Every week, VYPE San Antonio hosts a poll to highlight top athletic achievers. Check out the recent winners, and some of the credentials that got them to that point.
Cibolo Steele's Jaylon Jones (Top Returning VYPE San Antonio UIL 5A-6A Defensive Back)
Why he's deserving:
1. Won the Sun & Ski Sports Poll with 12,418 of the 31,287 total votes.
2. The Texas A&M; football commit is the area's top 2020 recruit.
Bracken Christian School's Aiden Cantu (VYPE San Antonio Private School Baseball Player of the Year)
Why he's deserving:
1. Won the VYPE Films Poll with 6,469 of the 10,183 total votes.
2. The senior earned TAPPS first-team all-state honors in baseball and football during the 2018-2019 school year.
San Antonio Incarnate Word's Morgan Gutierrez (VYPE San Antonio Private School Softball Player of the Year)
Why she's deserving:
1. Won the VYPE Films Poll with 13,045 of the 20,376 total votes.
2. The sophomore's first-team all-state season helped Incarnate Word reach another state final four in 2019.
Fredericksburg's Aleah Constantine (VYPE San Antonio UIL Girls Track Athlete Of The Year)
Why she's deserving:
1. Won the VYPE Films Poll with 14,483 of the 35,834 total votes.
2. The junior recorded a personal best 14.91 time and earned a silver medal in 2019's UIL 4A state 100 meter hurdle event.
San Antonio Roosevelt's Rashod Owens (VYPE San Antonio UIL Boys Track Athlete of the Year)
Why he's deserving:
1. Won the VYPE Films Poll with 4,860 of the 11,324 total votes.
2. The three-sport junior athlete set a new San Antonio triple jump record (49 feet, 10 3/4 inches), medaled in one (triple jump) of his two UIL state track events, has 11 offers to play college football, and is a basketball player as well.
Antonian College Preparatory's Alexis Jairala (Top VYPE San Antonio Private School Volleyball Prospect)
Why she's deserving:
1. Won the Sun & Ski Sports Poll with 4,530 of the 7,564 total votes.
2. The Apache athlete is a two-time all-state volleyballer.
For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPESATX) on Twitter.
Looking to get more involved? Check out ShopVYPE for fresh gear that supports local schools and the VYPE U Ambassador Program. To sign up for the VYPE U Program, apply at VYPEU.com.
Bentonville School District administration building.
By Dave Perozek
BENTONVILLE -- Bentonville is one of numerous Arkansas school districts taking the plunge into online video games as a sanctioned high school activity.
The School Board voted 6-0 on Tuesday to establish esports programs at Bentonville High and West High schools following a presentation on the topic by school officials.
Esports is organized, competitive online gaming between individuals or teams. The Arkansas Activities Association approved esports as a new activity for the state in January. More than 100 schools in Arkansas started esports in the spring, said Bentonville athletic director Scott Passmore.
Other big districts in Northwest Arkansas -- including Springdale, Rogers and Fayetteville -- either have adopted or are preparing to adopt esports as well, Passmore said.
A student-athlete's expectation is not just about their performance under the Friday Night Lights, but also about making the grades in the classroom and being best prepared academically for opportunities at the next level.
Youth2Reality, LLC supports the academic goals of student-athletes and other clients in many districts throughout the Houston area mainly for math, college prep tests, such as the TSI and ACT, daily curriculum work in advanced classes and 504 accommodations.
LEARN MORE ABOUT Youth2Reality, LLC – CLICK HERE
"There isn't a magical blueprint," Youth2Reality founder Mira Williams said. "It is the commitment, communications, accountability, culture and support that is delivered to each client. The expectations are set to meet the demands for opportunities off the field while providing the necessary mentorship for overall growth."
Through the program, clients are building a balanced academic portfolio and demonstrating how to manage a higher-level academic workload on top of a normal student-athlete's schedule right now and not just when they get to college.
Williams relocated back to her hometown of Houston to serve students in the Alvin ISD and Fort Bend ISD area.
"When I returned to Houston, my clientele focus was to impact students in grades 3rd-12th," Williams said. "From elementary kids to students with learning disabilities, different types of clients were coming to me to address their academic concerns. I enjoy working with a diverse range of clients, but my true niche is working with the student-athletes because I can appreciate what they see through their lens and the program exposes them to much more than improving a grade.
"I graduated from Texas State by way of Alvin High School, where I was a very young student-athlete. We definitely didn't have the opportunities and exposure as the youth do today, but I could relate to managing a busy workload, people pouring into my journey and earning a scholarship my senior year to play basketball beyond high school."
Clients are referred to Youth2Reality, LLC, "not necessarily because they are lacking in the classroom, but because parents and the students need help managing the academic portfolio as a whole."
Testimonials have shared that the approach and every aspect is impactful, from the teacher collaborations to better understand the educator side to the clients coming to session to gain a better understanding of the work that comes in daily. And some clients participate on an "as needed basis" in study hall sessions because they need last-minute short-term support.
Because of the use of technology and the way the program is structured, clients have more flexibility in the scheduling to receive help on specific class work past normal standard business hours unlike most tutoring companies.
"The kids enjoy the technology expected for more reasons than one, and the parents have entrusted in me to do what I do to foster relationships and bring better results," Williams said.
Parent Testimonial
I have to say that Mira has made me a believer in online tutoring. I have an 8th grader who is taking Pre-A/P Algebra and a sophomore who is taking Pre-A/P Algebra 2. Three weeks into the school year, both were having difficulty keeping up with the pace of their classes. I was skeptical about having Mira tutor them online, however, given that they needed the flexibility of the later tutoring sessions due to football practices/games, we decided to give it a try. Within a few weeks, Mira had helped both boys turn things around completely in their classes. She quickly assessed the pace of the classes and started providing supplemental notes to help fill in the gaps for the boys. She has restored their confidence in their math skills and we have seen a marked improvement in both of their grades. Mira is organized, punctual and has adjusted her style based on each boy's individual learning style. She is highly recommended!
Humble ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Pearland ISD, Lamar ISD, Alvin ISD, and Houston ISD are a few of districts that have contributed to the 96% client tenure beyond one year.
"The kids love the culture of the program and getting the assistance in areas they need more coaching in during sessions," Williams said. "The parents welcome the collaboration and expertise shared to better understand academic opportunities. There are many tools, resources and connections used during sessions, but all initiatives supports their goals and deadlines."
