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Honesty in Action
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India Williams Returns Man's Savings
 Thomas Jefferson once said, "Honesty is the first chapter in
the book of wisdom." If that is the case, it seems that Lakehill student India
Williams is definitely ready for chapter two.
India,
a seventh grade student, was looking through a rack of stage props, most of
them picked up at Goodwill, for something to wear in the upcoming production of
Guys and Dolls. After selecting a jacket, she noticed that something didn't feel quite right. India
reached into the pocket of the jacket, with no idea of the treasure she would
find inside. Tucked inside a tattered envelope, which bore the careful marking
and tallies of well-documented savings, was more than $5,000 - cash.
India
wondered about the money, but quickly realized what she needed to do. She explained,
"I thought, even though it came from Goodwill, it's not my money." With a
friend's help, she turned the money over to music teacher Linda Booth.
Because of the detailed notes on the envelope, India
says she was hopeful that the owner might be found. She explained that the
dates on the envelope were quite old, and she worried the owner might not still
be living. Through property searches and cross-referencing, school officials
were able to identify the owner of the jacket. Ishmael Silvas, however, had
passed away in October, never knowing that his savings had been found. Luckily,
his daughter Robin was living in the White Rock area and was the executor of
her father's estate. Ms. Silvas came to Lakehill to receive the money that had
belonged to her father, and to meet the girl who returned it to her.
"She gave me a big hug and told me I was a kind
person," India
recounted. "She said she was proud of my honesty." Then she gave India
$50 to say thanks. Although she was most excited just to meet Ms. Silvas and
see her reaction, India
confessed she had thought about a possible reward. "I bought a swimsuit at
Target and got some clothes at Plato's Closet," she admits.
When her father became ill, Ms. Silvas quit work to
take care of him full-time. She was a dermatology nurse and has memories
of treating kids from Lakehill. She says her father, who came from a poor
family, had a habit of stashing money. After claiming the money for her
deceased father, Ms. Silvas made a donation of $500 to Lakehill's Fine Arts
Department. She also asked to be kept informed of upcoming musical theatre and drama
productions. Ms. Silvas said, "All we ever hear about young people are the
negative things. This whole experience has been so positive. I really enjoyed
meeting India and
appreciate her and the others at Lakehill."
When it comes to ethics and integrity, people can either
take the hard right or the easy wrong and it seems lately all we hear about is the
easy wrong. Assistant Headmaster Lara Gajkowski
said, "Something like this reaffirms your belief in people and confirms my
belief that people really do want to do the right thing." |
| Going Places
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Lineberry Signs with Abilene Christian University Lakehill senior Morgan Lineberry, son of Marion and Dione
Lineberry, recently took the next step toward his collegiate career. Lineberry
committed to playing football at Abilene Christian University (ACU) in Abilene,
Texas, receiving both a football scholarship and the John C.
Stevens Academic Achievement Award.
Lineberry, who has attended Lakehill since kindergarten, is
well regarded on campus as a versatile and talented athlete. Lineberry was a
four-year member of the Warrior Varsity Football team, receiving First Team All-State
and First Team All-District honors. He was a four-year starter on both the
Varsity Baseball and Varsity Basketball teams, receiving First Team
All-District in both and All-State Honorable Mention in baseball. A true
all-around athlete, Lineberry also played two years on Lakehill's Varsity Golf
team and three years on the State-Champion Varsity Tennis team, where he earned
a State Championship title in Men's Doubles. Lineberry was recently awarded Lakehill's
Fighting Heart Award, an award that recognizes true dedication and school
spirit, as well as a strong work ethic and commitment to the team.
As a member of Lakehill's football team, Lineberry played
quarterback, safety, and kicker. His senior football stats are impressive, with
more than 2500 combined yards of total offense with 47 touchdowns. He completed
36 extra point kicks out of 40 attempts, a 90% success rate.
Chris Peacock, Varsity
Football Head Coach explained, "Morgan is an outstanding football player -
one of the best I've ever coached. In addition to his natural athletic
abilities, he possesses tremendous leadership qualities. You combine those things with
a solid work ethic and it's easy to see why he has accomplished so much. I
believe he will have a great college career."
Bob Yttredahl, Athletic
Director, agreed, "Morgan is a great leader and has one of the best work ethics
I have ever seen. He helped raise the level of Lakehill athletics. His
example of what it takes to have success on and off the playing field will have
a resounding effect on our younger students for years to come."
As an athlete and a scholar, Lineberry was an active member
of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the National Spanish Honor
Society. He says one of his greatest honors was receiving the Honor Club Award,
an award that recognizes athletes who play at least three sports and maintain a
3.5 GPA for the year. A leader both on the field and off, Lineberry served as a
sophomore and junior class officer, and served two years each as the captain of
three Varsity teams: football, baseball, and tennis. He was recently selected
by the Dallas Morning News as a
recipient of the Good Kid Award.
Lineberry, who says he plans to study Exercise Science, believes his education at ACU will be
academically challenging. Similar to Lakehill, he was attracted to the smaller
classes and the personal attention students receive from their professors. Lineberry
especially likes the fact that he'll be able to play football right away. "At a
larger school," he explained "I might have to sit out the first year or two and
compete with eight others for the job. Lineberry
will also be able to play baseball for ACU, something he said he would not be
able to do at a larger school. Lineberry reports to training camp in Abilene
on August 4. Until then, he will spend the summer working out on his own,
getting ready for his debut in Abilene.
