delicious, dessert. Serve with fresh fruit, on toasted bread, or simply a spoon!

ingredients Whole milk ricotta Local honey If you like, you can add some nuts – pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc. FR OM FOR T WOR TH'S FOOD MASTERS directions Drizzle the ricotta with honey. Serve. No, really. That’s it.

Long before I was an editor, I was a chef. I also taught cooking classes. I loved taking a recipe, breaking it down into its component parts, and then figuring out how to teach it to people who were uncomfortable cooking. One of my greatest joys was when a student would come back and tell me that not only had they made a recipe of mine but that they had experimented with it and come up with something new and even more delicious. Equipping my students with basic kitchen skills was fulfilling; knowing that they could use that knowledge and create new things was delightful. What

LEGUME AND TOMATO SALAD

follows are some recipes that I created for TanglewoodMoms.com. It is close to teaching, and I hope you enjoy.

Legumes are wonderful sources of protein and fiber. This is a great side dish with grilled meat or seafood or as a truly flavorful main dish for a (mostly) meatless meal.

– Lee Geurkink

ingredients 2 cups fresh or dried crowder, purple hull, zipper cream, lady cream, or black-eyed peas 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock 3 slices bacon, chopped (can be omitted for a truly vegetarian meal)

4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 2 cups mixed tiny tomatoes (yellow, red, orange…), halved

3 green onions, white and green, thinly sliced Several shakes of your favorite hot sauce 1 tablespoons cider vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste directions Bring the broth, optional bacon, thyme, and bay leaves to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add the peas and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes for fresh or dried, or until the peas are tender. Drain and place in a bowl. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and hot sauce to taste and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, green onions, vinegar, and olive oil and toss to coat. If you add in a grain of some sort (rice, farro, couscous, bulgar, orzo, etc.), you’ll have a delicious meal that provides a full protein without meat!

CUBAN-INSPIRED PULLED PORK I love the bright, citrusy flavors of this dish, and pork and slow cookers are a match made in heaven!

ingredients 1 pork shoulder, 3 to 5 pounds, trimmed of excess fat (I like to leave the bone in for extra flavor) Juice of 2 oranges Juice of 5 limes 6 to 8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled 1 small to medium white or yellow onion, peeled, cut in half and then into half rings

½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano or marjoram Salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4 as a main.

directions Place pork shoulder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Combine all the rest of the ingredients and pour over the pork. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve over rice with black beans and a side salad with lots of avocado in a citrus vinaigrette. The leftovers make great tacos, burritos, lettuce wraps, or quesadillas. Serves 4 with leftovers. illustrations by Trish Wise 8

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F O RT W O RTH’ S FAVORITE S T R E E T F ES T I VAL IS BACK:

ARTSGOGGLE RETURNS by Hannah Bush After canceling the 2020 event due to virus concerns, Fort Worth’s favorite street festival, ArtsGoggle, is back and ready to resume celebrating the many local artists who fuel Fort Worth’s creative engine. From 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, Magnolia Avenue will close to car traffic and transform into a colorful bazaar of artist, musician, and food stalls stretching one mile in length. In previous years, ArtsGoggle has drawn a crowd of over 50 thousand spectators. This free and community-centric street festival is celebrating its 19th year, and while it has morphed into one of the city’s most anticipated public events, the mission of ArtsGoggle remains the same: to showcase the rich talent of our local arts community. ArtsGoggle is the brainchild of Near Southside, Inc. [NSI], a nonprofit that promotes the redevelopment of the Near Southside neighborhood. The first ArtsGoggle festival had only 12 participating businesses and 12 participating local artists. And it was certainly not held on the Magnolia Avenue that Fort Worthians and visitors alike know and love today. “Twenty years ago, Near Southside was a very economically depressed neighborhood. But we were on the verge of this gorgeous resurgence,” said Megan Henderson, Director of Events and Communication for the organization. “And some of the very first people to invest in Near Southside were artists.” Deserted industrial buildings and derelict historic homes were being converted into studio spaces and residences that attracted a particularly expressive crowd. Meanwhile NSI, which began as a small coalition of businesses and community leaders in 1992, saw the artistic and cultural movement taking place around Magnolia Avenue and wanted to share it with those living and working outside of the neighborhood. ArtsGoggle was the clever solution to pique public interest in the area and to continue to propel the renaissance that the area was experiencing. It seems to have worked.

Today over 1,000 local visual artists of all ages, experience levels, and mediums participate in what Henderson refers to as “Near Southside’s open house.” And as art comes in many forms, musicians and food vendors also have opportunity to showcase their work. In fact, ArtsGoggle has served as a launching pad for some of Magnolia’s present-day culinary standouts. Robbie Werner sold cupcakes and muffins from a small folding table one year as a quasiexperiment to see what life as a business owner might be like. We now know her as the owner of Stir Crazy Baked Goods. Henderson is rightly proud that this annual festival attracts such a spectrum of artists. With a low barrier to entry ($100 for most participants and a discount for students), ArtsGoggle celebrates both established and emerging artists, who can be found promoting their creations side by side in a unique and intentional setup. “We do not segregate artists by their experience level. We will put an emerging artist shoulder to shoulder with a very successful artist. When you set up next to somebody [and] build a relationship, that new artist can watch how the professional artist promotes their work and talks to customers,” said Henderson. And it’s a two-way street, she tells me. “I think that seasoned artists, when they’re next to a young, emerging artist, pick up a lot of that energy and excitement. It reminds them of why [they] love being an artist.” While the excitement to resume this event is palpable, there’s a very real layer of stress for NSI’s tiny (but mighty) team of five. “We’re about six months behind on our production timeline and [it’s] a scramble to get this festival pulled together.” Because of the residual effects from the pandemic, the nonprofit has spent considerable time working alongside leaders in the nearby medical district to ensure the public safety of ArtsGoggle. This year’s production will rely heavily on help from volunteers. For those wondering, the perks don’t stop with the guaranteed good vibes directly associated with bettering one’s community through volunteered service. There’s free swag and access to indoor restrooms too. “It’s really going to take a village,” said Henderson.

