39th Annual Share Your Holidays is huge success
The 39th Annual ABC13 Share Your Holidays food drive at Ball High School on Friday, Dec. 6, was a huge success.
Members of the Ball High School band, cheerleaders, Tornettes, Ballet Folklorico, as well as the Parker Elementary School Elite students, entertained the public and Share Your Holidays community partners as they dropped off nonperishable food and monetary donations that benefited the Galveston County Food Bank.
A total of 25,603 pounds of food and more than $1,000 in monetary contributions were collected by the end of the day.
Ron Crumedy, associate vice president for student services at Galveston College, Shelia Fields, second year coordinator for the Galveston College Nursing program, and Galveston College students Kyle Hendrix, Justin Clary, Anastasia Venegas, Eva Rios and Iraida Tzoy joined community members, Ball High School students and students from throughout Galveston in volunteering at the event.
The food will be distributed by the Galveston County Food Bank to local families in need during the holiday season.
Mike Dudas, media arts coach at Ball High School, is the coordinator for Share Your Holidays-Galveston. Robyn R. Bushong serves as community partners/publicity coordinator.
Above: Shelia Fields, second year coordinator for the Galveston College Nursing program, and Galveston College students Kyle Hendrix, Justin Clary, Anastasia Venegas and Eva Rios volunteer at the 39th Annual Share Your Holidays food drive Friday, Dec. 6, at Ball High School.
Start a family holiday tradition with Making Gingerbread Houses
Nothing announces the beginning of the holiday season like a festive gingerbread house. Learn how to make one of your own during a four-evening class this December at Galveston College.
The Galveston College Culinary Arts program will host Making Gingerbread Houses on Monday through Thursday, Dec. 2-5, from 6-8 p.m. Start a fun family holiday tradition with the skills you’ll learn.
Instructor Chef Mirta Salinas will offer tips and tricks on making a great gingerbread house from scratch, complete with all of the festive decorations and gingerbread people.
Each participant will make and decorate his or her own gingerbread house. The class is open to students of all ages. Students under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The cost for the class is $29 per person. Space is limited and preregistration is required.
To reserve a spot and for registration information, call Linda Jenko in Galveston College Continuing Education at (409) 944-1344.
Galveston College Theatre to stage ‘More Fun than Bowling’
The Galveston College Theatre department will return to the stage this fall for a three-day run of “More Fun than Bowling,” a funny and eccentrically philosophical comedy by veteran playwright Steven Dietz.
Show dates and times are Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Performances are located in Room 207 on the second floor of the Galveston College Fine Arts Building.
Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain and admission is free.
The story follows Jake Tomlinson as he relives moments of his life with his two dead wives, Lois and Loretta, both of whom died in freak bowling accidents.
Main character Jake owns the bowling alley in a small Midwestern town and passes the time ruminating about life while sitting on a hilltop where two of his three wives are buried. Lois was zapped by lightning while carrying a bowling trophy in a thunderstorm, and Loretta was killed by only the second bowling ball rack collapse in history. In his younger days Jake was a promising concert musician, but a foul tip baseball broke his fingers which subsequently healed into a perfect bowler’s grip. Jake replays the key frames of his life and, from time to time, is visited by his daughter Molly who has become adept at talking women into marrying her father for love and free lane time. But who is that nattily dressed man with dark glasses and a revolver lurking nearby?
The Washington Times describes “More Fun than Bowling” as “a very funny and eccentrically philosophical comedy. Mr. Dietz is a…writer with a distinct comic voice. He shows us that life and certainly death is a lot like bowling. For every experience, there seems to be an appropriate bowling expression just waiting to be applied. And for those who thought that bowling was merely a matter of rolling a ball and knocking down some pins, there is an Act II description of the Zen of bowling that will change your thinking forever…. In addition to inventing vivid cartoonish characters and giving them wacky tragic actions, Mr. Dietz is a master of the comic monologue.”
Director is Liz Lacy, program coordinator for Performing Arts at Galveston College. Company members include Dorion Alcantar, Eva Arita, Daniel Bourque, Alyssa Gudz, Christiana-Rose LaCross, Eric Scales and Brittney Somoza.
This production of “More Fun than Bowling” is entered as a participating production in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, a national theater program involving 20,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide annually. It is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.
