Volume 5 - Number 17 AUGUST 2012 5th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE...by MAry lAsAter, ed. d Adjunct UHV Instructor As board president of Golden Crescent CASA, I want to extend my appreciation

by Allison Miles

It takes a village to raise a child – people to help that child head the right direction, set goals and follow big dreams.

And, with her lifelong dedication to giving back to the youth, Kay Hayes is a proud part of that village.

The Washington, D.C. native said she always harbored a love of learn-ing, and knew early on she wanted to teach. Through the years, she taught ev-erything from second to eighth grade.

“I had a good experi-ence in elementary school, and I guess I wanted to pass that on to others out there,” she explained. “It requires a lot of patience and it’s always a challenge, but it’s rewarding. Very re-warding.”

As current instructor of Patti Welder Middle School’s HOSTS (Helping One Student To Succeed) program, she helps eighth graders struggling with math find their stride.

by MAry lAsAter, ed. dAdjunct UHV Instructor

As board president of Golden Crescent CASA, I want to extend my appreciation to Victoria and the surrounding counties of Goliad, Lavaca, Dewitt, Jackson, Refugio, Gonzales, and Calhoun for responding to CASA’s call for volunteers. In less than three years, I have seen our numbers of court ap-pointed special advocates (CASAs) increase more than seven fold! We have grown from twelve volun-teers in January of 2009 to a remarkable eighty-seven CASA volunteers today – absolutely extraordinary!

Why is this so signifi-cant? It tells me that area citizens truly care and are willing to step up for children they do not know - and give them a voice as a CASA vol-unteer. What is CASA? CASA is a nonprofit organization

by robert JAklichSuperintendent of Schools for VISD

Recently I have had the honor, and distinct privilege, to be named as the Superintendent of Schools for The Vic-toria Independent School District. I would like to extend my sincere ap-preciation to the Victoria community, the Victoria ISD staff and especially the Victoria ISD Board of Trustees for providing such a supportive, wel-coming and positive ex-perience during my tran-sition period. It is clearly evident Victoria is truly a special place to be.

The future is ex-tremely bright for the Vic-toria Independent School District. We have the opportunity for greatness at our doorstep and we have the people who possess the will to make the impossible – possible. As we work together with

by Allison Miles

Through their years of work with Yoakum’s Blue-bonnet Youth Ranch, Claud and Mary Virginia Jacobs opened both their home and their hearts to make a difference in Crossroads children’s lives.

And it all began with $50.

Bluebonnet’s initial start came around 1968, when Yoakum attorney Charles Kvinta set out to help a client in trouble. That client, an alcoholic widow and mother of five, needed a home for her children while she sought treat-ment and career training.

“He asked six of us for $50 a month to help out with food, clothes and the other things the kids would need,” said Claud Jacobs, a Victoria businessman who, after

losing his mother at age 12, knew what it was to need help. “But, soon after, the state filed a lawsuit against us for operating a home for kids without a license. We found out what we needed to do for that license, though, and the six of us signed a charter. I’ve been involved ever since.”

www.voicesunitedpublicationofvictoria.comVolume 5 - Number 17 AUGUST 2012

5th ANNIVERSARY ISSUEDr. Courtney Morgan

by Allison Miles

Whether creating crafts, enjoying the out-doors or any activity in be-tween, Dr. Courtney Mor-gan said hobbies are an important part of life. They lower stress, improve blood pressure and offer a sort of vacation for the mind.

And, if that’s the case, Morgan is in good shape. The Crossroads-area physi-cian makes it a point to keep busy.

A Jamaica native born into a musical family, Morgan said he developed a love for music early on. He enjoys rapping and working with celebrities, he said, noting he accompanies some on tour, where he offers his medical services.

As a licensed financial adviser and am-ateur photographer, those activities also join the mix.

“I utilize my brain tal-ent the best that I can,” he explained. “I especially en-joy doing projects, only be-cause there’s a start point and an end point. Once you reach that completion, there’s that burst of satis-faction that, I think, is kind of healthy. It makes you want to do more. To live.”

A self-proclaimed nerd, Morgan said academics al-ways played an important role in his life.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of Miami and went on to earn his master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the same school.

It was around that time, he said, that he began considering medicine.

“During my master’s program, I

See MORGAN, pg 19

See LETTER, pg 19 See VOLUNTEER, pg 21

See JACOBS, pg 20

Claud and Mary Virginia Jacobs

An open letter to the community

Jaklich Lasater

Get involved and volunteer with Golden Crescent CASA

Kay Hayes

See HAYES, pg 19

2 — VOICES UNITED PUBLICATION OF VICTORIA • August 2012 • www.voicesunitedpublicationofvictoria.com

by rick Perkins

This issue marks the Fifth Anni-versary of Voices United Publica-tion of Victoria. Simply put, our mission is unwavering: To Inform & Inspire!

Publisher’s Message WhaT’s iNsiDe

Mike brownPg. 8

seMbrAdoresPg. 5

AAron boydPg. 17

www.voicesunitedpublicationofvictoria.com • August 2012 • VOICES UNITED PUBLICATION OF VICTORIA — 3

by dr. PhiliP d. cAstillePresident of UHV

Forty years young and growing fast! This describes the University of Houston-Victoria at this point in our dynamic his-tory. Birthdays provide opportunities to celebrate the past and anticipate the fu-ture, and we will incorporate many such oc-casions into this coming 40th anniversary year.

UHV opened its doors in Victoria to 100 students in 1973, the fulfillment of a dream and the culmination of many hours of work for those forward-thinking legislators, city and county leaders, and individuals who envisioned the vital significance of a uni-versity in the Crossroads area.

During the past 40 years, UHV has been instrumental in the intellectual and cultural enrichment of the Golden Cres-cent with the founding of the Victoria Sym-phony, the Victoria Bach Festival and the development and continuing partnership with the de León Symposium, Black Histo-ry Month celebrations, and Hispanic Heri-tage Month events. In recent years, UHV partnered with the American Book Review to create the ABR Reading Series, which features nationally recognized writers, and established Centro Victoria, a center for Mexican-American literature and culture.

UHV has taken a leading role in ex-

panding regional awareness of the impor-tance of higher education in today’s world. In 1999, UHV developed the Letting Educa-tion Achieve Dreams (LEAD) program to

create awareness of the need for higher education and to help students gain access to a college education. Soon thereafter, the university took the initiative in developing the Victoria Business and Education Coali-tion, an organization of business and pro-fessional leaders who seek to mitigate or remove barriers to educational attainment.

As I complete my first year as the eighth president of UHV, the university has a student body nearing 4,500 in Victoria, Greater Houston and online. We are 12,000 alumni strong.

The most significant change since UHV’s founding is the recent expansion from an upper-division university, offering junior-, senior- and graduate-level courses, to a full-fledged residential university. This expansion allows UHV to recruit first-time freshmen from nearby urban areas, while offering additional college choices to stu-dents within the region.

The exciting transition from an upper-division commuter school to a four-year residential campus means MORE – more students, more diversity, more academic programs, more athletics, more facilities, more cultural events, more community en-gagement and more economic impact.

We will begin construction on a new sophomore dorm this summer and plan to break ground on a new economic develop-ment and academic building in 2013. This

building will provide much-needed class-room and meeting space, as enrollment projections indicate that we will be out of classroom space in Victoria by 2014.

With the recruitment of freshmen and sophomores, our student body has become more diverse, better reflecting the demo-graphics of our area and increasing minor-ity enrollments.

Additionally, now that we have resi-dence halls, we are recruiting more inter-national students. This diversity enriches the educational experience and prepares students for the global environment in which they will live and work.

Many people have asked me how they can support UHV’s transition to a residen-tial university. My answer is to help our students achieve their dreams through a gift to the UHV scholarship fund. This is an investment that gives back many times over, and without scholarship funds, many of our students would not be able to attend.

To give to the UHV scholarship fund, contact Amy Mundy, interim director of University Advancement, at 361-570-4306 or [email protected]. For more informa-tion about enrolling at UHV, go to www.uhv.edu or call 361-570-4848.

