Park Cities People June 2024

JESSICA WAFFLES

PARENTS PUSH FOR BOONE ANNEXATION

Achild at Northway Christian Day School in Dallas was choking, and the school called for help.

But Dallas emergency dispatch could not be convinced that the church next to Boone Elementary was in the city of Dallas. The dispatcher transferred the call to University Park dispatch. University Park’s dispatcher apologized, then sent the church’s call back to Dallas.

The child was alright — a teacher at the school was able to perform the Heimlich maneuver. But the confusion over whether Boone Elementary and Northway Christian Church are in Dallas or University Park remains an ongoing problem, day school board chairman Bevan Rhine Liverman said during a May 16 meeting about the potential annexation of Boone and Northway Christian by the city of University Park.

“These are precious minutes that are being lost,” she said while recounting the experience. “And this is not the fault of Dallas Fire and Rescue. This is confusion over where the borders are.”

About 170 parents, school district and city officials, and members of HPISD’s board of trustees gathered at Boone Elementary during the Thursday afternoon meeting with Dallas City Council Member Gay Donnell Willis. The space became so crowded that the school opened the partition to its cafetorium and pulled up additional chairs.

Boone Parent Teacher Organization president Jamie O’Boyle said that she hoped to show Willis the strength of community support for annexation, which would include Boone Elementary, Northway Christian Church, the streets surrounding the church and school, and Airline Road south to the current Dallas city limit. Willis represents City Council District 13, which includes the church, school, and surrounding homes which are in the city of Dallas but zoned to HPISD.

Parents who spoke in favor of annexation said the move would be mutually beneficial to Dallas, Northway Christian, and Boone Elementary by improving student safety and Boone’s ability to fundraise, and by relieving the city of Dallas of the responsibility for addressing street and other infrastructure needs.

Willis told meeting attendees that her

colleagues could have concerns about losing future tax revenue if the property ever ceased being a school and church. These objections might be addressed through revenue sharing arrangements, which are currently being explored, she said.

Willis said the prospect of University Park taking over street, stormwater, and other transportation issues would be meaningful to her colleagues. “This is a little different from some of the things that we normally encounter, and I just want to be sure that I’m able to say, ‘this is a rock-solid plan of why we should do this,’” she said.

University Park submitted a boundary adjustment application that included the church and Boone Elementary to the city of Dallas in June 2023. Willis said this August would be the earliest annexation could go before a city council committee.

Dallas City Council Member Gay Donnell Willis speaks to attendees at a meeting about the potential annexation of Northway Christian Church and Boone Elementary. SARAH HODGES

SARAH HODGES

Crime Reports April 8-May 12

April 8

Reported at 11:42 a.m.: A charlatan who claimed to be from Citibank tricked a woman in the  4400 block of Southern Avenue into disclosing her personal information.

April 11

An opportunistic thief fished through the open window of a Chevy Tahoe parked in the 5400 block of Armstrong Parkway before 3:30 p.m. and stole a wallet containing $600 in cash, a Bank of America debit card, three credit cards, an ID card, a driver’s license, and an HSA card while the car’s owner picked up her children from school.

April 12

Reported at 2:43 p.m.: A burglar who may have had either brute strength or moving equipment broke into a home and garage in the  3400 block of Dartmouth Avenue and stole a full-height wine fridge, an undercounter beverage fridge and ice maker, multiple rolls of wallpaper, four mirrors, and two glass finials.

April 13

Reported at 5:17 p.m.: A thief didn’t need an invitation to steal items from an open vehicle on Preston Road

April 14

A bumbling burglar broke into two cars in the 4500 block of Fairway Avenue before 12:30 p.m., but only succeeded in stealing $3 in quarters.

April 15

Mischief makers removed two stones from a retaining wall in the  3900 block of Shenandoah Avenue before 4:28 p.m. and threw them into Turtle Creek.

April 16

A man and woman who may have been in desperate need of makeovers made a run for it after they stole lipstick from CVS in Snider Plaza prior to 9:56 p.m.

April 17

Before 1:42 p.m., a greedy thief stole a Ferragamo wallet, credit cards, debit cards, a driver’s license, and cash from an unlocked Porsche on University Boulevard

April 18

Reported at 7:26 a.m.: A car thief stole a locked GMC Denali from a home in the  4500 block of Westway Avenue. Inside were two children’s car seats, a baseball glove, bat, and helmet, and lacrosse pads.

April 19

How easy was it for a thief to steal a cellphone, Apple AirPods, a Rolex Explorer, and a work ID badge from a Bentley Bentayga on  Preston Road before 3:04 p.m.? The car was left unlocked.

April 20

A thief may have been disappointed by the loot they stole from a Mercedes Benz parked on Northwest Parkway before 11:02 p.m. The car’s owner found her stolen tote bag and its contents in another area of the parking lot. No items were missing.

April 21

A thief stole an unlocked GMC Yukon with three child car seats before 6:43 a.m. from in front of a home on  Westminster Avenue

April 24

A package pilferer stole a delivery containing a Saks dress and shoes before 1:13 p.m. from the 4500 block of Southern Avenue

April 25

A sneaky thief rifled through three vehicles in the  4300 block of Versailles Avenue  prior to 6:47 a.m., and stole a wallet containing a debit card, credit card, $500 cash, and driver’s license from inside one vehicle.

April 26

The window of a BMW M3 in the 4400 block of Highland Drive was broken prior to 7 p.m., perhaps by an out-of-control biker trying to jump over nearby hills.

April 27

A pedaling pilferer stole a Trek Marlin mountain bike parked near a garage in the 4700 block of Bowser Court prior to 2:30 p.m.

April 30

A two-wheeler thief stole a bicycle from the YMCA rack before 5:36 p.m.

on  Asbury Avenue

May 2

Reported at 7:11 p.m. in the  3600 block of Drexel Drive : A car thief broke the window of a Toyota Camry while its owner was playing tennis and stole multiple credit cards, a Michael Kors purse, MK wallet, Kate Spade card carrier, gold bag, Tag Heuer watch, cash, a Microsoft Surface, Apple earphones, checkbook, and driver’s license.

May 3

A thief broke the window of a Kia Telluride parked in the  4100 block of Mockingbird Lane and stole an envelope containing $15,000 cash from the center console before 12:28 p.m.

May 5

The reckless driver who loudly crashed into a Ford F-150 Raptor parked in the 5200 block of Armstrong Parkway before 11 p.m. didn’t leave a note but left behind a panel piece from their passenger side door with a sticker that had identifying information.

May 7

Reported at 7:38 p.m.: A thief stole a Trek Marlin bicycle from the YMCA in the 6000 block of Preston Road

May 8

A thief managed to steal 62 makeup products worth between $2,500 and $30,000 from CVS on Preston Road before 8:41 p.m.

May 9

Grand Prairie police arrested a man in the 4300 block of Amherst Avenue on a warrant before 8 a.m.

May 10

Nevermind who stole the cookie from the cookie jar. Police were on the hunt for the jar itself after a cut glass cookie jar, cut glass decorative jar, china teapot, and compote bowl were reported missing at 4:39 p.m. from a home on Turtle Creek Boulevard

May 12

Officers made a traffic stop on  Bryn Mawr Drive at 2:43 a.m., then arrested the driver for driving while intoxicated.

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Champion of UP Parks Hits Her Term Limit Mayor Pro Tem Liz Farley leaves City Council after six years of service

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

“I wouldn’t want to be on the council I don’t think, anywhere else,” outgoing University Park council member Liz Farley said. “People respond, people are engaged. They love their parks. They love their city. It’s just a really sweet place to be.”

“I think it’s hard to be lonely in University Park.”

Liz Farley

Farley, who completed her third term on the City Council in May, has lived in University Park for 27 years. She began her service to the community when her children were very young and she noticed that friends were planning playdates at nicer parks outside the city.

Farley approached the City Council about raising funds for new playgrounds. Thanks to the support of the council and the “amazing community” in University Park, within months Farley and

her co-chair had raised enough for playgrounds at Caruth, Coffee, and Burleson parks.

Farley served on the parks advisory committee for eight years

and planning and zoning commission for another eight before being asked to run for the City Council.

When Farley spoke with her husband, Lane, about the idea,

“he, without hesitation, said, ‘You should do it; you’d be great,’” Farley recalled.

“I say that because it was a powerful endorsement,” Farley continued, “and just to encourage us all to be that person for someone, to speak up if you think someone would be good at something.”

Six years later, Farley has served the maximum number of consecutive terms allowed under University Park’s charter. New member Melissa Rieman replaced her on the City Council at the beginning of May.

Farley said that she has been proud to serve with University Park’s outstanding staff and citizen committees, praising the “excellence and expertise and availability,” of everyone from the city manager to sanitation workers.

“They care about our community, and that makes all the difference,” she said. “They stay up at night, and they go out in the cold, and they just get it done for us.”

In her time on the council, Farley has made preserving the city’s parkland a priority. “This is all the parkland we have,” she said, “and it goes away inch by inch, not park by park.”

Farley said she was excited about the beginning of construction in

Snider Plaza and purchase of University Park’s new police training facility on Fondren Drive, which will help the city recruit and retain officers.

She was also pleased that the city has completed the first phase its storm mitigation project. The project included the creation of a 3.5-million-gallon detention tank, “a parking garage for water,” under Caruth Park, which water can enter quickly before being slowly released downstream.

But it’s the people Farley has met while on the council and the feeling that she’s helped create a sense of community for residents that have meant the most to her.

“It gives people a sense of home when you’re able to provide those paths to cross and ways to connect without having to plan it. I think our neighborhood does that uniquely well,” she said. “I think it’s hard to be lonely in University Park.”

Farley and her husband just welcomed their first grandchild and will be empty nesters this fall for the first time in 27 years.

“I’m just so thankful that I got to serve in this way,” she said. “I’m going to miss it and I just appreciate (residents’) support and trust in me to serve on the council.”

Outgoing Mayor Pro Tem Liz Farley (right) with Mayor Tommy Stewart at her final city council meeting. SARAH HODGES

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Park Cities Resident Shares Struggle After Her Daughter’s Suicide in ‘Losing Grace Finding Hope’

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

The suicide of Sue Loncar’s 16-yearold daughter, Grace, left her shattered, and broke her family “into a million pieces.”

“I know Grace would feel devastated to know that she did that to us,” Sue said. “I almost hope she doesn’t know what she put us all through, because I want to think she’s at peace. How could she be at peace if she knew how much pain I was in?”

Eight days after Grace’s suicide, Sue’s husband, Brian Loncar, died due to an accidental drug-induced heart attack. In the aftermath of her daughter and husband’s deaths, Sue went to every support group she could find to cope with the “enormous crater” inside her. Without Grace’s five siblings, she doesn’t know how she would have survived.

Seven years later, Sue has learned to have joy next to grief. She has founded The Grace Loncar Foundation and dedicated herself to suicide prevention.

“That’s the only way you can survive any situation, is to figure out what good can I possibly bring out of this, out of this horrible situation,” she said.

AT A GLANCE

To find out more about future showings of Losing Grace Finding Hope, follow the documentary on Instagram @losinggracefindinghopedoc.

Visit The Grace Loncar Foundation website, graceloncarfoundation.com, to learn more about the foundation’s work or find support.

Marcia worked full-time on the documentary for two years, completing the film in January. She served as director, producer, writer, and on-set interviewer, and was heavily involved in the post-production process.

“I love the family, so the sense of responsibility is just magnified,” she said. “I feel personally invested, and I have to do this, and I’ve got to get it right. I think I got it as close to right for me as I could.”

“It’s hard to be a teen. It’s hard to be anybody in this world today.” Sue Loncar

Hoping to help families see their way through grief after a loved one’s suicide and inspire those struggling with mental illness,

Sue, along with Grace’s family and friends, have told their stories onscreen in the documentary Losing Grace Finding Hope Showings of the film sold out in hours when it premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival. It was also an official selection of the WRPN Women’s International Film Festival and the Greenwich International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the prestigious Best Social Impact Film Award.

But when Sue asked her friend Marcia Carroll to direct the film, Marcia wondered whether anyone would even see it.

The movie’s budget was just $95,000, and it was interview-based. Marcia wondered how it could compete with epic, visual, cinematic films with big budgets and major directors.

Marcia had known Grace, been devastated by her death, and worried about whether she could do justice to the family’s journey and to Sue’s faith and resilience. She decided to go ahead with the project by focusing on its primary goal.

“The main goal is to inspire or save one life,” Marcia said. “I’m sure that we can do that.”

Losing Grace Finding Hope will continue to be shown in festivals during 2024. After it completes the festival circuit, Sue and Marcia are hopeful that it will be picked up by a streaming service.

The epidemic of suicide, the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 20-34 in 2022, needs to be addressed, Sue said. And depression is an illness that can happen to anyone, just as it struck her beautiful, talented, and smart daughter, who always identified with people who were struggling and tried to help.

“I just know that she would be really proud and would want to make a difference with other people that are suffering with depression,” Sue said. “It’s hard to be a teen. It’s hard to be anybody in this world today.”

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Sue Loncar in a film still shot from Losing Grace Finding Hope. COURTESY ‘LOSING GRACE FINDING HOPE’ Inset: Grace Loncar. COURTESY LONCAR FAMILY

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DIRTY SHIRTS BAND COMBINES POP, DISCO, ROCK ’N’ ROLL

New ‘eclectic’ but still danceable ‘poppy’ record to release in early 2025

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

Nick Santa Maria recalls family dinners at his grandparents’ home in University Park before attending concerts in Deep Ellum at the age of 16.

Now, he’s the lead singer and songwriter of The Dirty Shirts, a Dallas-based dancefloor-rock-’n’-roll group with pop, disco, and rock elements.

“We also throw around the term ‘glam trash,’” Santa Maria said. “Very sparkly but very rough around the edges too. It’s all about balance.”

“I really wanted to write a guitar rock ’n’ roll record and something that I would’ve been super stoked to hear when I was like 14.”

Nick Santa Maria

Members celebrated the band’s three-year anniversary the same week they performed four shows at South by Southwest in March.

Santa Maria said he hopes his shows give attendees the same experience he had going to local shows growing up.

“The world is nuts; it’s so stressful,” he said. “There’s so many things going on at

home and abroad, and for … however long we’re playing, I want you to forget about all that and just have fun and have a drink, jump up and down, scream.”

However, the shows are slowing down this year as band members are focusing on a record planned for release in early 2025. One song will be released per month until the end of the year.

