1 hometown living at its best
2 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
3 hometown living at its best
4 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Contents 8 HARPING ON EXCELLENCE An Ector County ISD teacher hones her passion for music through the district’s Harp Program. 16 HOMETOWN HAPPENING Odessa Arts’ Black & White Ball 20 SHINING STAR Odessa native, and now Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader, Julissa Garcia tells us about her journey to become one of America’s Sweethearts. 28 HOMETOWN HAPPENING Shrimpfest 30 HELPING HOUNDS Alliance of Therapy Dogs-Permian Basin may be unofficial and casual in its organization, but the impact its trained dogs have on individuals in need is powerful and lasting. 36 EMPTY BOWLS FILL EMPTY BELLIES We can fight hunger, one bowl at a time. 44 HOMETOWN HAPPENING PBR Chevron Showdown 46 LEARNING ON THE MOVE Take a STEM trip on the Inspiration Station, a gift from the Education Foundation to the Ector County Independent School District. 54 HOMETOWN HAPPENING Falcon Football On the Cover 8 20 30 46
5 hometown living at its best All loans subject to credit and collateral approval. Contact lender for details. © 2025 American Momentum Bank | NMLS# 476902 | | ® Call, stop by or visit us at americanmomentum.bank Break New Ground with Momentum Whether you are building from the ground up, or purchasing a new home, count on the strength of Momentum from start to finish. Find construction financing options or customized mortgage solutions specifically designed to nail your next project. Melissa A. Baesa Assistant VP - Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS #216059 (432) 230-8270 mbaesa@americanmomentum.bank
6 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Odessa Living Magazine© is published semi-annually by Hometown Media Group, LLC. hometownmedia.group 502 N Main Street PMB 116 | Weatherford, TX 76086 817.599.6167 | PROUDLY PRINTED IN THE USA All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice. WRITERS Sabrina Forse Connie Lewis Leonard Haley Ragsdale Rebecca Sanchez Becca Nelson Sankey PHOTOGRAPHER Angela Gonzales Photography COVER PHOTO Photo by Julian Mancha Y Sweet Summertime is Here! Haley Ragsdale Casey Perkins Executive Publisher Lindsey Kruger Marketing & Client Relations lindsey@hometownmedia.group Susan Avery Lead Creative Design Katie Audas Sales Account Executive katie@hometownmedia.group Camela Dietrich Accounts Recievable accounting@hometownmedia.group You can feel it in the longer sunny days of sunscreen smells and belly flop splashes. At my house with four boys, those extra hours of sunlight are spent running. It is a chaotic, busy schedule with my husband and I passing each other in the garage, our hands full of bat bags, swim towels and summer camp gear. We are embracing this busy season with gratitude to watch our kids do what they love. I hope the summer issue of Odessa Living Magazine kicks off a new season of your life and you enjoy reading about the wonderful people and organizations in our community. Check out ECISD’s new mobile STEAM lab, Permian Basin Therapy Dogs and Empty Bowls, all making a difference in the community. Also in this issue, Odessa’s own Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader and several Hometown Happenings spotlighting community events. Here’s to many happy summer memories! Social Media Editor “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ~ James 1:17
7 hometown living at its best TACBL72497E Nothing works harder than A/C’s in an Odessa summer... except your Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer. With Odessa’s average summer day reaching 96 degrees, having a reliable, well-maintained air conditioning system is essential. Make sure yours is in good hands. Demand a CFAD - like Billy Black HVAC - and rest assured the industry’s best technical expertise, business practices, and customer service is at your door. Learn more: 432.312.6337
8 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Written by SABRINA FORSE | Photos provided by FRANCESCA FLORANCE and by WENDE RAE PHOTOGRAPHY Harping An Ector County ISD teacher hones her passion for music through the district’s Harp Program. IN THE FINE ARTS on Excellence
9 hometown living at its best WWhen most kids were playing outside, all Francesca Florance wanted to do was play music. “I begged my mom for piano lessons when I was just six years old. In middle school, Florance discovered strings and started playing the violin. She attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and was introduced to the harp. Two years later, she participated in an intensive study of the harp at that same camp. “I picked it up pretty quickly and after camp, we found a harp instructor who allowed me to rent a harp.” Florance started performing as a harpist at every gig she could find. She went to Wayne State University, where she majored in music education and music performance. When carpal tunnel weakened her hands, Florance knew her dreams of becoming a full-time performance harpist were over. “The pain in my hands made the decision for me and I dropped performance from my major and focused on music education.” Now she’s finding her stage in the classroom. Florance is the Harp Director at Ector County Independent School District. “I was fresh out of college and had no intention of leaving home when I saw the job post. I did a phone interview. I didn’t know anything about Odessa, Texas, but I knew I would get to teach others about my passion, playing the harp.” In 2019, Florance left her hometown and moved 1,285 miles from Detroit, Michigan to the Permian Basin. “I probably should’ve done a little more research. I was expecting more of the Dallas, Texas type culture.” Florance didn’t find exactly what she expected, but she did find a community that valued the arts. “Most schools don’t have extra programs like mariachi, guitar and harp. The fine arts program at Ector County ISD has a good reputation and offers incredible and unique opportunities for students.”
