DALLAS, Texas, April 9, 2024—The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden held its annual Friends Blooms Dinner on March 27^th. This dinner honors Friends of the Arboretum and Caroline Rose Hunt Society patrons, a distinguished group of garden donors who annually support the garden’s ongoing horticulture, education and research efforts.

The evening began with a cocktail hour held in the Entry Plaza where more than 300 friends enjoyed beverages and light bites. Following cocktails, the event moved inside Rosine Hall for a seated dinner served by Gil’s Elegant Catering. Prior to dinner service, Will McDaniel, Dallas Arboretum board chair, and Sabina Carr, Dallas Arboretum president and CEO, welcomed and thanked everyone for supporting the garden and helping it to grow.

Friends of the Arboretum and Caroline Rose Hunt Society members receive benefits above and beyond general membership, including reserved parking, discounts on special event rentals, travel opportunities, elegant dinners in the garden and more.  For more information on these groups, visit https://www.dallasarboretum.org/support/membership/.

A special thanks to the Friends Blooms Dinner Sponsor:
Presenting Sponsor: Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians

Dallas Blooms Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor: Amegy Bank

Sponsor: CC Young Senior Living, Texas Telcom Credit Union

Media Sponsors: The Dallas Morning News, WFAA, Channel 8

Photo credit: Dallas Arboretum/Steve Foxall

Media contacts:

Terry Lendecker | VP, Marketing | 214.515.6523 | tlendecker@dallasarboretum.org

Juliette Coulter | The Coulter Group | 214.394.5532 | juliette@coultergroup.com

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Shelton Teachers, staff and representatives of NASA's Neurodiversity Network helped make the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse meaningful for Shelton students on April 8.

Upper School and Middle School students viewed the eclipse on the football field, and Lower School students viewed the eclipse outside the Lower School entrance. Students and staff shouted, "Five, four, three, two, one!" as the total eclipse became visible. Upper School and Middle School students started the day by attending a lecture by Ellen Torres Thompson, the Planetarium Lead Educator at The Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, California, and Spyros Kasapis, a postdoctoral fellow at the NASA Ames Research Center. Thompson spoke about the science behind the eclipse, and Kasapis spoke about "NASA Heliophysics' Big Year." Shelton Physics teacher Dr. Samantha Cason and Shelton Upper School Earth and Space Science teacher Meredith Moody presented eclipse questions from Shelton students, which were answered by Thompson and Kasapis. Students also viewed a video, "Shelton Eclipsing Expectations." 

In preparation for the eclipse, students benefited from curriculum from NASA's Neurodiversity Network.

• Lower School students studied what causes an eclipse, how something small can cover up something larger, eclipse safety and how to make pinhole eclipse viewers.
• Middle School students learned eclipse safety, used 3D and 2D models to describe what happened to cause an eclipse and made pinhole viewers. In addition, some classes made simple sundials and looked at the magnetic properties of the sun and Earth. 
• In twelfth-grade Earth & Space Science, twelfth-grade Physics II and eleventh-grade Physics, students learned how the Earth, moon and sun interact and how those interactions can cause a solar eclipse. The concept of a solar eclipse was also reinforced with videos, an app on the cell phone that follows the eclipse and activities supplied by NASA. 

Visitors from NASA Neurodiversity Network spoke to Middle School and Upper School students and visited Shelton science classes for eclipse activities on Monday.

• Spyros Kasapis completed his Aerospace Engineering Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he focused on controls and autonomous aircraft path planning. He moved to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor for his second Master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. His Ph.D. was focused on Machine Learning applications in visual recognition. He has worked as an intern at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where he helped by characterizing the Van Allen radiation belt using the SDO satellite data. Additionally, he was a member of the NASA JPL 2022 Planetary Science Summer School cohort, where he worked on the Gelatto asteroid sample return mission proposal. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the NASA Ames Research Center. His research interests include the use of Machine Learning for Detection of Solar Active Region Emergence and SEP Prediction.

• Ellen Torres Thompson is the Planetarium Lead Educator at The Lawrence Hall of Science, a children’s museum in Berkeley, California. She develops and presents live, interactive astronomy programs for K-12 students and families. She graduated in 2021 with majors in Astrophysics and South and Southeast Asian Studies from UC Berkeley. 

• Ariana Riccio is collaborating on NASA’s Neurodiversity Network, which is working to create pathways to NASA participation and STEM careers for neurodiverse learners. Riccio holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the Graduate Center of The City University of New York and a BS in Biology and Community Health from Tufts University. 

Turtle Creek Chorale is proud to announce that the Eugene McDermott Foundation has presented a generous donation of $100,000 to the organization through its annual benefit gala, Rhapsody.

“I first saw the Turtle Creek Chorale with my grandmother and have always appreciated the unique cultural place the Chorale and its members continue to hold in Dallas. Their talent and their passion for what they do never fails to impress, and they make Dallas proud,” said Grace Cook, president of the Eugene McDermott Foundation. “I’m also very excited about seeing Cyndi Lauper, who is so much fun and an amazing advocate for equality. It’s going to be an incredible night!”

The co-chairs for the event benefiting the Turtle Creek Chorale are Grace Cook, Sheilon King, Tara Lewis, and Whitney Strauss. Funds raised at Rhapsody will support the Chorale’s mission to entertain, educate, unite, and inspire through its musical, cultural, and educational programs.

