UPDATE: With 61 percent of precincts reporting, Elizabeth Jones has 52 percent of the votes in District 1. Michael Greenberg is holding second place with 30 percent of votes cast.

Elizabeth Jones has risen above the pack of contenders for the District 1 space on the DISD board. According to Dallas County Election results posted online, Jones has garnered 47 percent of all ballots cast during early voting. Michael Greenberg came in second, with about 33 percent of early votes. The precinct results are still being tabulated. Stay tuned for updates.

U.S. News & World Report has released its ranking of the top 100 schools in America. The No. 1 spot went to the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center in Dallas. While Hillcrest, Thomas Jefferson, and W.T. White didn’t make the national cut, the Longhorns did snag a No. 60 ranking in Texas and silver medal distinction. Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts grabbed the 15th state spot and a gold medal, in addition to a 134th ranking nationally.

Although U.S. News is a reputable organization, you should still take their reports with a grain of salt. If you believe everything they’ve written, Highland Park ISD has two high schools, and Thomas Jefferson High School is actually “Thomas Jefferso High School.”

Spirit of Lamplighter winner Kate Mosle, along with parents Jennifer and Jon and brother Michael

A Spirit Award ceremony was held recently at Lamplighter to honor renowned Dallas architect, Frank Welch, and alumna, Kate Mosle. The pair was selected because of their contributions that embody the spirit of Lamplighter. The award was established in 2003 by the school’s Alumni Council during its 50^th anniversary and is given to an individual or group that has the “qualities of a lifelong learner, is willing to take risks, and displays creativity in their work.”

Welch designed the school’s fine arts wing, including the Jonsson Media Center, and the Cook Gymnasium from 1986-1988. He was an associate of O’Neil Ford, who designed Lamplighter’s original school building completed in 1969. Mosle, a 2004 graduate of Lamplighter, and a senior at Hockaday, has been an outspoken advocate of Lamplighter. Last year, she organized the school’s first Young Alumni fundraiser, a carwash that raised $7,000 with the help of 50 young alumni.

Zach Horton ’11 and C. Bruce Watterson at the Scholastic Crown Awards. Photo: Rebecca Castillo

Reflections 2011, Cistercian Preparatory School’s literary magazine, was recently named one of only 13 high school print and on-line student publications in the country to win the coveted Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Award.  Editor-in-Chief Zach Horton ‘11 attended the Scholastic Crown Awards ceremony in New York to receive Reflections’ award in person, representing his fellow editors, Andrew Skaras ‘11 and Alec Radford ‘11, as well as the other students on staff.  Faculty sponsor (and former student Editor-in-Chief) Michael O’Brien ‘00 feels the award was well-deserved.

“The staff of Reflections has again worked hard to create a simple, elegant magazine that beautifully showcases the artistic and literary talents of the Cistercian student body,” O’Brien said.

This is Cistercian’s third Gold Crown Award. The last was received in 2007.

Walking through Addison today, you may notice an unusual silence. This is because Greenhill is hosting its annual Day of Silence to raise awareness for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBTQ) teens. High school students around the nation take a one-day vow of silence in recognition of LBGTQ teens silenced by homophobic bullying.

The club True Colors, an LBGTQ and Straight alliance group at Greenhill, runs the Day of Silence and plans similar events throughout the year. Besides wearing a note card provided by True Colors explaining the vow of silence, students who choose silence refrain from any form of communication throughout the school day.

Even though the Greenhill community respects the silent students, the day is no walk in the park. Problems arise when the students need to ask questions, participate in a group discussions, or give speeches. These minor impediments may annoy the students for their few hours of silence, but they remind us all of the never ending struggle and silence LGBTQ students must face every day.

For more information of the day of silence and how you can get involved, click here.

Three area private schools can say they have a 2012 National Merit Scholar in their midst. Hockaday’s Jessica Bluedorn, Jesuit’s Andrew Bain, and Charles Jin and Nicholas Uebele of St. Mark’s have all secured the highest award from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Other local winners include:

William Joseph Beeby and Cassidy Tanner, Highland Park High School

Samuel Fernandez, School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center

In tomorrows edition of Preston Hollow People, I write about a remarkable foundation that helps DISD students from underprivledged communities get to college, and become leaders in their schools.

The program, cofounded by Preston Hollow resident Bill Brewer, is called the Future Leaders Program, and is held at St. Mark’s, Hockaday, ESD, and Greenhill.

They started 10-years ago with just 30 students, and today have grown to more than 200 students from all across the city. Check out the full story on stands tomorrow.

Departing DISD District 1 trustee Edwin Flores has just announced his endorsement of candidate Elizabeth Jones.

“I spoke with each and every candidate in the race,” Flores said today in a press release. “Elizabeth is by far the most knowledgeable on school issues, and her 25-year successful career in business, education and involvement in our community makes her the best choice.”

Jones is up against Michael Greenberg (who has, for the record, criticized her absence in school board meetings), Jennifer Levy, and Roland Love.

Free this Friday?

Mi Escuelita’s Spring Market will be under way at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, with more than 100 local vendors selling all sorts of crafts, clothes, decor, and baked goods.

The school’s website has all the details.

Congrats are in order for Zach Fein, pictured here with principal Ronald Jones. The Hillcrest High School senior has been named a National Merit Scholar. He is one of only 8,400 students in the country who can claim this honor for 2012.

Zach has applied to Caltech, MIT, Princeton, and the University of Texas at Austin. He plans to pursue a degree in applied or interdisciplinary math. On top of this prestigious award, Zach is also the captain of the school’s tennis team and currently ranked No. 1 in his graduating class.