La Porte ISD elementary schools will host an evening orientation and registration session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16. Those who attend will have the chance to learn more information about the school, tour the building and meet the school principal, kindergarten teachers and office staff. School spirit shirts will be available for sale, as will other school items.

Kindergarten registration also continues weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through May 31 at each elementary school. Children who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 are eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2013 - 2014 school year and should be enrolled by a parent or legal guardian in the office of the elementary school to which their family is zoned. School zones are determined by the family's home address. Please call 281-604-7030 to find out your school zone.

Below is a letter that will be sent home with students of Lomax Junior High School students regarding a plastic pellet gun that was found in the restroom of the school on May 8.

The special election to fill the unexpired Position 1 term on the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees is scheduled for Saturday, May 11.

Lois Rogerson and Eva Brown have filed as candidates for this position, which was previously held by Bill Snead. Snead announced his resignation at the Jan. 15 Board meeting, and trustees voted to keep the position open until the May election.

Incumbents Charlcya Wheeler and Dee Anne Thomson were unopposed in their bids for re-election to Positions 6 and 7, respectively.

On Election Day, polling places will include Baker Sixth Grade Campus, College Park Elementary, and the City Halls for La Porte, Morgan's Point and Shoreacres. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

For more information, call the LPISD Superintendent's Office at 281-604-7015.

Shattered Dreams, an educational program designed to prevent teen drinking and driving, will take place at La Porte High School on Wednesday, May 1.

A mock crash will take place at the corner of Fairmont Parkway and Park Street,adjacent to the high school, at approximately 9:12 a.m. Juniors and seniors will attend an assembly following the mock crash at 10:15 a.m. in the Sonja Angelo Theater.

According to LPHS assistant principal and Shattered Dreams coordinator Curtis Daugherty, the event is planned by both community members and school personnel to show students how their dreams as well as those of their families and others can be shattered as a result of poor choices. The Shattered Dreams program, which is hosted at LPHS every two years, takes place shortly before prom and other end-of-year activities in an effort to help students to think twice about drinking and driving.

On the day of the program, in addition to those who participated in the staged auto accident, students representing those who die in car crashes will leave their classrooms to become members of the "Living Dead."

In addition to LPHS staff and students, the event is sponsored City of La Porte emergency responders and other agencies and organizations whose representatives have planned for several months to make this event possible.

For more information, contact Daugherty at 281-604-7523 or daughertyc@lpisd.org.

La Porte ISD parents and community members may have seen the Houston Chronicle's "School Report Card" that appeared in the Sunday, April 21, newspaper. The rankings are provided by Children at Risk, which uses a number of variables in determining the rankings of Houston area schools.

La Porte ISD was particularly concerned about the middle school rankings. When district officials looked at the report, they immediately realized that the math scores of LPISD eighth graders who took the Algebra I end-of-course test (and did not take the eighth grade STAAR test) were not included in the calculation of the rankings. La Porte ISD had a large number of eighth grade students (82 out of 275 eighth graders at Lomax Junior High and 87 out of 277 eighth graders at La Porte Junior High) who took the Algebra I end-of-course test, with all 169 passing. Forty-six of these students attained Level III Advanced.

Not all school districts offer Algebra I at the eighth grade level. Because approximately one-third of La Porte ISD eighth graders took and passed the Algebra I end-of-course test, including these students in the calculations would have improved the rankings at La Porte Junior High School and Lomax Junior High School. In talking with other districts, La Porte ISD administrators found that some districts required their Algebra I students to take the end-of-course as well as the grade-level STAAR math test, while La Porte ISD opted to test Algebra I students exclusively in the course in which they were enrolled. For 2012-13, by rule of the Commissioner, the option to test students on both the EOC and the grade-level STAAR test has been eliminated.

La Porte ISD contacted Children at Risk, which confirmed that students who took the Algebra I end-of-course exam instead of STAAR math were not accounted for in the Children at Risk rankings. The organization expressed its regret that this impacted some campuses negatively and plans to develop a method for including those 8th grade Algebra I scores in next year's calculations.

La Porte ISD Board of Trustees president Kathy Green has been elected as a director of the Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards (GCAASB) for the 2013-14 school year. This marks the ninth year that Green has been selected as a director for GCAASB, in which she also served as president for two years.

The GCAASB is a voluntary organization composed of more than 50 school boards in the greater Houston area to enhance the quality of education for public school children in the Texas Gulf Coast aea.  The organization provides education and information to local school boards and creates an opportunity for them to impact legislation affecting public schools.

The dues paid by GCAASB member school boards and associate members, who are supporters of public education, provide state-required training for local trustees at quarterly meetings, produce a regular newsletter and support educational excellence at the local school level through a scholarship program.

Local trustees serving as 2013-14 officers of GCAASB include Sarah Winkler, president, Alief ISD; Charles Cunningham, first vice president, Humble ISD; Georgan Reitmeier, second vice president, Klein ISD; Wayne Schaper, Sr., secretary-treasurer, Spring Branch ISD; and Becky Streetman, past president, Huffman ISD.

In addition to Green, trustees serving as 2013-14 GCAASB directors include Steven Dennis, Channelview ISD; Ann Hammond, Clear Creek ISD; Linda Huebner, Columbia-Brazoria ISD; Bob Covey. Cypress-Fairbanks ISD; Matt Robinson, Friendswood ISD; Joe Adams, Katy ISD; Kim Janke, Needville ISD; Ettienne Zak, Stafford MSD; and Mark Lewandowski, Tomball ISD.

The La Porte High School softball team will advance to the first round of the UIL state playoffs on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, at Clear Creek High School.

La Porte will play Alvin on 6:30 p.m on April 26, with Alvin the home team. The second game will be April 27 at 1 p.m., with La Porte the home team. If a third game is needed, there will be a coin flip for home team designation, and the game will be played at Clear Creek 20 minutes following the end of Game Two.

Good luck to our Lady Bulldogs!

Seven members of the La Porte High School boys track team will now advance to the regional competition after qualifying at the area meet held on April 19. The meet, which included 16 schools from Districts 21-5A and 22-5A, was held at North Shore High School.

As a team, La Porte came in fourth place, just two points behind the third place team.

LPHS junior Dustin Price was the area champion in the pole vault at 13 feet, 6 inches. Senior Tim Gibson also won the area championship in the 400-meter race, with a time of 50.5 seconds.

Other regional qualifiers from LPHS include freshman Casey Timm, third place in the 3200-meter race with a personal record of 10.03, and junior Kyle Haynes, fourth place in the 3200-meter race with a personal record of 10.04. Senior Wyssam Zaban will also advance to regionals after winning third place in the 800-meter race with a time of 2.01, as will senior Corey Lee, who earned third place in shot put with 48 feet. In addition, junior Jonathan Lewis will compete at regionals after earning fourth place at area with his high jump of 6 feet, 2 inches.

The regional meet will be held April 26 and 27 at Turner Stadium in Humble ISD.

"I am very proud of all who competed and look forward to a great regional meet," said Zach Johnson, head boys track coach. "Thanks for all who support these young men."

La Porte ISD will host a Teacher Job Fair on Thursday, May 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Teacher Job Fair will be held in the Student Center at La Porte High School, located at 301 E. Fairmont Parkway.

Candidates must have a current, completed on-line application by Wednesday, April 30, to attend and be considered for employment. A completed application includes receipt of three references and completion of the online Gallup Teacher Insight interview.

The district has employment opportunities for certified teachers on LPISD elementary, middle school and high school campuses for the 2013-14 school year. Job postings can be viewed online at www.lpisd.org.

The public will have the opportunity to see a free performance of the La Porte High School one-act play, "It Runs in the Family," and the Lomax Junior High School one-act play, "Androcles and the Lion," on Tuesday, April 16.

The Lomax play will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the LPHS production, in the Sonja Angelo Theater at LPHS. The LPHS play made it all the way to area University Scholastic League competition after advancing from the district and zone contests. Along the way, members of the cast and crew earned numerous honors for their performances and technical expertise. The play is directed by LPHS teachers Kerry Regan, Steve Regan and Kelly Nelson.

The Lomax Junior High School play, directed by Andrea Angelo, won second place at the UIL one-act play contest held at Santa Fe High School on Feb. 23. Several students won awards for acting, and the crew and troupe received a technical award for Most Creative Set Representation.

The La Porte Lady Bulldogs softball team will play Channelview at home on Friday, April 12, at 6:30 p.m. The junior varsity softball game is cancelled.

Thirteen outstanding educators have been chosen by their peers to represent their schools as 2014 Campus Teachers of the Year.

Elementary honorees and their schools include Jose Lozano, Bayshore Elementary; Laura Teepe, College Park Elementary; Shelly Green, Heritage Elementary; Jaime Garcia, La Porte Elementary; Jensy Antony, Lomax Elementary; Beverly Reynolds, Jennie Reid Elementary; and Sara Campise, Leo Rizzuto Elementary.

Representatives from LPISD secondary campuses are Joni Hawkes, Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Shawn Oliphint, La Porte Junior High; Joshua Rodarte, Lomax Junior High; Elizabeth Pearsall, De Walt School; Jaime Licon, La Porte High School (core areas); and Kimberly Ruter, La Porte High School (non-core areas).

Campus Teachers of the Year will be honored at the May 14 meeting of the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees and the May 9 Service Awards celebration. The announcement of the District Elementary Teacher of the Year and District Secondary Teacher of the Year will be made during the Service Awards event.

Baker Sixth Grade Campus student Reagan Simons will advance to the State History Day competition after earning top honors at the regional contest. Reagan won second place in the junior individual documentary category at the Lee College Regional History Fair on March 23.

The top two entries in each category of the progressive division will move on to compete in the state competition May 3 and 4 in Austin.

Students from La Porte ISD's Baker Sixth Grade Campus, Lomax Junior High School and La Porte Junior High School participated in the Lee College Regional History Fair on March 23. The outstanding projects selected at the LPISD campus level competed against public schools in Goose Creek CISD and Dickinson ISD as well as several private schools.

Elaine Leslie and Tess Allgood, also of Baker, won fourth place in the group performance category with "Toddler Time." Madeline Blagg, a seventh grader at La Porte Junior High, also won fourth place in the individual performance category with "Brown v. The Board of Education and the Integration of American Schools."

Baker swept the awards in the non-progressive division, in which projects do not advance to the state competition. In the three-dimensional category, winners were Caleb Munoz, first place, "9-11 and the Twin Towers"; Savannah Lawrence, second place, "The Great Fire of London"; and Rachel Smith, third place, "Die or Beat This."

In the two-dimensional group category, Baker students Lucas Guerrero and Trent Spears won first place with "Concentration Camps-Crimes Against Humanity," and Leslie Mora and Edith Moreno won second place with "The Irish Potato Famine." In the two-dimensional individual category, Caleb Lau earned first with "The Effect and Fall of Constantinople," and Emma Staes won second with "Let the Girls Play."

The regional winners will be recognized at the April 9 meeting of the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees.

The La Porte High School varsity boys track team had an excellent performance at the Charger Relays at Clear Springs High School on March 28, competing among 26 teams in the area and placing third overall.

Outstanding individual performances were as follows:

Casey Timm--1st place, mile, 4:32 (second fastest mile run by a freshman this year in the state)
Wyssam Zaban--1st place, 800, 2:00
Dustin Price--1st place, pole vault, 14 ft.
Cameron Avina--2nd place, 800, 2:01; 2nd place, mile, 4:33
Kyle Haynes--4th place, mile, 4:35
Corey Lee--2nd place, shot put, 52'6"; 2nd place, discus, 134 ft.
Jonathan Lewis--5th place, high jump

The 4X100m relay team of David Terrebonne, Jonathan Lewis, Tristan Sheffield and Taejon Wearen improved its best time by over a second to win the heat. The 4X400m team also ran well, coming in third in its respective heat; team members are David Terrebonne, Wyssam Zaban, Hunter Bozant and Jonathan Lewis.

The team will go to the district meet in Port Arthur April 9 and 11.

"They have done a great job all year," said head coach Zachary Johnson. "I really enjoy coaching these boys, and we expect great things from them at the district meet."

There is still time to register for the 4th Annual La Porte High School Project Graduation Fun Run/Walk, which is this Saturday, April 6. The on-line registration will stay "live" until Friday night, and volunteers are still needed. (Helpers can still participate in the run!) The race begins at 7:30 a.m. at Sylvan Beach Park.

The link to register is:

https://www.thedriven.net/site.event_runner/eid/552012479

The link to volunteer is:

https://www.thedriven.net/site.vol_reg_first/eid/552012479/rid/268

The course will take runners and walkers along Bayshore Drive and through some of La Porte's historic waterfront neighborhoods. The event is open to runners and walkers of all abilities. Strollers are welcome.

All proceeds from the race will go to support Project Graduation. Project Graduation is an all-night, drug-free, alcohol-free, fun-filled, parent-sponsored party provided for the LPHS senior class the night of graduation. The LPHS Project Graduation Committee for 2013 aims to give the seniors a great graduation party filled with lots of fun, food, friends, prizes and entertainment in a safe environment and help make their final memories of La Porte High School the absolute best!

The La Porte High School boys soccer team will play Dobie High School in the bi-district round of the playoffs on Friday, March 29, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at Channelview High School's Ray Maddry Stadium.

Dobie will be the home team, and La Porte will be the visiting team. Tickets are $4 at the door.

Two candidates have filed for the one-year unexpired term of Position 1 in the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees election. Lois Rogerson and Eva Brown will be on the ballot as candidates for this position, which was previously held by Bill Snead.

Snead announced his resignation at the Jan. 15 meeting of the Board, and trustees voted to keep the position open until the Saturday, May 11, election.

Incumbents Charlcya Wheeler and Dee Anne Thomson are unopposed in their bids for re-election to Positions 6 and 7, respectively.

Early voting will begin Monday, April 29. Early voting will be held at the City Halls for La Porte, Morgan's Point and Shoreacres.

On Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling places include Baker Sixth Grade Campus, College Park Elementary, and the City Halls for La Porte, Shoreacres and Morgan's Point.

For more information, call the LPISD Superintendent's Office at 281-604-7015.

Home Access Center will be down for maintenance from 11 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, to 3 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our parents.

La Porte ISD's annual Education Celebration, sponsored by the La Porte Education Foundation, is set for Thursday, March 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at La Porte High School.

Parents and community members are invited to join in the celebration of LPISD and its students, educational programs and schools. "Education-It's BIGGER Here" is the Celebrate Texas Public Schools theme for this year.

Every LPISD school will have a booth to showcase activities at the campuses. Musical performances by district elementary, junior high school and high school groups are also scheduled throughout the event. LPISD students will have the chance to enter a drawing for an iPod Nano at the event.

Campuses with the highest percentage of adult attendance will win $300 and the district's "Traveling Trophy" for one year. Schools with the second-highest percentage of adult attendance will win $150.

Additional drawings for teachers, principals and assistant principals and district personnel will be held. A raffle for a Vizio 37-inch HDTV/TVACL will also take place. Donations are $3 each or 4 for $10. Tickets are available at the event.

Drawings will be held for a Portable DVD Player, external hard drive, Canon wireless printer, iPod Nano, GE camera and additional prizes for a donation of $1 per ticket.

In addition, hot dogs, corn dogs, chips, drinks and cookies will be sold at the event. Proceeds from all sales benefit the La Porte Education Foundation in its efforts to enhance education for LPISD students.

For more information, call the LPISD Communications Office at 281-604-7001.

Information about La Porte ISD's CSCOPE curriculum is available on the Parent Portal section of our website at the link below:

CSCOPE Parent Advisory  & CSCOPE Key Points

La Porte ISD and Deer Park ISD will join together to provide training for parents of children with autism on Thursday, March 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at LPISD's Heritage Elementary School gymnasium. The school is located at 4301 East Blvd. in Deer Park.

Families will be able to visit with local emergency personnel (police, fire, and Emergency Medical Services). Children will be able to see emergency personnel in uniform and take a close-up look at their vehicles. In addition, parents will have the opportunity to visit with them, get informational items and ask questions.

McGruff the Crime Dog will be a special guest at the event. Please see the flyers below for more information.

Parents are asked to RSVP by March 18 to Dixie Maxwell in the LPISD Special Programs Office, 281-604-7028.

La Porte High School has announced that Audrey Ladd is the valedictorian of the LPHS Class of 2013, and Courtney Beacham is the salutatorian.

The top-ranking students will lead the graduating class during LPISD commencement on June 7, 2013, at Bulldog Stadium.

After graduation, Audrey plans to attend the University of North Texas, where she will major in history. She hopes to then earn a master's degree in museum science, and eventually her doctorate, with the goal of becoming a museum curator.

"I've always loved history," Audrey said. "Because of my fascination with history, I looked into careers related to it." When she visited the King Tut exhibit, she immediately knew that a museum career would combine her passion for the subject with her love for creativity.

Audrey was a 2013 Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program, placing among the top five percent of the more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2013 competition by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

She has been an active participant in the annual LPHS musical, serving as assistant director for the past two years. In addition, she is a member of the UIL one-act play cast and crew for the third year. She also serves as an officer in Thespians.

Audrey is a four-year member of the LPHS Orchestra and has participated in the varsity Orchestra the past two years. A cellist, she has been an orchestra officer for all four years and currently serves as president for the second consecutive year.

An Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors, Audrey also is the current vice president of the National Honor Society and a member of the Eco Club. She also participated in the TRUTH program.

Audrey, who is a product of LPISD schools, started kindergarten at Rizzuto Elementary School and also attended Baker Sixth Grade Campus and La Porte Junior High School.

She is the daughter of Gina and Donald Ladd of La Porte and the granddaughter of Robbie Ladd, Janice Guilliams, Charles Householder and the late John Ladd. She has one sister, Amanda, who graduated from LPHS in 2010.

Courtney plans to attend Baylor University, the University of Texas or the University of Houston, where she will major in biology. She plans to attend medical school with the goal of becoming a pediatrician.

"Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a pediatrician," Courtney said. "I'm good with kids, and I enjoy spending time with them."

Also a very involved senior, Courtney was active in soccer while at LPHS and made the varsity team as a sophomore. In addition, she participated in the LPHS Marching Band, serving as drill captain.

Courtney has been involved in the annual LPHS musical as a crew member for the past two years, and she served as stage manager for 42nd Street this year. In addition, she is a member of the UIL one-act play cast and crew and serves as National Honor Society publicity officer.

Courtney also has attended LPISD schools since kindergarten. She went to Rizzuto, Jennie Reid and Lomax elementary schools as well as Baker Sixth Grade Campus and Lomax Junior High School.

Courtney is the daughter of Denny Beacham and Jennifer Glass. She has two sisters-Samantha, who is an LPHS freshman, and Nadia, who is four years old. Her grandparents are Gail Grabbe Glass and Sam Glass of La Porte and Joy Pantallion of Nacogdoches.

Audrey and Courtney agreed that their experience in La Porte ISD schools has been a positive one, and they cited LPISD programs and teachers as being instrumental to their success.

"The fine arts program here is phenomenal," Audrey gave as an example. "Musical and orchestra have made a big impact on who I am and where I am today."

"I've had some of the best teachers ever," Courtney added. "In addition to being very good at teaching, they genuinely care about me and my success."

La Porte ISD earned the coveted "Super Show" award at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2013 School Art Program awards presentation on March 3.

The "Super Show" award is given to school districts that were deemed as having truly outstanding art shows and exhibitions, explained Matt Burke, LPISD director of performing and visual arts. Of the 89 participating school districts, only 26 Super Show awards were given, and this is the first time that La Porte ISD has earned this award.

Representing La Porte ISD at the show were district Best of Show winners Sarah Pilkinton, sophomore at La Porte High School; Joana Ledezma, eighth grader at La Porte Junior High School; and Alyssa Powell, fourth grader at Jennie Reid Elementary.

 Sarah Pilkinton and Taylor Cochran, also of La Porte High School, also received awards as 3D Best of Show winners.

Representing LPISD as district gold medalists were Samantha Vasquez, fifth grader at Bayshore Elementary; Justin Flores, eighth grader at Lomax Junior High; and Krystal Denham and Raiven Vialva, seniors at La Porte High School.

La Porte ISD junior high orchestras received University Interscholastic League sweepstakes ratings at the UIL Concert and Sight Reading competition held at Beverly Hills Intermediate School in Pasadena ISD on Feb. 27.

The La Porte Junior High varsity orchestra and the Lomax Junior High varsity and non-varsity orchestras were successful in their performances, according to Matt Burke, LPISD director of performing and visual arts. The La Porte Junior High orchestra is under the direction of Rachel Carlton, and the Lomax Junior High orchestra is directed by Cristina Hoffmann.

The La Porte High School Chatos dance team earned top honors at the Dance Line State Competition held on Feb. 23 at Montgomery High School.

The dance officers and team were each named State Grand Champions, and the combined officers/team won the Overall Ring of Champions second place Silver Award. The officers and team also earned sweepstakes awards and Judges' Choice Awards.

In addition, the Chatos won Top Over Score Gold Elite awards, which are presented when all team routines and all officer routines score 95 or higher at the competition. The team also won the Best Entertainer Award.

Captain Heather Salazar was in the top five for Best Kick Technique and Best Turns and earned third place for Best Toe Touch. Holli Walker won first place for Best Turns, and captain Noelie Barbay placed second.

In the soloist competition, Noelie Barbay placed second and Lyndzie West third from among the 90 competitors.

The Chatos are under the direction of Sheri Hoff.

La Porte High School's Project Graduation Committee for the 2013 would like to invite you to participate in the 4th Annual Project Graduation 5k Fun Run / Walk on Saturday, April 6th . The race will start at 7:30 a.m. at Sylvan Beach Park.

The course will take runners and walkers along Bayshore Drive and through some of La Porte's historic waterfront neighborhoods. The event is open to runners and walkers of all abilities. Strollers are welcome!

All proceeds from the race will go to support Project Graduation. Project Graduation is an all-night, drug-free, alcohol-free, fun-filled, parent-sponsored party provided for the LPHS senior class the night of graduation. The LPHS Project Graduation Committee for 2013 aims to give the seniors a great graduation party filled with lots of fun,ood, friends, prizes, and entertainment in a safe environment and help make their final memories of La Porte High School the absolute best!

Online Registration is open for the event now and will run through April 5th. Early registrants are guaranteed a T-Shirt and a reduced registration rate. Register at the following website http://www.thedriven.net/site.event_reg/eid/552012479/rid/268 or by mailing in the attached registration form.

Fifeen La Porte High School career and technical education students will advance to the state SkillsUSA competition following outstanding performances at the district-level contest.

The state SkillsUSA contest will be held April 1 through 6 in Corpus Christi.

Mohamed Elabdallah and Clyde Mueller earned top honors in the web design competition held on Feb. 1 at DeVry University's Houston campus. Rileigh Lowrey and Dominique Beckner competed in 3D Animation, and Mason Rushing in advertising design, at San Jacinto College Central on Feb. 8. They are students of Kathleen Scharchburg.

In the auto refinishing contest, held at San Jacinto College South on Feb. 8, Devin Davis and Matthew Klink will advance to state. They are students of Valentin Trevino.

Joshua Martinez, Andrew Vasquez and Sarah Carroll, the students of Daryl Leonard, also will advance to the state competition. Joshua won awards in both Automotive Job Exhibit and Automotive Tool ID at San Jacinto College Central, with Andrew and Sarah advancing in Automotive Tool ID.

Quiz Bowl participants Graciela Salazar, Aime Orozco, Austin Thompson, Jorge Perez, Devin Davis and Autumn Holloway, students of Danny Seibert, also qualified for state. Their competition was on Feb. 9 at San Jacinto College Central.

According to Debbie Seibert, LPHS career and technical education facilitator, this was La Porte High School's first year to enter students in Quiz Bowl, Automotive Job Exhibit, Automotive Tool ID, 3D Animation, Advertising Design, and Web Design.

In addition to the students advancing to state, LPHS students also won district-level awards.

Lomax Junior High School won second place with Androcles and the Lion at the Junior High University Interscholastic League One-Act Play Contest on Feb. 23 at Santa Fe High School.

Lomax Junior High School students Jonathan Flores and Casey Boriskie were named to the All-Star Cast, as was Jordan Davis-Vaughn of La Porte Junior High School. Earning Honorable Mention were Soul Schillaci and Natalie Nix of Lomax Junior High and Liz Blue of La Porte Junior High.

In addition, the Lomax Junior High crew and troupe received a technical award for "Most Creative Set Representation."

Other Lomax Junior High participants, under the direction of Andrea Angelo, include Martin Becknel, Marlyn Beltran, Elyse Benfer, Aleya Cook, Adriana Garcia, Kimberli Garcia, Makayla Jones, Grace Lassetter, Lila-Grace Martin, Shazeena Mohammed, Sam Peake, Rebecca Salinas, Parker Sodaro, Kimble Steadman, Rya Sweatt and Gabby Williams.

La Porte Junior High students, under the direction of Shawn Williamson, performed The Hobbit. Other members of the troupe and crew included Brett Bihm, Madeline Blagg, Justin Davis, Madeline Davis, Paisley Fernandez, Donavan Goins, Brandon Harris, Whitney Lopez, Alyssa Lunt, Mercedes Makus, Hanna Orego, Cole Robinson, Damien Romero, Corando Saenz and Jacob Sprayberry.

Students from Lomax and La Porte junior high schools represented La Porte ISD well at the competition, which also included productions from Friendswood Junior High, Santa Fe Junior High, McAdams Junior High and Blocker Middle School.

Five La Porte High School students will advance to the state Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) competition Feb. 28 through March 2 after earning top honors at the district contest.

The students competed at the DECA district Career Development competition Jan. 26 and 27 at the Marriott-Sugar Land Town Square.

Jocelyn (Jade) Guzman will advance to the state competition in the sports and entertainment individual series event. Shakeria Woods and Aime Orozco will compete in the buying and business ethics team event at state. Andrew Day and Bryan Guice will participate in the sports and entertainment marketing team event. At the district event, students competed with over 1,000 students and 33 schools.

The state competition will be held in Corpus Christi at The American Bank Center. Nekeba George is the DECA sponsor. Other teachers who helped prepare the competitors during mock competitions are Kathy Richard, Sharion Parker, Danny Seibert and Jaime Licon.

La Porte ISD will host an information session for parents of students with dyslexia from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 7. The event will be held at the Instructional Technology Center, located at 9832 Spencer Highway, next to Baker Sixth Grade Campus.

Reading interventionists will present an opportunity to learn about the characteristics of dyslexia, district procedures, helpful websites and dyslexia resources.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact the office of Dr. April Fox, executive director of special programs, at 281-604-7034.

It was a battle between two previous district champions as the number of participants in La Porte ISD's annual spelling bee dwindled to just two in Round 8 of the competition, which was held on Feb. 15 at the LPISD Administration Building.

Aryaman Jadhav, a seventh grader at Lomax Junior High School, and Kelsey Ramirez, an eighth grader at La Porte Junior High School, traded places in front of the microphone for seven additional rounds, confidently spelling words such as "wainscot," "quixote," "salmonella" and "pacifism."

When Kelsey faltered on "gestalt" in Round 15, Aryaman spelled it correctly and followed with the spelling of "verboten" to capture the win.

This is the third consecutive year that Aryaman, son of Supriya and Ruthuraj Jadhav, has earned the district spelling bee champion title. In 2012, he represented the Baker Sixth Grade Campus, and in 2011, he was a fifth grader at Heritage Elementary School.

Kelsey, the daughter of Angela and Jermaine Alfred and Robert Ramirez, won the district championship three years ago as a fifth grader at Rizzuto Elementary.

The top three spellers from each LPISD elementary and junior high school competed in the event. Aryaman will now advance to the 2013 Houston PBS spelling bee on March 23.

Campus winners who competed in the district contest included Giovanny Barragan, Valerie Bonvillain and Tristan Harper of Bayshore Elementary; Taylor Howell, Alexya Johnson and Justin Ramirez of College Park Elementary; Aianna Avergonzado, Alexandria Gobert and Rylea Sandel of Heritage Elementary; Brooke Bible, Hunter James and Kayla Waters of Jennie Reid Elementary; and Sandra Aleman, Devin Diaz and Martha Schwab of La Porte Elementary.

Other district competitors were Marcus Cummings, Luke Gibson and Rebecca Porter of Lomax Elementary; Zane Cherry, Dylan Harrison and Eduardo Quezada of Rizzuto Elementary; Marissa Benavidez, Elaine Leslie and Chaz Rothmund of Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Madeline Blagg and Donavan Goins of La Porte Junior High School; and Cheyenne Copeland and Rebecca Salinas of Lomax Junior High School.

La Porte ISD's School Health Advisory Council will hold its next meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Training Room of the Administration Building, 1002 San Jacinto St.  All are welcome to attend.

Topics on the agenda include school safety, food in the classroom, dating violence, Fitnessgram, school visits, employee wellness fair and pregnancy prevention program at the junior highs.

For more information, contact Dr. April Fox, executive director of special programs, at 281-604-7032.

Congratulations to the La Porte High School Lady Bulldogs basketball team on advancing to the playoffs! The game will be on Monday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m. at Dobie High School. LPHS will play Alvin ISD's Manvel High School. Tickets are $5 at the door. We wish our team the best of luck against the Mavericks.

Students and faculty at La Porte High School join others across the country in celebrating February as national Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month^TM.

This year's theme is Career and Technical Education Works! CTE Month^TM provides CTE programs across the country an opportunity to demonstrate how they educate students to be college- and career-ready.

Among the special activities in which La Porte High School is involved during the month are the Career Exploration Expo on Feb. 7, SkillsUSA competitive events on Feb. 8 and 9, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) state leadership events on Feb. 28, and student tours of CTE programs throughout the month prior to course registration.

The activities to be held during February illustrate the rigor and relevance CTE courses offer students.  By partnering with the business community, CTE programs are investing in students' lives with the latest technology and skills that will prepare them to become successful employees as well as future leaders.

CTE encompasses 94 percent of high school students and 13 million post-secondary students in the United States and includes high schools, career centers, community and technical colleges, four-year universities and more. 

For more information on La Porte High School CTE programs, contact Debbie Seibert, career and technical education facilitator, at 281-604-7879.

Thursday, Feb. 7, and Friday, Feb. 8, are early release days for La Porte ISD students to allow for parent conferences on Thursday afternoon and evening.

Early release times are noon for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students, 12:30 p.m. for sixth through eighth grade students, and 10:50 a.m. for ninth through 12th grade students.

For more information on parent conferences, please contact your child's campus.

Parents of La Porte ISD eighth grade students will have the opportunity to learn more about La Porte High School during meetings planned for the junior high school campuses this month.

The meeting for parents of current La Porte Junior High School students is set for Thursday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. at La Porte Junior High School. The meeting for parents of Lomax Junior High School eighth graders will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, February 25, at Lomax Junior High.

La Porte High School administrators and counselors will talk to parents about high school course registration procedures, student four-year plans, high school graduation requirements, and the STAAR End of Course (EOC) testing that occurs at the high school level.

For more information, or if you have questions about the meetings, please contact your campus counselor.

La Porte High School is among 15 Class 5-A high schools to be honored as finalists at the 2013 Comerica Bank High School Sportsmanship Awards Luncheon on Jan. 30.

The event, presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, will be held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel near the Galleria.

"(This luncheon) celebrates what is right with high school athletics," said Neal Farmer of the Touchdown Club of Houston in his announcement to the district.

Finalists were chosen through voting by referees who served at high school football games throughout the area. Referees gave marks for the actions of coaches, players and all support groups (including fans) as well as respect for the American flag. Personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties were also figured into the mix, Farmer said.

La Porte High School head football coach Jeff LaReau and player representative Justin King, an LPHS senior, will represent the Bulldog football team at the luncheon. All honorees will receive a framed certificate.

Thomas McGaughey, special teams coordinator at Louisiana State University and former player at the University of Houston (1991-1995) will be the guest speaker at the event.

Other 5-A finalists include Channelview, Cypress Ridge, Cypress Springs, Dulles, Elsik, Katy, Katy Taylor, Klein, Morton Ranch, Nimitz, Oak Ridge, Pearland, South Houston and Strake Jesuit.

Class 4-A finalists were Barbers Hill, Baytown Lee, Davis, Foster, Friendswood, Galena Park, Milby, Montgomery, New Caney, Santa Fe, Spring Woods, Stratford, Terry, Tomball and Tomball Memorial. Private School/Class 3-A honorees were Bay Area Christian, Danbury, Houston Christian, Kinkaid, Lutheran North, Rosehill Christian, Scarborough, West Columbia, Woodlands Christian and Yates.

"Being chosen as a finalist for the Sportsmanship Award is indeed significant because it embodies the characteristics of 'Honor, Integrity and Pride' that we deem so important here at La Porte High School," said Todd Schoppe, La Porte High School principal. "This award is not just a celebration of our high school, but of our entire community.

"Each person who puts on orange and white and comes out on Friday nights to support our students contributed to our being nominated for this award," he continued. "I am very proud for La Porte to be recognized for having high standards of sportsmanship, regardless of whether we win or lose, and am excited that our student participants and Bulldog fans of all ages share in this honor."

Candidate filing for the May 11 La Porte ISD Board of Trustees election will be held in the Superintendent's Office of the LPISD Administration Building, 1002 San Jacinto St. in La Porte. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Positions up for election include Position 6, currently held by Charlcya Wheeler, and Position 7, currently held by Dee Anne Thomson. These positions are for three-year terms.

The one-year unexpired term of Position 1, which was held by Bill Snead, also will be up for election. Snead announced his resignation at the Jan. 15 meeting of the Board, and the Board voted to keep the position open until the May election.

Wednesday, Jan. 30, is the first day to file as a candidate. The filing deadline for Positions 6 and 7 is 5 p.m. Friday, March 1. The filing deadline for Position 1 is 5 p.m. Monday, March 11.

Early voting will begin Monday, April 29. Early voting will be held at the City Halls for La Porte, Morgan's Point and Shoreacres.

On Election Day, which is Saturday, May 11, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling places include Baker Sixth Grade Campus, College Park Elementary, and the City Halls for La Porte, Shoreacres and Morgan's Point.

For more information, call the LPISD Superintendent's Office at 281-604-7015.

The artwork of seven La Porte ISD students will advance to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art contest after winning top honors at the district's art show on Jan. 17.

Sarah Pilkinton, a sophomore at La Porte High School, earned Best of Show in the high school division with her painting, "The Wiseacre." Gold medalists in the high school division were LPHS seniors Krystal Denham and Raiven Vialva. Krystal's work was "Out of the Ride," and Raiven's was "My Little Cowboy."

In the junior high division, Joana Ledezma won Best of Show with "Fuego of the Night." She is an eighth grader at La Porte Junior High School. Justin Flores, eighth grader at Lomax Junior High School, won a gold medal for "Ride 'Em Cowboy."

Alyssa Powell, fourth grader at Jennie Reid Elementary, won Best of Show for her untitled artwork. Samantha Vazquez, fifth grader at Bayshore Elementary, earned a gold medal for "The Journey Home."

The district art show was held in the foyer of the Sonja Angelo Theater. Parents, teachers and other interested community members enjoyed the chance to view the creations of students from throughout the district.

January is School Board Recognition Month, and La Porte ISD paid tribute to its own Board of Trustees at the regular meeting of the Board on Jan.15.

Banners, cards, a video and other creations by students expressed gratitude to these local leaders for supporting public education and serving LPISD schools. Trustees also received certificates and a calendar including photos from all 12 district campuses.

The men and women who serve on the LPISD Board are among more than 7,300 individuals in communities across the state who are elected to serve in this role. Texans benefit from the tireless work and countless hours contributed by these public servants who are committed to the success of the children in their communities.

"The members of our Board of Trustees devote many hours to attending training and meetings, participating in school district activities and studying information to help them make decisions that are in the best interests of the students we serve," said Lloyd W. Graham, LPISD superintendent. "They are volunteers who commit this time to our district simply because they care deeply about the children and families of La Porte ISD and want to provide them with the best education system possible."

La Porte High School baseball tryouts are set for Saturday, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. at Bulldog Field. Participants should bring their own cleats, glove and baseball attire. Students should sign up in room 59 by Thursday, Jan. 24.

Tickets for the La Porte High School musical 42nd Street go on sale to the public Jan. 21.

Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24; Friday, Jan. 25; Saturday, Jan. 26; Thursday, Jan. 31; and Friday, Feb. 1. An additional Jan. 26 performance is set for 2 p.m.  On closing night--Saturday, Feb. 2--performances will be at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Beginning Jan. 21, tickets will be sold from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday in the foyer of the Sonja Angelo Theater on the La Porte High School campus. 

Tickets may also be purchased before each show.  The box office opens 30 minutes before show time.

Jan. 24 is the Gold Card senior citizens' performance.  Senior citizens may get free tickets to this performance in advance with their Gold Card at the Sonja Angelo Theater box office.  Senior citizens' Gold Cards may be obtained at the La Porte ISD Administration Building at 1002 San Jacinto St.

All tickets are reserved, and the cost is $12. Payment may be made by cash or check.

For more information on tickets, contact Karen Hall at 281-604-6889.

La Porte ISD will host a district art show featuring student artwork submitted to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art contest. The event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Sonja Angelo Theater at La Porte High School.

The public is invited to the art show, which will include approximately 300 works of art created by students throughout the district.

12-19-2012

The safety of La Porte ISD students and staff is always our foremost concern, and we take all threats very seriously. We are aware of the rumors regarding the possibility of an incident involving a gun at La Porte High School this Friday. We are exercising due diligence and proceeding in a state of heightened awareness and appropriate caution, working closely with the La Porte Police Department.

A letter went home with La Porte High School students today (12-19-2012), and LPHS parents also are receiving a message through the district's callout system.

12-20-2012

Below are copies of the letter from LPHS Principal Todd Schoppe that went home with La Porte High School students on 12-19-12 and the letter from LPISD Superintendent Lloyd Graham that went home with all district students on 12-20-12.

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE

Below is the fall semester final exam schedule for La Porte High School and De Walt School.  Monday, Dec. 17, and Tuesday, Dec. 18, will be regular seven-period days.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 (Late Start Day)
7:00 a.m. - 8:56 a.m. - Used for tutoring, make up hours, scanning exams & averaging grades

2nd Period Test 9:06 a.m.- 10:38 a.m.
4th Period Test 10:44 a.m.- 12:54 a.m. 

A Lunch 11:14 - 11:44 a.m.
B Lunch 11:49 a.m. - 12:19 p.m.
C Lunch 12:24 - 12:54 p.m.

6th Period Test 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, December 20, 2012 (Late Start Day)
7:00 am - 8:56 am - Used for tutoring, make up hours, scanning exams & averaging grades

1st Period Test 9:06 - 10:38 a.m.
3rd Period Test 10:44 a.m. - 12:54 p.m.

A Lunch 11:14 - 11:44 a.m.
B Lunch 11:49 a.m. - 12:19 p.m.
C Lunch 12:24 - 12:54 p.m.

5th Period Test 1:00 - 2:30

Friday, December 21, 2012 (Late Start Day)
7:00 am - 8:56 am - Used for tutoring, make up hours, scanning exams & averaging grades

7th Period Test 9:06 - 10:50

The Houston Area Cooperative on the Gifted and Talented and the Southeast Cooperative for Gifted and Talented will present their free Summer Program Expo on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Deer Park Education Support Center, 2800 Texas Ave. in Deer Park.

For the third year, La Porte ISD is participating in this collaborative. The expo is a free opportunity for parents of gifted and high achieving students to learn more about summer opportunities for their children.

There will also be sessions on applying for a Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) scholarship. Scholarships are a maximum of $400 for summer programs. Representatives from camps for all ages will be present. Many offerings are for middle and high school students.

Food will be available for purchase at the event.

Prior to the expo, TAGT will partner with the Deer Park ISD, the Houston Area Cooperative on the Gifted and Talented, and the Southeast Cooperative for Gifted and Talented to offer a mini-conference featuring Dr. Richard Olenchak from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration is $29 per person, or $49 per couple. No child care will be provided. This conference is for adults to learn more about parenting gifted children.

For more information and to register for the mini-conference, please visit http://txgifted.org/parent-conference.

Following an outstanding football season for the La Porte High School Bulldogs, many of the players, as well as Head Coach Jeff LaReau, have earned District 21-5A recognition.

Senior running back/defensive back Keith Whitely was named District 21-5A Most Valuable Player, and senior Eric Medina was chosen as All-District Punter. LaReau was selected as the district's Coach of the Year.

Named to the First Team All-District Offense are senior linemen Maurice Morris, Jose Garcia and Tony Briones and junior running back Johnathan Lewis. Senior tackle Corey Lee, senior inside linebacker Alex Jones, senior defensive back Ellis Hutchinson, junior outside linebacker Hoza Scott and junior defensive back Victor Holmes were selected to the First Team All-District Defense.

Second Team All-District Offense honorees from La Porte are senior lineman Justin King, senior wide receiver Jahvey Mark and junior lineman Michael Leagan. Second Team All-District Defense honorees are senior defensive end Mark Guzman and junior inside linebacker Trevor Nelson.

Earning Honorable Mention were junior quarterback Jordan Jackson, sophomore wide receiver/running back Britt Grant, junior cornerback John Nelson, junior defensive end Lane Albertson and senior outside linebacker Justin Pickell.

Academic All-District honorees are seniors Justin King, Maurice Morris, Thomas Revak, Cody Haas and Mark Guzman.

There will be a send-off for the La Porte Bulldogs football team Saturday morning, Dec. 1, as the players get ready to board the buses to head to Reliant Stadium. Those who would like to participate should be at the junior parking lot (in front of the Dog House) around 8 a.m. as the team will leave at 8:30 a.m.

The Bulldogs will face the Katy Tigers in the 11 a.m. game at Reliant, with La Porte the visiting team. Tickets are on sale at the Athletic Office through 4 p.m. Nov. 30. Adult tickets are $10, and student tickets are $7. All tickets are $13 at the gate, and parking will be $10.

We wish our Bulldogs the best of luck in the regional playoff game!

After defeating the Fort Bend Bush Broncos on Nov. 24, the La Porte Bulldogs will move on to face the Katy Tigers in the regional UIL football playoffs on Saturday, Dec. 1. The game will be at 11 a.m. at Reliant Stadium, with La Porte the visiting team.

Pre-sale tickets will be $7 for students and $10 for adults. Advance tickets will be on sale at the La Porte ISD Athletic Office Tuesday, Nov. 27, through Friday, Nov. 30. Ticket sales hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The Athletic Office is located in the Physical Education Center on the La Porte High School campus, next to the Sonja Angelo Theater.