10 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Florance learned to play everything from percussion to trombone but at Ector County ISD she is able to share her passion for the instrument she loves the most with her students. Standing at over five feet tall and weighing nearly seventy pounds, the pedal harp can be intimidating. “Most kids think that playing the harp is going to be really difficult but when they pluck the strings for the first time, it’s a melodic sound. You may play a wrong note on a harp but it’s not going to make an ugly sound,” explained Florance. Students can begin taking harp classes in fourth grade and continue through high school. “Being able to teach the same kids helps us to get to know one another and trust one another. Kids really start to come out of their shell.” For most students, playing the harp is a hobby. They may never pursue the harp professionally, but they will learn how to be professional. “We play at events for the public all around town, and in class we learn the importance of being professional. They learn how to be polite, how to act and dress. They understand that when they are playing, they are leaders representing their school.” The Ector County ISD harp program allows students to perform at a variety of venues such as the Ellen Noel Performing Arts Center, the Lubbock Irons Festival Competition and at the Music in the Parks Festival in Dallas. “In 2027, the American Harp Society will be putting together a harp ensemble festival in Dallas, and I would love to take as many kids as I can to that.”
11 hometown living at its best
12 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
13 hometown living at its best The Education Foundation of Odessa has been an important part of the ensemble. Since she was hired, Florance has been awarded two grants. One helped purchase new covers for the base of the harps for better transportation capability. The other purchased devices to amplify the sound of the harps and enhance outdoor performances. The Booster Club has also been instrumental in the program’s success and is helping to raise money to purchase a trailer that can be used to transport harps to and from performances. In the past six years, Florance has come to understand that Odessa has allowed her to cultivate a love for teaching while sharing her passion with her students. “In harp class, our phones aren’t out. When we are playing, we are working toward something together. It’s teamwork and even the quietest of kids can find a way to feel accomplished and take ownership of something that is important to them,” said Florance. “Fine arts are being cut in a lot of schools around the country, but here in West Texas, the community values music and it matters.” †
14 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
15 hometown living at its best
HOMETOWN Happenings
17 hometown living at its best Provided by ODESSA ARTS | Photos by JULIAN MANCHA On Saturday, April 5, Odessa Arts hosted its annual Black & White Ball at the Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, dazzling guests with this year’s Moulin Rouge theme, Spectacular! Spectacular!. Presented by Sewell BMW of the Permian Basin, the elegant evening celebrated Odessa’s vibrant arts community, drawing a crowd of arts advocates, elected officials, business leaders, and community members from across the region. The event honored Dr. Gregory D. Williams (President of Odessa College) and Dr. Sandra Woodley (President of UTPB) as the 2025 Friends of the Arts, and Baron Batch as the Randy Ham Inspire Award recipient. Guests enjoyed captivating live entertainment, elevated dining, and both silent and live auctions. The event raised money to support Odessa Arts’ mission, including the Our Town: Odessa centennial public art initiative. Special guest Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research at Americans for the Arts, presented highlights from a recent study, revealing the arts’ remarkable $33.5 million economic impact on the Odessa community. To learn more about Odessa Arts, donate, or become a member, visit OdessaArts.org. Community involvement is key to keeping the arts alive and thriving in the Permian Basin. BALL Black & White
HOMETOWN Happenings
19 hometown living at its best VELYS™ Robotics Designed for digital precision in knee replacement Start moving again with the VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution To learn more, talk to your doctor or call (432) 640-6000 The knee featured is a visual representation of the ATTUNE™ Knee System implant position. Please refer to the instructions for use for a complete list of indications, contraindications, warnings, and precautions. Every patient is different, and individual results vary. Not all patients are candidates for joint replacement. All surgeries carry risks. ©DePuy Synthes 2021-2023. All rights reserved. US_DPS_DGSR_301640
20 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Written by HALEY RAGSDALE | Photos provided by DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS & JULISSA GARCIA Shining Star Odessa native, and now Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader, Julissa Garcia tells us about her journey to become one of America's Sweetheart.
