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Tierney Young Parents: Audra and Gayle Vaughn (grand- parents) Marti Carouthers (moth- er) Academic areas of concen- tration in high school: Dual-credit classes, AP classes, College prep classes Community service or volunteer work at school: FFA volunteer activities -cleaning at the country club golf tournament.; Band volunteer activities -playing at the nursing home.; Interact Club volunteer activities- preparing a breakfast for local veterans.; Student council volunteer activities- pre- pare thanksgiving baskets for the less fortunate. Leadership positions: Student Council-President, Vice President Band-Freshman Representative, Treasurer, Secretary Interact-President Participation in academic and athletic extra-curricular activities: Band, Prancer Drill Team, FFA Show Team National Spanish Honor Society National Honor Society National Technical Honor Society Interact Club, Student Council Business Professionals of America Plans after high school: I plan to attend Mays Business School at Texas A&M University where I will major in Accounting. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Mrs. Melanie Verner Grade: 9th; Subject Area: AP English; School: LHS In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mrs. Verner’s sweet and charismatic presence always made learning English an enjoyable experience, and there was never dull moment in her class. I think we all had a special bond with her, as we grew together in her first year of teach- ing and our first year of high school. Either through extensive research papers or simple classroom discussions, her passion for teaching was always evident. To this day, I still use every bit of the tools she gave us from analyzing books, to writing short answers and even filling out my college applications. Mrs. Verner’s advice went far beyond the classroom; she always had the right way to address any personal problems we came to her with. It’s sad to think that no other class before or after us had the privilege of having such a wonderful and memorable teacher. Daniel Joseph Hebert Parents: John and Amy Hebert Academic areas of concen- tration in high school: College Prep curriculum including dual credit Community service or volunteer work at school: I provided community service through my church youth group. Leadership positions: Captain of the baseball team. Participation in academic and athletic extra-curricular activities: Baseball, Football , Spanish Honor Society National Honor Society Attended Texas Boys’ State Plans after high school: I plan to attend Stephen F. Austin State University and major in Criminal Justice: Law Enforcement. I seek to have a career as a Texas State Trooper. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Mr. Bruce Wright At what grade level and what subject area did you have this teacher? Grade: 12th grade; Subject Area: U.S. Government ; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mr. Wright taught me not only how the United States gov- ernment works, but also very important life lessons once you begin college and move into your career. He taught me the importance of managing finances and other tools I can use after I graduate. He is an outstanding role model and leader of the community as well as the school. When I finish his class I will understand so much more about government and life then when I started the school year. I thank him for his time and effort he puts forth in his classes, and hope he has a happy retirement. Allison Meche Parents: Randy and Memorie Meche Academic areas of concentration in high school: Dual-Credit class- es, AP classes, and col- lege-prep classes. Community ser- vice or volunteer work at school: Church Activities – Vacation Bible School Leader, Christmas Under the Stars slide show director, Fall Festival activity booth worker, and Easter Program assistant. Interact Club - Project Vote, Veteran’s Breakfast, Recycling, Community Clean-up, and Relay-for-Life. Leadership positions: Volleyball and Softball, Captain Student Council, Secretary (12-13) Interact Club, Secretary (12-13) Business Professionals of America, President (11-13) Class Officer, President (09-13) Yearbook Staff, Editor (12-13) Participation, academic, athletic extra-curricular activities: Volleyball and softball (09-13) Volleyball – Freshman (09-10), Varsity (10-13) Softball – Varsity (09-13), Student Council (09-13) Interact Club (11-13) Business Professionals of America (10-13), Class Officer (09-13), Yearbook Staff (10-11, 12-13) Flag (11-13), Pep-rally Announcer (12-13) Leading Every Panther to Success (12-13) Plans after high school: I plan to attend Texas A&M University and major in Communications with the intent to become a Sports Broadcaster, as well as minor in Interdisciplinary Studies. My long-term goal is to become a private school Pre-k and Kindergarten teacher with a dream of owning my own school. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Mr. Jerry Cox Grade: 11th; Subject Area: Pre-Ap Pre-Cal; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mr. Cox made learning math so easy and understandable. Every morning, unlike most normal high school students, I looked forward to starting my day off in his class. The way he taught made me eager to learn more and I could easily sit through his class all day. Not only does his intelligence inspire me, but his faith with The Lord challenges me to grow in my walk with God. Thanks to him, my love for math and The Lord only grew stronger. Karina Moreno Parents: Luis and Maria Moreno Academic areas of concentration in high school: College Prep Community ser- vice or volunteer work at school: Interact-Relay for life, Bypass clean up Blood Donor Harbor Sports Alliance Leadership positions: Varsity Volleyball co-captain 2011; Class Secretary 2011- 2012; Spanish Honor Society class representative 2011-2012; Spanish Honor Society Vice President 2013; Middle School Director. Participation in academic and athletic extra-curricular activities: All State Volleyball; Regional Volleyball; Basketball; Regional Golf; National Technical Award; National Mathematics Award; Theatre Performances; National Honor Society; Spanish Honor Society; Student Council. Plans after high school: After High School I plan to attend Texas State where I will pursue a career in Physical Therapy. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Miss Gardner (Gigi) now known as Mrs. Moore Grade: 6-9; Subject Area: Theatre; School: Liberty Middle School and Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Miss Gardner was the first person that gave me the confi- dence to break out of my shell and introduce me to an art that I would come to love and treasure. Luke Harris Parents: Matt & Kim Harris Academic areas of concen- tration in high school: Mathematics, Science Community service or volun- teer work at school: Church Activities: Fair booth volunteer, La Posada volun- teer Leadership positions: Captain of baseball team, president of Spanish Honor Society Participation in academic and athletic extra-curricular activities: Baseball, Football, Business Professionals of America, Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society Plans after high school: I plan to attend Texas A&M and pursue a major in Biomedical Sciences. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Coach Higginbotham At what grade level and what subject area did you have this teacher? Grade: 9-12; Subject Area: Baseball & Law Enforcement; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Coach Hig has taught me a lot about being a student, a player, and a young man. He has assisted me when I need help or need improvement. I am lucky to have had him as a coach. Liberty ISD Education Foundation Recognizes Honor Students, Outstanding Teachers, Grant Winners and Donors Cori Raylene Clevenger Parents: Hoyt Richard Clevenger Jr. and Faye Diana Riedy-Clevenger Academic areas of concen- tration in high school: A.P. and College Prep Community service or volunteer work at school: I have volunteered with the Liberty High School Life Skills Program from August of 2010 to present. I volunteered from August to September 2011 at Stable Spirit in Beaumont, Texas as a horse groomer and volunteered at the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum in Beaumont from September to December 2011 as a museum maintenance worker. I also volunteered at the Liberty Health Care Center from January to February 2012. I also tutor when requested by my peers. Leadership positions: I was president of the Liberty County chapter of HealthRocks! in the 2009-2010 school year. I was female sophomore representative of the Spanish Honor Society in the 2010-2011 school year. I am president and founder of the LHS Expressions club. Participation in academic and athletic extra-curricular activities: I have been a member of the Spanish Honor Society since my induction freshman year, and have been a member of the National Honor Society since junior year induction. I was noti- fied of my membership in the Career-Tech Honor Society senior year. I was a member of the U.I.L. Science Team my sophomore and senior year. I placed first in physics at the district meet sopho- more year, qualifying for advancement to region. Senior year, I placed 7th in all sciences (physics, Chemistry, and Biology) and my team placed 2nd in district, qualifying advancement to the region meet as an alternate. My sophomore year, I was a member of the UIL Social Studies team as well. Sophomore and Junior year, I was a staff reporter for the Liberty High School Firewire. Junior year, I went to the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities, a highly selective, early college entrance program for gifted and talented students at Lamar University. It is one of two residential programs for gifted and talented high school-aged stu- dents recognized by the Texas State Legislature. I returned to Liberty High School