All tickets at the gate will be $13. Parking is $10.

The game also will be broadcast on Legacy Sports Network and Texas Sports Radio Network (TSRN).

Best of luck to our Bulldogs!

La Porte ISD high school students are invited to attend the 2012 College Night, which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at the Pasadena Convention Center. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Representatives from a wide variety of colleges and universities will be in attendance.

By JOHN BLACK

PEARLAND (Sp) - The La Porte Bulldogs, still missing a few key men but not missing an ounce of heart, fought from behind here Saturday afternoon to beat the Fort Bend Bush Broncos, 21-17, and advance to the third round of the Class 5A, Division II playoffs.

The 11-1 Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, now face the Katy Tigers this coming Saturday, at Reliant Stadium. The time of game was not set as of presstime.

All the "experts" have been saying how tough it will be to play the nationally ranked Tigers. But remember this: La Porte is 1-0 against Katy in the most recent post-season action, having beaten the Tigers by a 9-7 count last year. Sure, Katy is savoring the thought of a rematch. But the Bulldogs were up to the task a year ago, and considering the never-say-die attitude they have displayed of late, this rematch could be interesting.

Also remember that La Porte, with many players on the 2012 squad having started throughout the 2011 season, are now 23-3 in the past two years. That may not be all the way up to Katy standards, but it's a close as anyone else in the region has been.

The second half of the La Porte-Bush match featured mostly defense, although Bush did managed to put together a drive midway through the third quarter, resulting in a 24-yard field goal for the Broncos that extended their lead to 17-7 with 7:45 left in the third stanza.

But on their next possession, the Bulldogs answered - quickly.

Facing third and five, quarterback Jordan Jackson fired to Jahvey Mark near the left sidelines. Jahvey gathered it in at about the line of scrimmage, split two defenders, managed to get free of another one, and raced into the end zone. The play covered 62 yards. Medina's kick made it 17-14, and the Bulldogs regained the momentum.

Add to that the fact that one of the best Bush defenders was flagged for a personal foul on the Mark touchdown and was ejected from the game. And to give the Dog backers even more to cheer, just two plays later Lane Albertson got a huge sack, forced a fumble, and pounced on the ball at the Bronco 18.

Talk about great field position! Surely we've got a least three points to come out of this?

But it was not to be. Medina's 35-yard field goal try was blocked, and Fort Bend Bush dodged a huge bullet.

The Broncos had three big runs on their ensuing possession to gain great field position, but then the Dog D dug in and forced another punt. Credit Lane Albertson, with an assist from Mark Guzman, for a sack and pat Alex Jones on the back for stopping a running play prior to that punt.

And speaking of the punt, it was a beauty by Medina, and it was muffed by the Broncos and scooped up by Ellis Hutchinson at the Bush 31.

Grant ran hard for 11 yards and a first down but he came up limping. So Britt had to go to the sidelines, replaced by big linebacker Hoza Scott.

Now would be a good time to point out two things: No. 1) The two most prolific runners for La Porte this season, Keith Whitely and Johnathan Lewis, both missed their second straight playoff game due to injuries; and No. 2), the Bulldog offensive line REALLY took charge on the go-ahead touchdown drive. Credit Justin King, Michael Leagan, Maurice Morris, Tony Briones, Jose Garcia and Michael Rodriquez for clearing the holes on that final TD drive, and give credit as well to Tyler Davis for some hard work earlier in the game in place of Garcia.

Anyway, let's talk about the TD drive. It was Scott taking a pitch left, making a fine cut, and bulling for nine yards to the 12; it was Scott fighting to the three; and it was Scott getting the final three yards for the score with exactly nine minutes left in the game. Medina made it 21-17.

The Broncos had one more chance to regain the lead, facing a fourth and 10 from the Bulldog 49 with 2:02 left in the game. They had no chance. Big senior defensive lineman ate up his blocker and blasted the Bronco quarterback for a 12-yard loss. There was 1:58 left, and that was the ball game - after Grant had two runs for 11 yards, and got 15 more for a facemask. Jackson just kneeled on the ball the rest of the way, and the Bulldogs had the big win.

What can you say about the first half? Bush had two big plays for touchdowns, resulting in a 14 points. The Bulldogs had one big play in those same first 24 minutes, resulting in seven points. Otherwise, the defenses prevailed.

Eric Medina started the game by booting the opening kickoff well out of the end zone, and Bush went three-and-out, trying three passes and hitting just one, for five yards. And the Bulldogs took the ensuing punt and appeared poised to put the first points on the board.

The Dogs started at their own 41 and on second and 10 Britt Grant ran for eight yards. He then got four more and the first down into Bush territory, and later ran for a first down at the Fort Bend 37. Victor Holmes was thrown for a six-yard loss but the Broncos were flagged for a facemask, so step off 15 yards from the spot of the foul and you've got a first down for the Bulldogs at the Bush 23.

On third and five quarterback Jordan Jackson rifled a strike that would have gone for the first down but Jahvey Mark could not hold on. So bring on Medina for a field goal try of 36 yards - normally a chip shot for Eric. But the senior booted it plenty long enough but barely wide left, so the Broncos dodged a bullet.

Bush hit a big play with a quarterback scramble on a third down, but could go no further and had to punt again. This time another decent looking La Porte offensive push ended in a Bush interception, but that was no problem because Trevor Nelson made a stop on defense and Lane Albertson had a sack, with help from Alex Jones, and Mark Guzman smoked a receiver on third down, forcing the third Bush punt of the game.

After the Dog offense could get nothing going, Bush got the ball on its own 37 and found quick success. On third and four from the Dog 43 the Broncos threw a quick hitter left, the receiver got pass the first line of defense, and he set sail for the end zone. That's 57 yards in all, and the Broncos had a 7-0 lead with 8:50 left in the second period.

Again the Dogs appeared to be moving, but big linebacker Hoza Scott, in a running back, got separated from the ball and the Broncos had it at their own 33.

The La Porte defense, however, rose to the occasion. Scott and Corey Lee combined to throw a runner for a loss of four; Albertson had a big rush and a sack for a loss of six more; and Guzman had a sack for a minus three, forcing a Bush punt.

The Dogs had good field position at their own 44 after the punt, and they took advantage. Grant got four yards, then went left for a first down at the Bronco 45, with 2:08 left before the half.

After a motion penalty moved the ball back five yards, Clifton Figora stepped off eight yards, with 1:31 left. Then came both good news and bad news for the Bulldogs.

The good news is that on second and eight Jackson went deep down the left sidelines to Mark. The pass was perfect and Jahvey was well behind everyone and hauled it in. The play covered 42 yards, and Medina's kick made it 7-7.

The bad news is that there was still 1:24 left in the half, and that gave the Broncos plenty of time to regain the momentum with a touchdown drive. Bush hit seven of eight passes for the score.

To make matters worse, Bush had been flagged for a penalty on the previous play and the clock started with the Broncos running a play. Anything caught that was not in the end zone would have likely ended the half.

But that was not the case, so Bush carried a 14-7 lead into the halftime dressing room.

It did not last. So now bring on the Tigers!

The La Porte Bulldogs will face Fort Bend ISD's Bush High School in the second round of the playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 24.  The game will be held at the Pearland High School stadium ("The Rig") at 2 p.m., with La Porte the home team.

Tickets will be on sale Monday, Nov. 19, through Wednesday, Nov. 21, as well as Friday, Nov. 23, at the Athletic Office in the Physical Education Center on the La Porte High School campus.  Tickets sales hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students.  Tickets at the gate will be $8.

The Pearland stadium is located at 3775 S. Main in Pearland, at the intersection of Pearland Parkway and Oiler Drive. It is also accessible from South Main (35) and Oiler Drive. 

Best of luck to our Bulldogs as they take on the Broncos!

By JOHN BLACK DEER PARK (Sp) - Well, it definitely was not pretty. But once you get into post-season play, the bottom line is simple - win and you keep playing; lose and you start concentrating on basketball.

The La Porte Bulldogs managed to pull out a nailbiter against Pasadena Memorial here in Abshier Stadium Saturday afternoon in the first round of the playoffs, thus qualifying for the second round, in a game that will be played this coming Saturday. The foe will be Fort Bend Bush, with the game at 2 p.m. Nov. 24 at Pearland High School Stadium. 

But none of that matters now. The fact is, with absolutely no disrespect intended, the Bulldogs were ripe for an upset Saturday. Two of their best players were on the sidelines, and human nature tells you they had to be looking past Memorial to the second round.

Why? Well, they were told - for good reason - that a win over Port Arthur Memorial the week before would give them a more favorable start to post-season action. They got that win, and cannot be blamed for taking Pasadena Memorial lightly. But nobody told the Mavericks this was supposed to be an easy one for the Bulldogs.

It was, in fact, far from it. Memorial led early, 3-0, on the strength of a 32-yard field goal booted by a young lady. And the Mavs got a TD as well minutes later to go up by a 9-0 count. The Dogs were trailing by a 9-3 margin near the end of the first half when the Maverick coaches made what turned out to be a disastrous decision.

Memorial had the six-point lead; La Porte had no timeouts left; and there were just 30 seconds left on the clock on third down from about the Maverick 20. So you run out the clock, go to the locker room with the lead, and bask in the momentum, right? Well, apparently not. They chose to run the ball, it was stripped, and Victor Holmes fell on it for La Porte with 24 seconds left in the second period, at the Maverick 20.

The Dogs decided to air it out from there, and quarterback Jordan Jackson lofted one into the left corner of the end zone, where Holmes - the defensive back who also played quarterback and running back and wide receiver in this game - was waiting. Victor out-fought the Maverick defender for position and made a spectacular catch for the score. Eric Medina, who had booted a 42-yard field goal earlier to give La Porte its only score to that point, kicked the extra point and the Bulldogs went into the halftime dressing room with a one-point lead and the momentum they needed.

Not so fast, however. Somebody might have figured that would be a big turning point in the game and La Porte would take control, but that did not happen. The Mavericks went on a scoring drive and took a 15-10 lead midway through the third quarter.

But then the Bulldog offensive line started taking control of the trenches. Tyler Davis came on to join Tony Briones and Michael Leagan and Justin King and Maurice Morris and Jared Howard and Michael Rodriguez to take command up front, and sophomore running back Britt Grant started getting gains in chunks of real estate.

Grant was in the featured back position because senior Keith Whitely was on the sidelines with crutches. He may or may not be available later on in the playoffs. And Johnathan Lewis, another great running back for the Bulldogs this year, was unable to play as well, but could be back in action this coming Saturday.

At any rate, like we said before, the running game started clicking, and the Bulldogs soon had the lead back at 16-15, as both teams missed the extra-point try after their respective TDs. The La Porte touchdown, by the way, was scored by Jahvey Mark as he took a quick strike to the left from Jackson and made a couple of fine moves to get into the end zone.

But once again, here came the Mavs. They faced a third and 10 from their own 30 but hit a long pass straight down the middle of the field to the fullback coming out of the backfield, and though their extra point try missed again, they had a 21-16 advantage.

The offense for La Porte kept clicking, however, and Holmes, in at running back, got the final six yards to paydirt with 10:18 left in the game. The Dogs went for two and it did not work, but they were up by a 22-21 margin.

The Mavericks, however, had no quit in them. They kept making big plays on third down, and actually found themselves trying a 20-yard field goal to take the lead with just over four minutes left in the game. But a strong rush and a long arm hoisted by Hosa Scott produced the block and gave the Dogs the ball and new life.

They took advantage of it. Holmes went left out of the backfield, made a strong cut back toward the middle of the field, and raced 80 yards to the end one to put the icing on the cake. Medina made the extra point and the Bulldogs ended the scoring at 29-21.

Whew!

When it was over, Jackson totaled 157 yards passing and the Bulldogs had two impressive running performances - 104 yards in all by Grant and another 96 yards by Holmes.

So La Porte dodges a bullet, and now looks to get some more people healthy as the post-season competition gets tougher.

After a big win against Port Arthur Memorial to earn the District 21-5A championship, the La Porte Bulldogs advance to the bi-district round of the playoffs next Saturday, Nov. 17, at Deer Park ISD's Abshire Stadium.

The game against District 22-5A's Pasadena Memorial High School will begin at 1 p.m. La Porte will be the visiting team.

Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the La Porte ISD Athletic Office located in the Physical Education Center on the LPHS campus. Advance tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students. Tickets will be sold from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday.

All tickets at the gate will be $8.

The game will be broadcast on Legacy Sports Network (www.legacysportsnetwork.com) with La Porte High School alumnus Ryan Gentile calling the game.

Best of luck to our Bulldogs as they face the Mavericks!

By JOHN BLACK

PORT ARTHUR (Sp) - The La Porte Bulldogs are the official, no doubt about it, back-to-back champions of District 21-5A, by virtue of their 37-33 victory Friday night over the Port Arthur Memorial Titans.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, are once again headed to the Class 5A, Division II football playoffs as the No. 1 seed out of 21-5A. They will play Pasadena Memorial at 1 p.m. this coming Saturday at Abshire Stadium in Deer Park. Memorial beat Alvin, 27-24, this past Saturday to make the playoffs.

The game against Pasadena Memorial will not be without its challenges. Team leader Keith Whitely suffered a knee injury in the win over Port Arthur and is definitely out this week. He may be able to get back to action in another week or two, or he may have season-ending knee surgery. And Johnathan Lewis, who scored three touchdowns against Port Arthur, suffered a high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of that game and will miss at least this week as well. And defensive leader Hosa Scott was walking around campus Monday with a  cast on his right hand. He is expected to play against Pasadena Memorial, but will probably not be able to add his talents on the offensive side of the ball, at either running back or receiver.

The Dogs found out this past week that the University Scholastic League had reconsidered the manner in which 21-5A was to have selected its playoff seeds. Since the Titans had been beaten earlier in the year by North Shore, by seven points, and the Mustangs had been thrashed last week by the Bulldogs, by 17 points, the Titans would have been in a real hole if the three-teams-tied-for-the-top points rule had been used. So a new vote of 21-5A coaches was taken, and all Port Arthur Memorial had to do was beat the Bulldogs Friday and they would go into post-season play as the No. 1 seed.

Well, they could not do it. The Bulldogs just had too many big plays in them, both offensively and defensively. It was a nail bitter, for sure, between two talented teams. But The Dogs got it done in the end, and thus have the more favorable playoff draw.

La Porte did it by scoring 30 points in the first half and then hanging on in the end, coming up with a big Pick Six for their only TD in the final 24 minutes, and getting a key sack near the end to kill whatever slim chance the Titans had.

The Bulldogs got the ball first Friday, and on first and 10 from the 25 quarterback Jordan Jackson handed off to senior running back Keith Whitely. Keith went off left tackle, took a slight path farther left, then made a cut and literally burst into the open. He was finally stopped by two Memorial tacklers -- and a referee who could not get out of the way -- at the Memorial nine. That's 66 yards in all.

After Johnathan Lewis got a yard and a pass missed, Jackson rolled right, avoided a tackle, made a great read and threw to Lewis in the end zone. Touchdown La Porte. Eric Medina booted the extra points and the Dogs had a 7-0 lead with 10:28 left in the first quarter.

The Bulldog defense then stopped the Titans after just one first down and forced a punt as Lane Albertson, Mark Guzman, Alex Jones and Corey Lee made key plays. And although the Bulldogs could not get points on their next possession, they ran some time off the clock and Medina came on and produced a great punt that was killed at the Titan four. It was one of two key punts off the foot of the talented Medina. More on the other one later.

Again the Dog defense was tough, forcing a punt. And senior middle guard Corey Lee demolished the Titan blockers and blocked the kick. The ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety and a 9-0 La Porte lead. And Memorial had to kick off from the 20.

It appeared the Bulldogs had some bad luck as they did not get the field position they anticipated on the free kick by the Titans, and when they were flagged for a false start on the first play, they faced first and 15 from their own 15.

Absolutely no problem. Johnathan Lewis took a pitch right, appeared to be bottled up behind the line, used a quick burst of speed to get around the end, then cut back to the middle of the field and turned on the after-burners. No Titan was within 10 yards of him when he reached the end zone. Medina made it 16-0 with 1:27 left in the first quarter.

The Titans then managed to put together a 61-yard scoring drive, getting the TD with 8:33 left in the second quarter, but Memorial went for the two-point converstion and the throw was intercepted by Malik Graves. So La Porte had a 16-6 lead.

Not for long. Victor Holmes had a nice return of the ensuing kickoff, setting the Dogs up on their own 34. And on first down, the Dogs went into the Wildcat formation with Whitely taking the snap. He handed off to Lewis, and this time Johnathan took advantage of more great blocking by the offensive line. He went straight up the middle, blew by everyone, and covered the 66 yards to paydirt very quickly. Medina's kick made it 23-6 with 8:34 left before the half.

In case you weren't paying close enough attention, that's three straight offensive plays for La Porte - a pass, a run and a run - and three straight touchdowns for Lewis.

And then things got a little crazy. The Titans managed their second touchdown drive with an almost unbelieveable assist from the referees. The yellow flags were flying all over the field on virtually every play, and every call went against the Dogs. The worst was a penalty that robbed La Porte of a Graves interception in the end zone that would have killed the Titan drive. It thus came as no surprise that Memorial scored with 3:13 left in the half. They booted the extra point and the Dogs were up by 10 at 23-13.

Then La Porte decided not to settle for a 10-point lead, and the second Bulldog pass of the ensuing drive was picked off and returned deep into LP territory. The TD came with 33 seconds left in the half, and the Titans had monster momentum as they were down by just four at 23-19.

But, like we've said before, not for long. The Dogs got the ball after the ensuing kickoff at their own 30, and Lewis ran for 15 yards. Then Victor Homes, in at quarterback in a sort of Wildcat formation, fired deep to Hoza Scott, the linebacker who was in as a wide receiver. The Titans were flagged for pass interference, and got hit with 15 more yards when they got too boisterous while protesting the call.

 That put the ball on the Memorial 25, and Jackson fired left to Britt Grant. He had a convoy of blockers ahead of him, and he was able to scoot into the far left side of the end zone with just 11 seconds left in the half. Another perfect Medina extra-point kick made it 30-19.

The Titans got the ball to start the second half, and they appeared to have a drive going. We haven't mentioned yet that Whitely, one of the finest backs in the history of LPHS, was injured in the second quarter and unable to return to the field - either offensively or defensively. So the Bulldogs needed a big play, and that's what they got.

The talented Memorial quarterback was rushed hard and he tried to throw a pass over the middle. Victor Holmes was there for the interception, and he quickly headed toward the Memorial end zone. He had blockers in front and a strong head of steam, and he weaved his way some 55 yards to paydirt. Medina kicked the extra point and the Bulldogs had 37 points and an 18-point lead with 8:33 left in the third period.

As it turned out, that was it as far as scoring for the Bulldogs, but they did have a couple of key first downs late in the game to keep the ball away from the dangerous Titans.

Defensively, there were some excellent individual efforts on the part of the Dogs down the stretch, but the Titans were able to score with 5:27 left in the third quarter to trim the La Porte lead to 37-26, and they got another touchdown with 10:50 left in the game to pull within four at 37-33.

Remember, now, Mr. Whitely was on the sidelines. But Grant got nine yards from the 18 on the first La Porte play from scrimmage after that last Titan touchdown, and Lewis stepped off 11 yards for a first down, then added six more. He lost two, however, on the next play, but on third down Grant followed more excellent blocking for a first down at the Port Arthur 49.

Lewis then got four, and had a good run of five yards to make it third and one, but he lost three on the next play, making it fourth and four. Coach LaReau decided to try to pull the Titans offsides - and it worked! They bit like a bass on Lake Conroe, and the Bulldogs had another first down, as the clock kept ticking.

The drive stalled, however, so Mr. Medina came on and booted another punt out of bounds inside the five yard line - forcing the Titans to start deep in their own territory with 3:51 left in the game.

They got as far as their own 42, and then the Bulldogs put a clamp on them. Jahvey Mark had a strong defensive effort in the backfield and Hoza Scott made a key tackle, forcing a fourth and 18 after the Titans were flagged for holding. And Corey Lee and Lane Albertson ended the suspense with a huge, monstrous sack that gave the Bulldogs the ball. They managed to run out the clock and claim the big win.

We can't say enough about the blocking up front all night. Credit Jose Garcia and Tony Briones and Michael Leagan and Justin King and Maurice Morris and Jared Howard and Michael Rodriguez for opening some world class holes.

In the end, for the second straight season, the Bulldogs found 21-5A glory -- on the last day of the regular season -- by beating Port Arthur Memorial. And now they begin post-season play with a 9-1 record, a district title, and a No. 1 seed.

But it will be no bed of roses. First, they have to find out whether their Main Man on offense, Mr. Whitely, will be healthy enough to play. And secondly, they will be staring down the barrel at some awfully talented Division II opponents, i.e. Katy and Manvel and Port Arthur and Lake Travis, etc.

You can be sure, however, that no matter the opponent, the Bulldogs are a team absolutely no one wants to have to reckon with - although Katy would likely love to have another crack at them.

And we say - bring 'em on. Bring 'em ALL on!

By JOHN BLACK

In as impressive an offensive and defensive performance that these parts have seen in years, the La Porte Bulldogs took absolute control of the state ranked and nationally ranked and unbeaten North Shore Mustangs in Bulldog Stadium Friday night, fighting and scrapping their way to a 27-10 victory to take control of the District 21-5A race.

It was virtually total domination as the Bulldogs managed to control the ball in the first half and play great defense, on their way to a 3-3 halftime deadlock. And in the second half it was once again all Bulldogs defensively, and this time also all La Porte offensively as well as the Dogs scored 21 unanswered points from early in the third quarter to near the end of the game.

The defining series came soon after the second half started. The Bulldogs had been relying heavily on their great senior running back, Keith Whitely, and their outstanding offensive line to control the football offensively. But Keith got popped on a run and fumbled, and the Mustangs took over in La Porte territory.

Some teams might have folded. The Bulldogs, instead, doubled their resolve. Two plays later the North Shore quarterback tried to run wide but he was smoked by cornerback John Nelson, forcing a fumble that Alex Jones recovered at the Bulldog 38.

Talk about redemption in a hurry! Whitely took a handoff right, was confronted by three defenders, split between two of them and ran over the third, regained his balance and raced down the sidelines, diving into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game. That's 68 yards to paydirt, and Eric Medina's extra point made it 10-3.

As it turned out, the Dogs were in the lead, but far from done.

Trevor Nelson and Lane Albertson made a stop for a loss of five, and they had a lot of help from a handful of fellow defenders. Then Trevor made a tackle on a pass play and Corey Lee had a strong rush on third down, and the Mustangs had to punt.

Starting at their own 32, the Dogs soon had TD No. 2. Quarterback Jordan Jackson, rolling right, fired long and against the wind to Jahvey Mark, who made the comeback catch for a gain of 29 yards. And on second and nine Whitely took a handoff, gave it of to Johnathan Lewis coming right, and Johnathan raced 18 yards to a first down at the Mustang 20.

Britt Grant then ran six yards to the 14, and Whitely fought for two. On third and two Keith battled for a first down, by inches, at the 10. From that point Lewis ran wide left and almost scored. And from inches out, Jackson followed Justin King and Jose Garcia into the end zone. After Medina booted the extra point, the Dogs were up by a 17-3 count 3:34 left in the third quarter.

And still it was not over.

After the defense held, once again the offense controlled the ball and took time off the clock before Medina was forced to punt, and he booted a great one of 48 yards into the wind, all the way to the Mustang 12. And the defense stayed in the zone. A run was stopped by Lee; a pass was dropped by the Mustangs; and on third and 10 Alex Jones went high to intercept a North Shore aerial, returning the pick to the Mustang 10.

Whitely got four yards and Lewis went wide left to the six-inch line, and Jackson kept it from there, again behind King and Garcia, and found paydirt with 9:36 left. Medina's boot made it 24-3.

And still the Dogs were not finished.

We can't say enough about the defense. In no particular order, as they all were important, the likes of Corey Lee and Mark Guzman and Justin Pickell and Lane Albertson and Alex Jones and Hoza Scott and Victor Holmes and Ellis Hutchinson and Malik Graves and John Nelson and Trevor Nelson and Jesse Hickman and probably a few others we are not naming did an absolutely marvelous job all night. The Mustangs, averaging 50 points per game, had only 155 yards of total offense all night - and a lot of that came late, after the game was well decided, when they scored their only TD with just over a minute remaining.

At any rate, the Dogs had one last drive to put the icing on the cake, after that amazing defense held and the Dogs took over on downs. There were two highlights - Lewis had a big run wide right to get to the Mustang 44, and Whitely ran smooth over a Mustang defender on his way to the North Shore nine. Though the drive stalled from there, it was no problem because Medina booted a field goal from 25-yards out and La Porte was up by 24 at 27-3 with 3:55 left in the game. '

We will pause here to point out that Keith Whitely, thanks to a strong effort on his part and outstanding blocking from his Bulldog mates up front, had more yardage than the entire Mustang offense. Keith had 30 carries for 173 yards against a very deep and talented and well-coached North Shore defense.

The first half was definitely shades of the Katy game last year - two strong defenses, lined up basically to stop the run, and both doing so effectively. The result was hard-fought yardage, few first downs (especially by the Mustangs), and a bare minimum of passes.

North Shore started the game at its own 25 after Eric Medina booted the opening kickoff into the end zone. Three plays later - a tackle by Lane Albertson; a tackle by Hosa Scott; and a tackle for a loss by Alex Jones - and the Mustangs were forced to punt. The Dogs had fine field position, at their own 45.

But the sledding was perilous. Whitely opened the first drive with a run up the middle for five, but a false start moved the ball back those five, for a second and 10. Whitely then ran for no gain and a Jackson pass failed to connect, so Medina came on and booted a fine punt of 44 yards to the Mustang 11.

And once again, the defense rose to the occasion. Corey Lee and Hoza Scott combined for a stop; a Mustang pass had no chance, and actually could have easily been called intentional grounding; and Lee and Scott teamed up again, this time for a sack and a loss of five, forcing the second North Shore punt.

The Dogs had even better field position, this time at the Mustang 34. But again, the yardage was hard to get.

Johnathan Lewis ran wide left for two yards, before Britt Grant went up the middle on a counter for six. Keith then ran hard for the first down, at the North Shore 22. But here we go again with a false start - but it did not matter, because on third and long the Mustangs were flagged for pass interference and the Dogs got the ball first and 10 on the North Shore 14.

Whitely ran four yards up the middle to the 10, but Lewis lost those same four yards on a wide run to the left. After a pass missed, Medina came on and split the uprights on a 31-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs the early lead at 3-0 with 1:32 left in the first period.

After Eric again kicked out of the end zone, the Mustangs got the ball on their own 25 and had success as well, although Alex Jones and Trevor Nelson and Albertson and John Nelson all had strong plays on defense. Actually, Jones and Albertson combined to stop North Shore on a fourth-and-three deep in La Porte territory, so the Mustangs liked up for a field goal of their own. It was from 34 yards and it was good, and the score was knotted a 303 with 9:21 left in the first half.

Pay close attention to that time, because the Mustangs did not get the ball back until two seconds were left on the clock. That's right, a La Porte drive that lasted nine minutes and 19 seconds, while failing to add points, did the next best thing - kept the North Shore defense on the field and the offense on the sideline.

After Victor Holmes had a nice return of the kickoff that followed that North Shore field goal, the drive that made it well into Mustang territory featured mostly the Bulldogs running the ball out of the Wildcat formation, with quarterback Jackson lined up on the far right side and running back Whitely taking the snaps out of the shotgun.

Keith had a run of nine and a first down early in the drive, and a run of six on a third and four to move the chains again. Another big play was a pass from Jackson to Jahvey Mark on a third and long. It missed, but the Mustangs were flagged for pass interference for the second time on the night, so make it a La Porte first down on the North Shore 39.

We will point out here that a key component of this excellent ball control offense was produced by Michael Leagan and Justin King and Jose Garcia and Tony Briones and Maurice Morris and Jared Howard and Michael Rodriguez more than held their own against the highly-touted North Shore defense.

At any rate, facing a fourth and inches with just over two minutes left before halftime, the Bulldogs lined up and went right at the Mustangs, Jackson keeping for two yards and a first down. That was after Whitely ran for four and then five and was then held for no gain.

The drive stalled, however, so on fourth down the Bulldogs decided to let the clock run down and hand it over to Medina. With seven seconds left, holder Whitely placed the ball directly on the 30 and Eric's boot was well long enough into a fairly stout south wind - but rarely right. So with two seconds left, the Mustangs ran one play that was snuffed by Jesse Hickman, and the two teams went into the halfltime dressing room deadlocked at three apiece.

We've already told you about the second half. Now all you need to know is that La Porte is 8-1 on the season and the only unbeaten team in the district. The Dogs hit the road this Friday for their final regular season game, against once-beaten Port Arthur Memorial. And then the playoffs get underway.

La Porte High School will hold its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 9, at Bulldog Stadium. The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. All area veterans are invited to attend.

The La Porte High School boys and girls cross country teams swept all divisions at the District 21-5A District Cross Country Meet held at La Porte's Northwest Park on Oct. 25. Both teams will advance to the regional competition on Nov. 3 at Atascosita High School.

In the boys competition, the Bulldogs swept all three divisions for the third straight year with a one-point win over North Shore High School. Coach Zach Johnson said that the varsity runners had many outstanding individual performances to help boost the team to a first place finish.

Casey Timm placed sixth with a time of 17:03, and Wyssam Zaaban placed 11th with a personal record of 17:27. Other top finishers were Michael Davis, 13th; Kyle Haynes, 14th; Cameron Avina, 15th; Henry Blanchard, 16th; and Justin Moore, 24th.

The first place junior varsity team was led by Tim Gibson, who placed first with a time of 18:07, followed by Bryan Ramirez in third place with a time of 18:34. Other junior varsity competitors were Jose Chapa, sixth; Quentin Sanders, seventh; Evan Cook, eighth; and Nate Castillo, ninth.

Also placing for the junior varsity team were Cody McKay, 12th; Matt Sanchez, 16th; Avery Blanchard, 17th; Wilson Thomas, 20th; C.J. Williams, 26th; Chris Montano, 30th; and Gerald Wolfe, 36th.

Contributing to the freshman team's first place finish were Isaac Gonzalez, third place; Lief Hosea, seventh; Miguel Serrano, eighth; and Gabby Canizales, ninth. Austin Fiala placed 11th, followed by Jacob Reyes in 16th place and Chase Segall in 19th place. Noe Alipio placed 22nd, Bennie Flores placed 32nd, and Juan Gomez placed 46th.

In the open race, Dylan Basurto came in third, followed by Jhaneil George, who placed sixth. Andy Gonzalez placed eighth, and William Holt placed ninth. Other runners in the open race were Jeremy Claypool, 11th; Alvarro Gonzalez, 12th; Jonathan Blanchard, 13th; and Juan Salazar, 18th.

In the girls competition, the varsity Lady Bulldogs, under the direction of coach Carolina Rodriguez, placed first with 19 points, beating North Shore by 44 and Deer Park by 65 points.

Leading the way for the varsity was freshman Samantha Beacham, who placed first. Junior Arielle Price came in second after a fall in the first 50 meters of the race, and in third was freshman Caitlyn Cruz. In sixth place was first-year cross country runner Sam Fernandez, followed by freshman Jaylean Gonzales in seventh place and senior Dora Reynosa in eighth place. Sophomore Summer Barfield placed 18th.

At the junior varsity level, the girls placed first with 26 points, outscoring North Shore by 35 points and Deer Park by 87 points. Leading the JV team were Alicia Smith, first; Laura Dodson, second; and Savannah Riggenbach, fifth. Other competitors were Kayla Koch, seventh; Jillian Turner, 11th; Autumn Zinn, 12th; Anayeli Betancourt, 16th; Myriah Stoot, 17th; Lexi Foose, 25th; Adela Torres, 27th; Ashley Allen, 32nd; Heather Juel,21st; and Stephanie Castillo, 40th.

By JOHN BLACK

CHANNELVIEW (Sp) - The La Porte Bulldogs were greeted by a stiff north wind and a sparkling new Channelview High School stadium Friday night. They were not greeted, however, by much opposition.

The result was a 56-14 thrashing of the Falcons by the Dogs. La Porte thus remains unbeaten in District 21-5A at 4-0, and the Dogs are also 7-1 on the year with just two games left in the regular season - two big ones. They host unbeaten North Shore at 7 p.m. this coming Friday, and the following Friday they hit the road to go up against once-beaten Port Arthur Memorial.

That Memorial game will likely play a big role in the playoff set up. The Dogs long ago qualified for post-season play, but match-ups are important, and District 21-5A lines up in the opening round with District 22-5A. So starting with one of the Pasadena schools would likely be more appealing than having to open the playoffs against the likes of Manvel.

Anyway, we've got plenty of time to worry about post-season action. Let's focus on the dismantling of an outmanned Channelview team by the Bulldogs. La Porte rode that aforementioned north wind to 28 first-quarter points, and all that was left to be determined after that was the final score.

We will start by noting that the Falcons were definitely no match for the Bulldog offensive line. Tony Briones and Maurice Morris and Jose Garcia and Justin King and Michael Leagan and Michael Rodriguez and, eventually, a host of back-ups had their way with the Channelview defensive front and linebackers. It was an impressive performance.

The Bulldog defense opened with a three-and-out as Victor Holmes and Hoza Scott provided big plays, forcing a punt. La Porte got the ball on the 50, and two plays later it was 7-0. After a pass missed, quarterback Jordan Jackson handed off to running back Johnathan Lewis. Johnathan went wide left, raced down the sideline, started cutting back toward the middle of the field, and made it all the way into the end zone. Eric Medina booted the extra point, and with 10:40 left in the first quarter the Dogs had a 7-0 lead.

Again, the defense held. Corey Lee and Lane Albertson and Alex Jones stopped a run attempt; Jones knocked down a pass; and Garrett Green was in the right spot to stop a pass play. So here came another Falcon punt, into that strong north wind. It did not go very far, and the Dogs got the ball on the Channelview 37.

One play,TD. Jackson threw a strike to Jahvey Mark at the goal line, and he went in for the score. Medina made it 14-0 with 8:55 left in the quarter.

Another three-and-out produced by the Bulldog defense allowed the offense to set up shop minutes later at the Channelview 41. This scoring drive took a bit longer. Keith Whitely got seven yards, then ran for 21 and a first down. He added six more, then followed great blocking into the end zone. That third TD came with 4:43 left in the initial quarter, and the Dogs were up by 21 after Medina's kick.

Credit Mark Guzman and Justin Pickell and Hoza Scott with stopping the next Channelview offensive try, and this punt resulted in La Porte getting the ball on its own 26. So Jackson throws to Britt Grant for 16 yards; he throws to Marks for seven to the 49; and he hands off to Whitely on the third play. Keith stepped off 51 very quick yards from there for his second touchdown of the game, coming with 1:45 still left in that very active first quarter. Medina's fourth kick made it 28-0.

Jared Howard made a nice stop on the next defensive stand, but the Dogs could not find paydirt for a change, so Medina produced a nice punt into the strong wind. Again, the D held as Travis Hudson and Trevor Nelson and Jesse Hickman made big plays. So the offense takes over at the Channelview 46.

TD drive No. 5 included a 15-yard run by Whitely and a six-yard run by Grant and a nice pass and catch, Jackson to Whitely, that produced a first down on a fourth and seven. And from the 22, Jackson lofted a screen pass to Grant in the middle of the field and Britt weaved his way into the end zone with 7:08 remaining in the first half. Medina's kick made it 35-0.

The Falcons then produced one of their two touchdowns on the night, so the Dogs decided to get one more of their own before halftime. They started at their own 39. On second and 10 Jackson handed off to Lewis. Johnathan went off right tackle, put on a burst of speed, outran everyone and scored with 2:25 left in the first half. Medina made it 42-7.

With a host of La Porte players getting the opportunity to see action in the second half, the Bulldogs scored two touchdowns and the Falcons managed one.

La Porte started touchdown push No. 7 at its own 30. Whitely stepped off 16 yards, then added 18. After Lewis got three, Grant added 10 and a first down. Whitely then got 11 yards, before getting a first down at the three. Keith then got two, and Lewis took it in from the one as the Falcon defensive line had absolutely no change against the La Porte blockers. Medina's kick made it 49-7 with 8:10 remaining in the third period.

A few minutes later it was 56-7. That's because the Bulldogs started at the Channelview 39 and Whitely immediately produced a run of 13 yards, followed by an 11-yarder by Lewis. Runs by Clifton Figroa and Grant set up the TD burst by Lewis, and after Medina's kick it was 56-7.

The Falcons got that meaningless score with just over five minutes left in the game, and we will note that Toby Detillier had a nice tackle for a loss on defense, and Jesse Hickman had a sack, and Lewis had a nice kickoff return after the second Falcon TD.

So now come a couple of big games against formidable opponents, and then we start another playoff run.

The race to the finish line is less than three weeks away for 5,000 rubber ducks who are a part of the DuPont Rubber Duck Regatta benefitting the La Porte Education Foundation. The race will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at Sylvan Beach.

The public is invited to come and watch as the ducks splash their way to the shore in Galveston Bay.

Those who would like to "adopt" ducks for the chance to win a wide variety of prizes may pick up entry forms at the La Porte ISD Administration Building as well as any La Porte ISD campus. Adopting a single duck is just $5, with a "quack pack" (six ducks) priced at $25 and a "quacker's dozen" (12 ducks) at $50.

Larger packages are also available. A "flock" of 24 ducks may be purchased for $100, and the "Regatta Racer" of 60 ducks is $250.

"The DuPont Rubber Duck Regatta is an excellent opportunity for community members to show their support for La Porte ISD students and teachers," said Debbie Wade, vice president for fund raising and Duck Regatta chairperson. "Each duck adoption helps the La Porte Education Foundation to fund innovative, creative instructional projects in our district. The race is a fun way to bring our community together in support of our schools."

On race day, the first duck to cross the finish line will win a $2,500 gift card and the chance to win a new Ford Focus for its adoptive "parents."Other prizes include a $1,000 gift card, 42-inch HD television, two iPads, an XBox, gas grill, deep sea fishing trip for two, an iPod Nano, a Kindle and a Garmin GPS.

DuPont is the Title Sponsor for the event, with LyondellBasell a Platinum Sponsor. Gold Sponsors include Noltex LLC, Kaneka, PPG, Lubrizol, Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union and Crawley's Shoreline Construction. Walmart and Beacon Federal Credit Union are Silver Sponsors. Bronze Sponsors are INEOS Olefins and Polymers USA and Kuraray America, Inc.

Other sponsors include Goodyear Bayport Chemical Plant, Bayshore Financial Advisors and A.C. Collins Ford.

La Porte ISD campuses are getting into the fun of the race by helping with the duck adoptions. The Foundation will give back 50 cents for every duck (over 100) "sold" by La Porte ISD campuses and school organizations. Those who purchase ducks simply need to write the school or organization's name on their entry form.

For more information contact the La Porte ISD Communications Office at 281-604-7001.

La Porte ISD Future Farmers of America members brought home numerous awards from the Youth Expo of Harris County Oct. 18 through 20 at the Humble Civic Center.

On Thursday, Oct. 18, five of the La Porte FFA members showed pigs that they raised this summer. Junior FFA member Hunter Horn placed first in his class and made auction, and La Porte High School senior Lindsey Green placed second in her class. Senior Marina Schneider placed second in her class and finished eighth overall in the auction. Senior Megan Bibby was fifth in her class, and junior Danielle Horn was fifth in her class and made the live auction.

In addition, three FFA members participated in the Steer Show on Thursday. Junior Bianca Arevalo was second in her class and 11th overall in the live auction. Junior Hunter Stewart was ninth in his class, and junior Mason Paskey was fifth in his class. Senior Cody Haas showed his heifer as well, taking fourth place in his class.

On Oct. 19, Junior FFA member Cameron Canales exhibited his market goat, earning first in his class and eighth overall in the auction. Junior Andy Canales placed eighth in his class with his lamb. In the broiler show, Junior FFA member Michael Fitzpatrick exhibited a pen of chickens.

"The auction on Saturday had a nice turn-out, and La Porte FFA members represented our school and community well," said Amber Campise, FFA sponsor.

The La Porte High School Mighty Bulldog Marching Band earned three Division I ratings at the University Interscholastic League Region I9 marching competition held on Saturday, Oct. 20, at Galena Park ISD Stadium.

The Division I, or Superior, rating is the highest recognition awarded to bands at the contest. Each of the three judges awarded the top rating to the La Porte band.

As a result of the success at regional competition, La Porte High School has qualified to advance to the UIL area marching contest, which is set for Oct. 27 at 4:45 p.m., also at Galena Park ISD Stadium.

Matt Burke, LPSD director of performing and visual arts, explained that the process begins as far back as July, when band directors and students start preparing for the UIL competition. Earning all Division I ratings is the goal for which all bands strive, he added.

"I am extremely proud of the commitment to success that each band member has shown as we prepared for UIL," said Kevin Poe, LPHS band director.

Poe explained that the LPHS Band has grown significantly this year, with a total of 182 students, up from 140 to 150 in past years. He added that directors are anticipating additional students participating in band next year.

Legacy Sports Network will again be covering La Porte High School football this year. LPHS alumnus Ryan Gentile and Clifton Morris will be in the booth again, marking their third year of commentating the LPHS varsity football games.

Fans who are unable to attend the games can visit legacysportsnetwork.com to hear the games live. For those going to the game, a Legacy Sports Network application is available for the Android and iPhone.

The Bulldogs begin their 2012 season on Aug. 31 at home against Clear Brook. Game time is 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

By JOHN BLACK
BEAUMONT (Sp) - The La Porte Bulldogs dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball from the start here Saturday night and rode the strong arm of quarterback Jordan Jackson and the strong legs of running back Keith Whitely, on their way to a convincing 52-7 victory over the Beaumont West Brook Bruins.

The victory was the fifth of the 2012 season for the Bulldogs, against one loss. Head coach Jeff LaReau's squad now gets a week to rest and further recuperate, getting ready for their annual showdown with the Deer Park Deer. Kickoff for that contest is 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 at Bulldog Stadium.

The Deer and the Dogs are once again in the same district, so this one will carry more significance than the most recent meetings. Of course, when it's La Porte versus Deer Park, the records and stats and post-season positioning matters little.

La Porte is 2-0 thus far in District 21-5A play, and 5-1 overall. After Deer Park, the Dogs travel to Channelview; entertain unbeaten North Shore; and end regular season play on the road against unbeaten Port Arthur Memorial.

But let's not worry about all that now. Before we take that week of rest, let's focus on the success Saturday against West Brook - not always an easy place to play.