21 hometown living at its best
22 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group JJulissa Garcia, fresh off the first ever Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader live tour, was thrilled to return to her roots and perform in front of her friends and family in the Permian Basin. “I grew up preforming on the stage at the Wagner Noel, with Tammie Locklar’s Dance Studio so this is really a full circle moment for me,” Julissa explained. Born and raised in Odessa, she was dancing not long after she learned to walk. “My parents enrolled me in dance when I was two and a half. I am not sure anyone knew the impact that dance would have,” she said. Julissa danced and cheered her way through elementary and middle school and became a member of the Panther Paws, at Permian High School. “I have a love of all types of dance; ballet, tap, hip hop. I don’t just have one favorite,” she said. Her next stop, Raiderland and the Texas Tech Pom Squad. “It was the most incredible four years, Wreck’em always!” she said. Julissa said she loved her time performing at Tech football and basketball games, while honing her craft with hours and hours of practice, hard work and dedication. In 2022, the squad represented the USA at the ICU World Championships, emerging triumphant as the Gold Medalists in the jazz division.
23 hometown living at its best
24 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group “We practiced almost every single day and learned about the athleticism and artistry it takes. I will always be thankful for my head coach, Erin Alvarado, and all her valuable lessons,” she said. Since Julissa was just a little girl, she had been dreaming of wearing the iconic star spangled blue and white uniform of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. After, attending a DCC youth camp where she was encouraged to reach for the stars, Jullisa knew her lifelong aspiration was to become a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. SHE AIMED TO DO PRECISELY THAT. “I took every possible dance class I could. I started working on my high kicks because we didn’t do that in college. I ran everyday to prepare myself mentally and physically and even listened to the iconic “Thunderstruck” song while I ran,” she said. After auditioning, Julissa was selected into training camp. She described that training camp is very much like what is depicted on the popular Netflix series. “It was a challenging but exciting month. We had to learn choreography on the spot. It was such a surreal moment trying on the uniform. I shed tears; this was a moment I dreamt of my entire life. I had to remind myself to have fun, and I was one step closer to achieving my dream,” she said. AND HER DREAM DID COME TRUE!
