John Dwight Patterson may seem to have stolen the show from the rest of Woodrow Wilson’s newly-minted alumni. The National Merit Scholar was one of only six from the Dallas area chosen for early acceptance to Princeton University.
In addition to that honor, the class salutatorian earned scholarships to Rice, The University of Texas and Stanford University. But he turned them down to take the Princeton Alumni Scholarship, where he will join a number of other recent Woodrow grads. Yale and Princeton had been running neck and neck in recruiting from Woodrow, so the Yalies seem to have their work cut out for them.
Jeffrey Boortz, who was Woodrow’s second National Merit Scholar this year, will attend Texas on his scholarship. He was the third-ranking graduate.
Woodrow had the same number of National Merit finalists as Lake Highlands, whose graduating class was twice as large as Woodrow’s. Woodrow also had more finalists than Skyline and Bryan Adams, which are about the same size as Lake Highlands. And only a few of the most prestigious private schools had two or more finalists.
In all, 43 Woodrow graduates, almost one-quarter of the class, won 81 scholarships. Among the winners was Chris Freeman, who transferred to Woodrow from St. Mark’s in his sophomore year. Freeman, who will attend SMU, won the Woodrow Wilson Alumni Association award.
Kimbrell Calls It Quits
Ken Kimbrell, Woodrow’s football coach in the 1970s, has retired as the DISD’s security administrator. He spent 33 years working for the district.
Kimbrell replaced the legendary Cotton Miles, whose team reached the state semifinals in 1969, after Miles retired. Kimbrell, who was one of Miles’ assistants after coaching at Hillcrest, was head coach for more than a decade.
Kimbrell’s teams posted winning records, and produced such star players as Eddie Garcia and Joe Shearin – despite being forced to compete with schools which had enrollments two and three times the size of Woodrow.
Among those attending Kimbrell’s retirement party were former football stars John Paul McCrumbley and Kenneth Townsend, and former coach turned real estate marvel Gary Collete. Kimbrell’s son, Kip, is a 1979 alum.
Kimbrell’s wife, Phyllis, says her husband plans to lead an active retirement after returning from a trip to Hawaii: “He’s taking up golf,” she says.
Apple of Our Eye
No, not the mid-‘70s football-playing Apple brothers. The Positive Parents of Dallas presented the DISD Apple of the Month Award to assistant principal Lucious Newhouse (cousin of ex-Cowboy Robert Newhouse). Lucious was praised for “his evenhanded discipline and devotion to the school.” One recommendation called Lucious a pillar of the neighborhood.
Gee, he’s come a long way since I knew him as a history and physical education teacher and assistant coach under Kimbrell in the 1970s.
Gallic Gallivanting
Former Wildcat Bruce Phillips (’76), who used to quarterback Kimbrell’s teams, is cooking up new honors. He was chosen as the best manager for the La Madeline 16-location restaurant and bakery chain. This meant he got a trip to France, accompanied by La Madeline founder and M Street resident Patrick Esquerre.
Bruce grew up on Woodrow-infested Avalon and went on to the University of Texas. He made quite an impression as Dallas nightlife in the 1980s as manager of some of the hippest clubs in town, Confetti and Acapulco Bar.
He recently settled down, getting married and taking the job as the manager of the Mockingbird La Madeline’s, the chain’s flagship.
1993 Scholarship Winners
Judith Allen, Southern Methodist University Scholarship
Jon Baker, Emory University Scholarship; Tulane University Scholarship
Elizabeth Bauer, Kiwanis Club Key Club Scholarship
Joel Beck, Woodrow Wilson PTA Scholarship
Brian Bessner, East Central State University Football Scholarship; East Dallas Exchange Club Scholarship
Gail Boone, Southern Methodist University Scholarship; Our Lady of the Lake University Scholarship; Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Award
Jeffrey Boortz, University of Texas National Merit Scholarship
Wendy Camara, Park Cities Lions Club Scholarship
Jose Manuel Dela Cruz, FINA Scholarship; Woodrow Wilson PTA Scholarship; YMCA Scholarship
Sylvia Ann Dietz, “I Have a Dream” Foundation Scholarship
Nicole Duryee, Texas Christian University Grant
Guillermo Guerrero, Woodrow Wilson ESOL Club Scholarship
Shiah Harvey, Woodrow Wilson Art Club Scholarship
Lisa Hensley, Southern Methodist University Scholarship; Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Award
Alethea Herron, Group One Realtors Salesmanship Award
Austin College Scholarship; Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Award; Park Cities Lions Club Speech Contest; East Dallas Rotary 4-Way Speech Contest
Celina Jimenez, Woodrow Wilson Coaches Scholarship; East Dallas Exchange Club Scholarship
Lara Johnson, Woodrow Wilson PTA Scholarship; Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Award
Norshamer Shanta Johnson, East Texas State University Nursing Scholarship
Sheanikie Kelly, FINA Scholarship; “I Have a Dream” Foundation Scholarship, Boys’ and Girls’ Club Scholarship, State Fair of Texas Scholarship
Meredith Kuesel, Texas Christian University Beasley Grant
Juan Carlos Lagunas, Woodrow Wilson ESOL Club Scholarship
Maritza Loera, Latino Peace Officers Association Criminal Law and Justice Scholarship
Angela McCarth, FINA Scholarship
Claudia Marquez, Woodrow Wilson ESOL Club Scholarship
Sergio Martinez, YMCA Scholarship; Woodrow Wilson Orchestra Scholarship
Latandra Mims, FINA Scholarship; West Dallas Community Church Scholarship; “I Have a Dream” Foundation Scholarship
Beth Napper, Group One Realtors Salesmanship Award
Lorena Osegueda, Woodrow Wilson ESOL Club Scholarship
John Dwight Patterson Jr., National Merit Scholarship, The May Company; Rice University School of Engineering Scholarship; University of Texas Honors Colloquium Scholarship; Stanford University Scholarship; Princeton University Alumni Scholarship; American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award; Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Award
Jennifer Perrone, Dallas Bar Association Mock Trial Award; Southern Methodist University Scholarship; Barnard College Scholarship; New York University Scholarship
Tara Pittman, Woodrow Wilson PTA Scholarship; Dallas Baptist University Scholarship; Dallas Baptist University Christian Leadership Scholarship
Matthew Post, Baylor University Distinguished Achievement Scholarship
Lucia Rivas, Woodrow Wilson Chapter Future Teachers of America Scholarship
Jane Samuel, FINA Scholarship
Estele Segura, Woodrow Wilson ESOL Club Scholarship
Michele Stackhouse, Southern Methodist University Scholarship; State Fair of Texas Scholarship-Exxon; American Association of University Women Scholarship; DISD PTA Scholarship; McDonnell Douglas Scholarship; Kiwanis Key Club Scholarship
Daniel Tesfamicael, University of Texas Scholarship; Southern Methodist University Scholarship; Woodrow Wilson ESOL Scholarship
Lia Tesfamicael, FINA Scholarship; Woodrow Wilson ESOL Club Scholarship
George P. Theriot IV, Louisiana State University ROTC Scholarship
Joey Villaneuva, Group One Realtors Salesmanship Award
Matthew Waddill, Woodrow Wilson Coaches Scholarship
Bryan Wortham, East Dallas Rotary 4 Way Speech Contest Award
