So most folks know I'm a proud graduate of Austin High School. Graduated in 1989. Just attended my 20 year reunion. The school has suffered in recent years from a vicious cycle of low expectations and poor performance. Parents pick up on that bad vibe and figure out ways not to send their kids there. Nothing is worse for a neighborhood than a neighborhood school with a bad reputation.
But all of that is changing. In ways big and small.
A couple of years ago, Dr. John Tanner came on board as the new principal. He had the big task of turning things around quick otherwise the State would go in and reconstitute the school. He attacked the problem at its root: low expectations. The teachers and counselors didn't expect much from the students. The students didn't expect much from themselves or the school. His crusade is against all the excuses for poor performance, and he is evangelical in his crusade. When he first came on board, the teachers complained that the poor performance was due to the fact that so many of the students were low income. Dr. Tanner went and dug up all the countywide statistics to show the teachers that schools with much poorer students were performing well above Austin High School students. No excuses. Anymore. Just hard work.
And pride. Panther Pride.
That's where Lisa Chavez and Juan Garza and Raul Renteria come in. Lisa Chavez, daughter of Abraham Chavez, is the Director of Piano and Choral Activities at Austin High School. At the beginning of the school year, I was invited to participate in the Freshman induction ceremony at Austin. Lisa Chavez' choir was featured. I was blown away by the performance. Incredible. First class. No one would have expected this from Austin High School.
Front and center was my neighbor Juan Carlos Garza and his buddy Raul Renteria. Seems like Juan Carlos had retired his skateboard and his raggedy skater attire and put on a tie and a suit and decided that he was going to be the best bass vocalist in the State of Texas. Raul Renteria, a tenor, and Juan Carlos have competed and won chairs in the All Region and All Area Choirs. Because they made it to the All Area Choir, they are now eligible to compete for the All State Choir. No one has placed in the All State Choir from Austin since the 1970s. Juan Carlos and Raul are set to make history for Austin High School.
But they need our help. They have been practicing for months. They have been invited to attend an All-State Music Workshop at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas on January 2nd, 2010. This workshop aims to fine tune their skills and prepare them for the audition on January 9th in Midland, Texas. The trip will cost them $900, but the school is unable to cover their costs. So let's all pitch in to make sure that they don't miss this chance for themselves or for Austin High School.
If you would like to make a donation, you can make a check out to Austin High School and add at the bottom of the check that it is for the "Choir Fund." Since school is out, we can collect checks here at the office and deliver them over to Ms. Chavez before the boys head out to Austin. Please let me know if you can donate by emailing me at byrdsm@elpasotexas.gov.
But all of that is changing. In ways big and small.
A couple of years ago, Dr. John Tanner came on board as the new principal. He had the big task of turning things around quick otherwise the State would go in and reconstitute the school. He attacked the problem at its root: low expectations. The teachers and counselors didn't expect much from the students. The students didn't expect much from themselves or the school. His crusade is against all the excuses for poor performance, and he is evangelical in his crusade. When he first came on board, the teachers complained that the poor performance was due to the fact that so many of the students were low income. Dr. Tanner went and dug up all the countywide statistics to show the teachers that schools with much poorer students were performing well above Austin High School students. No excuses. Anymore. Just hard work.
And pride. Panther Pride.
That's where Lisa Chavez and Juan Garza and Raul Renteria come in. Lisa Chavez, daughter of Abraham Chavez, is the Director of Piano and Choral Activities at Austin High School. At the beginning of the school year, I was invited to participate in the Freshman induction ceremony at Austin. Lisa Chavez' choir was featured. I was blown away by the performance. Incredible. First class. No one would have expected this from Austin High School.
Front and center was my neighbor Juan Carlos Garza and his buddy Raul Renteria. Seems like Juan Carlos had retired his skateboard and his raggedy skater attire and put on a tie and a suit and decided that he was going to be the best bass vocalist in the State of Texas. Raul Renteria, a tenor, and Juan Carlos have competed and won chairs in the All Region and All Area Choirs. Because they made it to the All Area Choir, they are now eligible to compete for the All State Choir. No one has placed in the All State Choir from Austin since the 1970s. Juan Carlos and Raul are set to make history for Austin High School.
But they need our help. They have been practicing for months. They have been invited to attend an All-State Music Workshop at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas on January 2nd, 2010. This workshop aims to fine tune their skills and prepare them for the audition on January 9th in Midland, Texas. The trip will cost them $900, but the school is unable to cover their costs. So let's all pitch in to make sure that they don't miss this chance for themselves or for Austin High School.
If you would like to make a donation, you can make a check out to Austin High School and add at the bottom of the check that it is for the "Choir Fund." Since school is out, we can collect checks here at the office and deliver them over to Ms. Chavez before the boys head out to Austin. Please let me know if you can donate by emailing me at byrdsm@elpasotexas.gov.
Happy Holidays! We will see you in the New Year!
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