The Albany School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) are individuals working together to improve the health of students and families in the school district through coordinated health programs, and according to school nurse Lisa Russell, the organization welcomes more volunteers.

“We are always looking for new members, and we only meet four times per year,” said Russell. “We accept monetary donations to help purchase snacks for testing days at the AJSH campus and for splash/field day at the elementary.”

Nine Albany High School students will compete in a total of nine different contests, many of them in multiple events, at the Region 1-2A University Interscholastic League academic meet in Odessa on Saturday, April 13. 

“We have several students competing in more than one event,” said UIL coordinator Rick Davis. “Addison Asher is in four of the five journalism events, Alayna Koemel is in three journalism events, and there are two other students, Tana Thompson and Hannah Trail, who will compete in two separate journalism events.”

Yesterday, April 10, the sixth grade students at Nancy Smith Elementary School spent the day touring downtown Albany while fourth and fifth graders were taking STAAR exams.

“It is nice for them to have a special day away from school,” said NSES counselor Leigh Lowe. “And we needed their classrooms for testing.”  

The sixth graders met with several elected county officers at the Shackelford County Courthouse beginning at 8:30 a.m.

The Albany High School band earned a 3 in concert and a 2 in sightreading at the UIL Region 6, East Zone band contest held at Cooper High School in Abilene on Wednesday, April 3.

The band played The Challenger by Kinyon, Courtlandt County Festival by Owens, and Russian Sailor’s Dance by Gliere/Williams for concert judges Rob Hartman, Matt Daily, and Matt Knight.

Knight awarded the local band a 2, but 3s from both Hartman and Daily brought the average down to 3.

Albany churches are observing Holy Week with a special midweek community service on Wednesday, sponsored by the Albany Ministerial Alliance, as well as special activities for some of the individual congregations.

Holy Week Service

This year, instead of hosting multiple mid-day services, the Ministerial Alliance is sponsoring a community worship time on Wednesday evening. 

The 6:30 p.m. service will be at the Aztec Theater on April 17, and everyone in the community is welcome to attend.

Local day care and Albany ISD early learning classes are in the midst of celebrating the Week of the Young Child, which will culminate with a downtown parade on Friday.

The Week of the Young Child April 8-12 features activities as part of a national event to honor those who make a difference in children’s lives.

Participating centers include MMPC Mothers Day Out, Nancy Smith Elementary Pre-K and Head Start classes, Stepping Stones Christian School, First Love Day Care, and Lakey’s Day Care.

Mrs. Judith “Judy” Castleberry Miller, born on June 20, 1943 in Albany, Texas, passed away surrounded by loved ones at the age 75 on March 29, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. 

Judy graduated from The Hockaday School, attended Austin College, and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin. 

Judy was the beloved wife of 53 years to Will Miller. 

The Rgt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas, will visit Trinity Episcopal Church in Albany on April 14, Palm Sunday.

Bishop Mayer, former rector of the Church of Heavenly Rest in Abilene, will preach and celebrate Holy Communion with the local church’s 109th anniversary of its official establishment as a mission church.

John Matthews, Trinity’s centerarian Senior Warden Emeritus, has said, “We always enjoy a visit from our bishop and look forward to having him here again.”

Madison Wilkins was named as Top Hand for the second year in a row at the 2019 Buyer-Seller Banquet on Saturday, April 6. Cutter Edgar and Wilkins were announced as the winners of the 29th annual Watt R. Matthews Memorial Scholarships. 

“We had a good banquet,” said Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association president Bronco Askew. “We were not able to get a speaker arranged this year, but we hope to be able to do that again in the future.”

Although some pledges are still outstanding, the SCYLA was able to get checks out to all the youth, Askew added.

Members of the Albany Volunteer Fire Department will host their annual community-wide Easter egg hunt at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20 at the Webb Park Complex, with all Albany children and their guests invited to hunt for treats hidden by the AVFD members. 

Children will be divided into four various age groups before the hunt starts at 3:00 p.m.