when I fell ill with Type 1 Diabetes in February 2012. I have earned 28 college credits through this pro- gram and summer enrollment at Lee College. Plans after high school: I will begin my sophomore year at Lamar University in Fall 2013. I am currently classified as an Earth Science major, because it was my aspiration to become a meteorologist and attend grad school at the University of Houston. Now, I am undecided about my major. I have an inter- est in genetics and genomics research because of my diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes a little over a year ago. T1D is an auto-im- mune disease, and I am curious as to why an immune system would function perfectly for 16 years, and then turn on itself. So, I may switch to a biology major at Lamar University and pursue genetics at Baylor College of Medicine. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? The teacher that had the most significant impact on me and my education is the late Mr. Wayne McWhorter. Grade: 8th; Subject Area: Science; School: Liberty Middle School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mr. McWhorter stimulated my love of science. He was the spon- sor of the Science Offers Awesome Rewards (S.O.A.R.) club at Liberty Middle School. I was a member of this club beginning in the 6th grade and remained a member until 8th grade. He was my teacher for both Environmental Science and Science class in 8th grade. He instilled in me the observation skills and inquisitive mind of a scientist; to this day, I can still name certain birds from the calls that they make. He took the S.O.A.R students on field trips such as scuba diving, bird watching, and canoeing. He took the curriculum beyond the classroom and developed the subject of science from textbooks to real world interaction. He was the first teacher I had that did this with his teachings. I could talk to him about anything: problems, dreams, goals, etc. He was the teacher that encouraged me starting at 11 years old to pursue my dream of attending the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities (T.A.L.H). He supported my dream, and I went on to achieve it. I had never known my blood grandfather so at 11 years old, I related Mr. McWhorter to what I thought a grandfa- ther should be. When he was ill with cancer, I visited him at his home and said my good-byes. Maybe two days later, I received word that he had passed away; it broke my heart. I lost more than a teacher that day. I lost a man that I considered to be family, a friend, and a mentor. Erin Zachary Parents: Debbie and Tom Zachary Academic areas of concentration in high school: College Prep Community ser- vice or volunteer work at school: Interact Club, Blood Drive worker, LEAPS program volunteer, Children’s Church worker Leadership positions: Varsity Cheerleading Captain 2012-2013, Student Council Sponsor’s Assistant, Tutor at LEAPS program, Track Senior Captain Participation, academic, athletic extra-curricular activities: Volleyball, Track, Cross Country, Cheerleading, Student Council, Interact Club, LEAPS volunteer, LHS Theater, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, National Commended Merit Scholar, National Mathematics Award, Academic Decathlon Plans after high school: I plan to attend Abilene Christian University, and the ACU Honors College. I plan to get my Master’s Degree in Psychology and possibly be a counselor to adolescents and returning troops suffering from PTSD. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Bruce Wright Grade: 12; Subject Area: US Government and Politics; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mr. Wright has always been a no-nonsense kind of teacher that still remembers that his students are also people. He has encouraged me to try new things, such as UIL Feature Writing, Academic Decathlon, and the AP US Government and Politics Exam. Mr. Wright has always been very support- ive without sugar-coating things (especially concerning pep rallies) and he is a truly awesome person to be around. Apart from the personal side, Mr. Wright is a great Government teacher that makes his subject extremely interesting. Liberty ISD is going to be losing a very valuable asset as he retires this year. John Mark Herndon Parents: Mark and Leslie Herndon Academic areas of concentra- tion in high school: College Prep cur- riculum, including AP and Dual Credit Courses Community ser- vice or volunteer work at school: First Baptist Church Liberty Vacation Bible School First Baptist Church Liberty Mission Trips Other church activities over high school career Leader of Interact Recycling Crew Leadership positions: Treasurer of Business Professionals of America Secretary of Spanish Honor Society Leader of Interact Recycling Crew Participation, academic, athletic extra-curricular activ- ities: National Honor Society Business Professionals of America Student Council, Panther Football, Panther Baseball Interact, Spanish Honor Society, Link Crew Plans after high school: I will be attending Baylor University, enrolled in the PreMed Program. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Mrs. Penni Gilliland Grade: 10-12; Subject Area: Business Information Management and Business Professionals of America Sponsor; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mrs. Gilliland has impacted my life by teaching me about many aspects of business during my three years of participation in BPA. Because of her tutelage I was able to compete in the BPA state competition each of the years I par- ticipated. I am very grateful for the knowledge I have gained from her during my high school career and know that it will be useful for years to come. Thanks Mrs. Gilliland! Juan Francisco Saavedra Parents: Juan and Maria Saavedra Academic areas of concentration in high school: College Prep Curriculum including Dual Credit Classes. Community ser- vice or volunteer work at school: I’ve done community service through my church by work- ing at the annual church festivals and the annual concession stand at the T.V.E. Leadership positions: Senior and Outfield Captain of the Panther Baseball team. Participation in academic and athletic extra-curricular activities: Baseball Spanish Honor Society National Honor Society National Technical Honor Society Plans after high school: I plan to attend Texas A&M University at College Station and major in Aerospace Engineering. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Mrs. Ronnell Wainscott At what grade level and what subject area did you have this teacher? Grade: 10-11; Subject Area: World and U.S. History; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Mrs. Wainscott has to be by far one of the best teachers I’ve had. She was not only a great teacher but a great person as well. She taught me not only the course materiel but also the importance of learning. Her class taught me how enjoy- able it was to learn and I thank her for it. Alicia Vanek Parents: April Whittigton-Vanek and Michael Vanek Academic areas of concentration in high school: Math, I will have five math credits when I graduate. It’s my favor- ite subject. Community service or volunteer work at school: Church Activities- Help with garage sales, dinners, nursery, Sunday school, School - Drive 4UR School, Veteran’s Day breakfast Leadership positions: Basketball, Junior- Captain Softball, Senior- Captain Participation, academic, athletic extra-curricular activi- ties: Volleyball- Freshman, sophomore Basketball- Freshman, sophomore Softball- Freshman, sophomore, junior, senior National Honor Society- Junior, senior National Technical Honor society- Senior Interact- Senior FFA- Freshman, sophomore, junior Plans after high school: After high school I’m going to study business at Texas A&M University. After college I want to work for a big company and work my way up. When I retire I want to open a home for children in need. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Ms. Pittman. Grade: 3rd; Subject Area: Math; School: Naomi Pasemann Elementary In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? Ms. Pittman believed in me more than any other teacher has and she really helped set the foundation for my education. She made class fun and she helped us actually understand what she was talking about. Ms. Pittman cared about her students and she genuinely cared about our education. I’m so thankful that I had the privilege to be one of her students. Kristina Vierma Parents: Ezequiel Vierma and Soraya Vivas Academic areas of concentration in high school: College prep cur- riculum including hon- ors and AP classes. Community ser- vice or volunteer work at school: Through Prancers we’ve done many activities to benefit our community like participating in relay for life, helping with track and field days for LES, or organizing books for the library, etc. Kid’s theatre camp. Leadership positions: Co-capt of the LHS prancers Squad leader-Varsity Tennis (10th grade) Participation, academic, athletic extra-curricular activi- ties: LHS Prancers, Varsity Tennis, Theatre, Student Council Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society Plans after high school: I plan to go to Southwestern University and major in psychology. What teacher in your life has had the most significant impact on you or your education? Mrs. Verner, Grade: 9; Subject Area: English; School: Liberty High School In what way did this teacher impact your education or your life? I was able to learn so much from Mrs. Verner. Not only about the subject that she taught, but also about life and how to survive that scary first year of high school. She cared about her students, and that’s something anyone could instantly notice when they walked into her classroom. To this day I still consider her one of the biggest influences during my high school years. Liberty ISD Education Foundation Supporting Academic Excellence 1600 Grand Avenue Liberty, Texas 77575 The Vindicator • Thurs., May 30, 2013 • Section D