Lakehill congratulates Morgan on this outstanding accomplishment and looks forward to keeping up with his career. Fans won't have
to wait long to see Lineberry play in Dallas.
ACU takes on Texas A&M Commerce on September 12 in the Cotton Bowl. In addition, the ACU Wildcats' 2009 season opener on August 27 against Northwest Missouri
State will be featured in a nationally
televised game on CBS College Sports network.
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| Standing at the Threshold
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Seniors Prepare for New Beginnings
 The Class of 2009 is standing at the threshold of new
beginnings and opportunities, looking forward to the future yet remembering where they have been. As each prepares to make a new home, many leave
behind the place they have called home for most of their lives.
This year's Valedictorians, both graduating with a 4.0, are
Alina Rich and Mac Werther. Alina, who has attended Lakehill since
kindergarten, will attend the University
of Texas in the fall where she will
study aerospace engineering. Mac, who has been at Lakehill since first grade,
will attend Vanderbilt University,
where he will major in foreign languages and business. The Salutatorian is Alan
Cox. Alan, who has attended Lakehill since kindergarten, will attend Oklahoma
State University,
where he will study business administration. Again, 100% of Lakehill graduates
will continue on to college. You can read more about where our seniors are headed in the upcoming issue of Milestones.
Seniors will take their final walk across the Lakehill stage
on Friday, May 29 at 7:30pm in
Lakehill's thirty-sixth Commencement ceremony. Special graduation events,
including a reception and special gifts will be provided by junior class parents
and the PFC.
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Celebrating the Arts
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Performing Arts Students Honored
 Middle
School Performing Arts students were honored on Tuesday evening with its first annual
Reception and Recognition Ceremony. The outdoor reception was held at
6:00 pm in the Gail Peeler Memorial Garden, with the recognition at
7:00 pm in the Charles J. Wyly, Jr. Auditorium. Students
honored included those in Choir, fall and spring Drama Club, Drama, and Musical
Theater. The
students' introductions of their performing arts teachers, along with the funny
stories and fond memories they shared with all in attendance, clearly showcased
the importance of the program to them. Although the evening was designed to recognize the students for their success in music and drama, perhaps their thoughtful thanks that evening was their
strongest performance of all. Two days later, Upper School Performing Arts held its first annual Awards Banquet and Awards Ceremony at Edison's in downtown Dallas. An elegant affair, the setting was a perfect backdrop for a wonderful evening of remembrances and awards. After an Italian dinner, Headmaster Perry welcomed the large crowd. A video highlighting the performing arts season followed. Honors and Awards were presented to students involved in Lakehill Chorale, Lakehill Singers, Drama, Musical Theater, and Thespians. The evening was a touching and heartfelt tribute to an amazing performing arts season. In a new Lakehill tradition, Amanda Rasbury received the Gypsy
Robe for being the most helpful chorus member. On Broadway, the chorus member (gypsy) with the most experience wears it
opening night for luck. Amanda
will wear the robe next year on opening night of the musical, walking three times counter-clockwise in
the circle as cast members touch the robe for luck. Each year memorabilia
from that show will be added to the robe. The importance
of arts in the lives of young people is well documented. Research
continues to show that arts education enhances the academic
achievement of children
and assists them in the development of creative thinking and
problem-solving. From the look of things on Tuesday and Thursday evening, the study of
the arts has served these children well. |
| Roll On
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Lower School Celebrates End of Year
 It's true, roller skating parties never seem to go out of style. Lower School students celebrated the end of the school year last Friday with their annual Skating Party at White Rock Skate. The children loved the music, lights, and all the activities. With races, games, and the obligatory hokey pokey, there truly was something for everyone. The students enjoyed snacks and time with their friends before parting ways, ready to get an early start on the holiday weekend and the beginning of summer. |
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Classroom Connections
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Colleges That Change Lives
 The Colleges That Change Lives college tour
will be appearing in Dallas on
Sunday, August 16 at 3:00pm at the
Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre.
Colleges
That Change Lives (CTCL) is a group of 40 colleges and universities from around
the United
States that offer life-changing experiences for
students because their goal is to be student-centered schools. Educational correspondent, Loren Pope writes
about these schools that learning is collaborative, values are central, and
there is a strong sense of community.
This CTCL event is free of charge and no advance registration is
necessary. The program will begin with a
panel discussion designed to "encourage students to make the college search
process a well-informed journey that leads to the best possible outcome: finding the right college fit for them." Following the panel discussion will be a
college fair.
For more information on CTCL, please visit www.ctcl.org or look for the
publication Colleges That Change Lives,
40 Schools That Will Change The Way You Think About Colleges by Loren
Pope.
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Sports Snippets
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Summer Training Schedule
 The Summer Off Season training schedule has
been posted on the website. Click here to view.
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What's Happening?
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May 29Commencement
Charles J. Wyly, Jr. Auditorium; 7:30pm June 2 - July 31Lakehill Summers CampsRegistration is still being accepted in some camps. Contact teachers directly to see if there is room available. View the updated Summer Camps Guide here. June 13
Shoreline Spruce Up
White Rock Lake; 9:00 - 11:00am
Meet in the parking lot at W. Lawther and Chapel Hill.
July 15
Registration papers due to the office
August 16
College That Change Lives College Tour
Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre; 3:00pm 2009-2010 School Year CalendarTo view next year's calendar, see here.
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