For additional information, please contact Liz Lacy at (409) 944-1398 or [email protected].
Daniel Bourque, Eva Arita and Alyssa Gudz rehearse for the upcoming Galveston College Theatre production of “More Fun than Bowling” by Steven Dietz. Show dates and times are Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Performances are located in Room 207 on the second floor of the Galveston College Fine Arts Building. Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain and admission is free.
Galveston College announces fall 2019 Food for Thought market dates
Galveston College has announced fall 2019 distribution dates for the Food for Thought mobile farmers market on the college’s main campus at Avenue Q 1/2 and 39th Street and at the Charlie Thomas Family Applied Technology Center, 7626 Broadway Street. Volunteers are needed to assist with set up, check in, distribution and clean up.
Market dates are as follows:
Galveston College Main Campus
- Wednesday, Sept. 18
- Wednesday, Oct. 23
- Wednesday, Nov. 20
- Wednesday, Dec. 4
Galveston College Charlie Thomas Family Applied Technology Center
- Thursday, Sept. 26
- Thursday, Oct. 10
- Thursday, Nov. 7
- Thursday, Dec. 12
Market hours are 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Food for Thought is a partnership between Galveston College, the Galveston County Food Bank and the Houston Food Bank through its Food for Change food scholarship initiative.
The Food for Thought market gives students access to fresh produce, meats and other groceries on the Galveston College campus, enabling them to save money for other necessities and to maintain their focus on school.
“The food scholarship assists with lowering grocery expenses throughout the semester and allows students to stay fueled and healthy while pursuing their educational goals,” said Cynthia Parra, student activities coordinator and Food for Thought market coordinator at Galveston College.
Currently enrolled students can obtain client ID cards in the Galveston College Counseling and Advising Center on the first floor of Moody Hall on the main campus or the office at the Applied Technology Center and enroll online by visiting the Food for Change page on the Houston Food Bank website.
Students also can locate unrestricted Food for Change markets by using the Houston Food Bank Mobile App. Food for Change markets are labeled to help clients identify all markets available to all Food for Change recipients.
For more information and to volunteer to assist with the program, contact Cynthia Parra in the Office of Student Activities at [email protected] or (409) 944-1234.
2nd full-time Law Enforcement Academy class graduates
Galveston College celebrated the graduation of Class 2 of its full-time, daytime Law Enforcement Academy May 30 in the Abe and Annie Seibel Foundation Wing.
In a processional led by a traditional police bagpiper, the nine graduates of Class 2 marched into the auditorium to receive their certifications and to be administered the law enforcement oath of office.
Mary Pyle, director of the Law Enforcement Academy, served as master of ceremonies and introduced Galveston College Vice President for Instruction, Cissy Matthews, who gave welcoming remarks to family and friends of the graduates. Dr. Matthews commended the work of the program instructors and the cadets and congratulated the graduates as they launched their careers.
Graduating Cadet Tait Cooper, who was the class valedictorian, spoke on behalf of the class and gave thanks to family members, instructors and Galveston College for the opportunity of attending the academy.
Guest speaker District Attorney Jack Roady of Galveston County encouraged the graduates to be bold in their pursuits.
“We are the communities that you have pledged to serve and protect,” Roady said. “We are going to be looking to you on the worst days of our lives to be our strength … to be bold.”
A presentation of special awards included the Top Gun award for the best marksmanship on the firing range to Cadet Sanjay Soodeen. The top academic achievement award went to Cadet Tait Cooper
The graduates, all of whom serve with local law enforcement agencies, had a 100 percent pass rate on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement licensure exam.
Graduates included Garrett Alby, Dakota Burrows, Elena Colon, Tait Cooper, Elizabeth Dobson, Mandy Hendrick, Brian Rawls, Sanjay Soodeen and Andrew Vences.
