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The top two graduates for the 2013 senior class at Tomball High School have many things in common – extracurricular activities, grades, friends and they both attribute their success to one thing – hard work.

Rachel Mai and Amy Shaklovitz have been named as the top performers in their senior class of nearly 700 graduates. The pair are involved in numerous activities at the school, as well as in the community.

Mai and Shaklovitz sat down for an interview recently and here are their responses.

Q: What are your plans for college?
Amy: "I am going to Texas A&M.  I'll be a general engineering major and after I complete my basics, I'm going to switch to petroleum engineering."  
Rachel: "I am planning to go to the University of Houston and I'll be classified as a biology major.  Hopefully, I'll be done with everything in three years and then I'm going to apply to dental school – the UT dental branch in Houston."

Q: What activities did you participate in while at Tomball?
Amy: "All four years I played volleyball and golf my freshman year.  I did tennis my sophomore, junior, and senior years. I've been in National Honor Society, Student Council, Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society), Senior Girls and Spanish Honor Society."  
Rachel: "I've been in Student Council and I've participated in Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) for three years. I really enjoy HOSA because I want to work in the medical field.  I've also been in National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. I also volunteer at a Vietnamese school in Houston."   

Q: What advice would you give to younger students?
Amy: "I would tell them it's important to start early and keep up with your work."
Rachel: "I would tell them to have good time management and know how to use your time wisely and balance your school work and activities after school. I would also say to stay drug free and have fun." 

Q: What will you take with you as you graduate from high school?
Amy: "The friendships.  Being on teams in school I have made good friends and I know I'll keep up with them in college. Being on a team you really get to know each other and you get close."
Rachel: "Definitely, prom was memorable. Hanging out with friends at prom and project prom was great. It was magical like a dream come true." 

Nearly 700 seniors took part in the Tomball High School Commencement Ceremony at Reed Arena. Pictured are (from left) Katri Sofjan, Mason Lanch, Andrew Ellison, Gabriella Ertl, Sarah McDaniel and Kaili Birkner (background) Collectively, Tomball High School's Class of 2013 received $4.9 million in scholarship money from various foundations, organizations, colleges, and universities.

John E. McStravick, a Texas A&M graduate and registered professional engineer, began his career with Halliburton Energy Services in 1987. He worked almost 10 years before receiving a law degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. McStravick was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1998 and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He is a member of several organizations including the American Bar Association, the Houston Bar Association, the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Knights of Columbus. A parishioner of St. Anne Catholic Church in Tomball, McStravick knows what it is to hear the call of God to serve.

In 2000 he was elected to the Tomball ISD Board of Trustees and has served as an officer and president of the Board during those years. The son of the late Peter, and Ann McStravick, John McStravick has lived in many places including Australia. But home has always been close to the native Tomball Texan and Tomball High School alumnus.

McStravick will share his message, “My Spiritual Journey’s Influence on the Facets of My Life,” when he is the featured speaker at the Christian Business Luncheon Aug. 14. The CBL will meet in its summer location, Lone Star College-Tomball, Room N103 (the glass room off the Commons near the cafeteria).

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for the 12 to 1 p.m. luncheon. Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555 Tomball Pkwy.. RSVP’s are not necessary but available online at, ChristianBusinessLuncheon.org. Free will donations are accepted in lieu of payment.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the results of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam.  Although TEA has not released the passing standards for the STAAR exam, Tomball ISD’s students scored very well on the new state assessment. 

“As we look at the raw scores, it is apparent that in most areas our students scored better than students in our surrounding school districts,” John Neubauer, superintendent of schools, said.  “I am very pleased with our results.” 

As students and teachers prepared for the test last year, there were many uncertainties for all public schools.  Tomball ISD administrators knew that the test would align with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum that all public schools use, but administrators were uncertain of the test format and the design of the test questions.  The test was also timed, which presented a new challenge for students.  Furthermore, TEA did not provide school districts with the passing rates for the STAAR exam. 

“Despite a great deal of uncertainty, our teachers and students are to be commended for a job well done,” Neubauer said.

As a result of TEA implementing a new testing system, students in different grade levels took various tests.  Although students in grades three through eight took the STAAR test, students in grades seven through nine took STAAR End of Course (EOC) exams if they were taking a course requiring an EOC test.  Sophomores and juniors in high school took the TAKS test.  As students in these grade levels graduate, the TAKS test will be replaced by the STAAR EOC exams for all grades at the high school level.

Tomball ISD’s STAAR test results indicated that students in grades three through eight scored higher than the state scores on the reading, writing, math, science, and social studies STAAR tests.  Junior high and high school freshmen students scored higher than the state scores on the reading, writing, algebra I, geometry, science, and social studies STAAR EOC exams.  Sophomores and juniors who took the English language arts, math, algebra I, science, and social studies TAKS tests also scored higher than the state scores.

Neubauer expects the STAAR passing rates to be released by TEA in 2013.  “Even though we are still waiting on the passing standards, we remain committed to academic excellence,” Neubauer said.  “I am confident that our students and teachers will do their best as they prepare for the second administration of the STAAR and EOC exams.”

Tomball High School has received the 2012 College Readiness Award from the Texas ACT Council for increasing the number of students taking the ACT Assessment over the past five years and significantly increasing the level of achievement and college readiness.

"It is an honor for our campus to be recognized," Greg Quinn, principal of Tomball High School, said.  "We have encouraged students to take more rigorous coursework, which has resulted in an increase in the number of students taking the ACT.  They're prepared and they're performing well.  We're very proud of them." 