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Last year’s shutdown forced reflection on many people, representing a punctuation mark in the status quo of many businesses. For musicians, the closure of venues sent them back to the drawing board to find ways to connect with fans and earn a living. Droves of modern Luddites became adept at live-streaming and leaned on social media to maintain those inperson relationships that act as the heart and soul of the performing arts. Fort Worth singer-songwriter Jacob Furr has been known to pack up his car and head out of town for days and weeks at a time to play songs all over the country. With regular showcases at Magnolia Motor Lounge and The Post, his career for the past decade has been a saga of earning fans and adulation one song at a time. Releasing his poignant EP “Return” on March 13, 2020, the collection concludes a powerful musical trilogy formed along with his previous records, 2014’s “Trails and Traces” and “Sierra Madre” from 2018. However, Furr’s touring plans for the year came crashing down only days later. Content with the pattern of writing tunes and booking gigs to showcase them and support himself, Furr had never thought much about teaching. But the lockdown necessitated a dramatic shift in perspective. “While I’ve grown to love it, I never wanted to teach before this,” he explained. For most of the past year, the talented musician has been teaching principles of music using guitar and ukulele at Grapevine Performing Arts. The ukulele has become a foundational step for young kids as a tool for brain development. In addition, there’s a growing subculture of ukulele players on YouTube garnering teenage attention for the instrument. Teaching ages from six to 70, Furr works with all levels of skill and interest. “It is such a personal art form; there’s such a vulnerability to learning to play,” Furr said. Furr’s teaching career began with a steep learning curve, identifying the various building blocks and discovering multiple techniques to convey them effectively. Recently he’s started adding classes at 7013 Studios off of Camp Bowie in West Fort Worth to expand his services to more folks. The facility, where Furr and his recording partners will soon have a studio, was utilized for live streams early in the pandemic. The owners agreed to grant him space to teach students as well. Growing up, Furr’s parents required him to take lessons if he was going to have a chance of getting an instrument of his own. He started on the piano before graduating to classical guitar lessons for 12 years. “My mom insisted that if I wanted a guitar, I was actually going to learn how to play it. She didn’t want me to just sit around strumming,” Furr recalled. “I went back to the books when I started teaching and realized I’ve been doing this for a long time.” Students have different goals when taking music lessons, so much like a musician reads a crowd when performing on stage, a teacher must adapt their style to suit each learner as they engage the finer points of theory and technique. Some students want to learn how to read music or write songs; others just want to know how to play their favorite tunes in order to entertain folks at parties. Furr developed his teaching technique using his foundational experiences as source material, starting with basics like building chords and learning to play in time and tune, eventually touching on all the elements of his formal training. Beginning in the key of C, it is a process that students have followed for many generations. “My classical experience helps me to show various fingerings and explain why things work the way they do,” he said. Furr is developing a template for songwriting sessions to help aspiring artists refine their work. He offers a safe space to explore the process of expression for those who may have always wanted to try it but never knew how. “What I really like doing is helping clean up songs,” he described. “They send me lyrics and bring the instrument in, and we play through the song and see what works and what doesn’t.” As Jacob Furr gets back to performing his own material or playing bass in Guthrie Kennard’s band, it seems teaching has evolved the way he looks at his role as a musician. “These are my people. This is my community. I don’t need anything more than this at the end of the day.” photo by Brooks Burris

by Lee Virden Geurkink

A C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H Q U I N T O N P H I L L I P S Quinton “Q” Phillips is proud to be from Fort Worth.

and I was a delegate. Once Bill heard it was me, he found a space for me.”

A product of the Stop Six and East Side, the current Fort Worth Independent School District trustee for District 3 and founder of the nonprofit CommUnity Frontline represents what a young person, educated in Fort Worth public schools, can become. It’s not a stretch to say that Stop Six and the East Side molded Phillips into the man he is today.

That internship led to a job after college and a lifelong friendship with West. Coming back to Fort Worth, Phillips became an interventional specialist with the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program at the Lena Pope Home. After five years with the program, he transitioned to being a juvenile probation officer with Tarrant County.

Granted, Phillips’ path from Stop Six to the school board hasn’t been a particularly straight line. After all, going from probation officer to university professor to school board trustee, all in the space of less than 14 years, is far from “traditional.” When I mentioned this, Phillips threw his head back and roared with laughter, eliciting smiles from the other patrons of Black Coffee. (He’s a regular there.) “It has been anything BUT traditional,” he said. “But it has been completely divinely guided.”

When asked about the stresses that come with a job like juvenile parole officer, Phillips said, “They paid me to do the paperwork. I would have worked with those kids for free.” “Yes, the job was challenging. Yes, the job was hard. But it was a privilege to work every day with [children] who had been cast away or were on the path to being cast away. I never once went to sleep at night wondering if I had made a difference in someone’s life.”

Phillips graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in 1999 and is still a loud and proud Dunbar Wildcat, much to the dismay of his wife, who grew up in Forest Hill and graduated from O.D. Wyatt in the same year. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Prairie View A&M University, a historically black university near Houston. And that’s where Phillips said God first guided him to where he needed to be.

Phillips held that job for almost ten years. Toward the end of his tenure with the County, Phillips said God intervened again. One day, Bill West called his former protégée. West had become an associate professor at TCU, teaching in the Department of Criminal Justice, but he was nearing retirement. He asked if Phillips had ever considered teaching.

“We had to get internship hours to graduate,” Phillips remembered. “I had left it a little too late and was scrambling to find something, but every internship was filled. My advisor called the supervisor of Tarrant County’s Juvenile Services, who told her, once again, that everything was already filled. But I heard his voice.”

So Phillips became an adjunct professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at TCU, going from probation officer to university professor. Along the way, he married Diondra (the O.D. Wyatt graduate), and they settled on the East Side to raise their two boys, Quinton II and Austin. Diondra is currently working on her Ph.D. in educational leadership.

As Phillips talked, his smile kept getting bigger and bigger. “I asked, ‘Is that Bill West? Tell him it’s Q!’ See, Bill West and I had been part of Camp Community through the Multicultural Alliance when he was an advisor,

“She’s the most educated person I know,” Phillips said. “She has a bachelor’s from UT in electrical engineering, one master’s from SMU in mathematics, and another master’s from UTA in educational leadership.

photos by Carolyn Morris, OMG PhotoStuff

She’s incredible!” Of course, knowing the crosstown rivalry between O.D. Wyatt and Dunbar, I had to ask where the Phillips’ children would go. Once again, Phillips roared with laughter.

Move,

“I’ve brainwashed them really well; they’re Dunbar Wildcats through and through.” Quinton II is an eighth grader at the Young Men’s Leadership Academy, while Austin is a second grader at Riverside Applied Learning Academy. Quinton will have to choose between switching to Dunbar or continuing at the Young Men’s Leadership Academy. “We don’t know where Quinton will go [for high school], but we want to allow him to be part of the choice.”

Deliver, & Store, Simply.

It’s easy to see how important education is to Phillips. He leans his whole body into the conversation, and his face gets serious. It’s not hard to understand why he took the leap from professor to school board trustee. He described running for school board as a “weird kind of crossroad but one that God guided me to.” And, like so much in his life, running for school board has its roots in Stop Six. “I grew up around the corner from Christene Chadwick Moss. Her son, Frank Jr., was my brother. Growing up in her house, I was able to witness firsthand what she was able to do for education in Fort Worth.” Christene Chadwick Moss was the District 3 school board trustee for almost 20 years. She served as the president of the Texas Caucus of Black School Board Members, and Christene C. Moss Elementary School is named for her. When, after she decided to step down from the school board, Phillips told her he was going to run to replace her, Moss “gave me her blessing, and then told me not to put my foot in my mouth or screw up.”

