April 2017 78258 for web by Russell Groomer

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Note From The Publisher 17 Years Of Good News

ell, I hope everyone has been enjoying the cooler weather as much as I have! It won’t last long in South Texas! 2017 has settled in nicely and Welcome Home is cruising right along. It’s hard to believe that as you are reading this letter, we are already preparing for the May edition of the paper. May 2017 is actually the 17-year anniversary of Welcome Home! For the past 17 years, Welcome Home has proudly served the Stone Oak and surrounding communities; delivering good news about amazing schools, students and community members. April also marks my six-year anniversary with the paper. When I look back through the years, I realize how grateful I am to work for a company whose mission is to bring light to the triumphs of the community it serves – especially over the last couple of years. Welcome Home could have changed with the times, getting more involved in politics and other issues that currently divide our country. Honestly, tapping into that emotional roller coaster may have even been profitable. However, what makes this company who and what it is is the fact that at the end of the day, that roller coaster doesn’t really matter. Political climates change as quickly as the weather. The constant ebb and flow that surrounds it all is…exhausting. Welcome Home made a commitment 17 years ago to instead focus on the wonderful people and things that surround us each

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and every day. And I’m proud to say that in doing so, when you pick up this paper, it’s difficult to see anything but goodness in our neck of the woods. I mean just read a few articles! There are so many amazing students and organizations out there. So many children that work hard to make an impact. This is what I believe deserves our focus and attention. The children that fill these pages are the ones that can truly put into motion the change that we hope for. Spring is a season of renewal, cleansing and change – a beautiful time of year that seemingly washes away the old to make way for the new. As you read through this and every issue of Welcome Home, I hope that you can see what gets me out of bed every morning; our future is bright! And it shines right through these pages.

(210) 348-8233 • Fax: (210) 497-7342 Article Submissions: articles@welcomehomesa.com Ad Inquiries Email: ads@welcomehomesa.com

Directly Mailed To Over 60,000 Households & Businesses in 78232, 78248, 78255, 78256, 78257, 78258, 78259, 78260, & 78261 Zip Codes. Plus, 20,000 in Rack Distribution.

Welcome Home newspaper assumes no liability in advertising other than correction and reinsertion of like-size ad at no additional cost to our advertiser. The opinions stated by the writers or the information printed from other sources do not necessarily depict those of the publisher or advertisers. No liability is assumed. Welcome Home newspaper will not knowingly publish any advertisement which is illegal or misleading to its readers. All copy and type arrangements are subject to approval by the publisher. All stories and photos submitted become property of Welcome Home Editorial and Advertising content of Welcome Home newspaper is protected by the U.S. copyright law. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Publisher Kristin Oliver

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Sales Representatives Patrice Long Orlando Cardenas Don Kopper

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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On The Cover

By Alissa Reinhard t’s springtime in South Texas! The Texas bluebonnets are in full bloom and those beautiful fields of wildflowers are making everyone’s daily commute just a bit more bright and colorful. There’s a lot going on in and around San Antonio this and every spring and Welcome Home is happy to serve as your springtime guide. Fiesta is here! If you’re new to the city, Fiesta is the biggest party you’ve never heard of! And if you were born and raised here, there’s more to enjoy each and every year. Fiesta is commonly referred to as “The Party With A Purpose.” Alexa Borowski Westerman, Director of Communications for the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, explains how Fiesta got its nickname. “Many people are surprised to know that

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every single one of the more than 100 Fiesta events is produced by a local nonprofit or military organization,” she explained. “These organizations called Participating Member Organizations (PMOs) raise funds for great causes.” Turn to page 14 to learn about a few of 2017’s newest Fiesta events and more about the citywide celebration. Easter is also right around the corner! How do you celebrate each year? Turn to page 15 to read some fun, little known facts about the holiday and a list of a few Easter events around town. Make sure you enjoy this special time of year – before you know it, the temperature will be creeping into triple digits and cool mornings and fresh flowers will be a distant memory! Happy Spring!

College Tutors Educator Of The Month By Steve Johnson, Owner of College Nannies + Sitters + Tutors t is our pleasure here at College Nannies + Sitters + Tutors to announce the College Tutors Educator of the Month for March. The purpose of this award is to highlight and recognize a local high school educator that acts as a role model to our students. The award recipient, determined by input from the school administration, recognizes educators in our area high

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schools that personify the three core values of College Tutors: “Can Do, Results Matter and Leave It Better.” This April, we recognize Ryan Saam. He is extremely attentive while working with his students. His Ryan Saam effort to connect with each student is inspiring. He has shown growth and has taken on involvement in extracurricular activities. His ability to put each student on an even playing field is admirable, and his attention to building student and parent relationships makes him a true asset to Reagan. The owners of College Nannies + Sitters + Tutors of San Antonio established this recognition with the support of Welcome Home Community Newspaper in order to recognize and honor the educators in our schools for their efforts with our local students. We firmly believe that the quality of education in our community is primarily a direct reflection of their daily efforts as role models for our students. For more information on this award, or to submit a nomination, please contact College Nannies + Sitters + Tutors at 210202-0303 or stoneoaktx@collegenannies. com.

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Meet The Dietels, The Couple Behind NIOSA By Alissa Reinhard f you were to meet Janet and Artie Dietel, you’d quickly realize that they definitely qualify as a San Antonio power couple. However, a more appropriate title for them might be San Antonio’s compassionate couple. During this time of year, the couple’s compassion is directed toward the popular Fiesta event, “A Night In Old San Antonio®” (NIOSA®). The Dietels go above and beyond to ensure that NIOSA® is an event to remembered each and every year. NIOSA is solely sponsored by and benefits the San Antonio Conservation Society (SACS), one of the oldest and most active community preservation groups in the United States. Janet is SACS President—a year-round volunteer position that requires 40-60 hour work weeks. Her experience as a former North East ISD educator and principal of Thousand Oaks Elementary School has served her well in this role! And even though she juggles many responsibilities as SACS President, she also continues to serve as Chairman of NIOSA’s Villa España area, a volunteer position she has held since 1988. Artie has probably one of the most important jobs at NIOSA (next to the Chairman) – he stages the entire event. During the days leading up to NIOSA, Artie and his three co-chairmen work endless hours and then eighteen hours a day, all four days of NIOSA, to keep the “wheels greased” as “NIOSA Stagers.” Artie has volunteered at NIOSA for 48 years, earning

the Staging chairmanship in 1987 with Gene Willette. Artie also stages NIOSITAs (private, miniature versions of NIOSA) and just about every major NIOSA and San Antonio Conservation Society event. NIOSA is a four-night festival in the heart of downtown San Antonio that celebrates the city’s diverse cultural legacy for more than 85,000 revelers annually. It’s the top fundraiser for historic preservation in the nation and truly lives up to its motto as a “Celebration for Preservation.” The 69th preservation of NIOSA will be held April 25-28. “We love our city’s heritage, customs and culture,” said the Dietels. “SACS mission is to preserve San Antonio’s historic fabric and volunteering at NIOSA is a great way to enjoy the party while furthering SACS’ causes.” All proceeds from NIOSA support SACS’ restoration and preservation of historic properties, parks, waterways, traditions, and the intangible heritage of the multicultural city of San Antonio. “SACS has been the caretaker of our city since 1924,” the Dietels explained. “We work to preserve the beauty and history of our city so the next generation can enjoy the same. Giving back to the community is imperative to us.” On average, NIOSA partygoers consume over 17,000 pounds of beef; 11,000 pounds of chicken; 5,000 pounds of sausage; 3,000 turkey legs, 25,000 buns, rolls and bolillos; 30,000 tortillas; 2,000 pounds of masa; 6,000 tamales; 15,000 pounds of fruits and

Janet and Artie Dietel, NIOSA® volunteers, have a strong Artie has volunteered at NIOSA for 48 years, earning love for San Antonio and a passion for preserving their Staging chairmanship. Janet also serves as president of the San Antonio Conservation Society. city.

vegetables; and 1,000 pounds of guacamole! The sheer volume of food served makes for a daily challenge of ensuring that each booth chairman has everything he or she needs to open that night while continuously tracking the food and drink delivered and served. “No waste means more dollars returned to SACS to further our goals,” explained Janet. “NIOSA attendees would be surprised to learn about the plethora of behind-the scene security strategies taken to insure

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our guests’ safety,” added Artie. “It is a challenge just to make sure that the gates are opened on time and we are ready for our guests each day. Additionally, we have to ensure that problems and concerns are addressed quickly.” NIOSA is a unique event made possible by the sheer will and determination of volunteers like the Dietels and the benefits of NIOSA go far beyond four days of food and fun.

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Appointments & Walk-Ins Welcome 7

Do You Know The Signs Of Low Thyroid?

By Donna Becker, D.O. Enhancement of Life (210) 545-5224 bout 7:30 p.m., the day before a major holiday weekend, I stood at the fax machine looking over lab reports and medication refill requests. The pharmacies and the frantic patients who realized “Oh my gosh! I’m out of my sleeping meds, hormones, anti-anxiety medication, etc.” where sending in urgent requests for refills a holiday eve. I always check incoming labs for abnormalities and refill requests before a weekend and especially before a holiday

because I know my patients depend on me. Suddenly, I was shocked to see a lab on a 71-year-old woman who had a TSH of 75! TSH stand for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and it is released from the brain if the brain is not getting enough thyroid. Anything over 4 is abnormal. 75 is terrible, possibly deadly, and way too high. When the TSH is very elevated, the body begins to shut down, the heart even begins to beat very slowly, speech becomes slowed, and skin cools. Who was this, I wondered, not recognizing her name.

Specialty Contacts Can Help Patients Regain Vision By Monica Allison, O.D. Stone Oak Vision Source (210) 495-9020 f you’ve been told that you cannot wear contact lenses because of an irregular cornea or other problems, you may want to get a second opinion. Ask the doctors at Stone Oak Vision Source about scleral contact lenses. Scleral contacts are large-diameter gas permeable contact lenses specially designed to vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the “white,” or the scleral, of the

eye. In doing so, scleral lenses functionally replace the irregular cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by keratoconus and other corneal irregularities. If someone has had an undesirable result with refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, RK) or a corneal transplant, scleral lenses can often be fit to correct the vision back to the desired outcome. Also, the space between the cornea and the back surface of a scleral lens acts as a

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Quickly I realized she had been referred by a nurse who is a patient of mine, and I had not yet seen her for the usual 15-minute interview before accepting her as a new patient. The story ended happily. After a few phone calls, late that night, the nurse drove over to the patient’s house, took her vital signs, spoke to her, and pleaded with me to at least treat her over the long weekend. Apparently, she had lost her medications in a move some months earlier. The nurse then located the woman’s son, so I prescribed a small beginner dose of thyroid to tide her over the weekend. I saw her before office hours the following week. I prescribed more labs, more tests, requested old records, and made arrangements for referral. After four weeks, her cholesterol had dropped 100 points and she had lost about ten pounds. Elevated cholesterol can be due

to low thyroid, not just diet/genetics. Most of the weight gain in individuals with low thyroid is due to an accumulation of salt and water. However the metabolism of the body slows down, so the low thyroid person stores fat. The thyroid gland has profound effects on mood. Look it up, here’s a great source: “Texas Algorithms Procedural Manual for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorders”, page 51, appendix C. (For the record, I am NOT treating Bipolar sufferers with thyroid, but wanted to demonstrate the broad application of thyroid treatment) Donna Becker, D.O., Board Certified in Emergency Medicine. Enhancement of Life is located at 14603 Huebner Rd., Suite 2601, San Antonio, TX 78231. For more information, call 210-545- 5224 or visit www.antiagingsa.com.

fluid reservoir to provide comfort for people with severe dry eyes who otherwise could not tolerate contact lens wear. One of Dr. Allison’s passions is fitting individuals with keratoconus and giving them back the vision they have been missing for years. Dr. Allison has been fitting keratoconus patients in contacts for over 19 years and she has mentored the other associate doctors at Stone Oak Vision Source to be proficient at fitting these special contacts as well. She will be attending the International Congress of Scleral Contacts this year and is also in the process of securing her second Fellowshipthis one in scleral lenses. Her first fellowship is in Ortho-K lenses. In the process of fitting keratoconic patients with these lenses, it became obvious that they can also help patients with other causes of irregular corneal shapes. One of the most common other causes we see is postsurgical corneas. With the onset of RK 30+ years ago, many people thought this would

be the solution to their visual problems. Unfortunately the effects of RK were not always permanent and the prescriptions regressed in many cases. The doctors at Stone Oak Vision Source are skilled in fitting these post-surgical corneas, whether it is RK, LASIK, PRK, or a corneal transplant. If you or a family member have found yourself with less than satisfactory vision and you have been diagnosed with any of these causes of irregular cornea, call Stone Oak Vision Source to schedule an exam. Scleral lenses may be an option. If you have any vision questions or are looking for a family eye doctor, please visit Stone Oak Vision Source online at www. visionsource-stoneoak.com or call 210495-9020. Visit us at our new location 810 Knights Cross, Ste 101, at the NE corner of Knights Cross and Stone Oak Parkway (behind the Excellence ER building).