Dr. Philip D. Castille is the president of the University of Houston-Victoria.

UHV makes big changes in last 40 years

Dr. Philip Castille


The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has awarded $50,000 to the Victoria Adult Literacy Council (VALC) in Victoria, Texas to support the Family Liter-acy in Practice (FLIP) program. VALC is one of nine recipients selected in the 2012 grant competition totaling almost $400,000. Two additional programs were selected to receive $5,000 planning grants.

The grant to the Victoria Adult Litera-cy Council will support Torres Elementary parents and their children as they strive to build their education and love for reading. The FLIP program is set up to provide an atmosphere of support to families while they are involved in activities, educational opportunities, GED and computer classes, and employment skills building exercises. Classes will start in early September.

“We are honored to receive this signifi-cant grant,” said Stacey Milberger of the Victoria Adult Literacy Council. Thanks to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Fam-ily Literacy, we will be able to support more low-literacy parents and children in our community as they strive to improve their reading skills and in turn better their lives

and their ability to participate in society. VALC feels reading and education is the next best step to a family’s future success.

“The ability to read, write and compre-hend empowers people to create brighter and more prosperous futures for them-selves, their families and their communi-ties,” said Mrs. Bush. “Through the efforts of our Texas Fund and the family literacy programs supported, we believe that it is important this year in hard times to volun-teer more, give more money and use our resources to support family literacy pro-grams.”

Since 1996, the Texas initiative has awarded 169 grants totaling almost $4.8 million for family literacy programs in Tex-

as. Founded by Former First Lady Barbara Bush in 1989, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy supports the development and expansion of family literacy programs -- in settings where parents and children read and learn together - across the United States. Grants are awarded on a competi-tive basis to nonprofit organizations, cor-rectional institutions, homeless shelters, schools and school districts, libraries and community- and faith-based agencies. To date, the Foundation has awarded over $43 million to nearly one-thousand family lit-eracy programs in 50 states, including the nation’s capital. To learn more, visit www.barbarabushfoundation.com

Victoria Adult Literacy Council receives prestigious grant from The Barbara Bush

Foundation for Family LiteracyVolunteers needed for

bArbArA bush fAMily literAcy

ProgrAM

Free training be-ing held on August

17 (1:00-4:00 p.m.) and August 18 (9:00-4:30).

This training is for certification and par-ticipants need to at-

tend both sessions for certification.

Please call (361) 582-4273


by Allison Miles

A person can plan life down to the smallest detail, but the man upstairs has the final say. It’s a life les-son Ambra Green said she understood well.

The Victoria native al-ways knew education was her calling, but still looked down different paths. Her thoughts drifted to medical school, other majors and a speech therapy program she went after. When that didn’t work out, however, she knew what to do.

“I was raised in the church, so I was always taught to pray about everything before you do it,” she explained. “When I didn’t get into that program, I knew it was because I was following my own personal plans versus what God had in store for me. So I immediately went to education.”

And she never looked back.Green earned her bachelor’s degree in

interdisciplinary studies, with a concentra-tion in special education, from Texas State University in San Marcos.

Those years came with help from the Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brother Fund for Aspiring Teachers of Color, a highly-competitive fellowship which included a $30,000 stipend, support and guidance and

lifelong membership as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow.

The experience not only made it easier for her to complete school, but helped her find her special role in her field.

“It’s a law that every school must have a percent-age of minority teachers,” Green said, explaining that that in itself proves there aren’t enough of them out there. “I think it’s impor-tant for our children to see people like them – African-American teachers, Latino

and Asian - so they can identify with them.” Green’s ambition didn’t end there.She worked numerous teaching posi-

tions through the years and is now in her second year as a special education math resource teacher for Simon Middle School in Kyle. At the same time, she is working to-ward her master’s degree in special educa-tion from Texas State, with concentrations in behavior disorders and positive behavior supports, autism spectrum disorders and learning disabilities.

Green, 25, plans to graduate with her master’s degree in December. Upon do-ing so, she will be the first student in the school’s history to have completed all three concentrations in the Special Education

Ambra Green

The Victoria Sembradores Educational Foundation do-nated $7,000 to VC Foundation for Scholarships and

Endowment Support.

From L to R: From Club Sembradores Johnny Arrieta (far left), Ray G. Morales (center) and Ernest Guajardo, Sr. (far right) present the dona-tion to Jennifer Yancey, VP of College Advancement and External Affairs (middle left) and President Tom Butler (middle right) of Victoria College. See GREEN, pg 22


There’s an old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” When viewed in a positive light there’s a lot of truth in this statement, especially as it relates to re-lationships. In the nonprofit world relation-ships are an organization’s most valuable asset. Consider the following illustrations:

On May 12, 2012 the National Associa-tion of Letter Carriers in Victoria County participated in the annual food drive in much the same manner as they have for the past 15 years. Donated food over that period has averaged about 11,000 pounds each year. However, this year the Postal Workers picked up 39,583 pounds of food, nearly 4 times that received in 2011. This was by far the most food ever received in a single year!

Credit goes to the following partners in ministry: NALC, Victoria Television Group, Victoria Advocate, various area media and radio stations and the following major spon-sors – AARP, Campbell’s, Feeding America, AFL-CIO, United Way, Uncle Bob’s Self Storage and Valpak. Numerous organiza-tions and a generous community combined their efforts and successfully smashed all previous food drive records.

A second illustration that reflects the nature of relationships is the Food Bank’s annual Agency Relations Conference held on May 25, 2012. More than 60 Food Bank member agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters) comprised mostly of about 200 volunteers from 11 counties

in the Golden Crescent Region assembled for their annual training at the John Wes-ley United Methodist Church in Victoria. These dear people, predominantly senior citizens, work weekly and/or monthly to as-sist men, women, children and seniors who find themselves in need of food assistance.

A highlight of the agency conference was the recognition given to the Food Bank’s many partners. Wal-Mart received FBGC’s highest award, the “Benefactor’s Award” for their participation in the Re-tail Store Food Rescue Program. Over the last ten years more than 1,300,000 pounds

of food has been donated. . Other awards included the “Volunteer Group of the Year” given to Central Church of Christ Victoria, and “Helping Hands Award” given to Park-way Church in Victoria. Numerous mem-ber agencies were also recognized for their partnership with the Food Bank ranging from 5 to 15 years and special recognition to The Salvation Army and Victoria Chris-tian Assistance Ministry who have both been members for 25 years.

One last illustration worthy of mention is the partnership that exists between the Food Bank and Sure Bet that has devel-

oped over the last three years. Each year Sure Bet makes special plans for an outing in which more than one hundred 6th grade students from elementary schools from Hallettsville to Kennedy participate in an activity known as Youth Leadership Day. Included this year on June 25th were twen-ty team leaders, graduates of the program. These students and team leaders were involved in a number of activities ranging from sorting donated food, washing Food Bank vehicles, to cleaning windows and as-sisting in landscaping duties.

Sure Bet’s mission is to create future leaders through goal setting, applying a number of skill sets and learning leader-ship principles. They accomplish this by exposing the youth to community projects where than can see first-hand what it like to work in a variety of settings including the private, public and nonprofit sectors. The energy and enthusiasm these students bring to the workplace complements the experience they receive and creates a con-nection that they will remember for years to come.

The Food Bank is grateful for the rela-tionships it has formed over the years with diverse constituencies across the 11 coun-ties of the Golden Crescent Region. Work-ing together with its ministry partners, FBGC is pleased to be able to serve the community by being faithful to its mission of “Helping to Heal the Hurt of Hunger” .

Pictured L-R: Wal-Mart Store Manager Daniel Zamora & Market Manager Christina Ohlendorf; Frances Santallena - FBGC Dir. of Agency Relations, Lynn Miori – FBGC Board Chair; and Dennis Brown – FBGC Executive Director

Food Bank of the Golden Crescent: “Partners in Ministry”

MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 22


by Jennifer yAnceyVP of College Advancement and External Affairs

Do you ever think about how dif-ferent your life would be if you had a college education? Right now, the need for education has never been more critical. Recent research shows that, on average, getting an education at Victoria College can increase your annual income by 36 percent. That could mean an increase in your life-time earning potential of $372,000!