The Texas ACT Council is comprised of secondary and postsecondary educators who advise ACT, Inc. on the utilization of ACT programs and services in Texas schools and colleges. 

Karen Pennell, assistant vice president and ACT southwest regional manager, explained that the Texas ACT Council wanted to recognize Texas high schools that have made significant strides in increasing the college and career readiness of their graduates as demonstrated by an increase in their ACT scores over the past five years. 

"This can only happen as a result of the efforts of the faculty and staff and the dedication of Tomball High School students and parents as they focus on raising the level of academic readiness for all students," Pennell said.

Only 170 high schools in Texas were honored for this accomplishment, which represents only nine percent of all Texas high schools. 

Tomball ISD will host a parent summit addressing school safety, Monday, April 29, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Tomball High School Auditorium, 30330 Quinn Road. A panel comprised of Tomball ISD educators, local law enforcement officers and emergency responders will discuss and answer questions regarding school safety. For more information visit www.tomballisd.net.

Bond 2013, a $160 million bond proposal which will appear on the May 11 ballot for voter approval will be the topic of the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce Networking Luncheon, May 3. Tomball ISD Trustee Ken Odom, Superintendent John Neu-bauer and Deputy Super-intendent Huey Kinchen will address the gathering.

Chamber members, their guests, and the public are encouraged to attend this very informative luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. at the Elmer L. Beckendorf Conference Center on the Lone Star College - Tomball campus located at 30555 Tomball Pkwy.  Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

For reservations call the Chamber at 281-351-7222 or email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Cost is $17 at the door and $20 if invoiced. To learn more about the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce visit, www.Tom ballChamber.org.

Katie Doerre has spent her high school softball career traveling the nation. She is gone so much that she sometimes forgets what her own bed feels like.

“I’ve been traveling pretty much all summer for four years,” Doerre said. “(Recently she spent) one week at Gold Nationals in Oklahoma, where I had a full week there and came home for one day, before I got on a plane to go California for a week.”

That dedication has earned Doerre a spot at Texas State University as a catcher, as well as recognition as one of the best softball players ever at Tomball High School (THS).

Playing the sport since she was very young – “I started playing tee-ball when I was four.” --- Doerre found her calling as a catcher early in life.

“I started off at third base and the outfield and then one of the coaches, I think it was 10 and under (league), asked if anyone wanted to be the catcher because one was hurt, so I just put the gear on and went out there,” she said. “I’ve been catching ever since.”

Doerre describes herself as a take-charge catcher. She studies hitters tendency and calls pitch sequences based upon that study. She thrives on pressure.

“I’ve called every game in high school -- all four years,” she said. “I kind of taught myself how to when I was younger and then one of the main people to help was my tournament coach, Richard Bass. He had me mirror one of the older catchers when I was a freshman.”

“I want to be the person to win the game, or on the defensive side to make a play at the plate,” she added.  “I love those moments.”

Now heading off to college, Doerre said it will be an adjustment, but she has other goals, including hopefully making the U.S. national team someday.

“That’s been a goal of mine since I was a little kid,” she said. “They took it out (of the Olympics) and it was kind of a bummer, but there is talk of them bringing it back for 2016, which would be perfect because it’s my senior year.”

She chose Texas State, she said, because it felt like family.

“It seemed like they really, really wanted me,” Doerre said. “They pursued me the hardest. They started looking at me when I was a freshman. I like the town a lot. My parents told me it’s not just about softball it’s about what you want to do and they have my degree plan, which is physical therapy.”

Doerre said that her career choice wasn’t her father’s -- Tomball Police Cpt. Rickey Doerre -- first choice.

“Dad wanted me to be an FBI agent or wildlife,” she said laughing.

She credits her father for his help along the way as her first coach.

He has done so much for me,” she said.

As for her favorite memories of playing at Tomball?

“It was junior year and we were playing Pearland, a really intense game and we were tied with runners at first and second,” Doerre said. “I was at bat and I had gotten a really bad strike call on me at my ankles. Then the pitcher throws me an outside rise ball and I took it yard to the opposite field.”

The competition isn’t the only thing Doerre said she will miss.

“Tomball is really supportive of their sports teams and I’ll miss that, but I’ll really miss the girls. The team is like family and we are all splitting up.”

Doerre said that while her high school chapter is now over, she wouldn’t change a thing.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better career.”

STARKVILLE, Miss. - It was a remarkable debut weekend in collegiate volleyball, as Mississippi State’s libero position has helped Roxanne McVey earn Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors.

McVey, a former Tomball Lady Cougar standout, took the early SEC league for digs with 88 scoops during three matches in the Maroon Classic. McVey tallied 21 digs in her first collegiate match, added 25 in Saturday’s win over ULM and concluded the weekend in the Newell-Grissom Building with a school-record 42 digs in the tourney championship match against Kennesaw State. She bettered the previous school record of 39 digs set by Shauna Owens in 1991 against Sam Houston State. For the week, McVey averaged 7.33 digs per set and better than 30 per match.

It’s the third straight season and fourth overall that a Mississippi State player has earned the league’s weekly honor for freshmen. She joins previous honorees Martina Gregusova (2006), Paris Perret (2010) and Lainey Wyman (2011).

Tomball High School Assistant Baseball Coach Tim Dyson (back, left) and Head Baseball Coach Doug Rush (back, right) congratulated seniors (from left) Ishmael Edwards, Bryce Welborn and Nicholas Banks for earning scholarships to play baseball in college. Edwards will play outfield at Howard Junior College. Welborn will pitch for Texas Tech University. Banks will play outfield and pitch at Texas A&M University.