CROSBY Each year Members of the Texas House are invited to create a visual representation of what makes their district special, this year Representative Wayne Smith R., District 128, and Scott Stephens, founder of the Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Foundation, that has spearheaded an effort to have high school athletes hearts scanned, have teamed to put an ornament for that cause on the States tree.
For the last four Christmas seasons, their creative works in the form of ornaments have decorated the majestic 22-foot native Christmas tree that stands in the House Chamber of the Texas Capitol during the holiday season.
The tree will be on display from December 4 through January 3 and showcase the distinct nature of every House district to the thousands of Capitol visitors who enjoy the ornaments each year. All ornaments are photographed and descriptions of their individual significance are compiled into an album so that visitors to the House Chamber and House website can enjoy each ornaments unique story.
Scott Stephens funded creation of an ornament to be placed on the Texas House of Representatives Christmas tree and last Wednesday, Nov. 13 all participants gathered at Crosby High School to put together a story about this ornament that will represent Texas District 128 this year.
According to Wayne Smith R. 128 Texas District It is with great pride that I will present this symbol of District 128 to Speaker Straus to be hung on the Texas House of Representatives Christmas tree. The ornament is the product of the Crosby Independent School District. A community panel received 60 submitted designs and selected the winning design by Janey Swisher. Jamey is a student of art teacher Mrs. Thibodaux. This beautiful ornament will help make the tree truly representative of Texas and I am thrilled to add our ornament to the tree to give all Texans a taste of the unique culture and rich history of District 128 this Christmas season.
Each year Members of the Texas House are invited to create a visual representation of what makes their district special. For the last four Christmas seasons, their creative works in the form of ornaments have decorated the majestic 22-foot native Christmas tree that stands in the House Chamber of the Texas Capitol during the holiday season.
The tree will be on display from December 4 through January 3 and showcase the distinct nature of every House District to the thousands of Capitol visitors who enjoy the ornaments each year. All ornaments are photographed and description of their individual significance are complied into an album so that visitors to the House Chamber and House website can enjoy each ornaments unique story.
Background on the Ornament:
On one side a train represents the many railroads in District 128, and the other side celebrates the Christmas holidays and highlights the Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Foundation established in memory of Cody Stephens, a football player and senior at Crosby High School who died suddenly of cardiac arrest in 2012. The foundation provides assistance to school districts in the implementation of an ECG screening program to help implement and facilitate improved physicals to middle and high school student athletes including education and raised awareness of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) among young seemingly healthy students. The foundation endorses the availability of low cost ECGs as a part of sports pre-participation physicals for all student athletes.
Jamey Swisher was the artist at Crosby High School that designed the ornament.