Clearly, education represents a smart, strategic investment in your future. The programs we offer at VC are the key to your economic stabil-ity. Attending VC can help you accu-mulate the skills and abilities neces-sary to reach new goals, prepare for the future and enhance your employ-ability or job security.

At VC, you have lots of options. You can choose from more than 40 areas of study that lead to a variety

of associate degrees, certificates and in-demand careers. You can choose to pursue a two-year associate de-gree, a one-year certificate program or a variety of workforce training programs. Or, you can choose to complete your core curriculum at VC and then transfer to a four year institution.

VC also makes it convenient for

you to get an education. You may choose to take your classes online, during the day or in the evenings. Those who live outside of Victoria can take classes in person on the main campus, or via satellite from the VC Calhoun County Center or VC Gonzales Center.

If you think you can’t afford col-lege, don’t worry because VC offers lots of options to help you afford it. Financial aid is available and almost everyone qualifies for some kind of assistance. In fact, 85 percent of VC students receive some form of finan-cial assistance. Scholarships with a variety of qualifying criteria are available and you may qualify for a grant that does not have to be repaid. If you choose to accept loans, re-member that the amount you accept is up to you. Most importantly, VC saves you thousands on tuition and living expenses compared to attend-ing four years at a university.

All these options combined with VC’s quality education and outstand-ing support services mean you’re sure to succeed. We’re dedicated to helping you do just that. Class sizes at VC are small and taught by friend-ly and accessible instructors. You also have access to all the support you need with VC’s advising and tutoring services. We even help pre-pare you for college-level academics by offering a college success class to all new students.

Take control of your future by taking advantage of all the services and opportunities VC has to offer and make your life what you want it to be. Community college is the best bargain and financial aid is the best kept secret out there to accomplish your dreams.

Take control of your future at Victoria College

next issue noVeMber 2012


by Mike brownhead of school

Diversity and inclusiveness relate directly to access — access to success at school, in education more extensively, and in professional and personal life. In the last 25 years, schools have made valiant attempts at improving their climates and cultures, diversifying their student bodies, and becoming more inclusive learning or-ganizations. At Trinity Episcopal School in Victoria, we are very proud of our student population which consists of 29% People of Color for the upcoming school year.

Episcopal schools are created to be communities that honor, celebrate and worship together regardless of origin, back-ground, ability, or religion. Trinity is popu-lated by a rich variety of students and staff, from increasingly diverse religious, cultur-al, and economic backgrounds. Learning to be supportive, inclusive and respectful is crucial to our commitment to diversity. In practice those values translate to greater cultural sensitivity and funding to allow any academically ready students to attend.

An Episcopal school is also founded on love. We must act out of love, teach love, model love, and love one another in our community above all else, or all else will be meaningless. All schools should make a concern for society a part of its program. Trinity strives to help students understand

that they do not exist apart from society, that society’s issues are their issues, and that they are called to respond to the needs of others. Students will be encouraged not just to share what they have with others but to understand the issues and complexi-ties of society and to consider what their individual responsibilities are and to take action. This takes place in many ways at Trinity. From helping at the food bank, de-livering meals to homes of people in need, raising funds for cardiovascular disease re-search, stroke research, and health educa-tion, and working to provide decent hous-ing for all, our students constantly model the value of paying it forward.

Diversity and inclusiveness important to education at Trinity Episcopal School

Mike Brown

by Allison Miles

From grade school to middle school and on to upper levels, most people are content to travel the natural educational path.

But Abbie Barnett is proud to be work-ing his way back.

The former Victoria West High School assistant principal will join the staff at Placedo Elementary School as principal for the 2012-2013 school year.

The new position happened almost by chance, said Barnett, who had origi-nally called the Bloomington Independent

Barnett new principal at Placedo Elementary

See BARNETT, pg 23

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT the Barnett family: Abbie J. Barnett, Placedo Elementary Principal, Imani Jorday-4 year old daughter, Abby Javarn-10 year old daughter, Faye-wife of 20 years, and oldest daughter Erica Ronshell, 15 years old.


by dr. george boozAlis, MdVictoria Eye Center

The lens of your eye is an important structure. In order to see clearly at all distances (from up close to far away), your eye must be able to change its focus power. The lens of your eye is responsible for this change in focus-it changes its shape to bring whatever you’re looking at into clear focus. In your early 40’s, you lost the ability to see up close and required bifocals, or at least reading glasses. This was because, as we age, the lens hardens and cannot change its shape anymore, and in order to focus at different distances, more than one glasses pre-scription was required.

As we age even more, the lens becomes cloudy. This cloudiness of the lens is called a cataract. Cata-ract is a common problem among aging Americans, and cataract surgery is

the most common surgery performed on adults in the United States. In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed. In order for you to see clearly afterward, a new lens (called an intraocular lens implant, or IOL) must be inserted at the time of surgery.

Selecting the right im-plant for your eye is very important for your vision af-ter surgery. Your doctor will take measurements before

by dr. ty Meyer, MdPalliative Care Center of Victoria

Palliative Care is a form of specialized medical care for people dealing with serious illness. It helps pro-vide control of symptoms to promote a good quality of life while patients are un-dergoing treatment for various illnesses. Palliative Care specialists work on teams in hospitals and oth-er settings for people with cancer, COPD or other lung diseases, heart disease, kid-ney disease, liver disease, dementia and many others. Palliative care specialists can help manage symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, nausea, cough, fatigue, and loss of appe-tite. Palliative care teams are formed with members from different disciplines within the hospital, includ-ing doctors, nurses, social workers, dieticians, phar-macists, and chaplains.

In addition to symp-

tom management, pal-liative care teams can help patients and their families navigate the complex medi-cal system, evaluating the treatment options available. They help people evaluate their goals for their care as well as to help prepare for the future, in terms of what to expect with their given illness. The palliative care team is designed to provide support to patients at any point in their disease and to continue to support them

by dr. tywuAn tillMAn, MdCardiovascular Associates

Hypertension, com-monly known as high blood pressure, is one of the most prevalent medical diag-noses worldwide. It is uni-versally underdiagnosed and often suboptimally managed once it has been diagnosed. The danger of hypertension lies in its long-term effects on the heart, the kidneys, the eyes, and the brain. The moniker “si-lent killer” has often been used to refer to hyperten-sion as there are usually no associated symptoms and it is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, hypertension is easily diagnosed and easily treated.

There are no special tests required to diagnose hypertension. Automated home blood pressure moni-tors are fairly accurate,

inexpensive, and simple to use. Routine doctor visits almost always include a blood pressure check which should be done at least once a year. A blood pressure that is routinely greater than 140/90 is consistent with a diagnosis of hyper-tension. The top number (140) is called the systolic pressure and the bottom number (90) the diastolic

“Beat the Heat: Avoiding Heat Related Illnesses”

Palliative Care Cataract Surgery

See PALLIATIVE, pg 21 See CATARACT, pg 21

YOUR HEALTH

See HEAT, pg 21


Get your Social Secu-rity statement online

by sheryl schroederSocial Security Public Affairs Specialist, Brenham, TX

If you would like to get a Social Secu-rity Statement, which provides estimates of your future benefits, it is now available online at www.socialsecurity.gov.

“Our new online Social Security State-ment is simple, easy-to-use and provides people with estimates they can use to plan for their retirement,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Secu-rity. “The online Statement also provides estimates for disability and survivors ben-efits, making the Statement an important financial planning tool. People should get in the habit of checking their online State-ment each year, around their birthday, for example.”

In addition to helping with financial planning, the online Statement also pro-vides workers a convenient way to deter-mine whether their earnings are accurate-

ly posted to their Social Security records. This feature is important because Social Security benefits are based on average earnings over a person’s lifetime. If the in-formation is incorrect, the person may not receive proper benefits.