Reagan’s Model UN Program To Offer AP Capstone™ Diploma Submitted By Kirby Whitehead onald Reagan High School is one of approximately 1,000 schools worldwide, the first in NEISD and third in San Antonio, to implement AP Capstone™—an innovative diploma program that allows students to develop the skills that matter most for college success: research, collaboration, and communication. The program consists of two courses taken in sequence: AP® Seminar and AP Research. Developed in direct response to feedback from higher education faculty and college admission officers, AP Capstone complements the in-depth, subject-specific study of other Advanced Placement® courses and exams. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on AP Seminar and AP Research assessments and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing will earn the AP Capstone Diploma™. This signifies their outstanding academic achievement and attainment of college-level academic and research skills. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher on both AP Seminar and AP Research assessments only (but not on four additional AP Exams) will earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate™. Reagan’s Model UN courses will start the AP Seminar in the fall of 2017. The

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This fall, Reagan will implement AP Capstone™ - an innovative diploma program that allows students to develop the skills that matter most for college success.

Reagan Model United Nations program began in 2000 with 14 students. It has grown over the years to include as many as 100 participants. The focus of the program has always been to make students more aware of the international system and to help them engage in global issues on an international, national, and local scale. “We are proud to offer AP Capstone, which enables students and teachers to focus on topics of their choice in great depth,” said Trevor Packer, senior vice president for AP and instruction at the College Board. “This provides terrific opportunities for students to develop the ability to write and present their work effectively, individually, and in groups—the very skills college professors want their students to possess.”

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Belden’s Keeps You Rolling! 13811 San Pedro

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Belden’s Automotive & Tires • www.BeldensAutomotive.com

(210) 877-2929

By Alissa Reinhard

ow do you begin each day? Probably with a cup of coffee, a quick breakfast and you’re out the door. Sound about right? And what’s waiting for you, parked in your driveway, in the garage, on the street in front of your house? Your automobile. In this day and age, we can’t get far without one. And it has to be reliable! No one has the time for a breakdown, a flat tire, or for pondering the ominous “Check Engine” light! Ignoring the basic maintenance needs of your vehicle can lead to a headache – and even worse, can put you and your family in real danger. At Belden’s Automotive & Tires, ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified technicians are always on hand, committed to ensuring that your automobile is properly maintained, serviced and if needed, repaired so that a safe and optimally operating vehicle is one less thing that you need to worry about. Belden’s Automotive is family-owned and operated, a point of pride for Founder Ronnie Belden. Mr. Belden was born and raised in San Antonio. His passion for the automobile business, commitment to top customer service, and the highest standards when it comes to quality workmanship have built a foundation that has kept Belden’s thriving for the better part of four decades. Ronnie’s son, Rusty, joined the business in 2005 and upon his father’s retirement, took the reigns in 2014. “My father built this business on honesty integrity,” said Rusty. “Our entire family at Belden’s – understands the foundation that we have built our business on is centered around our customers and making sure they are 100% satisfied.” Rusty and the whole team at Belden’s believe in closing the gap between customer and technician. All technicians are ASE certified, experienced, highly trained, and many have been with Belden’s for years – a testament to the fact that Belden’s treats not only their customers with respect, honesty and fairness – but their employees too. Lead Shop Foreman, Bobby Sowards, has been with Belden’s for over 25 years and the majority of the staff has been a part of the team for five plus years

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

– a testament to a great workplace. “We try and give our employees every opportunity to grow within the industry and work hard to educate them along the way,” explained Rusty. “Continuing education and training is huge and it must continue constantly to stay up with new technologies that are always emerging.” On all repairs, the technician responsible even leaves his personal business card in the vehicle so customers can see who worked on their vehicle. “If we are going to put our name on something, it is because we stand behind our repairs ,” explained Rusty. “We leave our business card to show pride in our work and show who is caring for their vehicle. “It’s our job to educate our customer on their vehicle’s specific needs based on the year, make and model,” explained Rusty. “Vehicles today are built better and to last longer…if you maintain them. By clearly explaining the vehicle’s needed maintenance on a schedule and explaining the benefits of these services, the customer can budget accordingly and even prevent a costly repair that could have been otherwise avoided.” All repairs at Belden’s are backed with a 24 month/24,000 Mile Nationwide Warranty. And if there’s a mistake – and of course, sometimes there will be – Belden’s will always make it right for the customer. “I like to think that we do things the right way here,” explained Rusty. “When my dad retired, he explained to me that our family business is more than just a business. It has evolved into something that the community can depend on, it has created jobs, it has helped our employees provide for their own families. It was in that moment that I was able to truly understand what he had created, Belden’s Automotive offers customers five San Antonio locations for the vehicle maintenance and repair needs – San Pedro, Medical Center, Bulverde, Lockhill Selma, Prue Road – and one repair shop in Boerne. Every Belden’s location specializes in both foreign and domestic automobiles including oil changes, brakes, engine diagnostics, drivability, electrical, 30/60/90k interval services, and more. Factory trained technicians

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can also provide diesel services, tire services, exhaust repair, and more. Lifelong customers like Charlie Cantu and Tump Laird are thankful for the outstanding service they receive at Belden’s. “A big thank you is in order to everyone at Belden’s Automotive for keeping our family vehicles in top shape,” said Charlie. “It is great to depend upon your very own ‘top pit crew’ taking care of all the automotive needs for your family vehicles. Thank you again for protecting my family with your friendship and professional skills.” “Five years ago, I bought a 2001 Ford F350,” added Tump. “Everything but the engine was worn out. Since then, Belden’s has just about rebuilt my truck. Always best advice on what was needed and what could wait. Quick quality service. Never had any problems with workmanship. The warranty offered on all my repairs was outstanding, and the two times I needed to use the warranty (part failure) they bent over backwards to get my truck back to me at no charge. I recommend Belden’s to anyone and everyone. I would not take my vehicles anywhere else.” Such feedback from loyal customers reiterates the fact that the name Belden means something in this community. “We’re well known for honest car repair and I’m proud of that,” said Rusty. “I feel like our name stands for something – a quality automotive repair shop that’s going to treat you right.”

Mixology at Home Elements of a Great Bar

By Mike & Molly Sowry Virtuoso Builders (210) 525-8750

eservations are not required when you have your very own bar at home. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or simply want to sit back with a nice cocktail at the end of a long day, it’s nice when you can enjoy a good drink in your own home. Having a bar in your home is also great for entertaining. With so many options for designing a bar, where do you start? Here’s a handy list to work from when turning your space into

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a stylish pub. 1. Cabinetry – This should be customized according to the drinks you will stock. If you like a good glass of wine, be sure to include cabinets that include a way to stock your wine collection, such as open wine storage. Your cabinets should also provide easy access to your stemware. Glass front cabinets are a nice way to show off your glassware or collectibles. Another option is under cabinet stem glass holders which will

s the days get longer and the weather gets nicer, people love to spend time outdoors with their four-legged buddies. This spring is FULL of exciting new things for you and your furry best friend to try together. While you’re getting ready for warmer weather, remember these tips to help

transition your pet from winter to spring and soon, summer. 1) Watch their paw pads when walking on asphalt or concrete. It can get extremely hot even though it doesn’t feel that hot to you. 2) Condition your pet gradually. Be aware of any excess winter weight and don’t let them over do it. Pets can easily suffer from severe heat stroke. If you need help getting your pet back into bikini shape, give us a call and we can work with you on a program.

free up space in the cabinets. 2. Plumbing – If your bar is located off of your kitchen or close to it, consider putting in a bar sink that corresponds well with the kitchen sink. Same with the faucet. Whatever your kitchen faucet style may be, find a bar faucet in the same product line or one that looks closely like it in the same finish. This offers continuity. 3. Appliances – Your home bar will likely include a refrigerator of some kind. Depending on how you like to entertain, it can house wine or other beverages. Choose one that fits your space and works with the rest of the room. If space allows, you may want to add in an icemaker for convenience. 4. Backsplash – If you want your bar to fit in with the rest of the room, use the same backsplash as you have if it’s off of your kitchen. If you want to make it stand out a

bit, go with a different texture or color. 5. Add some personality - If you like rustic, you might want to clad the front of your bar with reclaimed wood. If you like transitional, go with a mirrored backsplash and recessed paneled cabinets. If you are a minimalist, how about flat panel cabinets with quartz countertops? We have installed stained glass as a glass cabinet front for one of our clients because it was a family heirloom. This is the area where you can add in some fun. Virtuoso Builders is an award winning remodeling firm raising the professional standards in the San Antonio home remodeling industry. For more tips on home improvement, subscribe to the newsletter at www.virtuosobuilders.com.

3) Watch for new blooming plants. Spring brings out beautiful foliage, unfortunately some can be dangerous, even deadly to your pet. You can find a complete list at www. aspca.org One of the best ways to stay cool and get in shape this year is by hanging out at K9 Country Club and enjoying the brand new Dock Diving Pool! That’s right K9CC has purchased a 40 foot, competition dock diving pool and will be hosting swim and diving lessons, events, open dock time, and so much more. Check out pictures at www.facebook. com/k9countryclubtexas. Another way to get your pet active during the day while you’re not home is daycare. Daycare alone is a great way to get your dog out of the house and tired before you pick them up. But do you ever wonder what they do all day? What if they could brush up on a

pesky behavior you don’t like, or learn a new trick, or shed that winter weight? Not every daycare is equipped to do all of that, but K9 Country Club is! K9CC’s Daycare University is an enhanced daycare set up to make the most of your pets time while you are at work. Professional handlers will work with your pet on one specific task or item each time they are here. Designed specifically for you and your pet this program can be modified to fit everyone’s needs and budget. Space is limited per day so call the kennel for reservations. Open enrollment begins in April. K9 Country Club is located at 31305 Oak View, Bulverde, TX 78163. For more information, call 830-980-8476 or visit www.k9countryclub.net.

There’s always room for improvement.

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Viva Fiesta from all of us at River Valley Real Estate! We all have individual style but let’s face it, change can be a good thing. At Virtuoso Builders, we recognize the importance of alluring living spaces and understand the complex process of remodeling. We have a sincere interest in enhancing our clients’ lifestyles by creating design-superior, functional spaces that reﬂect individual needs and personal style. We specialize in: Kitchens | Baths | Whole House Remodels | Home Additions

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www.VirtuosoBuilders.com Look for our “Home Improvement” article each month in Welcome Home.

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Discover Your New Self At By Alissa Reinhard

ging is a part of life. We all experience it. However, in this day and age, we are also living much longer than ever before. Most babies born in the year 1900 did not live past age 50. In 2012, the average life expectancy in America had increased to 78.7 years, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. This is a dramatic leap in a relatively short period of time that can be attributed to immunizations, antibiotics, better living standards, clean drinking water, etc. – staples of daily life that today are taken for granted. However, what many don’t consider as we live longer is how we are affected, mentally and physically, by the aging process. Quality of life is so important, but many simply cope with debilitating symptoms that can sometimes accompany aging, thinking that how they are feeling is “normal,” or “just part of getting older.” Donna Becker, D.O., owner and founder of The Enhancement of Life Center, has been on the front lines of medicine for decades. She has served thousands of patients, working as a primary care physician and an emergency medicine specialist in San Antonio. Her work was rewarding, but not enough. She was determined to open a true healing center where she could utilize both traditional medicine and alternative/integrative methods. “I firmly believe that the process of aging is a treatable disease that can be slowed, stopped and even reversed through existing medical and scientific interventions,” she explained. “And I believe that hormone therapy is the key to a long and productive life.” Before it can be determined if hormone replacement therapy is right for you, Dr. Becker offers a free consultation to determine the best course of action. “Most patients come to me with complaints of night sweats, hot flashes and insomnia,” explained Dr. Becker. “I start out by asking ‘ What do you most want out of these visits with me? If I were magical, and could change something for you right now, what would it be?’ It may sound silly, but this question usually opens the door for the patient to tell me their most important concern. Only when I get a feeling for the patient, when I really see things through their eyes and can put myself in their place, will I proceed.” Dr. Becker oftentimes finds that her patients’ primary care doctor or OBGYN may have given them a prescription for an antidepressant, sleeping pills or birth control –oftentimes without blood work. This is not an efficient way to treat a patient. “What I try to mimic in a woman is her blood levels when she was a younger individual, perhaps in her 30s, the first 10 days after her period stops,” explained Dr. Becker. “She needs a steady state of hormones, a very

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

precise level, to keep her system functioning normally. The dose is different for every patient.” At the Enhancement of Life Center, all treatment methods are guided by blood work. Patients are also given a typed sheet of instructions, including how and when to take their hormones, books to read, documentaries to watch, websites to study, etc. “In most people, I gradually adjust hormones to the ideal blood level over a period of several months,” Dr. Becker explained. “At each subsequent visit, I usually have limited blood work done on the prescribed hormones. I discuss the difference between last month’s blood work and the current labs. I discuss any side effects or untoward reactions from hormones or other medications I prescribed. I listen, verify and ask questions. I ask a lot of questions and welcome the patients questions to me.” Bio-identical hormones are hormones that are chemically identical to those the body naturally produces as a younger individual. They are not alternative, new or outside the realm of normal prescriptions. In comparison, Humulin is bioidentical insulin. The scientific and medical community has genetically engineered insulin to be an exact copy of the insulin the human body produces; no one takes beef or pork insulin. They take Humulin. Bioidentical hormones follow the same model. However, there is still a shroud of uncertainty over hormone replacement therapy. Dr. Becker is able to help patients understand what they truly need to feel better through continuous monitoring and bloodwork, education about proper diet and nutrition, natural supplements, and more. “I believe that the pharmaceutical industry has an agenda that is focused on profit and not wellness,” said Dr. Becker. “Expensive antidepressants, fake hormones, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiolytics are bandaids that do not solve the underlying problem of sudden cessation of hormones after the ovaries quit. By comparison, bioidentical generic prescription estradiol from a chain pharmacy is only $4 per month!” A recent study* looked at the differences in cognitive decline in women who had an average of eight years of hormone use. The two hormones studied included conjugated equine estrogen (horse-derived estrogen) and 17B-estradiol (bio-identical estrogen). The women were divided into two groups. One group continued their estrogen therapy and the other group stopped. The study lasted two years. The group who stopped all hormones and the group continuing the horse-derived estrogen showed a decline in mental functioning, while the group who continued the bio-identical estrogen showed no decline. “Commonly, women are told to take hormones for only a few years and then stop,” explained Dr. Becker.

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“According to this study, this advice for the health of our brain, is wrong, if the estradiol is a human copy. Progesterone can also benefit bone, brain and emotional health and the nervous system. It has also been found to decrease aggression and fatigue. “It may sound silly, but I have a very different approach to my patients than other doctors,” explained Dr. Becker. “They treat sickness while I treat suboptimal wellness. When a doctor is treating a sickness, the goal of treatment is to get the patient back to their previous state. When I treat people, I am trying to make them better than they were, or at least as well as their younger self. “Many times people bring me labs from their other doctors saying, ‘My doctor said I’m normal and nothing is wrong, but I feel terrible,’” continued Dr. Becker. “I have more time to ask questions, to probe, and contemplate what to do. Each visit with me is scheduled for an hour or more, and I have the luxury of looking at their diet, exercise, supplements, and medications. I obtain three pages of labs before the first visit, just so I can have more data.” If you’re struggling with menopausal symptoms, you owe it to yourself to get tested – men included! Male hormones tend to slowly decline, year after year, compared to an abrupt cessation as in women. However, many men can benefit from hormone replacement therapy when their blood levels indicate a deficiency. Just checking testosterone levels is not enough! “Not everyone needs hormones, but for those of us who do, herbs, drinking more water, exercising and other natural remedies will not provide the relief you seek,” explained Dr. Becker. “Don’t get suckered into taking an antidepressant – unless prescribed by your psychiatrist – or other cover-up type therapies. Don’t put it of! Get yourself tested. Don’t wait. Don’t suffer when you don’t need to.” Knowledge is power, and with a safe and effective treatment plan with all risks noted and observed, you can feel like your “old” self again – or in some cases, even better. You can feel like your “new” self, instead! “When my patients hug me, thank me with tears in their eyes, tell me I’ve changed their lives – I feel privileged to know them, to be a part of their life story and to help make things better.”

The Enhancement of Life Center 14603 Huebner Road, Suite 2601 210-545-5224 www.antiagingsa.com

Book Bargains Are Back!

NEISD Opens A Clothes Closet For Needy Students Submitted By Maria Martinez n January 18, NEISD officially opened a Clothes Closet for its students, the first of its kind in San Antonio. For use district wide, the facility will provide new and gently used clothing to needy NEISD students in Pre-K through twelfth grade. Students who are referred by their counselor will receive a voucher for free clothing items including tops, bottoms, socks, underwear, and jackets. The The NEISD Clothes Closet is the first of it’s kind in San Antonio, Clothes Closet will be open every providing clothing for needy students in the district. Wednesday from 10 .m.-1 p.m. schools. during the school year. It is run The NEISD Clothes Closet is located at entirely by PTA volunteers and will be available to students in each of the district’s 8758 Tesoro Drive.

NEISD’s 15th Annual Used Book Sale will take place at Blossom Athletic Center April 7-9.

Submitted By Michelle Shaw he NEISD Council of PTAs is sponsoring the 15th Annual Used Book Sale with the help and participation of the local PTAs in the North East Independent School District. The sale of more than 80,000 books will be held at Blossom Athletic Center in Littleton Gym, 12002 Jones Maltsberger Road, 78216 from April 7-9. The book sale is the largest of its kind in the area and is not only a fundraising effort for PTAs throughout NEISD, but also

a community service project. Prices are kept low, low, low to promote literacy in the home. The sale is one of the best bargains in town with soft cover books priced at $.50 and hardcover books and DVDS/CDs at $1.00! The sale begins April 7, and is a threeday event: Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 9 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday is the ever-popular bag sale day where a bag can be purchased for $15.00 and stuffed to the brim with all the books that can fit; additional bags

can be purchased for $10 each. Cash and MasterCard/Visa are accepted. Please, no checks. Admission is free. A reader’s favorite subjects are easy to find with more than 25 book categories represented including art, biography, business, classics/poetry/plays, comic books and graphic novels, computers, fiction, foreign language and travel, health and fitness along with self-help, history, military and politics, hobbies, how-to and crafts, horror, humor and games, music, mystery and thrillers, non-fiction, parenting and childcare, pets and animals, reference,

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religious and inspirational, romance, scifi and fantasy, sports, westerns, young adult and CDs and DVDs. The enormous selection of children’s books is divided into board books, picture books, leveled readers, chapter books, and series books. Used book sale proceeds will fund PTA projects such as the Blossom Scholarship Fund, Arts in Education, Health Education Awareness, Alcohol and Drug Education, Project Graduation, Bike Rodeos and many, many others that benefit students throughout NEISD. For more information email booksale@necouncilpta.com.

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Making Your Deck Last

By Barry Hagendorf Deck & Patio Care (210) 822-9147

arry Hagendorf, the leading authority on deck and patio care in South Texas, has been cleaning and sealing decks for more than 20 years. Q: Why does my wooden deck look so bad? A: According to Architectural Digest, unprotected wood only lasts for 9-14 years. I recommend that you clean the wood on

your deck and seal it with an oil-based penetrating sealer. Q: What sealer would you recommend? A: My preference, after years of trial and error research, is Barry Premium Blend oilbased penetrating sealer that is designed to look for dry cell structure in the wood. It will penetrate first to the bottom of the cracks, nail holes and knots. Barry’s Premium Blend will protect from the surface down, stabilizing the cell structure of the wood.

Q: What care should I give to my Pebblestone? A: On new and older pebblestone, first acid wash the film of concrete off the rocks. Then, oxidize the surface to kill mold and mildew. Last, seal the stone to its natural wet look. Q: Why are the rocks from my pebblestone pool surround sticking to my feet? A: Moisture penetrates around the stones and changing temperatures expand the moisture and wedge the rocks out. To repair, acid wash the surface. Then, oxidize it to kill mold and mildew. Finally, lock the stones in with a clear acrylic sealer. You will also lock in the beautiful natural wet look.

Q: Why is my Flagstone ﬂaking & chipping? A: The answer is in the chemistry. When the temperature of Flagstone & rock move toward 32 degrees or freezing it contracts or becomes smaller. When water temperature moves toward 30 degrees it expands or gets bigger. Daily as temperature changes and Flagstone gets wet, the water and stone move against each other causing flaking. The Solution is to seal the stone with Solexene sealer which will keep the stone dry. If you have a salt water pool this problem is greatly multiplied. As a Welcome Home reader, please take advantage of the $59 discount located in this paper.

Girl Scouts Plan For An Enchanted Ball Submitted By Risa Weinberger he annual Girl Scout Father Daughter Dinner Dance Gala is in its final planning stages. This year, the theme will be “Enchanted Under the Sea Ball.” Featuring a color scheme of greens, blues, and purples, the scouts and their dads will enter an ethereal atmosphere filled with amazing underwater scenery at the Holy Trinity Banquet Hall on Friday evening, April 28. Doors will open for check-in at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, there may be some special underwater guests who will join in on the fun. The annual dinner dance gala is a treasured event for many of the Stone Oak area Girl Scouts and their fathers. “It’s a night to dress up and spend a

special night with my daughter,” explained one dad. “We only get a short amount of time before our daughters are all grown up and won’t want to spend time with us anymore. This annual event is something we both look forward to every year.” As in past years, this semi-formal dance and gala will include a dinner and a special dessert. The dance floor will be hopping with music by DJ Jovan Barrios. Instead of having a professional photographer, older Girl Scouts will be positioned at two photo stations and will assist with photos using the dads’ cameras or phones. No more waiting for printed photos. The committee sees this as a positive change for the father/daughter event. Reservations are currently being accepted

Dads and daughters will dance the night away at the upcoming Girl Scout Father Daughter Dance on April 28.

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for the gala. Girl Scout leaders in Community “U” should have all the details. Information can also be found on the Community “U” Rallyhood website. For those families not yet involved with Girl Scouts who may still want to attend, there is some space available. Girls from kindergarten to eighth grade are welcome to the ball, escorted by their fathers or a father figure in their lives. Contact Lucy Gutierrez at lggutierrez087@gmail. com or Julie Steele juliesteele99@ gmail.com to make arrangements to reserve your seat at the dinner table and your space on the dance floor.

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It’s Fiesta Time, San Antonio! dy for a A Day in Old Fiesta® Favorite.

Young riders get rea

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Miss Fiesta Madi-Mo ad Hageman signs “I Love You” to the atop a float during crowd the 125th Battle of Flowers Parade.

