News for Southern Colorado County, Texas — The Eagle Lake Headlight
Page 8, Thursday, April 29, 2004
Sheridan students participate in UIL
On March 25, fifty-nine students
from Sheridan School traveled to
Needville to compete in the District
UIL meet against students from Eagle
Lake, Edna, Garwood, Needville,
Palacios and Wharton.
When the evening was over,
Sheridan students came home with 25
medals!
UIL medal winners were Kelsey
Andrejczak, two medals; Courtney
Andrejczak, two medals; Conner Beck,
Alicia Brenek, Anna Delgado, two
medals; Nayeli Diaz, Brianna Hubenak, Stephanie Kellum, Erica McConnell, Angel Mason, David Michalak,
Rachelle Moore, Tiffany Mraz, Cody
Munoz, Adrian Rangel, Brittnee Raybon, Angela Spencer, Paige Vandermark, and Brittany Wilson, two medals.
Those participating included:
Second grade: Shaniah Hardcastle,
Erin McConnell, Brittany Moore,
Laura Taylor;
Third grade: Kelsey Andrejczak,
Ashley Beck, Haley Benton, Amy
Huggins, Mikayla Gabler, Brittany
Machart, Angel Mason, Jacob Skok;
Fourth grade: Conner Beck, Brooklyn Ellis, Andie Hubenak, Hannah
Jones, Anna McConnell, David Michalak, Jordyn Pausewang, Shyanne
Schlauch;
Fifth grade: Michael Beyette, Brandy Brewer, Angelina Burrell, Myles
Dumont, Jacob Hubenak, Kelsey
Kellum, Erica McConnell, Kole Miller,
Ryan Moore, Tara Tesch, Paige Van-
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Sixth grade: Trey Benton, Joe
Branch, Jessica Cason, Kevin Ellis,
Alan Huggins, Haley Jones, Jennifer
McDonald, Kody Miller, Rachael
Moore, Cody Munoz, Garrett Neubauer, Adrian Rangel, Brittnee Raybon,
Kelcey Zickuhr;
Seventh grade: Wesly Arrison, Alicia Brenek, Anna Delgado, Elizabeth
Guthrie, Brianna Hubenak, Travis
Kaley, Stephanie Kellum, Tiffany
Mraz, Rebecca Muras, Courtney Ross,
Elda Vasquez; and,
Eighth grade: Courtney Andrejczak, Nayeli Diaz, Kaci Kazmir, Dedra
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Knott, Megan Lloyd, Austin Moore,
Melissa Smith, Angela Spencer and
Brittany Wilson
Congratulations to these students
who gave up recess and put in afterschool hours to prepare for their competitions. It was a good experience and
Sheridan was well represented.
"There are two ways of spreading
light: to be the candle or the mirror that
reflects it."-Edith Wharton
The quote reminds me of volunteerism, though specifically I'm not sure
why. But if so, then I hope I can at least
be the mirror - I could mirror, in my
limited way, the light that shines from
those true volunteers, of any worthy
project/charity, who devote countless
hours of their time and energy. I have
been fortunate to be involved with two
very worthy organizations in my recent
volunteer efforts. In 2000,1 became a
volunteer with the Fort Bend Child
Advocates and in 2003,1 became a tutor with the Fort Bend Literacy Council.
April was Child Abuse Prevention
Month, so I'd like to share thoughts I
penned on the adoption date of "my
child" in the advocacy program.
What child is this?
Listening to my Christmas CD as I
park at the Fort Bend County Courthouse this cool Dec. morning, I think
Locals awarded child care credentials
awarded the credential.
CDA is the only major national effort to improve childcare by evaluation
and recognizing the skills of individuals providing care. The First Credential was awarded 25 years ago. Now,
48 states plus the District of Columbia, include CDA in their childcare licensing regulations.
Parents who use childcare are especially concerned today about their
children's welfare. With this in mind,
as part of the CDA assessment process,
every Candidate for the CDA credenContinued from Page 7
Sexually oriented nightclubs make tial is observed working with young
the majority of their profit through the children or families by an early childsale of alcoholic beverages. Dancers, hood professional. In addition, the Canwho must pay the clubs to perform,
profit through tips.
"If we ban the sale and consumption of alcohol in these sexually oriented nightclubs, I believe that their
after-hours attraction will fall off
enough to make them unprofitable and
they will go out of business.
"The state of Texas does not need
to be partnering with these clubs that
are degrading, particularly to women,
and are havens for drug use and abuse.
We need to be shutting them down.
"I know you can't regulate morality, but we can certainly say some
things are just wrong," she said. "Selling alcohol, degrading women, and
public displays of nudity just don't
Lori Escamilla
mix."
"Today, this state says you can't
drink and drive and you can't walk into
a convenience store with an alcoholic
drink in your hand. Certainly we can
TS
■ Am
*^
say you can't get drunk while watching people take off their clothes in public to pay for education."
/
1K
Chianti D. Pratt, Sonia Vasquez,
Lori Escamilla, Patsy Mrkwa and Rudy
R. Flores of New Beginnings Child Development Center have been awarded
Child Development Associate (CDA)
Credentials in recognition of outstanding work with young children. The
Council for Professional Recognition
in Washington, D.C., which represents
the early childhood profession,
Strayhorn
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didate must demonstrate the ability to
work with families to develop
children's physical and intellectual capabilities in a safe and healthy learning environment.
The CDA credential is having a
positive effect on the quality of childcare. Its impact is evident in centerbased and home visitor programs as
well as family childcare, the most common form of care for children under
five years of age.
For more information, write to the
Council for Professional Recognition,
2460 16th Street, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20009-3575; call 202-265-9090
or 1-800-424-4310.
