Community Calendar

Presented by Frost

Sticks & Stones 13.1, 10k, 5K runs – Saturday, June 10. Staggered starts 7:31-8:31 a.m. Run on the tail, road or hybrid through the Leon Creek Trail System. Tuscany Venue, 16102 Old Fredericksburg Road 78257; www.scallywompus.com

Fellowship of San Antonio Vacation Bible School – Sunday, June 11 - Thursday, June 15, 6 – 8:30 p.m. Ready, Set, Move… Follow Jesus Here, There and Everywhere for kids entering kinder through 5th grade. Fellowship of San Antonio, 23755 Canyon Golf Road 78258; www.thefellwoshipofsa.org

Summit Christian Center Vacation Bible School – Monday, June 12 - Thursday, June 15, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. City of Heroes curriculum for kids 6-11. Summit Christian Center, 2575 Marshall Road 78259; www.summitsa.com.

Activities at the Walker Ranch Senior Center — Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Hot meals served daily from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. for qualifying seniors and their spouses. Exercise, field trips, bingo, loteria, movies, arts and crafts, free health and wellness screenings vary daily. 835 W. Rhapsody 78216; 210-207-5280.

Stone Oak Rotary Club – Tuesdays, noon -1 p.m. Guest speakers weekly. Dona Tota, 923 Loop 1604 W. #115 78232; www.stoneoaksarotary.org

Shooting leagues and classes – Days and times vary. Introduction to firearms, CDL classes, date nights, kids’ classes, men’s events and shooting sports leagues for all skill levels on an indoor range. Buck and Doe’s Mercantile, 24250 U.S. 281 78258; 820-980-3637.

Tejas Rodeo – Saturdays through November, 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. Enjoy live rodeo action: bronco riding, team roping, barrel racing, mutton bustin’ and calf scramble. Live music at 9 p.m. Tejas Rodeo Company, 401 Obst Road 78163; www.tejasrodeo.com.

Immersive Disney – Thursdays - Sundays through Aug. 13. Times vary. Surround yourself in the immersive worlds, music and stories of Disney animation. Lighthouse ArtSpace, 221 Burleson St. 78202. www.lighthouseimmersive.com/disney/sanantonio

Reagan Rattler Sports Camps, Strength and Conditioning – From Tuesday, May 31, dates and times vary by sport and age. Grades 3 – 12. Football, wrestling, volleyball, girls track, throwers camp, softball, soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball. Stone Oak Campuses including Bush and Lopez Middle Schools; www.rattlersports.com/now-openregistration-for-reagan-summer-camps/

Schoolhouse Rock Live at the Magik Theatre – through Sunday, June 4, dates and times vary. Live theater production of the fun-filled retro musical featuring classic songs like “Just a Bill” and “Conjunction Junction.” The Magik Theatre, 420 S. Alamo St. 78205; www.magiktheatre.org

Mays YMCA Summer Sports Clinics and Leagues – beginning June 5. Clinics and leagues for kids 3-14. Days/times vary by sport and age. Soccer, baseball, football, basketball, 3v3 soccer. Mays Family YMCA of Stone Oak, 21654 Blanco Road 78258; ymcasatx.org/programs/sports/youth-sports

Concordia Vacation Bible School – Monday, June 12 - Friday, June 16, 9 a.m.- noon. Stellar – Shine Jesus’ Light. This free week of fun shares the love of Jesus with children ages 4 years – 5th grade through games, crafts, worship, and more. Concordia Lutheran Church, 16801 Huebner Road 78258; www.concordialutheranchurch.com

Cornerstone Vacation Bible School – Tuesday, June 13 - Thursday, June 15, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Galactic VBS activities include Bible lessons, songs, entertainers, games, hands-on activities, free lunch and snacks for children ages 5 through 6th grade. Accessible for deaf/HOH. Cornerstone Church, 18755 Stone Oak Parkway 78258; www.sacornerstone.org.

Kids’ Base Camp – Three-day experiences beginning Tuesdays – June 13, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 25, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Learn gun and archery safety, shoot on the range with professional range safety officers, develop outdoor and survival skills. Ages 8-15. Buck and Doe’s Mercantile, 24250 U.S. 281 78258. www.buckdoes.com/kids-base-camp/

Culinaria’s Women & Whiskey at La Cantera Resort & Spa – Thursday, June 15, 6-9 p.m. Milam & Greene social hour with tastings, bites, vendors and live entertainment. 16641 La Cantera Parkway, 78256; www.culinariasa.org

Send your upcoming events to StoneOakInfo@gmail.com.

Reagan High School Musician Transposes Family Hobby into Career Noteworthy

By Amy Morgan

Music connects the past, present and future of Ronald

Reagan High School senior student

Matthew Issa-Abbas like the melody of a song. The multi-talented musician began learning piano as a small child, quickly progressing to lessons with a tutor by age six. Matt added the cello in the third grade, as he noticed his older brother, Noah, a 2019 Reagan graduate, playing multiple instruments. By middle school Matt picked up the saxophone, which added flexibility to his repertoire as he performed with several of Reagan’s top bands and orchestra groups.

Although Matt loves the cello because its soothing, melodic tone appeals to his ear, playing saxophone has provided greater opportunity for his talent to shine. He named baritone saxophone his principal instrument when he applied for a spot at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he’ll head in the fall to major in music education. The highly selective college of slightly more than 7000 undergraduate students is known as one of the top schools in contemporary music in the country, if not the world, he said. Matt performed so well at his admission audition he was awarded one of the school’s top scholarships. He plans to teach elementary school music because, “since I found my passion for music very early on, I want to help the next generation cultivate that passion.”

During his years at Reagan Matt played cello in Reagan’s Varsity Chamber Orchestra all four years while simultaneously marching in Reagan’s awardwinning band – serving as alto saxophone section leader the past two years. His senior year he was appointed Vice President of Music, managing handfuls of students who distribute music to their peers under the direction of head band director Mr. Greg White. He also found enough room in his schedule as a senior to join Reagan’s Jazz Ensemble. Matt played the baritone saxophone as part of the Quid Nunc Saxophone Quartet, which competes as a small ensemble. This year Quid Nunc was named

Texas State Champions of Chamber Music and were one of just 14 wind groups invited to perform in the junior division in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Quid Nunc stands for “What’s Next” in Latin, a phrase selected by Mr. White to inspire his students to think about their future possibilities.

Matt also held an office within the orchestra program as an upperclassman. As service chair he organized donation drives and volunteer events. Head Orchestra Director Mr. Elizondo describes the orchestra student population as a family, a statement which rang true for Matt.

He noted when the last performance of the marching group experienced technical difficulties with their electronic equipment, the students all had to pull together and trust their training to keep the show on the right foot, literally. “It made us stronger as musicians and also as a community,” he said.

In his free time, Matt and some friends formed the rock band, Dinnerplate. You can find them on the schedule at downtown venue The Green Room, where they play Latin fusion or their own Latin punk rock originals.