By J.J. Smith & Sherry Manno Yeaman. Students at Rockwall-Health High School recently donated 740 new and gently-used blankets to Sleep Experts‘ seventh-annual “Share the Warmth Blanket Drive,” benefiting Genesis Women’s Shelter in Dallas.

Over 3,000 blankets, as well as sheets, pillows, comforters and towels, were donated to the mattress store’s 34 DFW locations during the campaign, which began Oct. 26 and ended Thanksgiving Day.

Hawks cheerleaders led the blanket drive during the week prior to their Oct. 29 football game with Highland Park High School, which also contributed 260 blankets.

They distributed collection barrels around the high school campus and at RISD elementary and middle schools, plus promoted the effort at the pep rally and game.

Sleep Experts’ president Christine Cook said the company is thrilled to recognize the great work of the women’s shelter.

“Every November we ask North Texans to Share the Warmth with domestic violence victims through the simple gift of a new or gently used blanket,” said Cook, who is also a wife and mother of two children.

“This year we were thrilled that these two strong school communities joined us to recognize the great work of Genesis Women’s Shelter and raise awareness of teen dating violence.”

According to Jan Langbein, Executive Director of Genesis,  Share the Warmth is about more than just sharing blankets.

“We are sharing not only physical, but emotional warmth with women and children who may have fled their homes in the middle of the night to escape abuse, leaving everything behind.”

For more information visit SleepExperts.com.

By Andrea Nevarez (Heath High journalism student) & J.J. Smith. Students at Rockwall-Heath High School are rallying to aid one of their own junior class members who has been in a coma since Sept. 5 at Dallas Children’s Hospital.

According to Heath High 9th Grade AP Secretary Kerri Embrey, students and teachers have thus far donated and raised nearly $850 during lunches for Maryela Palacios, 16, the daughter of Heath residents Pedro and Maria Palacios. An A student in several AP classes, she is a member of the Spanish National Honor Society, PALS and AVID.

The Leaders of Life class and Friends of Rachel Club started the fund-raising efforts by arranging to have announcements made about Maryela’s condition over the school’s loud speaker system.

Dozens of students have also responded by making and sending ‘Get Well’ cards, which Heath High Community Liason Adriana Gutierrez has made multiple trips to deliver.

One Heath High mother, after learning about Maryela’s condition, made her a homecoming mum and presented it to her and her parents as a gift at the hospital.

“Her family is very thankful for the Rockwall-Heath High School staff and everyone else who has helped them during this time,” said Gutierrez.  “They ask to continue having Maryela and them in your prayers.”

“I am convinced that Maryela’s tragic situation has brought out the best in us as a school and a community,” Gutierrez added.

“For the community to put aside their activities to go comfort a young girl and her family is a wonderful thing. It is inspiring to see our community coming together and take action in the manner to show ‘We care’. I am sure Maryela, will be more than happy when she returns to school to find how many of her peers have had her in their thoughts and prayers.”

According to her parents, Maryela complained of a headache the morning of Sept. 5 and by evening was in a coma. Doctors do not yet know why.

According to Gutierrez, Maryela’s family needs money, gift cards and non-perishable food items because the parents are both unemployed and cannot work since they are at the hospital.

In addition, her mother is battling cancer. She recently had to travel to Mexico for a cancer treatment of her own.

Maryela also has two brothers who attend Cain Middle School.

Donations can be given to Kerri Embrey in Heath High Room 3403, by emailing her at embrey@rockwallisd.org or by calling her at 972-772-2474.

By J.J. Smith. If you like to eat lots of delicious food (and who doesn’t?) then you’ll be thrilled to learn that nearly two dozen area restaurants have now agreed to participate in the first annual “Taste of Heath” coming Sept. 14 to the Rockwall-Heath High School cafeteria.

For just $10 per adult and $4 for kids (5-11), you’ll be able to sample dozens of tasty menu selections – including American, Barbecue, French, Home Cookin’, Italian, Japanese, Mexican and Southwestern dishes – plus ice cream, cake and iced tea, according to event organizer, J.J. Smith, president of the Rockwall-based Lillian Smith Family Violence Foundation.

Scheduled Tuesday, Sept. 14, 5:30-8 pm, the following restaurants have already confirmed their attendance – with more expected:

• Black-Eyed Pea
• Blue Canyon Kitchen and Tavern
• Buffalo Wild Wings
• Burger House
• Chicken Express
• Culver’s
• Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
• Domino’s Pizza
• El Chico Mexican Food Restaurant
• Johnny Carino’s Italian
• Kyoto Japanese Steak House
• Milano’s
• Palio’s Pizza Cafe
• Pizza Getti
• Pizza Hut
• Rockwall Cakes
• Schlotzsky’s
• Taco Casa
• Quizno’s

The event will raise funds for the Foundation’s educational efforts in media, schools and communities to help stop domestic, dating, child and pet abuse across Rockwall County.

Board members include State Senator Bob Deuell, Rowlett Mayor John Harper and his wife, Debra Harper; Rockwall County District Attorney Kenda Culpepper, Rockwall Bar Association President John Browning and Rockwall/Rowlett Neighbors Go Editor Dawn Redig.

“Family violence is a serious problem growing quickly as Rockwall County continues to grow,” said Smith, who is also the publisher of the new state-of-the-art news and information website, TheRockwallNews.com.

“Just a few months ago there were six family violence-related deaths in Rowlett and Rockwall, including the murder-suicide of the Rockwall Juvenile Judge by her husband. Research shows that half of 16-24-year-old Texans have been involved in dating violence. We must bring this abuse problem under control quickly,” he said.

