What the Battle of the Red Rail Means to Me

When I first started working in Grapevine Colleyville ISD, it was easy to identify my roots because I still carried my maiden name: Oravetz. If you are someone who has been in GCISD for a long time (and in this respect, I am talking over 40 years ago or so) you might recognize the name. My grandmother Nell Oravetz was a homemaking and mathematics teacher in the district and she taught at the high school that I now am an associate principal at: Grapevine High School. I never had the honor of meeting my grandmother as she passed away 3 months before I was born, but I have been told that we would have gotten along quite well. I know that she LOVED teaching (she often taught classes in the community as well) and that she was a bit of a disciplinarian (did I mention that I'm an associate principal...).

My roots in Grapevine High School don't stop there however. I am also the daughter of two 1979 graduates of dear old, GHS. One of my favorite pictures of my parents (see below) is from their high school yearbook and I grew up knowing all about what it was like to go to Grapevine back in the time of being a one high school town.

With all of this, it might surprise you though to hear that I am a little torn when it come to the Battle of the Red Rail. The reason for this is simple: although I have strong family ties to GHS and now work there, I spent my youth and early adulthood at Colleyville Heritage High School. As a student in the class of 1999, I was a sophomore the day that CHHS opened its doors. I remember going to the cafeteria at what used to be Grapevine Jr. High and voting for our school colors and mascot. In a lot of ways I still consider Colleyville Heritage my school and probably always will as an alum. 

My story at CHHS doesn't end there though. I enjoyed high school so much that when I graduated from college, I came back to my home and taught at Colleyville Heritage for 9 1/2 years. I was hired by my former principal and worked alongside several teachers who taught me in high school. Colleyville Heritage was where I learned what it was to be a teacher and now Grapevine High School is where I've learned to be an administrator.

The Battle of the Red Rail to me is about home and about family. The Battle of the Red Rail is about a friendly rivalry where people who have grown up together, played together, and learned together pick sides for one big night of Texas football. I can't say that I have a favorite high school in this district (no really I can't, I'd lose a lot of friends either way) but I can say I have a favorite district. No matter what happens Friday night, I still get to work in one of the BEST places on earth.