By Sharon Wisch-Ray

You may remember reading about Team Shayna in the TJP in 2010 and 2012. It was founded in 2010 to participate in the Red Balloon Event in honor of 7-year-old, Shayna Strauss, the daughter of Dawn and Brad Strauss. Shayna was diagnosed with congenital heart defects when she was 15-months-old and underwent open heart surgery at Children’s Medical Center.
Team Shayna participates in the Red Balloon Event and fundraises for the Heart Center at Children’s in Shayna’s honor. This year, Team Shayna began its fundraising in January and raised more than $15,500 through a number of endeavors.
There was a huge fundraiser in January at Fuddruckers, along with a raffle with some 250 people attending. Team Shayna’s Third Annual Pink Lemonade Stand at the Strauss home in March raised more than $1,000. Trailercakes donated 100 cupcakes to the stand and it was featured on the CBS evening news. An article was run about Team Shayna in the Huffington Post as well. Dawn wrote a piece for the Children’s Blog and Team Shayna made the cover of the Children’s donor magazine along with a two-page article about the group in April.

These efforts culminated with the team running and walking in the Red Balloon Event April 26. Shayna was a featured patient meaning that signs with her pictures and story lined the race course.
Congratulations to Team Shayna for an incredible five months. In the four years that Team Shayna has participated in the Red Balloon Event, it has raised more than $50,000 for the Heart Center.
It is still possible to donate to The Children’s Red Balloon Run & Ride, a fundraising program produced by Passion for Children’s for the exclusive benefit of Children’s Medical Center. To visit the Team Shayna page visit, www.redballoonevent.org/goto/teamshayna2014.

Alexis Stern 1 of RISD’s Teachers of the Year

Mazel tov to Alexis Stern, director for the Richardson High School Law Magnet. Stern was one of 10 teachers selected as RISD’s STARS (Superior Teaching Achievement in RISD Schools) Teachers of the Year.
Administered by the Excellence in Education Foundation and selected through a comprehensive process involving interviews and classroom visits, the 10 represent some of the finest educators in a district known for quality teachers.
A “Prize Patrol” including RISD Superintendent Dr. Kay Waggoner and members of the Excellence in Education Foundation board and selection committee surprised teachers in their classrooms with flowers, balloons and a check for $1,000.
Stern was selected in April to represent RISD as its secondary nominee for Region 10 Teacher of the Year, the winner of which advances to State.
The Richardson Law Magnet’s loss will be Harvard’s gain. Stern will attend Harvard’s Graduate School of Education in the fall. “My plan is to train educators and later go into policy,” she wrote the TJP.
As an innovative way to finance her education, Stern is crowd funding to pay for the $70 thousand tab. To donate, visit https://fundly.com/m2/career-high-school-teacher.
A 2002 graduate of Richardson High School and a 2006 graduate of UT Austin, Stern is the daughter of Robert Stern and Melissa Fenton-Stern.

Dr. Jonathan Nathan heads to Chicago Loyola for fellowship

Congratulations to Dr. Jonathan Nathan who has been awarded a Fellowship in Cosmetic Plastic Reconstructive Surgery at Chicago Loyola Hospital. Nathan attended SMU and Tulane University and completed his residency at Texas Tech. He is the son of Bassim and Karen Nathan and brother of Daniel and Todd.