Cadet Class 2 instructors included Barton Stephenson, Galveston College; Lt. Paul Adkins, Texas Department of Public Safety; Sgt. John Aucoin, Jamaica Beach Police Department; Sgt. Jeffrey Banks, Galveston Police Department; Dan Blackford, College of the Mainland; Patrick Broash, Galveston Police Department; Vancessa Cadena, Galveston Police Department; Weston Dancewicz, Texas Department of Public Safety; Det. Derek Gaspark, Galveston Police Department; Sgt. Susan Gibbs, University of Texas Medical Branch Police Department; Brent Haynes, Galveston County District Attorney’s Office; Sgt. Billy Kilburn, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office; Sean Migues, Galveston Police Department; Wayne Moody, Galveston Police Department; Sgt. Khristin New, Jones Creek Marshal’s Office; Sgt. Raymond Orozco, Texas A&M University; Kevin Petroff, Galveston County District Attorney’s Office; Kris Pompa, Galveston Police Department; William Reed, Galveston County District Attorney’s Office; David Roark, Galveston Police Department; Jackie Sanford, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; John Siverand, University of Texas Medical Branch Police Department; Juana (Jo) Villarreal, Galveston Police Department; and Clint Weekly, Texas Department of Public Safety.
More than 400 cadets have graduated from Galveston College’s Law Enforcement Academy since it began in 1987. Many of those graduates have gone on to join law enforcement agencies in Galveston County, throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast region.
Above: Nine cadets graduated May 30 from Class 2 of Galveston College’s full-time, daytime Law Enforcement Academy. The cadets had a 100 percent pass rate on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement licensure exam. For more Law Enforcement Academy graduation photos, click here.
32nd Law Enforcement Academy class graduates
Galveston College celebrated the graduation of Class 32 of Law Enforcement Academy cadets May 15 in the Abe and Annie Seibel Foundation Wing.
In a processional led by a traditional police bagpiper, the eight graduates of Class 32 marched into the auditorium to receive their certifications and to be administered the law enforcement oath of office.
Mary Pyle, director of the Law Enforcement Academy, served as master of ceremonies and introduced Galveston College President, Dr. Myles Shelton, who gave welcoming remarks to family and friends of the graduates. Dr. Shelton commended the work of the program instructors and the cadets and congratulated the graduates as they launched their careers.
Graduating cadet Erin Shaw, who was the class valedictorian, spoke on behalf of the class and gave thanks to family members, instructors and Galveston College for the opportunity of attending the academy.
Guest speaker Chief Brad Heiman of the Jamaica Beach Police Department asked those in attendance to observe a moment of silent in observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is celebrated throughout the nation on May 15, and encouraged the graduates to continue to serve with integrity in honor of those who gave their lives in service to their communities.
A presentation of special awards included the Top Gun award for the best marksmanship on the firing range to Cadet Calixto Lopez. The top academic achievement award went to Cadet Erin Shaw.
The graduates, all of whom serve with local law enforcement agencies, had a 100 percent pass rate on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement licensure exam.
Graduates included Luis Camino, Michael Gonzalez, Shane Hubbard, Lindsy Jackson, Calixto Lopez, Julia Pina, Mark Posey and Erin Shaw.
Cadet Class 32 instructors included Barton Stephenson, Galveston College; Kara Harrison, City of Galveston; Sgt. Billy Kilburn, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office; Cris Martinez, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; Sean Migues, Galveston Police Department; Sgt. Andre Mitchell, Galveston County Constables, Precinct 2; Sgt. Khristin New, JCMO; Sgt. Raymond Orozco, Texas A&M University; and Ronny Phillips, Alvin Community College.
More than 400 cadets have graduated from Galveston College’s part-time Law Enforcement Academy since it began in 1987. Many of those graduates have gone on to join law enforcement agencies in Galveston County, throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast region.
Above: Members and instructors of Class 32 of the Galveston College Law Enforcement Academy include (front row) Erin Shaw, (middle row) faculty member Bart Stephenson, Shane Hubbard, Mark Posey, Julia Pina, Lindsy Jackson and faculty member Sgt. Khristen New, (back row) faculty member Sgt. William Kilburn, Michael Gonzalez, Luis Camino and Calixto Lopez. For more photos from the ceremony, click here.
Spring 2019 De-Stress Week is underway
Final exams are May 9-15 at Galveston College. The Office of Student Activities, in conjunction with the Student Government Association, has planned a variety of activities to help students, faculty and staff decompress before finals.
Schedule of Events
Ice Cream Social
Wednesday, May 1
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cheney Student Center
Come enjoy a sweet treat!