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Phillips also has been lifelong friends with school board trustee Jacinto Ramos, Jr. “With those two people guiding me, I couldn’t do anything BUT run for school board!” He was elected to represent District 3 in 2019. Less than a year later, the rookie trustee was dropped in the metaphorical deep end.

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Spring Break 2020 must hold a record somewhere for being the longest spring break on record. As students left for their break, FWISD was hit with a ransomware attack that crippled the district’s computer system. While the district was frantically trying to rebuild their network, the State of Texas closed schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The school board had to figure out how to educate Fort Worth’s students, many of whom did not have access to online learning or even a solid meal every day. When the 2020-2021 school year started, the school board had to decide whether to implement online-only learning or to open the schools. The parents of Fort Worth were divided and vocal in their opinions.

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Now the debate has moved from online learning versus in-person learning to educational equity. Fort Worth is one of the most diverse cities in the country, and 89% of the student population of FWISD are people of color. When asked about the debate surrounding educational equity, Phillips said, “What it really boils down to is that we as trustees have to remember who we were elected to serve. We were elected to serve the youth of Fort Worth.” “All we’re really talking about is getting students what they need. That’s it. We don’t have to take away to give. There is more than enough to go around. There is enough love. There is enough expertise. There are enough resources. There’s more than enough of everything for our young people, regardless of what demographic boxes they check, to be the very best.”

This is Phillips’ guiding passion. He wants Fort Worth’s children to be the best they can possibly be. “At the heart of the matter, we are ALL here for the children, regardless of where we stand on the issues,” Phillips said. It is this that guides Phillips through to listen to every person who comes to an open school board meeting. He wants to understand each constituent’s concerns. “The bottom line is that I want to hear all people and their concerns. Every person who shows up to share their feelings? Those feelings are valid, and they deserve to be heard…. That doesn’t mean we’ll always agree, but every person deserves to be heard by someone who is going to take them seriously.” “In those moments of passion, you see the speaker’s love for their children. You see their parenthood. You see their humanity. I give them the same rights and privileges I would want. At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids, right?”

Phillips’ love for the children of Fort Worth is also evident in his work with CommUnity Frontline. This non-profit organization works to find solutions to community problems. When asked how CommUnity Frontline plays

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into his work with his decidedly non-traditional path, Phillips paused before answering.

“I love that I grew up in Stop Six. It was the most positive peer pressure a man could ask for with brothers all pushing each other to excellence, pushing each other to rail against the stigma of our neighborhood and being young Black men. We know we’re not the Stop Six stereotype. We wanted to show who we really are.”

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Phillips explained that when he was in school, there was a “pipeline” from Stop Six, through Dunbar High School to Prairie View A&M University, to the “outside world.” People who went to college didn’t come back to Fort Worth. “My Stop Six brothers and I made an intentional mission to come home so another generation wouldn’t have to think you have to leave Fort Worth to make it. We have so much talent here, we shouldn’t be losing our students.” After college, Phillips and his friends started a Bible study as a way to keep connected as they started careers and families. The Bible study slowly morphed into doing community work. “It’s about the work. If we were really going to follow what’s in the Bible, we had to take it outside the cover and into the community.” Now CommUnity Frontline works to connect people in Fort Worth who need help with people in Fort Worth who want to help. The members of CommUnity Frontline engage in volunteer work, advocate for policy change, and mentor young people. Phillips stopped, gathering his thoughts.

“I am so lucky to grow up on the East Side of Fort Worth.” He paused again. “When I was growing up in Stop Six, there were killings and gun violence and a lot of the stereotypical things that people think of when they think of ‘The Hood.’ Yes, it was dangerous. But at the same time as I was navigating those waters, I grew up two houses down from Dr. Gwendolyn Morrison who has been on the Tarrant County College District board since 1976. I grew up around the corner from Christene Chadwick Moss and her husband, Franklin Moss, Sr., a city councilperson. I grew up around the corner from former Mayor Pro Tem Bert Williams. I grew up around the corner from L. Clifford Davis, who helped Thurgood Marshall with Brown vs. The Board of Education and was a judge and a city councilperson [and for whom Cifford Davis Elementary School is named]. I was surrounded by education and civic pride.”

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“I’m blessed and fortunate to have grown up with both sides of Stop Six because it allowed me to see why I have to make the fight for justice real and see how to make it achievable.” Many Fort Worthians only associate Stop Six and the East Side with drugs, with crime statistics and school dropouts. But Stop Six is a community with a rich history that instills its residents with a sense of belonging and pride. And Quinton Phillips represents that perfectly. “Everything that I am – the swag, the intellect, the heart – is all a part of the people I grew up with, of my neighborhood, and my community. I am the return on their investment. I have a sense of responsibility to serve my community and my city to the best of my ability.”

LIFE

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Madeworthy: How long have you been with FPCEEC? Mindy Samples: 6 years. Alyssa Martin: 8 years.

First Presbyterian Church Early Education Center by Caroline Pearce

MW: When did the EEC begin? AM: The EEC began in the 1970s and was formerly called First Presbyterian Church Day School. As the program flourished and transformed the school’s name was changed to First Presbyterian Church Early Education Center. MW: How is the EEC different from other preschool programs in Fort Worth? MS: The EEC exists for one reason: to provide the best possible early learning experience for children. Everything we do flows out of that goal. AM: The EEC thrives by doing first and foremost what is best for each child as individuals and we work together with families to create a loving, nurturing, responsive environment for children and families to grow together. We walk alongside our families in their journeys and share in their highs and lows, cultivating lasting relationships and trust among families and our amazing staff! MW: How did you become interested in working with preschool age children?

First Presbyterian Church’s Early Education Center (FPCEEC) has been preparing generations of Fort Worth’s children for elementary school since the 1970s. I sat down with Mindy Samples and Alyssa Martin, the Center’s Director and Assistant Director respectively, to talk about FPCEEC and the benefits of a preschool education.

MS: I started working with children in my church as a teenager and discovered a love for helping little ones learn. AM: My high school had an Early Childhood Education class where the staff brought their preschool aged children every day to the preschool on-site. I completed three years in the program and loved planning lessons and being in the classroom with the children every chance I could. MW: What is the biggest challenge you face operating an education center in Fort Worth? MS: Finding quality staff. Research shows that teachers are the most important piece in a quality early learning experience, we take our hiring process very seriously. MW: How have you dealt with the challenges from COVID? MS: With a LOT of flexibility and grace!

to be flexible and even more compassionate for others. We are all dealing with so much and all we can do is the best we can to provide the safest, most positive influence we can on the children and families in our care every day. MW: What do you enjoy the most about your day working ith preschool age children? MS: There is joy in every day. AM: The list is long, but the laughter, the excitement in a child’s eyes while learning, the interesting and entertaining conversations, the imaginations and constant creativeness, the encouragement, watching little friendships bloom, those big hugs, and the love the children have for their teachers and me! MW: Why is preschool important for children? AM: Preschool is important because it lays the foundation or learning and development at different stages of a child’s life. The EEC and many preschools model programs to focus on the four domains of child development (physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and language). Engaging in play in an educational setting is proven to help develop the child’s brain in these four key areas. Preschool provides the backdrop for young children to explore, develop their own interests, play with peers, reason through experience, learn cause and effect, and develop many key social skills for life. MW: What should parents expect their children to learn in a preschool program? MS: One of the most important skills children learn in reschool is how to interact with people outside of their family group - cooperative play, following directions, listening to friends, learning to respect and set boundaries, learning to take turns. All of these are skills we use daily, and it starts in preschool. AM: Parents can expect that much of the day their children will learn through play (with peers and teachers) in a safe, loving, and positive environment! They will learn about appropriate boundaries in social setting, conflict resolution and problem solving, and the importance of a daily routine for example. They will learn early language and literacy skills that will be building blocks for reading and writing. Children will practice fine motor and gross motor skills, practice listening and following directions, and how to communicate their needs.