The Bulldogs took control in the trenches from the start. The offensive line welcomed Tony Briones back from injury, and still awaits the return of Maurice Morris. Word is he has a chance to get back on the field in time for the Deer. Stalwarts Jose Garcia and Justin King and Michael Leagan and Jared Howard and Trevor Nelson and Michael Rodriguez took the fight to the Bruins from the first snap, and the result was room to run and time to pass.

La Porte took a fairly quick lead in this one, starting from the Bulldog 28. Johnathan Lewis went wide right for 23 yards; Keith Whitely added two yards; Britt Grant went wide left for 13; Whitely took a pitch right for seven; and after a loss and a missed pass, the Dogs faced fourth and six from the 30. So Jackson went back and fired into the end zone. David Terrebonne was well covered but the pass was on the mark and David made a great effort to get to the ball, catch it and hold on. TD Bulldogs! Eric Medina booted the extra point, and the Dogs were up, 7-0, with 9:35 left in the first quarter.

So now turn it over to the D. With a brisk north wind churning up from their backsides, the Bruins tried to respond. But two missed passes and a stop by Corey Lee and Trevor Nelson forced a punt, and the Dogs got the ball back on their own 20.

Lewis went wide left for 13 yards; Whitely ran hard up the middle for seven; and Keith took a pitch right, broke free and was finally stopped at the Brook 25 - a gain of 35. On first and 10 Johnathan took a handoff going right to left, made a great cut up the middle of the field and sprinted into the end zone for TD No. 2. Medina made it 14-0 with 7:12 still left in the first period.

On the next defensive stand, Lane Albertson made a tackle; a Bruin pass was overthrown; and an end-around try was snuffed by Nelson and Mark Guzman and Hoza Scott, forcing another punt.

The next Bulldog possession did not result in a touchdown but did produce good field position as Medina had a nice punt into what was developing into a strong wind out of the north. The great field position was also the result of a combination tackle by Alex Jones and Albertson and Guzman; a snuff by Corey Lee; an incomplete Bruin pass; and a short punt into that strong wind, early in the second quarter after the teams had exchanged ends of the field.

The scoring drive started at the West Brook 26. It lasted one play, as Jackson lofted a beautiful pass to Jahvey Mark in the end zone. Jahvey had a defender on his shoulder but the pass was on the mark and the catch was a fine one. Medina made it 21-0 with 11:44 remaining before halftime.

Hoza Scott made a big stop for a loss of six on the next Bruin possession; Lee and Scott and Jones combined for a stop; and after the Bruins got their first first down of the night, Albertson made a stop and Guzman made a stop and Jones made a stop, forcing a punt. Grant scooped it up inside the La Porte 10 and returned it for decent field position at the LP 30.

What followed were two fumbles by the Bulldogs, but also some more fine defense. Credit John Nelson and Victor Holmes and Jesse Hickman and an interception by Whitely to stop the Bruins after the first fumble; and credit Justin Pickell and Jones and Pickell again and Garrett Green and an interception by Holmes after the second fumble. When all that smoke had cleared, the Dogs had the ball on the West Brook 41.

Whitely went up the middle for seven yards; he added a run of nine for a first down at the 25; and after a chop block cost La Porte 10 yards, Jackson threw a quick strike to Mark on the left wing. Jahvey made a great run, dancing and darting and fighting all the way to a first down at the West Brook 13.

Grant got two yards and Whitely added one, and the Bulldogs called a timeout with 35 seconds left before the half. When play resumed Jackson calmly lofted a pass into the left back corner of the end zone and Scott, in as a receiver on offense, went higher than anyone else and snagged it with 31 seconds remaining before the bands marched. Medina's fourth extra point made it 28-0.

Credit the Mighthy Bulldog Marching Band and the Chatos Drill Team with great halftime performances that drew loud applause from the West Brook fans, and credit the Bulldogs with taking up right where they left off once play resumed.

Touchdown No. 5 did not take long. After West Brook had mild success offensively, aided by a strange personal foul call against the Dogs on a third down run, the Bulldogs took possession on their 29. Whitely took a handoff right, saw a huge hole open up, burst through it and rambled 63 yards to the Bruin eight. On the next play Keith went wide left for the final eight yards, and Medina's kick made it 35-0 with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period.

Lee and Jones and Holmes led the defense to another stop, and the offense took over. A penalty backed the Dogs up to the West Brook 49, and from that spot came perhaps the play of the season thus far for the Bulldogs. Jackson, given plenty of time by the offensive line, fired a missile toward Johnathan Lewis, streaking down the middle of the field, behind two Bruin defenders. The pass appeared to ride the north wind just a bit too long - but Lewis reached out his left hand, grabbed it with that one paw, gathered it in and scored the touchdown. It was a beauty, igniting the crowd on both sides of the stadium and throughout the press box. Medina's kick was of course good and the Dogs had a 42-0 lead with 5:52 left in the third period.

Garrett Green had the third La Porte interception of the game on the ensuing Bruin possession, setting up two huge plays for La Porte. The first was a massive block by sophomore Grant that ignited the Bulldog sideline. The second was another school record by Medina.

Eric, one of the best kickers in the state, already owned the LPHS field goal record with a 55-yarder last year. Saturday night, with 1:47 left in the third period, he lined up for a 57-yarder. True, there was a brisk wind behind him. But this kick would have been good from 67. The three-pointer made it 45-0.

Jackson, having thrown four touchdown passes in the game, was replaced by Hunter Bozant to wrap things up offensively, and the Bulldogs used a ground attack that featured Whitely, driving to yet another touchdown. This one was credited to Clifton Figaro from two yards out with just over eight minutes left in the game. After Medina's kick, the score stood at 52-0 in favor of the Dogs.

The Bruins managed a meaningless TD late, but the stadium was still buzzing because of Jackson's impressive throwing performance; Whitely's excellent running; Medina's record kick; and the fabulous catch by Lewis.

It was a fine night to be a Bulldog.

La Porte High School seniors Christopher Dlouhy and Audrey Ladd have been named Commended Students in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.

They are among approximately 34,000 students in the nation earning this honor for their exceptional academic promise. Christopher and Audrey will be presented with a letter of commendation from La Porte High School and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program.

Commended Students placed among the top five percent of the more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2013 competition by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

Christopher is the son of Lynnesa and Felix Dlouhy, and Audrey is the daughter of Gina and Donald Ladd.

Christopher has been a member of the Mighty Bulldog Marching Band, in which he plays the clarinet, for the past four years. He has also been a participant in the annual musical and a member of Eco Club and Student Council throughout high school.

A member of the Mu Alpha Theta math honor society and National Honor Society, Christopher served as an officer for TRUTH and HOPE and is active in the Interact Club. He was the winner of the District Spelling Bee for three consecutive years and participates in the Academic Decathlon.

In addition, Christopher earned state recognition in the Duke Talent Identification Program and is the recipient of the Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction award. He also serves as a student representative on the Citizens Advisory Council to La Porte Industry.

Christopher has two sisters--Jessica, who is a nurse working in the Houston Medical Center, and Kayla, who attends the Baker Sixth Grade Campus.

After graduation, he hopes to attend MIT or Stanford University, majoring in biomedical engineering, and later pursue a graduate degree. He hopes to someday work in research at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Audrey has participated in the La Porte High School musical throughout her high school career, serving as assistant director last year. She has been a member of the UIL one-act cast and crew for the past two years as well and is a member of Thespians, in which she serves as an officer.

Audrey also is a four-year member of the LPHS Orchestra, participating in the varsity Orchestra the past two years. A cellist, she has been an officer in the group for the past four years. She served as freshman representative as a ninth grader, vice president as a sophomore, and president for her junior and senior years.

An Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors, Audrey is also the current vice president of the National Honor Society and a member of the Eco Club. She also participated in the TRUTH program.

She has one sister, Amanda, who graduated from LPHS in 2010.

While Audrey is undecided about her college choice at this time, she plans to major in history and later attend graduate school to study museum science, with the goal of becoming a museum curator. Particularly interested in European and North African history, Audrey says that she would love to someday work at the Cairo Museum.

"Christopher and Audrey are true academic leaders on our campus," said Todd Schoppe, LPHS principal. "We are very proud of their accomplishments and look forward to hearing about their additional achievements in the future."

La Porte High School science teachers are paying tribute to graduates who are succeeding in science-related fields by creating a Wall of Honor. The wall features graduates' photos under a banner proclaiming "LPHS Graduates Succeeding in Science."

According to Matt Hausler, LPHS physics teacher, the department would like to add more photos to the wall featuring LPHS graduates.

"The main goal for creating the wall is to help our current students see that there can be a future for them that is rooted in what they will learn through our science department," he said.

The LPHS science teachers are looking for LPHS graduates working in science-related fields such as engineering, medicine, research, architecture, laboratory technology, biology, environmental science and science teaching.

Information needed for the wall includes the graduate's name, year of graduation from LPHS and an 8" by 10" photo, preferably in the setting in which the individual works. Other information included on the wall is the college the graduate attended as well as his or her major field of study, employer (optional) and current job title. Information may be sent to Hausler at La Porte High School, 1002 San Jacinto St., La Porte, Texas 77571, or by e-mail at hauslerm@lpisd.org.

In an effort to increase the educational resources available to La Porte High School students, the school recently purchased an online educational program called Study Island.

Study Island is available to every student, and can be accessed at school or at home. Students can use desktop computers, laptops and smart phones to access Study Island as long as there is an internet connection.

Study Island is free for students to use and can be used for the following:

• STAAR EOC (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness end-of-course test) preparation
• TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) preparation SAT/ACT preparation
• Intervention resource to assist students struggling in certain subjects
• Homework assignments by teachers

For more information on the resources available to students from Study Island, please contact La Porte High School at (281) 604-7717.

By JOHN BLACK

Anyone on hand in Bulldog Stadium Friday night might find it hard to believe, but a year ago on the same turf, the Bulldogs had to stop a winless Baytown Sterling two-point conversion attempt late in the game to beat the Rangers and keep the momentum of their outstanding 12-2 season.

They did not allow themselves to get in that same situation this year. Putting together a great defensive effort and a balanced and relentless offensive attack, the now 4-1 Bulldogs built a 35-7 halftime lead on their way to a 42-21 victory over Sterling.

It was the first 21-5A contest for both teams in 2012, and now the Bulldogs have an extra day of preparation, before hitting the road to meet Beaumont West Brook at 6 p.m. this coming Saturday. An off week will follow, before "Big Game No. 1" on Oct. 19 when the Bulldogs host the Deer Park Deer.

Friday night, by the way, marked the 2012 Homecoming festivities for LPHS. During ceremonies at halftime, senior Sadie Selmser was named Homecoming Queen and senior Devan Gay was named Homecoming King. Devan's brother Philip Gay, the 2011 LPHS Homecoming King, was on the field during the presentation.

As for the Bulldogs, they had their way against the Rangers, and a couple of turnover hiccups in the first half didn't really matter - although one produced the only score of the half for Sterling.

The Bulldogs took the opening kickoff and drove briskly down the field. Their first play from scrimmage was a bomb from quarterback Jordan Jackson to wide receiver Jahvey Mark. It was a beautiful pass and great catch with a Sterling defender in what appeared to be excellent position. It covered 39 yards, and after Keith Whitely and Britt Grant and Jackson and Johnathan Lewis got good yardage, La Porte was in position for a score. But as Whitely was running for a first down through the middle of the Ranger defense he was hit and fumbled and Sterling recovered at the seven.

That only delayed the inevitable. John Nelson had a big defensive play to knock down a bomb attempt; Corey Lee stuffed a run; and Alex Jones and Lane Albertson threw the ball carrier for a three-yard loss on third down to force a punt. And with a clearing block from John Nelson, Grant had a fine spinning return to set the Dogs up at the Ranger 32.

The scoring drive took one play. We will pause here to tell you that the Bulldogs were without two of their key offensive linemen - Maurice Morris and Tony Briones - for the third straight week. But Michael Leagan and Justin King and Jose Garcia and Tyler Davis and Jared Howard and Trevor Nelson and Michael Rodriguez banded together to dominate the line of scrimmage in the first half.

Now back to that brief scoring drive: Whitely took a handoff right, made a great cut, broke into the open and sprinted into the end zone, covering the full 32 yards quickly. Eric Medina booted the extra point and the Bulldogs had a 7-0 lead with 6:45 left in the first quarter.

After Lee and Jones and Trevor Mouton combined for a tackle and Hoza Scott blitzed into the backfield to throw the runner for a four-yard loss, the Rangers had to punt. It was a bad one, and the Dogs took over on the Sterling 18. This scoring drive took three plays: Lewis ran for two; Whitely ran wide left for nine and a first down at the seven; and Clifton Figaro went wide right and was simply too fast for the Ranger defense. He scooted into the right corner of the end zone for the score, and Medina kicked true for a 14-0 lead with 4:48 left in the initial period.

Garrett Green made the first tackle of the next defensive stand, right before Corey Lee made a nice tackle and Ellis Hutchinson broke through and dropped the runner for a two-yard loss to force another punt.

The Bulldogs had to drive 72 yards to get TD No. 3. The drive started with a five-yard run by Grant, followed by a 12-yarder from Whitely for a first down to the 35. After a five-yard loss on first down, Jackson went back to pass. He fired long and true to Victor Holmes, who made an impressive catch despite being well defended. The play covered 30 yards in all, and the Dogs were in business.

After Whitely got three and Lewis added four, Keith broke through the middle for 11 yards and a first down at the Sterling 22. And on second and 10 Jackson threw a quick out to Mark, to the left. Jahvey put on quite a show on his way into the end zone, dancing and spinning and avoiding would-be tacklers to cover the full distance. Medina made it 21-0 with 10:46 left before the half.

Medina booted the ensuing kickoff nearly into the Ranger locker room. Scott, from his linebacker spot, went deep to knock down a long Sterling pass attempt, and two plays later Hoza got a fumble recovery at the Ross 14.

This actually set up the only Ranger TD of the half, because on third down from the 12 the Bulldogs tried to get tricky and the halfback pass was picked off and returned some 100 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. That made it 21-7 with 8:12 remaining before the Homecoming ceremonies.

No sweat. David Terrebonne took the ensuing short kick and went wide down the left sidelines all the way to the Sterling 38. Whitely stepped off eight yards before Holmes took a pitch right and made it all the way to the four. The Dogs were flagged for holding on that run, but still had a first down at the 22. Whitely ran for four before Lewis employed a great stiff-arm and cut to gain nine and a first down. From the nine, Keith would not be denied, fighting his way into the end zone behind great blocking. Medina made it 28-7 and 5:56 still remained before halftime.

The Rangers did manage to get their initial first down of the half on their next possession, but the drive did not last long and the Dogs got the ball on their own 29. Whitely got four yards and Jackson threw to Grant for seven and a first down at the 40. On second and 10 Jackson used a semi-screen pass to Grant in the middle of the field for a gain of 16, and then Jordan threw to Terrebonne for three more yards. Another short pass - this one Jackson to Whitely - gained five. On fourth and two with 59 seconds left, Jackson optioned right and kept for a first down at the Ranger 32.

Jackson threw to Lewis for four yards, and on second and six Jordan's pass to the middle of the field to Grant was right on the mark. Britt picked it out of the air and eluded two Ranger defenders to reach the end zone with 34 seconds remaining before the half. Medina's kick made it 35-7.

The second half got a little sloppy as the La Porte offense began to have trouble moving the ball and the defense started giving up real estate. Sterling managed two more TDs, but after the first one the Bulldogs responded very quickly.

On the ensuing kickoff, Victor Holmes gathered the boot in at the one and basically just flat outran everyone. He covered the 99 yards to paydirt in a very brief period of time, and Medina's sixth boot of the game was, as usual, right on the mark.

The Dogs led 42-14 with 10:23 remaining in the game, and the Rangers scored a meaningless TD on a long pass with four seconds left to end the scoring.

Sixteen La Porte High School seniors have been honored by their classmates as candidates for 2012-2013 LPHS Homecoming King and Queen.

The announcement of this year's King and Queen will be made at halftime of the Friday, Sept. 28, football game in which the La Porte Bulldogs face the Ross S. Sterling High School Rangers.

Candidates for Homecoming Queen include Noelie Barbay, Gabby Ochoa, Claudia Pool, Heather Salazar, Ashton Schielack, Sadie Selmser, Norma Tamez and Shakeira Woods. This year's King candidates are Erik Cantu, Devan Gay, Josh Hoffman, Arash Houshangi, Corey Lee, Christian Maasoe, Eric Medina and Jesse Ortega.

The game begins at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. Tickets are on sale in the Athletic Office, located in the Physical Education Center next to the Sonja Angelo Theater, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday.

For additional information, call the LPISD Athletic Office at 281-604-7670.

La Porte High School seniors will have their last chance to have their photo taken for the yearbook on Friday, Oct. 12, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. A $10 sitting fee will be charged.

Picture make-up day for freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be Monday, Oct. 15.

La Porte ISD offers parents a way to easily access important information about their child's education from the convenience of their home or office. Home Access Center, a component of the district's eSchool software system, gives parents the opportunity to check their child's grades, assignments, attendance and more.

Parents may register for Home Access Center by completing the form that is available on the LPISD website, www.lpisd.org, and submitting it at the main office of their child's campus. Forms are also available at the school office.

Parents who had children attending LPISD schools last year and were registered for Home Access Center then do not need to register again. The same password is needed to access the system this year.

Those who have not registered and have more than one child will only need to register at one campus. To ensure the security of the students' records, the school office staff will ask to see the parent's driver's license or photo ID.

When parents register for Home Access Center, the school staff will input the information and provide them with a password. After receiving the password, parents will be able to log into the Home Access Center from the home page of the LPISD website.

Home Access Center is a dynamic system that enables parents to see information as soon as teachers or other school staff members enter it into the system.

Questions should be directed to Shelli McIntosh in the LPISD Business Office at 281-604-7046.

By JOHN BLACK

FREEPORT (Sp) - What's the best remedy for a loss? A win. And the bigger the better.

The La Porte Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, found the cure for at least a portion of their previous ailments here Friday night as they bounced back from their only loss of the season last week to bulldoze past the Brazoswood Buccaneers, 52-14.

The victory moved the Bulldogs to 3-1 on the season, and they get their first taste of District 21-5A action at 7 p.m. this coming Friday when they host the Baytown Sterling Rangers. It will be Homecoming for the Bulldogs, as they begin defense of their 2011 league championship - a blitz that saw them run the table in district play, on their way to a 12-2 season record.

Against the Bucs Friday, the Bulldogs scored early and they scored often. La Porte had its starting quarterback in action once again, after he had to sit out the majority of the game last week in the loss to Clear Springs. But while signal caller Jordan Jackson was back in the lineup, there were still key players missing on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Offensive linemen Tony Briones and Maurice Morris were still hobbled by injuries and not even suited out Friday, but regular starters and stalwarts Justin King and Jose Garcia and Michael Leagan and tight end Michael Rodriguez were in action, and they were joined by Tyler Davis and Logan Jackson up front offensively. And on the defensive side, linebacker Hoza Scott was unable to play due to an injury he suffered last week, and defensive back Malik Graves was on the sidelines as well.

But each of the Bulldogs stepped to the plate Friday, and the Bucs were left reeling.

The Dogs went three-and-out to open the game, but the defense - led by Alex Jones and Jesse Hickman and Lane Albertson and John Nelson on that first series - shut down Brazoswood and forced a punt. La Porte set up on the Brazoswood 40, and moved steadily to its first touchdown of the game.

Britt Grant started the scoring drive with a run of nine yards wide left, and Keith Whitely followed with a spinning run up the middle for six more yards and a first down at the 25. Whitely went off tackle for eight more yards, with Johnathan Lewis getting in the act next as he went wide left for 10 more and a first down at the seven. An offsides flag against the Bucs moved the ball inside the four, and after Whitely got two yards, he started right on second and goal from the two, made a cut toward the middle and dove over the Buc defenders, into the end zone for the score. Eric Medina booted the extra point and with 7:00 left in the first period, the Bulldogs had a 7-0 lead. '

After Corey Lee and Victor Holmes both made stops on the next Buc drive, it looked like the D was going to force another punt - but Brazoswood hit a home run on third down. A pitch to the left saw their halfback break it all the way down the sidelines for the score, and with 5:29 still left in the first quarter, the game was knotted at 7-7.

No problem, however, because the La Porte offense was still on a roll. Starting at their own 31, the Dogs got a big run from Whitely, who went off right tackle, broke free, and scampered 39 yards to the Brazoswood 30. And on third and 10, Jackson found Whitely in the middle of the field on a screen and the play covered 16 yards in all for a first down at the Buc 14.

After Keith got two yards, Jackson rolled right and found Jaron Dykstra behind everyone in the right corner of the end zone. Jordan put it on the mark and Dykstra gathered it in for the score, with Medina making it 14-0 with 3:02 still left in that active first period. The Bucs had a big return of the ensuing kickoff as Medina was going against the wind and pooched his first two boots of the night. But Garrett Green made a pair of excellent defensive plays and the Dogs stuffed the run on a fourth-down attempt, taking over at their own 28.

A three-and-out followed, but again the defense was up to the task, this time Trevor Mouton and Holmes and Rodriguez and Chase Smith making key plays and forcing another punt. The Dogs got the ball back on their own nine, and the scoring drive did not last long.

Grant got it rolling with a spinning run of nine yards, followed by a first-down run by Whitely to the 20. From that point Jackson rolled right and while still on the run lofted a perfect pass to Johnathan Lewis, racing down the right sidelines. Johnathan caught it in stride and outran everyone to the end zone. The play covered 80 yards, and the drive covered 91 in all in three plays. Medina made it 21-7 with 9:23 remaining before halftime.

After Travis Hudson made a fine open-field tackle on the ensuing kickoff to put the Bucs in a big hole at their own 11, Corey Lee and Ellis Hutchinson led the Dog D, forcing another Brazoswood punt.

The scoring drive started at the Buc 32 and ended with a Medina field goal. Actually, Eric lined up for a 42-yarder and it was barely wide left, but he got a mulligan when the Bucs were flagged for offsides. The super kicker was on the money with the second one, from 37 yards, and the Dogs had a 24-7 lead with 4:42 left before halftime.

So here comes the Big D again. Credit Medina first, as he booted the ensuing kickoff out of the end zone. Then Mouton and Green combined for a tackle; Alex Jones had a tackle as well; and Lee, Smith and Albertson combined for a stop to force another punt.

This drive to paydirt took two plays. Moving from the La Porte 45, the first was a 28-yard run by Lewis as he followed a convoy of blockers down the left sidelines to the Buc 27. Whitely went left as well on the next snap, breaking a tackle, moving even more to the left, and sprinting into the end zone for the fourth La Porte touchdown of the first half. It came with 2:27 left before halftime, and Medina's boot made it 31-7.

We will tell you as well that before the half ended, Holmes and Albertson and Hutchinson and Nelson had fine defensive plays to thwart the Bucs.

Let's pause here momentarily to say "Job Well Done" to both the Chatos Drill Team and the Mighty Bulldog Marching Band. Both produced impressive halftime performances.

Getting back to the football action, the Bulldogs wasted little time in extending their lead. After the defense - led this time by Joshua Marrujo's fine tackle on the kickoff and strong hits by Lee and Mark Guzman and Holmes and Green and Mouton - forced a punt, the Dogs set up on their own 44. Whitely went eight yards on first down, and followed that run with a 28-yarder and a first down at the Brazoswood 20. Lewis was next, and he took a pitch left and had an excellent run of 18 yards to the two, before Trevor Nelson bulled his way into the end zone for TD No. 5. It came with 7:25 left in the third period, and the Dogs had a 38-7 lead.

Holmes and Hutchinson combined to stop a pass on the next Buc possession, and Guzman, Albertson and Jones combined for a stop of no gain, while Smith made the final tackle that forced yet another punt.

The Bulldogs had a little trouble offensively on their next two tries, as Jackson was picked off twice - once due to a big hit as he was throwing the ball. And the Bucs tried to make it interesting as they hit a long pass for a TD with four seconds remaining in the third period to make it 38-14. But that was it for them offensively, while the Bulldogs still had two TDs remaining.

The first scoring drive from that point started at the Brazoswood 48 after a failed Buccaneer onside kick. Whitely ran for 12 yards to the 36; Keith stepped off 16 more to the 20 as the offensive line kept producing holes; and on third and eight, Clifton Figaro ran hard and had a nice spin for a total of eight and a first down at the 10. Lewis then followed a convoy of blockers wide left and put on a burst of speed to get into the end zone. Medina's kick made it 45-14 with 9:34 remaining in the game.

The Bucs tried to get something going but Jones had a tackle and Justin Pickett had a tackle and Guzman had a tackle for a loss and Hickman had a sack and Holmes picked off a pass and returned it to the Buc 35.

The final touchdown run was from two yards out as David Terrebonne got the TD after Albertson had set up the offense with a fumble recovery. That made it 52-14, and it was all over when Hudson recorded a sack on the final play of the game.

It was a dominating performance by La Porte, and it got the Dogs back on a winning track. Now comes the first of two league games - after Sterling comes a road trip to Beaumont West Brook, then an off ween, and then a little non-district event against the Deer Park Deer Oct. 20. Perhaps by that time all the walking wounded will be back in the fold, but for now, it seems safe to say that their replacements are starting to fill in quite nicely.

Below is a message to parents from the La Porte ISD Nutrition Department:

Please be aware that all 2011-12 Free and Reduced Meal applications will expire on October 5, 2012. To continue to qualify for meal benefits, you must turn in a completed 2012-13 application to the Nutrition office as soon as possible. You may also complete an application on-line by going to www.lpisd.org and clicking on the NutriAPPS link.

If you have already received a letter from the Nutrition Office stating your meal benefits for 2012-13, you do not need to turn in an application. Students currently receiving free or reduced priced meals and who do not have a 2012-13 on file will be charged full price for meals beginning October 8.

Please do not hesitate to call the Nutrition office at 281-604-6950 if you have questions. Our office is located at 2015 Sens Road in the Support Services Center.

Dan Eubank claims that an increasingly long "honey-do" list is the reason that his career in education has spanned 50 years. When he retired as a principal for the first time-20 years ago-he quickly realized that his true niche was serving children and their families.

"My honey-do list started on Post-It stickers, then legal paper," Eubank said with a laugh. "Then it got page numbers, and I said, 'I'm going back to work!'"

However, those who know the Lomax Elementary School principal understand that it wasn't a disdain for household chores, but a passion for helping children learn, that quickly brought him back to education. With five decades of experience as an educator, he is ready to try retirement again; his last day at Lomax was Sept. 14.

Eubank was honored by La Porte ISD at a retirement reception at the LPISD Administration Building on Sept. 12. There, he was surrounded by the many people to whom he has been a respected leader, a trusted mentor, a loyal friend.

Often referred to as the "dean of principals" by Superintendent Lloyd W. Graham, Eubank is known as an outstanding yet unassuming administrator who prefers that the spotlight shine on his teachers, staff and students rather than himself. While he strives to be an advocate for his teachers, before that, he is an advocate for the children in his charge.

"We don't have any dress rehearsals here at school. We go live every day," he said. "There aren't many 'do-overs,' so we need to get it right the first time."

"Mr. Eubank is an exemplar of resiliency of the human spirit and demonstrates to us the belief that a man's greatest responsibility is to care for and minister to the  youngest members of our society, particularly during their developmental years," Graham said.

Eubank's venture into teaching was a natural progression from eager student to enthusiastic educator. He attended school through the third grade in New Boston, Texas, after which his family moved to Fairfax, Oklahoma.

"I always liked school and enjoyed going to school," Eubank said. "We only had a graduating class of 40 kids, but around 8 of us went into education."

"I grew up in a small town, and most of the professional people happened to work in education," he continued. "They were our first role models."

Eubank earned a full scholarship to play football at the University of Tulsa, and following graduation, he returned to Fairfax to teach school. His former high school principal and coach, who lived across the street from his family, had become the district superintendent, and he offered Eubank the chance to start his career at his alma mater.

His first assignment? "I was the history department," Eubank said.

A teacher and coach who had no planning period, Eubank remembers putting in many hours to ensure that he and his students were successful.

"My first year, it was rough trying to stay ahead of the kids; there was lots of busy work at home trying to stay ahead," he recalled.

Eubank coached for five years while completing his master's degree in counseling at the University of Tulsa during the summers. After earning his degree, he became the counselor for the entire district while teaching different subjects such as math, psychology and sociology.

After 10 years in Fairfax, he decided to look for a job in a larger district, and was chosen as the vocational counselor at Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Texas. While serving in that role for five years, he completed all of his course work in the doctoral program at East Texas State University, now Texas A & M University at Commerce.

Eubank then was named principal at West Main Elementary, where he served for 11 years, followed by four years as principal at Rolling Hills Elementary.

Then he retired-and started on that household "to-do" list.

A year later, however, the long-time educator knew he needed to be back with "the kids." He joined the LPISD family as principal at Lomax Elementary School.

After six years there, he became a multi-campus principal, serving as a mentor to Vicki Defee at Lomax and Deborah Shearer at College Park. Two years later, Eubank was tapped to become principal of Lomax Junior High School, and Defee and Shearer took over at the helm at the elementary schools.

In 2003, he became principal at Jennie Reid Elementary. His career in La Porte came full circle when he returned to Lomax Elementary in 2011.

Along the way, Eubank served in a number of other leadership roles, including president of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) Region 10 from 1983 to 1985. He was named TEPSA's Principal of the Year for Region 10 in 1984.

A member of TEPSA since 1978, he became a life member in 1984 and participated on the organization's Legislative Committee from 1981 to 1989. Also a life member of the Texas Parent Teacher Association, he served as president of the Dallas County School Administrators during the 1985-86 school year.

"Nobody is going to get out of this life alive, so we might as well do some good along the way," he said.

As a principal, Eubank admits to some "sleepless nights" during which he has worried about students. However, he became accustomed to handling tough situations early on.

In 1979, his first year as a principal, a tornado hit his building during the school day, breaking the windows, bending the flagpole over and causing the press box to explode. Students and staff huddled in the hallway during the storm, but fortunately, no one was hurt.

Over the course of 50 years, Eubank has seen many changes in education, such as "no pass, no play," TCAT testing for teachers, and standardized testing for students. He has seen families become increasingly mobile and has proudly watched as several of his former students have become educators themselves.

Eubank is looking forward to being with his wife, Carolyn, who is retired from a career in the medical field, on a daily basis again. After Hurricane Ike damaged their house here, they began building their retirement home at Cedar Creek Lake in Trinidad, Texas. When their home was completed two years ago, Carolyn moved there, and he has joined her on the weekends.

After heading to work for so many years, they now plan to head off on their own adventures. First on the agenda is a trip to Albany and Lake Placid, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, this fall. The Eubanks have five children and seven grandchildren in five different cities across Texas, so they are also anticipating spending quality time with their family.

A devoted Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers fan, Eubank is looking forward to watching some professional games and attending the University of Tulsa homecoming this year. He also plans to attend some games in which his grandchildren are involved; his granddaughter is the mascot for her Frisco high school, and his grandson will be playing junior high school football this season.

Despite these plans, Eubank promises that he will come back to La Porte as often as he can, noting that he and Carolyn cherish the many friends they have here and want to stay in touch.

"My time here in La Porte has been very rewarding," he said. "It's been a pleasure and most memorable. The people I work with have been wonderful, and I wouldn't have passed it up for anything."

Eubank's current and former staff members, as well as his colleagues throughout the district, feel the same way about him.

"I am lucky enough to have had the honor to work with and for a man who led with a unique leadership style," said Jill Miller, Jennie Reid Elementary School teacher. "He trusted his teachers, knowing that they would do what was best for students. This unique leadership reached beyond the classroom in Dan's personal interest in knowing his teachers."

"Dan is one of a kind!" said Vicki Defee, who now serves as principal of College Park Elementary. "He was the first principal to give me a chance in administration as his assistant principal 15 years ago. He then continued as my mentor throughout my career. He taught me how to not only be a principal, but how to relax and enjoy the ride."

"Dan is not only a great educator and principal, but a true, genuine friend and gentleman," she continued. "I will forever be grateful for his belief in me and the assistance he provided me. May he thoroughly enjoy his retirement and know his legacy will continue on for years to come."

Dr. Alicia Upchurch, who will take over at Lomax, also served as Eubank's assistant principal at Jennie Reid for five-and-a-half years. She says that the ideas that he has shared with her will continue to guide her throughout her career.

"I learned so much from Mr. Eubank - practical skills like building a master schedule that meets all time requirements, hiring the best person for the position and managing an ever-changing budget," she said. "However, I also learned some skills that can't be measured easily. For example, Mr. Eubank taught me how to be patient and thorough in making decisions. He also taught me the benefit of remaining a calming presence in times of emotion. There are many different principles that I use each day that have come from observing and talking with Mr. Eubank."

Eubank, always humble, prefers not to talk about the impact he has had on others, but about the impact they have had on him. With his office belongings already packed to give new principal Upchurch plenty of space, he reflected on his time in LPISD and what made it special to him.

"I've really had a lot of opportunities here in La Porte, and I've really enjoyed it," he said. "It's been a joy to work with the people here and the parents-they really care about the children and want what's best for them."

Fifty years of "first days," hectic schedules and end-of-year farewells as students moved on to accomplish even greater things. What kept him going?

"Every year is a brand-new year and you get to start all over," he said. "We have a good time doing it." Then he grinned.

"I enjoy it much more than doing those 'honey-do's'!"

MESSAGE TO PARENTS FROM THE LA PORTE ISD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT: We are currently experiencing some issues related to the 90 day transaction history report on the www.myschoolbucks.com website. You may see duplicate transactions but please note that this issue does not affect the student balances that are being displayed on the website. The student accounts are NOT being charged twice for the same purchase. Please call the LPISD Nutrition Department at 281-604-6950 if you have questions. We apologize for the inconvenience and will announce when the issue has been resolved.

La Porte ISD has received a grant from the State of Texas to fund the Youth Intervention Initiative at La Porte High School, Lomax Junior High School and La Porte Junior High School.

The initiative includes the implementation of Communities in Schools at the junior high campuses and the continuation of the program at La Porte High School. During the 2011-12 school year, the LPHS program was funded by the La Porte Education Foundation.

Communities in Schools provides prevention and intervention programs that help at-risk students avoid gangs, substance abuse and involvement in the juvenile justice system and succeed in school and life. A full-time campus coordinator at each campus will administer the program.

Program activities include supportive guidance and counseling, to include anger management, conflict resolution, gang prevention, self esteem, academic enhancement, enrichment activities and other support groups. The program also includes parenting classes and life skills as well as home visits and assessments, services to help with drug and substance abuse and social/communication skills and basic needs assistance.

By JOHN BLACK

The highly touted and area ranked La Porte Bulldogs learned a hard lesson in front of their home crowd Friday night - one of the keys to meeting high expectations is the ability to keep key personnel on the field.

The unbeaten Bulldogs were heavily favored to beat the winless Clear Springs Chargers Friday, but just as the breeze shifted from out of the south in the first half to out of the north in the second half, the wind definitely shifted on the La Porte season as the Chargers sprinted past the Dogs, 32-8.

That is not a misprint. It was as thorough a loss as La Porte has suffered since running into the Port Author buzz saw in Reliant Stadium at the end of the 2011 season. The difference, however, is that the Reliant Stadium loss ended a brilliant 12-2 season in which the Bulldogs beat Katy and North Shore, among others. This loss produces a laundry list of questions, and needs, for La Porte just three games into the season.

 Not to make excuses, but the Bulldogs were definitely playing shorthanded. The game started with All-District offensive lineman Maurice Morris limping in on crutches, and starting defensive back Malik Graves was on the sidelines in street clothes. And it was not long before starting quarterback Jordan Jackson went down with an eye injury and was not able to return to the game.

We will note, however, that sophomore quarterback Nick Brown was a gamer, for sure. He was in street clothes himself when the opening gun sounded, nursing an injury himself. But when Jackson went down, Brown suited up and saw the lion's share of the action under center the rest of the way.

And to be honest, the Bulldogs actually were in a good position late in the game to take the lead. Senior kicker Eric Medina had booted a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter to get the Dogs close, and the defense forced a Clear Springs punt. La Porte was in position to have the ball, some slight momentum, and fairly good field position. But the punt hit a Bulldog player and was recovered by the Chargers, and before you could say first loss of 2012, Springs had piled up 19 points to turn a tight game into a rout.

They hit a pass in the corner of the end zone for a TD that made it 19-8; they picked off a La Porte pass and quickly hit a 57-yard TD pass to make it 26-8; and they had a long run after another LP turnover to end the scoring.

It was a blitz.

The less said about the first half, the better. It started poorly for the Bulldogs and did not end much better. The only real positive to come out of those first two quarters was the fact that La Porte trailed by only eight points, at 13-5. Bulldog super kicker Eric Medina usually boots the kickoffs out of the end zone, but his kick to start this one Friday made it "only" about two yards past the goal line. Springs' Zack Little gathered it in and, basically, just turned on the jets down the right sidelines. He was barely touched - 102 yards in all for the touchdown. Only 15 seconds ticked off the Bulldog Stadium clock, and La Porte was down 7-0 with 11:45 left in the first period.

It did not help that the offense quickly went three-and-out, and Clear Springs got the ball at its own 29 - after a 50-yard boot by Medina. The defense held, thanks in no small part to a holding call and two bad snaps, and an 11-yard punt by the Chargers allowed the Dogs to take over at their own 44.

Keith Whitely stepped off two yards and Britt Grant added five, before Johnathan Lewis took a pitch left and covered 20 yards to the Springs 29. Keith then got four before quarterback Jordan Jackson rolled right and threw to Grant coming out of the backfield for 10 yards and a first down at the 15.

Lewis ran hard for five yards and Whitely added three, but on third and two from the seven the Bulldogs decided it was time to throw the ball. It did not work. The pass was intercepted, the drive was killed, a great scoring opportunity was wasted, and by the time you tack on a personal foul against La Porte on the play, instead of a 7-7 ball game the Dogs are still down by seven and the Chargers have the ball on their own 33.

 Clear Springs took advantage of that gift and mounted a 67-yard scoring drive that featured key passes - including a 27-yarder for the TD. However, the snap for the extra point was bad, the kick was blocked in the line, and Garrett Green scooped it up and sprinted down the left sideline some 100 yards for two points. That made it 13-2, and the score stayed that way until the last play of the first half.

But we will get to that later. We first have to tell you that quarterback Jackson was injured on that aforementioned interception and was unable to return. Victor Holmes took his turn at the signal calling position for one series, but he's a defensive back as well, and the Dogs turned to a sophomore who, as we said before, was not even in uniform when the game started.

As for that last play of the half, we will report that Brown led a ground attack that featured Whitely and Lewis and Grant, moving the ball to the Chargers' 21 before the Bulldogs ran out of time. So the Dogs called their last timeout with six seconds left in the half and Medina calmly booted a 38-yard field goal to make it 13-5.

But you know what happened in the second half, so now the Bulldogs must regroup, and they will have their first opportunity to do so this coming Friday when they travel to Brazoswood for a 7 p.m. contest against the Bucs. After that, they open the 2012 District 21-5A race at home against Baytown Sterling.

By JOHN BLACK

PASADENA (Sp) - Now that's more like it.

Last week the La Porte Bulldogs struggled against what was supposed to be - but wasn't - an outmanned Clear Brook team in an overtime win. Friday, against a South Houston team that was definitely outmanned, the Bulldogs had their way early, racking up a 34-7 halftime lead on their way to a convincing 55-21 victory. It was their second win of 2012 in as many tries.

And now they come back home, for another non-district tilt -- a 7 p.m. Friday contest in Bulldog Stadium against Clear Springs.

Against the Trojans Friday, the Bulldogs asserted their dominance with a nice combination of running and passing. They scored on four of their first five possessions offensively, and while the defense struggled at times against the pass, you could say that the D bent but rarely broke.

The Bulldogs had the wind to start the game, and after senior kicker Eric Medina booted the first of five straight kickoffs out of the end zone, the defense wasted little time getting the ball, as defensive back Malik Graves recorded an interception on the first Trojan offensive attempt of the game.

With the ball at the South Houston 32, the offensive line of Jose Garcia and Michael Leagan and Tony Briones and Justin King and Michael Rodriguez and Jared Howard (in for the injured Maurice Morris) took control. Keith Whitely stepped off three yards, then sophomore running back Britt Grant went wide right for 10 yards and a first down at the 19.

Johnathan Lewis then took a handoff from quarterback Jordan Jackson and covered seven yards wide left to the 12, and on second and three Grant took a pitch wide right and followed blocker Whitely into the right corner of the end zone for the score. It came with 10:47 still left in the initial period, and Medina was true for the 7-0 lead.

After the Trojans managed one first down, Corey Lee clogged up the middle on a run and Alex Jones had a big hit for the tackle and a loss of two; Victor Holmes was in the right spot to stop a pass try; and Chase Smith, while in the South Houston backfield on a rush, tipped a pass attempt and it fell to the ground, forcing a punt.

This drive did not last long. It started with Whitely taking a handoff up the middle, cutting right, and racing 51 yards to a first down at the Trojan 17. Holmes, in at quarterback, kept for a first down to the seven, and he then kept against for what appeared to be another TD - except that the Dogs were flagged for holding. So move it back to the Trojan 17.

No problem, however, because Jackson came back in at quarterback, rolled right, and while still on the run fired a perfect strike to Michael Rodriguez, who was wide open in the end zone. This second TD came with 8:19 left in the first period, and Medina made it 14-0.

The next possession did not start well for the Trojans as Jesse Hickman put on a big rush of the quarterback and Corey Lee and Alex Jones got the sack; and soon thereafter, someone in the defensive line managed to strip a runner of the ball and Trevor Mouton recovered, setting up La Porte at the South Houston 41.

The "drive" covered all 41 yards in one play - Jackson handed the ball off, got it back, went right and fired a long bullet to Jahvey Mark, who was streaking down the field and had gotten behind everyone. Jahvey hauled it in, Medina kicked true again, and the Dogs had a 21-0 lead with over half the first quarter still left.

South Houston did manage a fairly impressive drive, and in fact overcame a holding penalty that wiped out a TD, to eventually find the end zone with just over four minutes left in the first quarter. That made it 21-7, but 14 points was as close as the Trojans could get.

The fourth La Porte touchdown drive covered 67 yards. It started with a burst - literally - as Lewis took a handoff right, turned the corner and turned on the jets. He actually got to the South Houston 20, but stepped out of bound at the 36. That only delayed the inevitable. Jackson hit Grant on a quick strike left and Brett had a nice run after the catch for a gain of 12; Whitely went right for seven yards on third and 10; and Jackson found a streaking Lewis in the end zone for TD No. 4. Medina's kick made it 28-7 with 3:01 still left in that very eventful first period.