15-Minute Chair Massages
Thursday, May 2
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Mary Moody Northen Center Atrium
Relax your muscles. Soothe your stress. Treat yourself to a free chair massage with Therapeutic HealthWorks!
$3 Movie Night: “Avengers: Endgame”
Friday, May 3
Arrive by 3:30 p.m.
Movie Starts at 4 p.m.
Premiere Cinemas, Galveston
The Avengers take a final stand against Thanos in Marvel Studios’ conclusion to 22 films, “Avengers: Endgame.” Pick up a $3 ticket in Student Activities in the Cheney Student Center to see the movie that has smashed every imaginable box-office record!
Snacks with Friends
Monday, May 6
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Mary Moody Northen Center Atrium
Come enjoy free snacks, board games, music and more!
Lawn Games
Tuesday, May 7
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Abe and Annie Seibel Wing Lawn
De-stress with a little friendly competition! Horseshoes, badminton, beanbag toss, soccer and football!
For more information, contact Cynthia Parra in Student Activities at [email protected].
‘Financial Aid 101’ Success Seminar set for April 18
The Student Activities office at Galveston College will present a “Financial Aid 101” Success Seminar on Thursday, April 18, from 4-5 p.m. in Room 251 of Regents Hall at Galveston College, 4015 Avenue Q, Galveston, Texas.
Presenter will be Tyese Dunn, Galveston College financial aid coordinator.
“Participants of this workshop will learn the basics about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the financial aid awarding process and timeline, and the effect of scholarships and other outside assistance on financial aid funding,” said Cynthia Parra, coordinator of Student Activities at Galveston College. “
For more information, contact Parra at [email protected].
Spring Fling
Galveston College will celebrate Spring Fling 2019 on Wednesday, April 3, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the Seibel Wing Lawn on the Galveston College main campus, 4015 Avenue Q.
There will be free popcorn, hotdogs, hamburgers, drinks and chips, as well as a variety of booths, games and DIY crafts.
In the event of rain, Spring Fling will take place in the Hermes Fitness Center Gym and under the Hermes carport.
‘Finding Nemo’s Garden’ lecture to feature underwater cinematographer
Galveston College will present “Finding Nemo’s Garden: Sea and Science in the Land of the Renaissance,” a lecture featuring writer, producer, director and cinematographer Paul Cater Deaton on Wednesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. in the Abe and Annie Seibel Foundation Wing on the Galveston College campus, 4015 Ave. Q, Galveston, Texas.
The lecture is the fourth in the college’s 2018-19 lecture series, Our World and Beyond: The Integration of Modern Technology and the Humanities.
“We are very excited to have Paul Cater Deaton, a well-known underwater photographer, present at the second lecture in our series this spring at Galveston College,” said Dr. Laimutis Bytautas, chair of the faculty professional development committee at Galveston College. “Mr. Deaton is well-known for his accomplishments in underwater photography and also his efforts to conserve ocean ecosystems. There are many ecosystems deep under the surface of our oceans’ waters and to learn about them from such an expert in underwater photography as Mr. Deaton will be an amazing experience. We welcome everybody to attend this exciting and informative lecture.”
Deaton is an award-winning writer, producer, director and cinematographer who has filmed on six continents over a 40-year career. He is based in Galveston, Texas, and works all over the world.
As an undersea filmmaker, Deaton has spent more time underwater than most people spend in high school.
Recent credits include underwater cinematographer for “Wild Honduras” with Nigel Marven, field producer and director of photography with The Discovery Channel, director of photography with HBO Documentaries and principal underwater cinematographer for “The Amazing Race.” Deaton was one of the original three filmmakers selected to produce short documentaries for “Ocean in Google Earth.”
As a filmmaker and photojournalist, his work has been broadcast and published worldwide. He recently gave a highly-rated TEDx Talk on shark preservation, and was certified in Global Shark Biodiversity, Biology and Conservation through Cornell University and the University of Queensland, Australia.
Deaton is a National Fellow in The Explorers Club and a full member of the Television Academy. Other memberships include Boston Sea Rovers, National Association of Underwater Instructors, Historical Diving Society, Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago and the Rotary Club of St. Thomas East board of directors. A Rotarian since 1989, he was honored with a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship in 2004.