10 Kids Smarter Than You, or at Least me

Once again, Highland Park High School students, force myself to remember that I was but a “commended student” on the PSAT, not a semifinalist. Was the test a lot harder this time around? HPHS had 18 last year. Congratulations, I say to them, through gritted teeth.

From the district’s release:

Ten Highland Park High School seniors have been named 2009 National Merit semifinalists. The students are among 16,000 academically talented high school seniors who will continue in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s competition for 8,200 merit scholarship awards worth $35 million that will be offered in the spring. The pool of semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of the top high school seniors in the U.S.

Highland Park High School’s National Merit semifinalists are: Trey Carlock, Christopher Doubet, Kyle Dowds, Virginia Hawkins, W.J. Humann, Elizabeth Mims, Truett Ogden, Sushen Patel, Cav Walters and Mengxuan “Megan” Tang.

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Leasing an HP Life?

Browsing the world wide web I came across a story  by WNBC 4, an NBC affiliate in New York, about how the economy is affecting affluent families.

Highland Park was singled out as one of these affluent communities and NBC turned to Meredith McKee, an agent with Briggs-Freeman Real Estate, for answers.

McKee told reporters that some families who can’t afford to buy are willing to lease a home in HP just so their children can attend HPISD.

“Not everybody is incredibly wealthy,” McKee says. “People will make major sacrifices to have children in the [Highland Park] schools. They might not be able to afford a house here, but they can make a lease payment.”

They don’t provide any facts on the number of homes leased in HP or what percentage that represents. So, is this a case of sensational storytelling or reporting on a real trend?

What say you?

Appliance Burglar Unmasked?

Sorry I didn’t share this info as soon as we got it from the cops yesterday morning:

Timothy Lewis Garza was arrested for the alleged burglary of
a home in the 3200 block of Villanova. Garza attempted to remove
kitchen appliances from the location but fled the scene before police
arrived. Garza was later identified and arrested for the burglary. Garza
is a suspect in other burglaries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

We’d previously covered the uptick in thefts at vacant homes/homes under construction. Police haven’t said yet exactly which other burglaries they think Garza, and another suspect for which a warrant has been issue but identity has not yet been released, were responsible for.