AM: A ton of patience and understanding that COVID has affected many industries across the world. It has taught me

photo by Miriam Wamsley

Advice From A Young

RECORD PRODUCER by Edward Brown

The ideal musician, according to Isaiah Peoples, blends passion with knowledge. The musician/producer and I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA senior’s life has oscillated between passion-driven pursuits and studious efforts to master instruments and music theory. The fruit of these effort is a record new label, Villainous Verse Records. Peoples’ formal musical training began at age six with private piano lessons. At ten, he began teaching himself pop tunes on piano before picking up guitar in his early teens. His passion for music increased when he realized he could rearrange songs or develop his own tunes. “I was jotting down lyrics, riffs, and trying to get bands together,” he recalled. “We had a trio. We performed at this theater show during an intermission. That was my first self-made performance.” While many young musicians are content to enjoy the pleasures of covering popular tunes, Peoples deconstructed tunes to learn the underlying structures that tied various genres of songs together. “I saw how song structure worked and how chords can complement melodies. I told myself, ‘I think I can do that.’ Eventually, I ran into alternative rock music. I saw how they were pouring their emotions out in their songs… I thought I could do that.” As Peoples started his freshman year at I.M. Terrell, he became fully engulfed in

music-making and improvisation. “It started by recognizing simple patterns,” he said. “There were certain chord progressions that I noticed lots of songs were using. I started taking notes. They will change the verse, chorus, and prechorus… [but] a lot of the structures were the same. Pop music is like a puzzle. You can take out and put in different pieces. I’d do these improvisations, taking some chords from a song and playing them in my left hand while improvising melodies in my right hand.” In January, Peoples launched Villainous Verse Records, the North Texas-based label that produces rock, hip-hop, and alternative forms of music. As the venture’s producer, Peoples auditions prospective songwriters, mixes and edits songs, and promotes sales of the final recordings. He didn’t realize how extensive his theoretical knowledge of music was until he started working with other musicians in a professional capacity. When musicians experience writer’s block, Peoples uses his knowledge of chord structures and melodies to nudge the creative process forward. The label now represents several artists across the country. Two albums have been released under Villainous Verse Records as well as “a lot of singles,” Peoples said. Peoples recently completed GRAMMY Camp, a five-day summer music industry program for high school students who plan to pursue a career in music. Faculty and industry professionals lead workshops and masterclasses with the small percentage of applicants who are accepted into the prestigious program. During our interview, which took place right before the camp started, Peoples said he was excited about the opportunity to network with like-minded teens. The young producer said he plans to enroll in a music business program in college. When asked which educator Peoples singled out as guiding him toward his current music career path, People said that credit “200%” belongs to Timothy Brendler, director of music theory and piano at I.M. Terrell. “That man is amazing,” Peoples said. “Freshman year was a bit of a struggle getting back into classical repertoire before I appreciated it. I remember he would hassle me to practice. I appreciate that because the final outcome of that year was pieces that I never thought I could play. Props to Brendler for not only pushing me that hard but letting me mess with the school’s equipment. I would stay hours after school just working on random songs with him. Honestly, no one expected that of him. I don’t think I would be where I am now” without him. As a young but accomplished musician, songwriter, and producer, Peoples has this advice for aspiring musicians. “If you’re an aspiring artist looking to get into music, but it isn’t quite clicking, evaluate your balance on the technical side of music versus the creative,” he said. “You can’t have one without the other.”

MARIA GARCIA Spanish Teacher, Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) Maria Garcia is a diamond among diamonds. She is our mission and vision personified. She advocates for students and provides them with the space to have a voice and be seen. A lifelong learner, she consistently grows in her ability to be an exemplary teacher. She takes learning to the next level for all of her students through real world exploration and cultural celebration. She provides an everyday walking, talking model of the realization of potential and excellence. Through her involvement on campus and in her community, she exemplifies grit, tenacity and grace. Her goal is to be the adult, her students need to help them grow, thrive, and lead.

by Lee Virden Geurkink

FORT WORTH'S

TOP TEACHERS OF 2021

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E R I N B U RY

f avo rite t eac hers in F or t Wo r t h . T h i s

US History Teacher, Daggett Montessori

ye ar, we dec ided to do s o me t h i n g a

Looking in the classroom, her students often tower over Ms. Bury. Her youthful look easily blends in with the young men and women in her 8th grade class, yet her presence is great. As Daggett Montessori School’s middle school social studies teacher, Ms. Erin Bury’s influence extends beyond the classroom. Academically challenging students to think beyond the lessons and collaborate with their peers, Ms. Bury is intentional in building her students’ capacity to be independent learners and young leaders. Her classroom environment is filled with laughter, yet conversation is focused on learning. Ms. Bury motivates students to be at their best in her classroom and in extracurricular activities she sponsors such as Whiz Quiz. It is this lasting influence that truly allows Ms. Erin Bury to embody the spirit of Daggett Montessori School.

little different. We reac he d o u t t o pu blic a nd pr iv at e s c hools a cro s s Fo rt Wo r t h, as king the ad mi n i s t r a t i o n wh ich teac her t r uly em bod i e s t h e i r sch ool’s s pir it. Here are th e 2 0 2 1 Made wor t hy ’s Top Teac he r s , i n t h e i r sch ool’s adm inis t r ation’s o wn wo rd s .

DILLON SMITH

Middle School History,

All Saints’ Episcopal School

During COVID, Dillon Smith was phenomenal in engaging his middle schoolers online. He continues to build student relationships and connect them to history in meaningful ways. He is a valuable collaborator across campus, as he is always eager to step up and into roles outside of the classroom, serving as an advisor, a coach, and as a critical team member growing our SummerYou program.