25 hometown living at its best Julissa was selected as a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader last fall and her rookie season just keeps getting better and better. “My go to answer is it has been the best year of my life. I get chills every time I put on the uniform. My parents were able to come watch me. They are also lifelong Dallas Cowboy fans so its really a double blessing,” she said. Julissa has a hard time deciding what is her favorite thing about being a DCC because she has such a long list of highlights. Top moments include the strong sisterhood with her fellow cheerleaders, giving back to the community through visits to children’s hospitals, the salvation army and getting to read books to school children. She is very much looking forward to kicking off her second season with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The DCC live tour, taking her back home to the Permian Basin is just the cherry on top. “It means so much to feel their love and support and all the people in my corner. I am a West Texas girl, and I have been shaped by their everlasting love and support,” she said. The Dallas Cowboys kick off their 66th NFL season in early September, and if you watch closely, you just might catch Jullisa dancing and cheering them on from the sidelines. †
26 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
27 hometown living at its best
HOMETOWN Happenings
29 hometown living at its best Provided by Ellen Noël Art Museum The Ellen Noël Art Museum hosted its annual Shrimpfest fundraiser at the Ector County Coliseum – Barn G, on February 24th, 2025, in celebration of the Museum’s 40th Anniversary! As a non-profit organization, ENAM relies on fundraisers like Shrimpfest to help supplement the funding it receives through donations, memberships, and grants. All profits from Shrimpfest help the Museum to support its vital educational programs like Art2Go for second graders, Fine Arts Connection field trips for third graders, Community Art Days, and other programs. These profits also help the Museum to expand, develop, and diversify its programs to better meet the growing needs of the Permian Basin community. Shrimpfest is a beloved tradition, offering guests a night of great food and giving back. This year’s event included an unlimited Cajun shrimp feast, an exciting raffle, and silent and live auctions thanks to generous donors that featured trips, fine art, jewelry, and more. Thanks to the incredible support from the community, Shrimpfest raised over $120,000 this year! The Ellen Noël Art Museum is grateful for all our incredible guests, sponsors, community partners, volunteers, staff, Board and Committee members, who all made this year’s Shrimpfest a tremendous success. Cheers to next year! Visit their website for summer programming dates and details, noelartmuseum.org Shrimpfest
30 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Written by BECCA NELSON SANKEY | Photos provided by ALLIANCE OF THERAPY DOGS PERMIAN BASIN AND CITY OF ODESSA HELPING HOUNDS
31 hometown living at its best T ALLIANCE OF THERAPY DOGS-PERMIAN BASIN MAY BE UNOFFICIAL AND CASUAL IN ITS ORGANIZATION, BUT THE IMPACT ITS TRAINED DOGS HAVE ON INDIVIDUALS IN NEED IS POWERFUL AND LASTING. Therapy dogs are born, not made, and Nancy Henderson, with Alliance of Therapy Dogs-Permian Basin, quickly realized she had one such dog when she met Felix. The wire-haired dachshund was impounded as a stray at the Odessa Animal Shelter when Henderson, who had a therapy dog prior to Felix, adopted him. “He was a very friendly dog who enjoyed meeting all people, and people enjoyed interacting with him,” Henderson said of Felix. “I had a friend who had therapy dogs in the past who said, ‘You really need to get this dog tested because he's just too great.’” Janet Cross is another ATD dog handler who has been part of the organization with her dog, Shiloh, a golden retriever, for the past year and a half. She saw firsthand the impact therapy dogs had on people while working at the Alzheimer’s Association. “I saw how they could interact with people with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and they communicate on a whole different level,” Cross said. “When I retired, the first thing I wanted to do was get Shiloh tested, and she was beautiful.”
