August Vinson, a senior history major from Amarillo at West Texas A&M University, placed third in the storied Battle of Flowers oratorical contest with a speech recounting the life of Tom “Pinkie” Roden.
“Pinkie was the father of the University of Texas–Permian Basin, a bootlegger and a man who acquired an incredible amount of tainted money and used it for selfless ventures,” said Vinson, who placed third and won a $1,500 scholarship at the 101st Battle of Flowers.
The prestigious contest was themed “Lawmakers and Lawbreakers” this year and held Feb. 27 at the Witte Museum in San Antonio.
As a young man, Roden went to prison for bootlegging. When Prohibition was repealed, he started selling alcohol legally in Odessa, while also making sure that customers in dry cities like Lubbock could still get their fill. Roden’s liquor stores are still in business around the region, including two storefronts in Amarillo. In addition, Roden’s lobbying efforts led not only to the founding of UTPB, but also to a variety of alcohol-related laws, including those restricting the liquor sales to package stores and the abilities of cities and towns to decide if they would allow alcohol sales within the city limits or even in specific precincts, Vinson said.
Vinson, a student employee of WT’s Center for the Study of the American West, saw in Roden the chance to show historians that the state’s history extends beyond central Texas. “People joke that West Texas is off the map,” he said. “I thought Pinkie’s story would be relevant to judges in San Antonio and Austin but also tied into my hometown.”
In addition to her speech on Roden, Vinson has done lots of research into the Amarillo Fire Department, where her father, Lance Vinson, is a battalion chief.
Dr. Alex Hunt, CSAW director, Regents Professor of English and Vincent-Haley Professor of Western Studies, said Vinson is a fantastic asset to the program: “Her research project on the history and archival collection of the Amarillo Fire Department, funded by Amarillo National Bank, is yielding excellent results.”
Vinson also has qualified in five events for the American Forensics Association’s national speech tournament in April.
Other community news
Please join the Goodwill Career Center and the Lucille and Leo Caiafa Jr. Center for Advancement (outreach program of Sharing Hope Ministry) as they partner together this St. Patrick’s Day for the Lucky You Resource Expo, a free community resource fair Tuesday, March 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Center for Advancement, 2308 SW 7th Ave. in Amarillo. More than 16 agencies will be represented to provide assistance and information regarding education, employment, mental and physical health, Medicare and Medicaid, pregnancy, parenting, food, clothing, and legal. Amarillo Public Health will be able to provide on-site adult immunizations. For more information, contact Kim Lester at 806-358-7803 or 806-670-3469 or email cfa@sharinghopeministry.org .
Give them your worst: The 2026 West Texas A&M University Bad Poetry Contest, presented by Brick & Elm magazine, will offer the most odious of odes at 7 p.m. April 7 in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Participants — either WT-affiliated or from the general public — should bring two or three original poems. Audience members also are welcome to simply enjoy, to use that word loosely, the readings. Poets are asked to keep their material in the PG-13 range. “Critic Ben Lerner has argued that poetry ‘has a fatal problem: poems,’” said Dr. Matthew Harrison, coordinator and WT’s Wendy Marsh Professor for Shakespeare Studies.
State Rep. Caroline Fairly announced this week the launch of the inaugural Panhandle Student Leadership Program to inspire the next generation of civic leaders in House District 87. The program, set for May 4, will bring select seventh and eighth-grade students to Austin for a firsthand look at state government in action. “This program is about giving students the opportunity to see that government isn’t something distant, but something they can be part of,” said Rep. Fairly. “We want young people in the Panhandle to understand that they can play a role in shaping the future of our state.” Participating school districts will select two students through an essay contest responding to the prompt: “If you were a state legislator, what bill idea would you introduce in the state of Texas?” Selected students will be chosen to present their “bill” during the Texas Capitol visit. School districts interested in participating are asked to notify Rep. Fairly’s Chief of Staff, Ellie Berry, at 512-463-0470.
Alessandro Dieguez, a 10th-grader studying musical theater at Amarillo High School, is among 15 students selected across the state for the 2026 Class of Butler Texas Young Masters, as announced by the The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) and the Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT). Through this grant program, talented young artists from across the state in grades 8-11 receive the title of “Young Master” and are awarded grants of $5,000 per year, for two years, to further their studies in their chosen arts disciplines. “The Young Masters grant program was created as a way to recognize and support young people pursuing the dream of becoming prominent Texan artists of the next generation,” said TCA Executive Director Gary Gibbs. “We congratulate them on their accomplishments.” The 2026 Texas Young Masters will be recognized at an awards celebration on April 13 at ZACH Theater in Austin. For more on the program and this event, visit www.txculturaltrust.org.
This week’s Furry Friend is Luna. “Luna was surrendered to our shelter, as being too much to handle for her owners. She is a high energy girl! Luna is a friendly dog who is in search of a new home. She is medium size, loveable and craves attention. She will need a fenced yard. Her coat coloring is mostly white, with some brown and black added here and there.” APSCA adoptions can be made at the shelter, 11901 S. Coulter, noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more info, call 806-622-0555, or visit www.amarillospcashelter.com or www.adoptapet.com.
School is out March 16-20 for spring break, and the Don Harrington Discovery Center is offering public STEAM-based programs and activities and hosting Dino Detectives day camps for children ages 4 through 11. Campers will travel back to prehistoric times and investigate dinosaurs through activities, hands-on learning experiences, and DHDC’s unique exhibits. Each day will focus on a different aspect of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, respectively). Pre-care and after-care options are available. Registration for half-day slots and full-day slots is now open at DHDC.org.