FELICIA HOBSON Biology, Arlington Heights High School (AHHS)

SHARON MESSMANN Excel Program, St. Paul Lutheran School

Mrs. Felicia Hobson has been an outstanding biology teacher at AHHS since she stepped foot on campus four years ago. Felicia Hobson embodies Yellowjacket Pride in all she says and does. Every student who crosses the threshold of Mrs. Hobson’s door, enters a world filled with love, compassion, and creativity. She makes biology come alive in her classroom through her hands-on learning and real-life examples. It is through the relationships she builds that her students feel confidant to rise to her expectations. She supports struggling students by participating with them in their struggle. Mrs. Hobson’s optimism and positive attitude permeates through our campus. She is a shining light that inspires all staff and students to do their very best. Mrs. Hobson exemplifies AHHS’ “Spirit of the Hill.”

Mrs. Sharon Messmann teaches in our Excel program, which supports students who need extra help to be successful in learning. She helps students overcome challenges such as dyslexia, speech/language delays, visual/ hearing impairments, attention challenges, and learning disabilities. Mrs. Messmann is a certified reading specialist and has the uniue gift of connecting and helping students in all grade levels. She plays an important role at St. Paul as she partners with parents and the classroom teachers in the education of her students. Many St. Paul graduates credit Mrs. Messmann with their academic success in high school, college, and beyond. St. Paul is very grateful for Mrs. Messmann and her excellence in teaching.

DR. PHILIP TAY L O R Computer Science Department Chair, Trinity

B R A N D O N W AT S O N

Valley School (TVS) Dr. Philip Taylor, Computer Science Department Chair,

Computer Science and Coding, I.M.

sparks curiosity and creativity in our students while sharing

Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA

his own personal excitement for computer programming,

Brandon Watson has been a great hire

exploring and learning about the world since his childhood

for our campus and a tremendous

in Tennessee. In his years as an educator, he has taught

addition to our faculty and staff. He

a variety of math, science, and education courses at the

is very giving of his time, energy,

high school and college levels. As a teacher, he relishes

knowledge, and resources to make

using math and science to lead students to their own

his students better. He has always

joyful discoveries. Under his leadership, TVS achieved the

been a student-centered teacher that

AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award. Dr. Taylor

keeps the focus on students and not

sees and appreciates both the needs and passions of his

himself. Mr. Watson is a special individual

students, and he works hard to ensure that they receive all

because he always makes sure that whatever he does, it’s

of the support they need while challenging them to move

focused on his students and will be in their best interest.

forward with confidence and great enthusiasm.

D E L L A R AY Third Grade Teacher, Tanglewood Elementary

robotics, and digital fabrication. Dr. Taylor has loved

CASSIE HOLLER Instructional

Tanglewood Elementary has had a tradition of academic excellence since our doors first opened in 1960. Our teachers, staff, students, and parents share a tremendous sense of Tiger pride. When I think of our school and what makes us special, I think of the teachers who go above and beyond to do what is best for children. One of those teachers is our beloved Mrs. Della Ray. Mrs. Ray has served the Tanglewood community for over thirty years. She is the epitome of class, dedication, and loyalty. She deeply cares for our students and their families. She is a mentor and role model to her colleagues.

Technologist/Student Advocate, Key School Cassie Holler is a phenomenal educator who is driven by her passion for helping students with learning differences. Mrs. Holler started at Key School as a fourth-grade teacher in 2019. With amazing leadership skills and an exceptional amount of patience, Mrs. Holler now serves as an Instructional Technologist and Student Advocate at Key School. Mrs. Holler always goes above and beyond to assist both students and teachers on campus. No matter the situation, Mrs. Holler approaches it with grace and compassion. She is a great listener and demonstrates love, attention, and acceptance to all she encounters.

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In 2016, my father took me to see a historical landmark in downtown Fort Worth: I.M. Terrell High School, the city’s first African American high school. The school is not only a landmark of segregated education in our city, it is where my grandfather, Dr. Ambrose Adams, Sr., taught. Little did I know that two years later, I would start high school in that school, now known as I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA. Knowing I had a legacy to uphold, as well as being a part of the first graduating class of my school, the pressure was on. Before freshman year at I.M. Terrell starts, the school hosts Panther Camp, a time where new apprentices can meet teachers, see the school, and even get a head start on meeting other apprentices. (I.M. Terrell has apprentices, not students.) My Panther Camp, being the first one ever, was filled with establishing class traditions and talks from our principal, Mr. Brown, about the responsibilities our class faced as the first graduating class. I remember him telling us that we would be the seniors of the school for all four years. At the time his words seemed insignificant; senior year felt so far away. We soon understood there would be classes coming in under us every year, looking up at us. Once Panther Camp was over, it was time for our first day of high school. We walked into a year of uncertainty and (in all honesty) trial and error, not only for the students, but for the teachers and administrators as well. We were learning the Cowan Academy in the Humanities model of teaching for the first time. Many of us were taking physics as a freshman. And there was the expectation to achieve and excel for the brand-new school and its pioneering class. However, I would not change anything. By the end of the year, the bond my class built with our first-year teachers is something that cannot be duplicated. Subsequent classes and teachers will build their own bonds, but they will never truly understand the experiences of that first year. With freshman year under our belt, I.M. Terrell’s 2019-2020 school year would be a breeze, right? The year started off strong. The energy within the school with another class under us made me feel happy to be there. There were more opportunities to get involved, including student government, the Black Student Association, the National Dance Honor Society, and much more. Sophomore year gave me great opportunities within my art as well. I danced in my fellow apprentice Ella Ratcliffe’s piece, which was accepted at the National High School Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We performed her piece in front of college representatives and other high schools, and most importantly, we represented how far our new program had come within just one year. It was so rewarding, and for the first time, I felt like all the hard work we had been doing to get our school recognized had paid off. Soon after our trip, however, COVID-19 changed everything. A fun spring break soon turned into an extended spring break, which then turned into online learning. After one year of experimentation and bonding, we faced a year of global uncertainty. With the school district trying to figure out online learning, my class began the most academically important year of high school in a pandemic. As students at our school, a hands-on STEM and art magnet school, we lost important time in our studios, practice rooms, and labs. I think I can speak for the class when I say it took some time for everyone to get into the groove. But we did. Students and teachers both learned how to work with restrictions. We did classroom streams and online performances to get back to “normal.” The long talks Mr. Brown gave our freshman year about the expectations for the first graduating class are finally soaking in, and the pressure to excel is truly on now! Looking forward to our senior year, I am filled with excitement, joy, relief, and sadness. Thinking about saying goodbye to the classmates and teachers I have experienced so many “firsts” with feels unreal. Yet, I also feel honored. Not everyone gets to say that they were a part of the first graduating class of the “Old Gold and Blue.” After three years of the most unconventional school years, I cannot wait to see what is in store for I.M. Terrell’s class of 2022 in our senior year and beyond!

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by Lee Virden Geurkink

Once Upon a Time...

