‘From Pom Poms to Prison’

ROCKWALL, TX (Jan. 27, 2015) The former cheerleader sat in the Rockwall County jail in 2001, wondering how she had gone from cheering at Friday night football games to sitting behind bars as Child Protective Services picked up her three children. Flash forward to 2015, the ex-prison inmate is now a devout Christian, published author […]

Country artist, nightclub welcome visually impaired ‘Back to the Honky Tonks’

ROCKWALL, TX (October 7, 2014) Dallas-born singer/songwriter Deryl Dodd is best known for country hits like “Tony Lama Boots,” “Friends Don’t Drive Friends,” and “Back to the Honky Tonks.” But Dodd is more than a popular musician; he is an advocate for people with disabilities. Dodd has performed benefit concerts for children with Eagle-Barrett syndrome, […]

Teaching through multiple intelligence

 “Only the truth of who you are, if realized, will set you free.” ~ Eckhart Tolle ROCKWALL,TX. (August 13, 2014) It is getting to be that time of year again- a brand new school year for students and teachers alike. After thirty-one-years of being an educator I still feel nervous, excited and anticipate another school […]

Marigold Learning Academy: Sunny outlook for children with Autism

ROCKWALL, TX (March 31, 2014) Rockwall’s Marigold Learning Academy is a quaint, intimate learning center for children with autism.  The cozy and warm atmosphere is immediate when you walk through the small unassuming house on Goliad Street.  However, what happens in the Marigold Learning Academy is anything but small and unassuming.  Its brightly colored language […]

‘RanDDom’ as he is… Country singer Deryl Dodd is back

ROCKWALL, TX (March 31, 2014) Recently Rockwall resident Cheryl Dodd Nabors proudly shared, “Deryl Dodd Productions” on her facebook.  She is not only the twin of the authentic country singer but also one of his biggest fans. Having grown up with a strong belief in God, Deryl, Cheryl and other members of the close-knit Dodd […]

Lakeside AMBUCS stand ‘Shoulders Together’

ROCKWALL (February 6, 2014) Teaching students who have a disability has been one of my greatest joys; however, one frustration I have not been able to accommodate and overcome is being able to assist my students with physical disabilities to be more mobile and independent. Recently, I learned of a nonprofit organization called AMBUCS (American Business […]

Goalball helps Rockwall girl with visual impairment prepare for future

Goalball helps Rockwall girl with visual impairment prepare for future

ROCKWALL (December 26, 2013) Helen Keller once said, “I would rather walk with friends in the dark, than alone in the light.” Although a huge fan of Helen Keller, I had never heard this quote until I met an eighth grader from Williams Middle  School. She was wearing a pink blindfold, playing goalball. Goalball was […]

SuperKatz – not your average cheer squad

SuperKatz – not your average cheer squad

ROCKWALL (December 19, 2013) An unknown author once wrote, “Cheerleaders are simply a jump above the rest.” Soon after I read that quote it made me wonder if the author had the honor of meeting a unique group of teens from the SuperKatz cheer squad. SuperKatz comprises nearly two dozen local youths, each with a mental […]