“(The record) will still have the very dancey, poppy stuff that we have been doing, but I think that we’re really expanding into something that is a little more … eclectic, and

there’s a bit of everything for sure,”

Santa Maria said. “I really want ed to write a guitar rock ’n’ roll record and something that I would’ve been super stoked to hear when I was like 14.”

was kind of the start of (the band), and we found some buds to play on the record.”

The Dirty Shirts lineup has seen some variation, and Santa Maria has been the only consistent performer.

“That’s been the beauty of it, I think, because we’ve gotten so many different people’s perspectives and spin on things as it’s gone on,” he said. “It’s been a core group of probably eight or nine people.”

Before working with The Dirty Shirts, Santa Maria played guitar for country bands. He then collaborated with a friend to write non-country songs before the pandemic hit and their live-show gigs dried up.

“(The pandemic) really gave me the time to focus on my own music for the first time in a really long time,” Santa Maria said. “That

Santa Maria grew up listening to music with his parents and started his music career playing the trumpet in middle

“Then I found out that I’d have to wake up at 5 o’clock in the morning and march in the August heat in Texas if I wanted to play in high school, and I knew myself well enough,” he said, noting that’s when he took up the guitar.

Santa Maria says connection is what people love about music.

“You connect with the artist that you’re listening to over the radio, you connect with the people on stage, you connect with the other people in the crowd,” he said. “I’d love to see it be less on the screen and more in person.”

Once Afraid of Horror, a Park Cities Native Now Toplines a New Terror Trilogy

Froy Gutierrez’s star continues rise with a lead role in expanded remake of ‘The Strangers’

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Froy Gutierrez admits he was skittish as a youngster, to the extent that watching the M. Night Shyamalan thriller Signs with a cousin became overwhelming.

The Dallas native and star of The Strangers: Chapter 1 never figured his first cinematic lead role would come in a horror movie — let alone three of them. But a lot has changed about Gutierrez, and his genre sensibilities, since those formative years.

“It took me a while to come back to it,” Gutierrez said. “As I got older, I learned about the ways horror can be very important and allowed you to explore things you couldn’t explore in other genres. It was so much more than scares.”

The story follows Gen Z lovers Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Gutierrez) as their car breaks down in rural Oregon, forcing them to spend the night at a remote cabin, where they are terrorized by masked intruders and

forced to fight for their lives.

The film is the first segment of a new trilogy expanding upon the mythology of the eponymous 2008 horror film, which starred Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. Gutierrez hadn’t seen the original prior to recording an audition tape from his mother’s home in Dallas, which might have been advantageous in the eyes of director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2).

“I was aware of how much of a

cult classic it was,” Gutierrez said. “I was worried that if I watched the movie, I was going to try and do what Scott Speedman did. This is a different character, and the dynamics are different. It was important for me to just be Ryan and find Ryan.”

All three films were shot simultaneously (the other two will be released in the coming months). In a few instances, they shot different sequences for all three installments

in the same day.

Gutierrez is best known for his roles on MTV’s Teen Wolf and Freeform’s Cruel Summer. That experience in television prompted a comparison to shooting an entire season’s worth of episodes at once.

“It was a big shock to the system. I knew I would be living on adrenaline and nightmare fuel for two months,” he said. “It’s a huge challenge to take on.”

His start came in local stage productions such as the musical Teen Brain at Dallas Children’s Theater, during which he was discovered by an agent.

“I was aware of how much of a cult classic it was.”

Froy Gutierrez

Gutierrez, 26, grew up with a passion for both acting and music in a bilingual and bicultural family split between Texas and Mexico. Much of that time was spent in the Park Cities at University Park Elementary. Following his freshman year at Highland Park High School, he transferred full-time to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

“I’ve always felt really supported by the Dallas theater community,” Gutierrez said.

“At Booker T., I had such incredible teachers and mentors. I’m really grateful that I was able to be part of such a robust theater scene.”

Gutierrez’s other film work includes the low-budget 2020 slasher film Initiation and the Halloween comedy Hocus Pocus 2, a streaming sequel to a movie released before he was born.

After The Strangers: Chapter 1 , which was released on May 17, Gutierrez is returning to TV with a supporting role in the new Tim Allen network sitcom pilot Shifting Gears

One of The Dirty Shirts’ South by Southwest shows was at Still Austin Whiskey Co. on March 16. When in Dallas, the band frequently performs in Deep Ellum at Double Wide, Three Links, Ruins, and Twilite Lounge. JESSICA WAFFLES

ON THE WEB

The Dirty Shirts can be found on streaming platforms, Instagram @thedirtyshirtsus, or their site, thedirtyshirtsus.com

Froy Gutierrez is best known for his work in television, but TheStrangers:Chapter1 could provide a big-screen breakthrough. LIONSGATE

Letter to the Editor

Another Bond Election?

When I was getting ready to have repairs done on my college car my grandfather said, “Watch out, you don’t put good money in after bad.” So, I sold my car. It hurt but it saved me from really goofing up.

I wish I had followed that advice in other instances in my life.

The suggestion that the HPISD is planning another bond election this fall makes me think about my beloved grandad’s advice.

The 2015 bond which called for the razing of the HPISD elementary schools was predicated on a swelling of enrollment and the adoption of the newest shiny objects in education.

Well, enrollment has gone down consistently including the year of the election, so it was wrong from the get go.

Now the administration’s response seems to be to invest even more money into a situation where capacity (supply) far exceeds demand (enrollment). The glorious dreams of 2015 were largely unrealizable then much as they are now.

How about the shiny objects? In the recent Climate Survey of parents, a whopping 49% said they felt their kids needed tutoring.

So, both the super swell state of the art hardware and software of an Highland Park education is looking like my old car, and more borrowed money won’t fix it.

David Gravelle Highland Park

‘Park Cities People’ Applauds

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• Highland Park High School football head coach Randy Allen, who received the Tom Landry Award, the highest annual honor given by the Texas High School Coaches Association, on May 18 in Waco. Allen is the second all-time winningest coach among Texas high school football coaches with 446 victories. He has won four state championships during his 25-year tenure with the Scots and will begin his 44th season as a head coach this fall.

• SMU’S MinJun Kim, who was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering’s College of Fellows. Election to the College of Fellows is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to medical and biological engineers. Kim, the Robert C. Womack Endowed Chair Professor in Engineering, was recognized “for significant contributions to the development of nano/microrobotics and their broad applications for nanomedicine.”

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Spectre: Brand’s First All-Electric Vehicle Isn’t Your

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

My grandfather used to peer through the windows of car dealerships as a boy, dreaming of one day owning a Rolls-Royce.

He was fiercely proud of the car when he was finally able to buy one. He showed his beige and cream colored Rolls off to visitors and, much to my mother’s dismay, enlisted his children to handwash it.

I recently test-drove the Rolls-Royce Spectre, the luxury automaker’s first all-electric vehicle, and understand a little bit more of what the fuss was about.

The Spectre’s butter-leather seats certainly feel luxurious, and cruising is a better word than driving to describe traveling down the street in one. The interior roof of my Spectre was adorned with stars, and the paint on its exterior glittered with real crystals.

The Spectre’s backseat was roomier than those of other electric vehicles where I’ve been a passenger. There was ample room for a car seat, though I’m not sure how many owners would want a messy toddler to travel in one. The interior of the car was extremely quiet and the tech, while present, wasn’t overwhelming. An analog clock existed near the car’s touchscreen and didn’t seem out of place there.

That’s not to say, though, that this is your grandfather’s Rolls-Royce. The Spectre has plenty of James Bond-esque features that new owners will appreciate.

The Spectre, like recent predecessors, has built in holders designed to dry wet

umbrellas as the car travels. And don’t even think about stealing the redesigned Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. Try to lift it up, and the ornament will come clamping down on the fingers of a potential thief or curious reporter.

The Spectre has impressive acceleration; it can go from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, but I wasn’t about to test that myself. The Spectre can travel an estimated 266 miles between charges, which is good news for potential owners who would rather charge at their Highland Park mansions than the nearest Kroger.

The Spectre, at almost 18 feet long with 23-inch tires, cut an impressive figure cruising down the streets of University Park. The SUV driving behind me on Lovers Lane gave me plenty of space. Other vehicles yielded the right of way, which I appreciated given the more than $500,000 price tag of the model I test drove.

There are very few negative things to say about the Spectre. As a relatively short person, I thought that the driver’s side mirror was so large it obstructed my view. I also wasn’t a fan of the oversized, rear-hinged doors, which I can foresee being a problem in tight parking spots at NorthPark.

I was happy to return the Spectre unscratched to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dallas, 5300 Lemmon Ave. Avondale Dealerships celebrated the opening of the new home of Rolls-Royce in Dallas on May 9.

Potential Spectre owners, especially fussier ones, might need to be patient if they decide to make a purchase. Some Spectres are available this year, but for other models, you’ll need to wait until spring of 2025.

The author’s grandfather (left) shows off his car to visitors. COURTESY SARAH HODGES Ready to hit the road in the Rolls-Royce Spectre at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dallas. JOHN KERR

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FOR HARRIS, RETIREMENT LEAVES A THERAPEUTIC LEGACY

HPISD head trainer reflects on 37 years at his alma mater

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Jay Harris has 28 state championship rings, two Hall of Fame plaques, one teacher of the year award, and too many cherished memories to count.

That comes with 37 years of service as a beloved athletic trainer at his alma mater — a stint that will come to an end when Harris retires from Highland Park ISD this summer.

“I’ve never wanted to go anywhere else.”

Jay Harris

“We’re going to miss his leadership. He’s done a great job with our players and our student trainers,” said longtime HP football coach Randy Allen. “He’s really embedded in the community and our school and has had quite an impact.”

Harris was a student trainer at HP during the late 1970s before earning a scholarship to Texas A&M,

where he worked primarily with the men’s basketball program.

However, his first career path was a furniture salesman, following in the footsteps of his father. But after four years in the family business, his dad’s health deteriorated. Around the same time he got a call from HP administrators, who had an opening for a full-time trainer.

“I could tell that after 31 years my dad’s business was going to be over,” Harris said. “When they called, it was a no-brainer. I jumped at the chance. I got really lucky that I was able to leave one profession and go right into the next.”

In the summer of 1987, Harris finished up the necessary courses to earn his training license and

teaching certificate. He worked for the next 25 years under his mentor, legendary HP trainer Doug Gibbins.

When Gibbins retired in 2012 after 38 years, Harris became the district’s head trainer. And now he will hand the reins over to Christal Clark, who has been with HPISD for 25 years.

Harris has seen sports medicine evolve considerably over the past four decades. Yet Harris said the best part of his role is the lasting relationships built with students, either in the classroom as a business teacher, or on the training table.

“The hard part is when you see someone who has a season-ending or career-ending injury, you have to be there for them,” he said. “You see the kids more than their moms and dads see them. There’s so many times where you’re a counselor or a father figure or someone who they can just vent and talk to.”

Harris has left his mark in other ways, too. He has read off names at HPISD graduation for more than two decades. He also suggested the creative name for the district’s baseball facility in the mid1990s that has stuck ever since — Scotland Yard.

Even though he’s leaving his office adjacent to Highlander Stadium, he will remain a fan of the athletes and coaches who have meant so much.

“The kids are great and they treat you with wonderful respect,” Harris said. “I’ve never wanted to go anywhere else.”

Gribble Keeps Grinding, Wherever His Golf Career Takes Him Eight years after

his breakthrough, former HP standout seeking a

return to contention

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

During the first four months of this year, Cody Gribble played in golf tournaments in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Colombia.

Despite that travel schedule, the life of a PGA Tour journeyman isn’t a tropical vacation. It’s a week-by-week battle to simply keep going.

Such is the case for Gribble, the former Highland Park standout who competed for just the second time all season on the American mainland at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in early May in McKinney.

“As a kid, going out to Las Colinas, it was a dream to get out of school to go watch everyone play,” Gribble said. “Playing in the hometown tournament and having that support group behind me is great.”

Gribble, 33, is still trying to bounce back from a series of injuries that temporarily derailed his career. The left-hander posted his only Tour victory at the season-opening Sanderson Farms Championship in 2016, which gave him an exemption for the next three seasons.

The expiration of his automatic qualifying

status coincided with the pandemic, followed by a pair of surgeries that essentially sidelined him for two full years.

Since returning to action in 2022, he’s managed to draw into a handful of Tour events based on ranking points. That included 23 starts in 2023, when he made 14 cuts and posted consecutive top-10

counts. There’s no excuses to be made. I have to get back to the fundamentals.”

After an offseason knee surgery, he has toggled back-andforth between the PGA Tour and the lower-level Korn Ferry Tour with mixed results as he searches for elusive consistency.

“I know what it takes, and I’ve got the game to do it.” Cody Gribble

finishes in March.

However, the latter part of the year didn’t go well, and Gribble withdrew from the Tour’s qualifying school in December, leaving him in limbo again this season.

“The last two years I’ve been trying to figure out what tour I’m playing on,” he said. “Golf is a really hard game. Every shot

“It’s a constant struggle,” Gribble said. “All my surgeries have been great.

I’m never going to be 100% like I was 10 years ago.”

Indeed, in the decade since he’s been on tour, Gribble’s perspective has changed from that of a wide-eyed rookie to an experienced veteran. He knows the key is taking advantage of opportunities.

“It takes one good swing and you feel like you’re about to win another Tour event, and then you go on a stretch of bad golf, and you feel like you need to go find a job,” he said. “Right now, it’s not where I want it, but I know what it takes and I’ve got the game to do it.”

After starting out in furniture sales, Jay Harris has spent the past 37 years as an athletic trainer for Highland Park ISD. CHRIS MCGATHEY

Cody Gribble played in front of a gallery of friends and family during the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in McKinney. CHRIS MCGATHEY

HP Senior Athletes Span Globe for College Competition Baseball,

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

Highland Park has a lengthy history of producing college-ready pitchers and short stops, and both are part of this year’s class of signees.

Shortstop mainstay Charlie Schneider was one of four baseball players recog nized during a recent signing day cere mony at the school, alongside pitchers Jordan Stribling, Benton O’Banion, and Charlie Kinkaid.

Schneider signed with High Point Uni versity, a Division I school in North Caro lina, even though he missed more than half of his senior year after breaking his finger during a preseason scrimmage.

“It was hard, but I had to keep the guys motivated,” said Schneider, who returned to action for a rivalry game against Jesuit Dallas on April 1. “I learned to see the game from a different perspective not playing every day.”