T h e Sto r y o f t h e AB C S t o r y S i st e r s

Every child knows that a good story begins with “Once upon a time.” And this is a good story. The number one Kids and Family podcast on Apple is ABC Story Sisters. Sisters Alexa, Bristol, and Charlotte bring their favorite classic children’s literature to life in family-friendly, easy-to-listen to episodes. The first season told the story of The Wizard of Oz; the second season, which premiered in August, follows Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I sat down with Alexa, age 9, and Charlotte, age 5, to talk about reading, adoption, and giving back. The idea for ABC Story Sisters came from the sisters’ love of books and stories. Alexa said, “We really wanted a YouTube channel.” She then heaved a small sigh and executed a perfect preteen eyeroll. “But Mom said no so we decided on a podcast.” Alexa is the ringleader of the sisters; she narrates the stories and helps corral the little ones. She is funny and patient as Charlotte, a bundle of energy and something of a wiggle worm and a giggle

gus, bounces in the chair and interrupts with adorable non sequiturs. Alexa calls Charlotte the Crazy One and Bristol (who, when we talked, was sick and was napping) the Really Crazy One. When asked why the sisters chose The Wizard of Oz for their first season, Alexa said, “I did the musical at Casa Mañana, and I love the story.” Mom Charity poked her head in to say that the stories are all in the public domain. Charlotte piped up, “I was the Scarecrow!” (Bristol, in case you were wondering, was Toto.) Both Alexa and Charlotte go to McCall Elementary School in Aledo, where Alexa is in fifth grade and Charlotte is in first grade. Charlotte said, “I go to school at McCall where we get to take naps and do homework and have snacks and do Math Magic!” When Alexa doubts her love of homework, Charlotte says enthusiastically, “I love to learn!” Alexa’s favorites include science and reading (naturally), and she’s a budding basketball star. The Story Sisters not only tell great stories, they also use their fame for good. The ABC Story Sisters is a “podcast with a purpose.” They have teamed up with publisher Tandy Books to raise money for Room to Read, a nonprofit dedicated to improving literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. When I asked Alexa why they decided to support Room to Read, she calmly dropped a bombshell. “I originally asked to help with giving food to the homeless shelter because I’ve experienced that, and that’s not something I want other kids to experience.” Alexa was adopted by her aunt and uncle when she was six. Mom (and aunt) Charity explained, “Alexa is our biological niece, but unfortunately we didn’t get to be a part of her life her until we found out she was in foster care at the age of five.

Until that time she had been in and out of foster care and homeless shelters much of her life. She was placed with us as a kinship placement at age five and was adopted when she was six. She is an amazing and resilient kid, and an awesome daughter and sister.” Now Alexa, Charlotte, and Bristol give back by telling stories to other children and raising money for Room to Read. With a little help from Mom and Dad, they converted their playroom into a recording studio. Each sister plays multiple parts “because people are allowed to be two things!” according to Charlotte. Bristol is a little young to be a main character, but Alexa said, “She makes the sound effects; she sounds really cute!” When asked what the future of ABC Story Sisters is, Alexa said, “When I become a teenager, Charlotte can be the host of the little kids’ [podcast]” while Alexa will narrate books for older kids. Being the superb big sister she is, she’s got it all planned out. In the immediate future, the Story Sisters will interview local authors and start in with Alice and her crazy adventures. (Charlotte was quick to point out that she will be Alice. Alexa is going to be the Cheshire Cat, and “Bristol is going to be the BUNNY!”) And while we never know how our reallife stories will end, it’s pretty clear that for now, the ABC Story Sisters are living happily ever after.

A lexa , 9

C h a r l o t t e, 5

B rist ol, 2

What is your favorite book?

The Harry Potter Series

Shimmer and Shine Save the Rainbow

“Paw Po” (Paw Patrol, in Toddlerese)

What is your favorite word?

I love you!

Daddy

Where do you like to read?

In my room

My bed

Would you ever want to write a book yourself?

Yes, about rainbows!

“Yea, I write a book”

Who is your biggest podcasting influence?

My sister Alexa

“….”

What is your favorite spot in Fort Worth?

Dream Park

“I go to trampoline park”

Would you rather travel, visit a museum,

or go to a birthday party?

Go to a birthday party!

“Go happy birthday”

What is your favorite word? “Uplifting” Where do you like to read? On my rug Would you ever want to write a book yourself? No, I like reading them too much! Who is your biggest podcasting influence? My mom What is your favorite spot in Fort Worth? TCU Women’s basketball games Would you rather travel, visit a museum, or go to a birthday party? Travel to someone’s birthday party that’s in a museum!

photos courtesy of Charity Robinson

O n ce up on a tim e, th er e wer e t hree s ma rt a n d bea utiful si sters wh o lived in th e la n d of A led o: Alexa , Br is to l, a n d C h a rlotte. T h eir p a r en ts t augh t th e s is ter s to love st ories a n d r ea d in g, a n d t hes e s is ters, wh o wer e a ll good a n d tr ue, if a little s illy at times, wa n ted to s h a r e t heir love of s to r ies with oth er ch ild ren .

29 Photos courtesy of 29 Acres (provided by Jenna Curry)

by Sarah Angle

didn’t know what do to for him or where to go. Traditional college wasn’t an option, and he needed more education, support, and a plan for the future. “He needed life skills that I couldn’t teach him,” said Alison. She found her answer — and her son’s future — on 29 heavily-wooded acres near Denton. Aptly named for the large campus where it resides, 29 Acres is a supportive living community located in the small town of Cross Roads. The nonprofit was founded in 2015 to provide a supportive living community to adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neuro-diversities. It accepted its first class of students in 2017. “We looked everywhere for programs for him,” said Alison. “There’s just nothing else like this in Texas.” Alison knows he’ll be safe there, which for young adults like Joshua, is a major concern. “Kids like Joshua lack the ability to logically reason right from wrong,” said Alison. “So you worry about the weekends and after school hours. But here, they have 24-hour security. They keep them so busy.” “Our overall goal is for people to be empowered and live life with purpose and joy,” said Jenna Curry, Director of 29 Acres’ Transition Academy. “That’s our big thing.” Building self-confidence in a safe supportive community helps make that possible. The center has various programs designed to do just that depending on the need of the individual client and his or her family. 29 Acres’ two-year residential program, the Transition Academy, teaches independent living and

Living a Life of Purpose & Joy:

