Ramirez Elementary Teams Up with Local Org., Promotes Health

RGCCISD Press Release
Dr. Mario Ramirez Elementary partners with AgriLIFE EXTENSION (Texas A & M System) to promote better health.  The program is called "Communities Putting Prevention to Work 2011 Action Plan".  The project will entail the following topics; Gardening Programs-increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, Hosting Farmer's Markets-Farm to School Programs, Physical Activity Programs - facilitating walking and exercising, Cooking Healthy Food Series/Demos and Building walking paths/tracks to increase access to physical activity. The proposed interventions include; community health fairs, free Zumba Classes, Walking programs -"Walk Across Texas" and 75 mile Club and much more.

RGC Library Invites Community to Special Event This Friday

Rio Grande City Public Library celebrates the “El Día del los Niños/El Día de los Libros” Friday April 29, 2011 with a large display of books.  It is a day to celebrate children and books! This day reflects a library’s commitment to include and celebrate a variety of cultures year- round. It is a day to encourage families to visit the library and read books on different cultures. It provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to read to promote the power of books and reading to their own children. Every day of the year can be “Día” day linking all children and books at the RGC Public Library.

Stop by and register for a free library card. Library hours are Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 7:00pm and Friday 8:30am- 5:30pm. Let us tell you about our books and our upcoming summer programs. The library is located at 591 E Canales St, Rio Grande City or call 956-487-4389. You can also find us on the web at www.rgclibrary.org also on Facebook.

Roque Guerra Elementary Students Hold Art Contest

RGCCISD Press Release
Students from Roque Guerra Elementary held an Art Contest recently which consisted of paintings, collages, bottle art, etc.   The art work by the students was exceptional and ribbons were awarded to the top winners.  Art Displays were displayed at the library for everyone to enjoy.  Students that participated are: Amy Benavides, Janelly Garcia, David Gonzalez, Oscarlos Lozano, Heriberto Mendoza, Alexander Oropeza, Rene Pena, Derek Ramirez, Jose Daniel Camarillo, Gabriel Cruz, Juan Carlos Garza, Yulissa Gonzalez, Juan Salinas, Ashley Serna Samuel Shercliff, Cynthia Sifuentes, Lynette Castillo, Eduardo Chapa, Briana Garza, Alberto Gonzalez, Alan Lopez, Joshua Marroquin, Dillon Mendez, Eduardo Moreno, and SergioTrevino, their instructors are Mrs. Lupita Garza, Ms Viola Guerra, Ms. Blanca Alaniz and pictured with the students Mr. Felix D. Lopez. Congratulations to all the students who participated and their instructors.  (RGCCISD Photo)

Educational Grant Money Available to Local Students

Do you want to beat the heat by continuing your college studies this summer? Don’t sweat it because there is still time to take advantage of Federal Pell Grant monies and other financial aid funds this summer.

“If you currently receive a Federal Pell Grant, at any college or university, STC may be able to award you additional Pell Grant funds for the summer 2011 terms,” said Miguel Carranza, STC associate dean of student financial services. “There are also other emergency funds available to help students continue riding the education wave this summer. All you have to do is come in to the Financial Aid Office at an STC campus near you. We will help you learn about your options.”

CEP Offers Gardening Tips

A living mulch, or cover crop, is a low-growing plant used in the vegetable garden as a. It is usually referred to as a cover crop because that is exactly what it is doing – covering the ground. The cover crop is usually grown in between rows or around plantings. Using a living mulch is a form of companion planting where plants are grown together in order to benefit each plant.
There are many different plants that can be used as a living mulch, for example:

2011 4H Round-Up Sweepstakes Winner

Sasha Guerra recently competed at the South District 12 4H Round-Up in Laredo, Texas with a Mariachi singing performance. Sasha won 1st place in the division and received sweepstakes honors in her age category. The Starr County 4H and Youth Development Program would like to congratulate Sasha for a job well done. For more information about the 4H program please contact the Texas AgriLife Extension Office in Starr County at (956) 487-2306.

Local Org. Stresses Importance of Cancer Screenings

A special event addressing the “importance of” cancer screenings was held on March 10 at the Multi-Purpose Center in Rio Grande City.  The program was sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extension under direction of Yolanda Morado a Family & Consumer Science agent.  Co-sponsors of the event was the Florence J. Scott Study club who assisted in conducting the small group discussion and planning the event.

