Brag-Brag
VICTORY AND ROYALTY
Bobby Woodruff

2006 Bullard Homecoming Queen Natalie Gray

When you think of all the students who have graduated from Bullard High School since 1978, you may also need to include some of the faculty and staff who have been associated with these young students.

For example, how about Leonard Speaker, the Principal. Leonard has been at the helm of Bullard High since 1978.

As a young man, Leonard was an outstanding athlete at Sam Houston State College.

He was a two-way starter on the football team as the offensive center and defensive linebacker.

Following his graduation, he pursued a teaching and coaching position at Cleveland High School, serving as head coach and athletic director.

Prior to coming to Bullard High, Leonard spent several years coaching and teaching at Dickinson High School.

Once the Superintendent of Bullard ISD, namely Mr. Phil Wood, hired Leonard to be the new principal, Leonard Speaker began a career that has lasted until this day.

Things have evolved since all 12 grades were in the same building located where the intermediate school is now located.

2006 Brook Hill Court

Over the years Speaker has seen many young men and women pass through the halls of the three high school buildings. There have been many success stories connected with these students.

State Championship flags wave in the gym to commemorate the contributions made by former students. I dare say that Speaker spent thousands of hours being in attendance at games and activities to support the students of Bullard High.

Some people may think that Leonard is a tough, disciplined man. He has continued to be a firm principal, who believes that students must obey the rules, and graduate to be able to have a successful life once they leave the confines of high school.

These students and parents would be correct, They also must know that Speaker has bent over backwards many times to give students a chance to correct a problems. It might be in attendance or a discipline problem, but the fact is Leonard Speaker has a great love for the students of Bullard High, past and present, and he stands ready every day to help them be successful.

Bullard homecoming wouldn 't be complete without mentioning a few other school personnel. Berryl Johnson, Speaker's secretary since his first day, has been in charge of so many things at school that she probably doesn't remember them all. No school can function without a worker, warrior, like Berryl.

2006 BH King and Queen Kameron Frisby and Hannah Swanson

Closer to home, now Berryl's daughter, Coach Dixon, a 1995 graduate of Bullard High is coaching and teaching at her alma mater.

Social Studies Department Head Jan Berry remembers the first homecomings were during basketball season, because Bullard didn't have a football team.

Jan's favorite homecoming was when she and some other teachers, including Lynette Hughes, the present curriculum director, were frying chickens for the entire crowd. Their problem was that all the chickens they were using were causing a disturbance as they were driving down the road to school.

Being the great cooks that they were then, both Jan and Lynette kept letting the hot grease pop out on them.

When the school added football, homecoming became a bigger deal with. the parade. The Queen's Court came into being, and more people got involved.

We also didn't have a band for a few years, but our students still had a spirit and enjoyed the activities.

This year the band and cheerleaders have done a good job with all the signs that the cheerleaders have made to promote homecoming spirit.

The football team is successful on the field and helped create spirit among the student body.

The band, as always, is the up-tempo of the crowd while working with the cheerleaders to keep the home folks involved in the action on the field.

There were four senior ladies who were nominated by their peers to represent the school for homecoming: Brittany Peters, Natalie Gray, Britney Cottingham and Bri Bollinger.

Following the final student body vote this year's Homecoming Queen is Miss Natalie Gray. Natalie spoke to me Friday afternoon. She said she believed that as long as she was one of the top four candidates, she preferred to win.

"I am such a competitor that I can't stand to lose at anything," she said. "I will be happy for all the other girls if they win, but if my school peers vote for me, then I will be proud to represent them as this years Homecoming Queen. It is certainly a honor to be chosen."

Homecoming has always been a time for former students to return to the game and visit with some of their friends.

I was able to visit or see several former students Friday night. From the Class of 2004, Rusty Hinkle; Chase Colson; Jenna Lagesse; and one of the best female basketball players that ever played, Haley Richardson. Without a doubt if Haley had not suffered from knee injuries she would have been one of the elite!

Also, from the class of 2005, I saw Dustin Beavers; Rob Hayes; Matt Pierce; and Severo Torres. From the class of 2006 were Bryan Smith; Sam Dowling; Miles Hood; Phil Kuchinsky; Steven Morton; Hunter Phillips and Ben Wright. I visited with our newlyweds, Kathryn Adair Shaw and former football player, Jeff Shaw.

Yes, the Panther Football team had a good night as they defeated White Oak 25 to 6.

Special thanks should go to the Key Club and their sponsors, Jennifer Dorsey and Tabitha Hippler for all the early work to make the ceremony a success.

The Panther Band set the stage for the ceremony and contributed outstanding music to keep the large Homecoming crowd in the proper mood.

!

Bobby Woodruff is a former school administrator and currently works as a realtor for Bullard Properties.

Top are scenes from Bullard's homecoming parade held Wednesday. On Friday, BHS football players paid a visit to Bullard Intermediate School to read, interact and play with students.