Goal Driven, Community Oriented

5/30/08  Inspired as a young girl by her mom, senior Jenny Zoch has risen to extreme heights during the past four years at Giddings High School.

Jenny is the daughter of James and, the late, Josephine Zoch of Serbin.

Blessed with a level of maturity - beyond her years, Jenny honors her mother’s memory, acknowledging that her mom taught her “everything she knows” and is the reason for her "motivation and her continuous drive to be the best".  

Heralded by her coaches for her intense work ethic, Jenny has come to excel at both individual and team sports, while being a super star in the classroom as well. Jenny enjoyed competing in power lifting, shot put, volleyball and basketball during her four high school years.  

Few students are able to obtain the ultimate high school (athletic) award, a State Title. This special recognition has proven to be truly elusive for many of Giddings’ top athletes. Jenny is one student athlete who was able to acquire Texas’ top prize and make her mark in the GHS history books.

Earlier this year she was named the best power lifter in the 3-A classification. Jenny competed against some of the state’s strongest athletes, at the state power lifting meet in Kileen. She finished the meet on top, claiming first prize, and bringing home the gold medal with a three lift total of 960 lbs.

Shining brightest in individual competition, Jenny worked her way to the state track and field meet in Austin a few weeks ago where she placed third in the shot put the state competition, throwing 39’-9 1/4”. She was honored by her coaches and her peers as the Most Valuable Track & Field Athlete (field events) at the GHS spring athletic banquet held earlier this month.

Academically Jenny is the ultimate student. She will graduate tonight as the Salutatorian of the 2008 GHS senior class. The brilliant 18year old carries a 4.0 grade point average. She competed in UIL Science and was selected to attend Girl’s State, an honor that is set aside for only a handful of Texas’ brightest female students.

While at GHS, Jenny volunteered for the HOST program, reading with struggling elementary students to help them to maintain the reading levels needed to succeed in their classroom.

For several months Jenny had planned to attend Concordia University in Austin. This past Monday she received a scholarship offer from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Jenny made the decision to attend "Sam" on a track & field scholarship. She will compete in the throwing events including the shot put, the discs and the hammer (???, I didn't know they had the hammer throw either).

Jenny will soon join the Bearkats in an effort to acheive her career goal of becoming  a math or science teacher and coach for middle school students. She has chosen this path because of her love for teaching and of sports. (Photo: Jenny - back row, far left - with the GHS Top 10)

Sammy Arteaga: One Move Down, One To Go

5/19/08  Almost three years ago former Giddings High School Offensive Coordinator Kevin Byrd was looking for a kicker for the Giddings football team. The Buffs kicker at the time was Zach Marlow who was graduating leaving the coaches desparate to fill the kicking position. Coach Byrd found the man who would eventually win the position - during gym class.

Surprised by how far and how high Sammy Arteaga could kick the ball Coach Byrd worked with him during P.E. and eventually he was brought in to handle the kicking job for the Buffaloes. Sammy Arteaga made Buffalo history.  

Sammy grew up competing in soccer but made a quick and successful move to (American) football, transitioning well to the slight differences involved in kicking a soccer and a football. He wowed football fans (even the opposing team) in game after game. His kick-offs went through the end-zone and his field goals were good from 40-plus yards. 

In his short, two-season, career with the Giddings Buffaloes football team Sammy was honored with 1^st team All-District recognition both years. He led the district two years with the most points scored by a kicker. Sammy was also chosen by his fellow teammates as their two time special teams Player of the Year. Sammy is currently listed in the Texas Preps History Top 10 for most consecutive extra points in a season. In one of his two seasons with the Buffaloes, Sammy scored over 80 points, an accomplishment for any player - much less a kicker. Sammy has a place in Giddings as one of its all-time top kickers.

Once the 2007 Giddings football season ended Sammy joined the newly formed Giddings High School Soccer Team for its inaugural season. The team saw limited success fighting against teams who had been playing together longer and were from larger schools (many 3-A schools don’t have competitive soccer teams).

Competing in sports is Sammy’s passion but he lists as his most prized possession - his family and friends who he spends a lot of time with when he’s not playing soccer.

When asked who he is most inspired by, Sammy acknowledges his dad and mom, Benjamin and Carmela Arteaga, for the help they have given him and their support of him while he is pursuing his dream of playing professional soccer or football.

In less than two weeks Giddings High will hold its graduation ceremony and Sammy will move on to another important stage of his life. He says he will miss GHS; his friends, the pep rallies, the football and soccer games. But at the same time he looks forward to making the move to college and possibly continuing with his sporting passion, in the hopes of achieving his dreams and playing professional soccer. 