FirstBank Southwest announced the retirement of Pampa Market President Kim Hill, marking the close of an extraordinary 46-year career dedicated to community banking and service across the Texas Panhandle. “Kim Hill’s career is truly a living history of FirstBank Southwest,” said Andy Marshall, FBSW President and CEO. “For more than four decades, Kim has shown up every day for our customers, our employees, and the Pampa community, and that consistency and care is what people will remember most.” Following Hill’s retirement, Kevin Hunt, Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender, will assume leadership of the Pampa market. A retirement reception honoring Hill will be held on March 26 3-6 p.m. at the FirstBank Southwest Pampa Branch, and community members, customers, and colleagues are invited to attend. Hill’s last day with the bank will be March 31.
Amarillo Little Theatre Academy’s next production, “The Prince of Egypt,” opens March 27 on the ALT Allen Shankles Mainstage and continues through April 5. Tickets are $22, or $18 for those younger than 12, and went on sale to members March 9 and open to the public at 10 a.m. March 16. To reserve them by phone, call (806) 355-9991 or go online to AmarilloLittleTheatre.org. Based on the Dreamworks Animated Film and the book by Philip LaZebnik, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz in a dramatic retelling of the Exodus, “The Prince of Egypt” follows Moses and his brother Ramses on their journey of self-discovery — and both will go on to change history forever. Look for more on this show in an upcoming Globe-News story.
Bank of America’s Student Leaders six-week paid summer internship program is seeking applications from emerging leaders ready to make a difference. The internship for first-year college students, including those at Amarillo College and West Texas A&M University in Amarillo, offers hands-on experience at a local nonprofit, tackling critical community issues. It also includes an all-expenses-paid, three-day Leadership Summit where Student Leaders connect with peers and Bank of America leaders from across the nation. Applications are open through March 16, and students can apply online at https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/student-leaders .
As students prepare for Spring Break next week, Amarillo’s Opportunity School encourages families to incorporate fun play days into their school-free schedule, where their kids decide what to do. “At Opportunity School, we take a powerful approach with play-based learning, which incorporates play as a central component of the learning process,” explains Opportunity School Executive Director Jill Goodrich. “By encouraging kids to play at school and at home, we are embracing their innate curiosity and creativity to further foster their development.”
Amarillo ISD announced Amarillo High School seniors Finn Archer and Quan Nguyen have been named 2026 National Merit Finalists and will advance in the scholarship competition for millions of dollars in awards. High school juniors entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Additionally, last fall, 10 AISD senior students were named 2026 National Merit Commended scholars: at Amarillo High: Zainab Adnan, Wiebke Bickel, Sanjana Gunda, Audrey Hobbs, Jackson Hubbard, Jordan Pham, Ethan Thomas and Seth Woodman; at Caprock High, Kolton Garcia; and at Tascosa High, Ryan Foster.
The Spectrum Support Society of Amarillo will present the Second Annual Autism Walk 2026, a community event dedicated to promoting awareness, understanding, and inclusion for individuals with autism and their families, on Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at Arden Road Park in Amarillo. Everyone is invited to walk, connect, and celebrate neurodiversity through a day filled with family fun, community spirit, and meaningful advocacy. Registration, which is free or by donation, can be done at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-autism-walk . Activities include bounce houses and other family-friendly attractions, local food trucks, a community resource fair, and raffles, games, and prizes. For more, visit www.spectrumsupportsociety.org or their page on Facebook.
Thirteen Amarillo College theatre students recently showcased their talent and dedication at the American College Theatre Festival last month in Abilene. AC’s Brooklynn Pruitt, Aiden Garcia, Honour Skidmore, and Isael Melendez competed in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, and Garcia advanced to the semi-final round. Several students also took part in the 10-Minute Play Competition: AC’s Talon Russell, AnnMarie Pulliam, Janet Salgado Ramirez, Sheldon Amos, and Trace Downs. Russell earned the Best 10-Minute Play Actor Award. AC students also earned recognition in technical theatre. The Heart of the Arts Award went to Aiden Volden for lighting design for AC’s production of “Title of Show” and Talon Russell for sound design for “A Streetcar Named Desire.” AnnMarie Pulliam received a Meritorious Achievement Award for lighting design for “Streetcar,” and Abigail Atwood was named a National Finalist in Stage Management for her work on “Streetcar” and was selected to represent Region 6 at the national festival in April.
Colby Hurt of Amarillo was among more than 85 Belmont University student musicians from the University Orchestra and Chorale who took the stage alongside world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli in February, performing in the Nashville and Birmingham stops of his “Romanza – 30th Anniversary World Tour,” joining a professional orchestra conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio.
The Better Business Bureau in Amarillo celebrated the 25th annual Torch Awards for Ethics celebration Feb. 27. These included The winners included Toro Bravo Investment Advisors in the small business category; Matthews HVAC Services in the medium business category; and Plains Dairy in the large business category. Two charities were named winners in the nonprofit category, Catholic Charites of the Texas Panhandle and Four Winds Empowerment. Winners were honored along with 50 companies who received the President’s Award and Dr. Alan Keister, founder of Heal the City, this year’s winner of the Excellence in Community Service Award. “Our community is a great place to do business because of ethical, trustworthy companies who do business right,” said Janna Kiehl, President of the BBB of Amarillo & the Texas panhandle. “These companies go above and beyond the BBB Standards for Trust.”
As part of February being Career and Technical Education Month, and its focus on workforce development, Bank of America invested nearly $40 million in 2025 into U.S. workforce skills, job training, and career pathways. BofA worked with more than 100 universities and community colleges and more than 600 nonprofit partners across all its U.S. markets, including in Amarillo, investing $80,000 in 2025 into local job skills programs with three local partners, including the Maverick Boys and Girls Club.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: WT student from Amarillo earns honors for speech on ‘Pinkie’ Roden
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
