schools
Nathan Bucki, Kenton Cozart, Dallas Crotty and Austin Curnutt of Lake Highlands High School were named National Merit Finalists, ranking them in the top 1 percent of national high school students. William Ash, Michael Bonahoom, Siobhan Kelley, Patrick Mahurin, Luke Mason, Stefan Oddsson, Isabel Pask, Michael Schantz, Sara Shaw, Emily Siegers, John Stewart and Elisabeth Wall earned Commended status. The National Hispanic Recognition Program honored Lars Frederiksen, Stefan Oddsson and Isabel Pask.
philanthropy
Supporters of Healing Hands Ministries traveled to Austin to be recognized by the State of Texas for the work the charity medical and dental clinic does for the needy in and around Lake Highlands. State Representative Jason Villalba was on hand to present a resolution honoring Healing Hands as a “faith-based program that relies solely on volunteers and charitable donations.” The resolution singled out Healing Hands as “meriting special recognition for its exceptional humanitarian service,” and it “commended all those associated with the organization,” including donors and volunteers. The ministry was founded in 2007 by Janna Gardner, at the time an elementary-school nurse, and is located at Royal and Greenville.
people
Lake Highlands-based Cameron Ernst debuted his new CD, “Always Always.” In recent years Ernst has given presentations at numerous DISD and RISD schools about curbing violence and adolescent bullying with the Love is Louder movement. He continues to infuse his music with optimism and love, and his catchy tunes have been featured commercially.
Several members of the White Rock area-based Dallas Running Club and White Rock Running Co-op ran the 2013 Boston Marathon, where a bomb near the finish line killed multiple people and injured hundreds. Two members of the WRRC Allyson Gump and Brent Yost were done running and near the finish line when it happened. They reported much devastation and chaos. Yost says that at one point people started sprinting from the finish line. “It was scary and sad,” he says. Lake Highlands’ James Ayers says he had left the race site when he heard what happened. He echoes Yost, “Just so sad.” Lake Highlands High School swim coach Kyle Horne was among the Dallas runners. Horne finished the race before the bomb exploded and is OK. The finish line was closed and the race canceled after the bomb went off, about four hours into the race.
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