“To save lives and reduce injuries, we want to help educate teens, adults and children how to better handle their emotions, and teach them that resorting to violence is never right.”

“We also want to teach victims and abusers how and where to get help. For those efforts we need money to pay for well-researched presentations, plus advertising on websites, newspapers, magazines, cable TV, movie theaters, billboards and more.”

He said the Taste of Heath will be similar to the highly-popular Taste of Rockwall, sponsored each April by the Rockwall Chamber of Commerce and Noon Rotary Club, except tickets will only be sold at the event and no business expo will be involved.

“We didn’t want to steal their idea,” said Smith. “But with so many other successful Taste events going on all across the Metroplex, we concluded we should be able to have this event in Heath without stepping on any other organization’s toes.”

“There seems to be plenty of food and people to go around,” he added.

For information, contact Smith at 214-317-1718 or see www.lilliansmith.org.

HEATH – Six members of the Rockwall-Heath swim team were briefly hospitalized with no serious injuries yesterday morning when the school bus they were traveling in skidded off the road and crashed into a three-foot deep stock pond at FM 549 near FM 740 in Heath.

A tire problem apparently caused the accident, according to Rockwall ISD spokesperson Sheri Fowler. The accident is still under investigation.

The team was traveling back to the school from the new Rockwall Aquatics Center when the accident happened at about 8:40 am.

Eighteen students and a coach who were on the bus all exited the partially-submerged vehicle through the emergency back exit.

The driver was non-responsive when emergency crews arrived and had to be pulled from the bus. He is currently in serious condition at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas.

The other students were taken back to school the same day. Many parents also arrived at the scene and transported their children to school.

By J.J. Smith. The Rockwall Women’s League has announced the names of the 11 Rockwall County 2009 high school graduates to whom the non-profit group has awarded $95,000 in college scholarships.

Four graduates each from Rockwall High School and Rockwall-Heath High School received $10,000 awards. One graduate from Royse City High School received $4,000. Two more students received $2,500 Electra Malone art scholarships, which are recurring and will total $10,000 over four years as long as the graduates continue to meet the college requirements. 

The remaining $6,000 will be awarded to two former Malone art winners whose awards are recurring. 

The award-winners are pictured above, beginning on the front row, from left to right: Katherine Noel Crane, Karli Wagoner, Chad Geiger, Madison Edwards, Samuel Garner and Trevor St. John-Gilbert.

Down the stairs, from the top, they are:  Parker Pennington, Jacob Way, Jordan Hill and Ernesto Vargas. Not pictured is Daniel Vitiello.

The four Rockwall High School grads who earned $10,000 each are:  Noel Crane, Samuel Garner, Chad Geiger and Daniel Vitiello.

The four Rockwall-Heath High School $10,000 award-winners are: Madison Edwards, Parker Pennington, Karli Wagoner and Jacob Way.

Trevor-St. John Gilbert, from Rockwall and Jordan Hill from Rockwall-Heath earned the $2,500 recurring Electra Malone awards.

Ernesto Vargas from Royse City High School earned the $4,000 award.

Crane (RHS) will enroll at the University of Texas at Austin, where she will major in fine arts and plans to become an art therapist. “This Women’s League scholarship has allowed me to reach my goal of becoming an art therapist and attending UT-Austin. I am extremely honored and grateful to have been awarded this scholarship,” she said.

Edwards (RHHS) will attend the University of Texas, major in biology and plans to become a Radiologist. “I really appreciate your generous scholarship support,” she said. “It will help me greatly by allowing me more time to concentrate more on my school work and not worry as much about finances.”

Garner (RHS) will attend the University of Texas at Arlington, where he will major in music education and plans to become a band director. “This scholarship gives me the chance to further increase my education and pursue my passion as a musician,” he said.

Geiger (RHS) will attend Eastfield Community College and then John Brown University, where he will major in graphic design so he can become a graphic designer. “I”m thrilled to be picked out of so many hopefuls as a recipient of this award. It’s truly an honor,” he said. “This scholarship encourages me to see that God will provide for my college education.”

Hill (RHHS) will attend Texas Tech University, major in art and plans to become a graphic designer and illustrator. ”It is an honor to represent the Women’s League and try to achieve my fullest potential,” she said.

Pennington (RHHS) will also attend Texas Tech, major in business and plans to become a corporate or criminal lawyer. “I am honored to be awarded this scholarship from the Rockwall Women’s League and I know that this money will give me a great opportunity to further my educational career and broaden my horizon at Texas Tech,” he said.

St. John-Gilbert will attend the University of Michigan, major in musical theatre and plans to become an actor. “This scholarship is essential in helping me afford the cost fo tuition at a university that will help me reach my dreams of becoming an actor,” he said. “I’m so thankful for the Women’s League’s help in reaching my goals.”

Vargas (Royse City) will attend Austin College, major in accounting and hopes to become a CPA. “This scholarship will help my transition to college to be a little bit easier. I’m happy and excited to achive something special!” he said.

Vitiello (RHS)  wil attend Texas Tech, plans to major in business/investing and become a stock broker. He said he looks at the scholarship as an “investment in my future.”

Wagoner (RHHS) will attend Texas State University, major in fashion/education and plans to become a buyer. She said, “This scholarship will help me to achieve my dreams!”

Way (RHHS)  plans to attend Ouachita Baptist University, will major in education/history and plans to teach in a secondary school. He said the scholarship is “a kindness I am grateful for that will reduce my debt after college.”

Funds were raised for the scholarships through the Rockwall Women’s League’s annual Charity Ball, held earlier this year.

For more information, see the Rockwall Women’s League website.