32 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group The Alliance of Therapy Dogs is a nationwide organization comprised of volunteers and their dogs who are part of unofficial chapters or groups. Testing of potential therapy dogs is a comprehensive process with various components, Henderson said, including a thorough health exam; rabies vaccination or titer; and a handling test that proves the dog has a strong rapport with his or her handler. The dog must demonstrate that he or she is calm and non-reactive around other dogs, startling noises, and other external stimulation, or, as Henderson stated, “bomb proof.” After the handling exam, the dog must pass tests including three observational visits in facilities such as hospitals and parks. If the dog passes, their paperwork is sent to ATD headquarters for final approval. “At ATD, we provide testing, certification, registration, support, and insurance for members who volunteer with their dogs in animal-assisted activities,” explained Henderson, who is also a therapy dog tester. Some ATD-Permian Basin dogs, like Felix and Shiloh, take obedience classes from certified trainers, while others in the group have earned multiple national titles in dog sports. Henderson said the local group is comprised of dogs of all breeds, including standard poodles, a golden retriever, bull mastiff, lab shepherd mix, border collie, doodles, shih tzu, and a fox terrier but, she emphasized, “It’s more about the temperament than the breed.” It is not a requirement of ATD to belong to a therapy dog-handler group, Henderson said, adding that there are 25 dog-handler teams within a 50-mile radius of Odessa. The dogs and their owners visit places such as nursing and retirement homes, the library, local universities, and anywhere a dog is requested for its comforting and calming presence. Henderson and Felix visit the county library every Thursday and an assisted living facility the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. As a group, “We have some things that we do annually
like the Alzheimer's Walk, and we go to Midland College, Odessa College, or Texas Tech Medical School for finals week,” she said. At the library, “the children grab a book and read aloud to the dog to build their confidence,” Henderson said. “If we have hesitant beginning readers reading to a dog, the dog isn’t going to judge them, and that has a calming influence on people in general. The goal is to help the child gain confidence in reading, being comfortable in libraries and around books.” Other dogs in the ATD group regularly volunteer at the local college and university, as well as Hospice of Midland and their Hospice Hounds program. Research indicates that therapy dogs offer stress management benefits and have a calming influence, Henderson said. At the assisted living facility she and Felix visit, the dogs provide a nostalgic experience to the residents. “Invariably one of the residents will say, ‘I've had dogs and I'm so glad that you bring dogs here because I really miss mine,’” Henderson said. Having had a therapy dog prior to Felix, Henderson has seen firsthand the benefits therapy dogs offer. “We were at a college during finals week just seated in the lobby area,” Henderson recalled. “Some students came by and kind of looked and looked again and seemed interested. One student decided to pet Felix and stayed awhile. Felix’s superpower is that he makes eye contact, and he will stare down into your soul. This student petted him and stroked him, and you could visibly see the stress leave this student. He said, ‘This helps so much.’” Cross has had similar experiences with Shiloh. At a local facility, “There was one resident who didn't want to interact; she really didn't even want to make eye contact or engage at all, and at the end of that particular group I took Shiloh
over close to her and I just started talking to the woman. Before I knew it, Shiloh had her head in the woman's lap, the woman started petting her and raised her head. She got a smile on her face and started laughing. When we left her room, a couple of the staff members walked out with me and said, ‘I've worked here for over a year and I didn't know the woman could talk.’ That's the power of the dogs: they just accept and all they want is for you to love on them and for them to be able to love on you.” For Henderson, Cross, and other therapy dog owners, helping people through the peace that only an animal can provide is what it’s all about. “Our objective is to form a network of caring individuals and their special dogs who are willing to share smiles and joy with people, young and old alike,” Henderson said. † More information on the Alliance of Therapy Dogs can be found at therapydogs.com. To learn more about the local group, visit their Facebook page, Alliance of Therapy Dogs – Permian Basin. 34 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
35 hometown living at its best