There were four dynamic speakers who covered some valuable points during the event.  Speakers encouraged women to have regular mammograms and Pap tests because the earlier these cancers are detected the more curable they are.  Speakers included cancer survivors: Cassandra Salinas, Olga Gonzalez, and Laura V. Lopez.  The health professional who addressed the group was Dr. Enrique Griego.  He covered critical points and provided answers for the participants.  He placed major emphasis on the importance of screens to detect cancer when it is at its most treatable stages.   

RGC Road Work Completed Ahead of Schedule

AUSTIN–Rio Grande City has completed reconstruction projects on two roads damaged by Hurricane Dolly ahead of schedule and in time for the approaching storm season.  Charco Blanco Road and N. Old El Sauz Road are now less likely to flood during a severe storm, thanks to improvements funded by a disaster recovery grant for $117,928 from the Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA).

“Both citizens and emergency personnel will have more dependable access in the future,” said Howard G. Baldwin, Jr., interim executive director of TDRA. “Having these two roads stay open during an emergency will be very important.”

Local Org. Works With Community to Fight Obesity

A Kick-Off event was held on March 3rd at Dr. Mario Ramirez Elementary to launch off a special project made possible by a grant issued by Department State Health Services and Texas AgriLife Extension Service.  The goal of the grant is to produce a sustainable effective model of obesity prevention in Texas through the use of schools as community access points to fresh fruits and vegetables and safe places for free physical activity.

Spearheading the project is Ms. Adela Trigo – principal and Lillian Maldonado site coordinator along with a team of collaborators and task force committee members made up of faculty, local business representative and parents.  Staff member from DSHS is Mauro Ruiz, Family Health Services and Dora Garza.  Texas AgriLife Agents serving on the team include Yolanda Morado, CEA-FCS and Rolando Zamora, CEP-EA-AgNR.

STC campus celebrates Library Week

Library Week is that time of the year when we stop and appreciate what libraries and librarians have contributed to our schools and communities. On April 12, South Texas College’s Starr County Campus Library located at 142 FM 3167 in Rio Grande City will celebrate Library Week with an open house. The event is free and open to the public.

Activities include a presentation by Alma Perez from The University of Texas-Pan American at 12 p.m. She will discuss the university’s offerings at its new Starr County facility. While on campus, those in attendance will have the opportunity to use the library’s free services, register for a community library card or view artwork on display.

For more information about the event contact Garry Don Ford at 956-872-5820 or visit http://library.southtexascollege.edu/Pages/Welcome.aspx. 

Rio Grande City High School JROTC Explore Historical Roots

RGCCISD Press Release 
The Rio Grande City High School JROTC had the opportunity to explore the historical roots of Fort Ringgold and the Robert E. Lee Museum. The cadets were amazed with the amount of history the Lee Museum had on display and the many things they learned on that day.

“I learned that our program is very similar to the soldiers that once were stationed at Fort Ringgold……we have similar uniforms and we have the same format,” said Cadet Major Stacy Muñoz.

The Robert E. Lee Museum has been in existence since for a few years now and has provided much history on Fort Ringgold and the soldiers stationed there in the 1800’s. Several artifacts are currently on display in which were discovered during the renovation of the building.

Free kids’ Activities at STC Starr County Campus

The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Child. It is focused on raising public awareness of the needs of young children and the services and programs available in each community to support families.

South Texas College’s Starr County Campus community has come together with community partners to host a Week of the Young Child Children’s Play Day at its campus located at 142 FM 3167 in Rio Grande City on Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parents are encouraged to bring children ages one to 10 years old to enjoy free food, fun, games and entertainment. Admission is free and open to the public

RGC HS Cosmetology Compete in Skills U.S. A. Competition

RGCCISD Press Release
Rio Grande City High School Cosmetology program participated in the Skills U.S.A. Competition in Harlingen, Texas on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Mrs. Limas (Instructor) would like to congratulate her students for a succesful turnout at the competition. The students that placed first in their projects and also Best in Show are Nailart Vereniss Deleon (4th Cosmetology Skills), and Damaris Nava (5th out of 35/Esthetics).  Congratulations Rio Grande City High School Cosmetology Class for a job well done. Pictured left to right are; Larissa Cardoza, Mrs. Limas (Cosmetology Instructor), Yesenia Guajardo, Cindy Lopez, Juan M. Gonzalez, Yesica Saenz, Catherine Barrera, Vereniss De Leon, Grisel Lopez, Delinda Lopez, Judith Salinas, Laura Alanis, Denisse Flores, Eleny Alanis, Alejandra Garza. Not Pictured are Yesenia Cruz, Stephanie Escobedo and Damaris Nava.