Most Likely …She’ll Succeed

04/17/08  A Buffaloes cheerleader proud of cheering for the "spirited" fans at Buffaloes sporting events, Kari Galipp grew up participating in gymnastics and competed in the sport for the majority of those years. These important years of training turned out to be an adequate proving ground for the eventual GHS Varsity cheer squad leader. For this, her final year at Giddings High School she was selected by her fellow varsity cheerleaders as the teams Captain for the 2007-2008 athletic season. 

Kari is the ultimate achiever who expects the best from herself. She intains an extremely positive attitude while working toward her lofty career aspiration of becoming a pediatrician and starting her own medical practice.

The 18 year old GHS senior rose, from her academic beginning at Immanuel Lutheran School, to the top of her senior class, that’s right the very TOP.

Kari is currently ranked No. 1 in her class of 128, a spot she is likely to keep as she heads toward graduation and the opportunity to claim the classes Valedictorian title in May. Kari carries a 4.0 GPA. She is a National Beta Scholar who has achieved “Numbers Sense” excellence in UIL competition at the district level. She was selected to receive the Lions Clubs Outstanding Youth Award and was honored by her classmates as their 2007 Homecoming Queen. Kari was recognized at the recent Junior/Senior Prom as the Class of 2008 “Miss GHS” and was also named the senior girl who is “Most Likely to Succeed”.     (Photo: Kari, 2007 GHS Homecoming Queen, "spinning" with her proud father, Wayne, at the Buffalo Stadium 50 yard line)

The daughter of Wayne and Melissa Galipp, Kari enjoys spending her spare time baking, reading and traveling. She volunteers at the Lee County Cancer Resource Center, the Relay for Life and helped with the Giddings Rotary Club’s Extreme Home Makeover project last year. She is a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church where she is active with the children in summer Vacation Bible School.   

When asked about leaving high school Kari said she’ll miss the great teachers and all of the extracurricular activities she has been involved in. She claims she will miss Lauren Lehmann and all the lunch trips she made with Lauren and all of her “best friends” to Granny’s house and to DQ. 

In the fall Kari will head off to Texas A&M University to pursue her challenging goal of becoming a Pediatric Physician specializing in Endocrinology. Her ambitions journey will begin, no doubt, as her high school days are ending with Kari at the top of the pack, expecting success and eventually realizing her dreams. □    

4/10/08  Our first Giddings High School Senior Spotlight nominee, Alan Dock, is a standout in sports as well as a top academic achiever. The son of educators Jeff and L'Anna Dock and a product of Giddings Elementary and Middle Schools Alan set his standards of achievement high from the very beginning. Striving to make good grades he focused on accomplishing both academic and sports excellence.

Ranked at No. 14 in a senior class of 128, Alan carries a GPA of 3.8. Alan's favorite academic subject is math, he says it's because it just comes natural for him.

Hunting down quarterbacks on the football field also comes natural for the three time 1^st Team All-State Linebacker. Alan, AKA "Hard Hitta", has an extensive background at dishing out pain. He's the guy the opposing offense hates to face. Alan was a team captain and leader on the Buffaloes defense in the linebacker position but also saw action as a fullback, punter, punt returner and deep snapper on extra points. He tallied 539 tackles, 25 caused fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, four pass break-ups and four interceptions during his career on defense alone. (Photo: Alan crushes Wimberley QB Barron Scudder) 

In addition to his three Top Linebacker awards he has been honored with many distinguished accolades throughout his high school career. Some of his awards include: Texas 3A Defensive Player of the Year, two time District Defensive MVP, 3A Academic All-State (football) and 1^st Team All-District (baseball). The final high school football honor for Alan came in February when he received a football scholarship to play for the University of Tulsa. In a few months Alan will turn his (Giddings Buffaloes) Black in for Blue and become a member of the Golden Hurricane.     

When he is not dishing out punishment to his opponent on the football field Alan enjoys playing Fantasy Football, Play Station and washers. He is a member of Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Giddings where he assists during the summer with Vacation Bible School. He is also active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at school. In his spare time he volunteers at the David Winkler Memorial Golf Tournament, the GHS powerlifting meet, as a judge, and at the JV football concession stand.

Not at all the shy, quiet guy people assume him to be, Alan received the respect of his Senior classmates when he was voted Mr. GHS for 2008, announced recently at the GHS Junior/Senior prom. In the unassuming manner that Alan is known for, he failed to mention, to us, the fact that his senior peers had also selected him as Class Favorite, Most Handsome and Most Athletic. He accepted these awards that night with the utmost charm and dignity. You don't call that quiet or shy, you call it humble.   

After college Alan plans to pursue a career in Business or Coaching. When asked what he will miss the most about GHS he simply said "The People". □