By Alissa Reinhard

t’s the best time of the year here in San Antonio…Fiesta! If you’re new to the city, Fiesta is the biggest party you’ve never heard of! And if you were born and raised here, there’s more to enjoy each and every year. Delicious, local flavors; music – mariachis, jazz, blues, country, rock; cascarónes – colorful eggshells filled with confetti…the sights and sounds of Fiesta are all around us. One hundred and twenty-six years ago, Fiesta San Antonio began as a one-parade event with the Battle of Flowers, remembering and celebrating the heroes of The Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto. Today, Fiesta has evolved to include more than 100 events raising funds for great causes like scholarships, medical research, historical preservation, and special needs for children and family with all proceeds. Fiesta is commonly known as the “Party With A Purpose.” Alexa Borowski Westerman, Director of Communications for the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, explains how Fiesta got its nickname. “Many people are surprised to know that every single one of the more than 100 Fiesta events is produced by a local nonprofit or military organization,” she explained. “These organizations called Participating Member Organizations (PMOs) raise funds for great causes.” This year, there will be more to enjoy than ever before.

Fiesta Events: April 20: 5 pm – 9 pm Fiesta at Hemisfair, 434 S Alamo St The official opening of Fiesta 2017. Live entertainment, greet Official Fiesta Royalty and special guests. Buy, sell or trade Fiesta pins and medals at Pin Pandemonium. Kick off the Alamo City’s biggest, best festival. Admission is free. April 21 – 23: 5 pm – 12 am Taste of New Orleans, Sunken Garden Theatre Japanese Tea Gardens, 3875 N St Mary’s St Experience unique and exquisite New Orleans food in a festive atmosphere and sounds of ‘Nawlins. The Sunken Garden is ADA accessible. Blankets, strollers and folding chairs are welcome. Admission is $12 presale, $15 at the gate; free for children 10 and under. April 22: 10 am – 6 pm Fiesta De Los Ninos , Port San Antonio, 200 Goodrich Dr This is a party for the “pint-sized folks!” Children can enjoy games and rides in a safe, alcohol-free environment. Enjoy music and dance by some of San Antonio’s finest entertainers, plenty of food booths and the Sombrero Loco parade at Noon-a kids’ parade. Admission is free. April 23 RivALZ: Blondes vs. Brunettes Football Game Alamo Stadium, 110 Tuleta Dr This is a volunteer-driven event that engages young

Two students crack cascarones over each other’s head at Fiesta® UTSA during the 125th Fiesta® San Antonio.

Fiesta is a citywide tradition that is only getting better with age. 2017 will feature several new events and special celebrations. “There’s some big things happening in 2017,” said Westerman. For the foodies, the San Antonio Food Bank, benefitting the Food Bank and Mission Heritage Partners, will host Fiesta at the Farm. A “farm table” dinner held under the evening sky at San Antonio’s historic Mission San Juan Capistrano featuring a multi-course dinner of locally grown and seasonal foods. For those interested in the emerging tech scene in San Antonio, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce will produce Fiesta Tech Trek where over the course of an evening, “trekkers” will visit participating tech companies, enjoy food and beverages, and get an inside look into San Antonio’s downtown Tech District. professionals in friendly but fierce flag football game. Onehundred percent of the funds raised benefit the Alzheimer’s Association – San Antonio Chapter. Tickets are $10. After the game party at Burleson Beer Garden. April 24: 7 pm – 9 pm The Texas Cavaliers River Parade. River Walk, San Antonio This year’s parade, entitled “Kaleidoscope” promises an evening of family fun with live music, celebrities, lights and over 45 festive floats sponsored by community organizations and military installations. Admission $14 – $26. Tickets available for purchase at The Texas Cavaliers Office. April 25: 5 pm – 8 pm Fiesta Tech Trek, San Antonio Downtown Tech District Over the course of the evening, trekkers will visit participating tech companies, enjoy food, beverages, and get an inside look into San Antonio’s downtown Tech District and our emerging tech scene. A celebration of entrepreneurship, technology and Fiesta! Tickets are $10. April 26: 5 pm – 12 am Fiesta Gartenfest Beethoven Halle & Garden, 422 Pereida St Enjoy the Beethoven Maennerchor and the lively Biergarten as it fills with sounds of German entertainment, Gemuetlichkeit, German food and beverages, 50-piece concert band and other performers. Admission is $3 presale and $5 at the gate; children 12 and under are free. April 27: 5 pm – 9 pm Family Fiesta, Colonial Hills United Methodist Church

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And for an often overlooked group in our community, those living with or caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, the San Antonio Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will host RivALZ: Blondes v. Brunettes Football Game, a friendly (but fierce!) game of flag football. Planners describe it as a “dementia-friendly” event with plenty of volunteers to enable caregivers to enjoy Fiesta knowing that their loved one is in good hands. Finally, Valero Texas Open will host its Valero Texas Open 19th Hole Fiesta presented by Kickstart by Mountain Dew. After the last putt drops on the third round of the tournament, golf fans and non-golf fans alike will be treated to a fun-filled evening of Fiesta food, beverages, yard games and entertainment by the Spazmatics. “From music and art to fitness and food, there is an event (or several) for everyone!” said Westerman. “We encourage new residents and seasoned festival-goers to take a close look at our schedule and try something new this year. For those looking for a must-do event, Fiesta Fiesta is a great way to kick-off your Fiesta schedule with a taste of some of the best traditions of Fiesta in a single evening.” For a detailed schedule of events and helpful tips to enjoy your Fiesta outing, visit www.fiesta-sa.org. Check out a sampling of Fiesta events below and make the most of this very special, and very fun, time of year! 5247 Vance Jackson Rd The Family Fiesta is fun for kids of all ages and is alcohol and smoke-free. Features food, inflatables, train ride, petting zoo, pony ride, face painting, balloon clown, cascarónes and games. Admission, parking and entertainment are free. Some attractions and food cost $1 – $6. April 28: 12:20 pm – 4 pm Battle of Flowers Parade Parade Route, E. Grayson & Broadway The second largest day parade in the U.S., the Battle of Flowers® Parade supports the educational, artistic, social and philanthropic achievements of our community’s youth and holds the distinction of being the first celebration to be held in Alamo Plaza. Admission is $12 – $25. April 29: 9 am – 6 pm King William Fair Parade King William Historic District, 122 Madison St The 50th King William Fair is a family fair with art and craft vendors, live music and dance on five stages, food and beverage booths, a Kids Kingdom play area and a parade, all on the streets of the historic district. Admission is $10; children 12 and under are free. April 30: 1 pm – 8 pm Fiesta de Cascarónes, One University Way Celebrate the final day of Fiesta® with Texas A&M University – San Antonio’s FESTIVAL DE CASCARÓNES! Now in its sixth year, the culmination of the city’s most vibrant celebrations of culture will take place at one of the fastest growing universities in the state. This is a free event.

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Spring Has Sprung In San Antonio S By Alissa Reinhard

Easter Ideas For The Whole Family

pring in San Antonio is a special time of year. It’s time to enjoy the few remaining weeks of spring weather – not too cold, not too hot – the bluebonnets are in full bloom, and it’s Easter time! There are many Easter traditions that families across the world enjoy. Some attend Easter Sunday services to celebrate the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, and Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Many spend hours hard-boiling, dying and decorating eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide. Then, parents (or the Easter Bunny himself) fills Easter baskets brimming with chocolate bunnies, candy eggs and other treats for the little ones. Others gather with friends and family around the dinner table for a delicious, sit-down meal. Here’s a few fun facts you may not have known about Easter. • Over 90 million chocolate bunnies are made each year. • Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry. • The Easter bunny reportedly was introduced to America by the German immigrants who brought over their stories of an egg-laying hare. • The decoration of eggs is believed to date back to at least the 13th century. • In the year 325CE, the Council of Nicea determined that Easter would be held on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. No matter how you choose to celebrate, there are plenty of fun things to do around town for Easter, especially for children. Take a look below, we’ve compiled just a few. Visit each website for more information. Enjoy this wonderful time of year with the whole family and if you have little ones, cherish these days . . . they won’t last forever!

Mays Family YMCA Easter Egg Hunt Mays Family YMCA at Stone Oak, 21654 Blanco Rd April 14 • 6:15 pm – 8:15 p.m. www.facebook.com/MaysYMCA Bring your Easter baskets! Also, photos with Easter bunny.

Maggiano’s Breakfast with the Easter Bunny Maggiano’s Little Italy, 17603 Interstate Highway 10 April 9 • 10 am – Noon www.maggianos.com Reservations required.

J.W. Marriott Easter Sunday Buffet 23808 Resort Pkwy April 16 www.marriott.com Hotel reservation required.

Photos With The Easter Bunny at Northstar Mall North Star Mall – Macy’s Court March 21 – April 15 www.northstarmall.com/events Save 30% when you pre-order a photo package online.

Bass Pro Shop - Easter Photos & Event 17907 W Interstate 10 Photos April 8 – 16. Easter Egg Hunt April 15. www.basspro.com/SanAntonio Contact store for times. Free 4x6 Photos, free crafts and a free Egg Hunt!

Peeps® Egg Hunt at Six Flags April 15 www.sixflags.com/fiestatexas/special-events Valid park entry required. Early registration begins at 8 am

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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1. Bring all items to a boil in a large stock San A under the weather I went to the good old pot and cook for 10 minutes. google to look up what were the best foods 21 OFFER/COPY 2. Simmer for 20 Minutes to eat to help prevent cold and flu. Can you elementsmas customize copy,double-click it and a menu will 3.on Strain. guessTo what was theyour firstoffer itemorthat popped Ingredients for Caldo: open from the rightenough side ofthe theitem screen. your offer/copy from up? Seafood! Ironically that Select 1 cupsubmit of Green Bell Peppers rough cut wouldthe help protect my immune wasnot appear, ones available. If your system offer does a creative 1 cup of Red Bell Peppers rough cut with me every at work!forSo, needlessoffer to block. request onday MyStudio a custom 1½ stalks of celery rough cut say, I’ve been hitting the seafood hard and 1½ cups of white onion rough cut feeling much better! Address 2 Ears of Corn Sliced 1 inch thick Seafood is excellent for when you have 1½your cupsdocument, carrots rough chop a coldIfor flu need as it contains tons ofone benefi cial you more than location on ½ cup of red potatoes rough chop nutrients. Shellfi sh such as crabs, lobsters drag the default address boxes off the template and 1½ tomatoes rough chop and oysters are a good source of selenium drag the ones you need onto the template. Note: The cups Cabbage rough chop whichaddress contributes to the production of white information for the alternate 1½ lock-ups will need 1 ½ pounds Medium Large Shrimp Peeled blood cells that fight off flu viruses. Oysters to be are also richentered in zinc. manually. Zinc is an important and Deveined 1- 2-4 pounds whole red snapper cut in 1 mineral for cell function and your immune Positioning system. Zinc prevents Grid infections, acting inch steaks 1 cup vegetable against viruses and assistance bacteria and in stimulating If you need positioning items on the oil immune system response. Shrimp is also Directions: template, drag the "positioning grid" onto the template. 1. Preheat stock pot to medium high with a good source of zinc, iron, protein and UseB.it All as aofguide line items template. Drag cup of vegetable oil. vitamin whichtoare allup vital for on1 the it back off the template to preview your layout and 2. Add peppers, onions, and carrots and immune system health. Fish such as salmon before youomega-3 submitfatty theacids, document approval. sauté until translucent. contains essential which for 3. Add remaining vegetables and sauté help to protect your respiratory system from for 7 minutes. common cold and flu. 4. Add stock and simmer for 15 minutes Now what’s my favorite recipe for getting all these healthy benefits? We don’t have to stirring occasionally. 5. Add snapper and cook for 5 minutes, look any further than my great grandmother, Tencha and her Caldo recipe. Tencha (my stir gently to keep ﬁsh steaks from falling grandfather Gilbert’s mother) would always apart. 6. Add Shrimp, season to taste, and cook make this to keep my grandfather healthy during the cold winters fishing the Laguna for 5 more minutes. 7. Finish by adding cilantro, stir, serve Madre. From our family to yours here is and enjoy a beloved Groomer family Tencha’s Caldo tradition!! (serve with lime wedges and Ingredients for Stock: sliced jalapenos for an added kick) 3 Snapper bodies heads and bones 2 gallons water

Real Estate Is A Service Business

By Bill Barkley, Owner/Broker River Valley Real Estate (210) 853-5327 ne of my favorite quotes to share with table is service. One word that encompasses my customers and clients is, “I have a high degree of current market knowledge, never sold a home in my career.” clear and concise understanding of the I have actually sold and closed countless legal documents involved, understanding homes during the 27 years I have been in the of the process and making it as efficient as business, so, depending on your perspective, possible, prompt and accurate responses that quote is either 100% false or 100% true. to your questions, strong problem solving The meaning behind the quote is the subject abilities, being able to work effectively with matter of interest. Purchasing a home is a your lender, inspectors, the title company very personal experience as well as a giant and others involved in the transaction, and financial obligation, and as such, homes and being capable of building a relationship home buyers should always find each other, with you that you trust. You should never all be it with a little help from their Realtor. feel pressured to make an offer or accept a That is to say, each home buyer should have counter offer. Instead, you should simply be a feeling when they decide to extend an presented with all the pertinent information offer that they have found their perfect or needed to make the most informed decision ideal home. Anything short of that could be that is best for you. construed as settling. From this perspective, So, next time your think about making I can say with 100% honesty that I have that big move, give me a call. Allow me the never convinced a buyer to purchase a home. opportunity to serve your interests while we What a good Realtor will bring to the hunt for your next dream home.