Sonia Vasquez
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r
Strayhorn called Perry's plan, "not
a sin tax, but a sleaze tax."
Re-Elect
Rene Cooper-Scott
Mayor of Eagle Lake
Proven Leadership.
Dedication and
visionary for the
citizens and community
of Eagle Lake.
Thanking You in Advance for Your Valuable Vote
Saturday, May 15
"Let's continue to see Eagle Lake move
forward in the mainstream."
Political advertisement paid for by Michelle N. Williams, Treasurer, P.O. Box 121, Eagle Lake, TX 77434.
Wm^
■ TH
Patsy Mrkwa
Rudy R. Flores
Pharmacy & Your Health
EAGLE LAKE DRUGSTORE
Steve K. Balas, RPh
702 South McCarty • Eagle Lake • 234-2502
•Patient Counseling • We Accept Master Card, VISA, Discover &
American Express • Insurance Plans: Blue Cross, NPA, PCS,
Pro-Serve, Sanus, PAID, Texas Medicaid
24 Hour Emergency Phone: 234-3834
Use of Sleep Medicines on the Increase
Recent statistics indicate that almost seventy million Americans
struggle to get a good night's sleep. There has also been a steady increase
in the use of both over-the-counter and prescription sleep medicines. It is
estimated that nearly 25% of all Americans use a drug or alcohol to help
fall asleep a few nights each week. Difficulty falling asleep is called sleeponset disorder and is often the result of worry or stress. Trouble staying
asleep or early morning awakening is called sleep maintenance insomnia.
Sleep maintenance insomnia can be a normal part of aging or a disturbance
that causes the sleep obtained to seem inadequate or unrefreshing.
Diphenhydramine and dimenhydrinate are two common over the
counter sleep aid ingredients used for occasional or mild sleeping
problems. Zolpidem (Ambien) is a short-acting prescription product that
helps some individuals with sleep-onset disorder. Sleep maintenance
insomnia is sometimes treated with diazepam (Valium) or flurazepam
(Dalmane). Older individuals experiencing normal, age-related sleep
changes should avoid using any sleep aid, prescription or otherwise,
because drug-related side effects often cause more problems than the
insomnia. Drug related side effects can include confusion, incontinence,
and an increased risk of falls.
this song a too obvious selection - but
it IS the one actually playing as I exit
the car, notes in hand, prepared for witnessing my first adoption case, the
completion of my first CASA (Court
Appointed Special Advocate) case, the
"first day of the rest of her life" for my
CASA child. In a few moments I will
be witness to the beginning of
"Mary's" (name changed to protect the
child) future.
The papers I carry contain Mary's
life story and all the notes I've made
since Mary entered my life - or did I
enter Mary's life? - some 17 months
ago. As I open the heavy courthouse
doors I am mentally reviewing the contents of these notes, starting with
Mary's removal from her home, the
accusations of abuse against her stepfather, her mother's relinquishment of
parental rights, the fruitless search for
her biological father, the eventual temporary placement at her grandmother's
house and the loving request by that
grandmother: "Can I keep Mary with
me always?" - as in adoption. Oh, yes,
grandmother, you may keep Mary with
you - as Mary's guardian ad litem I feel
it is in Mary's best interest. And that is
why I am mentally reviewing this as I
climb the two flights of stairs to family court - for I know the judge may
ask me to speak in this child's behalf,
to know the answer to any question he
may pose regarding this case, to be
qualified to express what is in this
child's best interest.
This is what a guardian ad litem
does and that is what I accepted when
I entered the volunteer program of Fort
Bend County Child Advocates. There
are different volunteer roles within the
child advocate program, but I was particularly interested in becoming a
CASA worker. My role, when I am
assigned a child/children - a case - is
to meet the child, know the child's environment and situation, know the reason the child has been referred to child
advocates, establish communication
with agencies such as Children's Protective Services (CPS) and, if appointed by the court as guardian ad
litem, to act "in the best interest of the
child" - not what's best for the kindly
grandmother, the distraught mother or
the overworked CPS worker - what's
best for the child.
What child is this?
The answer comes at the top of the
last flight of stairs as I see Mary sitting
by her grandmother, expectantly,
knowing this is an important day in her
life. She presents me with that shy, cautious smile I've come to know and expect. It reminds me of why I take this
responsibility so seriously - what I do
or say today must be in Mary's best
interest. After a hug and a brief chat
with Mary, her grandmother, extended
family members, an appointed attorney, a CPS worker, and my CASA Volunteer Supervisor, we enter the courtroom and await the judge presiding
over the adoption.
This is a happy ending to a child's
story in the child advocate programs.
Many Texas counties have child advocate programs in need of volunteers to
assist in various roles, including the
CASA program. A Colorado County
CASA Program exists. For more information call 1-877-473-3734. The children benefit from trained volunteers
who can be more impartial than perhaps biased (though loving and wellmeaning) family members, more accessible than the caring (but overworked) CPS workers and, in general,
more of a stable role model who is
"here" for them through the recent chaotic events in their lives. And the volunteers? They benefit from their experiences in ways they could never have
imagined.
"All rise, the Honorable... cause
no..." We are called forward to end this
17-month journey - to begin another
journey of hope.
I am asked if I consider this adoption to be in the child's best interest.
"Yes, very much so." And I think,
how wonderful that it is in the best interest of so many others - the grandmother who really WANTS and loves
Mary, the CPS department who can
happily remove another case - successfully - from its enormous load, a society that can see a child removed from
an at-risk environment that would only
promote further at-risk situations and
social disruptions - perhaps, ultimately,
in the best interest of our world as the
scene is replayed at countless times in
countless courtrooms across the nation.
What child is this? WHOSE child
is this?
This child belongs to all of us.
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it
with a club."
— Jack London