The United Family and Mrs Baird’s Bread recently announced the February winners of the 14th annual Teachers On The Rise program as Jessica Hernandez of Emerson Elementary School, Ronnie Hamilton of Bonham Middle School and Abbie Chapmond of Tascosa High School, all under Amarillo ISD.
Winning teachers receive a $100 United Supermarkets gift card, a $100 Amazon gift card from Horse Creek Boutique in Spearman for classroom supplies, a $25 gift card to Tyler’s Barbecue in Amarillo, and a gift basket full of Mrs Baird’s goodies.
Students who nominate a winning teacher also receive a $50 American Express gift card.
“With more than 800 nominations this school year, we are hearing about great accounts of outstanding educators in Panhandle classrooms,” said Shane Sumrow, the program’s director. “We encourage students and families to continue sending in nominations all school year.”
Since the program’s launch in August, nominations have poured in from students and families across the High Plains for the honors, which continue through the spring semester. To nominate a teacher from your school, visit www.TeachersOnTheRise.com.
Teachers On The Rise is also sponsored by Atmos Energy, who hosts the program’s year-end banquet.
Other community news
The League of Women Voters of Amarillo will hear from youth voices at its monthly membership meeting Saturday, March 28. Moderated by Aidan Anderson, a panel will discuss Amarillo’s youth civic engagement, what voting means to them, how to engage and entice young voters to get active, issues that have them concerned, where they see the future of rural communities, and how the League can better reach out to youth in the area. Speakers include students from Tascosa High School’s speech & debate team. A meet and greet at 9:30 a.m. will be followed by program at 10 a.m. at the Amarillo Area Foundation, 919 S. Polk St., in downtown Amarillo.
The Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center will host a ceremony for National Vietnam Veterans Day at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 29 at 4111 S. Georgia in Amarillo. Executive Director and city councilmember Tim Reid said it will be a day of remembering and honoring our military personnel who served in the Vietnam War, as well as veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, Gulf and Iraq Wars, and Afghanistan War. Everyone is asked to remember the sacrifices of our military veterans and their families, and on March 29 call them and thank them for their service.
“The Vessel and the Void,” an exhibition by a West Texas A&M University graduate art student Matthew Rowe, opens April 2 and will be on view through May 2 in the Dord Fitz Formal Art Gallery in Mary Moody Northen Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Rowe said he’s using the exhibition, which is part of his pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts degree, to explore the interplay between material objects and emptiness, primarily through such essential ceramics forms as bricks, vases and bowls. An opening reception will be held at 5 p.m. April 2. Rowe chose to pursue his MFA at WT after meeting faculty through his work at his parents’ Addison Rowe Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His local work includes a wood ash glaze that incorporates ashes swept up from Spicy Mike’s Bar-B-Q Haven in Amarillo.
Amarillo Little Theatre is gearing up for its next big production, “Silent Sky,” to be staged April 9 through 19 at the Amarillo Little Theatre Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle. Tickets can be reserved by the general public starting 10 a.m. March 30, by phone at (806) 355-9991 or online at amarillolittletheatre.org . The production by Lauren Gunderson is rated all ages and follows a celestial romance and true story of discovery. Henrietta’s story plays out against a landscape of early feminism and science, reminding us all what we can achieve when we allow curiosity and wonder into our lives. This fictionalized biography is being directed by Carrie Huckabay with Nolan Huckabay as the Assistant to the Director. Look for more on this show in an upcoming Globe-News story, as well as other local arts productions in the works.
This week’s Furry Friend is Tink. “She was an owner surrender, due to not being good around livestock. Tink is medium size, knows basic commands like Sit and Stay. She is crate and kennel trained. Tink is a sweet girl, who is smart, playful and curious. If you are considering adopting Tink, you will need a tall, secure fence, if she will be outside alone at all.” 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 April 3 for Good Friday, and the Don Harrington Discovery Center is hosting an Eggtastic day camp for kids ages 4-11. Campers must be 5 years old or older to register for the full day. Campers will learn at their level with a science-based curriculum and qualified teachers, cracking into physics and figuring out how much an egg can take before it egg-splodes. Spots are limited, and registration is now open at DHDC.org.
Panhandle Great 25 Nurses is now accepting nominations for its annual nurse recognition program, with a deadline of May 31. They are open to Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) serving in the Texas Panhandle. Colleagues, supervisors, patients, friends, and family members are encouraged to submit nominations at https://panhandlegreat25.org/nominate/ . In addition, applications for the Panhandle Great 25 Nurses Scholarship and the Dr. Valerie Kiper Visionary Scholarship are being taken through April 10 at https://panhandlegreat25.org/apply-pg25-scholarship/ and https://panhandlegreat25.org/apply-dr-valerie-kiper-visionary-scholarship/ .
State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo, has been appointed to the Texas Energy Fund Advisory Committee, which plays a critical role in supporting the state’s efforts to strengthen its electric grid. “I am honored to serve on the Texas Energy Fund Advisory Committee,” said Rep. Fairly. “Reliable and resilient energy infrastructure is essential to the continued growth and success of our state. I look forward to working with fellow members to ensure Texas remains a national leader in energy production and innovation.”
For the seventh year in a row, Xcel Energy was named a World’s Most Ethical Companies honoree by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. Xcel Energy is one of only three energy companies in the United States recognized this year among 138 global honorees.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: 3 honored as Amarillo area Teachers on the Rise for February
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