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Meet The Rattler Guard Armed Drill Team Submitted By John Tijerina s one of the most celebrated extracurricular teams in the Rattler Battalion, the Rattler Guard Armed Drill Team competes in precision marching drill and ceremonies (drill, for short) in the same four events as the Diamondback Unarmed Drill Team from Part I of this series. Displaying the same extreme proficiency in Inspection, Regulation Drill, Exhibition Drill, and Color Guard (Teams article Part II), the Rattler Guard differs from the Diamondbacks in that they utilize the M1903 Springfield, demilitarized rifle. The drill rifle is 43.2 inches in length and weighs 8.7 pounds. The exhibition rifles used by the team are chromed so this adds additional weight bringing the rifles total weight to over nine pounds. To be a top competitor, team members must have great self-discipline, attention to detail, be team-oriented, be in relatively

good physical condition, and have the desire to be the best. Mandatory practice begins every year in mid-July. Cadets are taught the basics of drill and ceremony such as individual movements and marching steps before moving on to squad, then platoon drill. Only after mastering the basics do they begin learning the movements with the Springfield rifles. The next stage is learning the different rifle movements and spins necessary for the exhibition, or “fancy,” part of drill. While different teams from different schools have varied names for these movements, the Rattler Guard learns the single, double, and triple spins, the single and double overhand, as well as the vader, whopper, and extended kickback, to name a few. The competitive season begins just a few weeks after the start of the school year with local and in-state competitions during the first semester then moves into regional and national level competitions in second semester

Reagan Choir Performs With Iconic Rock Group Submitted By Marcela Arreola hen the iconic rock band Foreigner came to the Majestic Theater on February 2, they played one of their legendary hits, “I Want To Know What Love Is,” accompanied by talented teenaged singers from Reagan High School Choir. Foreigner usually sings the classic ballad backed by a live choir and chose the outstanding Reagan Choir for their San Antonio concert. The band reached out to several local high schools in the area and Reagan was the first to say yes. As part of the Grammy Foundation’s mission of promoting music education, Foreigner generously donated $500 to the Reagan Choir program. The students

Meet the Reagan High School Rattler Guard Armed Drill Team.

with the 5th Brigade Drill Championships here in San Antonio (February), the Army National Drill Championships in Louisville, Kentucky (March/April), and finishing up with the National High School All-Service Drill Team Championships in Daytona, Florida in early May.

While it takes a lot of hard work to be a part of this team, Cadets are rewarded with camaraderie, a better sense of teamwork, increased self-discipline and a sense of pride in a job well-done. Of course, there are the trophies, too!

Reagan Recognizes National Merit Finalists

Reagan Choir was selected to perform with Foreigner during their sold out concert at the Majestic Theater on February 2.

received the opportunity of a lifetime at the sold-out show

Reagan Speech And Debate On Winning Streak

Reagan Speech at the Churchill Classic Tournament.

Submitted By Rhea Kamat ven though the school year is winding down, Reagan Speech and Debate is continuing their impressive winning streak. With a different competition each weekend, Reagan Forensics has had numerous opportunities to demonstrate their talent. At the National Glenbrooks Tournament in Chicago, Reagan placed first out in the entire country. Similarly, Reagan Speech

and Debate placed first at the annual UT Austin Longhorn Classic Tournament. The team currently has 27 competitors qualified for state: Arasha Lalani, Katie Morris, Rhea Kamat, Susana Gutierrez, Christina Gayton, and Diego Quesada in Original Oratory; Juan Nunez, Christina Gayton, Susana Gutierrez, Liat Rosenberg, Kaylyn Pederson, Diego Quesada, and Kylee Nichols in Dramatic Interpretation; Harrison Webster, Susana Gutierrez, Arasha Lalani, Christina

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Twelve Reagan High School students were recognized as National Merit Finalists, the most out of any school in the San Antonio area.

Submitted By Marcela Arreola his February, twelve Reagan High School students were recognized as National Merit Finalists, making Reagan the school with the most number of finalists in both public and private schools in the San Antonio area. In order to be recognized as a finalist, each student must first participate in the PSAT their junior year of high school, which is taken by

approximately 1.5 million students each year. Only about one percent of these students qualify as National Merit Semifinalists and even less (about 15,000) continue on to become Finalists. The Reagan community is so proud to have these students as Reagan Rattlers. They are a true testament to the amazing efforts and hard work put in by both teacher and student each and every day.

Gayton, Pablo Labiago, and Erica Martinez in Humorous Interpretation; Christina Gayton/Juan Nunez, Rhea Kamat/Arasha Lalani, Susana Gutierrez/Diego Quesada, and Erica Martinez/Leyla Montemayor in Duo Interpretation; Payton Antonacci/ Kaylyn Pederson and Liat Rosenberg/ Harrison Webster in Duet Acting; Julian Galaz/Osman Khan, Anna Chavez/Jamie Volz, Harris Siddiqi/Alex Sodders, Afra Khan/Emma Li, Andy Liu/Alex Sodders, and Zory Montemayor/Jamie Volz in Cross Examination Debate; and Reeda Virani and Michael Corser in Lincoln Douglas Debate. National Glenbrooks Tournament winners include Juan Nunez- 1st DUO, 1st POI; Christina Gayton- 1st DUO, 4th HI; Katie Morris- 3rd INFO, 4th OO; Arasha Lalani- 1st OO, Kaylyn Pederson- Semis DI, Quarters POI; Rhea Kamat- Semis OO, Diego Quesada- Semis OO; Alex CastroSemis POI; Kylee Nichols- Semis DUO; Harrison Webster- Semis DUO; and Liat Rosenberg- Quarters DI.

UT Austin Longhorn Classic Tournament winners include Juan Nunez- 1st DUO, 2nd OI, 2nd POI (1st Top Speaker); Arasha Lalani- 1st OO, 1st HI, 4th DUO (2nd Top Speaker); Christina Gayton- 1st DUO, 3rd OO, 5th INFO (4th Top Speaker); Rhea Kamat- 2nd OO, 4th DUO; Katie Morris- 1st INFO, 6th OO; Kaylyn Pederson- 3rd OI, 6th POI, 6th INFO, 7th DI; Susana Gutierrez- 3rd DI, 7th HI; Diego Quesada- 6th OI, 7th OO; Alex Castro- 3rd POI; Haaris Siddiqi and Alex Sodders- Semis Policy; Reeda ViraniTriples LD; and Michael Corser- Triples LD. University of Houston Tournament winners include Haaris Siddiqi and Alex Sodders- Quarters Policy. In February, Reagan Speech and Debate tested their skills at the District tournament with the winners qualifying for the National Speech and Debate tournament. Also in February, Debate Team also headed off to the National Berkeley Tournament in California. Overall, Reagan Forensics is on quite the winning streak with no plans of slowing down.

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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New In-Office Procedure For Sinus Sufferers

By Christine Gilliam, MD Everyone’s ENT & Sinus Center (210) 647-3838 n-office endoscopic septoplasty. What nasal obstruction, but can also cause does that mean? Well, endoscopic turbulent airflow causing increased mucus, means performed under the assistance nasal irritation, and potentially snoring. The of a scope that helps magnify the area and septum for some can even cause narrowing provides an up close view in a potentially around the outflow tract of the sinuses. small space. And septoplasty is a surgery Why in-office? With the invention that straightens the nasal septum (the of balloon sinuplasty, otolaryngologists divider in your nose separating the two such as Christine Gilliam, MD have been nasal passages). Now, wait – all of this in able to decrease recovery time of sinus the office? You got it. Dr Christine Gilliam, surgery with continued benefits. However, board certified otolaryngologist is the first there are items the balloon cannot correct, in San Antonio and one of the first in the such as a deviated septum. Now, with state to offer this surgery. new technology and the expertise of sinus Is that the same as balloon sinuplasty? surgeons such as Dr Gilliam, we can offer No, sir! Balloon sinuplasty is a procedure in-office septoplasty at the time of your that can be done in the office with a balloon balloon sinuplasty to treat all your issues at similar to one used to open vessels within the same time. the heart. The balloon is passed into the Christine Gilliam, MD was one of sinuses to open them up to help relieve the first in San Antonio to offer balloon sinus pressure, open the nature outflow sinuplasty in 2006. She has been consistently track of the sinuses, and let mucus drain performing a variety of complicated sinus from the sinuses. This is done for chronic and nasal surgeries for the last 15 years, and sinusitis and recurrent sinus infections. is now the first in San Antonio to offer inThe balloon cannot be used to straighten office septoplasty in 2016. Give us a call at the septum. The septum and the sinuses Everyone’s ENT and Sinus Center to see are both accessed through your nose but what will work best for you. have different functions and are completely To make an appointment or learn more different structures. about Everyone’s ENT and Sinus Center Why do you need to straighten a and Dr. Christine Gilliam, visit www. septum? A deviated septum can cause everyonesent.com or call 210-647-3838. airflow blockage. This can cause obvious

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Concordia Lutheran Seventh Graders Earn Top Honors

Terri Saari US Air Force, Retired ABR, SFR, SRS, GRI, SRES, MRP, AHLS, MCNE

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Concordia Lutheran San Antonio Book Festival finalists Claire Rollwitz, Ayden Thoma and Elizabeth Walter were surprised at school by two Texas Cavaliers whose group sponsors the festival.

Seventh grader Ayden Thoma learned he was the winner of the Book Festival’s middle school division in front of his peers, parents and the Concordia Lutheran school community.

Submitted By Deb Rich Herczeg hree Concordia Lutheran School students were honored as finalists in the San Antonio Book Festival writing contest sponsored by the Texas Cavaliers. Concordia was the only school to have three students named as finalists. Of the three finalists, Concordia Lutheran’s Ayden Thoma took home first and Claire Rollwitz finished third in the middle school division. The San Antonio Book Festival and the Texas Cavaliers work together to award prizes and celebrate the winners. Two Cavaliers and several representatives from the San Antonio Book Festival visited Concordia’s campus to surprise the students with the news of their success with flowers and balloons in front of their peers, parents, teachers and administrators. Cheers erupted as Ayden Thoma was named winner of the middle school division. Ayden’s essay, “All in This Together,” was one of approximately 130 essays entered. It

tells of a boy, bullied at school and facing family troubles, whose story inspires his community to come together. Ayden was stunned to learn of his accomplishment, and even more shocked to learn that the prize package includes cash awards for himself and for Concordia, recognition at the Book Festival, and free Whataburger for a year. Claire Rollwitz finished third place in the middle school division while Elizabeth Walter was honored as a finalist as well. All three students were excited to be recognized and enjoyed working on their pieces. Dana Maresh, seventh grade English teacher, could not be more proud of her students’ success. She plans to continue to seek opportunities for students to share their writing. Ayden, along with the winners of the high school division, will ride on the Grand Marshal’s River Parade float and will be honored at the San Antonio Book Festival on April 8. The winning essays from all three divisions are published on the San Antonio Book Festival website.

