Kingwood’s Own Takes The Gold

Jennifer Shuble, a graduate of Kingwood High School, has won the Gold at the 2008 Olympics.

Jennifer won the Olympic Gold Medal for her performance in the Paralympic Games’ Women’s Cyclist 500m Time Trial. She not only won the Gold but broke the world’s record! Jennifer has set a new record for the CP4 class. Not bad for a newcomer to the U.S. track cycling program, which she joined in 2006.  

Kingwood High School Graduate and Olympic Gold Medal Winner

 

Jennifer’s name may not have been world known before, but it is now. Before her win, she wasn’t even considered a “big contender”.   However,  other cyclists and cycling enthusiasts now know that Jennifer is a competitor to be contended with.

Jennifer’s family and friends already knew she was a champion to contend with long before the Olympic Games. Jennifer received the high honor of being appointed a West Point cadet. While at West Point, she received a brain injury during a hand-to-hand combat session. A few years later, Jennifer had the misfortune of suffering another traumatic brain injury in a car accident.

Being the stuff champions are made of, “a little ole bump on the head” was not going to stop Jennifer from her personal best. She turned her attention to athletics and began participating in triathlons. In 2006, Jennifer turned her athletic focus on to cycling. In just 18 months, she has gone from “beginner” to champion and Gold Medal winner.

Let’s all give a big Texas “rebel yell” to Jennifer, so loud that she will hear it in Beijing!

Thank you, Jennifer for making us proud and for the example you have given to all the world to never give up and always reach for the Gold.

Read more about Jennifer and her triumph:
2008 PARALYMPIC GAMES – CYCLING: Jennifer Schuble …
Vulcan Triathletes – Congrats to World Champ Jennifer Schuble
Lakeshore Foundation
An American Gold Medal at the Beijing Velodrome – 2008 …

We raise some pretty great kids, here in Kingwood!
Read about another Kingwood great: A Salute to One Of Kingwood’s Own

Never Forget 9.11.2001

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Kingwood Has It All!

Do you ever wish you could have it “all”? If so, you need to be considering making Kingwood, Texas your home!

The beautiful community of Kingwood does have it all. We are located in the “ Livable Forest” complete with trails and wildlife.

Kingwood is just a hop, skip and a jump from scenic Lake Houston.

Kingwood has great schools for all of our great kids.

Kingwood is a master-panned community made up of several villages which are home to the best neighbors in Texas.

Kingwood, Texas is experiencing a great economy. There is no recession here!

Kingwood is a suburb of Houston, which has just been named as ranking #1 on the Best U.S. Cities For Earning A Living  list by Forbes.com.

According to Forbes, the City of Houston won the honor of ranking number one because of its dynamic business environment, high wages and low unemployment. The largest Census-defined metro areas (40) were studied by Forbes for the quality of each area’s business environment for large and small businesses. Remember, if big business is doing “big business”, then small business thrives as well.

Forbes, Moody’s Economy.com and The Real Estate Center at Texas AMU, predict that these facts are not likely to be changing in the near future. Forbes predicts that Texas ranks #4 for strength in future economic health. The (AMU) Real Estate Center is predicting a robust economy for the state of Texas for at least the next 20 years!  With the recent study by Forbes and the data from Moody’s Economy.com, it would appear that Houston will be the leading city for the state.

In May, I reported in my blog that Houston was ranked #7 as the one of the 10 most recession proof cities. Well, we have moved along way beyond that in just a few short months. In July, I reported that Houston was not experiencing a down turn, but instead, an upswing in its economy. Now here it is not even September, and the Houston area has done it again – moved ahead. This time we not only made the list – We topped it! HOUSTON the #1 Best U.S. City For Earning A Living.

I’m going to tell you one more time – Kingwood has it all. We are part of the Houston area and the benefits of its economy. So, “come on down” and live in wonderful Kingwood, locate in the livable forest next to Lake Houston and only 25 minutes from downtown Houston.

You can have it all, too!

My Blogs:
July 2 Houston: Energy Capital of the World – A Real Gusher
May 14 Lucky #7
In My Backyard

Related Articles:
Chicago Tribune: Houston Doesn’t Have a Problem
Houston. Newsweek:  Houston, We Have No Problems
Washington Post: Houston’s Pipelines of Prosperity

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Tax-Free Holiday

Although most people in Texas are aware of our “Tax-Free Holiday” weekend, I thought I would do my part to spread the word.

If you are reading this blog and do not live in Texas then here is another good reason to become a Texan.

