MISSOURI CITY NATIVE SERVES ABOARD NAVY’S LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS WARSHIP

A 2008 Thurgood Marshall graduate and Missouri City native is currently serving aboard the largest amphibious warship in the Navy.

Seaman Markel Carter is a personnel specialist serving aboard USS Boxer, based in San Diego.

As a Navy personnel specialist, Carter is responsible for performing clerical and administration duties, maintaining personnel records, and accounting procedures.

“While serving here, I’ve learned the value of hard work, and putting in the effort to get things done efficiently,” Carter said.

Boxer is an amphibious assault ship that resembles a small aircraft carrier. Approximately 3,000 sailors and marines serve aboard the ship. It’s 844 feet long and 106 feet wide and weighs nearly 45,000 tons, with two gas turbine engines that push the ship through water at more than 22 knots.

Boxer is famous for playing a critical role in the rescue mission of Capt. Richard Phillips on April 12, 2009. U.S. Navy SEALS and other special operations forces from USS Bainbridge rescued Phillips who was later transferred to Boxer for medical evaluation and care. This successful rescue mission was portrayed in the 2013 movie, Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, and featuring crewmembers from the Boxer.

Carter said his proudest accomplishment is getting the opportunity to serve on such an impressive ship.

“I know that I am contributing to something bigger than myself, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me glad that I am able to serve here in the Navy,” said Carter.

Carter has family members who currently serve and says he is honored to carry on the family tradition. “I have a twin brother also serving in the Navy, and a sister in the Army Reserves,” he said.

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STUDENTS WIN AT JUNIOR THEATER FESTIVAL

Sugar Land’s community theater, Inspiration Stage, attended the Junior Theater Festival (JTF) West in Sacramento, California on Feb. 10-11, bringing home the festival’s highest award for Outstanding Performance. Inspiration Stage, in its first year to attend JTF West, performed a 15-minute cut of Annie JR. On Sunday, the Annie JR. company performed “Hard Knock Life” on the main stage for the festival’s 1,500 attendees.

Erin Brogan (Annie), 11, was recognized for Excellent Individual Female Performance. Brogan and Holden Hagelberger (Company), 9, also received All-Star Awards, while troupe members Drew Doyle (Company), 12, Clayton Evans (Company), 14, and Keira Wagner (Company), 12, were chosen to perform in a special musical SLAM performance.

Eight Inspiration Stage youth received Golden Tickets – special invitations to audition for the opportunity to appear in MTI instructional guide choreography DVDs distributed with its Broadway Jr. series of shows. Three iStagers – Anna Baden (Molly), 13, Andrew Sackett (Lt. Ward), 14, Madison Willet (Mrs. Hannigan), 14 – received callbacks for second round auditions.

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FBISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH SUGAR CREEK COUNTRY CLUB

The Fort Bend Education Foundation recently partnered with Sugar Creek Country Club to give
back to FBISD Schools in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Sugar Creek donated a portion of every new member initiation fee in an effort to be a strong community partner. The grand total of $8,135 was used towards the effort to purchase a new library for Juan Sequin Elementary.

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CHILD ADVOCATES OF FORT BEND OFFERS WEEK-LONG TRAINING CLASS FOR VOLUNTEERS

Are you interested in making a difference in the lives of children? During the week of Aug. 6-10, from 9 a.m. -4 p.m. daily, Child Advocates of Fort Bend (CAFB) is offering a week-long training class to train volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children. This is the last opportunity this year to complete the volunteer training class in a single week.

Volunteers must be over 21 years of age, complete an application and interview, and submit to background screening. For more information or an application, contact Volunteer Services at 281-344-5259 or [email protected].

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CYNTHIA BARRATT NAMED CHILD ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

Cynthia Barratt was named Child Advocate of the Year for 2017 at Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s Annual Volunteer Celebration held Feb. 15 at Sweetwater Country Club. The event was attended by more than 200 volunteers, community partners and staff.

“Cynthia exemplifies the ultimate in volunteerism to the agency – going above and beyond, donating her time, her talent and support across many different areas to make a lasting difference for children,” said Child Advocates of Fort Bend CEO Ruthanne Mefford. “In every way, Cynthia has been a friend of our agency, a humble and selfless servant with an unwavering commitment to the children we serve.”

Other honorees at the volunteer celebration included Lois Gremminger (CASA Volunteer of the Year), Chinnu Meher-Homji (Children’s Advocacy Center Volunteer of the Year), and Deborah Thompson (Voices for Children Ambassador of the Year). Tamika Hervey was the recipient of the Mariel Barrera Champion for Children Award. The Award was re-named in honor of long-time employee Mariel Barrera who passed away in early 2017. To see a list of all of the honorees or to learn more about volunteer opportunities with Child Advocates of Fort Bend, go to cafb.org.

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YOUTH IN PHILANTHROPY MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR CHILD ADVOCATES OF FORT BEND

Twenty-three students from The George Founda­tion’s Youth In Philanthropy (YIP) Program helped Child Advocates of Fort Bend (CAFB) with several critical projects on Feb. 3. YIP Team Wildcats sanded and repainted benches for the porches at Child Advocates of Fort Bend, cleaned and sanitized the toys and surfaces in the Children’s Advocacy Center waiting room, worked on appreciation gifts for the agency’s volunteers and expressed their creativity on decorations for the agency’s upcoming “Off to the Races” Gala. They also went on a behind the scenes tour of the Children’s Advocacy Center and CASATMProgram to learn about child abuse and ways they can spread the word to reach children and teens who may be abused and need help.

“We love participating in the YIP Program. Not only do the projects that they do for us help us and save us money, I think we learn as much from the students as they do from us,” stated Child Advocates of Fort Bend CEO Ruthanne Mefford. “The benches they painted will not only brighten the porches but will make our building more welcoming for the children and families. Cleaning and sanitizing the playroom is a huge help so that it remains a safe and healthy place for children and their families. Their creative efforts with regard to appreciation gifts for volunteers lifts the spirits of our volunteers and their creative decorations dramatically transform the lobby of the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square for our Off to the Races gala.”

For more information about CAFB, go to cafb.org or call 281-344-5100.

For information on YIP, go to thegeorgefoundation.org/program/youth-in-philanthropy or contact Ammie Blahuta, director of special programs for The George Foundation, at 281-342-6109 or [email protected].

For gala sponsorships or more information contact Lisa Moore at [email protected] or 281-344-5108.