Veterans Middle School UIL One Act Play Wins 1st Place

RGCCISD Press Release
VETERANS MIDDLE SCHOOL -  Congratulations to the One Act Play Cast from Veterans Middle School for earning 1st Place at the One Act Play Festival which was held at the Paco Zarate Fine Arts Auditorium on March 5, 2011.  The VMS cast competed against schools from Rio Grande City, Roma, and Zapata and performed the play entitled, “Good-bye to the Clown” by Ernest Kinoy.  In addition, three actors from the VMS cast also earned further recognition by winning individual medals and trophies.  These cast members were Alexia Andrade (All Star Cast), Devin Ramirez (Best Actor), and Anissa Galvan (Honorable Mention).  Congratulations to the VMS cast, crew members, and directors for their talent and dedication.  A special thanks to the VMS parents, staff, and administration for  their continued support.  Pictured above are cast and crew members top to bottom (l-r) Haulen Garcia (Crew), Anissa Galvan (Dr. Benson), Savannah Lopez-Lozano (Director), Devin Ramirez (Clown), Gabriela Garcia (Miss Ervin) middle row Vicente Gomez (Uncle George), Lino Carrion (Crew), Meagan Munoz (Mother) bottom Alexia Andrade (Peggy).

VMS Mariachi Wins Big at Festival

RGCCISD Press Release
The VMS Mariachi has done it again!  Mariachi Juvenil de America competed on Saturday, March 5, 2010 at the 5th Annual Mariachi Festival in Roma, Texas.  The VMS Mariachi was awarded “Best” in all individual sections as Best Trumpets, Best Violins, Best Rhythm, Best Vocals and also earned the 1st place award in the middle school category. The highlight of the competition was that the VMS Mariachi made history, for the second time this year, by earning the Overall Best Mariachi Trophy and beating out all the middle school and high school mariachi groups at this competition! They competed against 17 middle school and high school mariachi groups that represented schools from San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley.  These students continue to shine with their talent and make Veterans Middle School and their community extremely proud. Their dedication, determination, and commitment have truly paid off for the VMS Mariachi students, their director, and their school!  Mariachi Juvenil de America and their director would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to their VMS Principal, Mr. Joel Trigo, Jr., their school, community, and the proud parents for all their support. The VMS Mariachi will now be preparing for their second competition of the semester was held on April 2nd at the UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium in Edinburg, TX  at 11:00 a.m.  Congratulations to the VMS Mariachi students and their director, Mr. Eloy Garza. Keep up the fantastic work!

Grulla Elementary Cafeteria Wins Contest

RGCCISD Press Release 
RGCCISD Child Nutrition Program held a decorating contest recently among all of the district cafeteria's.  The criteria for the contest was that designs had to be original and provide nutritious information.  Grulla Elementary Staff demonstrated great skills as they hung their three dimensional giant size veggies in vibrant colors.  The decor is in an effort to promote healthy eating habits for the students. All Child Nutrition staff members are congratulated for their efforts and for their dedication to the students.  Congratulations Grulla Staff for a job well done. Pictured from left to right; front row: Corina Vela, Lupita Fernandez, Frances de Luna, Maria Bazan, back row:  Hernan Cortez, Conchita Reyna, Camelia Palomares. (RGCCISD Photo).

Grulla Middle School Girls Basketball win District Title

RGCCISD Press Release
Grulla Middle School congratulates the 7th Grade "B" Girls basketball team on their district title. A job well done and the following team members contributed to this success; Pictured left to right are (Top row): Sarahi Garcia, Yamilex de la Garza, Esmeralda Ramos, Melissa Garcia, Coach Letty Limon. (Bottom Row): Ashley Cardoza, Julie Monsivais, Larissa Rivera, and Mckayla Bernal. Not pictured are Dominique Benavidez and Ashley Cota. A special thanks goes out to Grulla Middle School parents, principal Mr. Serapio Trillayes and Asst. principal Mr. Ariel Ozuna for their support during the entire season. Great job ladies, and keep up the good work!