By Lori Scott
I’ve lived in the Lakes of River Trails neighborhood since 2018, after spending a year in apartments down the road. Before that, I was commuting from Fort Worth to Hurst every day — an hour on a good day. I moved here to be closer to work, my son and daughter. I’m about 15 minutes from work and live in the same city as the school I work at.
When I moved here, I didn’t know there would be development outside our neighborhood. A big shopping center is going up and a new train stop is within walking distance from my house. Part of me is excited to see new stores and restaurants close by. I’m hoping that will raise the value of the house.
All the houses here have access to our neighborhood’s lakes, but I think our lake is probably the nicest. When people celebrate things like the Fourth of July, they usually use our lake as the base. It’s two blocks from where I live, making for nice walks.
I live alone, but with a revolving door of guests. When COVID hit, my daughter stayed with me. When my family comes into town, they’ll stay with me. I’m not someone who typically does a lot of entertaining. I’m a homebody.
I have worked for Birdville schools since 2012 and have taught for over 25 years. I run our after-school day care program and teach second-grade math and science. When I took over (the after-school program) several years ago, it was very disorganized, and I wanted more for those kids — I wanted them to be excited about going. Now we have 85 students and even a waiting list.
We’re structured and expect our workers to engage with the kids through creative activities. Sometimes the kids cry when it’s time to leave. That tells me we’ve created a good place for them.
Hurst has quite a few thrift stores within a 5-mile radius. If you go just a bit farther, there’s a handful more. I love to go there and look for things for the classroom and day care. I’ve thrifted 35 graphic novels, 57 Lego figurines, Barbie clothes and stuffed animals.
When I’m home, I relax by drawing and writing. One of my former students’ parents contacted me about the Hurst Utility Box Art Project. I draw with my students and drive by those utility boxes all the time.
I always thought how cool it would be for some of my artwork to be displayed on a box. I’m not a professional artist, but I’ve volunteered my art for things like designing school mascots, flyers and T-shirts. But this was the first time someone paid me for my artwork, and I was thrilled.
Lori Scott combined family pets with local wildlife in her design, including the city bird, a jackrabbit, a squirrel and dogs in a park, to match the project’s theme of Hurst’s wildlife. (Courtesy photo | Lori Scott)
Lori Scott’s artwork is displayed on a utility box on the corner of Hurstview Drive and Bedford Euless Road. (Courtesy photo | City of Hurst)
I’ve been drawing my whole life. I’m self-taught and I know I’m not the best artist, but it brings me joy. The goal is simple: if my art makes someone smile, mission accomplished.
Writing also is a big part of my life. I quit writing for a long time, but my daughter encouraged me.
Years after I submitted stories to a magazine, they reached out to publish them, pushing me to try again.
I also joined a writing critique group in Hurst, made up of a great collection of Christian and award-winning, multi-published writers and authors.
Since then, I’ve signed with an agent and started working with an editor who became a good friend. We partnered on a picture book sold to Penguin Random House that will be released in 2027. I am very excited.
I have always felt like God has a sense of humor. Every opportunity that I’ve had and the path I took for writing — I can’t take credit for any of it.
Faith has always been important to me. I grew up in the church. My dad was a choir director, and my grandfather started a Christian radio program that ran for years.
I can’t remember a time when my faith wasn’t part of my life.
After my divorce, going to church was hard. I didn’t feel like I fit in as a single woman. These days, I watch church on TV and am part of our after-school prayer group.
This is a good community to live in. The people are great and friendly. I love the kids here and the school where I work.
I feel like this is where I need to be for now, and if the Lord leads me someplace else, I think that’ll be clear.
For now, this is where I need to be — in this house, in this neighborhood, at this school, doing the things I’m doing.
Lakes of River Trails
Total population: 2,183
Female:47% | Male: 53%
Age
0-9: 18%
10-19: 10%
20-29: 10.4%
30-39: 16.6%
40-49: 19.4%
50-59: 9.5%
60-69: 7.2%
70-79: 7.4%
80 and older: 1.5%
Education
No degree: 7.7%
High school: 27.6%
Some college: 13.3%
Bachelor’s degree: 34.8%
Post-graduate: 16.6%
Race
White: 51.6% | Black: 6.7% | Hispanic: 12.3% | Asian: 25.1% | Two or more: 3.8%
Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:
Source: Census Reporter
Lori Scott has lived in the Lakes of River Trails neighborhood in Fort Worth near Hurst for seven years and been an elementary school teacher in Birdville ISD for 13 years.
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