In the fall, Schneider emerged as a standout receiver for the Scots in football, with 20 catches including two touchdowns. He played quarterback growing up before switching positions after breaking his elbow two years ago.

For now, Schneider is trying to get back into the rhythm in the field and at the plate to join his teammates for one final playoff push. HP head coach Travis Yoder calls him a model of consistency.

Meanwhile, Stribling signed with Oklahoma after he originally committed

With

to Texas. The lefthander also was a standout basket ball player for the Scots.

Fellow lefty Benton O’Banion signed with Pepperdine, a Division I program in the West Coast Conference, as the latest accolade during a stellar senior campaign. Kinkaid is headed to McLennan Community College.

Another dual-sport athlete, Keller Holmes, signed to play lacrosse at Jacksonville University. Holmes was HP’s top

running back during football season. His teammate in both sports, Jack McCallum, will head to Rollins College for lacrosse.

A late addition to the flurry of football commitments from the winter signing period was quarterback Cade Trotter, who accepted a preferred walk-on invitation to join the roster at perennial powerhouse Clemson. Trotter earned the team’s Conscientious Scot award this season for his leadership, as voted upon by his peers.

Two boys soccer players were honored during the festivities, including Sean Comstock, who will enroll at the i2i International Soccer Academy at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. Comstock was at Bishop Lynch and Dallas Lutheran School before coming to HP.

Colin Kamhi, who transferred to HP from Episcopal School of Dallas prior to his senior year, has committed to play soccer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

We’re bullish on your future. When we work together, you get personalized guidance, insights and financial planning — all designed to connect your life with your finances and to help make the path toward your goals even clearer.

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Highland Park seniors honored during a recent signing ceremony include, from left, Charlie Kinkaid (McLennan Community College), Benton O’Banion (Pepperdine), Jordan Stribling (Oklahoma), Charlie Schneider (High Point), Cade Trotter (Clemson), Jack McCallum (Rollins), Keller Holmes (Jacksonville), Sean Comstock (Northumbria University), and Colin Kamhi (MIT). MELISSA MACATEE

Home & Business

LOWERING THE HANDICAP

Local entrepreneurs grow the game of golf through garage startup

By Daniel Lalley Special Contributor

As anyone who plays the game will tell you, golf is one of those sports that not only challenges players physically, but also tests them intellectually.

“I think it’s a shame that so many people may feel like they don’t have the opportunity to play this game. Hopefully, we can allow more people to get into it.”

Benjamin Stromberg

Many facets of the game have confounded enthusiasts since the 15th century. Harnessing hip power, controlling topspin, factoring wind, and finding the green are some of the most difficult undertakings across the entire spectrum of sports.

No matter how forgiving the club faces get, how soft the balls become, or how far the training

technology goes, golf will always be tough.

However, a couple of Greenhill graduates insist it shouldn’t be such a challenge just to walk on the course.

With a range of complex customs, varying degrees of dress code, and equipment costs that rival some NASA initiatives, the intimidation factor is real.

That is why Benjamin Stromberg and Jake Hoffman founded Golf Roots — an e-commerce equipment outlet aimed at making the game more accessible for the next generation of golfers.

“I started building sets of golf clubs for people during the pan -

Comings and Goings

demic,” Stromberg said. “During that time, I think a lot of people wanted to pick the game up. However, a lot of them found it challenging to get into golf without breaking the bank. And it was also really hard to find clubs if you didn’t know what to buy.”

After putting a set of clubs together for his old classmate Hoffman, Stromberg was asked about starting a website. The two of them then created Golf Roots and started amassing a huge inventory of used clubs in Stromberg’s garage.

“It really works out for everyone,” Stromberg said. “On one side, there are people who have

too much stuff and need to get rid of some clubs. Then, there are people who need clubs at a good price.”

Within a few years, Golf Roots has grown to offer an inventory of thousands of clubs. From men’s to women’s, drivers to wedges, full sets to single irons, they’re able to provide a range of products perfect for just about any player, all while breaking the barrier to entry that can be so intimidating for new golfers.

“We’re the only retailer in the entire golf industry that offers a starter set of just $89.99,” Stromberg said. “We’ll sell you the

NOW OPEN

Rookstool Salon

4415 W. Lovers Lane

The sophisticated and elegant Bluffview salon by Dallas hairstylist Chad Rookstool had a soft opening January before its grand opening on April 11. Architecture firm DLR Group designed the salon space in The Bellomy Group office building.

Hudson House

Preston Forest Village

The eighth location — sixth in Dallas-Fort Worth — of this East Coast-inspired concept from Vandelay Hospitality Group opened on April 22. The brand is known for its cheeseburger, East Coast oysters, and “World’s Coldest Martini.”

COMING

Texas Ballet Theater

Preston Center

The new dance school location will open this fall at 6118 Luther Lane. Like

complete set for that price and if it turns out you don’t like it, then you’re only out 90 bucks. If you decide to keep playing, we’ll take the clubs back and give you the 90 bucks toward a better set.”

For Stromberg, it’s about more than the money.

“Golf has had a tremendous impact on my life,” he said. “From the relationships I’ve made, the lessons I’ve learned in terms of resilience and perseverance, it’s been so great for me. I think it’s a shame that so many people may feel like they don’t have the opportunity to play this game. Hopefully, we can allow more people to get into it.”

TBT’s other dance schools in Fort Worth and Richardson, the Dallas-Preston Center location will offer classes ranging from beginner ballet to elite professional training. TBT’s curriculum is designed to nurture aspiring artists by strengthening their technical dancing skills, creating a lifelong appreciation for ballet and helping develop critical life skills such as confidence, discipline and creativity.

American National Bank & Trust

5310 Forest Lane

Management for the Wichita Falls-headquartered independently owned financial institution expects this new branch to open around June 1, 2025. Construction on the location broke ground on April 25.

“This facility represents our dedication to providing financial services while fostering economic growth in the communities we serve,” Dallas market president Richard Dopson said.

– Compiled by William Taylor

FROM LEFT: Jake Hoffman and Benjamin Stromberg in the Golf Roots warehouse and on the golf course. COURTESY PHOTOS

GEAR UP

If you’re new to the game, check out golfroots.com for tour-quality products and beginner-friendly affordable prices.

Rookstool Salon

American National Bank & Trust COURTESY PHOTOS

Hudson House

Texas Ballet Theater

PRIMARY CARE

CC: MD Concierge Medical Team

With over 40 years of combined experience practicing medicine in North Dallas, Dr. Carrie Carter and Dr. Carol Croft are working hard to provide the kind of attentive, respectful and comprehensive medical care patients deserve.

“It’s the kind of care I want for each member of my family,” says Dr. Carter, founder of CC:MD.

Most concierge medical practices limit the number of patients seen in order to allow physicians more time with their patients. But after practicing concierge medicine for the last 13 years, Dr. Carter believes that more time with patients is just the first step in providing the best medical care and patient experience possible.

“We know our patients well,” said Dr. Carter. “But we also take time to thoroughly review and organize our

patients’ medical records. We involve ourselves in our patients’ referrals to subspecialists- not just finding the best subspecialist for each patient, but following up afterwards to ensure there is a clear plan for their health going forward. And we spend hours every day researching the most up-to date medical science to be the best medical advisers possible.”

The team approach is what allows CC:MD to do all of this with excellence. “When Dr. Carter designed the CC:MD model, it was truly the way I had always wanted to practice medicine,” said Dr. Croft. “It’s a team approach where physicians, nurses, and medical office staff are all working together on behalf of patients.”

As medicine becomes increasingly complicated, having direct access to an expert health care team who

knows you well, cares about you as an individual, and is invested in your health is invaluable.

With two successful years under their belt, the CC:MD team is honored and thrilled to continue providing evidence- based, comprehensive, personalized care to people in North Dallas neighborhoods for years to come.

CC: MD Concierge Medical Team 8440 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite #540 Professional Building 4 Dallas, Texas 75231 (972)415-2409 myccmd.com

Shenandoah Place Renovation to Preserve Oglesby’s Modernist Design

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

The Shenandoah Place condominiums, a 14-unit complex on Hillcrest Avenue, was built in 1980 by influential Dallas modernist architect Enslie “Bud” Oglesby.

The Phoenix native grew up in San Angelo and studied architecture at MIT. His homes always featured a tranquil elegance, utilizing natural light and offering thoughtful family living spaces.

“One of my favorite things is people always say, ‘I had no idea that was there.’ That was all part of Bud’s intent when he designed it.”

Kim Ridley

“The original developer was George Macatee — a big name in the Park Cities,” said three-year

resident and HOA board member

Kim Ridley. “He had Ogelsby design his personal home and then hired him to develop the condo. It was one of the first Park Cities condo complexes, pretty historic at the time. One of my favorite things is people always say, ‘I had no idea that was there.’ That was all part of Bud’s intent when he designed it.”

Apart from newer residents like Ridley, some have been there for 15

to 20 years. Now, they are ready to give the property a facelift and have hired architect Cliff Welch, who worked for Oglesby in the 1980s.

“This is the first time we’re really saying, ‘Let’s bring it back to what Bud intended,’” she noted. “We really wanted to keep his integrity but update energy efficiencies and curb appeal.”

Welch has done several renderings and is working with local contractors.

“We want to modernize, but we want to keep the integrity of (Oglesby’s) vision,” Ridley said.

Two years of planning have gone into the renovation, which could cost $2 million.

“It’s been a long process because we want to do it right,” she said. “Now we are pedal to the metal — we’ve collected the money, have the design plan, and are going to start renovations — everything from the exterior wall

and landscaping to our front doors, unit numbers, windows.”

“We’re hoping to get it done in a year,” Ridley said. “We’ve got our engineers and builders ready to go; we’re now just parsing out how that works for the 14 — what project comes first because it’s a big domino effect.”

A lack of floorplan changes or major fixes over the decades speaks to the integrity of the original design.

“Above our solarium windows are wooden slats,” she explains. “There was this whole study that Bud had originally done, which was redone, to use those as a practical shade — every single one depending on the angle that your unit faces the sun. So much work went into it in the beginning, we’re trying to put that work into it now.”

The character-rich property has been home to judges and TV personalities through the years, Ridley said.

“I have two small children. We can throw them in the stroller, walk any direction, and hit a park, a restaurant, or a coffee shop,” she said, laughing at the location after having moved from Lakewood. “Though we’re on Hillcrest, the way it sits off the road doesn’t feel like you’re on a busy street.”

This rendering shows the facelift architect Cliff Welch devised for a 14-unit complex on Hillcrest Avenue. COURTESY SHENANDOAH PLACE HOA

Bring Order to Your Rooms with the Right Focal Points

If you’re worried that one of your rooms has too much going on, you might need a focal point.

Real Talk: Tina Lawson

The executive limousine business Tina Lawson founded in 2001 didn’t take long to evolve.

By 2003, she was expanding into home management services for customers who wanted someone they could trust to look after their homes while they were away.

But a name change took a bit longer.

In 2022, she rebranded her STS (Suburban Transportation Services) as Dallas Home Watch to better reflect the services provided.

What is the best thing about working in this field?

The sense of peace and gratitude expressed by our contracted clients. We’re deeply moved by the kind and appreciative comments we receive upon delivering their home watch inspection reports or fulfilling their homeowner requests.

How has the home watch service industry changed during your tenure?

choose, it needs to be in the line of sight for any visitor stepping into the room.

setting can be focal points.

Interior designers use the term “focal point” to indicate the place where your eyes first land when you enter a room. Here’s how you can use the things you already own to create new focal points.

MARGARET CHAMBERS

Start by taking note of any architectural features you have. Fireplaces, built-in bookcases, vaulted ceilings, free-standing bathtubs, oven hoods, and large windows will usually be the focal points for their respective rooms.

When you don’t have an architectural focal point in the room, you’ll need to create one with your design choices. Statement furniture, paintings, coffee tables, rugs, backsplashes, collections, or lighting fixtures can all be focal points. Whatever you

SPECIAL ADVERTISING CONTENT

Ideally, a focal point should contrast with its surroundings and command attention, rather than blend in. Different focal points require different approaches:

• If your windows are the focal point, don’t crowd them with heavy drapes. Also, keep in mind that unless you’re looking out at a bright city skyline, your windows won’t be visually interesting after sundown. You can add another focal point (such as a piece of art) to keep things interesting at all times of the day.

• In an entryway, the door is typically the focal point. Paint it a contrasting color from the rest of the walls to emphasize it.

• Possible focal points for the bedroom can be the bedding, the headboard, or art on the wall behind the bed. These three elements can also work together as a unit.

• For dining rooms, a dramatic light fixture or a showy table

HOUSE OF THE MONTH

3520 Saint Johns Drive

A large room can accommodate multiple focal points, but a small room should never have more than two. In a living area with a beautiful view, for example, both the fireplace and the windows can be focal points.

Even if a room is filled with beautiful objects, without a clear focal point, it won’t feel cohesive. With some of these designer tips in mind, you’re well on your way to giving your rooms a professional touch.

Of course, if you have too many choices for focal points — or two few — an interior designer can always help you narrow down your options or find you fabulous new pieces to use.

Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) member, leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Visit chambersinteriors. com/blog for more design advice.

Modern elegance meets mid-century charm in the heart of Highland Park. With Armstrong Elementary just steps away, this five-bedroom, 3.1-bath home delivers both top-tier education and unmatched community living. Step inside to discover a thoughtfully renovated, 4,691-squarefoot haven featuring a brand-new kitchen and contemporary concrete floors. The design flows seamlessly throughout, creating stylish

and comfortable living spaces with beautiful, 180-degree views of a central backyard oasis that invites you to relax and entertain in the privacy of your own retreat. Whether you’re enjoying a dip or hosting gatherings, this outdoor haven enhances the lifestyle this residence offers. Located near SMU and Dallas Country Club on 0.238 acres, 3520 Saint Johns is the epitome of sophisticated living in one of Dallas’ most coveted neighborhoods.

“Dallas Home Watch allows clients to have a better quality of life by freeing up their time to do what they want to do,” she said. “We allow them more time to enjoy their life with family, friends, golfing, etc.”

Homeowners designate how frequently Dallas Home Watch (dallashomewatch.com) discreetly checks on their properties. Lawson notifies them about any issues that might arise and works with them to solve any problems.

The company, which specializes in Highland Park, North Dallas, University Park, Preston Hollow, Devonshire, Bluffview, Northwood Hills, Briarwood, and Valley Ranch, recently earned accreditation from the National Home Watch Association for the third year.

If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what would it be?