M Written by CONNIE LEWIS LEONARD | Photos provided by CHRIS STANLEY WE CAN FIGHT HUNGER, ONE BOWL AT A TIME. EMPTY BOWLS FILL EMPTY BELLIES Most Americans don’t understand true hunger, going to bed on an empty stomach or getting up to face cleaned-out cabinets and a bare refrigerator. More than fifty million people in the U.S.— children, senior citizens, the working poor and the homeless—find themselves food insecure, relying on food assistance from charities like food banks and pantries to fill in the gap. People, who make just enough money to put them over the limits to qualify for assistance such as WIC or SNAP, barely have enough to get by. They may have to make tough decisions about paying rent and utilities or purchasing food. At the end of their resources, they may not have sufficient funds to buy enough food or to provide well-balanced, nutritious meals for their family. Additionally, many senior citizens have to make the decision between spending their fixed income on food or medicine. 36 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
37 hometown living at its best
38 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
39 hometown living at its best Artists improve the world making it more beautiful, especially when they use their art to help others. The twenty-fifth Annual Empty Bowls fundraising event at the West Texas Food Bank Volunteer Center in Odessa on February 22, 2025, was a huge success. Artists donated beautiful, unique ceramic bowls. Patrons paid a fifteen dollar fee to enter and select a bowl. H-E-B, Brantley Creek Barbeque, Chili’s Grill and Bar and Our Kid’s Café provided the soup and desserts. Participants took their bowls home as a reminder of people who live a life with empty bowls. The University of Texas Permian Basin became involved with the Empty Bowls project at the turn of the century. Their involvement coincided with the art department moving into a new building and getting new equipment. Participation in a program like Empty Bowls would not have been possible without the support of Dr. Charles Sorber, who was president of the university at the time. Coming alongside the art department, a wonderful student named Taylor Clark suggested that her family could help by providing the soup. Taylor's father, Sid Clark, became one of the first patrons. Chris Stanley, Associate Professor of Art at UT Permian Basin, said, “It's funny thinking about the journey. I don't think any of us thought that a quarter of a century later we would still be making bowls. Our evolution started in a hallway with about 100 bowls. From there we moved to larger spaces and more participants. We have held the event in numerous places, and each one holds a special meaning to those of us who have attended.” Chris has created around 300 bowls himself. Many of those bowls were completed through community Empty Bowls decorating events. Odessa College, Midland College, and students of the UT Permian Basin assist along with many other community groups. Chris said, “The Empty bowls program has defined me not only as an artist but also an integral member of the community.” “Hunger is not a problem. It is an obscenity. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world” —Anne Frank
“I went to bed hungry many nights as a child. It was a Dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, and it was a Dream that filled me up when I was hungry. Now it’s my Dream to see that no child in this world ever goes hungry, certainly not here in America, the most bountiful country in the world. We can do better…we must” —Dolly Parton 40 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
41 hometown living at its best One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Empty Bowls events go directly to the West Texas Food Bank. Every dollar raised feeds between four and six people. A normal year raises about $20,000 in a two-hour event. That amount multiplies to feed about 120,000 people. Craig Stoker, former Development Officer for the West Texas Food Bank, and Martha Carrasco, current Community Outreach director for the food bank, play major roles in community involvement for Empty Bowls, along with a silent auction, and other fund-raising events. The West Texas Food Bank is the largest collaborative non-profit, nongovernmental agency serving the Permian Basin with nineteen counties, including the two largest counties (Brewster and Pecos) in the state. Their service area includes seventeen rural counties with many small communities comprising one-third of the population served, and the metro area of Midland/Odessa, constituting two-thirds of the population served. The vision of the food bank is a West Texas without hunger. Their overall goal is to continually improve the quantity, variety, and nutritional quality of foods offered to agencies for distribution to lowincome individuals and families in need. No one who is hungry is turned away, and there is never a fee to clients in need of food. The West Texas Food Bank welcomes volunteers to both facilities to sort and process donated products, assist with pantry clients, help with gardening needs, and other tasks. Evening and Saturday volunteer opportunities are offered, and large groups are coordinated regularly. This army of volunteers is an integral part of the food bank’s operations, providing thousands of dollars in personnel cost savings that can be put back into serving the community. The Empty Bowls project began in 1990-91 when Lisa Blackburn and John Hartom, an art teacher, joined a drive to raise money in Michigan. Hartom’s students made ceramic bowls in their high school art classes. The bowls were used as serving pieces for a fundraising meal of soup and bread. Now an international project, Empty Bowls gives artists an opportunity to showcase their creations while helping local communities fight hunger. Hunger is a crisis, especially in times of inflation when wages and fixed income cannot keep up with rising prices. Nobody in America should be hungry. Everyone needs food to survive. In order to thrive and be healthy, they need well-balanced, nutritious food. Working together, we can overcome the challenge and make the vision and dream of West Texas and America without hunger. We can fight hunger, one bowl at a time. † “If you want to eliminate hunger, everybody has to be involved.” —Bono
