Several Deer Park ISD schools recently participated in the Junior High UIL One Act Play Contest, and Fairmont Junior High’s production of Anatomy of Gray took the top award.  In addition to being awarded Outstanding Play, several FJH cast and crew members were also recognized:

Spencer Meyers – Best Actor

Julianna Medina – Best Actress

Reese Carter – All-Star Cast

Maggie Hefner – Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

Claire Reynolds – Best Tech

Claire Reynolds (Stage Manager), Emily Wengenroth (Assistant Stage Manager), Jax Venetoulias (Propsmaster), Ryan Kappil (Lights), Bryce Harper (Sound) – Best Overall Tech Crew

FJH Theatre photos courtesy of Jennifer Dunn

Students from two other DPISD schools also received several awards:

Bonnette Junior High, Hopes and Words and Ordinary Things:

Stella Withrow, All-Star Cast (for the second consecutive year)

Katelyn Feirtag, Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

Alex Castellano, Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

Sedda Brady, Best Tech

Deer Park Junior High, Property Rites:

Robin Bellard, All-Star Cast

Evan Hill, Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

Rebekah Cushing, Honorable Mention All-Star Cast

Macie Whitfield, Best Tech

Deer Park High School-South Campus photography students recently participated in the 2018 Association of Texas Photography Instructors (ATPI) Fall Contest.  The competition included over 7,400 entries from 99 schools in 36 categories. The entries came from schools across Texas as well as California, Kansas, Oklahoma and Washington.   Four DPHS students and their teacher were recognized for their work.

Congratulations to:

Gavin Ward - Third place in Advanced Student Life (301 entries) 

Title: Fireflies in the Day 

Matthew Connor Hart - Honorable mention in Advanced Nature (444 entries)

Title: Canna Lily 

Crystian Ortiz- Honorable mention in Advanced Formal Portrait (236 entries)

Title: bolt action  

Gavin Ward - Honorable Mention in Advanced Sports Reaction (277 entries)

Title: We Are Number One 

Yanira Roubi - Honorable mention in Faculty (223 entries)

Title: Timid Panthera 

Earlier today, the District held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new W.A. Carpenter Elementary School.  In addition to members of the School Board and administration, the event included Principal Suzanne Holcomb and several members of her team, former Carpenter principals Belinda Box and Bobby Garcia, and representatives from cre8 Architects, construction contractor Durotech, the Deer Park Education Foundation Board and the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce.  Special guests included Bill Carpenter and Jerry Carpenter, for whose father the school was named.  W.A. Carpenter was a School Board member for almost 30 years and also served as mayor of Deer Park.

During his opening comments, Superintendent Victor White noted that he met his wife in a third grade classroom in the current Carpenter building and that each of his three children had also attended school at Carpenter.  But White also echoed the new Carpenter’s motto, “Building a Strong Foundation for Our Students and a Future They Have Yet to Imagine,” as he explained his hope for the new school.

“This groundbreaking ceremony is an indication that those same kinds of memories that I have and that I know a number of you have will continue to be made in the lives of the students here in this new facility,” he said. 

Site preparation has already begun for the new Carpenter Elementary, which will be located behind the current school.  The goal is for students and staff to move into the new facility during the spring 2020 semester.  The project is funded by the District’s successful 2017 School Bond Election, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters.