Celebrating what makes Texarkana great
Texarkana is a place that I call home. I have lived here my entire life, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I have so many wonderful memories in Texarkana. It is a place that not only recognizes diversity, but it offers opportunities for everyone. Texarkana may not be a huge city with tall skyscrapers and subways, but there are many things that we can be proud of in our city.
One of the best assets of Texarkana is its wonderful educational opportunities. Students are pushed to be competitive in school and to strive for their best every day. This is what causes Texarkana to produce the best and brightest young minds around. Texarkana is so sure that education is one of the most important keys to success that eight years ago, Texarkana ISD opened a school that trains the minds of kids, beginning in kindergarten, to think about realworld problems and solutions.
TISD opened the Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics & Engineering School as the first science, technology, engineering and mathematics school in the area. This school teaches students to research realworld problems and find the best possible solution to fix them. I am proud to say that I was among the first first-grade class to enter Morriss Elementary. TISD is now in the process of opening a new Sixth Grade Center and a new elementary school in 2016. I am sure these schools will continue to be among the best educational facilities in Texarkana.
Not only does Texarkana produce bright minds, but it also produces very successful people. Ryan Mallett is the 26-year-old quarterback for the Houston Texans and a previous resident of Texarkana. He is one of the many residents from Texarkana that have become a professional athlete. Why is this so common in Texarkana, you may ask? Well, like I said before, Texarkana is a city that strives to be the best, and that includes having some of the best athletic programs around. Texarkana provides as many athletic opportunities as possible so that we can be sure that no matter what we strive to do, we excel. In addition to being the home of successful athletes, Texarkana is also the home of successful business people. Mr. H. Ross Perot is one who immediately comes to my mind. Mr. Perot is responsible for much of the reconstruction to the historic Perot Theatre. He donated a generous amount of the funds to restore it; thus, the theater was named after him. Mr. Perot frequently visits this area to attend important events.
When I was asked to write this essay, I at first couldn’t put it in words. Texarkana has been my home my entire life and a place that I love. There are so many great things about this city that it was very hard to only write about a few. In Texarkana, you will never feel like you missed out on anything because there is so much that is offered to you. It allows you to progress and never have the feeling that you are being held back. Texarkana is a city that provides top-notch education, athletics, business and many other assets while making sure that nothing will ever be too good for its citizens. Texarkana is a city that will continue to grow and develop and strive to be the very best it can be. I am proud to live in Texarkana, because I know that no matter what, it will continue to aim for greatness.