42 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
LARGEST PRODUCTION CHEMICAL COMPANY IN THE PERMIAN BASIN 11999 EAST HIGHWAY 158 | GARDENDALE, TX 79758 432-563-0727 JACAMCATALYST.COM 43 hometown living at its best
HOMETOWN Happenings
45 hometown living at its best Photographs provided by Ariat Texas Rattlers Chevron and the Ariat Texas Rattlers, Texas’ professional bull riding team, hosted the second annual PBR Chevron Showdown on June 12 at the Ector County Coliseum. The event was anchored by a landmark charity initiative through which Chevron donates $800 to a local organization each time a member of the team logs a qualified ride at the June 12 event and during the 2025 PBR Camping World Team Series season. This year’s PBR Chevron Showdown featured an exciting matchup between two of the top championship teams in the PBR Team Series. The 2022 PBR Team Champion Nashville Stampede faced off against the 2023 PBR Team Champion Ariat Texas Rattlers and Odessa College Wranglers rodeo team in a thrilling three-team bull riding format. “The PBR Showdown is a unique opportunity for our OC Rodeo Bull Riders to train and learn from the best in the business,” said Tom Kelly, head coach of the Odessa College rodeo team. “Meeting and competing with the Texas Rattlers provided a level of confidence to our team and it has definitely been reflective in their competitive performance this year. Our OC Rodeo Team is forever grateful for the economic benefits that were provided to support our team activities including boot camp and scholarships.” The event not only greatly impacts the Odessa College Rodeo Team but also other Permian Basin organizations. At last year’s event, Chevron donated more than $80,000 to nonprofits including the Midland Children’s Rehabilitation Center Hippotherapy Program, FFA programs in MISD and ECISD, and the Reeves County Junior Livestock Show. PBR CHEVRON Showdown
46 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Written by REBECCA SANCHEZ Photos provided by ECISD & KRISTIN WHITTENBURG Inspiration Station, a gift from the Education Foundation to the Ector County Independent School District, has been spending its first year visiting all the kid-centric community activities it can to not only share learning experiences but to also generate excitement for its uses in the future. LEARNING on the move
47 hometown living at its best
48 odessa living magazine iInspiration Station has been making the rounds introducing itself to children and families. As a gift from the Education Foundation of Odessa to the Ector County Independent School District, it’s already out providing educational programming and serving community needs. After discussing what actions and programming might make additional, positive impacts on the district, the Foundation board decided to take learning and services directly to ECISD students. COVID closures had already brought an awareness to access issues regarding internet connectivity, food distribution and childhood vaccines. As a long-time literacy promoter, the non-profit knew it wanted a big vehicle to not only continue facilitating reading support across the county but to also have adaptive capabilities for science, technology, engineering, arts and math learning as well as community programs. Designing the mobile unit involved visiting production facilities that made similar vehicles. Fundraising, and financial partnerships carried the vision to fruition. In July of 2024, the nine-ton adaptable classroom arrived, carried by its heavy-duty, Ford F550 truck chassis. Inside, counters adjust to serve small group learning or even computer lab use with a Wi-Fi hotspot, printer, microscopes and several display monitors. Early ventures have been mostly school-campusbased family science nights as well as community events. Both have been generating a lot of excitement and ideas. Already, a local high school astronomy teacher set up telescopes and taught families about space, which gave kids the opportunity to imagine themselves pursuing future aerospace industry studies or careers. “I think this is a vehicle to unite the entire community and to do something that can benefit all,” says Celeste Potter, executive director for both the Education Foundation of Odessa and for the Development Office of the ECISD. “I'm really excited to see the level of collaboration that's possible within our community, and it's been very refreshing to see so many nonprofits and businesses already reaching out saying, ‘Hey, we want to have a meeting. We want to see what we can do together.’”