South Houston had to punt soon thereafter and Graves made the most of a bad snap as he made a fine open-field tackle in the backfield to give the Dogs the ball on the Trojan 45. On third and 15, Jackson threw to Bryson Rogers, who made a very nice catch for a first down and a gain of 15.

Lewis was next and he ran through a huge hole up the middle for a 20-yard gain, and Johnathan then tried the middle again and got five yards to the 10. But the drive stalled and Medina never had a chance to try the 37-yard field goal as there were problems on the snap and hold.

That, however, only delayed the inevitable. Justin Pickell and Ellis Hutchinson had nice defensive plays on the next Trojan possession, and the Dogs got the ball back on their own 39.

Clifton Figaro was now in a running back and he got five yards, before he went wide left for 12 and a first down at the Trojan 44. Lewis stepped off seven yards, before Grant went wide right to the 29 - and tack on half-the-distance for a facemask call. That gave the Dogs a first down just inside the South Houston 15.

An interference call against the Trojans in the end zone on third and long gave the Dogs the break they needed to get TD No. 5. It came when Lewis went the final three yards for the score with 7:06 remaining before halftime. The kick failed, so La Porte carried a 34-7 lead into the halftime dressing room.

Let's stop for a moment to compliment both the Mighty Bulldog Marching Band and the Chatos Drill Team for fine halftime performances. Both appear to already be in mid-season form.

Getting back to the football action, the Bulldogs took the second half kickoff and set up offensively on their own 25. They were not there long. Lewis went left, cut, put on a burst, got into the open field and covered the entire 75 yards to the end zone very quickly. Medina made it 41-7, and only a few seconds had ticked off the Memorial Stadium clock.

That lead was soon extended to 48-7 as the Bulldogs again started on their own 25. Grant got 14 yards, before Holmes kept for nine. Victor then added five and a first down, and a couple of carries by Lewis got the ball to the South Houston 30. Grant had a fine run of 20 to the 10, before fullback Joshua Marrujo bulled to the three. And on third and three Lewis took a pitch left and was not to be denied, getting the TD with 4:58 still left in the third period. Medina made it 48-7.

As a host of Bulldogs began to see action, the Trojans got a couple of touchdowns - but sandwiched in between those two scores was a 78-yard sprint down the right sidelines by Holmes on a keeper. Medina's kick made it 55-14 with 5:14 remaining in the game. A long pass after a Bulldog defensive back slipped to the turf made it 55-21 12 seconds later, but obviously, this one was long ago tucked into the win column.

By JOHN BLACK

This first football game of the oh-so-promising 2012 football season certainly did not go the way the La Porte faithful would have scripted it Friday night in Bulldog Stadium - except that the Dogs won it in overtime, 20-14.

The Clear Brook Wolverines spotted the Bulldogs 14 points early; clawed their way back to knot the score midway through the fourth period; took advantage of one-too-many La Porte turnovers with under four minutes left; barely missed a 50-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining; and had a first down in overtime at the La Porte 14.

But then they fumbled and Victor Holmes returned it 80 yards for the Dogs, to apparently win it - only the refs said it was no fumble. So Brook ran another play and fumbled again, and even the refs agreed it was a fumble, scooped up by Ellis Hutchinson and returned to the Brook 40. It really didn't matter how far he returned it, of course, unless he had gone all the way. As it was, La Porte got the ball on the Brook 25 and needed just three plays to gain the victory.

First it was Keith Whitely for six yards to the 19, behind the veteran Bulldog offensive line. Then it was Whitely for five more and a first down at the 14. And finally it was Johnathan Lewis going around left end and scooting into the end zone for the six-point victory.

Whew! We definitely dodged a bullet. And now the Dogs travel to Pasadena Memorial Stadium to play the South Houston Trojans in a 7 p.m. non-district match-up Friday, Sept. 7.

La Porte has numerous starters returning from a highly successful 2011 campaign that produced a 12-2 record, a regional playoff berth and historic wins over North Shore and Katy. But the Bulldogs found out Friday night against Clear Brook that history and high expectations will only carry you so far.

The Bulldogs had an impressive start, moving a total of 122 yards on their first two offensive possessions to score a pair of touchdowns and take a 14-0 lead early in the second period.

That first TD came after the La Porte defense allowed just one first down before forcing a punt, as Trevor Mouton and Corey Lee and Jesse Hickman and Justin Pickell and Alex Jones all made strong plays, forcing a punt that Keith Whitely returned five yards to the Bulldog 33.

From that point it was quarterback Jordan Jackson rifling a quick out to Jahvey Mark for nine yards; Whitely running for eight; and on an eventual third and 12 Jackson hitting Mark again for 10, forcing a fourth and two. Head coach Jeff LaReau elected to go for it and Whitely took a pitch left for six yards and the first down.

After a run lost a yard and a pass got the yard back, the Bulldogs got tricky. Jackson took the snap and pitched to sophomore Britt Grant, who appeared to be heading for a run left. But he stopped and lofted a perfect strike to David Terrebonne, who was absolutely all alone at the goal line. David hauled it in for the TD, covering 36 yards, and after Eric Medina booted the extra point, the Dogs had a 7-0 lead with 3:38 left in the first quarter.

Again, the defense was up to the task. Medina had booted his second straight kickoff well out of the end zone, and the Wolverines were soon back to the 20 after a procedure penalty (kickoffs this year are now brought out to the 25). The Brook quarterback tried to run right and was smoked by Whitely; the qb then tried to scramble and this time was hammered by Corey Lee; and Brook fumbled on the next play and lost a yard, forcing another punt.

And here comes the offense again. If you read about the Bulldogs last year, you will recognize these names - the blockers up front. The core of the offensive line returns, and you will be seeing these names plenty of times again this season...the likes of Justin King and Jose Garcia and Michael Leagan and Tony Briones and Maurice Morris and Michael Rodriguez, listed in numerical order. They opened holes that helped produce another TD.

Starting at their own 45, the Dogs got 12 quick yards from Whitely right up the middle; got nine more as Jackson hit Johnathan Lewis with a quick strike; and then another trick came out of the bag. Jackson handed to Whitely, and Keith gave it right back to Jordan. He fired a perfect strike into the end zone but the catch was barely missed. So Whitely got three for the first down, and Grant added four as the first quarter ended.

Victor Holmes came in at quarterback and it did not take him long to find success. He took the first snap and headed right, running all the way to the Wolverine eight yard line - a gain of 17 yards. And after Lewis went left for three to the five and Grant added two to the three, Jackson rolled right and hit the bullseye on a pass to Grant, who was running hard left to right, about two steps inside the end zone. The TD made it 13-0 and Medina was true for the extra point, and the Dogs had a seemingly comfortable lead a 14-0 with 10:13 left before the half.

But it was a that point that the air seemed to deflate from La Porte, both offensively and defensively. And before you knew it, the Wolverines had seven points to get close at the half; hung in there throughout the third quarter, taking advantage of several La Porte miscues; and found themselves in a 14-14 deadlock against the state-ranked Bulldogs with 6:45 left in the game.

La Porte had four turnovers in all, and in the last few minutes had two of those four - a fumble at the Brook nine, and a pass interception at what would have been field goal range for the strong-legged Medina. Instead, Brook hit a long pass and very nearly hit a field goal to win it with 18 seconds left.

So it took the overtime heroics on both offense and defense to win it.

The Bulldogs had 385 yards of total offense, including 258 on the ground as Whitely ran for 135 yards on 22 carries; Lewis added 57 on 12 carries; Holmes ran twice for 33 yards; Grant ran 10 times for 25 yards; and Clifton Figaro had one carry for six yards.

Jackson, making his Bulldog debut as a starter, hit 12 of 17 passes for 91 yards and had the one pick. Grant caught five of those passes for 24 yards; Jahvey Marks hauled in three for 25 yards; Terrebone snagged two for 37 yards and a TD; Malik Graves had one catch for 16 yards; and Lewis had a single catch as well, for 13 yards.

All in all, it was not a bad night, considering that a win came at the end. But as anyone would expect after the first game of the season, there is definitely room for improvement.

If your child needs immunizations prior to the start of the school year, please check the links below for free and sliding scale immunization clinics in our general area.

Parents should call ahead to verify time and location of clinics. You should also take your child's immunization record with you to the clinic. Please remember that Texas law prohibits students from attending school if their immunizations are not current.

Free and Reduced Fee Immunization Resources

http://www.texaschildrens.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Standard_Content/Locate/Mobile-Summer-Schedule-2012.pdf

http://www.carevan.org/pdf/houston_august.pdf

https://www.hchdonline.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/troubleshooters/august-2012.pdf

http://thevaccineclinic.com/

La Porte ISD bus route information for the 2012-13 school year is now available on the home page of the district website, www.lpisd.org.

Parents may access information about their child's bus number, bus stop location and pick-up and drop-off times by clicking on the "Bus Stop Information" link and using the Versatrans eLink feature. On the initial visit to the site, parents will input the phone number they used when registering their child as both their user name and password. This information may be changed for future visits to the site.

The Transportation Department is working to ensure that route times are as accurate as possible. Because pick-up and drop-off times may change due to changes in the number of students being transported, parents are encouraged to check the site regularly during the first few weeks of school.

Another new feature this year is the Versatrans My Stop feature, which allows parents to see exactly where their child's bus is located. Parents may use their computer or smart phone (or similar mobile device) to see a map that indicates the location of their child's bus and the approximate time it will arrive at the bus stop. The school bus's location is automatically updated every five seconds and the estimated time of arrival is recalculated to accommodate any delays due to traffic while in route.

Any changes to student address or phone number information must be made through the student's campus. Parents can prepare their child for riding the bus by helping them to memorize the location of their bus stop and bus number.

The Transportation Department asks for parents and students to please anticipate that routes may run a little late during the first week of school as bus drivers and campus personnel work together to ensure a smooth transition into the new school year.

For more information, contact the LPISD Transportation Department at 281-604-7177.

La Porte ISD is preparing to welcome students back for the start of a new school year. The 2012-13 school year begins for high school freshmen on Friday, Aug. 24, while all other LPISD students head back to class on Aug. 27.

School supply lists and information such as breakfast and lunch prices, dress codes, forms required for athletics, and more are available on the LPISD website at www.lpisd.org. Parents may also access information on their child's bus route. Click on the "Back to School Information" graphic on the home page for these details.

While hours at most campuses will remain the same as last year, La Porte Junior High School and Lomax Junior High School hours will now be 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. (rather than 3:45 p.m.). School hours for LPISD elementary campuses are 7:50 a.m. to 3:10 a.m., and hours for the Baker Sixth Grade Campus are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At La Porte High School, students will attend school from 7:20 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with tutorials on Wednesdays from 8 to 9 a.m. At DeWalt School, classes run from 7:30 to 2:20 p.m., with tutorials also held on Wednesdays from 8 to 9 a.m.

For more back-to-school information, call your child's school (at the numbers listed below) or the LPISD Administration Building at 281-604-7001.

Bayshore Elementary, 800 McCabe Rd., La Porte, 281-604-4600
College Park Elementary, 4315 Luella St., Deer Park, 281-604-4400
Heritage Elementary, 4301 East Blvd., Deer Park, 281-604-2600
La Porte Elementary, 725 S. Broadway, La Porte, 281-604-4700
Lomax Elementary, 10615 North Ave. L, La Porte, 281-604-4300
Jennie Reid Elementary, 10001 Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, 281-604-4500
Rizzuto Elementary, 3201 Farrington Blvd., La Porte, 281-604-6500
Baker Sixth Grade Campus, 9800 Spencer Hwy., La Porte, 281-604-6800
La Porte Junior High, 401 S. Broadway, La Porte, 281-604-6600
Lomax Junior High, 9801 N. Ave. L, La Porte, 281-604-6700
De Walt School, 401 N. 2nd, La Porte, 281-604-6900
La Porte High School, 301 E. Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, 281-604-7500

Deon Williams has announced her resignation as principal of Rizzuto Elementary School. Williams shared the news with the Rizzuto faculty and staff at their campus meeting on Aug. 13 and has prepared a letter to send to the parents of Rizzuto students.

"Some of you may realize that I have experienced some health issues this year, and I have appreciated the support of the Rizzuto staff and families," Williams explained in the letter. "Upon the advice of my doctor, and after much consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided that I must focus on my health at this time."

Williams expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to remain in the district, working on a more limited schedule, to help students and teachers in improving mathematics performance.

"Although I regret that I will not be at Rizzuto on a daily basis, I am thrilled that I will remain in La Porte ISD and will continue to work with our children and families," she said.

Williams was named principal at Rizzuto in June 2011 after serving as assistant principal at Bayshore Elementary for two years and at College Park Elementary for three years. She began her educational career in La Porte ISD and also has served in various instructional roles at Lomax and College Park elementary schools.

With Williams' resignation, assistant principal Deanna Narcisse will become the acting principal. Veronica de Leon, former La Porte Junior High School teacher who has served as intern principal at both Bayshore Elementary and La Porte Junior High, will move to Rizzuto as assistant principal.

"We are appreciative of Mrs. Williams' commitment to La Porte ISD and are happy that she will continue to serve the students and families of our district," said Lloyd W. Graham, LPISD superintendent of schools. "Mrs. Narcisse is an experienced campus administrator who is excited about the opportunity to lead the Rizzuto team, and she and Mrs. Williams are working closely to ensure a smooth transition to the 2012-13 school year."

Please see the attached PDF for Information on transition from My Nutrikids.com to mySchoolBucks.com for online school meal payments.

La Porte High School JROTC Cadet Leadership Training will be held Aug. 6 through 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Aug. 10, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., in Classroom V-10. This activity is for all officers, staff and senior cadets enlisted.

La Porte High School students will receive their registration packets on the first day of the 2012-13 school year. Ninth graders will start school on Friday, Aug. 24, with all other students returning to class on Monday, Aug. 27. Packets should be returned by Friday, Aug. 31.

Registration for La Porte High School students who are new to the district will begin on Monday, Aug. 6. Registration will be held Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the main office of the high school, which is located at 301 E. Fairmont Parkway.

A parent or legal guardian should come with the student to register. Students should have with them their birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of residency (utility bill), immunization record, transcript from their previous school and previous report card.

Due to construction at the main entrance of the school, visitors are asked to park in front of the Sonja Angelo Theater and enter the school at the side entrance. Signs are posted to direct visitors to the front office.

For more information, call La Porte High School at 281-604-7500.

La Porte High School 2012 graduate Dalia Mendiola brought recognition to her school and community as she placed fifth in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference auto refinishing technology competition. The event was held June 23 through 27 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Mendiola advanced to the national level of competition after winning the state championship at the Texas SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference in Corpus Christi March 22 through 24.

According to her teacher, Valentin Trevino, Mendiola was the top-scoring female competitor and earned the highest score in estimating as well as plastic repair and color identification.

"Dalia did great," Trevino said. "I asked a lot from her this year. I am so proud of her."

This is the fourth consecutive year that an LPHS student has finished first at both the district and state contests, earning the privilege of continuing on to the Kansas City contest. In 2009, Brett Kelly represented La Porte at nationals, and in 2010 and 2011, Kolten Dunkerson placed fourth and first, respectively.

As a result of her achievements, Mendiola has earned several scholarships to attend Universal Technical Institute in Houston, where she will continue to hone her auto refinishing skills.

Countless hours of hard work went into Mendiola's preparation for the national contest, and the efforts did not even stop when they arrived in Kansas City.

"Dalia woke up early, worked hard and studied all day," Trevino said.

Trevino, also a product of La Porte High School, has been teaching at LPHS since 2005. He was the student of Noel Welch, now a teacher at Alvin High School, whose student won second at the national competition. One of Trevino's own former students, James Wheeler, will be teaching auto refinishing at Goose Creek CISD's Stuart Career Center beginning this fall.

Trevino sets stringent requirements for his students and, with standards set high, expects each of his auto refinishing students to meet their full potential. "You have to believe that every student you have is capable of doing it," he said of his success in inspiring students to win awards at the district, state and national levels.

Bulldog running back Keith Whitely has been chosen to the Touchdown Club of Houston's All-Greater Houston Pre-Season High School Football Team.

Whitely will be honored at the Touchdowner of the Year banquet on Aug. 15 at Liberty Hall at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Houston. This year's Touchdowner is Bob McNair, founder and owner of the Houston Texans.

The 31-player team was selected by a Touchdown Club committee with input from the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association, media and college recruiting experts.

Whitely, the son of Keith and Michelle Whitely, is an LPHS senior. He earned 2010 All-District recognition as a free safety and was chosen as a 2011 All-District running back and punt returner.

He was also named to the 2011 All-Texas and Vype All-Houston teams. He is a three-year varsity starter for the Bulldogs who has received several scholarship offers.

Due to construction in the Student Center at La Porte High School, the location for senior photos has changed.  Senior photos for the yearbook will be taken in the Sonja Angelo Theater  July 24 through 26 and Aug. 7 through 9. Times will remain 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

Seniors who cannot make their appointment may come at any other date and time.

For more information, contact yearbook sponsor Susan LaReau at 713-826-3585.

Pre-kindergarten registration for the 2012-2013 school year is set for July 11 and 12 at La Porte Elementary School, 725 S. Broadway. Hours are 8 to 11:45 a.m. and 12:45 to 5 p.m.

To be eligible for pre-kindergarten, children must be four years of age on or before Sept. 1, 2012. Program eligibility is based on several factors, such as being homeless; unable to speak and comprehend the English language; educationally disadvantaged (such as eligible for Head Start and the National School Lunch Program); the child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States or a member of the armed forces who was injured or killed while serving on active duty; or having been in the conservatorship (foster care) of the Department of Family and Protective Services following an adversary hearing. More information on these factors is available on the La Porte ISD website at www.lpisd.org or by calling the Office of Elementary Education at 281-604-7030.

Parents or guardians should bring with them the child's birth certificate, the child's Social Security card, immunization records, proof of residency (such as a current utility bill), the guardian's Texas driver's license or Texas I.D. card, and the guardian's military I.D., if applicable. On July 12 only, free immunizations will be offered from 9 to 11:45 a.m. and 12:45 to 2 p.m. Free vision screening will also be available.

For more information about the LPISD pre-kindergarten program, contact the Office of Elementary Education at 281-604-7030.

Broadway Beat 

Presented by LPISD 3rd - 6th Graders.

Heritage Elmentary 4301 East Blvd, Deer Park

Friday night June 8th, 2012

Art show 6 pm.

Broadway Beat Performance and Guitar Showcase 7:00 PM

Due to construction this summer on the front of the building at La Porte High School, the exterior doors used for entrance into the building for the duration of the summer (including summer school and office) will be located on the west side of the school by the Theater/Planetarium. Also, please use the senior parking lot this summer for parking.

Signage will be displayed throughout the exterior of the building at La Porte High School directing individuals to the proper school entrance.

La Porte High School yearbook distribution will be on Friday, May 25, at 2:30 p.m. Any extra books will be sold on first come, first served basis. Cost is $75, cash only. For more information, contact Susan LaReau, yearbook sponsor, at 281-604-7694.

La Porte ISD will hold registration for incoming kindergarten students May 1 through 25 at all district elementary campuses.

Parents or legal guardians may register their children weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 :30 p.m. in the main office of the schools. In addition, each elementary school will hold an evening orientation and registration from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17.

Parents and children will have the opportunity to tour the school building and meet the principal, kindergarten teachers and office staff. School spirit shirts and other school items will be available for sale that evening.

Children who will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2012, are eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2012-13 school year. Parents should register their child at the elementary school to which their child is zoned. School zones are determined by the family's home address.

Elementary school zone information is available by calling the Office of Elementary Education at 281-604-7030.

To register their child, parents should bring with them the child's birth certificate or certified photocopy verifying that the child will be five years old on or before Sept. 1 as well as the child's Social Security card. Also required are proof of residency, such as a utilities statement, and the child's immunization record verifying up-to-date immunizations.

LPISD elementary campuses include Bayshore, located at 800 McCabe Rd.; College Park, 4315 Luella in Deer Park; Heritage, 4301 East Blvd. in Deer Park; La Porte, 725 S. Broadway; Lomax, 10615 North Ave. L; Jennie Reid, 10001 W. Fairmont Parkway; and Rizzuto, 3201 Farrington Blvd.

For more information on kindergarten registration, please call the LPISD Office of Elementary Education at 281-604-7030. Those who have questions about immunizations may contact Laura Lynch, LPISD lead nurse, at 281-604-6912.

La Porte ISD will offer a tuition-supported pre-kindergarten program at College Park Elementary School for the 2012-13 school year. This program will be provided in addition to the regular pre-kindergarten program based on eligibility requirements. For additional information and an application to enroll your child in this program, please click on the links below.

Barbara Vaughan of Jennie Reid Elementary School and Eveline Bailey of La Porte High School were announced as La Porte ISD's Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year during the district's annual service awards celebration on May 10.

Soon after Superintendent Lloyd W. Graham made the announcement of the 2012-13 Teachers of the Year, the honorees were each presented with a $6,500 check from Pat Studdert of Buffalo Marine Service, Inc. Studdert, a former member of the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees, has helped to make the announcement even more special by providing a monetary award to the district honorees for the past 19 years.

Vaughan is a physical education teacher at Reid, and Bailey teaches English II Pre-Advanced Placement and English IV Advanced Placement classes at LPHS. The theme for this year's celebration was "Let's Take a Cruise!" Employees joined in the fun by wearing their cruise attire. La Porte Junior High School staff members, for example, wore the different uniforms of the cruise ship staff, while Jennie Reid Elementary representatives depicted "The Good Ship Lollipop." College Park Elementary staff wore orange life vests adorned with "Keeping College Park Elementary Afloat."

Campus Teachers of the Year also were introduced during the evening's activities. In addition to Vaughan and Bailey, they include Anna Canizales, Bayshore Elementary; Elaine Finnen, College Park Elementary; Catherine (Katy) Jordan, Heritage Elementary; Alicia Hodges, La Porte Elementary; Brittany Trosclair, Lomax Elementary; Amber Weatherford, Rizzuto Elementary; Tracy Rider, Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Zachary Bass, La Porte Junior High; Cristina Reyes-Hoffman, Lomax Junior High; Annie Szeto, De Walt School; and Amy Murray, La Porte High School (non-core areas).

In addition, Christopher Padron, teacher at Rizzuto Elementary School, was recognized as the district's Rookie Teacher of the Year.

Retiring employees as well as those with long-time service to the district also were honored during the event. Retiring employees include Diana Casper, Athletics; Charlotte Colburn, Lomax Junior High School; Janis Edwards, Human Resources; Andee Ann Elkins, Heritage Elementary; Virginia Fiala, Nutrition; Mary Kay Green, Lomax Junior High School; Jo Himel, Rizzuto Elementary; Jeanne Hines, La Porte High School; Ernest Howard, Lomax Junior High School; Deborah Loftin, Rizzuto Elementary School; Monika Tutt, Jennie Reid Elementary School; and Michele Yancey, Rizzuto Elementary School.

Three employees were recognized for 35 years of service to the district. They include Margaret Cox, La Porte Junior High School; Pinkie Ned, College Park Elementary School; and Rotina Shephard, Maintenance.

Honored for 30 years of service to LPISD were Sarah Delgado, La Porte Junior High School; Greg Hoff, La Porte High School; Tony Matzueff, Communications/Print Shop; Dalia Moore, Nutrition; and Sharion Parker, La Porte High School.

Twenty-five year honorees included Rebekah Amunson, Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Virginia Fiala, Nutrition; Carol Jetter, La Porte Elementary; JuleeAnna Lee, La Porte High School; Kathy Muston, La Porte High School; Rebecca Nail, La Porte High School; Andra Parchman, College Park Elementary; Monika Tutt, Jennie Reid Elementary; Carol Williams, College Park Elementary; and Elidia Williamson, Nutrition.
Recognized for 20 years of service were Margy Brand, La Porte High School; Amy Burrell, Transportation; Deron Entler, La Porte High School; Javier Gomez, Maintenance; Pamela Havard, Nutrition; Charles Hobbs, La Porte High School; Teresa Jones, Lomax Junior High School; Deborah Loftin, Rizzuto Elementary; Jill Miller, Jennie Reid Elementary; Michelle Napier, La Porte High School; Lisa Patterson, La Porte Junior High School; Mary Perez, Nutrition; Barbara Sader, Heritage Elementary; Ricardo Torres, La Porte High School; Michele Yancey, Rizzuto Elementary; and Martha Wiggins, Nutrition.

Those honored for 15 years of service to LPISD were Lisa Basile, Technology; Donna Batson, Jennie Reid Elementary; Yvonne Bennett, Nutrition; Kellie Blackwell, Nutrition; Gina Brunson, La Porte High School; Ali Carrizal, La Porte Elementary; Julia Carter, La Porte High School; Laura Hathorn, Bayshore Elementary; Laura Hayes, Bayshore Elementary; Thomas Herman, Maintenance; Catherine Jacobs, Nutrition; Melissa Johnson, La Porte High School; Cheryl Nasab, La Porte High School; Nancy Ojeda, Jennie Reid Elementary; Elise Oliver, Transportation; Tina Pettis, Lomax Elementary; Kimberly Poullard, La Porte High School; Kathleen Restrepo, De Walt School; Maria Rodriguez, La Porte Elementary; Rachael Samm, College Park Elementary; Ruth Scott, College Park Elementary; Judith Shore, Heritage Elementary; Monica Smith, Lomax Junior High School; Donna Spaugh, Bayshore Elementary; Deborah Stewart, De Walt School; Brandi Sweatt, Maintenance; and Allison Timm, Jennie Reid Elementary.

Employees also enjoyed a number of door prizes donated by local businesses.

The La Porte High School Bulldogs will take on the Fort Bend Kempner Cougars in a one-game baseball playoff on Friday, May 18.

The game will be held at Alvin High School's Nolan Ryan Field at 7:31 p.m. La Porte will be the visiting team.  Tickets will be $5 for adults and students.

The Dogs, representing District 21-5A, advance to the Region III quarterfinals after defeating second-round opponent Pearland High School 4-2 on May 11 and 2-1 on May 12.

The game will be broadcast on www.legacysportsnetwork.com and www.tsrnsports.com.

La Porte ISD will offer student athletic physicals from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at the LPHS main gym.

Cost is $20 per athlete, cash only. EKG screenings are available for an additional $10.

Physicals are needed for students who participate in athletics (grades 7 through 12, boys and girls) as well as in band, cheer, Chatos and ROTC.

For more information, contact Thad Nations, district athletic trainer, at 281-604-7674.

The La Porte High School Bulldogs baseball team will advance to the third round of the playoffs after defeating Pearland High School in two games on May 11 and 12.

The Dogs, representing District 21-5A, won 4-2 on Friday in La Porte and 2-1 on Saturday in Pearland. The team, under the direction of head coach Ricky Torres, will now face Fort Bend Kempner of District 23-5A in the quarterfinals.

Dates and location of the upcoming playoff games will be announced as arrangements are finalized.

Due to the weather, the La Porte-Pearland playoff game scheduled for Friday, May 11, is being moved from Clear Lake High School to La Porte High School. The game will now begin at 4:31 p.m. here in La Porte.

Game 2 will now be held on Saturday, May 12, at 2:02 p.m. at Pearland. The time and location for Game 3, if needed, will be announced at a later time.

Best of luck to our Bulldogs!

The La Porte High School varsity baseball team will advance to the area round of the playoffs after defeating Sam Rayburn 6-4 and 11-1 in games on May 3 and 4.

The Bulldogs will now face Pearland High School, with game 1 scheduled for 7:31 p.m. on Friday, May 11. Game 2 is set for Saturday, May 12, at 2:02 p.m., with Game 3, if needed, to be held 33 minutes after Game 2. All games will be held at Bob Cobb Field on the campus of Clear Lake High School.

The La Porte High School A Cappella choir, under the direction of Sandra Strickhouser, was recently awarded a First Division rating (straight superiors) for the concert portion of the Region 19 UIL Concert & Sight Reading Contest.

The LPHS Choir also will sing the national anthem at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, May 9, prior to the Houston Astros game.  The choir encourages the community to "make it a La Porte night" by coming to the game to support the LPHS singers.

The Lady Bulldogs softball team will move on to the area round of the playoffs, facing Pearland High School after winning the best-of-three series against Pasadena Memorial in the bi-district contest.

The May 3 softball game will be played at Pearland High School, and the May 4 game will be played at La Porte. Both games start at 7 p.m. if needed, the third game will be scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at a neutral location.

In the bi-district round, the Lady Bulldogs prevailed over Pasadena Memorial 11-9 in the first game, but lost 5-1 in the second game to make the third game necessary. The games were played at the Pasadena ISD Complex on April 28. The third game was held on April 30 at Goose Creek CISD's Robert E. Lee High School, with the Lady Bulldogs winning 3-2 in seven innings.

The LPHS softball team is under the direction of head coach Bryant Upshaw.

Several members of La Porte ISD's leadership will be serving the children of the district in new roles. These changes in assignment were announced by Superintendent Lloyd Graham at the April 24 Board of Trustees meeting.

Isela Montes, current executive director of elementary education, has been named the new executive director of human resources. She replaces Janis Edwards, who retired from the district in the fall.

Montes, who joined the La Porte ISD family in 2008, has 20 years of administrative experience in education.

Jewel Whitfield, current principal of Heritage Elementary School, will be the new executive director of elementary education. Prior to being named principal of Heritage, she was the long-standing principal of La Porte Elementary School.

Whitfield also has experience as assistant principal at both Rizzuto and La Porte elementary schools. She has served the children of La Porte for the past 12 years.

The position at Heritage will be filled by the school's current assistant principal, Grisel Wallace. Wallace is completing her 14th year with La Porte ISD, having taught at both Rizzuto and La Porte elementary schools. She served as assistant principal at La Porte Elementary School for two years before joining the Heritage staff in 2010.

At the Board meeting, Graham also announced that long-time LPISD campus administrator Dan Eubank, current principal at Lomax Elementary School, has notified him of his intent to retire.

Eubank, who has been with the district since 1994, has previously served as principal at Jennie Reid and College Park elementary schools. He has graciously agreed to start the next school year with LPISD to assist with the transition; his retirement will be effective Sept. 14, 2012.

Dr. Alicia Upchurch, current assistant principal at Bayshore Elementary, will move into the principal's position created by Eubank's retirement. Upchurch has 12 ½ years of experience in campus administration with LPISD.

During that time, Upchurch has served as assistant principal twice at both Bayshore and Jennie Reid elementary schools. In addition, she served as assistant principal at Lomax Junior High School.

The La Porte High School softball team will play a third game against Pasadena Memorial High School on Monday, April 30, after two games on Saturday. The Lady Bulldogs prevailed over Pasadena Memorial 11-9 in the first game, which was held at the Pasadena ISD Complex, but lost 5-1 in the second game. Tonight's game will be held at 7 p.m. at Goose Creek CISD's Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown. The winner of the game will advance to play Pearland on Thursday, May 3.

The Bulldog baseball team also will head to the bi-district playoffs this week. La Porte will face Sam Rayburn High School on Thursday, May 3, at 7:31 p.m. at Bulldog Field, with the second game on Friday, May 4, at Pasadena ISD's Maguire Field, 2906 Dabney in Pasadena, at 7:32 p.m. If needed, a third game will be played at Maguire Field on Saturday, May 5, at 1:33 p.m.

Seven members of the La Porte High School girls soccer team have earned All-District honors for performance during the 2011-2012 season.

Senior Lynnsey Jackson was named the District 21-5A's Defensive Most Valuable Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

First Team All-District honorees from LPHS include sophomore Sydnie Shope, junior Kaylie Hart, sophomore Stephanie Castillo and junior Vanessa Cariaga. Named to the Second Team All-District are senior Kristen Acosta and freshman Taylor Shirley.

The team is coached by Brandi German.

La Porte ISD music and fine arts teachers are hosting "Broadway Beat," a fine arts/music camp, June 4 through 8.  The camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heritage Elementary School, 4301 East Blvd., Deer Park.

Electives will include classes in which students can learn more about voice, drama, tech, art, guitar, dance, and drama.

Campers will have fun learning the musical production of "Broadway Beat." This musical production, as well as an art exhibit, will be presented on Friday, June 8, at 7 p.m., also at Heritage Elementary. The public is invited.

LPISD students who have completed the second through fifth grades are invited to attend this fun and exciting camp. Students should bring their own lunch and snacks to camp with them each day.

Registration is $85 by May 1, or $100 after May 1st. Copies of the brochure/registration form are attached below.  The completed registration form should be returned to your child's music/fine arts teacher.

For more information, contact Kevin Jones, Heritage music teacher/Broadway Beat Camp director, at jonesk@lpisd.org or 281-604-2691 or contact any LPISD elementary music/fine arts teacher.

The La Porte High School girls softball team will advance to the bi-district playoffs on Saturday, April 28, at the Pasadena ISD Complex. The team will play Pasadena Memorial High School. Game 1 is scheduled for noon, with Game 2 at 2:30 p.m. If Game 3 is needed, it will be played at 7 p.m. Monday, April 30, at Baytown Lee. Best of luck to our Lady Bulldogs as they face the Mavericks this weekend!

Baker Sixth Grade Campus will present "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" during three performances on May 3, 4 and 5. The production is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Baker cafeteria.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. Children under six years old are free. Because seating is limited, please call 281-604-6853 for reservations.

According to Tracy Rider, choral and musical theater director, the cast includes 50 sixth graders, 38 of whom have been working on the production during two of their choir class periods of choir each week. The rest of the students join them for after-school rehearsals.

Song selections include "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Happiness,?" "My New Philosophy," "Suppertime" and "Beethoven Day."

The students are divided into two casts, with Cast A performing in school previews and on Friday, May 4, and Cast B performing on May 3 and 5. Cast A includes Joseph Jarrell as Charlie Brown; Kaileigh Pyle, Lucy Van Pelt; Kat Zerbe, Sally Brown; Kirstyn Gomez, Snoopy; Lexie Maddox, Peppermint Patty; and Sophie Minor, Woodstock. Cast B includes Zachary Carr as Charlie Brown; Lila-Grace Martin, Lucy Van Pelt; Savannah Stein, Sally Brown; Ashley Motley, Snoopy; Lindsey Sonnier, Peppermint Patty; and Madeline Blagg, Woodstock. Main characters in Casts A and B portray chorus characters during the other performances.

Performing in both casts are Joseph Kuykendall, Linus Van Pelt; Aneaus Caylor, Schroeder; Bebe Garza, Marcie; Paisley Fernandez, Frieda; Alyssa Lindsey, Violet; Marcos Pineda, Pig Pen; and Madison Wolfe, Heather the Little Red-Headed Girl.

Peanuts Kids Chorus members are Daria Amos as Rosie; Ashley Arratia, Lily; Joshua Arrington, Donald; Jessica Baker, Betty; Trinity Blair, Eudora; Chaslon Bragg, Beverly; Rachelle Creegan, Lydia; Kathryn DePaola, Barbara; Jake Edgar, Rerun; Sierra Gilpin, Crissy; Tatelyn Hartwell, Molly; Emily Haynes, Doris; Amaya Hernandez, Anita; Alize' Holt, Megan; Cameron Jones, Eujean; Dylan Limas, Herbie; Whitney Lopez, Dawn; Amanda Loredo, Emily; Annastasia Miller, Mimi; Hannah Orrego, Leona; Jahalezly Ramirez, Nancy; Lauren Schafer, Kimberly; Tyler Thompson, Roy; Kaylee Torres, Yvonne; Taqueria Trigg, Sandy; Lizbeth Zermeno, Joanne; Ethan Wallheimer, Timmy; Kayla Williams, Peggy Jean; and Tyler Wolfe, Larry.

Marcos Pineda is the understudy for Linus, and Tyler Wolfe is the understudy for Schroeder.

Crew includes Briana Burk, stage manager; Sara Miller, light board operator; Paisley Fernandez, costume manager; Trinity Blair, props manager; and Lance Koch and GianCarlo Torres, scene crew.

Students who will be in the sixth, seventh or eighth grades during the 2012-13 school year have the opportunity to register for the 2012 Summer Technology Camps to be held at the district's Instructional Technology Center.

Two camps are available this summer. The cost of $50 per camp includes a field trip, daily snacks and a T-shirt. Camps run Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The Robotics camp will take place the week of June 11 through 15. Students will design robots using the LEGO NXT Mindstorm kits and learn basic programming skills with Scratch. The Digital Storytelling camp will take place the week of June 18 through 22. Students will learn basic photography and video skils in order to create a digital story using Window Movie Make and PhotoStory.

More information and links to registration forms are available on the "Parent Portal" of the LPISD website, www.lpisd.org. Registration deadline is May 10.

For more information, call the LPISD Technology Department at 281-604-7125.

The American Sign Language program at La Porte High School will present its Ninth Annual Spring Sign Language Showcase on Saturday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. at La Porte High School.  The event will begin at the LPHS Student Center and then move to the Sonja Angelo Theater.

Tickets for the dinner theater are $11 for adults and students or $5 for children under the age of five years.  Dinner tickets must be pre-purchased. Tickets for the show only are $3 and may be purchased at the door.

For more information, or to pre-purchase dinner tickets, contact ASL teacher Kathy Kimball at 281-604-7768 or kimballk@lpisd.org. 

Intra-District Transfers: This is a reminder to parents of students attending campuses outside of their attendance zones. In accordance with Board Policy, requests for Intra-District Transfers for the 2012-13 school year must be submitted to your campus administration by May 1, 2012. Request forms can be obtained at your student's campus office. Thank you.

La Porte ISD will hold registration for incoming kindergarten students May 1 through 25 at all district elementary campuses.

Parents or legal guardians may register their children weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 :30 p.m. in the main office of the schools.

In addition, each elementary school will hold an evening orientation and registration from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17. Parents and children will have the opportunity to tour the school building and meet the principal, kindergarten teachers and office staff. School spirit shirts and other school items will be available for sale that evening.

Children who will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2012, are eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2012-13 school year. Parents should register their child at the elementary school to which their child is zoned.

School zones are determined by the family's home address. Elementary school zone information is available by calling the Office of Elementary Education at 281-604-7030.

To register their child, parents should bring with them the child's birth certificate or certified photocopy verifying that the child will be five years old on or before Sept. 1 as well as the child's Social Security card. Also required are proof of residency, such as a utilities statement, and the child's immunization record verifying up-to-date immunizations.

LPISD elementary campuses include Bayshore, located at 800 McCabe Rd.; College Park, 4315 Luella in Deer Park; Heritage, 4301 East Blvd. in Deer Park; La Porte, 725 S. Broadway; Lomax, 10615 North Ave. L; Jennie Reid, 10001 W. Fairmont Parkway; and Rizzuto, 3201 Farrington Blvd.

For more information on kindergarten registration, please call the office of Isela Montes, executive director of elementary education, at 281-604-7030. Those who have questions about immunizations may contact Laura Lynch, LPISD lead nurse, at 281-604-6912.

Thirteen outstanding La Porte ISD educators have been chosen by their peers to represent their schools as 2013 Campus Teachers of the Year.

Elementary honorees and the schools at which they teach are Anna Canizales, Bayshore; Elaine Finnen, College Park; Catherine (Katy) Jordan, Heritage; Alicia Hodges, La Porte; Brittany Trosclair, Lomax; Barbara (Barbie) Vaughan, Jennie Reid; and Amber Weatherford, Rizzuto.

Representatives from LPISD secondary campuses are Tracy Rider, Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Zachary Bass, La Porte Junior High; Cristina Hoffman, orchestra teacher at Lomax Junior High; Annie Szeto, De Walt School; Eveline Bailey, La Porte High School (core areas); and Amy Murray, La Porte High School (non-core areas).

Campus Teachers of the Year will be honored at the May 8 meeting of the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees and the May 10 Service Awards celebration. The announcement of the District Elementary Teacher of the Year and District Secondary Teacher of the Year will be made during the Service Awards event.

La Porte High School senior Dalia Mendiola earned the title of state champion in auto refinishing at the SkillsUSA Texas Leadership and Skills Conference in Corpus Christi March 22 through 24.

Dalia, the student of Valentin Trevino, will advance to the national competition in Kansas City the last week of June.

"There was no doubt in my mind about Dalia winning the state competition," said LPHS principal Todd Schoppe. "The work she and her instructor Val Trevino have put in is second to none. She will do great at nationals."

This is the fourth consecutive year that an LPHS student has won the state championship and advanced to the national contest. LPHS was represented by Brett Kelly in 2009 and by Kolten Dunkerson in 2010 and 2011. Kolten went on place fourth and first, respectively, in the national competitions.

Dalia and her classmates won 10 of the top 11 awards at the District 8 Leadership and Skills Competition Conference Feb. 17 and 18 at San Jacinto College-South, where she earned the chance to continue to the state contest. The students earned the district championship for the fourth consecutive year.

Dalia won first place in the Year 2 competition after earning first place in the Year 1 contest last year. Other Year 2 winners were Devin Davis, second place; Damian Gracia, fourth; Fabian Lopez, fifth; and Jarid Penn, sixth. In the Year 1 competition, Matthew Lambeth-Klink won first place. Other Year 1 winners were Autumn Holloway, second; Kimberly Savell, third; Austin Thompson, fourth; and Jonathan Flores, fifth.

 
La Porte High School's one-act play, "The Three Musketeers" by Ken Ludwig, will advance to area competition following the University Interscholastic League District 21-5A contest held on March 24 in the school's Sonja Angelo Theater.

La Porte and Galena Park ISD's North Shore High School were chosen as the two productions to advance to the next round of completion.

LPHS students Travis Wright and Colton Constanzo were selected as members of the All-Star Cast, and Chelsea Bishop and Ally Oliphint earned Honorable Mention All-Star Cast honors. La Porte's Brandon Rose also received the Tech Award.

The LPHS cast and crew will now compete at San Jacinto College Central on Friday, April 13. The contest begins at 4 p.m., with La Porte the first group to perform.

Tickets are $10 to watch all six shows performing in the area contest. Plays will be between 18 and 40 minutes in length.

The cast of "The Three Musketeers" includes Travis Wright as D'Artagnan; Stephen Mabry, Aramis; Christian Cisneros, Athos; Cameron Regan, Porthos; Colton Constanzo, Cardinal Richelieu; and Justin King, D'Artagnan's father, King Louis XIII, Fache and Guard. Joseph Redd will perform as Treville, DeBris, Stanley and Guard, with Ally Oliphint as Milady and Jonah Gallington as Innkeeper, Duke of Buckingham and Guard.