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Holy Spirit Catholic School Principal Honored Submitted By Mary Delaney hen you take an individual with 30+ years of experience in administration and education, coupled with a seasoned and talented staff, the combination is dynamic. This is such the case at Holy Spirit Catholic School (HSCS). In February 2017, level leaders collaborated on nominating their principal, Mrs. Margaret Webb, for the Outstanding Leader in Catholic Education. Official results were revealed in early March from the archdiocese and Mrs. Webb did indeed make the cut. She will formally accept the award in May. In 2012, Mrs. Webb came to HSCS armed with Catholic values, leadership skills and a great passion for Catholic education. She quickly identified the school’s strengths and challenges while developing her vision for the direction of the school and community. Among her priorities was the establishment of professional development for teachers that included innovative educational trends. She has enhanced current programs and established new ones to better serve the needs of her students. Mrs. Webb’s leadership skills are apparent when she leads staff meetings, especially HSCS’s “Back to School Inservice Week.” She is always modeling and using her creative ideas to bring faculty

meetings to life. Beginning with a prayer or a scripture reading, there is a connection or lesson the faculty can use for reflection. Mrs. Webb is a visionary with an extraordinary ability to foresee the needs and challenges of her school and plan ahead to meet those challenges should they arise. Mrs. Webb is also known for her “open door policy” benefitting everyone from a teacher with a problem to a parent with a concern. She will always stop what she is doing and take time to listen. She is constantly walking the campus, popping into classrooms and joining in on lessons being taught. She will make a point to greet parents with a smile every morning in car line. She loves to converse and ask the students for their opinion on new ideas she may have. For example, she consulted the eighth graders for input on the class gift, and the design for a new Spirit day t-shirt. Mrs. Webb is very involved with the School Council and Parent Teacher Council. She serves on various committees. Some include Building Fund Committee, Strategic Planning, and on other committees related to the Archdiocese. Although Mrs. Webb lives out of town and is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Comfort, Texas, she makes a point of occasionally attending Sunday Masses at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. On special occasions, she is asked

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(L-R) Holy Spirit Catholic School’s Director of Admissions and Communication Mary Delaney, Principal Margaret Webb, and Counselor and Campus Minister Maria SisonAbinsay pose after announcing to faculty and staff that their principal, Mrs. Webb, was chosen for Outstanding Leader Award for Archdiocese of San Antonio.

to speak to the congregation. For example, during the 2016 Catholic Schools Week, her inspiring and motivating speech moved a parishioner to donate a substantial amount of money to the school. Her passion for Catholic education radiates with her actions, words and deeds. The Holy Spirit community is very blessed to have a leader that will always put God first to help lead the school.

Friendship Church Celebrates 10 Years Submitted By Julie Cook riendship Church, located at 28l and Bitters, just celebrated 10 years since its beginnings at Canyon Ridge Elementary School! The anniversary celebration came complete with music ministry of Shekinah Glory, a short narrated video of the joys and challenges of finding and following God’s will, a giant cake, and topped off with the release of 21 stone white doves from Amazing Grace Doves, signifying the Holy Spirit’s power which has brought us this far. As a local church with a world vision, Friendship Church has seen miracle after miracle of lives transformed, people discovering purpose in life, outreach to the needy, and financial provision. Friendship

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Innovation. Trust. Partnership. Friendship Church recently celebrated 10 years with a symbolic releasing of the doves.

church is a non-denominational, Biblebelieving church based on the verse that Jesus said in John l5:l5 “Behold I call you my friends.” If you are looking for something

authentic and people that are real swing by on Sunday, 9:00 or 11:00 a.m. for services, and bring the kids!

Reagan Orchestra Receives All-State Honors Submitted By Tara Ford or the first time in 10 years, two Reagan High School Orchestra students earned seats in the All-State Orchestras, the highest honor a high school orchestra student can achieve. In addition to receiving the honor, the students performed in the All-State music group alongside the best musicians Texas has to offer. The Texas Music Educators Association is the largest music educators association in the country dedicated to music education excellence. TMEA sponsors the annual All-Region and All-State auditions where 64,000 Texas students submit blind recorded auditions in string orchestra, philharmonic orchestra, and symphony orchestra. All-State students participated in a three day rehearsal with a nationally recognized conductor and then performed at the close of the convention to thousands of attendees.

Jared Lange, on bass, and Jenny Zhang, on violin, represented the Reagan High School Orchestra at the TMEA Clinic and Convention. “Students who participated in the process are subject to the pressure and stress of the audition while practicing to deliver a performance representative of one’s skill level,” said Lange. “Success depends on one’s ability to stay focused on an ultimate goal. To be accepted into the All-State Orchestra was immensely gratifying for all of the effort invested into the process.” “We are so proud of our two All-State musicians,” added Mr. Sixto Elizondo, Reagan High School Director of Orchestras. “Their achievement is a culmination of months of practice and years of training.” At Right: Reagan Orchestra students receive top honors.

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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Jana Dowling, REALTOR® Coldwell Banker D’Ann Harper, REALTORS® 18756 Stone Oak Parkway San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 483-7542 ofﬁce (210) 422-2445 mobile (210) 483-4595 fax jdowling@cbharper.com www.whylistwithus.com/658071 21

Why Did I Wait So Long To Move?

By Michelle Houriet, Executive Director Independence Hill Retirement Resort Community (210) 209-8956 wish I’d done this sooner…” This relief there would be from not having to take phrase is a commonly expressed care of a home; they would have joined our sentiment among residents at Independence Hill family much sooner. Independence Hill Retirement Community. So what is the big revelation? A longtime Whether it is just in passing, at a Newcomer’s resident puts it best. Social or during a Family Event; over and “I tried living with my kids but they eat over again we are told from residents and dinner at 8:00 p.m.,” he said. “I just like their families that if they had known what a living with people with similar interests and great social life there was here, how many schedules. We have different interests than new friends they’d have and how much stress our kids do, so I had to ‘fit’ into what they were planning. Now I have neighbors all around me with similar interests. I keep busy FREE each and every day doing things I like to do. ESTIMATES Things that are geared for me and where I am in my life. So when I spend time with my family we are doing something special and fun for all.” LAWN & L AN D S C A P I N G Several other residents have a similar story. Maybe they had lost a spouse, are Commercial Commercial && Residential Residential new to town having moved to be closer to Tree Tree Trimming Trimming •• Flower Flower Beds Beds family, or their neighbors were younger and busy working during the day so they found Lawn Lawn Maintenance Maintenance themselves spending too much time alone. Once they made the move to Independence Fence Staining Fence Staining Hill, they quickly realized that they had been Concrete missing out on. Concrete •• Hardscaping Hardscaping “The friendships I have made here are Power Power Washing Washing priceless,” another resident, Ms. Classen

“I

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shuttle you to appointments, shopping or to run errands? Why not live where you will have friends, feel secure and have a blast! Why not live in a retirement community that has so many advantages – peace of mind for my family, and me, great neighbors, housekeeping services, excellent meals, transportation and a friendly staff?” The only way to experience the Independence Hill way of life is to come by and see it for yourself. Don’t regret waiting another day. Call our Lifestyle Specialists at (210) 209-8956 to set up your personal tour. Independence Hill Retirement Resort Community is located at 20450 Huebner Rd., San Antonio, TX 78258. For more information, call (210) 209-8956 or visit www.independencehill.com.

Will Your Child Survive Middle School Next Year?

QUENEDIT BALLET SCHOOL Catalina Garza & Ernesto Quenedit Artistic Directors

shared. “I came from a home on three acres and while I had neighbors, I didn’t feel like I did. I did not know what I was missing until I moved to Independence Hill where I have close neighbors with whom I have so much in common. We look out for each other and there is always someone to do something fun with or to join you for dinner.” Bottom line, people want to remain independent where they are free to do what they want when they want. “Independence” is the name (literally) of the game at Independence Hill Retirement Community. Everything possible is done to allow residents to remain independent, from providing a variety of fitness classes to stay fit, tons of social opportunities to stay stimulated and active and by making life just a little easier by providing services that allow the time to play. Resident Mrs. Holmes sums it up beautifully. “When someone asks me why I moved to Independence Hill, I say – ‘Why not?’ she explained. “Why live alone in a big house and have to depend on family or friends to

By Leslie Jernigan, M.A. Learning Foundations Diagnostic and Learning Center 210-495-2626

t’s past bedtime. You are tired, frustrated, and your child is not even close to being finished with homework. It often feels like YOU are the one going to school all over again. And this time, there are tears, tantrums and emotional fatigue when you see your obviously smart child struggling so much with homework. Even though fifth grade is almost over, any feelings of relief are mitigated by nagging fears of what middle school will be like next year. If we’re struggling this much now, what will happen when he has to do all this by himself, and be accountable to five or more teachers next year? The transition between elementary and middle school can be a difficult time for children and parents alike. For children, changing schools, changing teachers and their own changing bodies can create instability, moodiness and uncertainty. Academic struggles can add to the uncertainty and whittle away at self-esteem. For parents, schedules, book reports, projects and the fears of misguided decisions by their teens can make middle school years traumatic. It’s hard not to worry about the decisions that could endanger the child’s future. The following are five critical skills that your child will need in order to be successful in middle school: Study skills – Creating strategies to understand and retain course material Writing skills – Being able to organize thoughts and putting them on paper clearly

and concisely. Note taking skills – Identifying relevant information and organizing it in ways that make sense. Organization skills – Managing and keeping schedules, planning ahead, organizing materials will keep you from having to drive back to school in the morning because he forgot his completed homework. Social skills – Monitoring emotions and making smart choices while managing peer pressure can be THE defining factor when dealing as a teen. This will give you peace of mind that in knowing that your teen has strong values and will not be negatively influenced by social media, friends or classmates. You might notice that intelligence isn’t on the list. Your child could be the smartest girl in school (and by middle school, she may ACT like she is), but if she doesn’t have these requisite skills, she may feel as if the ground is falling under her. And whatever tricks and compensations she’s relied on to get by in the past may no longer work. These five skills make up your child’s executive function. As executive function develops throughout adolescence, young people are given more responsibilities and control in their own decision-making. They will be expected and will want to do more things independently. Executive function is the “inner CEO” that manages their decisionmaking process and helps them make smart choices. The good news is that executive function

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skills can be trained. Building a strong foundation in these skills over the summer can be the difference between being the parent of a middle-schooler and being the one who has returned to middle school yourself. Be proactive in strengthening your child’s executive function skills now, so you don’t have to worry about your teenager’s choices in the future. If you would like to find out how to empower your child with strong executive function skills, please visit www. learningfoundations.com/free-parentseminar to attend a free training session for parents. Leslie Jernigan has a Masters Degree in School Psychology and is Director of Assessment at Learning Foundations Cognitive Training Center. If you have a child that is struggling in school, contact (210) 495-2626 or visit www. learningfoundations.com for more information on how to get help for your child.

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Reagan DECA Chapter Experiences Unprecedented Success

The Reagan High School DECA chapter experienced unprecedented success at this year’s Annual State Career Development Conference & Competition on February 23-25.