I am so blessed to live in such a wonderful community as Kingwood and that blessing is doubled because Kingwood lies in the great state of Texas. Texas cities have been on almost every “Best List” released this year. Texas currently has the strongest economy in the nation. So, the nation finally knows what Texans have always known: we live in the greatest state in the union.

Here is one of the “little” things that make living in this state great. Saving taxes! In a time when most cities, counties and states are experiencing budget woes, our state offers a helping hand. This weekend and this weekend only, which begins on Friday by the way, (August 15 –17) is a tax-free holiday weekend in Texas. The tax-free holiday day will save a minimum of 8% on every tax-free item.

The sole purpose of waving all state and local taxes is to help families with their children’s back to school needs. 

What a great place to live – Texas

List of Tax Free and Taxed Items (Texas Comptroller’s webpage)

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Kingwood School Report Cards Are In

Each year in August, the Texas Education Agency releases its accountability ratings for all Texas schools.

I am proud to say that the Humble Independent School District saw several of its schools achieve higher academic ratings this year. In 2007, the Humble Independent School District had five recognized campuses; in 2008, the number of campuses with a recognized rating more than doubled. There are now 12 schools in the Humble Independent School District rated as Recognized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

A total of nine elementary schools in the district moved up in the ratings from Acceptable to Recognized, as did Kingwood High School.

Woodland Elementary achieved a rating of Exemplary this year,  up from its rating of Recognized in 2007. Seven of the district’s elementary schools have attained and/or maintained an exemplary rating, the highest rating that a Texas school can achieve. Exemplary ratings are given to schools which had 90% (or higher) of its students pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.

Two elementary schools made a huge jump in their ratings, moving from the lowest rating of Unacceptable to Recognized in 2008. That is an amazing move up in just one year.

Humble Independent School District oversees 23 elementary, seven middle and five high schools. Fifteen of those schools are located in Kingwood. There are seven elementary schools in Kingwood, five rated as Exemplary and two are rated as Recognized. Kingwood has three middle schools and three high schools. Riverwood Middle School and Kingwood High School now hold ratings of Recognized with the remaining schools holding ratings of Acceptable.

The Texas Education Agency released the accountability ratings on August 1. Ratings are based on the results of the annual Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test as well as the drop-out rate for each school. Texas schools are rated (lowest to highest) as Unacceptable, Acceptable, Recognized and Exemplary.

Kingwood schools which moved up in ratings in 2008:
Kingwood High: Recognized
Kingwood Park High: Acceptable (this school was not rated in 2007)
Foster Elementary: Recognized
Woodland Hills Elementary: Exemplary
Elm Grove Elementary: Exemplary

Texas Education Agency Links:
 2008 Accountability Ratings
 More Districts and Campuses Earn Exemplary Rating

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A Salute to One Of Kingwood’s Own

I would like to salute Air Force Capt. Brian Erickson, a Kingwood High School Graduate (1997) who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor on July 11, 2008.

Captain Erickson is credited with saving the lives of six German (part of the Army coalition ground forces) soldiers who were pinned down in a dark valley in Afghanistan on October 16, 2006.

A B-1B Lancer bomber was sent to support the embattled German team but was forced to give up due to weather conditions and the steep mountain terrain which restricted the bomber’s effectiveness.  The daring two hour mission is a true “Top Gun” story of a pilot and his wingman. Erickson’s wingman flew above the weather to guide Erickson, who essentially was flying blind. Captain Erickson was forced to turn off his infrared screen because the ground fire would interfere with his night vision goggles, literally blinding him and impeding his ability to navigate the deep and dangerous canyon. Erickson drew fire upon his own aircraft in order to locate the insurgent’s position. Once Captain Erickson located the insurgents, his wingman lit up the area so that Erickson, in a single pass, could stop the opposition, which he effectively did.

As with all true heroes, Captain Erickson was honored to receive one of the Nation’s highest honors but discounted his own heroic actions as being minor in comparison to the lives that were saved and the team effort involved.

Here is the quote by Captain Erickson:  “We train every day to support Army coalition ground forces with CAS*… It’s an honor to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for doing the job I’m trained to do. But the real reward was returning those six coalition soldiers safely to the village they were working at as part of the PRT team.”

About his wingman, Captain Erickson makes it clear that it was a team effort and not only his actions that made the mission a success:
“He helped me find the insurgents. He was above the mountain tops and we were both trying to sort out things going on. It was team work that made it possible.”

Thank you Captain Erickson, your wingman and all of our troops for a job well done.

*close air support

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