Other members of the cast are Chelsea Bishop as Sabine; Kandice Wicke as Adele and Constance; Kirsten Dunkerson as Elise, Queen Anne and Guard; Celest Palacios as D'Artagnan's mother, Mother Superior, Abbess, Old Woman and Guard; and Taylor Webb-Culver as Sister at school, Servant, and Guard.

Members of the crew are Brandon Rose, Ian Moser, Emily Edwards, Alex Rodrigues and Claudia Pool. Alternates are Gavin Calais and Ashley Allen. The site crew members are Audrey Ladd, Sammi Oliphint, Corey Nelson, Tyler Smith and Courtney Beecham.

LPHS theater department instructors are Kerry Regan, Steve Regan and Kelly Nelson.

La Porte ISD's Aryaman Jadhav will be among the area's top spellers competing in the HoustonPBS Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 31. The event will be televised live on Channel 8 at 2 p.m.

Aryaman, a student at Baker Sixth Grade Campus, will compete in the HoustonPBS event for the second year in a row. He was also the LPISD spelling champion last year as a fifth grader at Heritage Elementary School.

The spelling bee will be broadcast from the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting on the University of Houston Main Campus. Aryaman will be speller #2 in the competition.

The top 55 spellers in the area, emerging as winners from spelling bees including over 100,000 competitors from elementary school through eighth grade, will compete for the chance to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation's highest-profile academic event.

The winner of the 2012 HoustonPBS Spelling Bee will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Washington, D.C. to represent Houston at the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 29-31.

The major sponsors for the 2012 HoustonPBS Spelling Bee are Fiesta, Holthouse Foundation for Kids, Capital One Bank, HCDE (Harris County Department of Education) and KUHF News 88.7, Houston Public Radio.

More information is available at www.houstonpbs.org/spellingbee.

Fans of La Porte High School Bulldog baseball now have the opportunity to listen to La Porte varsity games on Legacy Sports Network this season. Home games and any playoff games will be broadcast on www.legacysportsnetwork.com.

La Porte ISD's annual Education Celebration, sponsored by the La Porte Education Foundation, is set for Thursday, March 22, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at La Porte High School.

Parents and community members are invited to join in the celebration of LPISD and its students, educational programs and schools. "La Porte ISD's Safari to Imagination, Exploration, Discovery" is the theme for this year's event, tying in with the Celebrate Texas Public Schools of "Imagine. Explore. Discover."

Every LPISD school will have a booth to showcase activities at the campuses. Musical performances by district elementary, junior high school and high school groups are also scheduled throughout the event. Information on kindergarten registration will also be available at the celebration.

LPISD students and adults will have the chance to complete a "Ticket to Adventure" by visiting designated booths during the event. Students who complete the "Ticket to Adventure" will be eligible for a drawing for an iPod Nano, while adults who complete the log will be entered in the drawing for a $50 Walmart gift card.

Campuses with the highest percentage of adult attendance will win $500 and the district's "Traveling Trophy" for one year. Schools with the second-highest percentage of adult attendance will win $300.

Additional drawings for teachers, principals and assistant principals and district personnel will be held. Raffles for an Apple iPad (16 GB; 3G/wi-fi) and a Vizio 37-inch HDTV/TVACL will also be held.

Donations are $2 each, 3 for $5, or 7 for $10. Tickets are available at the Communications Office at the Administration Building and district campuses or at the event.

Drawings will be held for a Kindle reader, external hard drive, HP 4-in-1 printer, Garmin navigation system, Nikon camera and additional prizes for a donation of $1 per ticket.

In addition, hot dogs, corn dogs, chips, drinks and cookies will be sold at the event. Proceeds from all sales benefit the La Porte Education Foundation in its efforts to enhance education for LPISD students.

For more information, call the LPISD Communications Office at 281-604-7001.

La Porte High School diver Matt Wolfe competed at the state swim and dive meet on Feb. 24 and 25 in Austin, finishing out the season ranked 16th in the state.

"Matt went up against some very strong competition in Austin this weekend, and strongly represented our district by maintaining a level of composure and focus of which we are very proud," said Cortney Arrant, LPHS swim coach.

Matt was among the members of the La Porte High School swim team who earned top honors at district and regional competition. He placed second overall at the regional competition Feb. 9-11 in Sugar Land.

Nineteen swimmers qualified for the regional meet. In the diving competition, Nathen Hill placed fifth, Dustin Moore placed sixth, Tori Vidales placed seventh, and Hunter Turlington placed 10th.

"We are extremely proud of the season that all of our swimmers and divers have had," Arrant said.

Matt qualified for the All-Region First Team. Nathen and Dustin qualified for the Second Team All-Region, and Tori was Honorable Mention All-Region.

Nine members of the team earned First Team All-District honors. They include Amber Wilborn, Victoria McLaughlin, Matt Wolfe, Nathan Hill, Tori Vidales, Christina Roseland, Katie Brown, Lynda Taylor and Andrea Rojas.

Second Team All-District selections included LPHS swimmers Alex Chaplin, Amanda Elfstrom, Amber Wilborn, Andy Robb, Autumn Zinn, Christina Rosunlund, Conchita Rodriguez, Dustin Moore, Hunter Turlington, Jake Block, Josh Block, Lynda Taylor, Sean Velasquez, Shawn Dunford, Victoria Hoots and Victoria McLaughlin.

La Porte High School's DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) chapter will advance to state competition in Corpus Christi March 1-3 after earning top honors at the district contest.

Four students competed in the District DECA Career Development Conference at the Westin Galleria Jan. 26 and 27. Freshmen Kyle Jobe and Josue Rodriguez competed in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making event and advanced to state.

Nimra Haroon, senior, competed in the Fashion Merchandising Promotional Plan event and also advanced to state. Freshman Kristin Parker competed in the Principles of Marketing event.

All students also take an online exam prior to every competition.

DECA is an international organization that prepares emerging entrepreneurs and leaders interested in business management and administration, fashion and sports and entertainment marketing, hospitality and tourism, and finance careers. Students become members of their local chapter and are able to compete in several competitions throughout the yea.

"These students have worked diligently to prepare for this competition and are excited to represent La Porte ISD well," said Nekeba George, marketing instructor at La Porte High School, who advises the students and helped prepare them for competition. "I am proud of their hard work and accomplishments."

The La Porte Future Farmers of America chapter exhibited several livestock projects at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo over the past two weeks.

La Porte High School sophomore Bianca Arevalo showed a market steer that was awarded fourth place out of 41 entries on Feb. 23. She advanced to the live auction, where her steer sold for $4,500.

Other LPHS winners include junior Cody Haas, who placed second with his Santa Gertrudis heifer on Feb. 19, and senior Caise Roese, who earned seventh out of 48 with her market barrow on Feb. 23. Sophomores Mason Paskey and Andy Canales exhibited their market steers on Feb. 23 and 24 and represented LPHS well.

La Porte ISD's Baker Sixth Grade Campus has earned the Gold Award of Distinction from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service as part of the HealthierUS School Challenge. Baker is the first secondary school in Texas to receive this prestigious honor.

Yvonne Bennett, La Porte ISD director of school nutrition, and Jill Gonzales, assistant director, explained that Baker began implementing the guidelines for designation as a Gold Award of Distinction campus at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. With the support of then-principal Cynthia Anderson, who sought changes to the school menu with healthier options, students and staff rallied behind the effort to make meals more nutritious at school.

To earn the Gold Award of Distinction, which is the highest level of recognition by USDA, schools must serve a different vegetable, with servings of at least ¼ cup, every day of the week. Dark green or orange vegetables must be offered three or more days, and cooked dry beans or peas must be offered each week.

In addition, a different fruit must be served each day of the week, with fresh fruit served at least two of those days. Dried fruit must have no added sweetener, and canned fruit must be packed in juice or light syrup. One-hundred percent fruit juice may be counted as a fruit only once per week.

The Gold Award of Distinction also requires that at least one serving of whole-grain food be offered each day, and only low-fat or skim milk be offered each day. In addition, the sale of competitive foods (a la carte, vending, snack bar, etc.) must adhere to certain guidelines.

For example, sodium content for competitive foods and beverages must be less than or equal to 200 mg. for non-entrees or less than or equal to 480 mg. for entrees, or physical education must be provided a minimum average of 150 minutes per week. Schools adhering to the stricter sodium standards must have physical education/activity at least 90 minutes per week. Baker met the higher standards for both low sodium content and 150 minutes of physical activity.

Other requirements include nutrition education, school policies in support of a wellness environment, a district wellness policy, and more.

"I am very proud to receive this award. It shows that we at Baker have higher expectations not only academically but also nutritionally for our students," said Camilla Whitlock, Baker principal. "Thanks to our nutrition department for helping to make this possible."

During the 2010-2011 school year, La Porte ISD's Jennie Reid Elementary School was the first district campus to earn recognition in the HealthierUS School Challenge, receiving a Silver Award for the staff's efforts to provide healthier school meals.

Baker Sixth Grade Campus will be recognized for earning this award at a future meeting of the LPISD Board of Trustees. To date, only 13 schools in Texas have earned the Gold Award of Distinction, with Baker the first non-elementary campus to receive this honor. Gold Award of Distinction winners earn an award of $2,000 in recognition of their achievement.

The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity.

Members of the La Porte High School swim team earned top honors at district and regional competition, with diver Matt Wolfe qualifying for the state swim and dive meet on Feb. 24 and 25 at the University of Texas at Austin.

Matt placed second overall at the regional competition Feb. 9-11 in Sugar Land. Nineteen swimmers qualified for the regional meet and rounded out the season successfully, according to head coach Cortney Arrant.

"We are extremely proud of the season that all of our swimmers and divers have had," Arrant said.

In the diving competition, Nathen Hill placed fifth, Dustin Moore placed sixth, Tori Vidales placed seventh, and Hunter Turlington placed 10th.

Matt qualified for the All-Region First Team. Nathen and Dustin qualified for the Second Team All-Region, and Tori was Honorable Mention All-Region.

Nine members of the team earned First Team All-District honors. They include Amber Wilborn, Victoria McLaughlin, Matt Wolfe, Nathan Hill, Tori Vidales, Christina Rosenlund, Katie Brown, Lynda Taylor and Andrea Rojas.

Second Team All-District selections included LPHS swimmers Alex Chaplin, Amanda Elfstrom, Amber Wilborn, Andy Robb, Autumn Zinn, Christina Rosunlund, Conchita Rodriguez, Dustin Moore, Hunter Turlington, Jake Block, Josh Block, Lynda Taylor, Sean Velasquez, Shawn Dunford, Victoria Hoots and Victoria McLaughlin.

Baker Sixth Grade Campus student Aryaman Jadhav confidently spelled "schnauzer" to earn the title of La Porte ISD Spelling Bee Champion on Feb. 11. Aryaman, the son of Supriya and Rutharaj Jadhav, also won last year's spelling bee as a Heritage Elementary fifth grader.

The second place trophy went to Mason Finnen, a fifth grader at College Park Elementary. Mason is the son of Elaine and Clif Finnen.

The bee, which was held in the Board Room of the LPISD Administration Building, brought together the top three spellers from each LPISD elementary and junior high campus for an outstanding competition that lasted 21 rounds. Participants correctly spelled words such as "anchovy," "alchemy," kahuna" and "flamenco" as the field narrowed to just four spellers in Round 13.

In Round 19, only three spellers were left in the competition, with Aryaman and Mason making it all the way to their 21st words.

Aryaman will now advance to the HoustonPBS Spelling Bee to be held on Saturday, March 31.

Other competitors included Nicholas Gonzalez, Emily Castro and Giovanny Barragon from Bayshore Elementary; Bry'Onna Washington and Justin Ramirez from College Park Elementary; Rylea Sandel, Aiden Nunez and Aianna Avergonzado from Heritage Elementary; Izihrie Mark, John Ortega and Sandra Aleman from La Porte Elementary; and Luke Gibson, Carson McDonald and Rebecca Porter from Lomax Elementary.

The spellers also included Jordan Wynn, Christina Longoria and Delaney Canizales from Jennie Reid Elementary; Kayla Dlouhy, Melissa Jaramillo and Dylan Harrison from Rizzuto Elementary; Madeline Blagg and Paisley Fernandez from Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Toni Bonvillian, Christopher Cook and Preetinder Singh from La Porte Junior High School; and Devin DeWeese, Cheyenne Copeland and Alanis Bing from Lomax Junior High School.

Lomax Junior High School art students who are learning how to make pottery are putting their new skills to work in helping others.

Through the "Bowls for Hunger" program, those attending the March 8 Lomax Junior High School Fine Arts Night will have the opportunity to eat soup, help the local food bank, and take home a beautiful bowl created by a Lomax Junior High student.

According to Lomax Junior High art teacher Scottie Anderson, the Bowls for Hunger program is a wide-range program to assist food banks all over the America, and this is the first time that La Porte is joining the event. Lomax Junior High students have created approximately 150 bowls to sell for $5 each, with proceeds benefitting the La Porte Food Bank and the Lomax Junior High art program.

Soup will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and other fine arts activities will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the cafeteria and commons areas of the school. Students participating in orchestra, band, choir and theater arts will perform for the public, and art students will have a show of their most recent work.

For more information, contact Anderson at Lomax Junior High School, 281-604-6700.

Lomax Elementary School was recently named an Honor Roll School by the Texas Business Education Coalition. This award was established in 2000 to draw attention to public schools that perform at the highest academic levels.

Honor Roll schools must have demonstrated and maintained outstanding student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Based exclusively on Commended Performance standards, TBEC Honor Roll schools performed at this level of achievement for at least three consecutive years on all subjects tested.

A total of 253 Texas schools, representing less than 4 percent of the public schools in Texas, were named to the Honor Roll. They include 181 elementary schools, 38 middle schools and 34 high schools.

The announcement of this prestigious honor follows the selection of Lomax Elementary as a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The 304 campuses chosen as 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools were selected based on their overall academic excellence or for their success in closing achievement gaps.

The Department honored the entire 255 public and 49 private schools with their National Blue Ribbon School awards at a conference and awards ceremony Nov. 14-15 in Washington, D.C. Lomax Elementary, which is also a Texas Exemplary School, is one of only 26 schools in Texas awarded this honor and one of nine of the state's campus honored for high student performance.

Lomax Elementary was also recognized for its selection as a National Blue Ribbon School at the Texas Association of School Administrators Mid-Winter Conference in Austin on Jan. 30. Several representatives of the Lomax Elementary staff were on hand to be honored during the ceremony.

When they arrived on Thursday night, they were strangers. But less than a week later, when the students from Nankai High School in Tianjin, China, said goodbye to their "buddies" from La Porte High School, they all knew that they would be life-long friends.

The group of 15 students and two educators from Nankai arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Feb. 2 and received a warm welcome-complete with balloons and handmade signs with each guest's name-when they stepped off the bus at La Porte High School. Every Nankai student was paired with a La Porte student and his or her family, who opened their homes to the guests from China during their stay here.

The Nankai students and their La Porte counterparts, who had been e-mailing one another for several weeks in anticipation of the visit, first enjoyed refreshments provided by LPHS volunteers and took group photos in the LPHS commons. Then, they went home-or to what would be "home" for the following week--to experience life with an American family.

During their week in La Porte, they attended classes with students at the LPHS campus, where they held a snake in the life science lab, viewed the stars in the planetarium, watched the high school musical, Li'l Abner, and much more. While they were in class, the Nankai educators also had the chance to learn about the high school, meeting with the campus administrators and visiting classes to talk with other teachers.

The group also attended a Houston Rockets game, visited Discovery Green and Baybrook Mall, and went to Space Center Houston and the San Jacinto Monument. Their visit included tours of Rice University and University of Houston, followed by shopping and dinner in Rice Village.

During their final afternoon in La Porte, they participated in Career Day, in which they were paired with area business professionals in their career fields of interest. Students had the opportunity to "job shadow" their mentors at Beacon Federal Credit Union, Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union, DuPont, Kuraray, Dianal America, City of La Porte, San Jacinto College and the LPISD Communications Office.

Activities during the week were sponsored by donations from the La Porte Education Foundation, Easton Resource Development, Lubrizol, Braskem, Dianal America, Kaneka and Noltex.

The final evening, the students and educators attended a farewell dinner in their honor in the LPHS Student Center. Speakers included Lloyd W. Graham, LPISD superintendent of schools; Stephen Barr, treasurer of the La Porte Education Foundation; and Todd Schoppe, LPHS principal.

Schoppe presented each visitor with an honorary LPHS diploma as well as gift bags which included a La Porte High School T-shirt and other items to help them remember their visit to La Porte. Nancy Li of Easton Resource Development, president of the U.S.-China Friendship Association, also addressed those in attendance. Li served as the liaison between the La Porte ISD organizing committee and Nankai High School in coordinating the visit.

Li Dezhi, deputy director in the Principal's Office at Nankai, reflected on the group's experience in La Porte, with Nankai English teacher Lin Lu translating his message. Kandice Wicke spoke on behalf of the La Porte High School students, and Xinmiao Chen addressed the group as Nankai representative.

Presentations included songs performed by the Nankai students as well as a calligraphy demonstration. LPHS cheerleaders performed the "Fight Song," and Schoppe led the group in the singing of the LPHS alma mater.

Graham explained that when he asked one of the students what he had learned during the visit, the student replied that the La Porte and Tianjin teenagers "have more commonalities that they do differences." Shortly after the students arrived, it was apparent that they shared many interests and quickly became friends.

The global studies program began as a project of the La Porte Education Foundation and La Porte ISD in 2008. The Foundation made a three-year commitment to fund the program, which culminated in a trip to China for students who were selected to participate. Prior to each trip, students participated in "China School" after school and on weekends to learn about Chinese culture, history and traditions.

In 2009, the first group from Nankai visited La Porte, with additional students and educators making the trip each February since then. As this year's visit drew to a close, Li expressed her appreciation for the global studies program committee members "for their leadership, vision, inspiration and hard work that guaranteed another huge success of this program."

"The generous support, sponsorship and participation from the La Porte Education Foundation, La Porte ISD, area industries and the whole community continue to inspire and encourage me and assure that the project moves on," she said. Li added that over the past four years, many people-including the Nankai and La Porte participants and their host families-have been positively impacted by this project, creating a lasting effect on the leadership of tomorrow.

Several LPHS graduates who have been involved in the global studies program are now working toward degrees in areas such as international relations, and many of the past participants remain in close contact with their friends from China. One LPISD family, whose "China buddy" now attends college in the United States, welcomed the student into their home once again during the Thanksgiving holidays, with plans for another visit during spring break.

"As the liaison, I have been so honored to team up with the most distinguished and visionary people on both sides of the world while working on this project," Li added. "This program continues to open the young people's eyes and hearts to the other side of the world as well as to promote peace, better understanding, and long-lasting friendships and cooperation."

David Knowles, LPISD executive director of secondary education, said that the district is privileged to have the opportunity to partner with Nankai through the global studies program. "I marvel at the quality of the interaction among our Chinese guests and their La Porte buddy students and host families," he said. "The Chinese students and educators warmed quickly to our school and community. The high school host students and families forged instant bonds with their China buddies.

"All this serves to create two-way bonds of cultural understanding, tolerance, and global awareness," he continued. "Our community benefits immensely from this Global Studies program on many levels, but primarily because it invests in our students' capacity for success in the global economy."

Students and faculty in La Porte ISD join others across the nation during the month of February to celebrate national Career and Technical Education (CTE) MonthTM. This year's theme is CTE: Careers Through Education.

CTE MonthTM provides CTE programs across the country an opportunity to demonstrate how CTE educates students to be college- and career- ready and prepares them for high-wage, high-demand career fields.

Among the special activities held in La Porte ISD were a presentation on CTE programs at the Feb. 14 Board of Trustees meeting, a Feb. 7 farewell dinner for students visiting from China that was catered by LPHS culinary arts students,and a Feb. 8 La Porte High School maritime dinner sponsored by the Port of Houston Authority.

Throughout the month, guest speakers addressed students in CTE classrooms, and parent presentations on programs of study/career pathways were offered at both LPISD junior high campuses.

"The activities planned over the next month will illustrate the rigor and relevance CTE courses offer our students," said Debbie Seibert, career and technical education facilitator at La Porte High School. "By partnering with the business community, CTE programs are investing in students' lives with the latest technology and skills that will prepare them to become successful employees as well as future leaders."

For more information about CTE programs in La Porte ISD, contact Seibert by phone at 281-604-7879 or by e-mail at seibertde@lpisd.org.

Candidate filing in the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees election will be held through March 5 in the Superintendent's Office of the LPISD Administration Building, 1002 San Jacinto St.

Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The election will be held on Saturday, May 12.

Positions up for election include Position 4, currently held by Lee Wallace, and Position 5, currently held by Virginia Pierson-Turner.

Early voting will begin Monday, April 30. Early voting will be held weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the City Halls for La Porte, Morgan's Point and Shoreacres. In addition, early voting will take place on Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at La Porte City Hall.

On Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polling places include Baker Sixth Grade Campus, College Park Elementary, and the City Halls for La Porte, Shoreacres and Morgan's Point.

For more information, call the LPISD Superintendent's Office at 281-604-7015.

La Porte ISD will offer a number of upcoming parent meetings to explain the district's new Student Technology Initiative. The meetings will provide parents of LPISD secondary students with information on how the program, which provides sixth through ninth graders with netbook computers for use both at home and school, will be implemented on their campuses.

Linda Wadleigh, deputy superintendent, explained that the mission of the initiative is to bridge the digital divide by putting technology into the hands of every student. In addition, the goal is to enhance instruction by integrating technology into the classroom and empower students to take responsibility for their learning in a 21st century learning environment.

Meetings at Baker Sixth Grade Campus are planned for Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. and Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A session also will be conducted in Spanish at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16. Lomax Junior High School will hold meetings on Feb. 15 and 20, with both meetings set for 6:30 p.m. Spanish translation will be available at the Feb. 20 session. Meetings at La Porte Junior High School are also planned for Feb. 15 and 20 at 6:30 p.m. Spanish translation will be available.

At DeWalt School, a parent meeting is scheduled for Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Parent meetings for La Porte High School are scheduled for Feb. 29 at 6:00 p.m. and March 1 at 6:00 p.m.

Information on these meetings will be available on the LPISD website (www.lpisd.org), and all parents will also receive notifications about the sessions by mail and through the district's callout system.

Meetings will explain the program and give parents the opportunity to ask questions about the initiative.

Wadleigh explained that the district has been working toward this initiative for several years by upgrading district resources, and at its Dec. 13 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the plan to put technology in the hands of students at both the elementary and secondary levels.

The "saturation model" provides notebook computers to each student in grades six, seven, eight and nine during the 2011-2012 school year. The original recommendation was to provide the notebooks to students in grades six and nine, and the Board felt it was important to equip seventh and eighth graders with an individual device as well.

The "distributive lab model" will be implemented at the elementary level. This model provides one notebook for every five students at all elementary campuses.

Wadleigh explained that this appears to be a good time to initiate a student technology program because the various technologies that make laptop programs effective are now affordable and readily available.

When the district receives the notebooks in early February, they will first be distributed to the elementary campuses.  Distribution of the notebooks to sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth graders, respectively, will begin in early spring.

Parents who are not able to attend the session at their child's campus may find information about the Student Technology Initiative and download a consent form on the LPISD website the week of Feb. 13.

The La Porte ISD community is invited to a reception and halftime ceremony honoring the 1987 La Porte High School state championship basketball team on Tuesday, Jan. 10. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the team's championship season, during which they were undefeated with a 40-0 record.

A come-and-go reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Physical Education Center next to the Sonja Angelo Theater on the La Porte High School campus. Trophies and other memorabilia from the championship season will be on display.

A ceremony honoring the team's coaches and players is planned for halftime of the La Porte-Dobie varsity game that same evening. The game begins at 7 p.m. in the LPHS competition gym.

The team will also be honored at halftime of the state championship basketball game in Austin in March 2012.

For more information, call the LPISD Communications Office at 281-604-7001.

The La Porte High School Theater and Music Departments will present the musical Li'l Abner the last week in January and first week in February.

Performance dates are Thursday, Jan. 26; Friday, Jan. 27; Saturday, Jan. 28; Thursday, Feb. 2; Friday, Feb. 3; and Saturday, Feb. 4. Thursday and Friday night performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Two performances are planned for both Saturdays. On Saturday, Jan. 28, performances are at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, Feb. 4, performances are at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Tickets go on sale Monday, Jan. 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the lobby of the Sonja Angelo Theater, and will be sold each weekday during these times. Tickets may also be purchased before each show. The box office opens 30 minutes before show time.

Jan. 26 is the Gold Card Senior Citizens performance. Senior citizens can get free tickets to this performance in advance with their Gold Card at the Sonja Angelo Theater box office. Gold Cards are available to Senior Citizens at the LPISD Administration Building at 1002 San Jacinto St.

All seats are reserved, and tickets are $12. Payment may be made by cash or check.

For more information, contact Karen Hall at La Porte High School, 281-604-7573.

Several La Porte ISD pre-kindergarten teachers were rewarded for their dedication in preparing students for kindergarten when their classrooms recently received School Readiness Certification for the state of Texas.

A total of 3,152 classrooms received 2011-2012 certification through the legislatively funded evaluation system operated by the Children's Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. More than 65 percent of eligible classrooms were certified. Because the certification process takes two years to complete, the awards are based on LPISD 2009-2010 classrooms.

In LPISD, 2009-10 pre-kindergarten classrooms at College Park Elementary, Heritage Elementary, Bayshore Elementary and LPISD Head Start Center earned certification.

To achieve certification, teachers at preschools and other early childhood education and development centers provide information about their classroom instructional practices. The results are then studied along with information provided by Texas public school districts to assess students' early reading and social development skills after they advance to kindergarten.

The annual certification shows that children who graduated from these pre-kindergarten classrooms went to public kindergarten with the fundamental early literacy skills in place to be successful. Licensed child care providers, Head Start, and public pre-kindergarten classrooms are included in the voluntary program.

La Porte High School head football coach Jeff LaReau has been named one of 10 finalists for the Touchdown Club of Houston's High School Coach of the Year award.

LaReau will be honored at the club's annual High School Awards Dinner, presented by H-E-B, set for Dec. 8 at the J.W. Marriott in Houston.

Other awards to be presented that night are Defensive Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. KCOH's Ralph Cooper has been named the winner of the Ron Stone Award for media excellence, which will also be awarded that evening.

Other finalists for the High School Coach of the Year award include Barry Abercrombie, Hightower; Willie Amendola, Dekaney; Gary Joseph, Katy; Kirk Martin, Manvel; Chris Massey, Deer Park; Ed Pustejovsky, Cy-Fair; Ryan Roark, Angleton; Mark Schmid, The Woodlands; and Eric Wells, Dawson.

SCHOOL CALENDAR CHANGE: Students and parents please note! There has been a change in the current year school calendar for the week following the winter holidays. Students will return to school on Wednesday, Jan. 4, rather than Tuesday, Jan. 3.

At the La Porte ISD Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 8, 2011, La Porte ISD trustees voted to approve a change affecting the 2011-2012 School Calendar. The change makes Jan. 3 an additional professional development day; therefore, students will return to school on Jan. 4 following the holidays.

The original 2011-2012 calendar brought students back into classrooms on Tuesday, Jan. 3, for the first day of instruction following the winter holidays. The La Porte ISD Administration recommended, and the Board approved, a request to substitute that day of instruction for a teacher professional development day. 

The extra day of professional development is intended to help teachers prepare for the new and more rigorous accountability system in Texas public education-State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). TEA rules permit school districts to waive up to five instructional days in the traditional 180 day school calendar for staff development when the professional development is designed to improve instructional effectiveness.

The current school calendar incorporates three such "waiver" days. This change adds a fourth "waiver day," and results in students returning to school on Wednesday, Jan. 4, following the winter holiday break.  LPISD received word on Dec. 6 that the waiver has been approved by the Texas Education Agency.

The calendars and letters that went home to parents are attached here and are also available in the Parent Portal page of the LPISD website.

La Porte ISD's School Health Advisory Council will meet on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 4:30 p.m. in the Training Room at the Administration Building, 1200 San Jacinto St.

The LPISD School Health Advisory Council strives to improve student and staff performance by promoting age-appropriate wellness programs and healthy, balanced, and active lifestyles. For additional information, contact Dr. April Fox, director of student support services, at 281-604-7034.

By JOHN BLACK
Bayun1437@gmail.com

HOUSTON (Sp) - Well, it was a great ride while it lasted. But in the end here in spacious Reliant Stadium Saturday afternoon, the La Porte Bulldogs simply could not find the firepower needed to do something that isn't easy to begin with - beat a good team twice in the same season.

As a result, the Bulldogs lost, 34-6, to the Port Arthur Memorial Titans and have thus been eliminated from the Class 5A, Division II playoffs. But they exit post-season play with their heads held high, sporting an excellent 12-2 record and the first-ever national ranking in school history.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, were listed as the No. 11 team in the nation by USA Today this past week. And they had their chances early against the Titans but could not capitalize. Memorial started taking control in the third period, getting La Porte out of its natural rhythm by scoring 21 unanswered points.

So the Titans, the No. 2 team out of District 21-5A behind the league champion Bulldogs, move on to the state semifinals, finally able to beat a La Porte team after seasons of failure agaainst the Bulldogs both in the regular season and in post-season play. And La Porte takes no small comfort in the fact that the 2011 football season produced: an outright district championship; a win over Deer Park; a win over North Shore; and three playoff victories - the icing on the cake being a big victory over the mighty Katy Tigers.

And getting to play at Reliant Stadium in front of thousands of boisterous Bulldog backers in the Region III Finals wasn't bad, either.

Once again, the Bulldogs were locked in a defensive struggle, and the big difference in the first half was the ability of the Titans to get a touchdown to go with their one field goal, while the Dogs could not get into the end zone and had to settle for two Eric Medina field goals.

Memorial started the game with a breeze, moving swiftly and easily to that aforementioned TD. Malik Graves had a big hit for La Porte to break up a pass on the first offensive play of the game, and Chad Sutherland made a fine open-field tackle for a loss of one to set up third and 11. But the Titans hit a bomb up the middle, all the way to the La Porte 22 - 55 yards in all.

On first down from there the Titans tried another pass and it was very nearly intercepted. And that was big because on the next play Memorial ran a delayed trap up the middle and hit it all the way into the end zone. The kick made it 7-0 Memorial with 10:52 left in the first period.

La Porte then went three-and-out on its first offensive possession, but the Bulldog defense held the Titans to a three-and-out as well - thanks in no small part to a halfback pass to a wide open receiver that was barely off the mark. The Bulldogs took the ensuing punt at their own 17.

Keith Whitely got nine yards, then added six for the first down. Keith then ran for seven yards before adding six more and another first down. Moments later quarterback Josh Vidales ran for what would have been a first down but the Dogs were flagged for holding so bring it back, and when a short pass from Vidales to Jahvey Mark was not good enough for the first down, let's punt it again.

The La Porte defense was once again up to the task as Tyrone Graves and Sutherland combined for a tackle; a big rush forced a bad pass; and a quarterback scramble got only a couple of yards. The Dogs were fortunate on that last play as one ref called a personal foul against La Porte for a late hit, but a ref with a better view talked him out of it, so the Dogs got the ball, after the punt, on the Port Arthur 44.

Johnathan Lewis stepped off one yard before Whitely got four. Vidales then hit Trevor Nelson for 18 yards and a first down at the Memorial 22. But Josh was sacked a couple of plays later so Medina was forced to come on for a 45-yard field goal. It was well long and just as straight and with 42 seconds remaining in the first period, the Bulldogs had cut the Memorial lead to 7-3.

And once again, the defense came through. Sutherland and Alex Jones combined for a tackle; Sutherland made a solo stop; and Graves, Jones and Sutherland put on a big rush to force a bad pass and a punt.

Moving this time from their own 37, the Bulldogs got close enough for another Medina field goal. The drive started with an 11-yard run by Lewis to the 48, before Whitely ran yard for five yards, Johnathan added three and the Titans were flagged for offsides to give the Dogs a first down. On third and 10, Josh fired a quick strike to tight end Blake Turlington for a first down at the Memorial 24, and once again the Dogs were in position to get into the end zone.

But that did not happen as they were stopped a yard short on third down so Eric calmly came on and booted the ball through the uprights, this time from 34 yards out, and now Memorial had just a one-point lead at 7-6 with 5:35 left before the half.

The Titans tried their best to get points back, and they were successful. They actually had a first down at the Bulldog 25 but a tackle by Sutherland for a loss of one; strong defense by Hoza Scott and Aaron Nance-Garrett produced a short gain; and an incomplete pass made it fourth down and forced a field goal of 39 yards for a 10-6 Port Arthur lead with 3:31 left in the half.

The Bulldogs could not get rolling offensively and the Titans took over with 1:18 left before the half, but they did not have great field position because Vidales got off a fine punt and Victor Holmes made a great tackle, so Memorial started on its own 21.

The Titans hit a couple of big plays, however, before Holmes and Ellis Hutchinson made nice defensive plays in the secondary on back-to-back pass attempts, so Memorial had to settle for another 39-yard field goal try. It hit the crossbar, no good, so the Dogs were down by just four at halftime.

That did not last long. The Dogs fumbled on the second play of the second half, but the disaster was averted because Chris Hickey had a big tackle; Hutchinson was on the spot in the secondary to break up a pass; Sutherland smoked a runner for a loss of three after the Dogs were offsides; and Nance-Garrett knocked down a fourth-down pass to allow the Dogs to get the ball back.

But it was three-and-out for the offense, and on their first play from the Bulldog 22 the Titans hit a 78-yard touchdown pass to move their lead to 17-6. That play also gave Memorial a ton of confidence, and forced the Bulldogs to move away from their normal ball control offense.

After another three-and-out by the offense, the Dogs began to unravel a bit. They were flagged for a personal foul on a fine Vidales punt, and they were also flagged for a facemask moments later, giving the Titans 30 free yards, on their way to another touchdown and a 24-6 lead.

That advantage soon grew to 31-6 just before the third quarter ended, and the Titans, seeking revenge from their 24-20 loss to the Dogs a few weeks ago when Memorial was ranked eighth in the state, were not about to take their foot off the gas. They hit another loss pass to the La Porte three, but Nance-Garrett threw them for a 10-yard loss; Hickey threw them for a three-yard loss; a pass missed; and Memorial was forced to settle for a 32-yard field goal with 8:30 to play.

By then, it did not matter. In fact, for all practical purposes this game ended when the Titans scored that first touchdown of the second half, because the Memorial defense was incredible. The Bulldogs, in fact, did not get a first down in the second half until just over three minutes remained in the game. That first down came on a run by Taejon Wearen, and he had another big run on the next play, covering 60 yards in two plays. No points resulted, but it was nice to see a white jersey moving the ball.

Take heart, Bulldogs backers. This was one great football season, and Coach LaReau and his staff welcome back a bunch of starters, including the entire offensive line, and a host of key defensive players as well.

A community send-off is being planned for the La Porte Bulldogs as they get ready to leave for their Region III championship game against the Port Arthur Memorial Titans this Saturday.

Community members can show their support for the hometown team by cheering them on from one of two locations on Saturday morning. Fans who would like to wish the Bulldogs well as they board the buses should arrive at the LPHS junior parking lot around 10:05 a.m. We'll form a line from the Dog House to the buses to show our support for the players and coaches as they get ready to take on the Titans. The Bulldogs will leave for the stadium around 10:20 a.m.

The Football Booster Club will also be adorning Main Street with orange ribbons to demonstrate our community's support for the team. If you'd like to cheer for the Dogs as they travel through La Porte on their way to the stadium, please join us on the sidewalks of Main Street at approximately 10:15 a.m.

This is an exciting time for our community, and we are very proud of our LPHS players and coaches! We wish them all the best this weekend! Go, Bulldogs!

The La Porte High School Bulldogs will take on the Port Arthur Memorial High School Titans in the Region III championship football game at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Reliant Stadium.

Tickets for the game will go on sale at the La Porte High School Athletic Office beginning Tuesday, Nov. 29. The Athletic Office is located in the Physical Education Center next to the Sonja Angelo Theater on the La Porte High School campus. Ticket sales hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, through Friday, Dec. 2.

Advance tickets purchased at the LPHS Athletic Office will be $7 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets purchased at the gate will be $13. All tickets are general admission.

Parking will be $10. Gates will open at 11 a.m.

Regular game day tickets can also be purchased for $13 at TicketMaster outlets throughout the Greater Houston area.

For additional information, call the LPISD Athletic Office at 281-604-7670.

By JOHN BLACK
Baysun1437@gmail.com

The La Porte Bulldogs, sporting a 12-1 record and a date this coming Saturday in the Region III finals in Class 5A Division II, were well-represented on the 2011 21-5A All-District Team that was announced Monday. In addition, La Porte Coach Jeff LaReau was named District 21-5A Coach of the Year.

Named First Team All-District on offense were junior running back Keith Whitely; sophomore tight end Trevor Nelson; offensive linemen Tony Briones and Maurice Morris - both juniors; junior kicker Eric Medina; sophomore kick returner Victor Holmes; and junior punt returner Whitely.

In case you missed it,that means the six La Porte Bulldogs listed above will all be back for the 2012 season.

And by the way, Whitely at running back and Nelson at tight end and Medina at kicker were all unanimous choices.

There were also five Bulldogs named to the 21-5A First Team All-District unit. They include junior defensive end Alex Jones; junior defensive tackle Corey Lee; senior inside linebacker Chad Sutherland; sophomore outside linebacker Hoza Scott; and senior defensive back Aaron Nance-Garrett.

A number of Bulldogs were also listed on the 21-5A Second Team All-District offensive squad. They include senior quarterback Josh Vidales; sophomore receiver Taejon Wearen; and senior tight end Blake Turlington. And three Bulldogs were named to the Second-Team All-District defensive unit: junior defensive end Mark Guzman; senior outside linebacker Cameron Whilley; and junior defensive back Malik Graves.

La Porte had five players listed on the 21-5A All-District Honorable Mention squad. There were three on defense - senior linebacker Chris Hickey and senior defensive end Tyrone Graves and junior defensive back Ellis Hutchinson; and there were two on offense - sophomore running back Jonathan Lewis and junior offensive lineman Justin King.

The District Most Valuable Player was Port Arthur Memorial senior quarterback Terrence Singleton; the Offensive MVP was Channelview senior quarterback Averion Hurts; and the Defensive MVP was Beaumont West Brook defensive end Caleb Bluiett.

La Porte ISD's Lomax Elementary School was among only 315 campuses in the nation honored as 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools at the Nov. 15 awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The event was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel as the culmination of two days of activities for representatives from the award-winning schools. A total of 266 public and 49 private schools joined the more than 6,000 campuses that have received the National Blue Ribbon School distinction over the past 29 years.

Lomax was one of 26 schools from Texas to receive this prestigious award. Campuses were first nominated for the honor by Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott and completed a lengthy application process to be considered for the designation as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and non-public elementary, middle and high schools where students achieve at very high levels and/or where the achievement gap is narrowing. The program sets a standard of excellence for all schools striving for the highest level of achievement.

"America's long-term economic prosperity and civic engagement depends on our children receiving a world-class education," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "National Blue Ribbon Schools are committed to accelerating student achievement and preparing students for success in college and careers. Their success is an example for others to follow."

Principal and teacher representatives from the honored schools had the chance to participate in a number of information sessions and discussions during the activities on Nov. 14 and 15.

"It was fascinating to sit with a principal from California on one side and a principal from a whaling town in Maine on the other and discover that they are just like us, with the same challenges and concerns," said Vickie Gentile, who served as principal of Lomax Elementary from 2008 to 2011 and now serves as principal at Bayshore Elementary. "We all want to reach out to our parents and make them realize how much we want them involved in our schools. It was so special to me to be able to share with people from all over the country and realize that they have the same expectations and goals that we do."

Representatives from the honored schools were presented with 2011 National Blue Ribbon School flags and plaques during the awards recognition ceremony beginning at noon on Nov. 15. Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, spoke to those in attendance.

The celebratory atmosphere of the event was heightened with the recognition of each 2011 National Blue Ribbon School. Aba Kumi, director of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, announced the winners alphabetically by state.

"It made me so proud of our school," said Dan Eubank, who served as principal of Lomax Elementary from 1994 to 2002 and returned to the campus this year. "To think that only 315 schools in the nation received this honor-and that includes both public and private schools and elementary and secondary campuses! It was wonderful to represent Lomax and its teachers, students and parents."

A number of activities celebrating Lomax Elementary School's achievement are being planned throughout the year.

"Earning distinction as a National Blue Ribbon School is an achievement that can be compared to winning a national championship in the academic realm," said Lloyd W. Graham, LPISD superintendent. "It was a indeed a privilege to see Lomax Elementary honored at the highest level possible for the tremendous efforts of the school's teachers, students, parents, administrators and staff, and it was certainly a grand way to begin the Thanksgiving season. We are very proud of and pleased for everyone who has been involved in Lomax Elementary attaining this pinnacle of success."

Nine La Porte High School volleyball athletes have earned recognition for their accomplishments over the course of the 2011 season. According to Coach Allison Williams, the team finished fourth in district and had an overall record of 22-17.

Kimberlyn Patterson and Kendall Womble earned First Team All-District honors, and Abbie Robb, Kristen Nastally and Melissa Carter were named to the Second Team All-District. Jeslee Lozano and Tori Vidales earned Honorable Mention All-District.

Academic All-District honorees were McKenna Schoppe, Tori Vidales and Claudia Pool.

By JOHN BLACK
Baysun1437@gmail.com

HOUSTON (Sp) - Putting together perhaps the greatest defensive performance in school history here Saturday night, the La Porte Bulldogs beat the state-ranked and nationally-touted Katy Tigers, 9-7, to advance to the fourth round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Let's repeat that. THE LA PORTE BULLDOGS BEAT THE KATY TIGERS. As it turned out, the third time was the charm.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, thus face a rematch with District 21-5A rival Port Arthur Memorial, which beat Spring Branch Memorial. The setting will be Reliant Stadium, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. this coming Saturday.

It will be a rematch between La Porte and Memorial. The Dogs won the first contest, in late October, to claim the 21-5A championship, and now the two teams will have a rare opportunity to meet again in the same season. You might say this speaks well of the competition in 21-5A this season, what with two teams from the same district reaching the fourth round of post-season play.

But to be honest with you, there is no need to worry, right now, about that Memorial game next week. We need to focus on this mighty win over the seemingly invincible Tigers. Before the game, the Katy head coach was touting the La Porte defense as being one of the best in Texas. And when it was over, LaReau said the game featured two great defensive football teams. It is hard to argue with either one of them.

