Instead of the blazing heat of a humid Texas summer, they experienced crisp, 65 degree weather. Instead of surprise creepy-crawlies, they found a lone ant pile. Instead of spending their student holiday on the couch, five varsity football players were ankle deep in weeds and dirt, helping Mrs. Jennifer Holcomb beautify her garden.

Mrs. Holcomb transferred from Lovejoy to East two years ago. Prior to that, she taught at Wylie High for seven years. She currently teaches audio/video productions, animation and graphic design. Her son, Dylan Ashley, also attends East and her daughter, Faith, goes to McMillan Junior High. She was diagnosed with cancer in her colon, back and liver Oct. 29, 2018, after experiencing chronic back pain while training for a half-marathon.

She recently went public with her illness, allowing students and teachers in the school district to support her and her family.

Athletic Coordinator Mike Dormady volunteered his football players to assist her in any area she had a need. He enlisted varsity quarterback Zack Haaland to gather a group of players to meet at the Holcomb residence Jan. 7, the last day of winter break.

“Mrs. Holcomb was such a blessing to our football program when I was hired last Spring,” Coach Dormady said. “She has made an impact on WEHS and our football program and we wanted to help in any way possible.”

With a couple of garden shears and rakes, the boys were able to shape bushes and pull weeds in preparation for mulch. Since most of the boys do not have a background in landscaping, a variety of baseball gloves and snow gloves were ruined in the process. 

“I was so touched at their generosity and outreach to me,” Holcomb said. “You never know how much a small gesture, even a smile or word of encouragement can mean, during a very difficult time. Let me tell you, it means everything!”

Due to her treatments, Mrs. Holcomb has not been able to return to the classroom. To help offset her climbing medical costs, Principal Mike Williams has authorized a jeans day Tuesday, Jan. 15. Students and staff may wear jeans and a shirt in her favorite color, aqua, for donating a dollar.