Two Orangefield High School students excelled in the 2011-2012 Voice of Democracy Oratory and Essay contest. Orange Area winners were Carrie Grace Henderson, 2nd place, and Kirby Clayton, 3rd place. Carrie Grace Henderson also place 2nd in the District 2 level of competition.

The Bridge City Chamber of Commerce presented Mr. Shaun McAlpin, High School Principal with the Orangefield Independent School District as the Employee of the Month at the January monthly Networking coffee hosted by Orangefield High School and presented at the Orangefield-Cormier Museum located on FM 105 in Orangefield.  Steadfast, dependable, conscientious, high-energy, fair, consistent and a good Christian role-model for young people, those are the words that describe Mr. Shaun McAlpin this months recipient.   Shaun McAlpin has deep roots in Bobcat Territory.  He worked summers for the district in their work program between his junior and senior year of high school, served as an office aide his senior year, and was a 1996 OHS graduate.  He received Orangefield’s highest athletic honor where he received the Ed Peveto Scholarship which helped him start his degree at Lamar University.  He was often named to the Dean’s list on numerous occasions, and received his degree in 2000.  Shaun has been an educator for the past twelve years; after graduating from Lamar, he returned to his home turf to become a trainer for the OHS athletic department that gave him his start.  He was a trainer and health teacher for three years, and then became the Assistant Principal at Orangefield Elementary School, where he served for two years in that capacity. He next moved to the high school where he served another two years in the Assistant Principal capacity.  He is now in his fifth year as principal of OHS, and in March of 2011 he was selected by TASSB (the organization for administrators in Texas) as “High School Principal of the Year”. Mr. McAlpin is everywhere, actively involved with the students, faculty and staff.  He is a very visible principal and he is great with his one-on-one relating to teens and their experiences.  He is a very real person and his genuine concern for the students comes across in his interactions with them.  He is a team leader, leading by example and with a “hands on” approach to what needs to be accomplished.  He is a gentleman and is a rare privilege to work with for. His daily announcements end each day with “OHS, ONLY THE BEST” and he lives by that motto.  Mr.McAlpin is married to wife, Lindsey, and they now have two beautiful children.  His son Rylan will be 4 years old at the end of March, and his daughter Ainsley is 9 months old.  He is actively involved in his church and is a man that “walks the walk” and doesn’t just “talk the talk” in his interactions with his faculty and young people. Orangefield High School is very blessed to have Shaun McAlpin as its educational leader.  We are proud of him and of his many accomplishments and are glad to recognize him as employee of the month.

Orangefield's Kaitlyn Henson will become the first Bobcat volleyball to play at the collegiate level.  Monday she signed to play with North Central Texas College in Gainesville.

	Orangefield High School held its Winter Dance on Saturday, December 10.  Vivian Luong and Mason Ousley were crowned Queen and King.

The Orangefield Bobcats won the Evadale Tournament. They defeated Deweyville 71-43, Hamshire-Fannett 54-39, and Vidor, in the championship, 59-47. Steele Bolton was named the Tournament MVP and Levi Shores was also named to the All Tournament Team. The Bobcats went 4-0 last week to move their record to 5-2 on the year. They will travel to Nederland on Tuesday and host the Bill Tennison Memorial Tournament on December 8-10.

Orangefield's District (21-3A) Volleyball Picks. Top (left to right): Rebecca Higginbotham-2nd team, Morgan Moss-1st team, Jennifer McManus-1st team, Allie Sherwood-2nd team. Bottom (left to right): Kaitlynn Henson-Outstanding Outside Hitter, Kacey LeBlanc-Outstanding Libero, Ashton Wagner-Honorable Mention.   Henson, McManus and LeBlanc also made the All-KOGT Volleyball Team.

21-3A volleyball All-District Team.