49 hometown living at its best Students can reconnect learning experiences from Inspiration Station at their schools and foster those interests through college and into career fields close to their West Texas homes: aerospace and aviation, the oil industry, medicine and even careers that don’t exist yet. "Parents can come in and watch their students programming a robot, and then I can say, ‘Your school has this robot in its STEM lab, so your student will be able to continue learning. This is just a taste because we only have an hour here with you tonight, but the whole school year, your kid will get to experience this technology,’” says Dr. Kristin Whittenburg, former science teacher and director of STEAM Initiatives and Special Projects for the ECISD. Igniting student interest and sparking existing aptitude is a major component of the Inspiration Station and one that it is designed to continue. “As we start partnering with the campuses to come out during the school day,” says Whittenburg, “and we have a little bit more time with the students, we're looking to grow and how to combine literacy with STEM or literacy with civics, for example. The teachers are the experts. The teachers are the ones who know their content. They're the ones who know their kids, and so every time I go to a school or to an event, I meet with teachers, principals or assistant principals ahead of time. I say, ‘How can the Inspiration Station complement, enhance or add to what great things you're already doing?’ Then we work together to pick up the content and how we want to present that to the students and the families.”
50 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
51 hometown living at its best “We want this to be seen as a community vehicle,” Potter says. “We want everyone to see it, and we want the entire community to take pride in having this unit and being the first in our area with something like this. We would love to hear input. We would love more people to step up and want to volunteer to collaborate. This one unit that we have on the streets now is just the beginning. We're really looking forward towards a big future. The more collaboration, the more ideas that come, the bigger and the grander this next one will be.” The Foundation’s vision for the next Inspiration Station is a large, RV-style motor coach with pop-outs, meaning more square-footage to accommodate up to 20 kids. Future engagements with new educators, farmers markets and seasonal festivals are opportunities to engage with the community and to bring area business and industry into the K-12 learning realm. “We want people to walk away with excitement about what this area has to offer, the potential and the possibilities that are in the future for our students, that we're all coming together as a community to make a better world for our kids,” Whittenburg says. Introducing kids to various career fields and areas of study jumpstarts excitement for future learning. Students are eager to explore and learn. The Inspiration Station is an ongoing gift that offers those opportunities to the young people of Ector County. † In addition to ECISD support, Inspiration Station has also joined students’ family interests across the community. When the mobile unit visited the Midland International Airport Air Sho, kids built trebuchets and received a book titled “Clever Trevor” about a character who outsmarts bullies with levers. Adults were engaged too, touching a static electricity generator that made their hair stand up. Kids also came aboard through a partnership with Basin PBS during the West Texas Heritage Festival to play “Molly of Denali” games. During the Museum of the Southwest SeptemberFest, the mobile unit set up and showcased robotics and STEM right next to the University of Texas Permian Basin STEM booth. Visiting a local football game garnered attention as one little girl returned repeatedly with friends asking if they too could have a free book. On Halloween, the unit joined Downtown Odessa Treats on the Streets, and Inspiration Station gave away Christmas and winter themed books at an event with H-E-B grocery stores.
52 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
53 hometown living at its best
HOMETOWN Happenings Provided by UTPB For the second season in a row, UT Permian Basin Football will be playing in the postseason after accepting an invitation to play in the 2024 Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot in Corsicana, Texas. The Falcons wrapped up the 2024 regular season on a threegame winning streak and are 7-4 overall and 6-3 in Lone Star Conference play. In addition to having the second-winningest season in program history, the Falcons have now had back-toback winning seasons for the first time in their history. UTPB ranked first in scoring offense (34.5 ppg), total offense (428.9 ypg), passing offense (254.0 ypg), first downs (261) and redzone touchdowns (31) in the Lone Star Conference. They also had the third-ranked rushing offense (174.9 ypg) in the league. In all of Division II, the Falcons ranked 16th in scoring offense, 18th in total offense, 21st in passing offense, 28th in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.64), 31st in rushing offense, and 35th in sacks allowed per game (1.36). Led by senior wide receiver Jeremiah Cooley (Back-to-back LSC Receiver of the year) and sophomore linebacker Tristan Exline (LSC Co-Linebacker of the Year), The University of Texas Permian Basin football team had 22 All-Lone Star Conference selections. It was the most Falcons honored in one season by the LSC in program history. FALCONFootball
55 hometown living at its best
56 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTkwNzAx