ConocoPhillips presents scholarships to 7 Katy-area students
Seven area high school seniors have been selected to receive $16,000 college scholarships from the ConocoPhillips Dependent Scholarship Program.
Recipients are: Kaylee Buchanan, Seven Lakes High School; Andy Carpio, Morton Ranch High School; Divyanshu Dasani, Seven Lakes High School; Pierce Kotarski, Strake Jesuit College Preparatory; Murphie Price, Seven Lakes High School; Pranay Tamminayana, Seven Lakes High School; and Angela Zhang, Tompkins High School.
Buchanan plans to attend Texas A&M University.
Carpio plans to attend the University of Houston.
Dasani plans to attend Northwestern University.
Kotarski plans to attend the University of Texas.
Price plans to attend the University of Texas.
Tamminayana plans to attend the University of Texas.
Zhang plans to attend Texas A&M University.
The ConocoPhillips Dependent Scholarship Program is designed to recognize exceptional graduating children of ConocoPhillips employees for their classroom and community achievements.
The company has awarded dependent scholarships to students in the communities in which ConocoPhillips operates for more than 60 years.
This year ConocoPhillips awarded 23 scholarships.
Scholarship America, an independent third-party administrator of educational benefit programs, evaluated candidates based on academic excellence, community service and financial need. Recipients may utilize their scholarships to attend any accredited educational college or university of their choice.
Each recipient will receive a $4,000 annual award, renewable yearly based on scholastic achievement, for a fouryear scholarship total of $16,000. 4 KISD teams finish in top 20 of contest
Katy ISD ended up sending eight teams to the Global Competition of Destination Imagination in five different challenges, said Nancy Hess, Griffin Elementary’s DI sponsor and giftedand-talented teacher.
Katy ISD teams competed against more than 1,400 teams May 25–28 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Of the 8 teams, 4 of them placed in the top 10 in their categories, she said.
“The teams from Griffin did very well. Our team of third-graders who were competing in the structure challenge finished 10th.”
In Challenge A- Pace of Change which involved creating a vehicle that would carry a team member, Griffin’s two teams finished 21st and 44th, Hess said.
The final team in Challenge B- In Plain Sight- the scientific challenge finished 26th.
“There were teams there from all over the world and it was a great experience for all who attended,” said Hess.
Placing in the top 10 of their challenges were: Alexander Elementary “DI Dominators” – Fourth Place
Griffin Elementary “Salsa Balsa” – 10th Place
Katy High School “Pi DI-ers” – Sixth Place
Seven Lakes High School “Smart Cookies” – Ninth Place
DI students began preparing for competitions in September and 21 teams from Katy ISD advanced through the Gulf Coast Regional Tournament to the Texas Affiliate Tournament.
Destination Imagination is a nonprofit that seeks to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. Texas DI is the largest affiliate in the world with more than 3,200 teams. ESL training offered to supermarket workers
Lone Star College has begun providing English language training to Kroger employees.
The project, Skills and Opportunity for the New American Workforce, is made possible by a grant awarded to the National Immigration Forum by the Walmart Foundation.
“Lone Star College offers a wide variety of workforce training,” Chancellor Stephen C. Head said. “We understand part of that training includes making sure the local workforce is proficient in English, which can play a major role in determining wages and providing a pathway for career advancement.”
The course lasts 12 weeks and is designed to increase English language skills among retail sector employees for whom English is a second language. Visit www.LoneStar.edu to learn more. TEA cancels STAAR retest
The Texas Education Agency has waived STAAR testing requirements for the 2015-16 school year for fifth- and eighth-grade students.
The June 21-22 retest for those grade levels was canceled because of ongoing reporting issues with the state’s testing vendor, said Mike Morath, commissioner of education. By state law, students are given three opportunities to pass the reading and math tests in order to advance to the next grade level. However, the commissioner has the ability to waive this law when necessary.
“Kids in the classroom should never suffer from mistakes made by adults,” Morath said. “We intend to hold the vendor, Educational Testing Service, accountable.”
Cy-Fair ISD will continue with summer school plans as scheduled.
For information, visit www.tea.state.tx.us. Dana Abbott named ‘Coach of the Year’
St. John XXIII swim coach Dana Abbott was recently chosen as the TAPPS 4A Male Coach of the Year for 2015-16 and received the organization’s Edd Burleson Leadership Award.
In the 10 years Abbott has been at St. John XXIII College Preparatory, the girls’ team has placed in the top 3 at state nine out of the last 10 years, and the boys’ team has been in the top 6 at state seven out of the last 10 years.
Most recently, the Sea Lions captured both boys’ and girls’ championships at regionals, and the girls won their third state championship in the last five seasons while the boys had their highest state finish ever as runners-up.
“This award is really a testament to the kids and a team effort,” says Abbott. “I am blessed with tremendously hard working athletes.” In his typical self-effacing manner, Abbott remarked, “It’s nice to be recognized for all their hard work.”
Prior to his tenure at St. John XXIII, Abbott was head swim coach at Katy High School (1980-2005), where his teams garnered multiple honors.
Abbott’s accolades during that time include being named the UIL Regional Swimming Coach of the Year three times and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Interscholastic Swimming Association.
In 2008, he received the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s Paragon Award form Competitive Swimming. He has given swim clinics and been a speaker at various state, national, and international sports symposiums.
In addition to coaching at St. John XXIII, Abbott coaches the Katy Tiger Swim Club summer team, a developmental group of 10- to 14-year-olds, and coaches swimming to a USA Triathlon group. LSC-Cy Fair teaching degree adds classes
Lone Star College-Cy Fair’s associate degree in teaching now includes early childhood education courses.
The new courses help those interested in Texas Classroom Teacher Certification as well as those who want to gain continuing education hours for Child Development Associate licenses and childcare center professional development.
Course titles are Child and Adolescent Development (TECA 1354), Families, School and Community (TECA 1303) and Educating the Young Child (TECA 1311).
For information, visit www.LoneStar.edu/cyfair-aat, email Fay.D.Lee@LoneStar.edu, or call 281290-3406. Scholarships total $24 million in KISD
A total of 711 students from the Katy Independent School District Class of 2016 received $24.6 million in academic and/or athletic scholarships.
The total amount of academic scholarships earned is $19.3 million and athletic scholarships totaled $5.3 million.
Graduates of Cinco Ranch High School led the way, receiving a total of $6.5 million in scholarships.
Other high schools and their scholarship totals are: Katy, $5.7 million; Mayde Creek, $2.9 million; Morton Ranch, $2.4 million; Seven Lakes, $1.9 million; Taylor, $2.1 million and Tompkins, $3 million.