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HJM student earns recognition
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| Tiffany Richardson |
BY CHARLYN FINN
Tiffany Richardson, 8, of Port Lavaca, has been selected to take part in the 2008 Distinguished Youth of Texas program set for Nov. 28-30 at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin.
She is the daughter of Yessie Richardson.
Participants were originally chosen by such criteria as the publication of school honors or a recommendation from a teacher before going through an application process.
Tiffany’s mother Yessie was very surprised when she received a letter from Tiffany’s teacher at HJM Elementary School.
“The letter said she would be publicly recognized,” Yessie said. “I figured it would be unfair to her to not give her a chance, especially something so rare. If she wins, great, if not she is lucky to have been acknowledged. She will get a trophy just for participating. If she does win, she will advance to the national competition.”
The letter of acceptance was sent to HJM and then to Yessie. “I did not know the gravity at the time,” she said.
Tiffany, a slender 8-year-old with blue eyes, smiles bashfully showing two partial teeth growing in to replace baby teeth.
She is special in that she loves to read. Her favorite book is Charlotte’s Web. She has read all of the Harry Potter and Aragon the dragon books, to name a few.
What is different about Tiffany, for an 8-year-old, is she has read these books by herself. She has been reading since pre-kindergarten. So she keeps her mom busy looking for more books for Tiffany.
“She is a little girl that reads 300 to 400 page books,” says Yessie.
“I don’t know where she gets this from,” Yessie says. “She didn’t get it from me. She doesn’t care much for dolls or toys. She asks for books for her birthday and Christmas. We spend so-o-o much money on books.”
Tiffany has been an all A student since pre-kindergarten. “You would have to hog tie her down to keep her from going to school,” Yessie says.
Tiffany is a third grade student at HJM reading at the highest accelerated reading level. She actually reads on the fifth grade level. She has a reading score of 5.3, which means she has the ability of a fifth grader in the third month.
Tiffany has even studied pre- algebra in an after school class.
In Austin Tiffany will exhibit a few other talents. She is in the HJM choir and will show her singing ability at the Youth of Texas talent show. She will model sportswear and she will perform a dance with about 300 other little girls in the competition.
On Nov. 29 Tiffany will go before the judges for a question and answer session.
Participants will take part in a song-and-dance production number and receive instruction on how to handle interviews and present themselves on stage.
A choreographer will teach the girls a song and dance production number and a trained staff member will give the girls pointers on how to conduct themselves in an interview situation and how to present themselves on stage.
The girls are asked to bring an elegant formal gown to the event. It is difficult to find a formal gown for an 8-year-old girl. Tiffany’s will probably be made by her grandmother Roberta Popal.
Tiffany and her mother will also be attending dinners and will be at rehearsals.
Winners of the Little Miss and Young Miss of Texas competition will each receive a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond. Judging is based on scholastic record (30 percent), school activities and community service (30 percent), interview (25 percent) and personality projection (15 percent).
Runners-up in each division also will receive Savings Bonds, while 30 other candidates will be honored with trophies for their achievements in various areas of the competition, including division awards for grades 2-7.
Tiffany is one of four siblings. She has three brothers.
She is the daughter of Yessie Richardson.
Participants were originally chosen by such criteria as the publication of school honors or a recommendation from a teacher before going through an application process.
Tiffany’s mother Yessie was very surprised when she received a letter from Tiffany’s teacher at HJM Elementary School.
“The letter said she would be publicly recognized,” Yessie said. “I figured it would be unfair to her to not give her a chance, especially something so rare. If she wins, great, if not she is lucky to have been acknowledged. She will get a trophy just for participating. If she does win, she will advance to the national competition.”
The letter of acceptance was sent to HJM and then to Yessie. “I did not know the gravity at the time,” she said.
Tiffany, a slender 8-year-old with blue eyes, smiles bashfully showing two partial teeth growing in to replace baby teeth.
She is special in that she loves to read. Her favorite book is Charlotte’s Web. She has read all of the Harry Potter and Aragon the dragon books, to name a few.
What is different about Tiffany, for an 8-year-old, is she has read these books by herself. She has been reading since pre-kindergarten. So she keeps her mom busy looking for more books for Tiffany.
“She is a little girl that reads 300 to 400 page books,” says Yessie.
“I don’t know where she gets this from,” Yessie says. “She didn’t get it from me. She doesn’t care much for dolls or toys. She asks for books for her birthday and Christmas. We spend so-o-o much money on books.”
Tiffany has been an all A student since pre-kindergarten. “You would have to hog tie her down to keep her from going to school,” Yessie says.
Tiffany is a third grade student at HJM reading at the highest accelerated reading level. She actually reads on the fifth grade level. She has a reading score of 5.3, which means she has the ability of a fifth grader in the third month.
Tiffany has even studied pre- algebra in an after school class.
In Austin Tiffany will exhibit a few other talents. She is in the HJM choir and will show her singing ability at the Youth of Texas talent show. She will model sportswear and she will perform a dance with about 300 other little girls in the competition.
On Nov. 29 Tiffany will go before the judges for a question and answer session.
Participants will take part in a song-and-dance production number and receive instruction on how to handle interviews and present themselves on stage.
A choreographer will teach the girls a song and dance production number and a trained staff member will give the girls pointers on how to conduct themselves in an interview situation and how to present themselves on stage.
The girls are asked to bring an elegant formal gown to the event. It is difficult to find a formal gown for an 8-year-old girl. Tiffany’s will probably be made by her grandmother Roberta Popal.
Tiffany and her mother will also be attending dinners and will be at rehearsals.
Winners of the Little Miss and Young Miss of Texas competition will each receive a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond. Judging is based on scholastic record (30 percent), school activities and community service (30 percent), interview (25 percent) and personality projection (15 percent).
Runners-up in each division also will receive Savings Bonds, while 30 other candidates will be honored with trophies for their achievements in various areas of the competition, including division awards for grades 2-7.
Tiffany is one of four siblings. She has three brothers.
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