…is that kids can’t spell. Have you glanced through the comments section on that post? I’ve seen better grammar spray-painted on a boxcar.

Future leaders of America, clinging to AutoCorrect on their phones.

Nick Rose flashes the Hook ’em Horns with his mother, Kathy, by his side during National Signing Day at Highland Park High School. Rose was one of seven Highland Park athletes who signed letters of intent. The other six were Kelsey Bass (Oklahoma State), Megan Gittins (Princeton), Parker Kennedy (Fort Lewis), Tanner Stone (Duke), Taylor Sorrels (Florida Atlantic), and Tyler Rentfro (McMurry).

We’ve told you previously about Jesuit booking big acts such as Randy Travis and Clint Black for its homecoming festivities. But St. Mark’s takes the cake by securing an appearance by Ben Stiller at its Celebrate St. Mark’s fundraiser. I wonder if Stiller is aware that Owen Wilson — his co-star in 10 films, including Starsky and Hutch, The Royal Tenenbaums, and the Meet the Parents series — was once expelled from St. Mark’s.

Leslie Melson and Jim Hitzelberger, the only two Highland Park ISD trustees whose terms are about to expire, have announced their intentions to seek re-election.

Hitzelberger joined the board in 2009 and holds the office of vice president. He is a 1974 graduate of Highland Park High School, where two of his sons are students. A third son attends Highland Park Middle School.

“It is an honor to serve HPISD and support the educational excellence that is a Highland Park tradition,” Hitzelberger said.

Melson joined the board in 2006 and was elected president in 2010. She and her husband, Jim, have four children who all graduated from Highland Park High School.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to my community in this capacity and consider it a privilege to impact the success of our students,” she said.

HPISD trustees are elected at large and serve three-year terms. Municipal elections in the Dallas area will be held May 12. The deadline to file a candidacy is March 5.

The brainiacs on the Highland Park High School Academic Decathlon team have done it again. The Scots finished second only to defending state champion Rockwall in the Region X tournament, which was held last weekend at Conrad High School. Highland Park and Rockwall compete in the medium school division, but the Scots’ score was much higher than the 40,209 recorded by Plano High School, which won the large school division.

The Scots earned a score of 43,602 at the Region X tournament. That’s 889 points more than the Highland Park record established at last year’s state tournament. The Scots are ranked third among the 25 medium schools that will compete for the state championship Feb. 24-26 in San Antonio.

Highlights at the regional meet include Bo Schuh’s win in the varsity division and Thomas Mylott’s second-place finish in the scholastic division. While Bo, Thomas, Brooks Alexander, Arya McCarthy, and Jaclyn Zhou all won separate events, contributions were also made by Jean Luc Vorster, Will Nichol, Karis Dodd, Nathan Hardenburg, Ellie Reynolds, and Meg Brawner.

Patrick O'Sullivan

Christ the King Catholic Church announced last night that a new principal has been hired for Christ the King Catholic School: Patrick M. O’Sullivan, who has been the principal of Oak Cliff’s Bishop Dunne Catholic School since 2009. O’Sullivan will take over for Rosemary Seltzer, who has led Christ the King for 17 years.

A pair of fashion-conscious Greenhill sophomores — Maddie Crick of University Park and Virginia Dollins of Preston Hollow — have organized a fashion show called Winter Wonderland that will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday in Greenhill’s Montgomery Library. The girls have secured sponsorships from a number of Park Cities businesses — including The Impeccable Pig, Tootsies, and Melanie Gayle — and Neiman Marcus gift bags will be given to the first 50 people in attendance. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students, with all proceeds going to The Family Place.

Junior Symphony Ball chairmen work on invitations.

Attention, high school students: Today is the deadline to buy tickets for the Junior Symphony Ball, featuring the Casey Donahew Band. The event is scheduled from 8 to midnight on Jan. 28 at the (gulp) Palladium Ballroom. Tickets are $75, and the funds raised allow special-needs students to attend Dallas Symphony Orchestra concerts at no charge. Over the last four years, the Junior Symphony Ball has raised close to $200,000. To buy tickets, email Karen Reeder at reeder.karenm@gmail.com.

This is a test to determine whether Highland Park High School students read this blog. I will be serving burgers and fries today in the high school cafeteria. In my pocket will be three $25 gift certificates to Sonny Bryan’s. I will give away one of these gift certificates in each lunch period. The winners will be the first students in each period who greet me with the phrase that pays: “Bradford Pearson.”

HPISD trustees waved in more than half a million dollars in gifts at last night’s board meeting. Here’s the rundown:

- $350,000 from the Highland Park Education Foundation. This final pledge from Mad for Plaid will go toward teacher salaries.

- $75,000 from the University Park PTA to support staff salaries.

- $41,700 from the Highland Park Sports Club for improvements to Scotland Yard. Included are new signs bearing the names of two famous alumni — Clayton Kershaw and Chris Young — above the left field (at $6,000 for the pair).

- $41,544 also from the University Park PTA, for staff development, training, and travel; technology/technology supplies and computer training; and instructional supplies.

- $18,051 from the Park Cities Asian American Families. The money will buy iPads and a cart.

- $10,000 from IBM for technology-based projects, given in honor of volunteer Bruce Lin.

- $10,000 from Sam and Cheryl Wyly, for unspecified use.

- Another $6,380 from the HP Sports Club, in the form of an in-kind donation of soccer balls for HPHS girls soccer teams.

- And a $349 Xerox machine from parent Joan Wilk, for the HPHS volleyball team.