The online Statement provides you the opportunity to save or print the document for future reference, or to have handy for discussions with family members or a fi-nancial planner.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, users are giving the online Statement a score of 89, making it competitive with our other top-rated, best-in-government online services, such as the Retirement Estimator and online retire-ment application.

To get a personalized online State-ment, you must be age 18 or older and must be able to provide information about yourself that matches information already on file with Social Security. In addition, So-cial Security uses Experian, an external authentication service provider, for further verification. You must provide identifying information and answer security questions in order to pass this verification. Social Security will not share your Social Secu-rity number with Experian, but the identity check is an important part of this new, thor-ough verification process.

When your identity is verified, you can create a “My Social Security” account with a unique user name and password to access your online Statement. In addi-

tion, your online Statement includes links to information about other online Social Security services, such as applications for retirement, disability, and Medicare.

For more information about the new online Statement, please visit www.so-cialsecurity.gov/mystatement.

Take your parents on a meaningful tour of Social Security’s websiteby sheryl schroederSocial Security Public Affairs Specialist, Brenham, TX

Sometimes older parents can be ap-prehensive about using the Internet and conducting business online. There is no reason they should be when it comes to Social Security’s online services at www.socialsecurity.gov, which are consistently rated not only the best and easiest to use in government, but in the private sector as well.

Front and center, there is always a se-ries of illustrated panels. This is where we share new messages, initiatives, and items of interest, such as breaking news and tips on new or improved online services.

To the right, you’ll find a big question mark: that is where you can find our most frequently asked questions — and the an-swers to them. If your parents have a ques-tion about Social Security, chances are

someone else had the same question. We have collected them on our website, and it is easy to search for questions on a variety of Social Security topics.

Smack dab in the middle of the page is where you can find press releases and the latest news about Social Security.

To the left of the page you will find our top services. Virtually anything you want to do online can be found here: apply online for retirement, disability or Medicare ben-efits; get an instant, personalized estimate of future benefits with our online Retire-ment Estimator; and obtain information about how to get or replace a Social Secu-rity card.

One of the hottest new services is get-ting your Social Security Statement online. Just complete the authentication process, much like the sort you would go through when requesting a credit report online, and you’ll be able to set up your online Social Security account. Once you do, you will have online access to your Statement, which includes detailed estimates of future benefits, and a summary of your work his-tory through the years. This is especially helpful for parents who may be planning for retirement.

Our website offers many other ser-vices as well, such as online forms and publications, an easy application to apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs, icons to our Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, and information cat-egorized by subject matter or by audience.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND YOU


A quintet of award-winning authors at the University of Houston-Victoria, includ-ing new writer-in-residence Beverly Lowry, will be instructors for the university’s new creative writing degree.

Starting this fall, a creative writing de-gree will be offered in the UHV School of Arts & Sciences. Students in Victoria and online can pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Hu-manities – Creative Writing.

Courses will be taught by five award-winning authors: Lowry; Dagoberto Gilb, executive director of CentroVictoria at UHV; and English lecturers Diana López, Brian Carr and Rene Perez.

Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, said few creative writing programs in the nation can match the writ-ing qualifications of the faculty teaching UHV’s new program.

“We have an all-star lineup of award-winning authors, including two Guggen-heim Fellows, to teach this degree,” he said. “This prestigious group has a wealth of experience and anecdotes to share with students. We also thought this was a good segue to our master’s degree in publishing since writing and publishing go hand-in-hand.”

López said having published authors teach the courses will benefit students. Faculty members will be able to share sto-ries from their own writing experiences and provide firsthand accounts of their work with marketing, editing and critiqu-ing.

“A writer has to wear a lot of hats these days,” López said. “The publishing world has changed. Much of the responsibility is on the writer’s shoulders.”

Lowry said the courses will not only examine and teach writing but also break down how writers go about creating their work.

“We will try to analyze what writers at-tempt to do and how they go about doing it,” Lowry said. “To some extent, it’s a dif-ferent approach to literature than an aca-demic professor might offer. There’s noth-ing like this program in the Victoria area.”

The author of six novels and three non-fiction works, Lowry has served as presi-dent of the Texas Institute of Letters and director of the creative nonfiction program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

She was a speaker during the 2011 UHV/American Book Review Spring Read-

ing Series and has received awards from the National Endowment of the Arts, Black Warrior Review, Texas Institute of Letters and Mississippi Institute of Arts and Let-ters.

Lowry said awards are nice, but they are secondary to the writing itself. She and other authors teaching the new degree want to inspire students.

“I hope the students will realize what’s possible,” she said. “It’s not just about studying William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. We are living ex-amples of what’s possible.”

Lowry said she’s looking forward to working at a university with administrators who are enthusiastic about starting new projects.

“The progress with the American Book Review and the various publications speak to the sense of possibility,” she said. “I like

that a lot. I am looking forward to meeting people and teaching students.”

Lowry was honored with a Guggen-heim Foundation Fellowship in 1983. Gilb received the same honor in 1995.

His work has appeared in national magazines such as The New Yorker, Harp-er’s and GQ, and he has been widely an-thologized in college textbooks. Gilb has been honored with many state and national prizes, including the James D. Phelan Award, Dobie-Paisano Fellowship and Na-tional Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. His most recent book, “Before the End, Af-ter the Beginning,” was published in 2011 and drew national acclaim.

Creative writing students will have to satisfy core curriculum humanities re-quirements and take the classes “Introduc-tion to Creative Writing” and “Grammar

Gifted writers on UHV faculty team up for new creative writing program

See WRITERS, pg 22

Brian Carr Rene Perez Diane López Beverly Lowe Dagoberto Gilb


Hernandez-Perkinsto produce/direct NAACP

Theatre Awards

by Oscar Hernandez-Perkins, President OSCIA Productions

On October 29, 2012, Oscar Hernandez-Perkins will produce and direct the produc-tion of the 22nd annual Beverly Hills/Hol-lywood branch NAACP Theatre Awards. Hernandez-Perkins and her production company produced the 14th, 15th, 16th and 21st shows.

Executive/creative producer Tia Boyd will announce the theatre award’s 23 cat-egories, nominees and three featured hon-orees at a major Beverly Hill press confer-ence in September. The NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to actor Denzel Washington by actor Lau-rence Fishburne. The Spirit Award will be presented to Kirsten Dunst, co-star of Spider-Man. Actress Loretta Devine will receive the Trailblazer Award. The eve-nings featured special guest performer is the legendary Chaka Khan. The NAACP Theatre Awards show band features the Rick Perkins Band.

Denzel Washington-Lifetime Acheivement

Kirsten Dunst-Spirit Award Loretta Devine-Trailblazer Rick Perkins-Music Director

Laurence Fishburne-Presenter Chaka Khan-Performing Artist


There are those who see is-sues and wait for change to happen, and there are those who enact that change themselves. It was a group of the latter who got the ball rolling to reinvigorate a Victoria attraction they felt had potential.

The announcement came in early February that Colony Creek Coun-try Club was under new ownership. Four Colony Creek subdivision resi-dents – Robby Burdge, Elton Cal-houn, Claud Jacobs and Gary Nor-gard – set out to add something more to the golf course and club.

“It became apparent that, if we really wanted to create value in our own backyard, we needed to go about it in some way ourselves,” Burdge said. “We live out there and we wanted to see it prosper. After thorough evaluation, we decided the thing to do was to make it a people’s club.”

That plan included pro shop up-dates, course improvements, new

l a n d s c a p i n g and different menu options at the restaurant, Burdge said. Down the road, the club might even transform from its current semi-private sta-tus, to private.

With those new offerings also comes a new name. What was once Colony Creek Country Club is now The Club at Colony Creek.

Long hours and plenty of work have al-ready gone into the upgrade, and Burdge said there’s plenty more to go. And it wouldn’t

be possible without a strong team to put it all together.

Burdge’s wife, Tami Burdge, co-ordinated the pro shop facelift, he

said, while new staffers - Club Pro Aaron Speaker, Superintendent Ran-dy Lynch and Marketing Director Morgan Rhodes - also add new life to the place.

The project is coming along, and a few major milestones are in the near future. The club plans to unveil new menu items to members in mid-August and host its big “coming out” party the month after.

Burdge said he’s proud of the progress, and said the public seems happy, as well. With a backyard on the club’s ninth green, he said many a golfer passes by with a thumbs-up and some words of encouragement.

Positive comments aside, he said the pressure is on for the club and its owners.

“We think we’re going to build an experience that people want to be a part of,” he said. “We want it to be a fun place for people to hang out. There’s high expectations out there and we want to deliver.”

The Club at Colony Creek has new owners and a new look

Robby Burdge, one of the new owners of The Club at Colony Creek.


Searchable cemeter-ies database available online through the Re-gional History Center

James Lucas’ retirement in 2001 from Union Carbide Corporation was the begin-ning of his tireless work compiling a data-base that chronicles genealogical and area cemetery information on the local African-American community. The African-Ameri-can Cemeteries database is now online and available to the public through the Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Li-brary’s Regional History Center.

Joe Dahlstrom, director of the VC/UHV Library, is pleased that the library is now providing online access to this detailed historical information in an easy-to-use, searchable format.

“This information is a tremendous resource for genealogical research,” said Dahlstrom. “James Lucas has done an amazing job of collecting this data and the library is proud to make his work acces-sible to everyone.”

Genealogical research began as a hobby for Lucas after he retired, but grew into something much larger when he began

researching some of his own family history for a reunion in 2003. Over the past eleven years, Lucas visited funeral homes to re-search records and stomped through over-grown fields that were once tended cem-eteries looking for forgotten headstones.

Last December, Lucas began working with the VC/UHV Library’s Regional His-tory Center staff to merge his data with theirs and to make his cemetery database available to the public online. In February, Lucas turned his spreadsheet data over to Web Services Librarian Berika Wil-liams, who converted the information into a searchable online database that went live on the VC/UHV Library website on May 30.

In just the few short weeks since the database has been available online, Lucas has already received feedback from users updating his database and at least one user confirmed the resting places of her ances-tors.

“I looked up the data on Garcitas Cem-etery and found members of my family listed there,” said Library Circulation As-sistant Patsy Brown. “It’s really neat that this information is available online, and Mr. Lucas welcomes additions and corrections to the information.”

VC/UHV Library’s Special Collections Librarian Sheron Barnes hopes that the African-American Cemeteries database will prompt further exploration for users looking into their family history.

“Hopefully, those who use the data-

base to investigate their ancestors will be encouraged to continue exploring the Re-gional History Center’s collections of pho-tographs and other historical documents and records,” said Barnes.

While conducting personal interviews, Lucas has also collected genealogical in-formation on many of the 39,000 individu-als included in his database, including re-lationships, marriage dates, children and birth dates.

As a result, Lucas experienced first-hand how important connections to the past are to those in the African-American community. He tells of interviewing a 95-year-old woman in Cuero who greeted him while leaning heavily on a cane and politely invited him into her home to learn about her family history.

“She was so pleased to have someone to listen to her talk about her memories of the past and her loved ones,” said Lucas. “When I got up to leave, I moved to shake her hand, but she said, ‘No, you have to part with a heart to heart,’ and she hugged me so that our hearts met.”

Lucas’ wife, Judy, encourages the community to take advantage of the data-base to learn about local black history.

“This information is a great resource to document what the black community contributed to the history of this area in ad-dition to helping people connect to the past and discover their family roots,” said Judy Lucas.

Victoria resident contributes African-American history project to VC/UHV Library

James Lucas (seated) spent 11 years compil-ing research on African-American cemeteries. His database is now available online through the Regional History Center at the Victoria College/University of Houston-Victoria Library. VC/UHV Library Director Joe Dahlstom (left) and Associate Director Karen Locher (right) are pleased that this detailed historical infor-mation is now available to the community.


Public notice of nondiscrimination in career and technical education programs

The Victoria Independent School District offers career and technical education (CTE) programs in the following areas: agriculture and industry; arts and humanities; business, marketing and finance; health and medical services; science, engineering and technology; and social, personal and public services. Admission to these programs is based on interest, aptitude, age appropriateness, and class availability. Please note, for high-demand courses the completion of suggested pre-requisites in a coherent sequence of courses will be considered favorably for the consideration for participation in the course.

It is the policy of the V.I.S.D. not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or handicap, in its vocational programs, (career and technical education or CTE), services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

It is the policy of V.I.S.D. not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The Victoria Independent School District will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational programs.

For information about your rights or grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Eloy Chapa, at 102 Profit Drive, Victoria, TX 77901, (361) 788-9226, and/or the Section 504 Coordinator, Tammy Nobles, at 102

Profit Drive, Victoria, TX 77901, (361) 788-9250.

Forma de muestraEl Distrito Escolar Independiente de Victoria ofrece programas de carrera y educación técnica (CTE)

en las siguientes áreas: agricultura y la industria; artes y humanidades; negocios, comercialización y finanzas; servicios de salud y medicina; servicios sociales, personales y públicos. Admisión a estos programas se basa en la disponibilidad, interés, aptitud y edad apropiada. Por favor anoten, para ser considerado en la participación de cursos de alta demanda es favorable si el estudiante ha tomado los cursos sugeridos de pre-requisitos en una secuencia coherente.

Es norma de VISD no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo o impedimento, en sus programas, servicios o actividades vocacionales, tal como lo requieren el Titulo VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, segun enmienda; el Titulo IX de las Enmiendas en la Educacion, de 1972, y las Seccion 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitacion de 1973, segun enmienda.

Es norma de VISD no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, impedimento o edad, en sus procedimientos de empleo, tal como lo requieren el Titulo VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, se-gun enmienda; el Titulo IX de las Enmiendas en la Educacion, de 1972, la Ley de Discriminacion por Edad, de 1975, segun enmienda, y la Seccion 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitacion de 1973, segun enmienda.

VISD tomara las medidas necesarias para asegurar que la falta de habilidad en el uso de la lenqua ingles no sea un obstaculo para la admision y participacion en todos los programas educativos y vocacionales.

Para informacion sobre sus derechos o procedimientos para quejas, communiquese con el Coordinador del Titulo IX, Eloy Chapa, en 102 Profit Drive, (361) 788-9226, y/o el Coordinador de la Seccion 504, Tammy Nobles, en 102 Profit Drive, (361) 788-9250.


by deborAh brAnch

Contrary to popular opin-ion, the recycle bin of our life is seldom as easy to man-age as the trash receptacle on our computer. When we update to the latest operat-ing system, our computer’s trash bin is modified in sync. Our computer’s recycle bin will automatically reflect the style or environment which we choose, appearing on our desktop or not, depending upon our momentary selec-tion process.

Disposing of unwanted items can be accomplished by dragging and dropping, with or without sound effects accompanying our stroke. To reverse that decision, we only have to click on the bin and retrieve the item. It will be in the same condition as when we dropped it in the bin. Unaffected by the interim de-cisions we have made, we can rekindle our use of it at will.

Our life on the other hand undergoes changes with resulting effects to us, and to those we include within our network. When love is blooming and we are walking in step with our loved ones, we reflect their joy and comfort with us. In our relation-ships with others, we learn to weather life’s

challenges, some bringing unremarkable curves which we choose to nurture with the hope that they will im-prove our life and become a fixture. How often have you held on to something beyond its expiration date? Food will spoil and become unhealthy for us if we keep it beyond its recommended use date. Things can rust, lose their eye appeal, become anti-quated or merely, unsupport-able. People can shift their focus, challenge our feelings, disappoint us, or become un-healthy for us.

At what point do we drag or drop the person who was the love of our life? How do we say goodbye when our “loved one” is making plans for our next vacation? Do we acknowledge our role in a dying relationship? We have learned, through watching our family, friends, and others, how to model loving someone. Ending a relationship timely, with tact and diplomacy, is generally not taught or mod-eled by those around us. In hindsight, we realize that a relationship ended long be-fore we said goodbye. In some cases, we can end or dispose of the resulting hurt and anger before it erupts and causes long

by uhV stAff rePort

As one of three student retention efforts, the Uni-versity of Houston-Victoria Early Intervention System was implemented in fall 2010 as a new program to help students. Early inter-vention is based on the idea of front loading student sup-port − getting help to stu-dents early enough in the semester to head off failure. It was deemed a necessary tool to ensure student suc-cess, so the Retention Com-mittee, co-chaired by San-dra Heinold, the director of the Academic and Career Services Center at the time, and Andria Young, an associate professor of special education for the School of Edu-cation & Human Development, took on the challenge.

The Retention Committee went to work researching best practices and in-volving others in the system to make sure that all students were given the assistance needed. The Early Intervention System proved to be successful and still is used as a tool to communicate with students whenever a problem arises in a particular course. Now Josie Rivera, manager of dis-

ability services and student retention, oversees the pro-gram.

The system begins when a professor sends in an Aca-demic Success Referral for a student. Referrals are sent when an instructor notices behavior that indicates a stu-dent may be at risk of not suc-ceeding as a college student: absences, poor performance on major exams, assignments not being completed, etc. The professor uses the PeopleSoft system to enter the referrals along with comments that may be necessary to explain the problem or problems that students are experiencing. The objective is to intervene

in and redirect student risk behaviors and to foster communication in order to as-sist students in being successful in their coursework. Once the referrals are re-ceived from faculty, students are contact-ed, and at that point, students are offered suggestions for success.

One of the suggestions offered to stu-dents is to work with a success coach. To assist students in achieving their educa-tion goals, Rivera and a success team of

The recycle bin

See BRANCH, pg 22 See INTERVENTION, pg 22

UHV Early Intervention System helps students at first sign of problems

Dr. Josie Rivera


“Any form of education is very important, but I feel like teach-ing music is an awesome op-portunity to impart some of the things I’ve learned. I’m giving life lessons through music. It feels good.” - Aaron Boyd

by Allison Miles

Music lessons have a way of connect-ing kids with something bigger, encourag-ing creativity and giving them something to work toward.

And recently, Aaron Boyd gave Cross-roads kids a chance to show others just how much that work paid off.

Boyd’s company, APB Productions, hosted its first-ever spring recital May 10 at Victoria College. Throughout the event, his protégés gave family and friends a look at the piano and drum pieces they’d worked so diligently on for months.

“We had a great turnout,” Boyd said of the event, which drew not only partici-pants’ friends and family, but also inter-ested people from around the community. “It was a fun, intimate atmosphere and the kids did an amazing job.”

Every musician took home a partici-

pation certificate and medal, he said, but a few received something special for their work.

Sabrina Ramos took home honors for Most Improved, for instance, while Most Diligent went to Gretchen Kozlovsky. The Star Students award went to brothers Mar-co and Orlando Di Leo.

Music is a lifelong passion for Boyd, a Corpus Christi native who moved to Victo-ria five years ago. He began playing drums at age 7, he said, and piano at 14. As part of a musical family, he also served as a church musician growing up.

He said it was only natural to pass along that love when he got the chance.

APB Productions opened its doors in 2011 and hosted its first piano and drum clinic, “Surviving the Band Stand,” in sum-mer of that same year. A free community drum clinic followed that fall.

Boyd said he was proud of the strides his company had made in the short time since it opened, and hoped to continue giv-ing back and fostering musical education far into the future.

“Any form of education is very impor-tant,” he said. “But I feel like teaching mu-sic is an awesome opportunity to impart some of the things I’ve learned. I’m giving life lessons through music. It feels good.”

For more information about APB Pro-ductions, visit www.facebook.com/apbmu-sicstudio.

Victoria College hosts APB Productions 2012 Spring Recital

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Marco Di Leo, Aaron Boyd, Riley McCue, and Orlando Di Leo. Marco and Orlando received the top award, the Star Student Award. Riley received a medal and a certificate for participating in the event.


Victoria College “What’s Your Story?” scholarship essay contest winners

David Petty knows that having hope is a critical element to success. Coming from a family with little education, David dropped out of high school and went to work. After finding himself consistently overlooked for promotions because he lacked a degree, David realized he needed to get an education. At Victoria College, Da-vid hasn’t just found the means to a degree. He’s found confidence in himself and his future. Armed with hope, David is looking forward to continuing his work toward a degree; and intends to enter VC’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program.

After serving as a trustee on the Bloomington ISD School Board, Kimberly McGill learned the importance of edu-cation. Following her divorce, she was a single mom looking for a way to rebuild her life. Then, one day while driving past Victoria College, she took that opportunity to stop in. By the time she left, she had al-ready met with friendly Financial Aid staff and had completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Kimberly is looking forward to applying to VC’s Physical Ther-apist Assistant Program with tenacious determination—one of her most defining characteristics.

Education isn’t just a means to an end. Education can also mean renewed self-confidence and a sense of security. These are just some of the things Martha Martin has found at Victoria College. After suffer-ing abuse as a child followed by a difficult marriage that ended in divorce, Martha found herself unemployed. After struggling with the decision to take control of her life by enrolling in college, she mustered her courage and enlisted the help of a friend to help her study for the THEA. She passed all sections on her first attempt and has not looked back since then. Now she’s on her way to obtaining a degree in nursing.

David Petty Kim McGill Martha Martin


Students work with volunteer mentors weekly to hone in their skills.

Hayes said that each child is different, and it sometimes takes some creativity to get the lessons across. But when lightning strikes, she said it’s something special.

“When you see the light bulb come on, and that student passes that test, or what-ever it is they’ve set out to do, it makes it all worthwhile,” she said. “You just have to find that one thing that clicks. It feels good to know you’re making a difference.”

Her work doesn’t end with HOSTS, however.

Hayes is also president of the local chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, an organization that focuses on giving back to the community. Through the group’s Top Teens of America program, she and her counterparts nurture Crossroads-area youth, teaching them to become leaders and do their part to give back.

Hayes obtained her bachelor’s degree from New Jersey’s Fairleigh Dickinson University, and later moved on to D.C.’s Howard University for her master’s de-

gree. An only child, she was the first in her immediate family to graduate college.

She said it was her mother’s strong work ethic, along with the positive exam-ples she saw around her, that encouraged her to move forward.

“My mother worked with the govern-ment and has always been a lady who strived to better herself and work her way up,” Hayes said of her role model, who is now 96. “She was upwardly mobile and pushed me in that direction. It was just something that was almost expected of me.”

Family is one thing Hayes said she al-ways makes time for. She and her husband, Rev. Terrence K. Hayes, have two adopted daughters: Karolyn Janee and Frances Ce-celia.

And, while her packed schedule might keep her constantly on the go, that’s OK. She admitted she wouldn’t have it any oth-er way.

“It’s a busy life, but it’s a rewarding life,” she said. “I’m happy.”

For more information on Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., or to get involved, email [email protected].

our Board of Trustees to plan for this up-coming school year, our conversations con-tinually involve “quality”. A quality learn-ing environment, quality instruction, and quality opportunities and resources for all students and staff.

In the Victoria ISD, we believe that as educators, our primary focus is to provide all children in our community the oppor-tunity to develop their mental, moral and physical capabilities to their maximum po-tential. Our students are our most impor-tant resource and the “core value” of every

decision we make. By working together and focusing on “Every Child, Every Class-room, Every Day” we can and will continue to offer our students the quality of educa-tion they so richly deserve.

Excellence in education is based on professional standards of excellence for students, faculty and staff. We must con-tinue to review and redefine strategies that will enable us to reach new heights and maintain our focus on academic excel-lence. Our schools belong to the people of our community and community support is a must if a school district is to operate suc-cessfully. As educational leaders we must

always believe every parent has a dream that their child will be happy and success-ful. As a school district we must equally share in this dream and must provide en-gaging, appropriate and challenging ex-periences for all students. We must also realize that preparing our students for the workforce is secondary to our responsibil-ity to prepare them for success in life.

To become an exceptional school dis-trict, we must communicate and work in harmony with all stakeholders. In the Victoria ISD, we believe that everyone is responsible for taking an active role in our children’s future and that excellence is the

rule and not the exception. We are cur-rently designing our educational strategies to align and support improved instruction, evaluate student performance and im-prove professional development opportuni-ties. We firmly believe that improvement must be a process and not an event.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire Victoria Independent School Dis-trict, we thank you for challenging us to do more, to learn more, to dream more, and, most importantly, to become more. We realize that choice not chance determines our destiny and we thank you for choosing to believe in us.

worked on projects like designing heart valves,” he said, explaining that many of his classmates at the time were both en-gineers and medical doctors. “One of the main reasons I went into engineering was to design devices to help others, and medi-cine just sort of made sense.”

He ventured north for his M.D., which he obtained from Washington, DC’s How-

ard University.Through the years, Morgan’s career

has included medical research, advising and professor roles. He was serving his residency at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital when, in 2007, Citizens Medical Center recruited him to the Crossroads.

Today, the tireless worker runs two clinics – one in Victoria and another in Mi-ami – while also serving as founder and president of Hop Medical Services, an or-

ganization that provides healthcare, con-sultations and home visits.

Other energy goes to his role as direc-tor of medical education for the Morlon Greenwood Foundation, a non-profit group aimed at bettering communities through programs that encourage healthy life-styles.

Looking forward, it’s no surprise that Morgan hopes to stay busy. He envisions opening other clinics, investing in real es-

tate and exploring other projects that catch his eye.

And, while it might sound daunting, he plans to take it all in stride. He offered some advice to those working toward spe-cific plans.

“Take things day by day, step by step and know your goal,” he said. “Sometimes it gets real hard and you think everything is collapsing on you, but stay focused. You’ll reach it.”

MORGAN, from pg 1

LETTER, from pg 1

HAYES, from pg 1


Most people in the area know De-vereux Gardens as a floral shop with an outstanding Buttermilk Brownie. But few know that Devereux Gardens is the com-munity retail division of the Devereux Victoria Adult Community Vocational Pro-gram. Through Devereux Gardens , clients in Devereux’s care gain a variety of life skills including baking, greenhouse pro-duction, janitorial services, candle making, woodworking, picnic-pack assembly, arts & crafts and planter making. Individuals de-velop a sense of self-esteem through pro-ductive and rewarding work.

Questions often asked are: “How does my purchase benefit others?”

Your patronage of Devereux Gardens helps provide a challenging employment opportunity and emotional support for adults with developmental disabilities. We are open to the public during regular busi-ness hours and grow hundred of varieties of flowers and specialize in unusual and exotic plants.

did you know? Most developmental disabilities have

no cure, but symptoms are often treated with a great deal of success to provide a more comfortable life for those coping with mental and/or physical disabilities. Pro-

fessional therapy services, like Devereux, help care for these individuals by imple-menting everyday routines and life skills we ourselves take for granted. Something as simple as holding a job or learning a new task can have a positive impact on individu-als with developmental disabilities.

Devereux Gardens: Change is growing...One bloom at a time

The Jacobs family’s contributions span far beyond that initial signature.

Mary Virginia said that she and her husband helped out however possible, fill-ing in as substitute house parents, taking in children who needed places to go for Christmas and more.

Although they gave some of them-selves, she said those lasting relationships they formed brought them much more in return. One girl in particular, an 18-year-old who left the ranch only to return later on, stood out in her mind.

“They were full when she wanted to go back, and she was also too old,” Mary Virginia said of the girl they took in. “Even today, she still calls us Mom and Dad. We stay in contact. There are kids that went through Bluebonnet that are teachers, police officers and flight attendants now. We’ve seen amazing results.”

As time progressed, so did the orga-nization. One of the biggest transforma-tions came 31 years ago, with the start of the Bluebonnet Youth Ranch Celebrity Golf Tournament.

The event lost money its founding year, Claud said, but organizers knew they were on to something. The next year, they added a dance to the mix. And, with time, both mo-mentum and a celebrity following ensued.

Today’s tournaments bring in hun-dreds of thousands of dollars for area

youth, he said, as well as some big-name stars wanting to do some good.

“The neat thing is, it’s become a family of Bluebonnet people,” he said of contribu-tors, who have included Allen Shamblin, Roy Clark, Rod Steagall and many others. “It’s turned into a community of people who care about each other, and care about what we’re doing. And it continues to grow. It has to.”

The 2012 golf tournament spans Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.

Much of Claud and Mary Virginia’s time might go toward furthering both the youth ranch and golf tournament, but that isn’t all they’re involved in. Other com-munity work includes time with the port authority, Habitat for Humanity, Christ’s Kitchen, higher education and more.

Such involvement takes plenty of time – and its fair share of elbow grease – but Claud said it’s worth it to know you’re mak-ing someone else’s life just a little bit better.

“My dad’s saying was always, ‘You get out of life what you put in it,’” he said. “And I believe that is absolutely true. Imagine what would happen in Victoria if everyone volunteered one hour a week. It doesn’t take much. But I think you need to be in-volved.”

For more information on the Bluebon-net Youth Ranch, visit www.bbyr.org. To get involved with the 2012 Celebrity Golf Tour-nament, call 361-772-2199.

JACOBS, from pg 1

next issue noVeMber 2012

A pumpkin from our new Adult Garden Project


and their families along the way.Many people confuse Palliative Care

with Hospice Care. Unlike hospice, pa-tients seen and treated in Palliative Care do not necessarily need to be terminally ill or dying. They can still be receiving ac-tive treatments for their diseases and still qualify for palliative care to help manage their symptoms.

We believe that patients and their fam-ilies deserve this additional support while

they make their way through the medical system so that their symptoms are well managed, their questions and concerns are adequately addressed, and their goals for their care help direct the treatments they receive.

The Victoria area has active Palliative Care services at our local hospitals that have been serving patients and families for the last 6 years. The Supportive Care Team is available to help you or your loved one with your serious illness. They can be contacted at (361) 572-8848 for questions.

your surgery to determine how strong your lens is, so an implant with the same strength can be put in during the surgery. If you wear glasses, the implant strength can be adjusted to replace both your lens and your glasses.

Like your aging lens, the implant can-not change its shape to help you see both up close and off at a distance. But several options are available to help you minimize-or even eliminate-your need for any type of glasses after cataract surgery.

For instance, your doctor may place implants in your eyes with the appropriate

strength for you to see well at a distance, and you can wear reading glasses when you want to see up close, such as for read-ing.

Another option is for your doctor to select the implant strength for you to see clearly off at a distance for one eye, and a different strength-the one for up close-for your other eye, so that you can see clearly at all distances without glasses after sur-gery. This works well for most people, but some people have trouble with depth per-ception when their two eyes are focused at different distances.

In recent years, several types of toric, bifocal and/or multifocal implants have been developed. These lenses allow you

to see clearly at a variety of distances, ef-fectively eliminating the need for glasses. Several manufacturers, including Alcon, Advanced Medical Optics, and Eyeonics, have recently received approval from the FDA for new technology multi-focal lenses following cataract surgery. It should be noted, however, that multi-focal lens tech-nology is evolving rapidly and patients are encouraged to consult with their doctor about these offerings. Also, this technology

is relatively expensive and is considered elective by Medicare and most payers, thus the difference in price between a standard cataract IOL and the new technology must be paid by the patient.

Talk with your doctor about the vari-ous types of implants available, and their effects on your vision after surgery. You and your doctor will develop a plan that pairs you with the best type of implants for your eyes and your vision needs.

which trains and supports volunteers – people like you– to speak and act as advo-cates for the best interests of abused and neglected children. These volunteers are trained to work within the child welfare and family court systems and are appointed by judges to individual cases. A child with a CASA volunteer is less likely to languish in the foster care system, and much more likely to find a safe and permanent home.

Golden Crescent CASA, a local chap-ter of the national CASA system, is cur-rently serving 246 children, but unfortu-

nately, there are many more children that need our help. While our current number of eighty-seven CASAs is wonderful, we are still in need of at least forty more CASA volunteers to be able to adequately serve the number of children who are in the child protective system in our eight counties. Therefore, we must continue our efforts to recruit and train MORE CASA volunteers! Being a CASA is challenging work but it can be the most amazing, rewarding expe-rience that will change a child’s life – and a CASA volunteer’s life as well.