29 ACRES TRANSITION

by Sarah Angle

Alison and John Kelley have learned to celebrate the “inch marks.” For parents caring and loving children living on the autism spectrum or with other neuro-diversities (differences in brain function and behavioral traits) the traditional childhood “milestones” are hard to come by. The Kelleys understand. They adopted their son Joshua, 19, from Russia when he was a toddler. “He is just precious,” said Alison. “When we adopted him, we knew he had some form of emotional or academic disabilities; we just didn’t know what form.” Joshua is high-functioning autistic, which means he doesn’t live with severe intellectual disabilities but struggles in areas of communication, social interaction, and understanding the basic day-to-day processes that young adults need to manage to be independent. Joshua graduated from Hill School, a K through 12 school that works with students who have different learning styles. But after graduation, the Kelleys

career readiness skills, helping residents with jobs and internships through its partnership with local business and other nonprofits. The goal is to prepare these young adults to ultimately live independently and be able to have a job that supports and empowers their life. To help achieve that goal, residents take 32 courses on career readiness and independent living taught at the University of North Texas. It comes with a hefty price tag for parents or caregivers. Allison says the two-year program is about the same cost as a four-year state university. “It’s twice the tuition of Texas A&M… but he’s going to come out [and] prosper.” Graduates from the Transitional Academy do prosper. Over 83 percent of graduates live independently from their parents and the same number have jobs. That’s a huge percentage, when nationally, 87 percent of adult children with autism live at home with their parents. The number of people living with ASD is growing, too. The Centers for Disease Control reported a 10 percent increase in the number of ASD diagnoses since 2014. As of 2020, 1 in 54 individuals in the U.S. have autism; Texas is second to only California in the number of cases. Jenna says that so far, the nonprofit has served 80 residents in total and 40 through its Transitional Academy; it’ll be accepting another 13 when the next class begins August 10. “Joshua fell in love with it,” said Alison. “You just walk on the campus, and there’s so much love and good vibes.” Evidence-based programming and the metrics of its success say a lot about the viability of the program. But so do its former students: “29 Acres has helped me to learn how to take care of myself,” said Carson, 21, a Transition Academy graduate. “It has taught me all about adulting. I think the most important thing I learned was how to do my deep cleans and working on cleaning and maintaining my room. I have learned to control and enhance my abilities. I want everyone to know that people with Autism are really fun to hang out with. Transition Academy may be hard and there may be challenges, but it’s overall worth it. You’re in control of your own destiny.”

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chase your by Gretta Hendricks Several years ago, the Gabe Dixon Band released a song called ‘All Will Be Well.” My conversation with business owner and Texas Christian University’s Alumni Board member, Maria C. Mason, brought these lyrics to mind: ‘You’ve got to keep it up, and don’t give up, and chase your dreams’ Chasing dreams and catching them could be Mason’s most powerful message to people from all walks of life. Born in Mexico, she has a unique perspective from her upbringing that has only enhanced her knowledge and equipped her to become the newest member of TCU’s National Alumni Board. When asked how her Hispanic heritage will help inform her in that new role, Mason shared “It takes a strong minority voice to come in there and say ‘Hey, we’re here too!’ We [Latino peoples] are very diverse. We’re not just Mexican, as there are so many cultures, too, so being that voice is my main priority.” Mason added, “I think of being born in Mexico and my parents bringing me here at a young age. We grew up as farm workers and through that, I have my own shared experiences of how I went to TCU [on] scholarships… TCU was kind of a distant dream when I was growing up.” Mason first toured TCU while she was in middle school and was immediately captivated by the beauty of the campus and the opportunities they had to offer. Living in an apartment off Las Vegas Trail, Mason lived a life that, from her perspective, was setback to achieving her dream of attending TCU. “I was an A student, so I knew with my grades I could probably make it in, but financially I didn’t think I could make it a possibility.” It was not until she met a counselor while attending Tarrant County College that Mason realized there were ways to pursue her dream. With the counselor’s help, Mason learned about scholarships that made the journey from community college to TCU a reality.

Reflecting on her educational journey, Mason said, “I wanted to go [to TCU] in middle school and didn’t feel like I could, then I went with all the scholarship money, then I graduated. Now I have my own real estate company, and now I am serving on the national [alumni] board. Kind of a full circle of God working in my life. I attribute it all to God allowing me to come back and give back to the school. I’m really excited to have this diverse background: living on Las Vegas Trail in apartments to business owner and to representing every student on the board.” Mason added with confidence, “My faith is very strong. We can see the impossible, but God can see much more that is possible. He can see our dreams.” As an extension of Mason’s heart for education and advocacy, she continues to pour her heart into her community and her culture through her company, Camino Real Estate. Alongside her husband Sam, Mason partners with local non-profits to provide home buying workshops. They are free and open to all. In regard to buying a home, Mason reflected, “It’s challenging, and our goal is to make it not challenging. That community [along Las Vegas Trail] already thinks they cannot buy a home and then they’re faced with the craziness of this real estate market. But we’re still finding them homes. So, it’s about education and really advocating for our clients.” When asked what words of wisdom she could give to home buyers and for the people she will represent as an Alumni Board member, Mason said, “I would say have big dreams and go for them. Ask for help when you’re trying to make those dreams happen as there are so many mentors out there who want to help (including myself), and then be loud. Be loud. Speak up. Don’t think that what you’re saying doesn’t need to be heard. It needs to be heard, so to be heard, you have to be loud… look for mentors to push you along the way and then be that mentor for others that need to be pushed along the way.”

by Madeworthy editorial staff

CURIOUS: continuing education “ I ha ve no s pec i a l ta l ent. I a m onl y pa s s i ona tel y c uri ous . ” - Al bert Ei ns tei n

Education does not end with graduation. Learning is a lifelong undertaking, whether it be professional accreditation courses or simply reading books about a topic that fascinates. A curious mind can truly never grow old. The

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C R A F and HOBBIES T

UNIVERSITY continuing education

to be passionately curious.

Most universities have some form of continuing education. Some offer professional certifications, while others offer fun and inspiring classes for all ages.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Without a hobby or two, life is just no fun! These are great ideas for picking up a new hobby.

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I N ESS S U

the ARTS and NATURE

These are courses designed to help entrepreneurs both new and experienced.

With the incredible arts culture in Fort • Tex a s Wom a n ’s U n i v e rsi t y ’s Center f or Wo m e n E n t re p re n e u r s

Worth, it’s no problem to find a great program! From learning

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flamenco dancing to

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exploring gardening

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with native plants,

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these courses will keep

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your brain young.

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MADEWORTHY PUBLICATION

GUIDELINES FOR GENERAL SPECIFICATION ONLY

by Sarah Angle

Making Mental Health Matter More for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults

Better Box launched last month to give kids, teens, young adults, and people in the helping professions fun (and tangible) evidenceinformed products + practices to help improve mental health. I got COVID in December. Badly. I thought I was going to die. I told my dad what to do if I did; I started thinking about how my daughter’s life would look without me there to hold her hand. Buy her first car. Take her to prom. Take her college. The Emergency Room turned me away because I wasn’t dying (at the time, the hospitals were so overrun that was the requirement for entry). “You’re recovering,” the ER doctor told me. “This isn’t recovering,” I thought. After five weeks of Netflix, tears, social isolation, and a missed Christmas and New Year’s, I tested negative. It was one of the best days of 2021.

