By Bobby Tingle

 

Orange Leader subscriber Pinkie Lewis is a big fan of her granddaughter Nia Lewis.

Grandma Lewis was in the office this week spreading good cheer and charm around the room in abundance.

Somehow the subject of her granddaughter came up.

It seems granddaughter Lewis is enrolled in a special program designed to provide her extra benefits as she proceeds through high school.

Lewis is a student in the innovative program Early College High School offered by West Orange-Stark in partnership with Lamar State College – Orange (LSC-O).

Students who take advantage of this program earn a high school diploma while also earning an associates degree from LSC-O.

It seems you can actually ‘kill two birds with one stone’!

Lewis, according to grandma, is having fun while pursuing both degrees. But she admits it is hard.

According to an article in The Orange Leader in January, the program offers rigorous instruction and accelerated courses.

When you see words like rigorous and accelerated I think hard is a good synonym.

Why would a student choose a hard course of study?

Possibly the answer is ambition.

Nia Lewis is not a stranger to The Orange Leader.

In February, Editor Dawn Burleigh wrote about her efforts leading a group of similar minded teens in an effort to make a difference.

She began a group named Teens DO Make A Difference with the intention of showing the community the potential of area teens. The organization is now called Teens Make a Difference.

Their desire is to set themselves apart by serving and loving those around them.

Enrolling in the Early College High School program, knowing it is rigorous and accelerated is commendable enough. Organizing like-minded teenagers 13-14 years of age is as well.

Hopefully this innovative educational path will be an inspiration to students in Orange County.

Too often we talk about the issues or problems school districts face.

Educating our children is important.

The education provided to our children for their academic pursuits should be rigorous and accelerated.

When teens volunteer for a quicker pace and more rigorous course on their educational path, then their level of ownership in their education would only seem to provide all the more motivation to succeed at a high level.

I admit I did not pay close attention to this program when the first report of its existence published in The Orange Leader.

I am grateful Pinkie Lewis unknowingly reminded me this week.

Dr. Suzonne Crocket spearheads the program for LSC-O. I expect to get an update from her next week concerning the program on campus.

Stay tuned until next week on this innovative educational program.

 

Orange County CCA Banquet huge success

 

Scott Bandy is President of the Orange County Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association.

Bandy and his band of conservationists put on a banquet Thursday night at the Expo Center providing food, fun, silent auction and a social hour.

According to Bandy, “the head count in the room was around 415 to 420” guests attending the event.

“We had a packed house and at the end of the night preliminary count shows we will exceed our expectations on the amount of money raised for Marine Conservation,” said Bandy.

CCA is a nationwide organization with chapters in all states with a coastal boundary. Texas has the largest number of chapters with 62 and a total member count of 60,000.

The local chapter participates in numerous events each year including Crab Trap Cleanup, Orange Community Trash-Off and Beach Clean-Up.

They also give their support and represented CCA in the OCARC Fishing Tournament, Extreme Redfish Tournament and Chester Moore’s Flounder Revolution Flounder Roundup.

You can join this group at Robert’s Meat Market and Steakhouse the first Monday of each month to learn more and join them in their efforts. Information is also available online at ccatexas.org/find-your-chapter/orange-county/.

Good job Orange County CCA and all the area sponsors who contributed to a successful event.

 

Bobby Tingle is publisher of The Orange Leader. You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.