Dateline: August 21, 2008

Work with foster kids brings honor to locals

Two Clarendon College employees were among the recipients of the Texans Caring for Texans Award during ceremonies last Tuesday.

Texas D. Buckhaults and Ann Huey were recognized for their work to provide educational opportunities for foster children in Texas.

Foster children who are aging out of the state system and who want to further their education sometimes have difficulty finding junior and community colleges with appropriate dormitory facilities.

Buckhaults and Huey recognized this problem and also noted that Clarendon College provides full residential facilities including a cafeteria, and offers small class sizes as well as developmental courses in math, reading, and writing. Mentoring and tutoring services are also available for students on the campus.

With that in mind, Buckhaults and Huey began successfully recruiting students from the state’s foster system and opened the door of higher education to those students.

Representative David Swinford originated the Texans Caring for Texans Award in 1996 as a way of thanking state employees in the Top 26 counties of Texas.  State agencies are invited to select an employee or team of employees each year, recognizing them for the positive impact they have on their communities.

The 2008 awards ceremony was hosted by West Texas A&M University and organized by a task force made up of representatives from more than a dozen state agencies.