If you can’t be a CASA volunteer, there

are so many other ways you can get in-volved as a “Friend of CASA.” We are ex-tremely grateful to our creative “Friends” that give of their time, talent and treasures! These tireless individuals help with our fund raising events by decorating, serving food, sewing quilts for auction, or acting; or gathering and wrapping Christmas gifts for the children. Local eateries charitably pro-vide food for CASAs attending our monthly continuing education luncheons - Vera Cruz, Olive Garden, Cimarron Express and Double Dave’s Pizza. I’d like to thank ev-eryone and all the creative ways they have

“friended” CASA.If you want to know more about CASA,

please visit www.goldencrescentcasa.org, www.texascasa.org and the national web-site, www.casaforchildren.org. It will be time well spent. Again, on behalf of the Golden Crescent Court Appointed Special Advocates family, thank you Victoria, Cal-houn, Dewitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca and Refugio county citizens. We appreciate your support.

Port Lavaca Training classes start September 4th!

VOLUNTEER, from pg 1

CATARACT, from pg 9

PALLIATIVE, from pg 9

pressure. To obtain a reliable and accu-rate blood pressure reading, one should be seated and calm for at least 5 minutes prior to taking the reading and the arm should be at the level of the heart.

Once diagnosed with hypertension, adequate control should be obtained with the ultimate goal being prevention of death and disability which can stem from uncon-trolled high blood pressure. Treatment does not always require medications but

should always include lifestyle changes. Weight loss, exercise, and diet modification such as reduced sodium intake are effec-tive means for lowering blood pressure. Also, smoking and excessive alcohol use are factors that contribute to hypertension and should be eliminated. If medications are appropriate, your doctor will choose appropriate therapy based on severity of hypertension, allergies, coexisting medical problems, etc. Patients should be aware of potential side effects when initiating new medications. Doctors and pharmacists are helpful resources in this regard.

Uncontrolled hypertension greatly in-creases the long-term risk of heart attack and stroke. It is also the 2nd most common cause of kidney failure and dialysis. In fact, hypertension is associated with approxi-mately 50% of all strokes and heart attacks worldwide. Many associate the reduction in cardiovascular deaths over the past few decades in large part to improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperten-sion. However, significant disparities exist with respect to diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure when considering so-cioeconomic status and ethnicity.

Hypertension is a paramount pub-lic health issue because it affects a large number of people in the US and worldwide. Since high blood pressure is easily diag-nosed and treated resulting in significant decreases in strokes, heart attacks, and death, it is one of the most cost effective diseases to treat. If you are unsure of the status of your blood pressure, you should see your physician for screening or present a record of your home blood pressures to your physician. Your life may depend on it.

HEAT, from pg 9


and Rhetoric.” They also have the option of taking classes in fiction writing, nonfiction writing, poetry writing or screenplays.The degree is intended to prepare students for careers in writing, publishing and teach-ing, although the program could be a useful degree for a number of related professions such as marketing, journalism, publishing and arts administration.

“Aside from a love of literature and a love of writing, taking creative writing courses has several practical applica-tions,” López said. “It’s good for developing communication skills. This is an informa-tion-laden society, so being able to write well and communicate well is important.”

López has won several awards for her 2009 book “Confetti Girl.” It was a fea-tured title for Scholastic Book Fairs and a Commended Title for the Américas Book

Award. Kansas schoolchildren recently awarded it with one of the 2012 William Al-len White Children’s Book Awards.

López’s newest book, “Choke,” was re-leased this week.

Carr was the inaugural winner of the Texas Observer Short Story Prize. His de-but collection, “Short Bus,” was released in 2011. His writing has appeared in the American Book Review, Fiction Interna-tional, NANO Fiction and several other publications.

Perez, who also will be a new faculty member at UHV this fall, published a book earlier this year titled “Along These High-ways.” It is a collection of fiction short stories set in Austin, Corpus Christi and Greenton, a fictional town in South Texas.

For more information about the new UHV creative writing program, visit www.uhv.edu/asa/undergraduate/889.htm.

department - Behavior Disorders and Positive Behaviors Supports, Autism Spec-trum Disorders, and Learning Disabilities.

And, although excited about that mile-stone, she said the work would continue.

She’s already looking into doctorate programs, she said, and hopes to center her dissertation around the disproportion-ality of African-American male students labeled emotionally disturbed.

Green said she looked forward to the work ahead and encouraged others inter-ested in education to follow their dreams.

“You don’t go into education for the money,” she said. “The real reward is know-ing you’re helping other people. You’re giv-ing somebody the opportunity, the skill set and the knowledge base to improve their life. It’s very rewarding. Honestly, there’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

GREEN, from pg 5 BRANCH, from pg 16

INTERVENTION, from pg 16

WRITERS, from pg 11

Pictured L-R: FBGC volunteer Katrina Cannon and postal worker Sharmaine Hypolite team up to offload food from a postal truck.

Local students help out with by washing Food Bank vehicles during Youth Leadership Day. They are part of over one hundred 6th grade students who participated.

More Food Bank volunteers in actionterm effects. But, what happens when we are ready to drag that former loved one to the recycle bin and they are unwilling to be dropped?

Do we put their feelings and interest before ours? We know to be a responsible person we have to consider others and their response to our actions. When we determine that the relationship has grown unhealthy for us, are we determining that it must also have the same affect upon our “other?” If we allow an unhealthy relation-ship to fester, what outcomes can we ex-pect? Do we foresee sadness and depres-sion, unwanted pregnancies, violent acts, attempted suicide or death? What role does our inaction play in the outcome? Are we leaving the relationship with the possi-bility of retrieval of dignity and respect for all parties? How many relationships would fail to launch if we considered our unwill-ingness to remain for the ups and downs of life?

Remembering that people are not trash to be dragged and dumped will hope-fully make a difference in the relationships we forge. Knowing that consequences will result from our actions or inaction is im-portant not only for us, but for our “others.” Always think, before we begin and before we end.

university staff members serve as suc-cess coaches for students at all levels. The success coaches inspire and motivate students; educate students about study skills, test taking skills and setting goals; and encourage them to attend workshops and tutoring sessions. Students can meet for half-hour sessions with a success coach weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Students who are interested in having a success coach may contact Rivera at [email protected] or 361-570-4287.


BARNETT, from pg 8

School is starting again.Watch out for kids crossing

the street!

School District looking into a job for a friend. When they asked if he was interest-ed in a new role himself, he couldn’t pass it up.

“I didn’t even know they had an open-ing. I hadn’t been searching,” he said with a laugh. “But I’m one of those believers that, when it’s something that’s meant to happen, God will open that door wide open and you’ll slide through it. That’s what hap-pened.”

Barnett admitted the switch from up-per-level education to the formative years would be a change, but said it would be a rewarding one. Children at that age – pre-school through first grade – are just de-veloping habits, and experiences then can affect their outlook on school for years to come.

The longtime educator’s background in Crossroads academics includes work

in coaching, administration, the Mitch-ell Guidance Center and Stroman High School. A month-long job filling in as prin-cipal for William Wood and Guadalupe el-ementary schools helped prepare him for the little guys, but he also got his share of training at home.

Barnett and his wife, Faye, have three daughters: 15-year-old Erica Ronshell, 10-year-old Abbie Javarn and 4-year-old Imani Jorday.

Looking ahead, the incoming princi-pal said he’s excited about what the year has to offer. He said he hopes to encourage creativity in the classroom and to support both his teachers and students however possible.

“I want to make sure teachers feel free to try different things,” he said. “I want them to step outside the box and get the kids’ attention. And I want the kids to have fun. We want to make sure they have the best experience they can, so they want to keep learning.”


Documents

Volume 5 - Number 17 AUGUST 2012 5th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE...by MAry lAsAter, ed. d Adjunct UHV Instructor As board president of Golden Crescent CASA, I want to extend my appreciation