Submitted By Marcela Arreola he School-Based Enterprise at Reagan High School was among 360 schoolbased enterprises in the United States achieving Gold Level Certification this year and will be recognized at DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California. The students who worked on the certification were Nataliya Gowan, Erina Varela, and Maria Jimenez, with the assistance of their advisor, Michelle Moore. The schoolbased enterprise at Reagan High School has operated for 17 years and is to be commended for this achievement. A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in Marketing, Finance, Hospitality and Management. Marketing educators and DECA advisors have utilized this effective educational tool for over four decades to provide their students with realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction, enhance 21st century skill development, and prepare students for college and careers. The Reagan High School DECA chapter also experienced unprecedented success at this year’s Annual State Career Development

The School-Based Enterprise at Reagan was among 360 school-based enterprises in the United States achieving Gold Level Certification thanks to the work of Nataliya Gowan, Erina Varela, and Maria Jimenez, with the assistance of their advisor, Michelle Moore.

Conference & Competition on February 23-25. Reagan began its competition year with 77 students competing at the District Level. Of those 77 students, 59 advanced to the State Competition held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The 59 students competed in various areas of Marketing, Finance, Hospitality, and Management in role-play competitions and prepared written events. Reagan High School has consistently advanced two to four students from the State Competition to the International Competition each year for the last decade. This year, due to their exceptional work and preparedness, nine students will be advancing to the International Competition in Anaheim, California on April 26-30. The following students will move forward to compete for an International title: Reeda Virani (Advertising Campaign); Julianne Lefelhocz (Start-Up Business Plan); Sebastian Cohn (Personal Financial Literacy); Benjamin Farias (Sports & Entertainment Marketing); Arasha Lalani and Rhea Kamat (Community Service Project); and Nataliya Gowan, Maria Jimenez and Erina Varela (Student Based Enterprise). In addition to event winners, Reagan also had two students medal in their events: Karla Galbo (Apparel & Accessories Marketing) and Marianne Nader (Principles of Business Management).

Students Should Know: It’s Time To Finish Strong!

By Steve Johnson, Owner of College Nannies + Sitters + Tutors s spring fever distracting your student from their studies? It’s that time of year; flowers bloom and spring sports are in full swing. Excitement is growing with the knowledge that summer is just around the corner. Yet, before we reach summer, we have to finish the school year and finish it strong. With only about eight weeks remaining and critical test season about to begin, it is important for students to stay focused on the end game. As parents, we need to ensure our students don’t fade during the final weeks of school. Now is the time to review the rules set at the beginning of the school year and

Lopez Drama Champions

make adjustments as necessary. With extra daylight and increased activities, it’s easy for homework to fall by the wayside. Sticking to a plan and schedule is now more critical than ever. At College Tutors, we know that goals differ at this time of year. Some students need to maintain a GPA for high school or college entrance. Other students need help finishing projects, studying for final exams, or preparing for standardized tests. High school juniors need to be reminded that college applications are on the horizon and every grade counts towards that cumulative GPA. High school students also face AP tests and juniors should be in the midst of preparing to take the SAT or ACT. Spring of

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Lopez Drama won the NEISD UIL One Act Play competition in February, placing first in the large school division of plays with their production of “Dark Road.”

Submitted By Christi Eanes ongratulations to Lopez Drama for winning the NEISD UIL One Act Play competition held at Eisenhower Middle School on February 25. Lopez won first place in the large school division of plays with their production of “Dark Road” by Laura Lundgren Smith. Individual awards went to Shreyas Misra, Best Actor Overall; Emma Sanchez, All Star cast; Hannah Randall and Alyssa Cameron, Honorable Mention All Star cast; Rory McLean and Kenzie Corbitt, Outstanding Technical Crew. The play is set in 1946 Germany. When Greta, a young girl living in Nazi Germany, reads that the nearby women’s concentration camp is hiring guards, she sees it as a chance to find her place in the world and provide for her sister, Lise. But soon she learns the reality of her duties, and so too does she learn how to justify her crimes, heading further and further down the dark road laid by the Third Reich. Kindhearted Lise is shocked at what her sister becomes, and though the two

drift apart, their fates remain inextricably and dangerously linked. A powerful drama about the choices that allow evil to become ordinary. Lopez Drama began thinking win win in December when invited theatre students auditioned for the play. Beginning with the end in mind, the rehearsal process took place daily through January and February. The cast and crew included sixth graders Alexa Gonzalez, Rachel Butler, Joshua Stephan; seventh graders Claire Caven, Lizzie Baseley, Alyssa Cameron, Jack Ramsay, Reagan Huskisson; eigth graders Kayla Armbruster, Janae Porter, Hannah Randall, Emma Sanchez, Maggie Joyce, Rory McLean, Kenzie Corbitt, Emma Arnold, Preston Wilder, Shreyas Misra, Talia Bernstein, Jiana Kevilus, and Cara Staffier. Many thanks to the Lopez administration, faculty, staff and Drama parents for their support of this production! Congratulations Lopez Champions!

junior year is the best time to take the test for the first time as a good score increases chances for early college admission. If standardized tests are on the horizon for your children, help them alleviate the anxiety they likely feel by utilizing free practice tests available at school or online. Careful preparation and practice help students feel more relaxed and confident on test day. Experts agree: confidence is the make or break factor for test performance. Our tip? Taking timed practice tests is especially effective preparation, as it is often the stress of being timed, not the content, that produces anxiety. Making sure your student is getting enough sleep and setting adequate time aside for study will help them stay on top of tests and projects. If your student is moving into the danger zone with grades, homework,

or focus, consider one-on-one tutoring to ensure a strong finish to the school year. It’s not too late to turn a C into a B or a B into an A! Parents should focus on their student’s individual needs; create a specific statement of goals for each child and develop a plan to help them reach those goals. The end of the school year is a very popular time for additional tutoring and appointments fill up fast. Be sure to get your child the help they need to finish strong. The staff at College Tutors can recommend strategies for homework help, study skills, essay writing and college test prep. Contact us at 210-202-0303 or email nwsanantonio@collegetutors.com. We will be happy to answer your questions and recommend a personalized approach for your child.

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Ribbon Cuttings And Grand Openings Salons By Kaye Ribbon Cutting

information on appointments, services, or to inquire about suite space availability and a tour please call (210) 402-4094.

Pet Wants Ribbon Cutting

Salons by Kaye, will soon celebrate the milestone of their first anniversary. However, when February 16th arrived, it found owner, Kaye Harper Contreras, her staff and independent suite operators in a festive mood to celebrate! The festivities began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by Kaye and the Stone Oak Business Association, after which all those attending enjoyed refreshments and drawings for services and products. Salons by Kaye, the creative vision of Kaye Harper Contreras, brings a variety of beauty service providers including; Hair Stylists, Cosmetologists, Nail Technicians, Lash Extension Specialist, Threading & Henna Specialist and a full skin care and wellness studio. In addition, Salons by Kaye offers a clothing boutique “Collections by Kaye” that hosts the latest in fashion housed in one convenient location at 17910 Bulverde Road. For more

The Stone Oak Business Association celebrated the opening of the first Pet Wants in San Antonio on March 16, 2017. When Carlos and Gloria DeLeon were trying to find the best food to help their dog Charlie overcome her stomach issues, they found that Pet Wants’ specially-designed, fresh formula made all the difference. Now the two are proud to announce that they’re bringing Pet Wants to their own community with the launch of their new business, Pet Wants of North San Antonio. Pet Wants’ carefully developed proprietary pet food is slow-cooked with fresh, all-natural ingredients. The company’s distributor makes the dog and cat food in small batches once per month so every kibble is guaranteed to be fresh and

packed with nutrition. Pet Wants of North San Antonio is a franchise of the Pet Wants Franchise Systems and the mobile service delivers to the entire north San Antonio, Texas, region. In addition to being made fresh monthly, Pet Wants only sources the best salmon, chicken, lamb brown rice and other ingredients available. There’s no sugar added, no fillers and no animal byproducts. And, since Pet Wants never uses corn, wheat, soy or dyes, the food is a great fit for pets with allergies. The business is built to provide proprietary crafted, fresh, slow-cooked, all natural pet food delivered to customers through a retail store and a convenient free home delivery service. To order Pet Wants food for your favorite companion or to lean about the company, call 210-239-6780, email cdeleon@petwants.com or visit www.PetWantsSanAntonioNorth.com

Lynell Lowry MD

15 years in Stone Oak! That is how long Lynell Lowry, MD has been practicing ophthalmology in the Stone Oak are.; 15 years. We invite you to come visit Dr. Lowry for your next comprehensive eye exam. It is our goal

and desire to take good care of you from the moment you enter our office. Mandy is our friendly, kind and knowledgeable front office staff that patients love to talk to. Eloise is our thorough, patient and personable technician who treats you well as she gets you ready to see the doctor. Dr. Lynell Lowry will then pay close attention to you and your eyes, as she treats you like family! Come and SEE what makes us unique as we take care of your visual needs and treat you well.

To have the Stone Oak Business Association assist you with your Grand Opening Celebration Call 210.348.8233 or visit stoneoakbusiness.com

Reagan Named Dance State Champs – Again! Submitted By Cari Goodyear eagan Dance dominated again at the Showmakers of America State Championships this March. The Diamond Dancers placed first in the Small Varsity division and earned a $500 check for The Pinnacle High Point Award as the team with the highest cumulative points overall in the competition. They were recognized as the Team High Score winners for each of their Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, and Kick routines within the categories of Showmanship, Choreography, Technique, and Entertainment, earning them overall Sweepstakes and Judges Awards as well. State Championship Award also was presented to the Diamond Dancer Officers consisting of Karlie Burrell, Kathryn Kiolbassa, Angela Kraus, Amy Opersteny, and Dawson Pressel based upon their Lyrical, Jazz, and Contemporary dances within the small team category. The Silver Stars Drill Team earned another State Championship in the Junior Varsity division, making it their astounding fourth consecutive year in a row as State Champs. Also presented with the Sweepstakes and Judges award, they received first place finishes in Showmanship, Choreography, and Precision for their Military, Jazz, Pom, and Hip Hop categories. Junior Varsity Officers Katelyn Gutierrez, Bailey Kennedy, Alanis Mireles, Natalie deBonoPaula, and Emma Wood demonstrated their outstanding Technique, Choreography, and Showmanship abilities and were awarded with a second place finish.

2017 State Championship First Place Winners Reagan Diamond Dancers and Silver Stars. (Photo courtesy of Holly Bristol.

In their second appearance at the SMA State Competition, the Charmers Pep Squad took second place honors with a winning performance in their Military routine with recognition of their Technical abilities and acknowledgement of their Team Showmanship with their Military and Jazz dances. Other notable recognition at State Competition included Soloist Karlie Burrell who earned third place; Duet by sisters Kathryn and Emily Kiolbassa who earned an impressive second place finish; and Diamond Officers Amy Opersteny and Dawson Pressel who placed fifth in State

with their moving duet. In several other Regional competitions this past February, numerous awards were received for Solo performances: Karlie Burrell (1st & 2nd place finishes); Angela Kraus (1st Runner Up); Taylor Bass (3rd Place & 4th Runner-Up); Eva Lorenz (2nd Runner-Up); Emily Cwiklik (1st Place); Brooke Lester (2nd Place); Hannah Cavazos (4th Place); and Emily Kiolbassa (1st Runner-Up in Pep division). Duet Dawson Pressel and Amy Opersteny shined with two first place awards. Sister duets Angela/Lindsey Kraus and Kathryn/Emily Kiolbassa both earned impressive First

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Runner-Up finishes. Diamond Dancer Officers earned Best in Class, Regional Champions with High Point. Both Diamond Dancer and Silver Star Teams were named Best of Best and Best in Class respectively with special recognition in Showmanship, Entertainment, Choreography, Precision, and Technique categories. In addition, Team Sweepstakes was also awarded to the Charmers Pep Squad team and Showmanship recognition in their Pom and Jazz routines. Congratulations on these outstanding accomplishments and a successful 2017 competition season.

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

Reagan Spirit Finale - Farewell Performance

Diamond Dancer Officers performing together for the last time as seniors (L-R Opersteny, Burrell, Pressel, Kiolbassa, Kraus) Photo courtesy of Holly Bristol.