I would prioritize setting clear and achievable expectations with clients upfront. Understanding the unique priorities of each client upon their return home to Dallas, I would strive to identify those essential elements that contribute to their utmost satisfaction and ensure their seamless arrival experience.

As a proud National Home Watch Association member, we undergo annual vetting processes, including thorough background checks, and maintain the necessary bonding and insurance coverage. Our unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards sets us apart within the home watch industry. Moreover, Dallas Home Watch has undergone specialized training to attain the prestigious certification as a Certified Home Watch Professional, ensuring unparalleled expertise and proficiency in our services.

What is your outlook on the Dallas market?

Dallas is experiencing unprecedented growth, with an increasing number of homeowners investing in secondary residences in other climates to enjoy the best of different experiences. As this trend continues to gain momentum, the demand for reputable home watch services that effectively mitigate risks for unoccupied properties is growing exponentially.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I’ve completed 34 half-marathons. During part of that time, I also volunteered as a pace leader for the Dallas Running Club and had the privilege of guiding and training numerous runners and walkers, helping them prepare diligently for their half-marathon endeavors.

– Compiled by William Taylor

Tina Lawson COURTESY PHOTO

Coffered ceilings, such as this one, make an excellent focal point for entryways, dining rooms, or formal living rooms. MICHAEL HUNTER, WITH DESIGN BY MARGARET CHAMBERS Adding accessories and art to the mantel of your fireplace will help to make sure it becomes a focal point for your room. DANIEL MOTTA, WITH DESIGN BY MARGARET CHAMBERS

FIFTH-GRADE ‘MIND MASTERS’ IMAGINE WAY TO THIRD PLACE

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

Ateam of Park Cities fifth graders has earned top marks in the Texas Destination Imagination tournament for a recyclable-recreation of the State Fair of Texas — complete with fried root beer, popcorn, a giant corndog, and State Fair icon Big Tex.

The Mind Masters won third place in their grade level of Destination Imagination’s Fine Arts challenge at the 2024 Lone Star Finals. Destination Imagination is a nonprofit that aims to build students’ problem-solving skills by tasking them to work together to find creative solutions to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) based challenges.

McCulloch Intermediate students Brady Thibodeau, Callum Sinclair, Anna Burdett, Lorelei Parma, Violet Rockow, and Hunter McCombs, and Cistercian student James Yen, were limited by tournament rules to spending $150 on all the props and costumes for their eight-minute presentation. They dug out old theater supplies headed for the trash, scrounged through recyclables, and even dumpster-dove behind HomeGoods.

The students combined their used and unwanted materials to tell how Big Tex was once Little Tex, who they recreated as a kid-size puppet

ABOVE,

made from fabrics and old sheets. The team broke a CD in half to make Little Tex’s mouth and repurposed a pencil sharpener for his nose. The puppet’s skeleton was made from popsicle sticks, hot glue, and zip ties. As Little Tex grew up, the team used Velcro to extend his arms and legs.

The Mind Masters created their own replica of the Texas Star Ferris Wheel out of hula hoops and takeout boxes, then powered it

with an old drill. The wheel took home a special honor at the regional competition — the Renaissance Award, which recognizes

outstanding design, engineering, execution, and performance.

The team started working on their challenge in December and spent more than 200 hours on the project, coach and co-team manager Hillary Sinclair said. Adults taught the students new skills and kept them on track but were not allowed to assist with the project.

The students tackled how to use a sewing machine, iron, and drill to complete their work. Along the way, they also learned “not to speak over people,” Thibodeau said, “and let other people speak.”

Rockow and Burdett co-wrote the script. Making the set, Rockow said, involved trial, error, lots of persistence, and some of her sister’s old sheets.

“We had to measure the exact length and we had to use a lot of Velcro,” she said. “And we had to keep reapplying the Velcro because it kept falling off the set.”

Parma, Burdett, and Yen spent a long evening finishing the Ferris Wheel, which involved drilling holes into hula hoops and removing the beads inside. “We decided to just figure something out and hot glue it together,” Parma said.

The Mind Masters, along with a team from Boone Elementary who won fourth-place in the technical challenge, qualified to compete in the Global Finals in Kansas City from May 22-25.

Highland Park Indoor Drumline Brings Home Championship in Its First Year

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

Last year, Highland Park didn’t have an indoor drumline. This year, its performers brought home a championship.

The drumline’s 34 members, including high schoolers and nine middle school percussionists, won first place in their division at the North Texas Colorguard Association (NTCA) Championship in April.

“We’re spinning around, we’re moving around, we’re running from side to side basically, with the drums and playing.”

Charlie Hardaway

Indoor drumline is a bit of a misnomer — the students’ performance melds theater, dance, and music, and involves costumes, props, storytelling, and pageantry. Indoor drumline has been called “the sport of the arts” by its governing body, Winter Guard International (WGI).

“Some people call it indoor drumline theater,” Highlander Band percussion director Quiyan Murphy said.

Highland Park’s first-place winning performance, titled “…should you choose to accept it,” recreated a ballroom in Turin, Italy as the setting for a James Bond-esque spy story, complete with an eye-patch wearing villain, voiceovers, and a cliffhanger ending. Band students even danced a tango.

“You always have to have a tango in a spy movie,” explained Murphy, who conceived and executed the performance with the help of design team members Ellie Murphy, Avery Turman, Sara Oliveira, Naomi Murphy, Chad Solis, Justin Samuels, Geoff Schoeffel, Andrew Werst, and Garrett Lambert.

Murphy is completing his first year in Highland Park, where students hadn’t even realized that indoor drumline existed before his arrival. But they quickly caught on.

Over the course of the season, the indoor drumline’s scores at competitions jumped 22 points. The drumline brought home wins in its last two competitions during the regular season. Highland Park’s performers also qualified for finals the first time they completed their entire five-minute show in the WGI regional competition in Dallas, eventually taking home bronze medals.

“I don’t think anyone expected to get first in our first year,” senior Rohan Mani said of the drumline’s NTCA championship. “I think even (Mr. Murphy) was surprised just a little bit.”

The group earned its accolades despite practicing only four to six hours each week, less than the eight hours that bands are permitted to rehearse by University Interscholastic League, Murphy said. Indoor drumline rehearsals were very efficient because the students didn’t require many repetitions to learn new skills.

“(The students) get all the credit,” Murphy said. “They’re out there marching and playing and running, and they will just remember. The retention was amazing.”

Senior Charlie Hardaway said Murphy made the drumline sound “really fun” and it was.

“We have more intense marching than we would normally do in the fall,” Hardaway said. “We’re spinning around, we’re moving around, we’re running from side to side basically, with the drums and playing.”

This year’s drumline was funded by donations from Band Boosters, as well as through a fundraiser with Fajita Pete’s and contributions from Highland Park families. HP Arts provided crash cymbals.

Murphy said he hopes that the drumline’s success “catches fire to the rest of the (band) program,” and that he eventually has a chance to show off his performers at a national championship.

“It’s nice to have the recognition,” Murphy said. “But beyond any trophy or anything, it’s just build the kids up.”

STANDING FROM LEFT: Brady Thibodeau, James Yen, Callum Sinclair, Anna Burdett, Lorelei Parma, and Violet Rockow. SEATED: Hunter McCombs. AT RIGHT, FROM LEFT: James Yen, Lorelei Parma, Hunter McCombs, Callum Sinclair, Anna Burdett, Violet Rockow, and Brady Thibodeau. HILLARY SINCLAIR AND SARAH HODGES

Indoor Drumline members receive their medals after winning the NTCA championship.

COURTESY HIGHLAND PARK INDOOR DRUMLINE

Finish an Exam Early? Why Not Write a Song? Competition judges like HPHS sophomore Madi Furgeson’s results

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

When Highland Park High School sophomore Madi Furgeson had an extra 20 minutes after she finished her Spanish test, she used the time to write a song based on the lyric running through her head: “You used to want to know the true me, but these days it’s like you never knew me.”

A melody came together after 20 minutes of strumming around on her guitar after school. Furgeson loved the song, which she titled “I Don’t Even Miss You,” and decided to submit it to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass ‘Share Your Voice’ Songwriting Competition.

Jazz Aspen’s judges loved “I Don’t Even Miss You,” too. They named Furgeson runner-up in the competition’s high school division, which last year attracted young songwriters from around the country and Canada. The three-judge panel praised the song’s story, and Madi’s voice and guitar work. They commented that “(the song) hangs together in every way, musically and lyrically.”

Jazz Aspen Snowmass was the first industry songwriting competition she’s ever entered, Furgeson said, though now she’ll probably enter more. But she’s known she wanted to be a songwriter since she was about 5 years old.

Furgeson started songwriting more seriously when she was about 11 and got hooked when she received a guitar for her 12th birthday. Now, she said, she’s “addict-

ed” to songwriting. “It became something I needed to do, every single day.”

She writes continuously in her head while she’s at school and quickly jots down the lyrics, often on her hands or

legs. Furgeson carves out more time for working on songs when she gets home. Most of her compositions are country music, and she draws inspiration from Taylor Swift and Megan Moroney.

CHECK HER OUT

To hear more from Madi Furgeson, follow her on Instagram @madimckeefurgesonmusic, visit her YouTube channel Madi Furgeson Music, or check out her award-winning song by visiting jazzaspensnowmass.org and clicking on News & Updates under JAS ED in the dropdown menu.

About 95% of the time, Furgeson’s songs are based on her personal life. Sometimes, she writes instead about people she meets, books she reads, or TV shows she watches. “I Don’t Even Miss You” tells a story that she created in her head.

Some songs come together in 20 minutes, while others can take days or weeks to write. But when someone tells Ferguson that they loved or connected with her song, she said it’s “the greatest feeling on Earth.”

“Every person has their one thing, and I’m just so thankful that this is my thing,” she said. “Because I just love it so much.”

Furgeson said she hopes to one day have a career as a songwriter, and maybe even win a Grammy award. It will help that she works hard and is never afraid to ask for help when she needs it.

“There have been hundreds of people who’ve told me I can’t do it. And I just keep trying. You’ve just got to really believe in yourself,” she said. “If it’s what you love, you’ve just got to keep what you know, and not listen to anybody else.”

Ellis Adatto Julia Benson Araceli Cedillo Felix Ferrantello

Ellery Foerster Bradley Handel McKenna Koecher Victoria Liles

Hudson Morris Charles Owens Daniel Pinkston-HayesSophie Saunders

Madi Furgeson poses in the Preston Hollow studio of Rodman Steele, where Furgeson goes weekly to work on performance skills, songwriting, and musicianship. SARAH HODGES

Congratulations to the 116 members of Parish’s 18th graduating class on their college acceptances. We celebrate our graduates, who have grown in Wisdom, Honor and Service, as they look toward the future as bold leaders and creative learners set to impact our complex global society. Congratulations, Class of 2024!

College Acceptance List from our Class of 2024

Adelphi University

American University

Appalachian State University

Arizona State University

Arkansas State University

Auburn University

Austin College

Austin Community College

Babson College

Baldwin Wallace University

Baylor University

Belmont Abbey College

Boston University

Brandeis University

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

The Catholic University of America

Chapman University

Claremont McKenna College

Clemson University

Colorado College

Colorado School of Mines

Colorado State University

Columbia University

Connecticut College

Dallas College

DePaul University

Dickinson College

Duke University

Eckerd College

Elon University

Emory University

Florida International University

Florida State University

Fordham University

The George Washington University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Grinnell College

Hampton University

Harvard University

High Point University

Howard University

Indiana University Bloomington

Iowa State University

James Madison University

Kansas State University

Kenyon College

Knox College

Lehigh University

Lewis & Clark College

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University Chicago

Marist College

Marquette University

McGill University

McNeese State University

Michigan State University

Millikin University

Mississippi State University

Montana State University

Montclair State University

Morehouse College

Morgan State University

The New School

North Central College

Northeastern University

Nova Southeastern University

The Ohio State University

Oklahoma State University

Oregon State University

Otis College of Art and Design

Pace University

Pennsylvania State University

Pepperdine University

Point Park University

Prairie View A & M University

Purdue University

Regent’s University London

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhodes College

Rice University

Richmond American University London

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Rutgers University

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University - Madrid

Saint Mary’s College

Sam Houston State University

Samford University

San Diego State University

Santa Clara University

SCAD: Savannah College of Art & Design

Scripps College

Sewanee: The University of the South

Southern Methodist University

Spring Hill College

St. Edward’s University

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Stephen F. Austin State University

Stetson University

Syracuse University

Texas A & M University

Texas Christian University

Texas Tech University

Trinity University

Tufts University

Tulane University

Union College

The University of Alabama

University of Arizona

University of Arkansas

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, San Diego

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

University of Colorado Denver

University of Connecticut

University of Denver

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis

University of Houston

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Iowa

The University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

University of Louisiana

University of Louisville

University of Maine

University of Maryland

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Minnesota

The University of Mississippi

University of Missouri

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of North Texas

University of Nottingham

The University of Oklahoma

University of Oregon

University of Pittsburgh

University of Richmond

University of Rochester

University of San Diego

University of Southern California

The University of Tampa

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Dallas

The University of Texas at San Antonio

The University of Texas Permian Basin

The University of the Arts

University of Toronto

The University of Tulsa

The University of Utah

University of Vermont

University of Washington

University of West London

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Valparaiso University

Wake Forest University

Washington and Lee University

Washington State University

Washington University in St. Louis

Weatherford College

Western Illinois University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Xavier University

The Golden Dozen: Troop 4905 Salutes Senior Girl Scouts

By William Taylor william.taylor@peoplenewspapers.com

If this year’s commencement feels a bit more ‘golden’ than usual, credit Girl Scout Troop 4905’s seniors.

“It’s been a long time, if ever, that Highland Park has honored this many Gold Award Girl Scouts at graduation,” said Cynthia Bowen. She and Laura McCoy are the adult troop leaders.

All 12 of the troop’s seniors have earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor and 11 of them graduate from HPHS in May. The other, boarding school student Rosemary LeBlanc, is graduating from Virginia Episcopal School.

Troop highlights through the years have included the Girl Scouts of America 100-Year Celebration in 2012 at the State Fair of Texas, campout weekends at Camp Classen in Davis, Oklahoma, and Dragonfly Lodge in Mineola, and a 2018 trip to Savannah, Georgia.

“With so many high school activities to choose from, it is extremely rare to have this many girls in a high school troop,” Bowen said. “We have been together as a troop since first grade at Hyer, earned our Bronze and Silver Awards in middle school, and now they have all earned their Gold Awards in high school.”