There were several factors in this game. For starters, kickoff was delayed an hour because foul weather forced a late start in the 1 p.m. game. Also, there was a very stiff breeze blowing out of the northwest - not straight across from the home side (Katy) of the stadium to the visiting (La Porte) side, but almost. We will add that the stands were virtually packed, and that the Bulldogs had a very large and boisterous bunch of boosters behind them - and a very happy bunch, we might add, at the end.

So now let's get to the action on the field.

The Bulldogs played excellent defense in the first half and went into the dressing room trailing by just a point at 7-6.

La Porte won the opening flip and decided to defer to the second half, so the Tigers wanted the ball, which meant the Bulldogs had the wind in the first period. The Tigers could get nothing going on their first possession as Malik Graves defended a pass, Ellis Hutchinson made a tackle to hold a passing play to six yards, and Chad Sutherland, Alex Jones and Hoza Scott combined for a big stop on third and four to force a punt.

The Dogs did manage a first down on their opening offensive effort as Keith Whitely stepped off five yards, Josh Vidales added four and Whitely got two to move the chains. But the drive was halted at that point, so Josh booted a fine punt out of bounds at the Katy 14.

Again, the defense was up to the task. Scott and Cameron Whilley combined for a tackle and no gain; Scott and Chris Hickey teamed for a sack and a loss of seven; and Sutherland had a big rush that forced an errant pass, leading to another Tiger punt.

That punt was fielded by Whitely at the Tiger 35 and he sprinted and spun and twisted for an excellent return of 29 yards, giving La Porte a first down at the Katy six.

Keith took a direct snap but could get no yardage, and Taejon Wearen was also stopped for no gain. But on third down Vidales took the snap out of the shotgun, started to go right, switched direction, took off to the left and followed blocking all the way into the end zone. It was 6-0 in favor of the Bulldogs with 5:07 left in the first quarter.

That's the good news. The bad news is that there was a miscue on the extra point attempt and holder Whitely tried to circle wide right for the two-pointer but was stopped a yard short, so the sure-footed Eric Medina did not get a chance to make it 7-0.

Katy got the ball after the ensuing kickoff on its own 20 because Medina blasted it out of the end zone. And their first run was snuffed by a jarring tackle by Sutherland. But the Tigers managed a couple of first downs, and got a gift on a personal foul call against the Bulldogs, allowing Katy to set up in La Porte territory.

No problem, however, as Hutchinson and Sutherland and Scott smoked a runner for a short gain; Scott put on a big rush that forced an incomplete pass; and another pass was off the mark as well, so the Bulldogs got the ball back on their own 14.

Whitely carried three times and converted one first down, but the Katy defense managed to hold from that point and two bad things resulted: 1) the Dogs had to punt, and 2) the first quarter had ended so Vidales had to punt into the wind, which meant the Tigers had the wind to their backs.

And soon thereafter disaster struck La Porte. Aaron Nance-Garrett and Trevor Holmes had combined to made a big stop on a first-down run and the Tigers were flagged for illegal procedure and missed a pass as Hoza Scott had a big rush. But on third and 11 the Tiger quarterback fired deep down the left side. Defender Malik Graves was in position but slipped on the wet Tully Stadium turf and the receiver gathered it in and scored the first - and only -- Katy touchdown. The extra point made it 7-6 in favor of the Tigers with 10:04 still left in the second period.

The Dogs got the ball back on their own 20 and Vidales made a big play on third and long for a first down. Josh took a snap out of the shotgun and went right, saw no room, cut way back to the left, circled wide and covered 17 yards in all for a first down to the Tiger 36. That was it, however, and Katy got the ball back on the Bulldog 47.

But again, no problem. Sutherland made successive jarring tackles to limit the Tigers to just two yards on those first two plays, and Hutchinson defended a pass successfully so another punt was forced. And once again, the Dogs had the ball at their own 20.

Two good things happened: 1) With the halftime clock running down, Whitely ran hard on a third and four to make a first down and keep the clock running; and 2) once a punt was a necessity, Vidales booted a beauty into the wind and the Tigers were backed up all the way to their 14.

Cameron Whilley made a big stop for a loss of three on first down, and after a pass and another run failed, a punt was forced. The Dogs ran the clock out, and it was a one-point game at halftime.

It stayed that way for a long time. La Porte had to punt after its first possession of the second half, but so then did the Tigers. Alex Jones had a big rush and should have been awarded a sack, and Graves picked off a pass on third down to give the Dogs the ball back on their own seven.

Whitely had a great run of 12 yards to the 19, and soon after stepped off seven more to move the chains again. But eventually the Dogs had to punt, and Vidales booted a dandy. It covered 52 yards in all against that stiff wind, putting the Tigers back in a hole when they figured to have excellent field position.

We will pause right here to point out that Josh had to punt nine times in all, and he did a masterful job in very difficult circumstances. While the Dogs were able to later take advantage of poor Tiger punts into the wind, Katy was never afforded that luxury, thanks to Vidales.

Anyway, back to the action. Sutherland put on a big rush and Hutchinson made a big hit on the ensuing Katy possession, and Jones also had a nice tackle. And after the Tigers ran for a first down, Whilley and Scott combined on a sack for a loss of five; Victor Holmes made a great open-field tackle; and the Dogs actually were able to overcome an unbelievably bad call by one of the officials. He flagged a Dog defender for pass interference even those the pass was a) too high, b) out of bounds, and c) there was no interference anyway.

But while the Tiger fans were patting themselves on the back for that gift, Hoza Scott put on a big rush that forced a fumble by the quarterback, and Cameron Whilley recovered to give the Dogs the ball on their own 45. And even though another Vidales punt soon followed, again the Tigers could not get good field position.

So Katy got the ball back but again could not move it, and the big play was a strong pass defense by Nance-Garrett that forced another punt. And this punt was not good, so the Dogs had good field position. They could not move it, so Vidales calmly booted a sweetheart of a kick that died on the Katy seven.

So now Whilley and Jones combine for a tackle and Scott tipped an aerial attempt and Mark Guzman and Whilley combined for a stop, so here comes another Katy punt.

This time the Dogs took advantage of great field position, starting at the Tiger 41. Johnathan Lewis stepped off six yards and Whitely went up the middle, made a cut, sprinted forward, then ducked his head and bulled his way to the Katy 16. Three running plays later and the Dogs had the ball in perfect position for kicker Eric Medina.

Now folks, this was a big kick. Teams do not get many chances to beat the Katy Tigers. There was that pesky wind, and the pressure had to be enormous. But the snap was perfect, the hold was perfect, the blocking was perfect and the kick was perfect. It was a 30-yarder for the lead as the Dogs went on top, 9-7, with 4:38 left in the game.

Eric also pinned the Tigers deep in their own territory with the ensuing kickoff, but their freshman running back finally hit a big run to get to midfield. The Dog defense rose to the occasion from there, however, and somewhat surprisingly the Tigers decided to punt with not much more than three minutes left in the game.

The La Porte offense probably would have salted it away with a first down, had it not been for an illegal procedure penalty, so Vidales was forced to punt one last time. The Tigers got the ball back at exactly the 50, with 2:05 left in the game.

They tried to run - Sutherland and Corey Lee stopped it; they tried to pass, but Guzman had a big rush that forced an errant throw; they tried to pass again, but again it did not work. So they tried to pass one more time, on fourth and eight, and Aaron Nance-Garrett picked it off and it was all over because the Tigers had no more timeouts so the Dogs simply ran out the clock.

Whitely had 94 very hard yards on 29 carries, and he also had the great punt return that set up the first touchdown, and caught one pass for 11 more yards. Keith can thank the likes of Justin King and Corey Lee and Tony Briones and Michael Leagan and Maurice Morris and Trevor Nelson and Jose Garcia for opening holes against the stingy Tigers.

But the night belonged to the Bulldog defense. Consider this: Katy had 144 yards of total offense and just seven first downs. Since they had the one TD pass that went for 52 yards and they had one run for 29, that means that they had just 63 total yards on the other 44 plays they ran during the game. And they had only 27 yards on the 22 times they ran the ball other than that one 29-yarder.

That, friends, is some fine defense. And against a powerhouse like Katy, it is even more outstanding.

Following their Nov. 26 win over the Katy Tigers, the La Porte High School Bulldogs will advance to the fourth round of the Texas high school football playoffs on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Dogs will face the Port Arthur Memorial Titans at 1 p.m. at Reliant Stadium.

Head Coach Jeff LaReau reported that La Porte ISD will receive tickets and additional information from Reliant Stadium on Monday, Nov. 28, and ticket sales are expected to begin on Tuesday, Nov. 29. More information on ticket prices, ticket sales hours, etc., will be posted here as soon as additional details become available. Please check back for updates.

For more information, contact the LPISD Athletic Office at 281-604-7670. Good luck to our Bulldogs this weekend!

A weather delay in the preceding game has caused the expected start time for the Nov. 26 La Porte-Katy playoff game to be moved to 7 p.m. at Spring Branch ISD's Tully Stadium. 

The live broadcast of the game and any additional updates will also be available on www.legacysportsnetwork.com.

Advance tickets will be on sale this week at the Athletic Office in the Physical Education Center on the LPHS campus. Student tickets purchased in advance will be $5, and adult tickets will be $8. All tickets at the gate will be $10.

Tickets will be sold Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call the Athletic Office at 281-604-7670.

The La Porte High School Football Booster Club is organizing a parking lot send-off for the team prior to the game.  Community members are asked to line up in two lines from the Dog House to the buses, which will be parked close to Fairmont Parkway, for the players to walk between as they leave for the game.  Those who would like to participate are asked to arrive at the LPHS parking lot around 2:45 p.m. to get lined up for the team's 3:15 p.m. departure.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

DEER PARK (Sp) -- With two playoff wins under their belts, the La Porte Bulldogs hope the third time will be the charm this coming Saturday when they go up again an old post-season nemesis -- the Katy Tigers.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, won the right to meet the Tigers this coming Saturday afternoon by virtue of their lopsided 42-6 domination of the Fort Bend Bush Broncos Saturday, here in Abshier Stadium. Katy reached the third round of post-season play Friday by downing Cy Woods.

The Bulldogs and Tigers were originally set to play this coming weekend at Reliant Stadium, but that plan fell through, so they will be back at one of their prior playoff venues -- Tully Stadium in the Spring Branch school district.

La Porte will be 11-1 at the 6 p.m. Saturday kickoff, and the Tigers will be 12-0 and ranked both statewide and nationally.

Against Bush Saturday, the Bulldogs rode a strong wind out of the south and a devastating ground game to demolish the Broncos in virtually every aspect of the game. La Porte scored three offensive touchdowns in the first quarter and had a 28-0 lead after the first play of the second period, enroute to a 35-0 halftime lead.

Let's start this report with praise for the Bulldog offensive line -- and we need to toss in accolades as well for kicker Eric Medina. The likes of Justin King and Jose Garcia and Michael Leagan and Maurice Morris and Corey Lee and Tony Briones and Trevor Nelson and Chris Webendorfer dominated the line play throughout the game, and played a particularly strong role in the early blitz by the La Porte offense.

Also, Medina had four straight kickoffs out of the end zone for the Dogs in the first quarter alone, further pinning the Broncos in hole after hole after hole.

After the defense snuffed Bush on the opening series -- thanks to plays by Chris Hickey and Aaron Nance-Garrett -- the offense got the ball on the Bronco 29 and moved quickly to TD No. 1. After Keith Whitely got nine yards and then added six and a first down at the 14, Taejon Wearen stepped off nine yards to the five. Whitely was held to no gain, but on third and one Wearen took a pitch left and went wide behind blocking from Devan Gay and Johnathan Lewis, scooting into the end zone with 8:40 still left in the first period. Medina booted the extra point and the Dogs were up by seven.

After booming kickoff No. 2 by Medina, the Broncos ran for two yards as Hoza Scott and Hickey made the tackle; got a yard on second down as Chad Sutherland made the stop; and could not run for the first down because a host of Bulldog defenders, led by Cameron Whilley, made the stop.

The Dogs got the ensuing punt at midfield, and the scoring drive was brief. After Whitely got seven yards, he took a handoff from quarterback Josh Vidales and went right straight up the middle virtually untouched. After Medina's second extra point boot the Dogs had a 14-0 lead and there was still 6:04 left in the initial period.

So here comes the defense again. Mark Guzman and Victor Holmes made a stop; Scott and Whilley made a tackle; Whilley made another stop, although the play resulted in first down No. 1 for the Broncos; Alex Jones and Aaron Nance-Garrett were there for a stop; and a strong rush forced an intentional grounding call against Bush. So the Broncos tried to punt and Scott blocked it and Whilley scooped it up and returned it to the Bronco 10. There was an illegal block on the runback, but the Dogs were first and 10 on the Bush 20.

A pass from Vidales to Jahvey Mark was stopped for a five-yard loss, but on second down Josh handed to Keith, who handed off to Johnathan Lewis. He went left behind blocks from Vidales and Trevor Nelson, and covered the 25 yards quickly to the end zone. Medina was true again and the Dogs had a 21-0 lead and there was still 2:32 left in the first quarter.

After an exchange of punts, the Broncos got the ball on their own 15 yard line to start the second period -- finally also getting the strong southerly wind at their backs. It did not help. Ellis Hutchinson stepped in front of a pass in the flats, picked it off and blitzed into the end zone for TD No. 4. Medina's kick made it 28-0, and only six seconds had passed in the second period.

Malik Graves and Chad Hickey and Hutchinson had made key stops on the previous Bush offensive attempt, and on the next one it was Scott and Nance-Garrett and Malik Graves again who kept the Broncos from going anywhere. And when the Dogs could not move on the ensuing possession and had to punt, Whitely went down and made a jarring tackle. And though the Broncos had mild success on their next offensive effort, we will point out that Tyler Davis and Sutherland and Malik Graves and Davis again and Sutherland again and Davis again and Corey Lee and Jones again all made big stops.

Moving from their own 32 late in the second period, the Dogs reached TD No. 5 with 44 seconds left before halftime. Lewis got two yards; Whitely got seven; Keith added four; Johnathan got one; Scott ran for four; Hoza then added six and a first down; Lewis stepped off four; and after two unsuccessful aerial tries, Bush called a timeout. Not a good plan. On fourth down Josh kept left and ran for a first down to the 34 with 52 seconds left before the half, and on the next play Vidales found Wearen deep down the left side and hit him for a touchdown. Medina's kick made it 35-0.

After outstanding performances by the Mighty Bulldog Marching Band and the Chatos drill team, it did not take long for the Dogs to get TD No. 6. But before we tell you about that, we will note that the defense made a stop, led by Hoza Scott and Chad Sutherland and Tyler Davis and Mark Guzman. That last one by Guzman foiled a fourth-down try by the Broncos.

The sixth, and final, TD of the game for La Porte came on a drive of 14 yards, thanks to that Guzman tackle. After Whitely lost a yard and Wearen gained it back, the Dogs faced a third and 10. So Vidales tossed a short pass to Whitely and Keith followed Lewis into the end zone for the score. Medina kicked for the 42-0 lead with 5:03 left in the third stanza.

So now let's talk more defense. Sutherland and Blake Turlington combined for a stop on the next series; Malik Graves was on the spot on a Bush passing attempt; and Scott forced a fumble that the Broncos managed to recover, although they still had to punt.

Bush did manage one score late in the third period to cut the lead to 42-6, but by that time Coach LaReau was able to get a number of players on the field, and give some rest to the starters. On other Bush offensive attempts, Trevor Mouton and Guzman and Justin Pickell and Whilley and Tyrone Graves and Travis Baker all had nice stops.

It was complete domination.

And now comes Katy; 12-0 versus 11-1. Two of the top teams in the Houston area squaring off again, deep into post-season play. It should be quite a show.

La Porte ISD's Baker Sixth Grade Campus has been named a 2011 Higher Performing School by the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA).

NCEA, a department of ACT, Inc., identifies those elementary, middle and high schools in Texas that have consistently outperformed their peers with similar student populations over a three-year period. This time frame includes the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.

Schools on the list are identified by one of two measures: academic growth of students at the school and/or achievement of students at the school using the TAKS Commended standard. According to NCEA, the identification of Higher Performing Schools is more selective than the Texas Education Agency's Exemplary or Recognized list and comprises just over 10 percent of public schools in the state. Baker earned Higher Performing School recognition for growth in all subjects tested and in both reading and math.

"La Porte ISD and our community are highly honored-but not surprised-that our Baker Bears have again been named by the prestigious National Council for Educational Achievement as a 2011 Higher Performing School," said David Knowles, LPISD executive director of secondary education. "Excellent performance by Baker on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills tests and overall growth in student performance above predicted expectations, based on a value-added analysis, are reasons for this recognition. Baker's students were motivated, well prepared and well supervised by one of the best cadres of educators in the area. The dedication and expertise of the Baker administration and staff, and the effort made by their students to excel, is part of the pattern that we have come to expect from Baker-top marks, great attitudes and a continuous quest for improvement."

NCEA, formerly known as Just for the Kids, began identifying Higher Performing Schools in 1998 and continues to annually release these lists as well as College and Career Readiness Charts for every public school in Texas. A complete list of 2011 NCEA Higher Performing Schools for Texas is available at www.nc4ea.org/HPschoolstx.

La Porte ISD has earned 27 Gold Performance Acknowledgments from the Texas Education Agency. The Gold Performance Acknowledgment system recognizes high performance on indicators other than those used to determine state accountability ratings.

Linda Wadleigh, LPISD deputy superintendent, presented a report to the Board of Trustees outlining district and campus achievements at the Nov. 8 Board meeting. Of the 15 indicators used in the Gold Performance Acknowledgment system, eight are applicable to elementary through high school, while seven apply to high school only.

"We are very proud of our students, teachers and administrators," Wadleigh said as she explained the recognitions.

LPISD as a whole received two Gold Performance Acknowledgements. The first was for participation and performance in the Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (AP/IB) program; LPISD has only the AP program.  At least 15 percent of the students had to have taken one or more AP test, with 50 percent or more scoring at or above the criterion. The district also earned Commended Performance in social studies, which means that 30 percent or more of the district's students scored at or above the Commended level in this area.

La Porte High School also was acknowledged for AP/IB and Commended Performance in social studies.

La Porte Junior High School earned an acknowledgment for commended performance in reading/English language arts and comparable improvement in reading. Comparable improvement is recognized only in reading and math; campuses must be in the top 25 percent of their 40-member campus comparison group. Lomax Junior High was acknowledged for commended performance in reading/English language arts, writing and social studies.

Baker Sixth Grade Campus was cited for comparable improvement in math and commended performance in reading/English language arts and math.

At the elementary level, campuses that received Gold Performance Acknowledgments include the following:

• Bayshore-comparable improvement in reading; commended in writing
• College Park-comparable improvement in reading; commended in reading, math and science
• Heritage-commended in math
• Reid-commended in science
• Lomax-commended in reading, math, writing and science
• Rizzuto-commended in reading, math and science

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

DEER PARK (Sp) -- The La Porte Bulldogs, ranked as the No. 5 team in the Houston area going into the weekend, got the 2011 Texas High School Class 5A playoffs off on the right foot here Friday night as they downed a familiar foe -- Pasadena Memorial -- by a 35-7 margin to advance to the second round of post-season play.

 The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, moved to 10-1 on the season with the win over the Mavericks.  The team will now take on Fort Bend Bush on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m. at Deer Park ISD's Abshier Stadium. The Dogs are competing in the Small School Division of post-season play.

Against Memorial Friday in the beautifully renovated Abshier Stadium in Deer Park, the Bulldogs needed a little time to get their sea legs under them, as they carried only a 14-0 lead into the halftime dressing. And by the way, those first 24 minutes of action zipped by. There were very few penalties and lots of action for just 14 points.

The La Porte defense went through the classic "bend but don't break" scenario in those first two quarters, allowing nearly 200 yards of offense by the Mavericks but still pitching a shutout. The Bulldog offense, on the other hand, racked up a little over 200 yards of offense in the first half but reached the end zone just twice.

The Bulldog defense was up the challenge on the first Maverick possession as Hoza Scott made a couple of tackles and Ellis Hutchinson picked off a Memorial aerial attempt, allowing the Dogs to set up at the Maverick 46.

After Keith Whitely got a yard, quarterback Josh Vidales and the offensive line took over. With the likes of Maurice Morris and Justin King and Tony Briones and Corey Lee and Trevor Nelson and Michael Leagan and Jose Garcia clearing running lanes all night, Vidales ran three straight plays, all to the right. He got 12 yards and a first down on the first one; he added seven yards via the identical route on the second one; and he ran all the way down to the four on the third one, setting up a first and goal.

From that point Taejon Wearen took a handoff left, went way wide and scooted into the end zone untouched. Eric Medina booted the extra point and the Dogs had a 7-0 lead with 9:35 left in the first period.

That, however, was it for the scoring until just before the end of the first half. We will note, however, that Chad Sutherland and Chris Hickey and Corey Lee and Hoza Scott and Cameron Whilley and Victor Holmes and Malik Graves and Tyrone Graves and Tyler Davis and Aaron Nance-Garrett and Alex Jones all had strong individual efforts on defense, despite the considerable yardage the Mavericks were able to amass.

We will add that senior Nance-Garrett played well on defense in those first 24 minutes, and had the hit of the game. He smoked a Maverick runner short of a first down, with a hit that could be heard high in the stands. And let's point out that Cameron Whilley had a great tackle on a fourth-and-two situation deep in Bulldog territory, allowing La Porte to take over on downs on the Dog 13.

It was from that point, by the way, that the Bulldogs started their second scoring drive of the night. They got 14 yards from Whitely on the first play; got three more from Keith before Johnathan Lewis stepped off 13 yards and a first down with a spinning run; added nine yards by Whitely; and took advantage of a six-yard run by Hoza Scott for another first down.

After a loss of two, Scott -- in for a slightly injured Whitely -- took a pitch right, was hit near the line, broke free, got into the secondary, was hit again, stumbled and regained his balance and got 33 yards in all, to the Maverick 12. He then added four, but Wearen was stopped for a loss of four to make it third and 10. So Vidales went back to pass, rolling right; he was rushed, so he cut back to the left; he went wide, then cut again at the five and sprinted into the end zone for the score. Medina booted the extra point and the Dogs had a 14-0 advantage with 2:44 left before the half.

After absolutely first-rate halftime performances by the Chatos Drill Team and the Mighty Bulldog Marching Band, the La Porte offense took the opening kickoff of the third period and marched crisply to a three-touchdown lead. Moving from their own 25, the Dogs got 15 yards from Lewis; they got six yards from Vidales; they got four more from Josh and a first down at the 50; and then they hit the home run. Whitely got the handoff and followed blocking expertly. It was a great, twisting run with cuts and darts and dashes, and it covered the full 50 to the end zone. Medina was true, as usual, and the Dogs were up by 21 points with 10:29 still remaining in the third quarter.

After the defense did its job, the offense got the ball on the La Porte 40 and soon extended the lead. First there was a quick-hitter from Vidales to Wearen, with Taejon splitting the defense and racing 35 yards to the Maverick 25. And then came another home run.

Vidales faked a handoff, started left, made a nice cut, had to spin away from one would-be tackler, went right, made another cut and blitzed into the end zone. The Medina extra point extended the lead to 28-0 with 6:51 remaining in quarter number three.

Let's make sure we point out that defensively, the Bulldogs had some more big plays. For instance, Victor Holmes had back-to-back tackles; Sutherland and Scott and Tyrone Graves combined for a fourth-down stopper; Whilley and Scott teamed up for a big tackle; and Malik Graves made an impressive open-field tackle. The result was that the Mavericks also were not able to get any points in the third period.

The Bulldogs scored TD No. 5 on the night with a nice offensive movement that featured outstanding blocking up front, and some fine runs as well. The drive covered 87 yards in all, and started relatively modestly as Lewis got two yards and Wearen added six before the Mavs were flagged for offsides, giving the Dogs a first down.

Lewis stepped off six yards to set up a Wearen beauty. Taejon went wide left, cut back toward the middle of the field, got open and raced 41 yards to the Maverick 27. After Johnathan added six, Scott bulled for eight and a first down. Hosa then ran hard up the middle for seven more, and it was Lewis who got the honors for the TD on a counter right. With the Medina automatic it was 35-0 in favor of the Dogs with just over five minutes remaining.

Let's not finish this without adding that Trevor Mouton had a big hit defensively to force a Maverick punt with 2:57 remaining. Also, we were told that a John Snelson high school team has never been shut out. If that is true, it still stands because the Mavs took advantage of a La Porte fumble to score with 2:13 remaining, resulting in a final score of 35-7. The Bulldogs had 394 yards of offense on the night and 24 first downs. They got all but 35 of those yards on the ground, as the one successful pass in four attempts was the quick-hitter to Wearen. Whitely had 87 rushing yards to lead the way; Lewis added 79; Vidales totaled 66 yards rushing; and Scott had six carries for 54 yards.

The Mavericks had 322 yards of total offense but just the one TD.

La Porte High School football coach Jeff LaReau has been named the Houston Texans Coach of the Week following the Bulldogs' win over Beaumont West Brook last week.  The award includes a $1,000 grant toward the La Porte football proram.

LaReau will also receive a Coach of the Week hat and a certificate signed by National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell and Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak.  He and a guest will also be invited to the annual Coach of the Week banquet held at the end of the 2011 season.

La Porte High School senior Imani Mark qualified for the state cross country meet this weekend in Round Rock after placing sixth overall at the Region III 5-A Regional Cross Country Meet at Atascocita High School on Nov. 5.

At the regional meet, Imani had a personal best time of 11:33 in her two-mile race. The girls cross country team placed ninth out of 23 teams, which was one place higher than last year and an improvement of 20 seconds on the team average.

Other LPHS competitors included Alexus Brown, who placed 28th with a time of 12:09; Arielle Price, who placed 40th with 12:28; Summer Barefield, 74th, 13:07; Dora Reynosa, 92nd, 13:28; Kimberlyn Patterson, 97th, 13:33; and Kayla Koch, 108th, 13:49. Alternates were Gabby Bustos, Jillian Turner and Savannah Riiggenbach.

The boys cross country team also competed at the regional meet, improving in overall time by 16 seconds from last year.

Individual results include Gustavo Aguilera, 24th place, 16:23; Kyle Hanes, 64th, 17:09; Jordan Claypool, 80th, 17:21; Cameron Avina, 82nd, 17:21; Erik Cantu, 95th, 17:35; Wyssam Zaban, 99th, 17:38: and Henry Blanchard, 127th, 18:08. 

The girls are coached by Carolina Rodriguez, and the boys are coached by Zach Johnson.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

BEAUMONT (Sp) -- It's called taking care of business, and that is exactly what the La Porte Bulldogs did here in the beautiful and spacious Butch Thomas Stadium Saturday night. They jumped to an early lead against always dangerous Beaumont West Brook and sprinted to a 38-20 victory in their last league game before post season play gets started.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, are the 21-5A champs. They are ranked fifth in the Houston area, and they have a 9-1 record thus far. But none of that matters now, because the second portion of the season is upon us -- the playoffs.

Up first on the post-season chart in the 5A Small School Division is a contest set for either this coming Friday night against Pasadena Memorial. The game will be played at 7 p.m. Friday at Abshire Stadium in Deer Park. The Bulldogs will be the No. 1 seed out of 21-5A and Memorial the fourth seed out of 22-5A.

Against West Brook Saturday, the Bulldogs wasted very little time in getting on the scoreboard. After the Bruins hit a pass for a first down, the Dog defense stiffened as Ellis Hutchinson and Aaron Nance-Garrett and Hoza Scott and Chad Sutherland led the way. The Dogs took the punt and set up on their own 27.

On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Josh Vidales faked a handoff to Keith Whitely going right and instead handed off to Johnathan Lewis going left. Lewis went wide, broke past the Bruin defense, and sprinted down the sidelines and into the end zone, covering the 73 yards to paydirt very quickly. Eric Medina booted the extra point and La Porte was up by 7-0 with 10:30 still left in the first period.

Again the defense was up to the task. This time Malik Graves picked off a long aerial attempt, giving the Dogs great field position at the West Brook 34. This drive took a little longer, but it resulted in seven more points.

Lewis stepped off six yards; Whitely went up the middle for six more as the offensive line started taking control. Lewis then got three, and on second and seven Whitely took a handoff and burst up the middle untouched and into the end zone. The play covered 19 yards, and with the Medina extra point the Bulldogs had a 14-0 advantage.

The Bruins tried to get something going offensively. They hit a big run to the Bulldog 24, but that's when the LP defense stood its ground. A pass missed; a quarterback keeper got six yards as Chris Hickey was there to make the tackle; a pass missed as Victor Holmes and Nance-Garrett were there to break up the aerial attempt; and a short pass on fourth down was not good enough as Nance-Garrett stopped the receiver a yard from a first down and the Dogs got the ball back, on their own 15.

The offense got a first down before Vidales had to punt, and the defense was ready again. Sutherland made a stop; Malik Graves made a tackle for a loss of four yards; Corey Lee made a tackle for a loss of three; and a big rush by Alex Jones and strong pass defense by Hickey forced another punt.

Starting at their own 26, the Dogs marched to a 21-0 lead. Lewis ran for seven and then for two, and on third and one Whitely ran for the first down with a gain of eight. Victor Holmes then took a pitch and went wide left and ran all the way to the West Brook 44, for another first down.

Minutes later the Dogs went deep into the playbook. Facing a fourth and four, they spread the field in what looked like a punt formation but Vidales took the snap and darted right straight up the field to get a first down at the West Brook 20.

From that point Whitely took that same counter handoff to the right as on his previous touchdown and went virtually untouched into the end zone for the score. Medina made it 21-0 with 10:46 left in the first half.

There was no more scoring in the second period, but we need to point out a few things. First, Tommy Banda made a fine tackle on the ensuing kickoff. Also, when it appeared the Bruins were about to mount a successful offensive push, Holmes picked off a West Brook aerial attempt and returned it to the Bruin 40.

Also, what would have been a nice run ended up as a disaster for the Bruins as Hoza Scott stripped the ball out of the runner's hand and ran it back to the West Brook 42.

We should note as well that the offensive line was once again up to the task in this game. Credit Maurice Morris and Justin King and Tony Briones and Jose Garcia and Trevor Nelson and Michael Leagan and Blake Turlington and Jared Howard. We will add that Chris Webendorfer was ill and unable to play.

After a first-class halftime performance by the Mighty Bulldog Band and Chatos Drill team, the Bulldogs extended their lead early in the third period. The Dogs had a fairly nice drive to open the period, but it ended with a 33-yard field goal try by Medina that was wide left. It was a rare second miss for Eric in the game, but he would redeem himself later.

At any rate, the offense got the ball back quickly as Scott knocked down a pass try; Mark Guzman and Alex Jones and others had a sack and a loss of eight yards; and a short punt gave LP the ball at the WB 30. The Dogs were not there long as Whitely took a pitch right, was hit, broke free, and raced down the sidelines, diving into the end zone for the score. Medina kicked true and it was 28-0 with 6:55 left in the third stanza.

After a nice tackle by Conniel Lloyd on the ensuing kickoff, the defense was again too tough for Brook, and the offense got the ball back at the Bruin 46. Taejon Wearen ran for six yards and Whitely got a first down at the Bruin 34, before Jordan Jackson threw to Jahvey Mark for a first down at the 23. The drive stalled, however, so Medina came on and booted a 48-yard field goal with 2:03 still left in the third stanza to up the lead to 31-0.

Credit Sutherland and Corey Lee and Cameron Whilley and others with continued fine defensive efforts, and Scott put the icing on the cake with just under seven minutes left in the game when he perfectly timed a Bruin pitch, stepped in front, grabbed it and raced some 65 yards to the end zone. Medina's kick made it 38-0.

The Bruins took advantage of three La Porte fumbles to get a trio of meaningless touchdowns with under five minutes left in the contest, but by then the home team stands were mostly deserted and the Bulldog faithful was thinking of the first playoff match-up.

La Porte Future Farmers of America (FFA) members earned top awards at the Youth Expo of Harris County Oct. 26 through 30.

La Porte High School senior Caise Roese had the Grand Champion market lamb at the event. LPHS sophomore Hunter Stewart's steer was a class champion and third place overall market steer. In addition, sophomore Caressa Mumme Burnett placed second in her class with her market hog, and senior Kelsey Gore earned seventh place in her lamb class. Sophomore Katy Walters exhibited her market goat, and junior Cody Haas exhibited his Santa Gertrudis heifer.

Four Junior FFA members competed in the market hog show. Jennie Reid Elementary fifth grader Corey Canales was a class winner and earned fourth place overall. Baker Sixth Grade Campus student Reid Worthington also won his class and was 11th place overall. Rizzuto Elementary fourth grader Rayne Lacombe was fifth in her class, and Jennie Reid fourth grader Cameron Canales was ninth place in his class.

The students are sponsored by LPHS agriculture teachers Amber Campise and Brandon Hein.

"Mr. Hein and I are both very proud of all the FFA members who competed," Campise said. "They represented La Porte well."

La Porte High School varsity football player Keith Whitely has been named the Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week for Week 9. Keith was chosen for this honor from among players in the state's 5-A schools.

Keith, a junior running back and safety, will be presented with a trophy by representatives of A.C. Collins Ford at a later date.

The announcement of this week's winners will be made on the Build Ford Tough Texas High School Player of the Week television program on Fox Sports Southwest at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5.  Highlights of the honored players in action will be shown the following Saturday, Nov. 12.

This is the sixth consecutive year that Ford has honored high school football players for their performance and leadership on and off the field.

La Porte High School cross country teams competed in the District 21-5A meet on Oct. 27, with all five teams winning the district championship.

The varsity boys team won the meet by a 20-point margin. The junior varsity boys earned a perfect score, with the top five runners from La Porte, and the freshman team missed accomplishing the same feat by just one point. The girls varsity and junior varsity teams also won their races.

The varsity teams will now advance to the regional meet at Atascocita High School on Saturday, Nov. 5. The top three teams at the regional competition will advance to state meet on Saturday, Nov. 12.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

First Deer Park fell, then the mighty Mustangs from North Shore felt the sting of the Bulldogs. And Friday night in Bulldog Stadium the home team treated their faithful followers to the most important win of all this season -- a 24-20, come-from-behind victory over the state-ranked Port Arthur Memorial Titans.

The win clinches the top spot in District 21-5A for the now 8-1 Bulldogs, no matter what happens this coming Saturday night on the road against Beaumont West Brook, because at worst La Porte and Memorial would be tied and La Porte would get the title nod with this win.

As for post-season play, it starts in two weeks and it's too early to speculate as to which 22-5A team the Dogs will go up against, but it will be a familiar opponent, since La Porte just moved out of that league. The guess right now is that the first Bulldog post-season opponent will be either Pasadena Memorial, Pasadena or South Houston.

At any rate, we are getting ahead of ourselves. In the huge win over the Titans Friday, the Bulldogs had battled to just a 6-3 deficit at the half. And those first 24 minutes featured a school record 55-yard field goal by junior Eric Medina. But Memorial broke an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of the third period, moving to a 10-point lead at 13-3. The scoring drive covered 15 seconds.

However, the Dogs did not hang their heads. In fact, an Alex Jones sack of 18 yards was the deciding factor in forcing a Titan punt minutes later, and the Dogs set up on their own 49.

Quarterback Josh Vidales hit Aaron Nance-Garrett for 18 yards to the 33, and a Keith Whitely run and Memorial personal foul allowed La Porte to set up deep in Titan territory. Vidales threw to Taejon Warren for three yards, then Whitely ran for three, setting up a third and four. A pass play did not work, and a personal foul and ejection forced a Medina 43-yard field goal try that was plenty long enough but barely wide right.

Okay, so we're still down by 10. But not for long. Alex Jones stopped a Titan run and then Whitely stepped in front of a Memorial aerial attempt at about the Titan 35 and ran it into the end zone. Quick pick for six, and with Medina supplying the point after, the Bulldogs were still very much in this one at 13-10 with 4:38 left in the third period.

However, here came the Titans again. Their quarterback ran for 32-yards on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, and soon afterwards he hit a long pass. And the Dogs were kind enough to help out with another personal foul. Add a quarterback keeper for the score, and it was 20-10 with 3:05 left in the third period. Memorial had three touchdowns in barely more than two minutes of clock time.

We are pleased to report that from the La Porte 20 after the ensuing kickoff, Keith Whitely made one of the finest runs seen in Bulldog Stadium in many, many years -- and there have been a bunch of them. He went left, was hit, broke free, started moving downfield, was hit again, got loose again, threw a hard stiff-arm, kept rolling, and made it all the way to the Memorial 31. That's 49 yards in all, as the Bulldogs just refused to quit.

Hoza Scott, in on offense for the first time, spelled Whitely and got seven yards, and on third and three he fought his way down to the Titan 17. Whitely went back in and got three yards; Keith went up the middle on a counter and reached a first down to the Memorial five; Scott followed a flock of blockers to the one-foot line; and Whitely leaped over the stack from there to get the TD as time expired in the third period. Medina's kick made it 20-17 as the final stanza got underway.

The defense held this time, with Chad Sutherland and Scott and Chris Hickey and Jones and Corey Lee and others stepping up. The Dogs got the ball back on their own 35.

Whitely and Johnathan Lewis started following the blocks of the up-front guys such as Justin King, Maurice Morris, Corey Lee, Trevor Nelson, Jose Garcia and Chris Webendorfer and Michael Leagan and Tony Briones, and the Bulldogs were on the move. And they actually hit a big run by Scott for what would have been a first down, but there was a fumble and a Memorial recovery and the drive was stopped.

The Bulldog defense bent a bit after that but never broke, forcing a punt, and the offense got the ball back with 5:17 left in the game. The ball was on the La Porte 17 yard line.

Whitely got 10 yards; Scott was held to no gain; Taejon Warren ran for six; and Whitely ran for three to set up a fourth and one. Keith followed blocking to a first down at the La Porte 40 with 3:08 left in the game. Whitely then ran for 11 to get inside Titan territory at the 49, but Lewis lost a yard, and the Dogs were flagged for illegal procedure. So make it second and 16 and run Whitely for three yards, and let's call a time out with 1:43 left in the game, facing third and 13. Vidales threw to Victor Holmes for nine yards, making it fourth and four. Wait a minute. Make it fourth and nine on a false start; that's 10 yards given up this drive on penalties. But no sweat because Vidales rolled right and fired, on the run, a bullet to Wearen for a first down at the Titan 37.

Whitely then ran for 11 more to the Memorial 26, before stepping off seven to the 19, from whence the Dogs called a time out with 54 seconds left in the game. Thanks, because we all needed a breather.

From the 19, Vidales pitched back to Holmes, and he skirted the left end to the Titan nine for a first and goal. Never mind that Whitely was stopped for no gain, because Holmes went left to the three. Whitely then fought his way into the end zone, over the right side of the line, and the Bulldogs had the 24-20 lead with 28 seconds left in the game.

We can not over-emphasize the importance of the determined running and equally determined blocking on this heart-stopping final drive of the night. It was a thing of beauty, and the defense came on to stop any last-minute Titan heroics and secure the huge win.

Anyone who saw all the offensive fireworks of last week's Bulldog win over North Shore might get the idea that the first half of this one was boring, since only nine points were scored. But there were plenty of hard hits, some outstanding efforts, one outstanding La Porte defensive stand, a couple of impressive La Porte offensive drives, a school record field goal, and one Port Arthur Memorial blitz -- all of which resulted in a 6-3 Titans advantage at the half.

The Dogs were forced to punt on their first possession, and Josh Vidales' kick was downed at the Titan three. And thus began a 96-yard drive to no points.

Scott had a nice tackle for La Porte early in the drive, but that was pretty much it in terms of Bulldog accolades until Memorial got deep into Dog territory. At first and goal at the La Porte nine, the Titans got two yards, with Chad Sutherland making the tackle; they got three more, with Alex Jones making the stop; and they got three more, with Cameron Whilley on the tackle. That adds up to fourth and one, and Sutherland and Whilley and Chris Hickey and several others made the big stop to keep the Titans out of the end zone.

Moving from their own one, the Dogs were steady and impressive. Keith Whitely got three yards, then added nine and a first down. Johnathan Lewis then stepped off 12 more yards, before Whitely went up the middle for nine to the 33. Keith got two more for a first down at the 35, and after Whitely lost two, Vidales hit Whitely out of the backfield, and the play covered 10 yards.

The Titans were offsides on the third-and-two, so chalk up another first down. Lewis lost two yards, but Taejon Wearen stepped off nine to the left, before getting one more, setting up a fourth and one. So Whitely got the first down with a gain of six, and the Dogs appeared to be on a roll. Scratch that, however, as a trick play and a false start and a short gainer foiled the momentum and forced another Vidales punt.

Port Arthur started at its own 20 and could go nowhere. Malik Graves made a nice tackle on a short pass; Tyrone Graves and Mark Guzman combined on a tackle for a loss of two; and Graves, Hickey, Sutherland and Jones combined for a stuff to force a punt.

The offense could not move, so the defense had to come on and pitch a shutout. It worked. Ellis Hutchinson smoked a receiver on second down, after a pass missed on first down; another incomplete pass brought on the punter again; and Whitely made a nice fair catch to allow the Dogs to set up at the Memorial 42.

A personal foul call on the Dogs appeared to snuff the offensive effort, but a run up the middle by Whitely gained nine yards and got the ball to the Titan 38. Head coach Jeff LaReau then sent the strong-legged and accurate Medina onto the field to attempt a school record 55-yard field goal. And folks, he hit it! The boomer rode the north wind through the uprights, and the Bulldogs had a 3-0 lead with only 2:01 left before the half.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Memorial hit two big plays -- a run and a pass -- and found paydirt in just 27 seconds. The good news to follow is that Malik Graves blocked the extra point, so the Dogs were down by just three with 27 seconds left in the second period.

In the end, it could be said that those quick scoring drives proved to be the undoing of the Titans, because their defense was forced to spend a lot of time on the field, and finally wilted under the constant La Porte offensive barrage.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

GALENA PARK (Sp) -- The La Porte Bulldogs took advantage of three huge mistakes by the North Shore Mustangs in the second quarter here Friday night, overcame a 23-point Mustang run, then got offensive life late in a thrilling 38-30 victory in a key 21-5A football game.

It's the first La Porte win over a North Shore team in as long as anyone can remember.

There were five touchdowns scored with five minutes left in that heart-stopping second period, and three of them were scored -- in succession -- by the Bulldogs. In fact, La Porte had a 24-0 lead with 5:02 remaining before the half, before the Mustangs managed to take advantage of a Bulldog bobble to make it interesting.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, are thus 7-1 on the season and still unbeaten in 21-5A action, with two games left in the regular season. They host Port Arthur Memorial at 7 p.m. this coming Friday in Bulldog Stadium, then hit the road Nov. 4 for the league finale at Beaumont West Brook.

Against North Shore, all the pre-game experts were pointing toward a low-scoring, defensive affair. And the first 19 minutes followed that script. But then the dam broke late in the second stanza, and those in the audience looked like they were watching a tennis match as the two teams raced back and forth down the field.

The Bulldogs could not get much going on their first possession, and Josh Vidales punted it away. The defense was ready as Malik Graves and Hosa Scott and Chad Sutherland and Chris Hickey made stops to force a punt that was killed on the La Porte eight yard line.

What followed was an impressive offensive effort. With linemen such as Maurice Morris and Justin King and Chris Webendorfer and Jared Howard and Michael Leagan and Tony Briones and Juan Garcia and Trevor Nelson working hard up front all night, the offense found sustained success. They got a first down on a third-and-three effort as Keith Whitely ran for three; they got a second first down as Vidales rolled right and threw to Cameron Whilley over the middle; they converted a third-and-eight as Johnathan Lewis went wide left for exactly the yardage needed; they converted another third-and-eight when Vidales hit Aaron Nance-Garrett cutting left to right across the middle for a gain of 12; and tack on 15 more yards on a Mustang personal foul and you have s first and 10 at the North Shore 23.

The drive stalled so Eric Medina came on and booted a 38-yard field goal that split the uprights, and the Dogs had a 3-0 lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter.

The Mustangs had slightly more success on their next possession, but Nance-Garrett and Scott and Nance-Garrett again and Whilley and Malik Graves had strong defensive efforts, forcing another punt. The LP offense could not move, and another punt gave the Mustangs the ball on the La Porte 40.

It looked like North Shore was poised for a score, despite defensive effort by Tyrone Graves and Victor Holmes and Sutherland and Hickey, and Hickey again. But the tide shifted rapidly. Facing third and goal at the 11, the Mustangs got fancy. They tried a halfback pass back to the quarterback, but Hosa Scott was not fooled. He stepped in front of the receiver, tipped the ball, juggled it, took control and raced down the left sidelines for 85 yards. He dove into the left end zone with a Mustang hot on his trail. TD La Porte. Medina booted the extra point and the Dogs had as 10-0 advantage with 5:02 left before halftime.

Medina then kicked off and the ball hit the turf in front of the deep returnees and over the heads of the blockers. Lewis raced down and recovered at the Mustang 19. Whitely got four yards; Vidales kept right for a first down at the seven; Vidales rolled right and threw to Ellis Hutchinson, who hung on despite a big hit, putting the ball at the two; and Lewis skirted the left side for the score with 3:21 left. Medina made it 17-0.

North Shore had a nice return of the ensuing kickoff, and starting at midfield looked poised, once again, for a score. They were aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called against the Dogs, and had a first down at the La Porte 31. But then the Mustangs fumbled and once again, Hosa Scott was on the spot. He scooped up the loose pigskin and ran untouched some 65 yards to paydirt. With Medina true as usual, the Bulldogs had a 24-0 lead and only 2:42 remained before the half.

But nothing comes easy, especially against North Shore. The Mustangs marched quickly to a score, then took advantage of a La Porte fumble on the ensuing kickoff to score once again, and it was 24-14 at the half. Five touchdowns in barely more than four minutes. What looked like it could have been a laugher turned into a nail-biter.

It got closer early in the second half as the Mustangs took the kickoff and drove from their own 32 to the La Porte 4. That was as far as they got, however, as they had to settle for a 21-yard field goal to cut the lead to 24-17. And just to make it interesting, the Mustangs intercepted a pass and drove for another score late in the third stanza, but Malik Graves blocked the extra point attempt, and the Dogs were left clinging to a one-point lead. But not for long.

Starting at their own 36, the Bulldogs had an impressive offensive drive that resulted in seven more points. It started with a great spinning run by Whitely up the middle for 16 yards. Lewis ran hard for five yards, before Whitely got two and Taejon Wearen stepped off a first down at the North Shore 35.

Back it up for five because of a false start but that's no sweat because on first and 15 La Porte got tricky, and it worked. Vidales handed to Whitely going right; Keith handed it to Lewis, going left; and Lewis raced down the left sidelines, following Vidales. Vidales got enough of a block near the goal line to help Lewis get it in, and after Medina kicked La Porte was up by eight at 31-23 with 56.1 seconds left in the third period.

So now we needed some D, and we got it. Credit Alex Jones and Mark Guzman particularly, and the Stangs were forced to punt. Thus began La Porte TD drive No. 2 of the second half.

Starting at their own 22 with 10:36 left in the game, the Dogs moved to a first-down run by Lewis; a six-yard counter run by Whitely; a counter to the left by Lewis that got the ball to the North Shore 42; and soon thereafter one heck of a third-down play. Vidales faked a handoff, went back to pass, and spotted Wearen streaking down the left side. The throw was right there; the catch was a fine one; and the ball ended up on the North Shore one yard line. Chad Sutherland ran it in from there on first and goal, and after Medina kicked the Bulldogs had a 38-23 lead.

But not for long as here came the Mustangs again. They scored with 4:50 left in the game, and the Bulldogs were not out of the woods yet.

The offense could not get a first down, so the defense had to come on to put it away. The Mustangs had the ball at their own 39, and they had two minutes and 58 seconds to get to the end zone. They went for it all on the first play, and Victor Holmes was there to pick off the bomb, giving the Dogs the football at their own 20. Whitely ran three times for the first down that clinched it as the Dogs were able to run out the clock.

How sweet it is!!! Wins over Deer Park and North Shore in the season. What could be next?

Three La Porte High School seniors have been named Scholars in the National Hispanic Recognition Program.

Alex Andrea Klein, Joel Ortiz and Devin Villarreal were among nearly 5,000 honorees selected from a pool of over 235,000 who took the 2010 PSAT/NMSQT®/PAA™ test and identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino.

Alex is the daughter of Teresa and Ron Klein. She plans to attend the University of North Texas, where she will work toward a bachelor's degree in forensic chemistry. She plans to become a crime scene investigator.

Joel, the son of Patricia Delgado and George Ortiz, plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin. His eventual goal is to be both a computer scientist and a musician.

The son of Troy and Nicolle Villarreal, Devin wants to be a neurosurgeon. He plans to attend Rice University next fall.

Students recognized by the National Hispanic Recognition Program are at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino (based on the program's definition) and have achieved a minimum PSAT/NMSQT®/ PAA ™score for their region. Those with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher are designated as Scholars. The names of these outstanding students will be distributed to subscribing four-year postsecondary institutions.

Make-up pictures for ninth, 10th and 11th grade students at La Porte High School are scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 1, in the LPHS Student Center. For more information, contact yearbook sponsor Susan LaReau at 281-604-7694.

The La Porte High School swim team dominated South Houston and Dobie high schools on Oct. 20, taking first place in combined team scores.

The girls team beat Dobie by more than 130 points, while the boys took second to the Longhorns.

"This was the first meet of the season for the swim team, and with a very young team, the season looks promising," said swim coach Cortney Arrant.

The girls Medley Relay consisting of Amanda Elfstrom, Victoria McLaughlin, Conchita Rodriguez and Alex Chaplin took first place with a time of 2:14.20. A team of first-year high school swimmers, including Autumn Zinn, Sarah Jimenez, Victoria Hoots and Andrea Rojas placed third in the same race. The boys placed second in their medley relay, with a time of 1:54.62. This relay included Shawn Dunford, Tyler Brown, Josh Block and Miguel Archundia.

In the 200 Individual Medley, McLaughlin and Amber Wilborn took first and second, respectively. Block and Archundia took second and fourth in their IM race.

In the girls 50 free, Abbie Robb swam a 28.35, earning her first place, followed by Andrea Rojas in third (30.83), Alex Chaplin in fourth (30.89) and Jordan McMillan in eighth (31.53). This is McMillan's first year to swim. In the boys 50 free, Tyler Brown placed third with a time of 24.59 and Matt Wolfe placed fifth with a time of 26.71.

Abbie Robb and Hoots placed first and second in the 100 Butterfly with times of 1:18.60 and 1:25.58, respectively. In the boys 100 Fly, Shawn Dunford and Sean Velasquez placed second and third.

For the girls 100 Freestyle race, the Bulldogs placed second through ninth. WInners include Lynda Taylor, second (1:12.07); Alex Chaplin, third (1:12.39); Andrea Rojas, fourth (1:13.44); and Katie Brown, fifth (1:16.53). Tara O'Sullivan, Jimenez, Zinn and Nelson placed sixth through ninth respectively. In the boys 100 free, Archundia placed fourth (56.41); Ryan Dodd, seventh (1:06.06); and Josh Mazariegos, eighth (1:11.00).

Rodriguez and Wilborn placed first and second in the 500 freestyle, each swimming personal best times. Hunter Turlington placed second in the boys 500 free with a time of 6:37.99.

In the 200 free relay, the combination of Robb, McLaughlin, Chaplin and Wilborn beat out the rest of the heat with a time of 2:01.30. In second place, La Porte's second relay of Rojas, Jiminez, Brown and McMillin put up an impressive time of 2:06.97. For the boys, Tyler Brown, Wolfe, Dunford and Archundia placed sceond (1:39.14) and Dodd, Jake Block, Mazariegos and Velasquez placed third overall.

In the 100 backstroke, Amanda Elfstrom placed 1st with a time of 1:18.89. Trailing her in third through seventh places from La Porte were Conchita Rodriguez (1:23.15), Katie Brown (1:26.00), Lynda Taylor, Autumn Zinn and Tara O'Sullivan. For the boys, Shawn Dunford placed first with a time of 1;07.99, Nathen Hill, fourth (1:29.40), Jake Block, fifth; AJ Wicke, sixth; and Ryan Dodd, seventh.

In the final individual race of the day, McLaughlin and Jiminez took first and second in the 100 breaststroke with times of 1:25.36 and 1:29.44, respectively. Nelson, Destiny Vincent and Alyx Grimes placed fourth, fifth and sixth. In the boys 100 breaststroke, Block placed second with a time of 1:13.65, and Turlington placed fourth, Mazeriagos fifth, Andy Robb sixth and Dallas Burton eighth.

For the last race of the night, the girls took 1st and 2nd in the 400 free relay. Wilborn, Abbie Robb, Elfstrom and Rodriguez placed first, followed by the combination of Taylor, Land, Nelson and Hoots. The boys 400 free A relay (Block, Brown, Turlington and Velasquez) placed first in front of Dobie, and the B relay placed 3rd (Andy Robb, Dodd, Wicke and Wolfe).

On Oct. 25, the swim team will compete at Clear Lake High School at 6:00 p.m.

A group of La Porte High School freshmen had the chance to learn about conducting in-depth research and participating in the Texas Performance Standards Project during an "in-school field trip" on Oct. 13.

Sandra Warren, LPHS Spanish teacher, explained that the activity was among those offered to students who are identified as gifted/talented and other interested students to help them prepare to do "incredible research" during their high school years.

The in-school field trip included two information sessions, "How Do I Do Research?" and "Elements of the Texas Performance Standards Project-Thinking Outside the Box" in addition to numerous other activities.

"Junk Box Wars" was the theme of one exercise in which groups of students created a device to hold a raw egg and safely parachute it to the ground when it was dropped from the top of Bulldog Stadium. The groups did in-depth planning and demonstrated their teamwork and creative abilities in working together on their projects.

The students later divided into groups for a Quiz Bowl, during which they answered questions pertaining to current events, their pre-Advanced Placement courses, or the research and Texas Performance Standards Project workshops held earlier that day.

The state goal for services for gifted/talented students, as outlined in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, is that "students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment." In addition, the goal cites that "high school graduates who have participated in services for gifted/talented students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services."

In La Porte ISD, the Texas Performance Standards Project is required of all gifted/talented ninth graders and may be submitted for review by a panel of experts to possibly earn a "measure" for graduating under the Distinguished Achievement Plan (DAP). La Porte served as one of six districts in Region IV to pilot the Texas Performance Standards Project from 2000-2006.

The Texas Performance Standards Project is a system of interdisciplinary units and assessments to motivate and document high levels of academic achievement for gifted and talented students and is designed to improve the rigor and relevance of advanced academic instruction. Addressing the Texas State Goal for the Education of Gifted Students, the project provides an opportunity for GT students to produce quality, innovative work and challenges their communication skills, understanding of inquiry and research processes and ability to analyze and synthesize.

The students are enrolled in a "zero class" period, which means that meet on Wednesdays during lunch and have opportunities for work before and after school. LPHS teachers Julie Ipsen, Jaime Licon, Mary Wacey and Sandra Warren serve as mentors to the students and offer guidance to them as they complete their projects. The projects are presented and judged in May, and an exhibition is held at the high school to showcase the students' work. Students receive a grade each six weeks and a final grade for their project.

"I continue to be impressed with the high quality work our gifted and talented students are producing through the Texas Performance Standards Project," said Linda Wadleigh, La Porte ISD deputy superintendent. "The TPSP provides great opportunities for our students to explore their interests at levels not often possible in school. I firmly believe that participation in the in-depth study associated with the TPSP can positively impact our students' future studies and career plans."

Subsequent to the school finance system passed by the last legislative session and months of study on its negative impacts on the children and taxpayers of La Porte ISD, and with strong recommendation to do so from Superintendent of Schools Lloyd Graham, LPISD has agreed to join a coalition of school districts to challenge the constitutionality of the state's current school finance system.

This coalition will be comprised of a broad and diverse group of school districts that will stand together and raise common concerns. These efforts are focused on obtaining a court ruling that will compel the Legislature to adequately fund public education, give local districts discretion over their own tax rates and tie funding to the standards and requirements of the state.

At the Oct. 11 meeting of the LPISD Board of Trustees, the Board adopted a resolution to participate in this school finance litigation and to engage the firm of Thompson & Horton LLP, which will represent the coalition. The lead attorneys will be firm partners David Thompson and Philip Fraissinet , who were part of the legal team that successfully argued the 2005 school finance litigation, West Orange Cove ISD v. Neeley. Thompson also represented the Texas Association of School Boards Legal Assistance Fund in Edgewood IV in 1995, on behalf of 263 school districts, to question for the first time the adequacy of Texas public school funding.

In November 2005, the Texas Supreme Court struck down the state school finance system, finding that the Texas Legislature had over-relied on local property taxes, left local school districts without meaningful discretion over local tax rates, and ultimately was operating a state property tax in violation of the Texas Constitution. In the West Orange Cove opinion, the Supreme Court warned the Legislature that the state's system of financing public schools was dangerously drifting toward constitutional inadequacy if significant structural changes were not made. The coalition will maintain that this has come to pass.

This plaintiff group will make three assertions about the state's system of financing public schools and why it is unconstitutional.

First, this coalition will argue that the state's school districts are once again essentially operating under a state property tax. In the West Orange Cove ruling in 2005, the Texas Supreme Court noted that local school districts should have meaningful discretion over their own local tax rates and must have the right to supplement or enhance these rates over and above the requirements set at the state level.

This coalition will assert that most districts have the tax rates they currently do not because of their own communities' preferences, but to keep up with the requirements set by the state. While the coalition supports high standards for all Texas students, it believes that the state funding mechanism should be tied to those standards.

Second, the adequacy of Texas's system of financing public schools will be argued. In addition to students facing increased standards each year, the number of students in Texas grows by approximately 80,000 to 90,000 students annually-an enrollment 10 times greater than that of LPISD-with no funding for growth. Many of those students come from economically disadvantaged households or have other needs that school districts must address.

The final claim will be that the current funding system is irrational. The current target revenue system includes "weights" and other factors that are meant to account for differences in student populations. For example, the cost per student in a high school welding classroom is much more than the cost per student in a regular fifth grade classroom because of the specialized equipment and classroom space needed for this type of training; therefore, the per-student enrollment in the welding class is "weighted" to account for this increased cost.

The assertion of this coalition will be that the current system is outdated and not tied to the actual cost of educating students. The group will seek the court's intervention and direction of the Legislature to make significant structural changes that allow all Texas school districts to adequately fund services for their student populations.

As plans for the lawsuit are finalized and throughout significant events in the process, the LPISD Administration will provide updates and comments through this newsletter and the district website.

Graham said his recommendation was based primarily on his observation that "given the strength and talent of our diverse student body, the overriding quality of our faculty, the effective and efficient leadership present on our campuses and in our departments, all residing within the incalculable wealth of a loving and supporting school community-if the current school finance system did not work in the best interests of La Porte ISD's children, then for whom will it work?"

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

Whew!

Forced to make a last-minute stand on a two-point conversion against the 0-6 Baytown Sterling Rangers Friday night on their home turf, the La Porte Bulldogs managed to eek out a 14-13 victory to move to 6-1 on the season, setting the stage for a tough three-game stretch against a trio of strong high school football teams.

At 2-0 in 21-5A action, the Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, are already virtually assured of a post-season berth. But the hill they will be forced to climb these next three weeks is a steep one, starting with a road game against always powerful North Shore at 7 p.m. this coming Friday. And to give the Dogs the benefit of the doubt, we are going to assume they were looking past the winless Rangers and ahead to the Mustangs.

After that North Shore game, the Dogs will host Port Arthur Memorial -- the team that beat North Shore in 21-5A action earlier this season. That game is set for Friday, Oct. 28 in Bulldog Stadium. And the Dogs end the regular season on the road against always tough Beaumont West Brook.

Against the Rangers Friday, let's credit this win to the defense. While the offense was struggling and had two touchdowns called back, the defense allowed just six points, and made the key stand at the end on the two-point try. The Bulldogs had to overcome a fumble that Sterling returned the length of the field for a go-ahead touchdown in the first quarter, and they had to overcome as well two touchdowns being called back. But in the end, they had just enough to put the Rangers away.

With the score knotted at 7-7 early in the third quarter, the Bulldogs moved crisply for 56 yards and the go-ahead touchdown. Keith Whitely ran for 12 yards; Josh Vidales threw to Taejon Wearen for three yards; Whitely ran for a first down at the Sterling 31; and sophomore quarterback Jordan Jackson threw to Wearen for four yards.

Whitely then took a direct snap from center and went right up the middle, dragging a tackler all the way to the Sterling 14. From there Jackson threw to Aaron Nance-Garrett on the left side and Nance-Garrett cut back to the middle and raced into the end zone. Eric Medina's extra point made it 14-7.

But the Rangers did not quit, and they eventually drove for their only offensive TD of the night -- with 1:24 left in the game. In order to score, they had to overcome a third-and-32 situation, and they did so with a long pass to the Dog seven. After the TD, the Rangers decided to skip overtime and go for the win. They tried to run right but Chad Sutherland and Alex Jones and a host of other Bulldogs were there to snuff it, and the Dogs ran out the clock to secure the win.

The first half could not end quickly enough for the Bulldogs -- although everything looked fine early in the first quarter. But it changed rapidly.

The Dogs took the opening kickoff and moved steadily down the field toward what looked like their first scoring march. Starting at their own 23, then hit a screen pass to the left on a third and 13 as Josh Vidales found Keith Whitely for a gain of 17 and a first down. Then it was Vidales to Nance-Garrett for 12 yards over the middle. After Whitley ran for seven and a Vidales pass was dropped, Josh hit Jahvey Mark for six and a first down. Mark ran hard on the play after the catch.

After a five-yard loss on a procedure penalty, followed by a dropped pass, Whitely ran for 12 before Vidales found Trevor Nelson over the middle for a first down all the way to the Ranger 26. Taejon Wearen followed with a run of seven yards to the 19, before Whitely used patience to wait for blocking to develop and ran for a first down at the 15.

But on third and five, disaster struck. Vidales was on the sidelines and Sutherland was in the backfield, but there was a miscue on the snap, followed by a scramble for the ball. A Ranger scooped it up and raced all the way into the end zone untouched. In a flash, the Dogs were down seven with 5:59 left in the first period. The long and time-consuming drive went for naught.

The next Bulldog possession was not as successful, forcing a Vidales punt. Tyrone Graves had a big hit on the return man, forcing a fumble, but Sterling got the ball. Sutherland made two big plays on defense to force a punt, but three running plays by the Dogs on their next possession netted just nine yards so Josh had to boot it again. Credit Graves and Alex Jones and Chris Hickey and Cameron Whilley with strong defense, and once again the Rangers had to punt. But so did the Dogs, only this time Vidales got off a boomer of 58 yards (he had one later for 51 as well).

Fortunately for La Porte, a long touchdown run by the Rangers was nullified by a holding call, and later in the drive Hickey forced a fumble and Tyler Davis fell on it for the Bulldogs. And thus began the first La Porte touchdown drive of the evening.

Starting at their own 35, the Dogs got three yards on a Whitely run plus 15 more for a Sterling personal foul, allowing La Porte to set up at the Ranger 47. Keith stepped off seven, then took a delayed handoff, went right, got a good block from Mark, and raced 31 yards in all, to the Sterling seven.

After Johnathan Lewis ran for one yard, Vidales rolled right and found Trevor Nelson all alone in the end zone for the TD. Eric Medina kicked true and it was 7-7. It stayed that way through the first half, although we will make two points: Nance-Garrett and Graves and Victor Holmes and Malik Graves and Sutherland all had big defensive plays, and La Porte had a touchdown called back as well. Vidales hit Nance-Garrett on the left sidelines and Nance-Garrett busted it into the end zone from 48 yards out, but a holding call wiped it out.

We will note as well that Medina, who has one of the strongest legs in recent La Porte memory, was on target but just a few feet short on a 56-yard field goal try as time expired in the second period. We will also add that Ellis Hutchinson and Victor Holmes and Nance-Garrett and Malik Graves did an overall fine job in the defensive backfield all night. And we should mention that Cameron Whilley and Alex Jones and Tyrone Graves and Sutherland were all over the field on defense, and that Whilley had a tip on a pass defense play, with Malik Graves getting the interception. And Hutchinson had an interception of his own.

And while the offense mostly sputtered, Maurice Morris, Justin King, Trevor Nelson, Michael Leagan, Chris Webendorfer and Jared Howard had some big blocks in the game, which is one reason the hard-running Whitely had 131 total yards on 19 carries.

Vidales hit 11 of 17 passes for 107 yards and had at least three more dropped; Nance-Garrett had five catches for 52 yards with the one big one called back; and Wearen had five catches for 43 yards.

La Porte had 15 first downs while holding Sterling to 11, and the Bulldogs had 232 yards of total offense and held the Rangers to 189. And Vidales averaged 42.6 yards per punt, with the long of 58.

So now bring on the Mustangs, and let's get this last portion of the season started on a big note.

La Porte High School will present a fall concert by the LPHS Orchestra Program on Monday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Sonja Angelo Theater. Admission is free.

The Freshman Orchestra is under the direction of assistant director Clint Brown. All other orchestras are conducted by head director Dr. Geoff Carlton. All orchestras will be assisted on percussion and trap set by James Metcalf.

The Freshman Orchestra will perform an Allegro from E. F. Dall' Abaco's "Concerto all'unisono," a Baroque selection that derives its name from the fact that both the first and second violins perform the same part in unison with each other. The orchestra will also perform "Jacob's Them" from the movie "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" written by Howard Shore. The group will also play rock standards "Land of A Thousand Dances" by Chris Kenner and "Final Countdown" by Joey Tempest. All arrangements for string orchestra were done by Paul Lavender and Robert Longfield.

The Sinfonia Orchestra will perform "Mambo Incognito" by Doug Spata and "Themes from the Moldau" by romantic composer Bedrich Smetana as arranged by Robert Frost. The group will also present "Hallelujah" from the movie "Shrek" by Leonard Cohen and a contemporary piece for string orchestra written by composer John Caponegro, "Fanfare and Celebration."

The Junior Varsity Orchestra will begin with a Merle J. Isaac arrangement of the first movement of J. S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto, No. 3.," followed by Gustav Holst's "Songs Without Words" based on the English folk song "I'll Love My Love." The group will also perform Alexander von Kreisler's "Intermezzo for Young String Players" and close its portion of the program with the "Theme from Shaft" originally composed by the late Memphis Funk, Rhythm and Blues composer and singer Isaac Hayes.

The Varsity Orchestra will perform the "Scherzo" from Gustav Holst's arrangement of his own "Moorside Suite for String Orchestra", followed by Elena Roussanova Lucas's "Butterfly and Flowers,"which the composer describes as "a musical setting reflecting the bright colors of the Chinese countryside." Varsity students will close the concert with two selections-"Wizard's Waltz" by Thom Sharp and a medley of classical music often associated with the season titled "Creepy Classics." Melodies included will be from Camille Saint-Saëns' "Danse Macabre," and Charles Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette,"which is more commonly recognized as the theme from the old television horror series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. "Creepy Classics" will close with music from Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King."

La Porte High School seniors will have a final opportunity to have their senior photographs taken on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 2 to 5 p.m. Photographs will be taken in the Student Center. For more information, contact yearbook sponsor Susan LaReau at 281-604-7694.

The La Porte ISD "Parents as Teachers" program will offer several mini-sessions for parents of kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students during the month of October.

"Pop on Over and Join in the Fun!" is the theme for the sessions, which will include teaching and learning ideas and activities for families with children from birth to age five. Younger siblings are invited.

Sessions will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at six La Porte ISD elementary schools so that parents can choose the date and location most convenient for them.

Sessions will be offered at Heritage Elementary on Tuesday, Oct. 11; College Park Elementary on Wednesday, Oct. 12; La Porte Elementary on Tuesday, Oct. 18; Jennie Reid Elementary on Wednesday, Oct. 19; Lomax Elementary on Tuesday, Oct. 25; and Bayshore Elementary on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Please contact Laura Kovalcik, Parents as Teachers program teacher, at 281-604-4710 or e-mail her at kovalcikl@lpisd.org to guarantee and reserve your materials.

By JOHN BLACK

This one was definitely not pretty, but in the end the La Porte Bulldogs managed to shake off the cobwebs of a two-week layoff to put away the normally high-scoring Channelview Falcons in the second half in Bulldog Stadium Friday night for a 35-21 victory in their 2011 District 21-5A debut.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, thus move to 5-1 on the season and have another district game at home this coming Friday when they host the Baytown Sterling Rangers at 7 p.m.

The match-up against Channelview Friday also featured the annual Homecoming festivities, and we can tell you that Chelsea Bishop was named Homecoming Queen, while Phillip Gay was named Homecoming King.

As for the action on the field, the Falcons did their best to make a game of it, scoring 14 unanswered points from late in the second period to early in the third stanza as they pulled even with the Bulldogs at 14 apiece.

But La Porte was not to be denied, and the Dogs responded to that second TD with one of their own to regain the lead with 1:31 left in the third stanza.

They got the ball thanks to a big defensive stand as Chad Sutherland and Hosa Scott and Alex Jones and and Tyrone Graves all had key defensive stops -- Graves and Jones combining for a sack on a fourth-and-10 situation. That allowed the offense to take over at its own 40, and Keith Whitely stepped up big time. He first ran for seven yards, then put on a real show with his next carry. He took a pitch left, made a cut back to the center of the field, broke through the linebackers, found running room, appeared to be tripped up, regained his balance and fought all the way to the Falcon 18 -- a gain of 35 yards.

Whitely then got five yards before Johnathan Lewis got three, then ran for a first down to the Falcon three. It was Lewis who scored the go-ahead TD, with Eric Medina kicking for the 21-14 La Porte advantage.

The lead grew to 28-14 soon thereafter. Whitely made a smart return of a Falcon punt and got it to midfield, then ran for five yards before adding four. Sutherland bulled for the first down, on the first play of the fourth quarter. With the offensive line regaining control and knocking the Falcon defense back on its heels, the drive continued to paydirt. The big play was a touchdown run by Whitely that put the Dogs in the driver's seat. But they still had work to do.

With just over seven minutes left in the game, the Falcons were trying to get something going offensively but fumbled and Hosa Scott fought hard at the bottom of a big pile to secure the ball for the Bulldogs. The offense couldn't move, but at least ran some time off the clock.

Channelview did eventually manage to score, cutting the La Porte lead to 28-21 with 4:06 left in the game, and the Falcons tried on onsides kick that was recovered by Garrett Green. And thus began the drive that put it away.

Starting at their own 41, the Dogs got two yards from Whitely, then seven from Lewis. Whitely then secured the first down at the Channelview 46, before running hard up the middle for 11 yards and another first down. The clock just kept ticking.

After the Falcons called their last time out, the Dogs tried to run out the clock. However, they faced a fourth-and-five from the 28 with eight seconds left, and they did not want to punt it away. So Vidales handed off to Whitely, who went left, cut back to the middle of the field, broke free and dove into the end zone as the final tick went off the clock. Medina was true, as usual, for the 35-21 final.

Perhaps the Bulldogs were in an understandable funk early in the game, considering their heroic win over Deer Park two weeks ago and the time off since then. For whatever reason, the La Portians had a rough first two quarters, and when they threw in a gift just before halftime, the Falcons were down by just seven points despite managing just three first downs.

Channelview, behind senior quarterback Averion Hurts, had been scoring piles of points in previous outings, but the Falcons did not get on the board until just 47 seconds remained before the halftime festivities. And that TD was the result of a La Porte fumble at the Bulldog 20 with barely more than a minute left in the first half.

It took just two plays to get the ball into the end zone from there, the big movement being an 18-yard screen play The Falcons actually missed the point after but a dead-ball procedure penalty was called before the kick, the ref moved it back five yards, and Channelview hit the second chance for the 14-7 halftime score.

Before that, it was all La Porte, although the Bulldogs failed to take advantage of excellent field position.

Channelview took the opening kickoff and went three-and-out, and the Dogs set up their first scoring drive at the Falcon 47, with a stiff breeze at their backs. Lewis stepped off 10 yards on the first play, and after Whitely got one and Lewis was stopped for no gain, Vidales fired a quick shot into the left flats and Jahvey Mark grabbed it and covered the 10 yards needed for the first down.

Whitely then ran for four, before Vidales was sacked for a loss of eight. So on third and eight Whitely took a direct snap from center Justin King and ran for 12 yards to make it fourth and two. Whitely got the call from there and stepped off a first down to the 15 as King and Chris Webendorfer, Maurice Morris, Tony Briones, Jose Garcia and Trevor Nelson -- and Michael Leagan and Jared Howard as well later in the game -- opened up holes on the offensive line.

Whitely got three yards to the left; Vidales hit Lewis for six to the six; and then senior linebacker/fullback Chad Sutherland and the O line took over. Chad bulled for five to a first down at the one, then rammed into the end zone on the next play and the Dogs had a 7-0 lead with 7:14 left in the first period, after Eric Medina booted the extra point.

Again the Falcons could not get so much as a first down, the big defensive play for La Porte in that stand being a tackle for a two-yard loss by Hosa Scott. Channelview punted into the wind and the Dogs had the ball on their own 42, looking to add to their lead. And it looked promising early as Vidales got two yards before Whitely darted for 15 more and a first down. The drive stalled from there, however, and Vidales punted out of bounds at the Falcon 14.

Credit the defense with another gem. Malik Graves defended a short pass; Ellis Hutchinson did the same on the net play; and Sutherland made a big tackle to force another punt. Whitely had a fine return, and the Dogs were in great shape at the Falcon 33.

But again, no points. This drive stalled at the Channelview 30, and Medina's try for the 47-yard field goal was plenty long enough but wide left, so the Falcons were still down by just a TD.

They got their initial first down of the game on the second play of the second quarter, but Blake Turlington and Scott and Chris Hickey put on a big rush and Hickey got the sack for a loss of two; Mark Guzman had a sack for a loss of four; and a long pass missed. Whitely's second nice punt return of the night gave the Dogs the ball on the Falcon 46.

Lewis stepped off six yards; a low snap resulted in a loss of seven; and a pass from Vidales to Taejon Wearen covered the 11 yards needed for a first down at the Channelview 36. Sutherland then ran hard for seven yards before bowling over would-be tacklers on his way to a first down at the 24. After Lewis went wide left for five, Whitely got a yard.

That made it third and four, and Josh rolled right and made a great running throw on the run, all the way into the end zone against the strong wind. Sophomore Trevor Nelson was there and he made an outstanding diving catch, barely in bounds, for the TD. Medina made it 14-0 and the Dogs appeared to be in control.

We need to mention that Lane Albertson absolutely leveled a Falcon blocker on the ensuing kickoff, and that Alex Jones, Cameron Whilley and Hickey but on a big rush and a sack for a loss of five; a draw play netted just a yard; and even though the Falcons did manage their second first down of the night, the defense held. And we will add that on the next Channelview possession, Turlington had a sack, with help from Jones.

But that 14-point lead melted down to seven points, as we described earlier, to give Channelview reason to hope.

When it was over, Whitely had 209 yards on the ground on 27 carries, with Wearen adding 34 and Lewis getting 29 and Sutherland totaling 23 yards. Add 55 yards of passing on a 5-of-13 night for Vidales and you have 336 yards of total offense for the Bulldogs and 25 first downs.

The defense held the Falcons to eight yards of rushing on 19 carries, and Channelview threw for 269 yards, hitting 19 of 31 aerial attempts.

"Crooning for Critters" is the theme of the Thursday, Oct. 13, concert of the Baker Sixth Grade Campus Choir. The concert, which includes animal-themed selections, will benefit the La Porte Animal Shelter.

The event begins at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Baker campus, located at 9800 Spencer Highway in La Porte. The choir is under the direction of Tracy Rider.

Musical selections will range from "How Much is That Doggie in the Window?" to "Rubber Ducky" to "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat." Songs performed by the 120-plus members of the Baker Choir will be interspersed with readings of poetry and prose and performances of short skits.

A multimedia presentation including photos of the students' pets and success stories from the shelter will also be featured. Donations for the La Porte Animal Shelter will be accepted at the "doggie treat" jars at the doors.

The La Porte High School stands will be a sea of orange on Friday, Oct. 7, as fans of all ages and alumni from a wide range of LPHS graduating classes cheer on the Bulldogs at the Homecoming game.

The varsity football team will take on the Channelview Falcons at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. Both teams enter the match-up with 4-1 records heading into district play.

The halftime activities will include the presentation of 16 candidates for Homecoming King and Queen who were selected by fellow students.

Candidates for Homecoming Queen include seniors Chelsea Bishop, Julie Borjas, Allison Brown, Shelby Lipschuetz, Kimberlyn Patterson, Kandice Wicke, Jenill Williams and Kendall Womble.

Homecoming King candidates are Gabe Aguilar, Tommy Banda, Pablo Garcia, Phillip Gay, Hunter Legg, Stephen Mabry, Jacob Rhodes and Cameron Whilley.

The game will begin at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

LPISD will conduct testing for Credit by Exams, without prior instruction, at the LPISD Administration building or the appropriate campus on November 16-18, 2011. These exams will be administered at no cost to the student. Students may pick up registration forms from their home campus beginning October 5, 2011. Completed forms, including parent signature, must be returned to their campus counselor by 3:00 pm on October 17th. Students will receive confirmation of scheduled testing by mail prior to the test date. If you have questions please call the LPISD Curriculum Dept. at 281-604-7035 or your child's school counselor.

Las escuelas de LPISD conducirán los Exámenes para Crédito, sin instrucción anterior, en el edificio de la administración del distrito o en la escuela apropiada el 16-18 de Noviembre 2011. Estos exámenes serán administrados sin ningún costo al estudiante. Los estudiantes pueden pedir las formas de registro en la oficina de su escuela empezando el 5 de Octubre 2011. Las formas, incluyendo firma del padre, deben ser entregadas a la oficina de la escuela el 17 de Octubre antes de las 3:00 pm. Los estudiantes recibirán confirmación y la fecha para el examen por correo antes del día del examen. Si tiene algunas preguntas por favor llame al Departamento de Currículo de LPISD a 281-604-7035 o la oficina de la consejera de la escuela de su hijo/hija.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

La Porte 34, Deer Park 31. Mr. Scorekeeper, please change that all-time record to 26 wins for the Bulldogs, 24 wins for the Deer, and one tie.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you were not among the sold out, standing-room-only audience in Bulldog Stadium Friday night that watched La Porte win a thriller in overtime, you missed one of the finest high school football games anyone could ever hope to see.

The Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Jeff LaReau, had the lead virtually the entire game. In fact, the Deer had only one lead. It was three points, and it lasted exactly two plays.

The Dogs had taken a 28-14 lead with under six minutes left, but the Deer struck quickly and struck twice and knotted the score with little over a minute left in regulation. And DP got a field goal to take that brief lead we mentioned earlier. But two plays later the Bulldogs had the win.

Up by seven at halftime, the Dogs extended that lead quickly at the start of the third period. A big rush by the Bulldog defense forced a fumble that was recovered by Blake Turlington at the Deer nine. La Porte running back Keith Whitely took a direct snap from center and fought for eight yards. He took the handoff on the next play for the TD, and Eric Medina made it a 21-7 La Porte lead with 11:06 still left in the third period.

There was an exchange of punts from that point, the big one being a 45-yarder by La Porte quarterback and punter Josh Vidales. Vidales, by the way, had six punts for a 40-yard average on the night.

The Deer finally got going offensively late in the third period and got a touchdown with 3:13 remaining in the quarter to pull to within seven at 21-14. More punts followed, and two of them were beautiful, high spirals off the foot of Vidales.

The Deer got the ball with eight minutes left in the game, and their first running play went nowhere because senior linebacker Chad Sutherland literally planted the running back into the turf. And a few plays later, with Justin Pickell putting on a big rush, the Deer quarterback was forced to throw too quickly and the ball found its way into the waiting arms of La Porte defender Cameron Whilley. He had a nice return as well, and after 15 yards were added on because of a Deer Park personal foul, the Bulldogs were at the Deer 35.

A running play lost a yard, but on second and long Vidales handed off to Whitely; Keith handed the ball back to Josh; and Josh fired a strike to Aaron Nance-Garrett, who was streaking deep across the field from left to right. It was a perfect pitch and catch and the result was a 36-yard TD pass and a 28-14 Bulldog lead after Medina booted the extra point. There was 5:49 left in the game.

As it turned out, that was enough time for the Deer to score two touchdowns as their passing plays started to click. They tied it up at 28-28 just before the end of regulation, so the two teams had to square off in overtime.

La Porte won the toss and Coach LaReau chose to start on defense. The Bulldogs kept the Deer out of the end zone, forcing a 24-yard field goal that gave Deer Park that brief three-point lead at 31-28.

The winning drive for La Porte did not get off to a good start, as the Dogs were flagged for a procedure penalty. But on first and 15 Vidales threw a swing pass out to sophomore Taejon Wearen, who was lined up wide left. Taejon had no running room left so he cut back across the field and outran almost every Deer Park defender. They did not corral him until he reached the five yard line.

From that point Whitely, who totaled 103 tough yards on the ground, went wide right, made a beautiful cut back to the left and dove into the end zone for the score. La Porte wins! The hometown crowd goes wild! What a ballgame! Intense; exciting; well-played on both sides, all before an appreciative and sardine-packed gathering of football fans. Wow!

When you read that Deer Park had 340 yards of passing and 408 total yards of offense, you might think the Bulldog defense had an off night. Far from it. The Deer just kept hitting key passes when they were needed most, but you need to know that Sutherland and Whilley and Malik Graves and Alex Jones and Keith Whitely and Nance-Garrett and Mark Guzman and Chris Hickey and Victor Holmes and Ellis Hutchinson and Hoza Scott and Blake Turlington and Justin Pickell and Trevor Nelson and Tyrone Graves and probably a few others that we missed actually had a whale of a game.

You also need to know that the offensive line -- we mention them later in the story -- did a good job, and Vidales was vital to the success on the night as both a quarterback and a punter. And Sutherland came in at times to clear running paths, with Whitely carrying the bulk of the running load.

The Bulldogs came within 37 seconds of producing an absolutely perfect first half. As it turned out, they took a 14-7 lead into the halftime dressing room as the Deer managed a 50-yard drive to score -- barely -- on a fourth and inches situation as the second quarter clock ticked away the final seconds.

La Porte started like a house on fire. The Bulldogs enjoyed excellent field position early because Victor Holmes scooped up the low, line-drive opening kickoff and returned it to the Bulldog 46.

Vidales handled a high snap and handed off to Whitely, who had a great run of 11 yards to get the Bulldog faithful all fired up. After a Vidales-to-Nance-Garrett pass lost a couple of yards, Whitely went wide left for nine, right before Sutherland, in at fullback, bulled behind Hoza Scott for a gain of six to the Deer 30.

Whitely then lined up at quarterback, took the direct snap, faked a handoff, and followed blocking for 11 more yards to the 19. After Johnathan Lewis ran for four yards, Keith took another direct snap, ran hard, and picked up a first down at the Deer five. Lewis then ran just short of the five yards needed for the score, and Sutherland bowled over the Deer defenders from there for the TD. Medina was on the money with the extra point kick and the Dogs had a 7-0 lead with 7:57 left in the first period.

The La Porte defense took right up where it left off last week against Atascocita. After Medina's kickoff and great downfield coverage forced the Deer to start at their own 16, Turlington broke through and threw the Deer for a two-yard loss. Malek Graves then made a fine open-field tackle to hold the Deer to a gain of just three, and on third and nine Ellis Hutchinson intercepted a Deer Park aerial attempt -- only to see the Deer awarded a first down on a defensive holding call.

But no sweat, because Chris Hickey had a fine tackle and the defensive backfield and a strong rush forced two DP incompletions, and the Deer had to punt.

Taking over at their on 31, the Dogs appeared headed to another score. Whitely ran hard and the likes of Justin King, Tony Briones, Turlington, Jose Garcia, Jared Howard, Maurice Morris and Chris Webendorfer were clearing holes up front. And on a fourth-and-short situation, Sutherland went in and helped open a hole for a Whitely first down at the Deer Park 44. But the drive stalled at that point, so Vidales executed a great punt that was downed by Holmes at the Deer six.

The Deer appeared to find their footing on their next offensive possession, but on a third down run the Dogs stripped the ball and Malik Graves scooped it up at about the DP 44 and raced all the way into the end zone for the second La Porte touchdown of the night. Medina's boot made it 14-0 with 9:39 left before the half.

The Deer tried once again to get something going on offense, but Lewis had a nice tackle; Whilley was in on a great stop; Hickey had a big rush; and the Dogs even overcame a defensive holding call on a third down Deer Park pass. Turlington and Hoza Scott combined for a key sack, and an all-out blitz on third down was successful, forcing another punt.

But the Dogs were pinned back at their own 11 and could not get a first down, so Vidales booted it to midfield. It took the Deer nearly five minutes of clock time to get their TD, and it was not easy for them. Scott had a nice rush; Alex Jones and Trevor Nelson combined for a big stop; Scott had a hard rush and tackle for a five-yard loss; and Malik Graves pitched in an open-field tackle that resulted in a third-and-14 situation.

The Deer, however, were able to convert, moving to a first-and-goal at the four. It took them four runs to get to paydirt as their quarterback, Austin Rainer, managed to roll into the end zone after it appeared he had been stopped short. The extra point made it 14-7 in favor of the home team, with just 37 ticks left before halftime.

And then came that outstanding second half, with the win giving La Porte a 4-1 record going into league play. The Bulldogs have a week off, then open the 21-5A campaign with a pair of home games -- Friday, Oct. 7 against Channelview in a Homecoming event, and Friday, Oct. 14 against Baytown Sterling.

By JOHN BLACK

ATASCOCITA (Sp) -- Four games so far this year, and three victories -- the third one coming here in Turner Stadium Friday night as the La Porte Bulldogs managed to overcome an embarrassing barrage of penalties to pull out a 26-7 victory over the Atascocita Eagles.

And now comes a big one as the Deer Park Deer come to Bulldog Stadium for a 7 p.m. Friday match-up in the final non-district game of the season for La Porte.

The Deer and the Dogs are no longer league rivals, but they are still crosstown rivals, and a large and boisterous crowd is expected to be on hand Friday. Deer Park is supposed to be pretty salty this year, and the Dogs will have their hands full. But records and stats don't mean anything when La Porte and Deer Park meet on the football field, so we suggest you waste no time getting a ticket and claiming a seat.

Refocusing our attention to the road win Friday over the Eagles, the Bulldogs carried a 13-7 lead into the halftime Homecoming festivities, as the La Porte defense was definitely up to the task -- despite senior defensive line anchor Corey Lee being on the sidelines with a bum knee. He'll have surgery this week and will miss a few games, but is expected back at least in time for the playoffs.

The Bulldog offense tried to extend the six-point lead in the third quarter, putting together a nice drive on its second possession. But the penalty bug bit hard -- real hard. The Bulldogs can't seem to avoid penalties -- especially personal fouls. So instead of having a first-and-goal at the Eagle two yard line with just over four minutes left in the quarter, they had a second-and-39 after an illegal block and a personal foul. That extended the La Porte penalty total to 100 yards to that point, and the illegal block wiped out a great run of 16 yards by Johnathan Lewis.

However, quarterback Josh Vidales helped them out, with a boost from a bad snap from center on a fourth-and-long play. Vidales scooped up the elusive pigskin at about the 50 and got off a beautiful punt that died at the Eagle two.

The good news did not last long, however, as the Eagles were able to run for a first down, and got 15 more yards on yet another Bulldog personal foul. But credit Nelson on one tackle and Nelson and Justin Pickell combining for another tackle, and the Eagles were forced to punt with 15 seconds left in the third period.

And finally the Bulldogs were able to get another TD, without any penalties. Starting from their own 49, the Dogs got eight yards on a quick pass from Vidales to Taejon Wearen; got a first down to the Eagle 40 on an 11-yard keeper by Vidales; and got another first down on back-to-back offsides calls against Atascocita.

Wearen then ran hard for seven yards, and on second and three Vidales faked a handoff, cut left, cut wider left, and scooted into the left side of the end zone. The run covered 23 yards, and Eric Medina made it 20-7 with 10:05 left in the game.

And for insurance, La Porte tacked on a third TD with 4:49 left. After the defense was awesome again, the Dogs took over on the Eagle 46. Key plays were an 11-yard run by Wearen; a pass from Vidales to Jahvey Marks for a first down at the Eagle 22; a very impressive pass and catch from Vidales to Marks for a first down at the eight; a seven-yard run by Keith Whitely; and the final bullish yard to paydirt by Chad Sutherland. That made it 26-7 as the try for the two-point conversion failed.

Talk about domination by a defense: The Eagles had 19 yards of rushing and 24 passing. That is outstanding defensive work.

Things looked good for the visiting Bulldogs in the early going. Eric Medina booted the opening kickoff out of the end zone, and individual defensive efforts by Dogs Malik Graves, Aaron Nance-Garrett and Cameron Whilley forced a punt.

The offense took over at the Eagle 33 after a return by La Porte's Keith Whitely, and Keith started the drive to paydirt with a one-yard run up the middle.

He then went left for five yards, before Vidales stepped off four. On fourth and one Whitely ran hard up the middle behind blocks from Justin King and Chris Webendorfer and Maurice Morris and got the first down at the Eagle 17.

After Whitely got a yard, the Dogs were penalized five yards for an illegal receiver downfield, so they faced a third and 14. So Whitely took a handoff right, made a nice cut, broke into the defensive backfield and sprinted into the end one for a touchdown with 8:25 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing Eagle possession Chad Sutherland and Whilley combined for a stop and a loss of one; Atascocita hit a long pass but was flagged for offensive pass interference; the Eagles then missed a pass; and on third and 26 La Porte's Hoza Scott rushed the passer and tackled him well behind the line. The Eagles got lucky when the ball was kicked forward about 10 yards, but they still had to punt.

Disaster then hit the Bulldogs flush in the face. After a procedure penalty, facing third and 13, the Dogs tried a shovel pass but the Vic Holmes offering was picked off, giving the Eagles the ball on the Bulldog 35.

It took one play from there for the score: a 35-yard pass down the right side. That came with 4:53 left in the first period, and the extra point kick knotted the score at 7-7.

The next La Porte drive stalled, but we are happy to tell you that Vidales was able to hit Devan Gay with a pass down the right sideline, and despite the fact Gay was blasted as he caught the ball, he was able to hang on for a 23-yard gain. And that gain was good enough to eventually allow Medina to come on to try a 42-yard field goal. Eric already had a 46-yarder to his credit earlier in the year, and now he can add the 42-yarder to the list as the ball split the uprights with 1:55 still remaining in the long, long first period. It was 10-7 in favor of La Porte.

The Eagles could do nothing offensively on their ensuing try as Sutherland and Graves and Whilley and Trevor Nelson and Mark Guzman all made strong defensive plays. But the Dogs did not get good field position because they were flagged for a 15-yard personal foul penalty. The Eagles soon got the ball back, but found no room whatever to move, and thus the teams continued a punting exchange that lasted until just under five minutes remained before halftime.

The Eagles had the ball, and Sutherland and Holmes and Whilley were particularly strong on defense, and the Dogs got the ball back with 3:46 left in the second period. Johnathan Lewis had a nice run of 11 yards behind Morris and Webenforfer and Blake Turlington, and La Porte later converted a fourth-and-one to keep the drive alive. They also got a big boost by an Eagle personal foul penalty, and the Dogs got close enough for another Medina field goal. This one was from 34 yards and straight and true as well, and La Porte took a 13-7 lead into the dressing room.

now come the Deer; let's hope the penalty bug does not join them.

La Porte ISD's School Health Advisory Council will meet Thursday, Sept. 22, in the Training Room of the Administration Building, 1002 San Jacinto St.

This is the first meeting of the 2011-2012 school year, and interested parents are invited to attend and serve on the council. 

The LPISD School Health Advisory Council strives to improve student and staff performance by promoting age-appropriate wellness programs and healthy, balanced and active lifestyles.

For more information, contact April Fox, LPISD director of student support services, at 281-604-7032.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

Klein (Sp) -- The Klein Forest Eagles used a stout defense and some old-fashioned good fortune here Friday night to claim a 19-10 victory over the La Porte Bulldogs.

It was the first loss of the season for the Bulldogs against two victories, and they have to get back on the road again this coming Friday for a 7 p.m. battle against Atascocita.

Against Klein Forest, the Bulldogs were seconds away from going into the halftime dressing room with a four-point lead, when the Eagles got very lucky. In fact, they got lucky a number of times in the first two quarters.

The Dogs had taken a 3-0 lead on their first offensive possession of the game when Eric Medina booted an impressive 46-yard field goal with 8:40 remaining in the first quarter.

The boot was set up by a nice drive that started with Keith Whitely stepping off just short of five yards, then the Eagles were flagged for an offsides to make it second and inches. La Porte quarterback Josh Vidales kept for the first down, then hit Aaron Nance-Garrett for nine yards before Whitely went for six and a first down.

Vidales went back to pass and lofted a strike to Jahvey Mark that was good for 12 yards and a first down at the Eagle 32. But the drive stalled from that point so Medina booted it well through the uprights for the early La Porte lead.

The Bulldog defense held highly touted and A&M-bound Eagle quarterback Matt Davis in check on the first Klein Forest offensive try. After Medina booted the kick-off out of the end zone, the Dogs allowed one first down before Malik Graves made a fine tackle to hold the Eagles to just one yard; Chad Sutherland and Cameron Whilley snuffed a second Klein Forest running attempt; and strong pass defense forced a punt.

Well, it was sort of a punt. Davis lined up all night on fourth down as if he was considering a pass, then booted a sort of quick-kick. He got burned one time, however; more on that later. The Bulldogs couldn't move the ball on their next offensive possession so Vidales booted a strong punt all the way to the Eagle 14. And here comes lucky play No. 1 for the Eagles. Facing a first and 15 at their 25, the Eagles went back to pass. Davis was rushed hard and was very nearly tripped up for a loss in the backfield, but that strong rush produced no one for La Porte in the defensive backfield. Davis lofted a soft pass to a wide open receiver and it was pitch and catch, 75 yards to pay dirt. The extra point try failed, but the Eagles had the lead at 6-3.

Once again the La Porte offense had its troubles, but the Bulldog defense was up to the task its next time out, forcing another Davis punt after Corey Lee and Alex Jones and and Hoza Scott and Whilley all made strong defensive plays. And when the Bulldog offense stuttered again, the defense was ready for another stop. This time Malik Graves made two big defensive stops, setting up fourth and four.

This brought on a big mistake by Davis. He was lined up in the short kick formation and apparently thought a La Porte defensive lineman jumped offsides. So Davis fired a long pass that was no good, out of bounds. There was no flag, so the Dogs got the ball on the Eagle 38.

Whitely ran for three before Vidales threw to Blake Turlington for six yards. Sophomore Johnathan Lewis then went off left tackle for 21 yards to the eight. And on first and goal from there Hoza Scott went wide left, ran over an Eagle defender at the goal line, and scored with 7:30 left in the half. Medina made it 10-6 with his extra point kick.

The next Eagle offensive effort saw Turlington make back-to-back stops for La Porte, and when Nance-Garrett and Graves combined for a strong pass defense effort, Davis had to kick again. But the Klein Forest defense held off two La Porte offensive movements and the Eagles got the ball back with 1:42 left in the first half, at their own 44. They got it there because of lucky break No. 2: one of the refs who was right on the spot ruled that a Vidales punt had hit an Eagle player, and he awarded the Bulldogs the ball in Eagle territory. But another ref, farther away, apparently thought he had better eyesight, and Klein Forest was awarded the ball.

During the 56-yard drive to pay dirt, the Eagles got lucky two more times. First, a Davis pass was NOT caught deep in Bulldog territory. There were 10 seconds left before the half, and had the ball been caught the Eagles would not have had enough time to line up for another play; and secondly and most importantly, the last Davis pass of the half, with no time left on the clock, was tipped by the intended receiver and floated to the back of the end zone where a second Klein Forest receiver gathered it in. The extra point try failed again, and Klein Forest had a 12-10 halftime lead.

We won't have to spend much time on the second half. The Bulldogs had excellent field position twice in the third period but could not take advantage. The defense was still strong for La Porte, however, led by big plays from Whilley and Trevor Nelson and Ellis Hutchinson. And when a Bulldog fumble allowed the Eagles to set up on the Dog 27, here came the defense again.

Whitely had a nice tackle; an illegal block wiped out what would have been a Forest TD; and the entire defense kept Davis bottled up, forcing the ball to go over to the Dogs on downs.

La Porte then moved to its third possession inside Eagle territory in the second half, but the drive stalled and then disaster struck. An errant snap on the punt try resulted in the ball soaring over Vidales' head, and the Eagles got the ball on the La Porte 25 and took it in from there for the score that clinched it.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

Moving with precision on offense and keeping big plays to a minimum on defense on their home field Friday night, the La Porte Bulldogs out-manned and out-classed the Robert E. Lee Ganders, 43-16, to move to 2-0 in the early going of the 2011 football season.

The Bulldogs were guided offensively by senior quarterback Josh Vidales, who had a whale of a first half as La Porte moved to four touchdowns and a field goal in the first two quarters.

After Keith Whitely and Cameron Whilley and Victor Holmes all made fine defensive stops on the opening Lee possession, the Bulldogs got the ball on their own 28 and started their first successful movement. Whitely, a two-way starter, got the drive rolling with an 11-yard burst up the middle, then went off left tackle for 20 more and a first down at the Gander 41. With Justin King and Corey Lee and Jared Howard and Tony Briones and Maurice Morris and Blake Turlington opening up nice holes up front, the Dogs kept moving on the ground, overcoming a holding penalty along the way that wiped out what would have been a Hoza Scott first down run.

Malik Graves stepped off seven yards and then Taejon Wearen went wide right for 14 yards and a first down at the Lee 20. Hoza Scott then bulled his way up the middle on a hard run for nine yards to the 11, right before Wearen went for four yards to the seven. Whitely then followed Howard and King into the end zone for the first LP TD of the night. Eric Medina added the extra point and the Dogs were up by seven with 6:05 left in the first period.

The ensuing kickoff was not pretty, from a tackling standpoint. The Dogs had return man Jaevon Richardson bottled up near his own 20, and he appeared to step out of bounds at about the 30. But the refs didn't see it that way and he managed to cut and dart and race all the way to the end zone to tie the score at seven apiece with 5:45 left in the first quarter.

Once again the Dogs started from their own 28 and Vidales rifled a shot over the middle to Jahvey Mark for a gain of 21. He then hit Aaron Nance-Garrett for 14 more and a first down at the Gander 32. But on second down there was a fumble that the Ganders recovered, and the promising drive was ended.

No problem, however, as Malik Graves defended a long pass attempt and Hoza Scott and Alex Jones combined for a big sack on third down and the Ganders had to punt.

The second LP scoring drive did not last long. Starting at their own 44, the Bulldogs needed just one play to cover the full 56 yards. Vidales faked a pitch right, tucked the ball, burst up the middle and into the open, made one slight and very quick cut, and raced untouched into the end zone. Medina was true again and the Dogs regained the lead at 14-7.

After Medina booted the ensuing kickoff out of the end zone, the Ganders tried a pass that was picked off by Whitely, and the offense set up shop at the REL 49. Vidales hit Nance-Garrett for eight yards to set up a fourth-and-two and Whitely made the first down, barely, to keep the drive alive.

And that was a big play because on the next one, Vidales went back to pass and spotted Nance-Garrett open down the right side. It was a perfect pitch and catch for the TD, good for 39 yards and the third La Porte touchdown of the game. Medina was on the mark for the 21-7 lead.

The Ganders managed to drive for a field goal with 9:02 left before halftime to make it 21-10, but not before Whitely - now back on defense - leveled a would-be Baytown Lee receiver, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Needing to score again and also run some time off the clock, the Bulldogs got the ball on their own 25 and marched to TD No. 4. The drive started with a seven-yard run by Johnathan Lewis, then he got six more and a first down. Vidales kept for three and Wearen picked up eight and another first down. Then Vidales fired a quick strike to Nance-Garrett for a gain of 11, before Wearen swept left, went right, made an outstanding cut, and went 25 yards to the Lee 15. Vidales then kept for two before Whitely went wide for one. On third and seven Wearen went right to left again, had some fine blocking up front, put on a quick burst and darted into the end zone. Medina's kick hit the left upright, but the Dogs still had a 27-10 lead, with 4:15 left before the half.

They increased it soon thereafter when the defense held and La Porte got the ball on its own 36. Vidales went back to pass but tucked it and covered 13 yards to the 49. He then fired a bullet to Nance-Garrett for a gain of 20 to the Gander 31. After Vidales threw to Wearen for a yard, he hit Mark for a first down at the 15. A fumble cost the Dogs seven yards, but on the next play Vidales made a fabulous run for what would have been a first down inside the Gander one. La Porte was flagged for an illegal block, however, so bring it back. On third down a Vidales pass was dropped in the end zone, but Medina came on and booted a 32-yard field to make it 30-10 at the half.

The third quarter was a little sloppy and produced only one TD - No. 5 for the Dogs on the night. But before that score, Victor Holmes had a nice open-field tackle; Chad Sutherland did a good job from his linebacker slot; and Hoza Scott had a couple of huge defensive efforts. The second one came on fourth-and-long when the Ganders decided to go for it. Scott broke through and broke up the play, with a gang of tacklers producing a big loss and giving the Dogs the ball in excellent field position.

Moving from their 34, sophomore Johnathan Lewis went 30 yards for a first down at the Gander 36, then fought for five more yards. A pass missed because a referee missed a pass interference call, but it didn't matter because the Dogs had a little trickery up their sleeves.

Vidales lined up a quarterback and Wearen was in the backfield as well. The snap went toward Vidales but it was an intentional floater, and Taejon cut across, grabbed it, and raced around the left side for 23 yards and a first down at the REL eight. Whitely took it in from there as the offensive line remained in full control, and Medina made it 37-10 with 1:23 left in the third period.

There were fine defensive plays by Nance-Garrett and Sutherland and Alex Jones on the next Gander possession, and Corey Lee continued to clog up the middle like he had done all night. But no play on that drive was any bigger than the interception by Malik Graves deep in Dog territory that ended a Gander drive.

Baytown Lee did manage one more score, with 6:27 left in the game, but their two-point run try was stopped and the score stood at 37-16.

But not for long. Holmes came in to spell Vidales at quarterback and his first run covered 20 yards. After he stepped off one more, fellow sophomore Lewis raced 52 yards to the four, and Johnathan also got the TD on the next play. And by the way, Chris Webendorfer threw an absolutely devastating block on that TD run. Medina hit the upright again on the extra point try, but the Dogs were in complete command at 43-16 with 3:59 left.

La Porte had 528 yards of total offense in the game-- 399 on the ground and 129 through the air. The Dogs had 29 first downs. Vidales was 8 of 11 for 129 yards. Whitely had 14 carries for 107 yards and Lewis added 111 on 11 carries. Wearen had seven carries for 83 yards; Vidales added 59 on seven carries; and Holmes carried four times for 23 yards.

Nance-Garrett caught five passes for 92 yards and Mark had two grabs for 36 while Wearen caught one pass for one yard.

The defense held the Ganders to just 104 total yards in the first half. Lee had only 17 first downs in the game and 279 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs hit the road this coming Friday for a 7 p.m. contest against Klein Forest, at Klein Memorial Stadium.

La Porte High School 2010-2011 yearbooks have arrived! The cost for the yearbook is $70. Please contact yearbook sponsor Susan LaReau at 281 604-7694 to purchase yours. 

La Porte High School seniors who have not yet taken their senior pictures have the opportunity to attend picture make-up day on Saturday, Sept. 17, in the Student Center. Times are 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Susan LaReau at 281-604-7694.

By JOHN BLACK
baysun1437@gmail.com

SUGAR LAND - (Sp) - The La Porte Bulldogs got the 2011football season started in much the same manner as they did in 2010 - with a dominating victory over the Fort Bend Clements Rangers, this time in Hall Stadium Saturday night.

The Bulldogs got a huge defensive play from sophomore Hoza Scott on the first Clements' offensive attempt of the game and rode that early success to a 31-0 win. La Porte used a balanced offensive attack and a smothering defense. Clements did not get a first down until midway into the second quarter, and by that time the Bulldogs had a 21-0 advantage.

Up next for La Porte is a 7 p.m. battle this coming Friday in Bulldog Stadium, when Klein Forest visits.

Against the Rangers the tone was set early by Scott. The 6-3, 220-pound sophomore lined up on the left side of the Bulldog defense as Clements started the opening drive from its own 11. The Ranger quarterback tried a quick slant pass; it did not work. Scott leaped, picked it off, and ran untouched into the end zone. Eric Medina added the extra point and the Dogs had a 7-0 lead with exactly 12 seconds having transpired.

Chad Sutherland made a tackle to force a Ranger punt on the second Clements possession, and the Bulldogs very nearly made it 14-0 quickly. Senior quarterback Josh Vidales had senior wide receiver Aaron Nance-Garrett all alone on the first La Porte offensive attempt, and Aaron dove into the end zone and almost made a great catch, but the ball was just off his fingertips.

The Bulldogs eventually had to punt but again the defense held as Trevor Nelson and Scott and Mark Guzman made big plays. La Porte got the ball on the Clements 43, and sophomore Victor Holmes came on to quarterback. On second and 12 he fired a swing pass to sophomore Taejon Wearen, who scampered down the right sidelines all the way to the Ranger five. Running back Keith Whitely was hit in the backfield but spun and fought to the six-inch-line, and then followed Maurice Morris and Justin King into the end zone for the touchdown. Medina made it 14-0 with 5:46 still left in the first quarter.

Sutherland broke through the Ranger offensive line on third and nine on the next Clements possession and forced another punt, and the Bulldogs got it on their own 33 and put together a long and time-consuming drive to build a three-touchdown lead.

Scott started with a one-yard run, and then Vidales, back in at quarterback, sprinted right as the lone back in the backfield and got 11 yards and a first down. Vidales then hit Wearen for seven on another swing pass, but his next pass was dropped. On third and three he faked a pitch right and kept the ball, covering 12 yards to a first down.

After Whitely got six yards, a swing pass lost a yard but on third and five Vidales produced a perfect shovel pass to Whitely for a first down at the Ranger 24. Another swing pass to Wearen produced 11 yards on a strong run, and then Wearen added 11 more on a pitch right, with Jared Howard leading the blocking. That made it first and goal at the two, but a Scott TD was wiped out as the Bulldogs were flagged for a chop block.

So move it back 15 yards to the 17, and let's try a little razzle-dazzle. Vidales handed off to Scott, who pitched it back to the quarterback. Josh found Nance-Garrett in the end zone, moving from left to right. It was a perfect pass and catch for the score, and Medina made it 21-0 with 10:31 left in the second period.

That was it for the first half in terms of scoring, although the Bulldogs had a fourth great scoring opportunity wiped out by a second chop block call, cancelling another big gain by Wearen on a swing pass. Defensively, Alex Jones made a strong tackle on a fourth-and-seven try, and Sutherland and senior defensive lineman Corey Lee had key plays as well in that set.

The start of the second half was not pretty for the Bulldogs as they marched steadily backwards on two offensive possessions, despite the fact that Malik Graves recovered a Ranger fumble on a punt return attempt. But Ellis Hutchinson picked off a Clements pass midway through the third period and returned it to the Ranger 25, and even though the drive stalled, Medina got the opportunity to try a 42-yard field goal and he drilled it, moving the La Porte advantage to 24-0 with 4:14 remaining in the third period.

After Chris Hickey made a fine open-field tackle on the ensuing kickoff, the Rangers tried to put an offensive movement together, getting one first down. But Sutherland blistered a Ranger back on second and five and Cameron Whilley snuffed the ensuing run attempt and Clements was forced to punt yet again.

Highlights of the next La Porte offensive movement included strong running by Holmes at quarterback and a pass for a first down from Holmes to Blake Turlington. And when the drive stalled, Keith Whitely was on the spot for his second interception of the game - the first one was actually wiped out by a penalty - to set up the final La Porte score.

Moving from the Ranger 41 after the Whitely pick, Holmes got two yards, then six, before Cameron Whilley got three and a first down at the Clements 30. Malik Graves then stepped off 26 yards to the four, but again the penalty bug bit as the Dogs were flagged for holding. No problem, however, as Holmes got the 10 yards back on a run right, then scrambled on a pass play, circling wide right for a first down at the Clements 14.

Vidales came back in at quarterback, and after Whitely got one yard Josh ran hard for a first down at the three. Sutherland, in at fullback, capped off the drive with a bull of a run up the middle for the TD and Medina made it 31-0 with 5:02 left in the game.

The Rangers did everything they could to get points on the board as time was running out, but big defensive plays by Guzman, Turlington and Lee preserved the shutout for the Bulldogs, and sophomore Johnathan Lewis ran out the clock with three carries that totaled 22 yards and one first down.

The Bulldogs had 17 first downs in all, compared to eight for the Rangers. La Porte had 112 yards on the ground and another 103 in the air for a total of 215, while holding the Rangers to 158 yards of rushing on the night - 62 on one meaningless play as time was running out - and held Clements to just four yards passing.

Holmes had 11 carries for 64 yards and threw for 60 more; Vidales had five carries for 30 yards and threw for 43 more. Lewis had 29 rushing yards in all, while Whitely had 16 nd Wearen had 14 and Whilley had four and Sutherland added three. Wearen also had three catches for 58 yards, while Nance-Garrett snagged two passes for 17 yards; Turlington had one catch for 15; Whitely had one for seven; and Jahvey Marks had one catch for six yards.

La Porte ISD is taking additional steps to ensure the health and well being of students and staff with regard to the recent extreme heat.

"La Porte ISD is mindful of the frequent heat advisories issued for our area in recent days," said Laura Lynch, lead nurse for LPISD. "Therefore, principals have been provided with information and guidelines for helping their students deal with the heat and minimizing the risk of heat-related illness."

Lynch explained that schools will be monitoring the heat index and planning outdoor activities accordingly. The heat index, according to the National Weather Service glossary, is an accurate measure of how hot it really feels when the relative humidity is added to the actual air temperature.

At the elementary schools, when the heat index is 90 degrees or less, normal recess will be held. When the heat index is 90 to 94 degrees, outdoor recess will be strictly limited to 15 minutes. Students will receive water before and after recess, and staff members will observe them closely for signs of heat-related illness. When the heat index is greater than 95 degrees, recess will be held indoors.

The district's transportation department is also aware of the health risks associated with extreme heat, and the transportation staff is adjusting route times daily to reduce the amount of time students are on buses. Emphasis has been placed on releasing students quickly at dismissal so that they buses are safely loaded and on their way as quickly as possible. Water will be available to students on the bus.

At the secondary level, district coaches, physical education teachers and UIL activity sponsors whose students are involved in outdoor activities are adhering to the Heat Index activity guidelines recommended by the National Athletic Trainers Association.

"We are aware of the situation and are being proactive in our stance to prevent any problems related to the heat," said Thad Nations, LPISD athletic trainer. "Our coaches are aware of and understand the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness, and the coaches, student trainers and athletic training staff are on the fields monitoring the players and addressing any issues that arise."

Nations explained that ample water is provided to students who are involved in outdoor activities such as athletics or band practice. During football practice, for example, Nations said that players take frequent water breaks, and a player showing any sign of distress is removed from practice and monitored carefully. Band director Kevin Poe explained that the band has additional water stations available, and students take breaks every 15 minutes during practices.

Students and/or parents are encouraged to notify the child's teacher or coach if they are feeling ill, have recently been ill, or if they have other questions or concerns.

La Porte High School varsity football games will be broadcast on www.legacysportsnetwork.com again this season. La Porte High School alumnus Ryan Gentile and Clifton Morris will return for their second year in calling all of the home and away games for the Bulldogs.

Two of the games will be broadcast on AM 1560. These games include La Porte at Klein Forest on Sept. 9 and Deer Park at La Porte on Sept. 23.

La Porte Independent School District
Public Notice
Career and Technology Programs
2011-2012

La Porte Independent School District offers career and technical education programs in agricultural science and technology pathways, business, marketing and management pathways, trade and industrial and engineering pathways, family and consumer science pathways, and personal and public services pathways.
Admission to these programs is based on interest, aptitude, age appropriateness, and needs.

It is the policy of La Porte Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in its vocational programs, services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

It is the policy of La Porte Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its employment practices as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

La Porte Independent School District will take steps to assure the lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational vocational programs.

For information about your rights and grievance procedures, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Ms. Janis Edwards at 1002 San Jacinto St., La Porte, Texas 77571, 281.604.7110, and/or the Section 504 Coordinator, Ms. Jennifer Green at 1002 San Jacinto St., La Porte, Texas 77571, 281.604.7029.

Distrito Independiente Escolar de La Porte
Noticia Pública
Programas de Carrera y Tecnología
2011-2012

El Distrito Independiente Escolar de La Porte ofrece programas vocacionales en carrera y tecnología en ciencia agricultura y sendero de tecnología, en negocio, mercado y sendero de manejo, sendero de comercio, industria e ingeniería, y sendero en familia e ciencia consumidor, y sendero en servicios personales y públicos. La admisión a estos programas se basa en interés, aptitud, idoneidad de edad, y necesidad.

Es norma de Distrito Independiente Escolar de La Porte no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo o impedimento, en sus programas, servicios o actividades vocacionales, tal como lo requieren el Titulo VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmienda; el Titulo IX de las Enmiendas en la Educación de 1972, y la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmienda.

Es norma de Distrito Independiente Escolar de La Porte no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, impedimento o edad, en sus procedimientos de empleo, tal como lo requieren el Titulo VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, según enmienda; el Titulo IX de las Enmiendas en la Educación de 1972; la Ley de Discriminación por Edad de 1975, según enmienda; y la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, según enmienda. El Distrito Independiente Escolar de La Porte tomará las medidas necesarias para asegurar que la falta de habilidad en el uso del inglés no sea un obstáculo para la admisión y participación en todos los programas educativos y vocacionales.

Para información sobre sus derechos o procedimientos para quejas, por favor comuníquese con la Coordinadora del Titulo IX, Ms. Janis Edwards en 1002 San Jacinto St., La Porte, Texas 77571, 281.604.7110, y/o la Coordinadora de Sección 504, Ms. Jennifer Green en 1002 San Jacinto St., La Porte, Texas 77571, 281.604.7029.

Two free immunization clinics will be offered this week for families whose students need immunizations for the start of the 2011-2012 school year.  Parents must bring their child's immunization records in order to receive immunizations. 

On Thursday, Aug. 18, a Back to School Health Fair will be held at La Porte Neighborhood Center, 526 San Jacinto Street in La Porte. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information, call Lariza McBean at 281-471-1824.

On Saturday, Aug. 20, a Back to School Health Fair will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center Fairgrounds, 7902 Fairmont Parkway in Pasadena. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call Lyn Nguyen at 713-314-5655.

La Porte High School students or recent graduates have earned 25 Advanced Placement (AP) Scholar Awards. The College Board's AP Program offers several AP Scholar Awards to recognize high school students who have demonstrated college-level achievement through AP courses and exams.

AP Scholar Awards are earned on four levels, with each level representing increased scores on a minimum of three subject area exams to a maximum of eight or more exams. The composite score for each AP Exam is converted to a score of 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1.

Danielle Underwood, a 2011 graduate and National Merit Scholar, earned the prestigious National AP Scholar award. This award is granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.

Underwood and classmates Elizabeth Adams and Dakota W. Wilson were named AP Scholars with Distinction. This award is granted to those who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.

Five LPHS students earned the AP Scholar with Honor Award. This award is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Honorees include 2011 graduates Rafael Deaquino and Bethany Salinas as well as incoming LPHS seniors Emily K. Lowry, Joel A. Ortiz and Elizabeth M. Westmoreland.

Students who received scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams were named AP Scholars. Those earning this honor include 2011 graduates Khadijah A. Erskine, Brelan J. Garcia, Solomon J. Garcia, James A. Grigsby, Jillian A. Humphrey, Elizabeth L. McCarther, Karma M. McPhee, Kayla C. Simmons, and Morgan D. Williams as well as incoming senior Justin T. Ayers, Emily A. Edwards, Daniel M. Engles, James C. McDonald, Tawny C. Parker, Leslie M. Rodriguez and Todd Vaden.

"We at La Porte High School are very proud of all of these students' achievements," said LPHS principal Todd Schoppe. "We know that they have worked very hard, and their hard work has paid off with high achievements on the AP exams."

Since 1955, the AP Program has enabled millions of students to take college level courses and exams, and to earn college credit or placement while still in high school. The AP Program offers more than 30 courses and exams, with nearly 18,000 schools worldwide participating.

Bayshore Elementary School students Enjanae Taylor and Savannah Stein received scholarships to attend Girls Rock Camp Houston, a non-profit organization that hosts an annual two-week camp Aug. 1 through 5.

During the camp, girls from ages 8 to 18 learn how to play instruments, form bands and create original works to be performed at a closing showcase. The students' essays and applications were selected as standouts among a large number of this year's applicants, according to Bayshore principal Vickie Gentile.

The camp is being held at Rice University, with the Aug. 7 final performance to be held at Fitzgerald's, a historical live music venue in Houston.

Lindsay Burleson, Bayshore art teacher, worked with her students on their submission packets. "These young ladies worked very hard on their submission essays and folders," she said. "I am so very proud of them, and I am sure they will have a life-changing experience at Girls Rock Camp."

La Porte ISD has received the preliminary results for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), which is evaluated under the federal accountability system as part of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Based on these results, nine of the district's campuses met AYP, while three schools and the district as a whole missed AYP in specific areas.

Districts and campuses throughout Texas are evaluated for AYP in the areas of reading/language arts, mathematics, and graduation/attendance rate in grades 3-8 and 10. These accountability provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act are separate from state accountability.

According to Superintendent Lloyd W. Graham, the preliminary results show that LPISD met all AYP measures in reading/ELA and math performance and participation, but exceeded the federal cap in the percentage of students taking alternate assessments in the areas of reading/ELA and math. The overall federal limit on student passing results on these alternate assessments must be no more than 3 percent.

Below are the specifics for each campus:

La Porte High School-missed AYP due to math performance in the areas of all students and the Hispanic and economically disadvantaged subpopulations. For 2010-2011, 80 percent had to pass reading, up from 73 percent the prior year. Seventy-five percent had to pass math, up from 67 percent in 2009-2010.

De Walt School-met AYP

La Porte Junior High-missed AYP in special education reading but met all other performance and participation measures, to include attendance rate.

Lomax Junior High -met AYP

Baker Sixth Grade Campus-met AYP Bayshore Elementary-met AYP

College Park Elementary---met AYP

Heritage Elementary-missed AYP in Limited English Proficient (LEP) participation that was a result of a coding issue, for which the district is appealing. The campus met all other performance and participation measures in reading and math.

La Porte Elementary-met AYP

Lomax Elementary-met AYP

Reid Elementary-met AYP

Rizzuto Elementary-met AYP

Barry Gibson has been named the new head boys' basketball coach at La Porte High School.

"I'm excited and honored," Gibson said. "It's a great program, and we've got great kids who are very excited and very dedicated. It's going to be a lot of fun!"

Gibson grew up in neighboring Deer Park, and he and his family have lived in La Porte for the past 12 years. He noted that La Porte has had a strong basketball program throughout the years, and he remembers well the 1987 LPHS team's 40-0 season that culminated in a state championship.

He added that he excited to honor the coaches and players who have been a part of the LPHS program and to have the chance to coach in his own community.

"We love the community, and that's a big part of it," he said.

Gibson graduated from the University of Houston with a bachelor's degree in humanities in 1995. He has extensive high school coaching experience, with his most recent position starting the basketball program at New Caney Porter High School, which opened last year.

Gibson's experience also includes coaching at Pearland, Tolar, Needville and South Houston high schools. While in Pearland, he served as assistant coach for the 1997 state semifinalist team. He also was named Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2004, leading his Needville team to the playoffs.

Gibson played high school basketball at Deer Park under the late Billy Carlisle and played collegiately under Gene Bahnsen at Wharton County Junior College, leading the Pioneers to the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament in 1989.

He and his wife, Debbie, who will join the College Park Elementary staff, have three children-Zane, 11; Zoe, 9; and Zakary, 7.

UPDATED July 18 to include information attached in Spanish. Esta informacion se puede encontrar en espanol en lo siquiente

La Porte High School has made changes to its registration packet pick-up schedule for August.

Students who will be in the ninth grade for the 2011-2012 school year may pick up their packets on Tuesday, Aug. 2, and those who will be in the 10th grade may pick up theirs on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Packet pick-up for juniors AND SENIORS will follow on Thursday, Aug. 4.

A change in this year's process is that students may fill out the paperwork in their packets and return them on the same day that they pick them up, if desired. Those who choose this option should bring proof of residency when they pick up their packets.

Students also have the option of returning their packets the following week. Freshmen will return their packets on Tuesday, Aug. 9, and sophomores will return theirs on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Those who will be in the 11th grade will return their packets on Thursday, Aug. 11, and those who will be in the 12th grade will return theirs on Friday, Aug. 12.

For more information, call La Porte High School at 281-604-7500 or visit the La Porte High School Web page at the "Campuses" link at www.lpisd.org.

Student Registration Packet Pick-up Schedule
8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• 9th Grade - August 2nd, 2011
• 10th Grade - August 3rd, 2011
• 11th & 12th Grade - August 4th, 2011


NEW FOR THIS YEAR:
• STUDENTS CAN FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK IN THEIR PACKETS AND RETURN THEM ON THE SAME DAY THEY PICK IT UP IF DESIRED.
• BRING YOUR PROOF OF RESIDENCY ON THE DAY YOU PICK UP YOUR PACKET IF YOU CHOOSE THE ABOVE OPTION.
• IF NOT, STUDENTS CAN RETURN ON THE ASSIGNED DAY BELOW TO TURN THEIR PACKETS IN.

Student Registration Packet Return Schedule
8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

• 9th Grade - August 9th, 2011
• 10th Grade - August 10th, 2011
• 11th Grade - August 11th, 2011
• 12th Grade - August 12th, 2011

The La Porte Education Foundation will host its annual "Breakfast with the Stars" on Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7 a.m. The event will be held at La Porte ISD's Heritage Elementary School, which is located at 4301 East Blvd.

The breakfast spotlights LPISD educators who were recipients of innovative project grants awarded by the Foundation during the 2010-2011 school year. The Foundation awarded nearly $70,000 in grants to deserving teachers in November 2010.

Reserved tables are available at varying levels of sponsorship. Star Table sponsorships include the Solar Spectacular Table, $1,000; Universe Table, $750; Galaxy Table, $500; and Shooting Star Table, $300. Individual tickets are also available at $30 per person.

Grant recipients include Bari Funda, Chuck Jobson, Michelle Napier, Margaret Newman and David Peters of La Porte High School; Kathleen Breaux of La Porte Junior High School; Lori Bennett, Christopher Cummings, Kimberly Hall, Sharon Kamas and Sharon Nutt of Lomax Junior High School; Julia Thibodeaux of Baker Sixth Grade Campus; Russel Evans, Elizabeth Kinnear, Amanda Parker, Steve Robson, Sandra Warren and Deon Williams of Bayshore Elementary; Debbie Alli, Amber Collins, Robert Green, Linda Hyde, Latisha Peltier, Anita Polvado, Laura Teepe, Angie Weldon and Kelly Yu of College Park Elementary; Brad Paschal and Kathleen Restrepo of DeWalt School; Genoveva Arrona, Laura Garcia, Kimberly Gueldner, Monica LeVrier and Becky Wingstrom of Heritage Elementary; Becky Joseph of La Porte Elementary; Jensy Antony, Dawn Beard, Brenda Crager, Denise Pool, Lori Siltman and Diane Weeden of Lomax Elementary School; Melissa Cooke, Beverly Reynolds, Allison Timm, Jane Troxell and Katherine Wortham of Jennie Reid Elementary; and Donnis Barrett, Sara Campise, Denise Harrison-Fitzmaurice, Trina Marshall, Terri May, Sara Plunk, Amber Weatherford and Shannon Wood of Rizzuto Elementary.

The event will include a silent auction, and cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.

For more information on tickets or to reserve a table, contact the La Porte ISD Communications Department at 281-604-7019.

Bayshore Elementary School teacher Liz Kinnear doesn't worry when she sees her students wearing earphones and using their iPod Touches during classtime. In fact, she gets excited about it. She knows that they are working on a research project, or learning about math and science concepts, or preparing a presentation to give in front of their class.

A classroom set of iPod Touch devices, made possible through a generous donation from Noltex through the La Porte Education Foundation, helps to enhance instruction in classrooms at the campus. According to principal Patricia Herrera-Johnson, Kinnear jumped at the opportunity to add the technology tool for learning and increasing student engagement in the areas of math and science.

The La Porte ISD Technology Department worked closely with the campus to download applications that help reinforce concepts such as number sense, pattern recognitions and problem solving and address numerous scientific topics. Although the focus is on math and science, a wide range of applications are available on any topic the students are studying.

"One of the benefits to iPods is that students are in control of their selections and areas of interest, and this type of technology is innately easy for students to work with," Kinnear said. She added that the students used the devices to complete research for their recent classroom projects, preventing the loss of instructional time waiting for a computer to be available.

Noltex representatives visited the classroom prior to the end of school, and Kinnear's students eagerly demonstrated to them their favorite learning applications. They also read letters of gratitude expressing their excitement over the new learning tool. One student showed his Power Point presentation that was researched and created using the iPod Touch.

"Noltex believes in giving back to the community. What better way than to contribute to the education of our children, as they are our future," said Noltex plant manager Randy Boeding. "How rewarding it was to watch the kids have so much fun while learning with theiPod Touch project!"

"Students use the technology as if they were born knowing it," Kinnear said. "The students have actually taught me about the technology and how to work with it. I am simply the facilitator, and the students teach each other with enthusiasm and excitement."

The La Porte Education Foundation initially donated two classroom sets of the iPod Touch devices to the district during the 2009-2010 school year after talking with elementary principals about their "wish lists" for their campuses. The devices were used at Jennie Reid and College Park elementary schools that year, and after seeing the success of the project at the two campuses, LPISD purchased an additional two sets for La Porte and Heritage elementary schools in 2010-11.

"The possibilities of integrating this technology are endless," Herrera-Johnson said. "We want to thank Noltex for supporting 21st century learning on campus as we continue to make learning relevant to the lives of our students."

La Porte ISD will once again be a Texas Recognized District, according to accountability subset data from the state that will be released to the public on July 28. LPISD Superintendent Lloyd Graham announced the results to LPISD employees yesterday.

Campuses and their accountability ratings will be as follows:

Bayshore-Academically Acceptable
College Park-Academically Acceptable
Heritage--Recognized
La Porte Elem.-Academically Acceptable
Lomax Elem.--Exemplary
Reid-Recognized
Rizzuto-Exemplary
Baker-Recognized
La Porte Junior-Recognized
Lomax Junior-Academically Acceptable
La Porte High School-Academically Acceptable
De Walt-Alternative rating of AEA Academically Acceptable