Valerie Sweeten

Downhill Racers

July 2007
Kaylor Wright polishes her car as she waits for her chance to race down the hill.

The hill at Westpark Road beckoned the Greater Houston Soapbox Derby racers. At the All-American Local Race last month, riders ages 8 to 18 competed for trophies and the chance to go to Akron, Ohio for the All-American Championship races.

Racers JoAnna LeFebvre, Kaylor Wright, and Michael Shemenski have tasted victory before, with a collection of trophies to prove it. …

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Racing to the Top

May 2006
18-year-old Brad Coleman with crew chief Shawn Parker

18-year-old racing champion is NASCAR bound

Brad Coleman didn’t know it at the time, but the invitation the then 12-year-old Memorial resident received to test drive go-karts would change his life. At the track, Brad, now 18, caught racing legend and Le Mans racing series champ Price Cobb’s eye, who approached Brad’s father to see if he’d be interested in …

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The DeAyala Bowl

February 2006
The DeAyala brothers (pictured left to right) Mano, with son Marcus, Kiki, with son Christian, and Carlos, with son Chris, made winning the Tully Bowl Championship a family affair

3 brothers, 3 cousins, 1 championship

Winning a football championship is a rewarding experience for any child. Winning a football championship as a family is priceless. Just ask the DeAyala family of Memorial; they’ll be talking about their memories of winning The Tully Bowl Championship for a lifetime.

As coaches for the Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association’s JV Mustang’s, the …

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Art in Action

February 2006
Hunters Creek Elementary Art teacher Samantha Melvin enjoys sharing her love of art with students. Pictured left (front to back): Johnny Galloway, Megan Scofield, and Genaro Ramos. On the right: John Samuel Burleson, Cara Croft, Elizabeth Lenich, and Reed Fredricks.

Local teacher is changing the world

Samantha Melvin is a woman with change on her mind. Mahatma Ghandi’s quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” inspires Samantha to take her Hunters Creek Elementary art students and her personal artistic visions to a higher level.

Challenging 273 students to turn a pile of recyclable wooden boxes into …

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