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Weekly Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
VALEDICTORY SPEAKER - Pecos High School 2004 valedictorian
Daniel Quintana thanks his family for helping him become a success in school,
during Friday night’s graduation ceremony at Eagle Stadium. Seated to
Quintana’s right is Odessa College President Dr. Vance Gipson, who was the
guest speaker at this year’s commencement exercise.
Speakers tell grads to remember PHS experience
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Pecos High School seniors were told to hold on to their
memories and to make the right choices in their future lives on Friday night,
by the featured speakers at the graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2004 at
Eagle Stadium
The class of 145 graduates accepted their diplomas from the
newest member of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD school board, former athletic
director Bubba Williams, and from PHS principal Danny Rodriguez, who is
retiring with the end of the current school year. P-B-T Superintendent Don
Love, who also is leaving his job at the end of this month, also congratulated
the students and parents after they received their diplomas.
Before then, students, parents and others at Eagle Stadium
heard from Odessa College President Dr. Vance Gipson, this year’s guest
speaker, along with 2004 valedictorian Daniel Quintana and salutatorian Kaci
Harrison.
Quintana thanked his family in both English and Spanish,
along with others who had helped him over the years.
“As we go our separate ways, always remember and cherish the
memories that were made,” said Quintana, who’ll be attending the University of
Rochester in the fall. “Now that high school is over we’re opening a new
chapter and starting a new life, make the right choice and anything is
possible.”
Harrison, who spoke first during the ceremony, told
teachers, “Our class always dared to be different, but you didn’t give up on
us.”
She also thanked her family, friends and others, and told
the graduates,, “Now that it is time to step out and face life on it’s own,
let’s not forget what Pecos High School has taught us.”
Gipson began his speech by criticizing the Texas Legislature
and Texas Gov. Rick Perry over proposed cuts in funding for education and plans
to finance education programs through legalized gambling. “I think this is
earthshaking and something we should be concerned about,” he said.
He went on to urge graduates to continue their education in
college, saying that only 13 percent of Texas high school students manage to
graduate from college within three to six years.
“Only five states have poorer records than Texas right now,
which is something we all should be concerned about,” Gipson said. “Tonight I
want to continue your education. I want to encourage you to give college a
try.”
Gipson cited reports showing higher salaries that were
available for college graduates, as compared to those only graduating from high
school, but also warned students about getting too far into debt through use of
loans to finance their higher education.
Friday’s ceremony lasted two hours, and those in attendance
filled up most of the west stands at Eagle Stadium. The 145 students - and three beach balls, which made their
appearances amid the seniors at random times during the ceremony - were seated
at midfield at the stadium, which also handled its final event with a natural
grass field. Construction workers are due to begin tearing out the field
sometime next week, for installation of a $475,000 artificial turf playing
surface that is due to be ready by the time Pecos’ football team holds its first
2004 home scrimmage in mid-August.
P-B-T gets 25 applications for superintendent
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Twenty-five individuals have applied for the position of
superintendent for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD and board members will narrow it
down to five applicants next week.
P-B-T ISD has been searching for a new superintendent since
Don Love announced his retirement plans back in February. Love will leave the
post he’s held for the last 6 1.2
years on June 30, and school board members retained officials with the Texas
Association of School Boards (TASB) to help in their search and has been
receiving updates.
The group met Monday evening and Don Killough, with TASB was
on hand to discuss the issue. He told the group that they had received 25
applicants, which was a normal number. “This is an average number, we expected
between 20-30,” he said.
Killough discussed the dates that the board would interview
the top five applicants. “We’ll narrow the field down to five during the first
round and down to three during the second round,” said Killough.
“During the first round of interviews we really need to have
everyone there, because it’s critical,” said Killough.
Killough said that if all the board members could not be
there during the first round of interviews, they would have to rely on their
fellow board members to select the five.
“You’ll have to rely on the other board members on the three
that you want to invite back,” said Killough.
The first round of interviews will take place Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. The second round will take place on June
14-16, according to Killough.
Killough declined to release the names of the 25 applicants,
and under state law the names of potential applicants during early stages of a
superintendent search do not have to be released.
Sec. 552.126 of the State of Texas Government Code states
that, “The name of an applicant for the position of superintendent of a public
school district is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021,” which
requires that public information be made available to the public at a minimum
during normal business hours. However, the rule goes on to say “the board of
trustees must give public notice of the name or names of the finalists being
considered for the position at least 21 days before the date of the meeting at
which a final action or vote is to be taken on the employment of the person.”
The board will hold their regular monthly meeting on June
10. Killough said that he would be in a conference in San Antonio, but would
try to make that board meeting to meet with the group.
Killough met with the group in closed session to discuss the
questions that they could ask prospective applicants and other items pertaining
to the interviews. He said that the group would narrow it down to three and
then meet with them again and meet their spouses as well.
“It’s very important that you see them in that light, in
that type setting,” he said.
“We’ve put a packet together for the interviews with
questions you would use during the interviews,” said Killough.
Board members also reorganized their administrative
positions for the 2004-05 school year during the special meeting. Board
president will again be Billie Sadler; vice-president, Lila Cerna and
secretary, Crissy Martinez. The group welcomed new board member Bubba Williams.
BHS valedictorian dedicates speech to late classmate
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
The top-ranking student for the Class of 2004 at Balmorhea
High School dedicated his valedictory speech to a soldier and former classmate
who died recently while in training with the U.S. Marines, during graduation
ceremonies Friday night at the Balmorhea ISD gym.
Balmorhea High School valedictorian Kevin Machuca dedicated
his speech to Jerry Lee Mendoza, who died while serving in the U.S. Army in
California. Mendoza was a Class of 2002 graduate who died in a San Diego
hospital after falling ill while training at the Twenty-nine Palms Marine Base
in the California desert.
Machuca also talked about forged friendships, the many
experiences in high school and about his beloved hometown during his
valedictory speech.
He was one of 14 graduates who received their diplomas on
Friday evening in the Balmorhea School Gym.
Salutatorian Raquel Contreras said that she would miss
Balmorhea, but that she expected a lot out of her classmates. She wished each
and every one of them good luck and quoted a passage in the Bible at the end of
her speech.
Guest speaker for the event was Dr. Carl Hoffmeyer of the
University of Texas-Permian Basin, and several scholarships and awards were
handed out during the evening.
Other graduates include: Keith Baeza, Urban Baeza, Vanessa
Baeza, Amber Briceno, Desiree Contreras, Stoney Iniguez, Trina Jurado, John
Keeper, Robbie Mendoza, Joe Morales, Vanessa Natividad and Saul Rios.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2003-04 by Pecos Enterprise
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