Women Making History Event Held in Schulenburg

On Sunday, March 10, the League of Women Voters of South Central Texas celebrated Women’s History Month with their second annual “Women Making History” event.

The salute at Sengelmann Hall began with a welcome by Schulenburg mayor Connie Koopman, and an introduction to the League of Women Voters by President Janis Richardson. The highlight was provided by student essays and poems from the League’s “Celebrating Women: Student Writing Showcase.” Open to students in grades 9-12 in the League’s five-county area (Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Gonzales, and Lavaca), the competition invited them to write about one of seven leadership characteristics to honor an unsung heroine in their community. Those characteristics are Courage, Determination, Heritage, Heroism, Initiative, Steadfastness, and Vision.

Entrants wrote about mothers, grandmothers, community leaders and teachers. They praised role models for courage in adversity, determination to care for families and communities, passion in educating students, steadfastness in working to make a living for their children, and faith and love despite difficult life challenges.

The five competition judges included three retired teachers, and the entries were scored anonymously. The seven students chosen to be recognized were:

• Julianna Buehring, 12th grader, Moulton High School – honoring her grandmother, Kathy Jean Haikenwaelder.

• Azariah McKnight, 9th grader, Schulenburg High School – honoring her mother, Raquaityah Sullivan.

• Ella Pineda, 12th grader, La Grange High School – honoring her grandmother, Debbie Busch.

• Macey Pustka, 11th grader, Hallettsville High School – honoring her grandmother, Maggie Pustka.

• Molly Rorschach, 9th grader, Schulenburg High School – honoring her mother, Kathy Rorschach.

• Mikhayla Stafford-Bedford, 12th grader, Yoakum High School – honoring Dr. Jennifer Voges, Yoakum High School Band Director.

• Mina Tinajero, 9th grader, Moulton High School – honoring her mother, Perla Tinajero.

Although Ella Pineda was on spring break with her family and could not attend, the other six students and their honorees were all present. As one audience member said after the students read their essays and poems, “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.” Speaking of her mother, Azariah McKnight said in her essay, “In this little Texas town, if anyone deserves to be honored, it’s her.” She expressed a sentiment shared by all these thoughtful and caring young women.