Earning Gold requires high school Scouts to complete 80 hours of community service plus a leadership project. Learn more about the Troop 4905 seniors below:

Jenna Bowen, the daughter of Cynthia and Jeff Bowen, will attend the University of Oklahoma. She worked with Foster Elementary School in northwest Dallas to create a dance and pom team with instruction provided in English and Spanish.

Emily Coleman, the daughter of Ashley and Clinton Coleman, will attend Davidson College. She replaced old plants and created new beds for the garden at Wesley Prep school and provided related instructional worksheets.

Claire Cooksey, the daughter of Holly and Jim Cooksey, will attend the University of Texas. She created

50 boxes filled with sensory and motor skills toys to help special education students at Foster Elementary School deal with stress, anxiety, and uncomfortable situations.

Emma Graham, the daughter of Lisa and Marcus Graham, will attend the University of Texas. She fundraised, created large banners with inspirational quotes to encourage SPCA of Texas volunteers, and made snuffle mats, rope toys, and cat hiding houses.

Faith Horner , the daughter of Kim and Ken Horner, will attend Oklahoma State University. She made and delivered 100 blankets to be distributed to children at Children’s Hospital of Dallas along with a note of encouragement.

Libba Huff, the daughter of

Elissa and Hank Huff, will attend Washington and Lee University. She created a seed library for Mill City Community Garden by sorting seeds by type and alphabetically, and creating a binder with growing instructions and recipes.

Rosemary LeBlanc , the daughter of Rosemary and Chris LeBlanc, will attend Pepperdine University. During the pandemic, she collaborated with artists on a mural at LifeCare Hospital with the message, “Small gestures can change the world.”

Charlotte McCoy, the daughter of Laura and Jeff McCoy, will attend the University of Arkansas. She created a student leadership program at Foster Elementary School with a Student Lighthouse Team who greeted school visitors,

decorated for holidays, and made announcements.

Hannah McCoy, the daughter of Laura and Jeff McCoy, will attend the University of Texas. Her project: Recycling For Our Future. She developed a recycling program with a “Green Team” Club at Foster Elementary School and educated students, staff, and families about proper recycling techniques.

Daisy Murphy, the daughter of Roz and Scott Murphy, will attend the University of South Carolina. She replanted the boxes in the Urban Park Elementary garden, renovated other features such as arches and a butterfly garden, and created an accompanying educational binder.

Elle Polychronis, the daughter of Renee and Jeff Polychronis, will attend Texas Christian University. She expanded the library and craft areas and created a sensory area of stress-relieving items at New Friends New Life, a charity that helps victims escape human trafficking.

Caroline Woram, the daughter of Dana and Steve Woram, will attend the University of Texas. She hung inspirational quotes and provided a bookshelf, crafts, chairs, and books at Faith and Liberty, a nonprofit which provides families a space for court-ordered supervised visitation.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT AT DALLAS LUTHERAN SCHOO L!

At Dallas Lutheran, our mission is to empower students to discover their God-given potential. Our educational experience is grounded upon Faith, Family, Excellence and Personal Growth. Come join our family today.

Betsy Graham announced as new Head of School

Betsy Graham was named our Head of School last month. Graham has a Masters of Education (M. ed) and is an experienced educator who was a critical part of the leadership team at Prince of Peace Christian School for 11 years, leading up to 450 students and 45 sta members.

Enrollment Open for the 2024-25 School Year

“I am thrilled to join a dedicated team that is embracing the heritage of nearly 50 years of ministry, building on the past to create a great future that will impact eternity.”

– Betsy Graham

New Campus Update

We are currently accepting applications for enrollment for the 2024-25 school year. Please come visit Betsy Graham and meet her in person where she will outline her vision for our school. And see how you can be a part of our Christ-centered community. At Dallas Lutheran, our vision is changing the world through Christ-centered education.

www.dallaslutheranschool.com/admissions 214-349-8912

We are amidst our Arise & Build capital campaign to rebuild our school buildings that were destroyed during the devastating tornado that hit our campus in 2019. We continue to receive contributions to our campaign including a $100,000 grant from the Hillcrest Foundation.

Go to www.dallaslutheranschool.com to see our progress and find out how you can help. Together, we can reach our dreams of building our new campus!

Jenna Bowen

Rosemary LeBlanc

Emily Coleman Charlotte McCoy Claire Cooksey Hannah McCoy

Emma Graham Daisy Murphy

Faith Horner

Elle Polychronis

Libba Huff

Caroline Woram

DAVID RUBIN PHOTOGRAPHY

MAPS’ Parade of Playhouses Build ‘More Than Just a Jungle Gym’ Environmental architecture students’ project will benefit Dallas CASA

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

Yvette Hightower’s Moody Advanced Professional Studies environmental architecture class at Highland Park High School is closing the academic year by building a playhouse for Dallas CASA’s Parade of Playhouses.

Their playhouse is inspired by the historic Mouzon-Wise House located on University Drive, which was built in 1916 by one of the SMU’s founders and is the oldest home in University Park.

The playhouse, along with 15 others, will be on display and raffled off at NorthPark Center from June 14 through 30.

The class of 19 students split into two groups — builders and painters — to complete the playhouse during their daily class period.

The build, under construction beneath the bleachers at Highlander Stadium, started with student groups creating their own interpretations of the historic home. A panel of architects selected the design proposed by 11th-grade trio August Lazzaro, Hopper Williamson, and Avery Gibbons.

“We wanted our design to stick out because we knew that probably a lot of the other students would do a similar design,” Williamson said. “The house is pretty boxy, so we tried to do as unique of a shape as we could (while) still looking like the house.”

Playhouse highlights include a ladder that leads to a balcony, two porch columns, a tic-tac-toe board, a chalkboard fireplace, and a shop-like window with an awning.

The students’ goal was to incorporate childlike elements while preserving the original home’s design.

Williamson said the home’s realistic design will allow children to learn chores in a fun way.

“We want the kids to learn to be a home-

owner and get experience playing but still (learn), this is how you clean up; this is how you cook,” Gibbons said.

Gibbons described the build as “more than just a jungle gym.”

“I love designing houses; I love architec-

WANT A PLAYHOUSE?

Raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 each (or five for $20) at dallascasa.org or at NorthPark Center. The winners will be selected June 30, and all proceeds benefit Dallas CASA.

ture,” Gibbons said. “Having our design chosen to be built is a really cool thing because we worked really hard to finish this project.”

Project manager and junior Sohrob Amirdelfan is responsible for keeping his classmates on task and sticking to the timeline.

“I’ve learned that it’s a lot harder than it looks to build a little house,” he said. “It’s very time consuming, and using power tools is a very important skill. … It’s a big group effort to get this done in time.”

Professional home builder David Espedal has been on-site with the class daily to work alongside the students and mentor them.

“I’ve mentored high school kids before, so I came into it thinking, ‘OK, this is going to be quite a bit of hand holding,’ but these kids have been great,” he said. “They’re knowledgeable. There’s been a couple of kids who have come and taken the lead and helped the other kids.”

Preservation Park Cities is the project’s sponsor.

“The combination of celebrating a historically significant house, educating students pursuing architecture, and supporting Dallas CASA’s mission is a win-win-win for us,” president Amy Beale said.

The Highland Park High School MAPS program is participating in its third Parade of Playhouses construction project. MARIA LAWSON

202 4 of hours of community service collectively performed by 100% of class in high school 10,493

12

21 of the class completed AP exams from 32 AP courses 100% of the class members were accepted to four-year colleges 100% chapel services attended by each member of the class over four years 600+

434 acceptances to 116 colleges and universities earned in merit scholarship offers by the 107member class $9.9M committed collegiate student-athletes AP artists presented

The University of Alabama . University of Alaska Anchorage . American University . Arizona State University-Tempe . University of Arizona . University of Arkansas

Auburn University Austin Community College . Bates College . Baylor University . Belmont University . Blinn College Boston College . University of California-Los Angeles

Chapman University . College of Charleston . Clemson University . Colby College . University of Colorado Boulder . University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Colorado State University-Fort Collins . Connecticut College . Cornell University . University of Denver . East Carolina University . Eckerd College . Elon University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach . Florida Southern College . University of Florida . Fordham University . Furman University . Georgetown University

University of Georgia . Hampden-Sydney College High Point University Indiana University-Bloomington . Iowa State University . Kansas State University . University of Kansas

University of Kentucky . Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College . Lynn University . Marymount Manhattan College . University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Michigan State University . Mississippi State University . University of Mississippi . University of Missouri-Columbia . Monmouth University . Montana State University . Mount Holyoke College

University of Nebraska-Lincoln . New York University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . North Carolina State University at Raleigh . University of North Texas

Northeastern University . University of Northern Colorado . Oklahoma State University University of Oklahoma . Oregon State University . Pennsylvania State University

University of Pennsylvania . Pepperdine University . Pomona College . Purdue University . Queens University of Charlotte . Rhodes College . Rice University . University of Richmond

Rollins College . Rutgers University . San Diego State University . Santa Clara University . Smith College . University of South Carolina . University of Southern California

Southern Methodist University . Southwestern University . St. Edward’s University . St. John’s University Stanford University . Stetson University . Syracuse University

The University of Tampa . The University of Tennessee-Knoxville . Texas A & M University Texas Christian University . Texas State University . Texas Tech University

The University of Texas at Austin . The University of Texas at Dallas . The George Washington University . Trinity College . Trinity College Dublin . Trinity University

Tulane University of Louisiana . University of Tulsa . Tuskegee University . University of Colorado Denver . University of North Texas at Dallas . University of Oregon

University of St Andrews University of the Incarnate Word University of Utah Vanderbilt University . Villanova University . University of Virginia . Wake Forest University Washington and Lee University Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College . Wesleyan University . Westminster University William & Mary . University of Wyoming

Camps

‘CREATIVITY RESIDES IN ALL OF US’ School preparation made fun with perfection-free art day camp

By Grace Chandler People Newspapers

Veteran educators Sonali Khatti and Laurie Stevenson wanted to give children a safe space to learn and create art without the idea of perfectionism.

Khatti, an artist and teacher of 15 years, and Stevenson, an early childhood teacher of 15 years, started Senseable Arts, an inspirational process-based art camp for ages 3-9.

They use sensory activities that help develop motor skills through learning art to give children the confidence that their work can look any way they want.

“Young children today need to be able to find a place to release their stress and use their imagination,” Khatti said. “Creativity resides in all of us.”

They insisted that art shouldn’t be a stressful experience but an enjoyable one, and perfection shouldn’t be an expectation.

“We want to keep educating children but through the lens of art,” Stevenson said, and show how there can be “joy through simply creating. We want to get to the root of enjoying the process.”

Sonali Khatti graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and has taught children and

adults many art mediums. She has two sons who graduated from St. Mark’s School of Texas and a daughter who’s a rising senior at The Hockaday School. She says everyone has a creative side and that designing art brings joy.

Laurie Stevenson graduated from the University of Texas and

studied social work with a focus on education. She taught preschool at NorthPark Presbyterian Day School and has two daughters who graduated from The Hockaday School. She wants to help children feel creatively secure and independent.

Through this camp, they hope

to encourage kids to embrace the mess as they learn different techniques and ways to express their creativity. There are no specific instructions for creating art; they want the process to be peaceful and for the art to be original.

Process-based art affects the children socially and emotionally

As You Prepare to Send Your Child Off to Camp...

Sending your child to an overnight sleep away camp can stir up a mix of emotions —

citement, worry, and everything in between.

But rest assured, this experience is packed with benefits that help your child grow, gain independence, and make lasting memories.

“So, as you prepare to send your child off to camp, remember that this adventure is a chance for them to grow, learn, and have a blast.”

At camp, children dive into a world of fun activities, like sports, arts and crafts, and outdoor

adventures. These experiences aren’t just about having a good time — they teach important life skills. Through challenges and teamwork, children learn to be resilient, solve problems, and get along with others.

Independence gets a big boost at camp. Away from home, children learn to make decisions,

manage their time, and take care of themselves. It’s a chance for them to step up and discover what they’re capable of without mom and dad nearby.

Camp also offers a break from screens and a chance to connect with nature. Instead of staring at phones and computers, children explore the outdoors, go hiking,

AT A GLANCE

What: Senseable Arts is a children’s camp that aims to build creative confidence through sensory activities that focus on the process of making art.

When: Monday-Thursday each week in June, beginning June 3 and ending June 27.

Who: Children ages 3 to 5 attend from 10 a.m. to noon, and children ages 6 to 9 attend from 1 to 3 p.m.

Where: Northaven Church, 11211 Preston Road

Internet: senseablearts.com

More: Art kits are also available for purchase.

by helping them “relax, focus, feel successful, and express their feelings,” Stevenson said.

Campers will try different ways of creating art with various mediums, including painting, writing, and collage. Hand-eye coordination activities will help the children write cursive, hold a pencil, paint, and use scissors.

The camp aims to prepare students for the classroom, empower them to feel more independent, and encourage them to love the art they make.

swim in lakes, and gaze at stars. It’s a refreshing change that lets them appreciate the beauty of the world around them.

One of the best parts of camp? Making new friends. Children bond with others who share their interests and backgrounds. These friendships often last long after camp ends, providing a support

system that enriches their lives.

As a parent, it’s natural to worry about your child’s safety and happiness while they’re away. But camp staff are trained to ensure that every camper is well cared for. From safety rules to attentive supervision, they create a welcoming environment where kids can thrive.

So, as you prepare to send your child off to camp, remember that this adventure is a chance for them to grow, learn, and have a blast. While it’s normal to feel a bit anxious, trust that they’re in good hands and that they’ll come back with stories to tell and skills to show off. It’s an experience they’ll cherish for years to come, and you’ll be proud to see how much they’ve grown.

So, take a deep breath, cheer them on from afar, and get ready to welcome back a child who’s not only grown but also brimming with cherished memories and newfound confidence.

Reach Helene Abrams with Tips on Trips and Camps, a free advisory service that helps parents find enriching summer overnight experiences for their children, ages 7-18, at 214-693-9259 or Helene@TipsonTripsandCamps.com.

Sonali Khatti and Laurie Stevenson tout their new camp business as providing “sensory art for little hands.” COURTESY SENSEABLE ARTS AND UNSPLASH

HELENE ABRAMS

Children To Create, Study Art During New Meadows Museum Camp

The Meadows Museum, the leading U.S. institution focused on the study and presentation of the art of Spain, will offer something new in June: its first summer youth camp.

SMU’s weeklong Printmaking Palooza Summer Camp will offer students entering the fourth through sixth grades opportunities to create art as well as explore what’s on display in the galleries and hidden away in storage areas.

Artist/educator Ian O’Brien with support from museum staff and interns will introduce budding young artists to the medley of ways to make a print — from monoprinting and screenprinting to Gelli plate printing and linocut.

The Meadows is home to one of the largest and most comprehensive

collections of Spanish art outside of Spain. The collection spans from the 10th to the 21st centuries and includes medieval objects, Renaissance and Baroque sculptures, and major paintings by Golden Age and modern masters.

During trips behind the scenes, campers will get to see stored works that are rarely displayed.

The museum is named for Dallas businessman and philanthropist Algur H. Meadows, who in 1962 donated to SMU his private collection of Spanish paintings, as well as funds to start a museum. The museum opened to the public in 1965, marking the first step in fulfilling Meadows’s vision to create “a small Prado for Texas,” university officials said.

– Compiled by William Taylor

HPHS Junior to Host Fourth Annual Fishing Camp

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

Highland Park High School

junior Cullum Brown hopes young anglers get hooked on fishing this summer during his fourth annual fishing camp.

Brown will hold three sessions of ‘C’s Fishing Camp!’ for kindergartners through fourth graders. Spots are filling fast, but Brown said there is still space available in his camp’s first session from June 3 to 6. Young fishers can email Brown at cullumtbrown@gmail.com with questions or to reserve a spot.

Brown, who is president of the Highland Park Bass Team, started fishing with his father when he was very young. He began competing in tournaments in

eighth grade, first with partner Cole Drysdale, and later with his current partner Dylan Sorrells.

Brown and Sorrells have since racked up three Metroplex Division Angler of the Year wins in the Texas High School Bass Association tournament series, along with the 2021 The Bass Federation Junior World Championship.

Brown said his dedication and patience mesh well with Sorrells’ fishing instincts and ability to choose the right bait. The pair are sponsored by JB3 Rods, which provides them with rods that will work with anything they want to throw.

Brown was inspired to start his fishing camp by his then 5-year-old brother Bishop’s interest in the sport. Over the

past three years, campers have nabbed everything from bream and catfish to even a few bass. Sometimes when the fish aren’t biting, Brown and his young anglers will take a break to play football in the park.

One of Brown’s favorite memories was when a younger camper caught a bass that weighed about 3 pounds.

“It was so cool to see him, this little, tiny rod fighting this giant fish,” Brown said. “He wanted to hold it and all that. It was awesome.”

Brown hopes to continue ‘C’s Fishing Camp!’ in the future, despite the challenges of balancing camp and his schedule. “I really do enjoy getting to share my knowledge of fishing with the kids.”

Campers will make their own art prints at SMU in June. COURTESY SMU

Cullum Brown (left) and Cole Drysdale with campers at ‘C’s Fishing Camp!’ LINDSEY BROWN

Sky Ranch Benefactor Mack Pogue Remembered, Honored by Orphan Outreach

RONNIE MOSLEY

After a 2006 fire destroyed the main ministry building at the Sky Ranch in Van, Mack Pogue helped the camp rebuild.

The late Dallas real estate mogul and philanthropist, who died on Jan. 30 at 89, also used his foundation to fund camp scholarships for needy children and support the growth of the Christian ministry with locations in East Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.

“Mack’s unwavering support helped close the gap for capital improvements to reach more youth and families to know and follow Christ,” said Linda S. Paulk, Sky Ranch president and CEO.

For that work and more, North Texas-based Orphan Outreach honored Pogue, his family, and the Pogue Family Foundation on May 2 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas with the Mike Douris Children’s Hope Award.

The Pogues also support such causes as pediatric cancer and Alzheimer’s research at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, and ministry programs for the orphaned and vulnerable across all nine countries served by Orphan Outreach.

“They have modeled the concept of ‘to those whom much has been given much is required’ with generosity and humility,” Mike Douris, Orphan Outreach president emeritus, said.

Brad and Sharon Jones chaired the Children’s Hope Dinner, which featured former NFL coach Tony Dungy and raised more than $700,000.

– Compiled by William Taylor

Stacy Jo Moore, Karen Moore, Jimmy Westcott, Tony Dungy, Carol Seay, and Tim Chapman

Mike Douris and Blair Pogue

Brad and Sharon Jones with Geoff Moore

Tiffany Taylor Wines, Scott Hanson, and Amy Norton

Sharon Jones, Jonathan Norton, Brad Jones, Scott Hanson, Wilson Jones, Coleman Jones, Amy Norton, Madeleine Norton, and Tommy Stewart

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Come join us at KD Studio where students will practice age-appropriate monologues, scenes, commercials and improvisation using exercises and audition techniques designed by our faculty of professionals. For the parents, we will have a special session on the last afternoon to answer questions about the industry: headshots, agents, the casting process, etc.

BEACH AND BAY AWAIT AT THE PRISTINE PENINSULA PAPAGAYO

How this unique resort in Costa Rica broke me out of my beach vacation rut

By Diana Oates Special Contributor

Does it ever seem like as much as you love a beach vacation, they all start to feel and look the same after a while?

I am at my happiest next to the ocean; however lately most of my beach vacations have felt the same.

In search of a little adventure to go with these vitamin D destinations, Costa Rica came in and totally shook up my senses when it comes to what a beach vacation can and should look like.

And while I’ll always love reading a book on the beach, I now know that much more is waiting out amongst the flora and fauna of any given vacation destination.

Getting There: I am embarrassed to admit that I didn’t realize how easy it is to get to this area of Costa Rica. One nonstop American Airlines flight from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) lands you in Guanacaste which is an easy 40-minute drive to Peninsula Papagayo.

Where to Stay: Sometimes deciding on a destination’s luxurious lodging options is a tough decision; however, in Peninsula Papagayo that is not the case. The recently reopened and “reimagined” Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica boasts two beaches, multiple pools, a sustainable golf course, and endless opportunity for adventure. Those traveling with a group will delight in the extensive collection of villas that offer not only seclusion but also resort amenities.

Rooms start at $1,200 a night. Where to Eat: Don’t be surprised to catch an iguana chilling with you at Virador Beach Club set steps from the sand. Want to freshen up and enjoy a date night? Pesce is an Italian kitchen that offers that elevated expe-

rience while Anejo is the go-to spot for crudo and tapas in a more relaxed setting. Celebrating a big win on the golf course? You cannot miss your opportunity to dine at the course’s clubhouse signature steak spot Nemare. And whatever you do, don’t forget that Costa Rica is known for its elite coffee, and you can find it being brewed around every turn.

What to Do: There is a little something for everyone here. Because of the resort’s unique location on Peninsula Papagayo, guests have access to both the ocean and the bay for swimming, water sports, and leisurely walks. Drop the kids off at the mangrove-inspired kids club for a day of adventure while you read a book by the adults only pool. Want your daily dose of Zen abroad? Take part in a yoga session at the property’s newly constructed wellness shala that is perched high in the hills. Those seeking adventure can take a guideled search for monkeys or drive a little longer to put eyes on crocodiles in the wild. Whatever Pura Vida means to you, the flora and fauna of this dream-like destination will surpass all vacation expectations.

Venture South of I-30 To Experience the Food, Music, Shopping of Bishop Arts

Where’s the Party? South of 30.

While we’re blessed with so many dining and shopping areas in the geographical boundaries of Preston Hollow and the Park Cities, occasionally, it does us good to explore the richness that other parts of Dallas offer.

Bishop Arts is the perfect place to spend the day eating, shopping, and listening to music.

It’s the place to show out-of-towners how texturally rich Dallas is. It’s inclusive and independent, a bit of a contradiction to traditional Dallas.

Perhaps it’s because real estate developer Jim Lake was intentional in fostering the creative vibe there, or maybe it’s because it was originally founded in 1855 as La Réunion, a utopian socialist community formed by French, Belgian and Swiss colonists.

Fine food aficionados praise Bishop Arts for having some of the city’s best dining. Lucia is widely considered one of Texas’ best restaurants and has been since it opened in 2010, when northerners, that is anyone who lives north of Wycliff Avenue, wouldn’t drive south of I-30 unless it was on their way to their lake house.

Chef Peja Krstic has taken the space formerly occupied by beloved Boulevardier to open Pillar, a Vietnamese/American restaurant. Written By the Seasons serves seasonal upscale food with a dining room that spills onto a lively patio. Nora is sensorially spectacular serving Afghani food in a setting as blue as the Arabian Sea.

For breakfast, the iconic Oddfellows serves classic Texas diner fare. Enjoy coffee and a pastry at Village Baking, La Reunion, or Palmieri Café; have a healthy meal at Tribal All Day

Café, or super regional Mexican food at Veracruz Café which recently opened for breakfast. For brunch and cute Instagram pics, Paradiso is the spot.

There are cool watering holes and fine drinking establishments here, as well. Barons Creek Vineyards enjoys a large, bright corner spot to serve their wines, appetizers, and pizza. An actual gin joint called ‘l kē, pronounced “lucky,” is a distillery, gin school, and tasting room. Bishop Exchange Bar is an indoor/outdoor bar with a real sense of place.

Live entertainment can and should be found in a place with “arts” in its name. Revelers Hall channels New Orleans with daily jazz performances, craft cocktails, and light bites. It’s a gem owned by Amy Wallace Cowan and Jason Roberts, who are longtime Oak Cliff business and cultural leaders that also own Oddfellows, the newly opened Jaquval, a brewpub and Trades, an upscale deli. Catch live entertainment at the Barons’ tasting room, too.

There’s also no shortage of sweets. Dude, Sweet Chocolate is a must. Botolino Gelato Artigianale is legit and contributes to the international feel of the area. Emporium Pies lends a sweet, southern touch with phenomenal pies and a little porch on which to enjoy a slice.

There are nearly 50 independent retailers here, far too many to list but each ooze with charm. From works from local artists to sophisticated home furnishings, vintage vinyl, and French fashion, it has it all.

Summer is a great time to explore brilliant Bishop Arts.

Kersten Rettig, a freelance writer with leadership experience in the food and travel industries, lives in the Park Cities, where she is known as “the restaurant sherpa” for her recommendations. Follow her on Instagram @KerstenEats.

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Peninsula Papagayo is now open again after a $35 million reimagination. COURTESY FOUR SEASONS RESORT COSTA RICA, PENINSULA PAPAGAYO

Bishop Arts offers captivating entertainment venues such as Revelers Hall with its daily jazz performances and deliciously diverse dining options such as Lucia, which is considered one of Dallas’ best restaurants. DANNY FULGENCIO AND COURTESY LUCIA

KERSTEN RETTIG

LEFT TO RIGHT: Alexandra Lambring Billmyre, Austin Holmes, Amy T. Ford, Ryan Nordhaus*, Rob McAngus*+, George Parker*, Jim Mueller*+†^, Charlie Hodges (Of Counsel)*+†^, Abby Foster*+, Shane Landers, Kim Meaders, Ravi Mohan, Maddison Clark and Jason Naumann

People Newspapers Honors 20 Under 40 Difference Makers

CHRIS MCGATHEY

People Newspapers celebrated its 20 Under 40 on April 25 at Communities Foundation of Texas with honorees, friends, and readers.

This year’s honorees work in education, law, athletics, marketing, leadership, nonprofits, and more, and each had their moment in the spotlight to answer an on-stage question toward the end of the program.

The event opened with a welcome from editor William Taylor before passing the torch to emcee Jeff Brady who led the program.

Calvert Collins-Bratton, chief relationship officer at Communities Foundation of Texas, presented about the organization’s work, including the largest single-day giving event in the nation. Communities Foundation of Texas is the 20 Under 40 presenting sponsor.

Following was a presentation from Rotary Club of the Park Cities president Jeff

Sheehan, who shared about the group’s volunteer work and community impact.

Belong Disability Ministry executive director Stephanie Newland gave a presentation about the Highland Park United Methodist Church’s ministry that welcomes people of all abilities, ages, and faiths to be part of the adaptive, inclusive community. Highlights include Chance’s Cafe and Spotlight Academy of the Arts.

Brady followed with the main event: introducing each of the 20 honorees and the Youth on the Rise who were profiled in May’s Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People for their philanthropy and professional achievements.

Guests enjoyed food from Naborly Provisions, wine and Four Corners Brewery beer, and a photo booth from Motus. Publisher Pat Martin closed the evening with final remarks and “thank you’s” to the sponsors.

— Compiled by Maria Lawson

Edgemere was voted the No. 1 continuing care retirement community in all of Texas in 2024, and ranked No. 2 in the nation. This distinguished recognition by Newsweek and Statista places Edgemere on top among over 2,000 communities evaluated for this year’s “America’s Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities.”

The Plaza at Edgemere was also recognized in the top 3% of healthcare centers by U.S. News & World Report and earned a five-star rating for 2023.

It’s powerful evidence of Edgemere’s enduring dedication to providing exceptional service and care to each resident.

Jack Betts

Alan Rose

Greg Oertel

Gracie Letter

Frances Mitchell and Elizabeth Carlock Phillips

Calvert Collins-Bratton

Michael Thompson

Friends Bring Love of Art, Fashion, Design to Ancient Game of Mahjong

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

Four friends from Preston Hollow and the Park Cities gathered to play mahjong on a new automatic table one day in September 2023. They loved the automation — the plain green mat on the tabletop, not so much.

“We thought, how can we make this more us? Because we love the game,” Ally Abbasi said.

The short life of the table ended that day. The friends, who had already struggled with the table’s assembly due to a lack of instructions, took it apart trying to figure out how the table functioned and whether they could switch out the unsightly green top.

Eight months later, Park Cities residents Sheri Wood and Abbasi, and Preston Hollow residents Caren Krumerman and Krista Shea, have managed to build something that’s much more them.

They’ve combined their diverse professional backgrounds with their mutual love for art, fashion, and design to create their own business selling unique automatic tables, game mats, mahjong tiles, and accessories with bold, beautiful designs.

As Bespoke Mahjong, the four have already shipped their automatic tables nationally from California to Arkansas. Their diverse

group of customers even almost included one fraternity brother who wanted to buy a table for his frat house. (Teach everyone to play first, Shea told him, and then we can talk about a table with your fraternity logo.)

On May 8, the four officially opened Bespoke House of Mahjong in Carrollton, a place where players and potential players can gather to learn or enjoy the game. House of Mahjong offers classes, hosts private parties, and, begin-

ning in June, will offer open play for $10 a player.

“We want to make it a fun place for people to come, and meet, and make friends, and learn, and just experience all the fun getting to know each other,” Krumerman said.

Near the entrance to House of Mahjong, the friends have hung a copy of their first tabletop design, a square with each of their avatars as imagined by Krumerman. “She made this without our consent,” Abbasi said. “And she told me that

I have pink hair!”

Another wall in the House is bright pink with leopards, a tribute to the friends’ mutual love of animal print. Nearby is a table Abbasi described as “a piece of art” made from pink leather, glass, and steel. A few feet away is a wooden table with a floral design and leather base. Both those tables have matching toppers so that they can continue to decorate a space once a game is over.

“They’re not just mahjong tables,” Abbasi said. “They’re also

READY TO BECOME A MAHJONG MAVEN?

Bespoke House of Mahjong at 1601 Kelly Blvd. in Carrollton offers lessons, private events, and open play. All guests experience “fast and fun” play on Bespoke’s designer, automatic tables.

Bespoke’s products include $80 unique, eye-catching game mats, accessories, and automatic tables starting at $2,500.

Visit www.bespokemahjong.com, or email info@bespokemahjong. com, to learn more about Bespoke’s products and House of Mahjong.

a table you can use to eat, to play chess, to do whatever you want.”

For those short on space, other tables fold up and can be rolled away after a game. All the tables are automatic, a feature that Abbasi said gives players a chance to play four times as many games.

Bespoke will custom design tables in colors to match interior designs, and also offers uniquely designed machine-washable mahjong mats for those who aren’t ready for a table yet.

“Women like to be together. Families like to be together,” Krumerman said. “And this is just a way to bring people together, and we love that.”

FROM LEFT: Krista Shea, Sheri Wood, Ally Abbasi, and Caren Krumerman in front of one of their favorite automatic mahjong tables. SARAH HODGES

Former Dancers Fondly Remember Demanding Ballet Teacher Bill Atkinson

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

For 54 years, Bill Atkinson and his wife, Ann Etgen, trained generations of ballerinas in their studio on Hillcrest Avenue.

They were completely devoted to their art and gave everything they had to their young dancers. Being in their studio, former student Tara Moore said, “was a fairy tale in real life.”

The pair was generous with their time, putting in extra hours without charging students. And they demanded the same discipline and commitment to excellence of their pre-professional ballerinas at the Dallas Metropolitan Ballet and associated Etgen-Atkinson Ballet School.

“(It was) very challenging, very demanding, but we loved it,” Moore said. “If we had a twohour class, we begged for three. We never could get enough.”

Former ballerinas, many of whom went on to dance professionally with troupes in the United States and abroad, honored the life of “Mr. Bill” on May 1 during his Memorial Mass and Celebration

of Life at Christ the King Catholic Church. Atkinson died on March 27 at age 94, a decade after his studio closed its doors in 2014.

“They were amazing and relentless. You had to work hard to be there,” said former dancer Lesleh Gage, who went on to study at the School of American Ballet in New York. “They gave me an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Trish Muller Koran remembered how protective Atkinson was of his students. During a performance of Peter Pan, Atkinson insisted he try the harness used to fly around the stage himself first to make sure it was safe.

“He could be very blunt. But it was just his way of being realistic with us and saying, ‘look this is what you’ve got to do,’” she said. “He was in the business of making professionals out of us, and they produced a lot of professionals.”

Max Fuqua, a former student who studied dance at the School of American Ballet before joining the San Francisco Ballet and later the Zurich Ballet as a principal dancer, began his remarks at the memorial with words about Atkinson’s commitment to technique

and quality.

But Atkinson, Fuqua said, was also “an unabashed patriot, a capitalist, and an entrepreneur. He embodied the American ideals of independence, creativity, and toughness.” Before his dance career, Atkinson volunteered for the U.S. Army and eventually rose to the rank of sergeant, “something he would certainly go on to use in his ballet classes.”

Atkinson resisted efforts to

commercialize his business, and emphasized that dance was an art, not a competition. He and Etgen focused on the students in their studio and the quality of their work, rather than on modern technology or their building’s aesthetics.

Photos on the walls were printed in black and white, and students danced to music from record players that would skip when they jumped, remembered Stephanie Brogdon, who danced with

Atkinson from when she was 3 to 18. “They lived, and breathed, and spoke ballet,” she said.

Atkinson’s love of ballet was second to his devotion to his wife, Ann, who he adored. In recent times, it was not unusual for visitors to find Bill on his knees, praying for her health and safety, Fuqua said in his remarks.

“Take heart, everybody, this ballet has a third act,” he said, “and in it we will all be together again.”

TOP LEFT: Bill Atkinson. COURTESY ANN ETGEN Guests at the Memorial Mass pose with Atkinson’s wife, Ann Etgen, seated in chair at center. SARAH HODGES

9103 Bluff Hollow Court Lot for Sale

Listed by Ani Nosnik at $1,300,000

Indulge in custom-bespoke living within The Bluffs at Cochran Chapel, an intimate gated

community, boasting just twelve homes in the heart of Bluff Hollow. Teaming up with the renowned Mark Molthan of Platinum Custom Homes, seize the exceptional chance to craft your vision of an ideal home on one of the final expansive lots available within the community. The envisioned design above showcases 4 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms and sprawls just over 5,000 square feet of meticulously crafted space. Alternatively, unlock the potential to fashion a truly singular residence, tailored precisely to your desires. For further insights, please call Ani Nosnik at (972) 986-5432.

MARKETPLACE

To place your ad in People Newspapers, please call us at 214-523-5239, fax to 214-594-5779, or email to classified@peoplenewspapers.com. All ads will run in Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People and online. Pre-payment is required on all ads. Deadline for our next edition is Monday, June 3, 2024. People Newspapers reserves the right to edit or reject ads. We assume no liability for errors or omissions in advertisements and no responsibility beyond the cost of the ad. We are responsible only for the first incorrect insertion.

For Father’s Day and Summer’s

Arrival: Gather ‘Round the Grill

972-539-3848 Park Cities References

capitalroofingcontractors.com

Non-Medical Custodial caregiver, errands, organizing, admin-office stuff, whoever need me to do! No task is too small or too large for me!! (214) 669-6987 or email: Angel0366@hotmail.com

In our house, summertime means grilling time, and it all begins with Father’s Day.   I can’t think of a better way to celebrate fathers everywhere than to fire up the grill and cook a juicy steak or burgers, barbecued chicken, grilled salmon garnished with tropical fruit salsa, fall-off-the-bone ribs, or lightly charred veggies.

Grilling is much more than a cooking method. Each time my husband Randy or I grill, family and friends gather around to watch the action. The smoky aromas of meat as it cooks, the sounds as it sizzles, flames that flare when melted fat hits the fire, basting with flavorful sauces, turning the meat over or rotating ears of corn — each

provides a sensory experience that draws guests to the grill, usually with a frosty beverage in hand.

One of the proteins I especially enjoy grilling is bison. Once numbering in the millions, bison’s numbers have dwindled significantly, but they remain an important symbol of our country’s heritage. This magnificent animal was critical to the lives of Native Americans for food, clothing, and ceremonies, but it was also critical to our prairies’ ecosystems. Bison are regenerative by nature, and while roaming the continent, they helped sustain the plains through grazing, fertilization, trampling, and dispersal of seeds. These actions led to resilient soils able to withstand climate impacts like flooding and drought.

Thanks to dedicated ranchers, today bison are valued for their heritage and as a healthy and extremely lean protein that’s incredibly flavorful when properly prepared. The key to cooking or grilling bison is to serve it medium rare. Because it’s low in fat, the meat becomes dry and

Ingredients:

2 large bison New York strip steaks, 1-inch thickness

1 ½ teaspoons ground coffee, finely ground

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced

1 large green bell pepper, rinsed, seeded and sliced

1 large red bell pepper, rinsed, seeded and sliced

1 large yellow bell pepper, rinsed, seeded and sliced

Flour Tortillas

Preheat the grill. In a small bowl, stir together ground coffee, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Rub the mixture into the meat until both sides are well coated and set it aside.

When the grill is hot, combine the sliced peppers and onion in a grill basket and place it on the grill. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, place the steaks on the grill and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are well seared. Turn them over and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until the meat is medium rare and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140 to 145 degrees. Do

tough when overcooked, but at medium rare, bison is as juicy and tender as a beef ribeye steak.

For summertime, an easy recipe that’s sure to please is coffee-rubbed bison steak soft tacos. A simple dry rub of finely ground coffee, onion and garlic powders, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper is rubbed into each steak before placing on the grill. While the meat cooks, sliced sweet bell peppers and onion are lightly charred in a grill basket until they are crisp-tender. Once the meat is cooked, I briefly place flour tortillas on the grill until they are soft and ready to fill with sliced meat and veggies.

Christy Rost is a cookbook author, host of Celebrating Home cooking videos, and longtime Park Cities and Preston Hollow resident.  Her ‘At Home with Christy Rost’ cooking series for Eat This TV Network airs on AmazonFire, AppleTV+, Roku, Samsung TV, and YouTube.  Please visit christyrost.com for details and recipes.

not overcook the bison, as it will become tough. The meat should still be pink inside. When the meat is done, transfer it to a cutting board and set it aside 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Warm tortillas on the grill for 30 seconds on each side, using tongs to turn them over. To serve, slice meat thinly, tuck into warm tortillas, and top with grilled vegetables.

Yield:  12 tacos

CHRISTY ROST

COFFEE-RUBBED BISON STEAK SOFT TACOS

CHRISTY ROST

THE PERRY-MILLER STREIFF GROUP Modern Home Completed in 2022

7602 Kaywood is currently being offered for $2,250,000.

Stunning modern home in Lovers Lane Heights is perfect for full-time living or a lock-and-leave lifestyle. Completed in 2022 by Alexander Hunt Homes, the current owners have further improved the home with $265k in upgrades including sound system, landscaping, pool and spa with covered outdoor living and more.

The first floor provides a dedicated study, open living and kitchen with a walk-in prep pantry, and an oversized primary suite overlooking the pool. Additionally, the primary enjoys remote control shades, a walk-in shower, soaking tub with peaceful views, and a huge custom closet connected to the laundry room.

Second floor includes three secondary bedrooms all with ensuite bathrooms and an open game room with built-in bar and kitchen.

Thoughtful landscaping provides stunning views of Japanese maples, modern metal sculptures, and a marble fountain imported from Italy. Nearby, enjoy the shops and restaurants of Inwood Village and quick access to Love Field and the Dallas North Tollway.

Contact Jamie Kohlmann (214.669.6520) for more information or to set up a private showing. Visit DPMFineHomes.com to learn more.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Luxury brokerage tops Q1 sales across Park Cities

The average sale price for homes sold by Allie Beth Allman & Associates rose to $1.4 million in the first three months of 2024, cementing its spot as the top luxury brokerage in DFW.

Boutique luxury real estate brokerage Allie Beth Allman & Associates posted more than $800 million in sales for the first quarter of 2024, leading all other brokerages among sales in the Park Cities and price points above $1 million, according to a Multiple Listing Service analysis.

It shows that, thought inventory of homes for sale might be tighter, the Dallas real estate market remains strong as ever.

“Our first-quarter sales put us well ahead of last year, when we did $3.4 billion,” brokerage President and CEO Keith Conlon said. “This was our best quarter since 2021.”

Allie Beth Allman & Associates agents accounted for 34 percent of all residential transactions in the Park Cities, selling the most in Highland Park, University Park and HPISD. Agents also led in luxury home sales in Southlake and Westlake. The company’s average sale price rose to about $1.4 million.

Looking at the rest of the year, Conlon said the Dallas market remains robust, thanks to a strong economy.

“Being in DFW is a huge part of our success, but that’s not all of it,” Conlon says, “We have some of the best agents around who have been putting together great deals, year in and year out.”

EBBY HALLIDAY

Broken Bow is More Than OK

Calling all wanderlust seekers, adventure enthusiasts, and weekend escape artists, get ready to discover the charming town of Broken Bow, Okla. With its year-round attractions and proximity to North Texas, Broken Bow is the perfect destination for those quick and thrilling getaways.

Broken Bow is a dreamland for nature lovers and outdoor thrill-seekers. Get your hiking boots ready and hit the trails at Beavers Bend State Park. The views? Exceptional. Fishing? You’ll have a blast catching your dinner in crystal-clear lakes. If that’s not enough, kayak down the Mountain Fork or Glover Rivers. Zip through the treetops at Hochatown State Park and channel your inner cowboy while horseback riding through lush forests.

Interested in exploring Broken Bow’s creative and cultural side? Visit local art galleries filled with masterpieces or immerse yourself in the town’s history at the Museum of the Red River. And mark your calendars for the Kiamichi Owa-Chito Festival of the Forest, where you’ll experience a fusion of music, food, and art.

With demand for luxury vacation rentals soaring, now is an ideal time to consider purchasing a second home and/or investment property. To get started, visit ebby.com today.

Start your summer in a splendid Park Cities home

Searching for a Park Cities home with excellent indoor-outdoor living? Allie Beth Allman & Associates has just listed 4412 Lorraine Ave. in Highland Park.

Check out four summer-ready homes available with Allie Beth Allman & Associates agents.

In University Park, 3915 Southwestern Blvd., has airy, sun-drenched spaces to energize you with a seamless blend of contemporary and timeless touches. Archways, wood beams, glass and steel doors, and fashionable light fixtures all await.

For a California vibe in the heart of Highland Park, see 4412 Lorraine Ave. When you’re having a pool day, you can slide open an entire wall of glass to connect the dazzling kitchen and family room to your chic outdoor spaces.

A red brick exterior welcomes you with formal elegance to 4408 Arcady Ave., which continues in the foyer with the crystal chandelier and curving staircase. Don’t miss the expansive primary suite, with a balcony to the unexpected card room with a bar.

Just down the street, 4444 Arcady Ave., showcasing a lovely red brick facade, the Frenchinspired manor is full of elegant formal spaces, rich woodwork and classic charm. Its covered porch and garden foster a magical environment.

Allie Beth Allman & Associates agents continue to lead in the sale of homes in Highland Park, University Park and the Park Cities area, according to Multiple Listing Service statistics. Call to connect with an expert agent: https://www.alliebeth.com/roster/Agents

DAVE PERRY-MILLER REAL ESTATE

Updated Cottage Retains Original Charm

This 1945 Devonshire cottage blends modern updates with classic beauty. Jordan White has recently listed the three-bedroom, two-bath home at 5626 Bryn Mawr Drive (5626brynmawr.dpmre. com) for $1,249,000.

Bright hardwood floors guide you through the open layout, from the cozy formal living area to the renovated kitchen with white quartz countertops and a stylish backsplash. The inviting family room is perfect for gatherings.

The primary suite boasts dual vanities and a spacious walk-in closet, while two additional bedrooms offer ample space. French doors lead to a large wooden deck overlooking the backyard, with a versatile back house ideal for guests or a gym.

Conveniently located near Eatzi’s, Trader Joe’s, and Inwood Village, this home offers easy access to shopping, dining and nearby schools. With quick routes to Downtown and Love Field Airport, this Devonshire gem promises a desirable lifestyle in a coveted neighborhood.

For more information or to schedule a showing, contact White at 214-542-0847 or jordanwhite@ dpmre.com.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (dpmre.com) is a division of the Ebby Halliday Companies, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, with four locations that specialize in Preston Hollow, Park Cities, North Dallas, Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Uptown, Kessler Park and Farm & Ranch properties.

ALLIE BETH

ALLMAN

Open houses offer advantages for sellers, buyers

Open houses provide the buyers the best way to see multiple homes in one day and connect with agents who have neighborhood insight.

As a strong 2024 housing market continues, open houses have kept their standing as one of the best ways to gain exposure for a home new on the market.

To get the word out about its dozens of open houses each weekend, Allie Beth Allman & Associates sends out a universal email to a subscriber list of thousands. The luxury brokerage also publicizes open houses in Dallas Morning News digital and print ads as well as social media posts.

Agents tell their buyers that there is no better way to see dozens of homes in one day, which helps narrow and refine the search.

The same house may have dozens of photographs and a lengthy description online about its assets, but that cannot compare to an in-person walkthrough and chat with the listing agent.

For sellers, open houses are like hosting a giant focus group of potential buyers. As they walk through the home and offer your agent feedback, it offers you an opportunity to better position your home for sale.

And open houses always provide referrals from neighbors who come to the tour.

Subscribe to the Allie Beth Allman & Associates weekly open houses email: https://po.alliebeth.com/h/t/4AC6EE2B886B3F4A

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Leading Luxury brokerage offers estates in Preston Hollow

Allie Beth Allman & Associates agents lead in the sale of homes priced at $3 million and higher in DFW, according to the Multiple Listing Service.

Looking to live in an estate setting in the heart of Dallas? Let the experts at Allie Beth Allman & Associates show you these exceptional Preston Hollow estates that leave nothing wanting.

The Allie Beth Allman & Associates experts consistently rank as the leader in selling homes priced at $3 million and higher, according to the Multiple Listing Service. Here are four Preston Hollow estates worth a look.

On a private gated estate of almost 1.5 acres, renowned architect Richard Drummond Davis has thought of almost everything in the design of 9520 Hathaway St. Take a dip in the saltwater pool or invite friends to play pickleball.

Another extraordinary estate on 1.5 acres of parklike grounds has five bedrooms at 5100 Brookview Ave. This architectural gem in old Preston Hollow comes from the imagination of Elby Martin and showcases his signature barrel-vaulted ceilings.

A newly constructed, five-bedroom estate home at 4205 Gloster St. blends modern and transitional elegance, the home has a large primary suite downstairs, along with a media room and study.

A traditional, single-story, custom-designed home sits on a half-acre at 4216 Lively Lane. With an office just inside the entry and large living areas that include a sunken, speak-easy bar, this home caters to both the work-from-home and loves-to-entertain crowd.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Find your dream retreat on Cedar Creek Lake

If you want lakeside weekends in your future, check in with an agent with Allie Beth Allman & Associates to learn about homes now available on Cedar Creek Lake.

When you own a lake house, it becomes the backdrop for years of fun memories with loved ones.

If you’re ready to make this dream your reality, take a look at some lovely Cedar Creek Lake properties recently brought to market by Allie Beth Allman & Associates agents.

Span ning over half an acre, 284 Enchanted Drive checks all the boxes for an idyllic Texas lake property, with an inviting, ranch-style home and picture-perfect boat dock topped by a peaceful rooftop deck.

Within Cedar Creek Lake’s gated Long Cove community, you’ll find a new construction designed in the charming cape cottage style at 12092 Lighthouse Lane E. Timeless elegance and modern luxury meld here, all with the water sparkling in the background. Another new, Long Cove treasure awaits at 13920 Waterside Drive. Built in 2021, the 4,281-square-foot beauty is being sold fully furnished. Year-round, you can enjoy evening gatherings on the covered patio with a fireplace, grill, heaters and retractable screens making it comfortable no matter the weather conditions.

If living in The Enclave is what you seek, then a new construction crafted by the renowned Whiddon Homes is an exciting find. With vast open spaces and California-cool interiors, it’s ideal for laidback lounging or large-scale events.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

La Fiesta De Las Seis Banderas

Gala Week COSTA DE ESPAÑA DE LA

INTRODUCING THE 2024

Duchesses andEscorts

HISTORY AND PURPOSE

La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas, “The Park Cities Festival Meeting Community Needs,” was founded in 1986 by Lindalyn Adams, Jennie Reeves, and Pierce Allman. It was established to provide for educational, charitable, and civic needs by receiving, investing, and disbursing funds to carry out the preservation and/or development of cultural and historic attributes of the Town of Highland Park and the City of University Park, and to promote neighborhood spirit by observing special events designed to celebrate traditions, bring citizens together, and honor young people, thereby recognizing the unique heritage of the community.

2024 BENEFICIARIES

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas Care Dallas

Connecting Point of Park Cities (CPPC)

Friends of the Highland Park Library

LA FIESTA PRESENTATION GALA June 8th

Friends of the University Park Public Library

Highland Park Education Foundation

Highland Park Literary Festival

HP Arts

HPHS Community Service Council (CSC)

HPHS Counseling Department and Student Council

HPHS Science and Technology Festival

La Fiesta is a non-profit organization supporting various community beneficiaries and providing ongoing maintenance for the Park Cities Heritage House located at Old City Park. The Allocations Committee, with representatives from both municipalities, considers applications for projects within the Park Cities of an educational, charitable, and civic nature. Since 1986 over $10.8 million has been returned to our community.

HPHS Student Emergency Fund

MIS/HPMS Student Emergency Fund

MIS Mental Health Program/Center for Integrative Counseling and Psychology

Moody Family YMCA/Ashford Rise School

Park Cities Heritage House at Old City Park

PC Tag

To Be Like Me

2024 La Fiesta Duchesses

AVERY SEAY ALLDAY

Duchess of the Sunset At Finisterre

MARIN KAY DAVENPORT

Duchess of the Magnolia

CATHERINE

ELIZABETH GOULD

Duchess of Barcelona

ELIZABETH LEE MORGAN

Duchess of Azulejo Tiles of Portugal

KATHERINE ALEXANDRA SHULTS

Duchess of Flamenco

AMANDA REILLY TOOLE

Duchess of the Hibiscus

CAROLINE ELLE ANNETT Duchess of Mallorca

VIVIAN BELLE DOWNIE

Duchess of Lantana

ELIZABETH GAYLE GRISWOLD

Duchess of the Pink Sands of Formentera

ISABELLA ROSA O’BRIEN Duchess of the Hummingbird

HATTIE THAYER SPEICHER

Duchess of San Sebastian

VIRGINIA WESTON TURNER Duchess of Costa del Sol

MAREN ALEXANDRA AYRES

Duchess of Costa Brava

ANDERSON KATE DUGAS

Duchess of the Canary Islands

CAOILINN GRACE GROVE-COLLINS

Duchess of Granada

AVERY MARKAY OWENS

Duchess of the Cantabrian Sea

MARY NASH STONE

Duchess of Valencia

EMILY PARKER WIDEMAN

Duchess of Cordoba, the City of Flowers

EMILY CLAIRE BAILEY

Duchess of the Strait of Gibraltar

GREER MARGARET DUNSTON

Duchess of Bougainvillea

GIGI AMELIA HAGEN

Duchess of the Republic of Texas

ANNE BLANCHE PEACOCK

Duchess of Botanical Gardens

EMILY PATRICIA SUMMERS

Duchess of Seville

CHARLYA GRACE WILLIAMS

Duchess of Ibiza

ELLE MARIE BARRETT Duchess of University Park

CAROLINE FLINT Duchess of Bilbao

MILAM HANNA

Duchess of the Scallop Shell of Camino de Santiago

RILEY LAINE PETERIE Duchess of Cadiz

ELIZABETH HALLAM SWEET

Duchess of the Mexican Federal Republic

ELEANOR DIANE WILLIAMSON

Duchess of the Kingdom of France

EMERY ROWE CLARKE

Duchess of the Peacock

ROSE FOX Duchess of the United States of America

JANE HOPPER

Duchess of Highland Park

INDIA TAYLOR ROBERTS

Duchess of the Mariposa

KATELYN ROSE TANNER

Duchess of the Spanish Red Rose

Duchess of the Mediterranean Sea

SHERRILL HOYL Duchess of Casa Batillo

Duchess of the Spanish Bluebells

TATUM ANN THOMASON

Duchess of the Seashells of Marbella

OLIVIA KATHERINE COKER

MARGO

OLIVIA

LILLIAN GRACE GLASSMOYER

Duchess of the Kingdom of Spain

MARGARET

SYDNEY

MARY ELLEN MARKLEY SCHOELLKOPF

Photographs by James French Photography

RACHEL

2024

La Fiesta Escorts

HUNTER

2024 La Fiesta Underwriters

Judee and Chad Barrett

James French Photography

The Sinus and Respiratory Disease Center / Dr. and Mrs. Ford Albritton IV

Cynthia and Louis Beecherl

FOUNDER PATRONS

The Grove Family

Highland Park Village

Hilton Anatole Hotel

HERITAGE PATRONS

Ben E. Keith Company

Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Burke

LFI Management

ARTS PATRONS

The Klesse Foundation

Messick Peacock & Associates

EDUCATION PATRONS

The Dugas Family / Foley & Lardner

CULTURAL PATRONS

Laurie and Mark Aldredge

Nancy Seay Anderson and Family Bachendorf’s

Dr. and Mrs. Colin S. Bell

Dr. John Burns

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Camillo

Amanda and Brian Cejka

First Horizon / Katherine and Key Coker Corrigan–Goddard Foundation

Susie and John Adams

Akerman LLP / Amy and Bryce Benson

Alicia Wood Lifestyle

Ann Kathryn’s Fund

The Banta Family

Benchmark Bank

The Balestri Family

Mr. and Mrs. W. Kyle Bebee

Kimberly and Alex Bell

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Crow

Garden Gate Creative

The Hegi Family

Caroline L. Hunt

Jaguar Land Rover Dallas

Dr. Sarah Kong | Dallas Dental Wellness

Pleasant and Todd McCulloch

Anna and Ryan Moss Origin Bank

PRESERVATION PATRONS

Lissie and Wayne McCullough / Beacon Pointe

BeautyBio –

Jamie and Melbourne

Nicole Metzger Brewer

Suzanne and Ken Brown

Leslie and Chuck Carroll

Carrie and Dallas Cothrum

Courtney Teesdale Photography Culwell & Son

Curtis | Law PC

Ashley and Marcus Allen

Margie and Phillip Bankhead

Bibbentuckers – The Dry Cleaner

Laura and Jay Boynton

Tara and Blake Bozman

Alaina and Jeff Brooks

Jane and Carter Butler

Jennifer and Scott Chandler

Rita and Cleve Clinton

Kathy Crow

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Denton

Liz and Lane Farley

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gould

Linda and Rick Goyne

Allyson and Stuart Greenfield

Gregory Feedlots

Louise and Guy Griffeth

Mrs. Carroll Gurganus

Michelle and Houston Hall

Melissa and Brian Hammer

Janell and Adam Hickey

Dr. and Mrs. Peter Hino

Mary and John Hubbard

Jolie and Bart Humphrey

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Hunt

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Hunt

Melanie and Paul Jackson

Laura and Guy Kellogg

Dexter & Company

Do Say Give

Lillian and Tony Dona

Mr. and Mrs. James Donahoe

Liz and Lane Farley

Mr. and Mrs. William J. Goodwin

Meredith Ferrell Group

JoJo and Eric Fleiss

Sara and Daniel Friedman

Kerri and Charles Gale

FRIEND PATRONS

Drs. Anita and Rainer Khetan

Sally and Olin Lane

Sandye and Peter Mailandt

Randi and Peter McParlin

Sarah and Chris Miller

The Meece Family

Elizabeth and Stephen Miller

Debbie and David Milton

Lanier and Ken Monk

Sandra and Barry Moore

George Morgan

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Muncy

Thayer and Joseph O’Brien

Jana Paul

*Underwriters as of print deadline.

Pauline and Austin Neuhoff

Tailwater Capital

RosanneBECK Collections

Saphier Family Foundation

Tower Street Insurance

Jamie and Lloyd Pope

PlainsCapital Bank

Jamie and Jeremy Saylor

Gretchen and George Seay

Jean and Jason Signor

True North Advisors / Alicia and Scott Wood

Jennie and Stuart Reeves

Meredith and David McBee / Wealth Partners Alliance

Morgan Stanley / Allison and Mark Withers

Judy and Jim Gibbs

Stephanie and Brad Hannagan

Teresa and Luther King

Mesero Restaurants

Mister Tuxedo

The David O’Brien Family

Annie O’Grady

Allison and Robb Parks

Nicole and Steve Preston

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Sachs

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Perdue

Tricia and Erwan Perhirin

Susan and Brody Pettit

Ashley and Blake Purnell

Kim and Terry Quinn

Ms. Lauren Renfrow

Lesley and Burton Rhodes

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Rice

Mr. and Mrs. R. Lewis Ropp

Joy and Todd Sanders

Mr. and Mrs. Todd Savage

The Shipley Family

Linda Shirley

Janie and Nelson Sims

Meg and Richard Salter

Sealy & Company

Sleepy Hollow Homes /

The Skinner Family

The Sloan Family

Sarah and Trey Smith

Laura and Chris Thomason

Veritex Bank

Veronica Beard

Dana and Stephen Woram

The Worthey Wiles Family

Bill and Zora Skelton

Christine Palmer and Terry Steger

Kara and Eric Swanson

Kerri and Matt Talley

The Tolleson Family

Kristi and Brian Vanderwoude

Vella

Mr. and Mrs. John R. Wagner

Elizabeth and Gantt Walton

Rebecca and Scott Whitaker

Mr. Barry Wilcox

Carrie and Richard Woodward

The Doug Woodward Family

Claire York