Submitted By Cari Goodyear efore the school year comes to a close, Reagan Dance, Cheer and the Rattler Mascot will perform in their annual “Simply the Best” presentation at the end of April. After participating in fierce state and national competitions over the past few months, this program allows for the spirit members to relax, have fun and to showcase their talents to mark the end of their year together. The cheerleaders will perform an always entertaining routine, each pep squad class will demonstrate their dance skills, and the Diamond Dancers and Silver Stars are preparing a variety of jazz, hip hop, lyrical, high kick, tap, and modern dances. In addition, the Rattler mascot will be making a special appearance and the graduating seniors will be featured in an honored tribute. Family, friends, classmates and the community are all invited to attend on Thursday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m. or for an encore performance on Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. For tickets, please visit to the Rattlersports.com website and look for the URL link on the spirit programs

Silver Star Officers showcasing their talents (Clockwise: Gutierrez, Kennedy, Wood, Mireles, deBonoPaula) Photo courtesy of Holly Bristol.

page or contact a spirit member for further information. In between show days, the Reagan Spirit teams will be participating in the San Antonio Fiesta Battle of the Flowers parade Friday, April 28. If you will be in the downtown area to watch the parade, cheer loud when the Reagan band, cheerleaders, and dance groups pass by and let them hear your Reagan pride and support.

Lopez Science Whizzes Shine Submitted By Kim Neville opez Middle School has a couple of science whizzes on their hands – Natania Olsen and Kate Olson. Both girls competed in the Alamo Junior Academy of Science on January 28 and the Alamo Regional Science and Engineering Fair on February 24. Kate received the highest award in the category of Behavioral and Social Sciences for her project on determining the most visible color for crossing guard vests at the Alamo Junior Academy of Science. She also received a Director’s Award at the Alamo Regional Science and Engineer Fair. Natania also excelled, receiving 4th Grand Prize for her project, “Extrasolar Planets: What’s Out There” at the Alamo Junior Academy of Science. She then received 5th Prize at the Alamo Regional

Lopez students and science award winners Natania Olsen and Kate Olson.

Science and Engineering Fair. Way to go, Panthers!

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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2/8/13 4:52 PM

Reagan Winter Guard Hard At Work

Reagan High School Junior Varsity Winter Guard.

Submitted By Cathy Reed nder the direction of Noel Gabrintina and assisted by Camille Cornejo and Mariah Sutton, the Reagan Winter Guard has been hard at work since transitioning from the end of the fall marching season. While Color Guard performs with the marching band, incorporating flags, rifles, sabres and other props to make the show complete, Winter Guard is indoor color guard performed on large gym size floors and tarps to choreographed music. Using dance and some of the same spin equipment as is used during the fall, each winter guard show is about four to four and a half minutes long. The Winter Guard season begins with auditions and rehearsals in November, while competition season runs from January through April consisting of six shows. There are two performing groups at Reagan – Varsity and JV. With 18 members this season, Varsity Winter Guard’s show is titled “The Glass Ceiling,” performed to “Privacy of Number” by Philip Glass and choreographed by the Director of Invictus Independent World Winter Guard, Andy Mroczek. The show focuses on female empowerment and the breaking of ceilings and the tarp covering the floor supports that

with large female symbols. The JV Winter Guard has 24 members and this season is performing “Heavenly Day” using the same song title by Patty Griffin. Their props include tall clouds and they perform their routine on a cloud print floor. Just like in marching band, the goal is to allow the viewer to become immersed in the show, thus understanding the meaning. This season has already been making Reagan Winter Guard history! Both the Varsity and JV have received Division I rankings and have scored some of their highest finishes. At the Texas Color Guard Circuit (TCGC) Canyon, Varsity placed second while JV placed fourth. They followed that with TCGC Cedar Park where both groups improved to first and third place finishes, respectively. At Winter Guard International (WGI), the competition is a lot tougher but both groups have been doing great. They have competed in both the WGI San Antonio Regional and WGI Austin with Varsity placing as high as fourth place and JV making their way up to second place. They each have one more chance to show their stuff when JV travels to Pflugerville on March 25 for the JV State Championships and Varsity travels to their State Championships on April 1 at Texas

Reagan High School Varsity Winter Guard.

Junior Varsity Winter Guard’s show is entitled “Heavenly Varsity Winter Guard’s show this season is titled “The Day.” The team has 24 members this season. Glass Ceiling” which focuses on female empowerment.

A&M University. While most of their peers are having a little more relaxing weekend, a typical competition day for these kids begins with a call time of 5:30 a.m. and doesn’t end until around 1 a.m. – that’s a 20 hour Saturday! The students, along with their directors and parents, put in a lot of time and hard work in order to get everything just right.

Upcoming Events: UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest – April 10-12 at Madison High School Reagan Band Ensemble Dinner and Casino Night – April 25 Battle of the Flowers Band Festival – April 27 at Alamo Stadium Battle of Flowers Parade – April 28 Jazz Festival – April 29 at St. Mary’s University

Reagan Students Shine At TAFE Summit Submitted By Kecia Smedley he Ronald Reagan High School chapter of Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) attended the TAFE Teach Tomorrow Summit at the Arlington Convention Center and The University of Texas at Arlington, TX, February 16-19. TAFE is a statewide cocurricular Career and Technical Student Organization created to allow young men and women an opportunity to explore the teaching profession. Attendees to this fourday conference included members of TAFE, which consisted of approximately 1,700 students, interested in becoming educators. The conference gave these students the opportunity to meet others from around the state with the same interest, gain an understanding of what it takes to be a

successful college student, and learn the skills necessary for becoming a successful educator. This year’s conference theme was “Teachers go Beyond the Call of Duty. What’s Your Calling?” The students learned what it takes to accept the call to teaching. While at the conference, nine Reagan High School students participated in competitive events designed to offer future educators exciting, authentic opportunities to measure their creativity, skills, and initiative against high standards and against their peers from across the state. There are 35 competitive events and 19 of those events advance to nationals. Micaela Medeiros and Megan Siegel earned a blue ribbon in Project Visualize Service while Danielle Bowers, Carson Pharris

and Maddy Adkins earned a blue ribbon in chapter scrapbook. Caitlynn Aniol, Carson Pharris and Amber Yarbrough earned a blue ribbon in bulletin board. In the Educational Leadership Fundamentals contest, Kelsey Lovell, Micaela Medeiros and Hannah Ozark earned Silver Certificates and Megan Siegel and Carson Pharris earned Bronze certificates. Kelsey Lovell, Micaela Medeiros, Danielle Bowers, Amber Yarbrough and Megan Siegel earned a silver certificate in the breakout session contest.

At Right: Reagan High School students including Micaela Medeiros and Megan Siegel (pictured) were awarded during competitive events at the TAFE Teach Tomorrow Summit in Arlington in February.

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

San Antonio Fencer Wins Bronze

Submitted By Velizar Iliev ver 2,500 fencers from Canada, Mexico, China, Italy, France, Ukraine, Peru, Russia, Japan, Latvia, Korea, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Norway, South Africa, Singapore, Taipei, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, and the United States competed on March 10-13, 2017 for North American Cup in Cleveland, Ohio for the Youth 10, 12, 14 and Division II for men and women. In Youth 12 Men’s Epee event, Ricky Gonzalez, BASIS San Antonio student competed against 96 fencers, finishing third and receiving a bronze medal. Ricky also competed in Youth 14 Men’s Epee event with 160 fencers and finished 27th. These are outstanding results for this young fencer who made his city, BASIS San Antonio School, and his Fencing Club very proud. This competition was a good test for Ricky before Summer North American Cup bronze medal winner Ricky Gonzalez with his Nationals coming up in July in mother, Sandra. Salt Lake City, Utah. Ricky has World Champion and U.S. Olympian Coach competed in the Olympic sport of Fencing for over three years. He is Velizar Iliev. For more information about training at the Olympian Fencing Club in this competition or Olympian Fencing Club, San Antonio and is coached by three-time please visit www.OlympianFencingClub. com.

Do You Grill Or Barbeque?

By Cotton Clark Jeff’s Backyard (210) 342-4760 irst rule of order: grilling is NOT barbequing. Sure, they both share the common denominator of “raw food + heat = dinner,” but they are far from synonymous. In fact, “them’s fightin’ words” for some folks in the South if you mix them interchangeably. Here’s why. I’ve touched on time and temperature before in this column, but there are four major differences between grilling and barbequing: 1) time spent on the cooking apparatus; 2) the temperature at which the food is cooked; 3) the type of food that is cooked; 4) the application of smoke. Grilling uses high heat to cook food. What’s more, the transfer of heat comes in only one direction: up. We call it “radiant” heat as it radiates upward from the burners or charcoal directly to the food being cooked. More casually, we call it “direct” heat. Temperatures are hot; the searing of a steak starts around 475°and goes up from there, and grills surfaces can be as hot as 700° or more. At these temperatures, it doesn’t take long to cook food, typically no more than 10-20 minutes. Conversely, barbequing uses low heat over a long period of time (3-12 hours or more), and it’s an all-around heat where the heat source is separated from the food. We call this “convective” heat, or “indirect.” In other words, it’s soft air

currents – i.e., convections of air – that cook the meat, typically in temperature zones of 225°to 275°. What’s more, these soft air currents just beg to include smoke flavors. Oak, hickory, pecan, mesquite, apple, and cherry woods are favorites here, each imbuing its own subtleties and goodness. It’s an ancient way of cooking really. To be sure, you can get small wisps of smoke when grilling, mostly when fat melts and drops into the coals which instantly vaporize into a flavorized steam. But it’s nowhere near as robust or as thorough as the barbequing method that wraps the meat in smoke for hours. Lastly, the type of food is distinctly different between grilling and barbequing, but there are a lot of juicy points to cover on this topic, so I’ll save that for later. Stay tuned! For now, look for our ad on page XX which has a coupon for a FREE bag of wood when you buy a Texas Trailblazer offset smoker at Jeff’s Backyard! From our yard to yours, Jeff’s Backyard. For more information, call 210342-4760, or email jeffsbackyard@att. net. Better yet, come visit at 435 West Nakoma, San Antonio, TX 78216 (at the intersection of Nakoma and West Ave.) You can also visit www.jeffsbackyardstore. com.

Stone Oak Business Association Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Time: 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm Place: El Jalisco Grill & Cantina 19178 Blanco Road #201, 78258 (Corner of Blanco & Huebner Rd.)

Cost: Members $20, Non-members $25 Door $30 RSVP at soba@satx.rr.com

Tickets include heavy hor d’oeuvres and 2 drink tickets

Viva Fiesta With SOBA RSVP: 348-8233 or visit www. stoneoakbusiness.com

April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258

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MONTHLY MAINTENANCE SPECIAL plus tax PLUS 1 month FREE with 1 year agreement. Exp. 4/30/17

25 lb Tab ONLY $39 99

After mail in rebate & while supplies last. Exp. 4/30/17

$160

Maintenance or Repairs

210.495.7777 22250 Bulverde Rd, Ste 104 (Bulverde & Evans Rd)

Everyone’s ENT & Sinus Center

Christine Gilliam, MD

David Ward, AuD

At Everyones ENT & Sinus Center you will undergo a comprehensive exam & evaluation. We will evaluate you for all contributing factors to ensure a total head & neck health plan. • 15+ yrs & 1000’s of otolaryngology/head & neck surgeries performed • In oﬃce endoscopy of the nose, sinuses, throat & voice box • Comprehensive allergy testing • Newest techniques from balloon sinuplasty, sublingual drops, in oﬃce septoplasty, pillar procedure & much more

Bianca K. Ramos, PA-C

• Balloon Sinuplasty • Sinus Surgery • Sublingual Immunotherapy • Allergy Testing • Audiology/Hearing • Hearing Aids • Rhinoplasty • Snoring & Sleep Apnea • The Pillar Procedure • Pediatric ENT

• Full service ear & hearing center in oﬃce

502 Madison Oak Dr. Ste. 140

210.647.3838

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April 2017 • Welcome Home • 78258