By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

More than one-third of the Vandegrift High School Class of 2017 reported receiving scholarship offers, which when totaled top $19 million in academic, athletic, fine arts, military academy and community awards. Specifically, 192 of 538 graduates, or some 36 percent, received awards, said Amy Rodriguez, lead counselor at VHS.

However, Leander ISD officials said the data could be incomplete.

“In the past, scholarship reporting has been an inaccurate process since students have to self-report. Some are really good about telling their counselors how much they’ve earned in scholarships, others aren’t,” said Jennifer Bailey, senior communications specialist with LISD.

Also of note, offers do not represent what has been accepted. For instance, in early June at VHS, 148 students accepted $7.31 million of the total awards.

“We’re always going to have greater offers than acceptance because students apply to multiple schools but enroll in one,” noted Steve Clark, LISD director of counseling.

As to total reported overtures, district-wide this year’s graduates received $55.1 million in scholarship offers. That is $7 million more than last year when LISD graduates reported $48 million in offers, said Clark.

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By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

The Travis County Commissioners approved $2.7 million in funding for a Steiner Ranch emergency evacuation route in early March and now the project is out to bid. Public input will likely be sought in February and construction could begin in spring of 2019, said David Greear, Travis County Transportation and Natural Resources engineering division manager.

“We are in the process of asking for qualified contractors to work on this project,” Greear said.

All of the necessary paperwork is done to start advertising for qualified firms to do the work.

Katharine Hardin is the project manager with Travis County TNR.

“The packet to advertise this project for professional services was submitted to our purchasing office,” Hardin said.

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The Steiner Ranch gang with Everest behind them. From left, Payal Chawla, Jayant Vohra, Rohit Chawla and Nainish and Aanika Dalal.

Trek to Mount Kala Patthar,
elevation 18,515 feet

By SARAH DOOLITTLE
Four Points News

Steiner Ranch residents Payal Chawla and her son Rohit experienced the adventure of a lifetime when they visited Everest Base Camp in April.

The stay-at-home mom and eighth grader hadn’t ever even thought about traveling to Nepal to climb to elevations over three miles high.

“Friends of ours were going, and happened to mention, hey, we have a group going. I didn’t think much of it.” But as she discussed the idea with Rohit, the idea began to gain traction, even though it would require three weeks of travel, missed school and leaving her husband and 5th grader behind. Still, Payal thought, “Now is a good time,” before Rohit started high school and college.

Rohit and Payal’s only outdoor experience prior to Everest was camping with their family. So why the leap from car camping to trekking in the world’s tallest mountains? “I just thought of it as an experience that not many people get to have,” Rohit explained.

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Tiff Taylor-Chen and Leon Chen started Tiff’s Treats in 1999 from
Chen’s apartment near the University of Texas. Today the company has more than 30 stores including one that will open in Steiner Ranch this year.

By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

One of Austin’s small business success stories will come to Steiner Ranch later this year as Tiff’s Treats prepares to open a store in Quinlan Crossing for both deliveries and for customers to stop in.

Tiff’s Treats’ known specialty is a menu of 10 different cookie flavors and two choices of brownies that are baked when ordered and delivered warm.

“We are so excited to expand warm cookie delivery to the Steiner Ranch area. This area is a natural fit for us, and we can’t wait to work with businesses and residents to make each day a little sweeter,” said Tiff Taylor-Chen, who co-founded Tiff’s Treats with husband Leon Chen.

They are opening the 5145 N. RM 620 store because there is customer demand.

“We felt like there was a demand for a store in Steiner Ranch because we make deliveries there so many times a day it made sense to open a store,” said Jeff Sartor, executive vice president of marketing.

Currently, Steiner residents are served by Tiff’s Treats locations on Bee Caves Road and Research Boulevard. Customers have been willing to pay $15 for delivery by extended courier service, but having a local store will reduce the delivery fee to $5, added Sartor.

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