“We are so grateful for this award made by the Eugene McDermott Foundation in honor of the Rhapsody gala,” TCC’s Mike Dilbeck, Senior Director of Advancement for Turtle Creek Chorale Mike Dilbeck said. “This year's gala promises to be an unforgettable celebration of philanthropy, music, and community, made possible by the extraordinary generosity of our supporters.”

Headlining this year's Rhapsody gala is Grammy Award winner and punk glamor icon, Cyndi Lauper. Set to take place at the Omni Dallas Hotel on Saturday, June 1, 2024, the evening will offer an opening reception, seated dinner, luxury live auction, after party, and an exclusive private concert by Cyndi Lauper with full band and featuring a selection of her greatest hits. 

Gala tickets are now available and will include all the above benefits and access to the exclusive private concert for $600, $800, and $1,000. Tables are available for $6,000, $8,000, and $10,000. Sponsorships range from $15,000 to $25,000. For more information, go to tccgala.com.

Calling all foodies and fiesta enthusiasts! The Sazon Latin Food Festival is coming to Lakewood Brewing Company in Garland, Texas this Sunday, April 21st, from 11 am to 6 pm. Mark your calendars for a day filled with delicious food, vibrant music, and a celebration of Latin culture!

A Culinary Adventure Awaits

This free, family-friendly event is your chance to embark on a delightful culinary adventure through Latin America. Sample a wide variety of dishes from all corners of the region, including the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Talented Latin food vendors will be showcasing their specialties, offering everything from savory main courses to mouthwatering desserts.

Live Music and Family Fun

Live salsa music will fill the air, creating the perfect atmosphere for a fun-filled day with family and friends. Let the music move you while you indulge in the delectable offerings and soak up the festive atmosphere.

Important Information:

• Date: Sunday, April 21st
• Time: 11 am - 6 pm
• Location: Lakewood Brewing Company, 2302 Executive Drive, Garland, TX 75041
• Admission: Free (registration recommended: https://ourlatincity.com/)

Don't miss this opportunity to tantalize your taste buds and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Latin America!

For more information:

• Website: https://ourlatincity.com/
• Instagram: @Latincity
• Facebook: @OurLatinCity

Junior League of Dallas (JLD) awarded $40,000 in collegiate scholarships to 10 college-bound women from Dallas ISD during its 11^th annual Women LEAD Speech Competition and Awards Ceremony held Saturday, March 23 at JLD Headquarters. The top 10 ranked finalists were selected from a highly competitive set of 26 applicants from Emmett J. Conrad High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, and South Oak Cliff High School. Founded in 2013 by JLD, the Women LEAD (Learn. Excel. Achieve. Dream.) scholarship program was created to assist female high school students in pursuing their dreams of higher education and to create opportunities for future women leaders. Since the program began, the League has awarded 72 scholarships totaling $345,000 to female seniors from these three area high schools.

“The dedication, passion, and resilience demonstrated by these young women throughout the Women LEAD program have been inspiring,” said JLD President Christina Eubanks. “As they prepare to embark on their next chapter in higher education, we are filled with immense pride and optimism for what the future holds. These young women not only embody the values of leadership and excellence that we cherish but also remind us of the power of education and mentorship. The Junior League of Dallas is honored to have played a role in their journey and looks forward to witnessing their continued success and contributions to the community.” 

In October, Women LEAD Chair Cathryn McClellan and Signature Projects Vice President Emily Ronck and their committee held workshops at the three high schools to review the application and scholarship program. After the finalists were selected in early February, JLD members re-visited the schools to hold public speaking workshops. The committee scored applications based on the criteria of academic performance, resume, letters of recommendation, transcript, and an essay. 

The top 10 ranked applicants were invited to present their speeches on March 23 in front of this year's judges including: JLD President Christina Eubanks; Nordstrom Stylist Program Manager Jessica Tennison; and Senior Philanthropy Officer of Communities Foundation of Texas Ashley McIver. Former TV reporter and JLD Sustainer Calvert Collins-Bratton emceed the event. 

In the oratory competition, the students were given this prompt: In 2020, Team USA gymnast Simone Biles made the difficult decision to step away from gymnastics right before the women's all-around final in the Tokyo Olympics. She faced criticism for this decision but remained confident that she needed to step away to focus on her mental health. We've all had to make difficult decisions that others don't agree with. Tell us about a time when you made an unpopular choice that was in your best interest. 

In response, the audience and judges heard inspirational speeches from each of the top 10 finalists, including: Liliana Aguirre, Miranda Castillo, Genesis Stephanie Contreras, Anatupenda Daphrose, Lidiya Gebrehiwot, Amy Jeanette Lopez, Jazmin Martinez, Prava Pokhrel, Naimat Rabiu, and Tosminara Shamsuddin. Additionally, the students spoke about their passions and how receiving a Women LEAD scholarship will help them achieve their goals. Individual passions motivate these students to chase their dreams and turn them into a reality, and each of these young women hope to fulfill those dreams in a way that will make a positive impact on the world and inspire the people around them. 

Following the oratory competition, the judging panel tallied the votes and determined the winners based on the merits of their scholarship application and speech presentation. The winner of the $15,000 Women LEAD Scholarship Program was Naimat Rabiu. Second place winner Amy Lopez received a $10,000 scholarship; third place winner Anatupenda Daphrose received a $5,000 scholarship; fourth place winner Lidiya Gebrehiwot received a $3,000 scholarship; and fifth place winner Miranda Castillo received a $2,000 scholarship.  Honorable mention winners Liliana Aguirre, Genesis Stephanie Contreras, Jazmin Martinez, Prava Pokhrel, and Tosminara Shamsuddin each received a $1,000 scholarship.