Student Achievements: Five To Celebrate
1. Pony Pride!
The SMU Spirit squad placed first in the Game Day D1 category at the 2021 NCA and NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida. SMU Cheer, Pom, Peruna mascot, and Mustang Band performed a game-day routine together to win the championship. Tiffany Fettinger coaches the team.
2. Fly Eagle Scouts, Fly
Two more Boy Scouts from Troop 125, sponsored by Grace Bible Church, have achieved the rank of Eagle, the highest and most distinguished rank in Scouting:
Samuel Crawford Suarez, son of Juan and Michelle Suarez of Dallas, is a junior at the Episcopal School of Dallas. His Eagle project: building hand sanitizer dispense stands for Wesley Rankin Community Center, which provides education, health, and skills development programs to families and seniors.
Roman James Fox, 14, son of Travis and Sandra Fox, of Dallas, is completing the eighth grade at Providence Christian School. His Eagle project: installing a flagpole and building a small garden for Juliette Fowler Communities, a faith-based nonprofit founded in 1892 to serve children, youth, and elders.
3. Happier birthday
Bradfield Elementary School student Molly Harper celebrated her 10th birthday by giving to others. While listening to her favorite Christian radio station, 94.9 FM KLTY, she learned about the work of Food For The Poor and decided to seek donations for the nonprofit in lieu of birthday presents. She exceeded her $625 goal, an amount that will feed several families for a month, give a soccer ball to a child in need, and provide a community in Honduras with a water pump for a well. Angel Aloma, of Food For The Poor, sent Molly a dozen of his homemade cookies and a thank you note.
4. Dancing Queen
Lydia England, a senior at iUniversity Prep, won the contemporary solo award at the Showtime International National Grand Championship in Galveston and Showtime’s only scholarship. The University Park teen plans to attend SMU in the fall.
5. Great debaters
Led by Chuck Walts, director of debate and forensic activities, Hockaday School teammates:
Naz Soysal, Mia Xia, and Cassie Liu won $1,500 by advancing to the semifinals of the 20th annual Brewer Foundation/New York University International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) debate competition. The competition, held virtually for the first time this year, engages high school students from around the world in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.
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