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The worst year of our collective lives was over, but the real problems were just starting. Now, our brains had to reconcile with the loss and trauma we’d all just faced, which today translates into the highest attempted suicide rate for kids the country has even seen and a 40 percent increase in depression and anxiety among adults. I think I handled the mental health challenges of 2020 (social isolation, fear, job insecurity, loneliness) as well as most people. But I had resources. I had counseling. I had two really supportive parents and friends who loved me. I was lucky. Even with all that support, I cried a lot. A lot. I felt hopeless and alone so many of those days. Before the pandemic started, I had the inklings of an idea for a box of tangible products to help improve mental health in young people. I’m a college professor at TCU; I’ve seen my students struggle with mental for years — long before COVID was even in our vocabulary. When the pandemic hit, I knew it was what I needed to do. I launched Better Box last month, after a year of research, focus group testing, business strategy development, and soul searching. Besides having my daughter (and obvious job as a professor — GO FROGS), it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I feel like all the challenges in my life have prepared me for this. I know young people, I know students, I know mental health struggles, and I know what it’s like to be a mother. We need help, support, and the resources to get better. Better Box was designed to help improve overall well-being in kids, young people, and adults in the helping professions (like teachers and nurses). It uses evidence-informed products and practices based on research to treat mental health holistically.

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Better Box addresses social, physical, and mental health with three products that work on those areas in our brain. (1) There are greeting cards in the box designed to increase social connection and inspiration. (2) There’s a lavender candle or lip balm to connect with our physical senses using the efficacy of lavender to lower stress and improve mood. (3) And there’s a journal to write down daily gratitude, which cultivates well-being and provides hope for the future. It’s a social impact business model that maintains our mission “to help improve mental health” first and foremost. I want our clients — schools, nonprofits, hospitals, and those beautiful souls working in the helping professions — to use this as a piece of their journey to wellness. For me, that journey lasts a lifetime.

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Mathnasium Foundations Program Introducing Mathnasium’s Foundations Program! Designed for children in Pre-School through 1st grade. We have years of experience helping students after they have a long and painful struggle with mathematics. We use our experience with helping struggling students to develop this program that focuses on early intervention to avoid later struggles and promote success. Using our proprietary diagnostic, we generate a learning plan that identifies and addresses the key skills that are missing or underdeveloped. Foundation sessions start with our trained instructors delivering math concepts based on the child’s diagnostic profile. Concepts are then practiced and applied through the careful selection of games that are designed to develop these skills. Mathnasium believes that math should never stop a student from achieving their goals. To give back to the community, each diagnostic exam is free of charge.

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Advocating for the Gifted/Talented Designation

by Elisabeth Ivy

My oldest daughter knew all the letters of the alphabet before she was two. My middle child was using Spanish phrases she learned from a television show when she was fifteen months old. My youngest child didn’t have a “first word” as much as she had a “first sentence.” All three girls are gifted; each one identified/ non-identified at a different stage of their development. Daughter One was identified as gifted in a Montessori preschool, Daughter Two wasn’t identified as gifted until she began taking standardized tests, and Daughter Three was denied admission to gifted/talented (G/T) programming in second grade (while in public school) but was identified as G/T in middle school after taking standardized tests geared for private school students.

As you can imagine, identifying “giftedness” in children is not a simple process. One reason is because children can be gifted in many different areas: academic/intellectual, leadership/interpersonal relationships, creative/ artistic. Another reason is that many of the methods used to identify giftedness are based upon teacher observations and parental surveys. Unfortunately, the average teacher is often no better trained in identifying giftedness than the average parent. Many educators think they know what “G/T” looks like, but they often confuse good grades, compliance, and rule following as the traits of the highest achievers. I spoke with a campus administrator about the process of identifying G/T students at their school. “I don’t know if there are proper ways of identifying the kiddos. A big burden falls on the teachers. Teachers are asked to nominate students for committee evaluation. For each student they nominate, the teacher has to fill out surveys and collect student work. Sometimes teachers don’t bother unless there is a kid that is just obviously exceptional. And teacher recommendations are often influenced by behavior and attitude. The only time some kids get recommended is if their parents nominate them. Some parents don’t even know what it means to ‘nominate’ them. Personally, I think there needs to be a more streamlined way of doing things. More assessments rather than recommendations, because teacher feedback and recommendations can be subjective. And the subjectivity often leads to some

kids getting left out. Educators get general training on Gifted and Talented education, but none of us are experts.” According to the Texas Education Agency, a “gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who: 1. exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area 2. possesses an unusual capacity for leadership or 3. excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121) In the public-school setting, a gifted/talented designation is documented in a student’s file and the student is placed in either a “talent pull out” or placed in a high academic program (HAP). The scope and quality of these programs can vary. Some schools have carefully crafted programs that embrace best practices of gifted education: paced in response to student needs, elevated rigor (deeper into the concept rather than more concepts), based upon problem solving and rich with opportunities for failure, which is something G/T kids often don’t experience. Other schools miss the mark and create programs that ask the G/T kids to work faster, work longer, and work independently with little feedback or direct instruction. In a private school setting, parents might expect more from G/T programming, but it’s not always available. Many private schools already have an accelerated curriculum. If the gifted students are being taught at the same pace and with the same level of rigor as their peers, they may experience the same boredom and disinterest as their public-school counterparts. Private school parents have described being forced to advocate for their students in order to have them nurtured and challenged, as if the teachers believed that the superior quality of the education alone was enough to meet the needs of the child. Some of these parents have joined support groups for gifted children to find resources and support. Ultimately, it is important to remember that G/T designation is a predictor of potential rather than an accomplishment. In other words, if a student is not getting high quality instruction in the classroom, he or she will not gain the knowledge or skill necessary to function at a high academic level. Consequently, even students identified as G/T in the early grades may fail to continue to demonstrate G/T qualities at the secondary level. When Daughter One finished

fifth grade in the public-school system, there was a “re-identification” process for continued G/T programming. Students who did not score high enough on standardized tests, students who did not have high enough grades, and students whose behavior did not fit standard expectations were removed from the G/T programs for middle school. When I worked as secondary literacy instructional coach, I worked to help identify students for accelerated learning or Pre-AP coursework. One year, teachers were asked to select the students for the classes. The teachers chose students with high grades, students with exemplary behavior, and students who completed their assignments with little support. I wasn’t satisfied with that list, so I pulled data from the online reading program and the standardized tests. The data supported an entirely different list – one that included several African American boys who had poor grades and problematic behavior.

As parents, we want to believe that our schools are going to champion the needs of our children, uncover hidden potential, and support individual growth. The reality is that schools are not always able to do it all. If parents suspect their children may be gifted, they need to advocate for their children. And just like my experience with Daughter Three’s schooling, don’t give up if the school disagrees with you. I knew she was gifted. It just wasn’t her time to shine. I am not suggesting that any parent go to war with the school over a gifted/talented placement. What I am suggesting is that parents continue to nurture creativity and intellect. Go to museums and live performances. Take music and dance lessons. Read, read, READ. And if you are ever wondering how to support underserved communities, sponsor some of those same activities for others. After all, giftedness needs fertile ground to take root and blossom.

P.O. Box 101704 Fort Worth, TX 76185

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