THE WOODLANDS, TX – In the suburbs of Houston sits one of Texas’ treasures as none other than The Woodlands Township. Home to nearly 120,000 residents and counting, The Woodlands is best known for its wildlife, park walks, hospitality and much more. Along with lively dining and concerts at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, it’s also considered one of the most desirable places to live in the United States.
Who to keep an eye on along the way
Just as many of The Woodlands’ retail and business treasures are hidden behind the trees, so are some notable luminaries tucked away in the hustle and bustle of Montgomery County. In fact, you might be surprised to find out who is from here. Home to musicians, athletes, entertainers and more. Here’s a list we’ve compiled from six people you didn’t know were in The Woodlands. To kick off that list, here’s our countdown that rounds up some people you should know.
Peter McPoland
Peter McPoland, signed to Columbia Records, is a performing artist specializing in alternative/indie style music. Raised in Vermont, he didn’t move to Texas until he was seven.
He developed a love and skill for the guitar early in his teens – performing in competitions throughout his education at Woodlands High School. After graduating in 2019, he played an active role in the school’s drama club – plus he was described as an “open-minded student” by teachers.
He once brought his guitar to play for a journalism class presentation project. Since then, Peter has amassed nearly 1,500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify – and has an internet presence of over 500,000 followers on Tiktok. His most popular song to date was released in 2020 entitled Romeo and Juliet.
Laura Wilkinson
Laura Wilkinson was a running name at the past Olympics and achieved gold medalist status for the Team USA diving team. She is a three-time Olympian and the first woman to hold three major diving titles.
Prior to her athletic success, Laura’s hometown since birth had been in the Houston area. She attended Klein High School and became a Nationals a year after leaving her school’s dive team. She has since received her BA in Public Relations from the University of Austin.
She has been a key advocate for people with eating disorders and shared the struggles people face, particularly in the swimming community. Laura Wilkinson challenges those with ambition to pursue their goals and conquer their fears in the hope of challenges and hard work. She currently resides in The Woodlands and has retired from active competition.
Danny Amendola
If you’re a football fan, you’ll be interested to know that Danny Amendola was not only born in The Woodlands, he grew up there. He attended Woodlands High School, played for Texas Tech and majored in communications.
This NFL wide receiver has 26 touchdowns and has been a part of three Super Bowls. He played for the Patriots for nearly five years in thirteen seasons and also played for the Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
Still active in the community, he visited his former school during a cheer rally (along with two former Highlander footballers, Larry Izzo and Lee Johnson) to celebrate and show the school’s support. As of 2022, Amendola has retired from the game.
Chammillionaire / Hakeem Seriki
This one may shock you, but if you’d been at the cutting edge of music in the early 2000s, you’d be familiar with the phrase “They see me rollin’, they hatin’.” Chammillionaire Hakeem Seriki was born in Washington DC and moved to Houston at the age of four. He pursued a career as a rapper and songwriter and also became an entrepreneur due to his investments.
He received his high school education in Jersey Village and became CEO of his record label, Chamillitary. He released several albums throughout his career and still has a significant role in bringing hip hop music to Texas.
Hakeem has lived in The Woodlands but owns several properties elsewhere. During his time here he lived in one of the luxury homes in the Carlton Woods community. To this day he is still looking for tactical business plans and has a family and a wife.
Chad Henrik
In the world of racing, everyone improves at a constant rate. Chad Hendrick is no different. Considered one of the people who influenced the world of speed skating, he developed the technique used by many today, known as the double push. He has won more than 50 world championships and set numerous world records, participating in the 2006 Olympics and winning gold.
He was born in the spring and started skating before he was two years old. Hendrick is known to have had a competitive spirit and was heavily pushed by coaches and family. He thrived in his sport and decided to become a speed skater even after excelling in hockey — and a world on ice. His life was dedicated to the ice rink until he won the 2010 games as a silver medalist.
Since then he has found a passion for real estate and business true to the motto “Gold to Sold”. He now resides in The Woodlands but continues to work in areas around Houston. He has two younger children who are just as ambitious as he is and hope to play football when they grow up.
Paul Goldschmidt
To all who support the St. Louis Cardinals, a famous baseball player should come home. MLB player Paul Goldschmidt was born in Delaware but moved to Texas sometime during his childhood. He attended Woodlands High School and was soon recruited to play at the university.
He was draft-picked by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006. Additionally, he garnered plenty of recognition for his plays throughout his career — he signed with the Cardinals in 2018. As of 2022, his current goal is to become a Triple Crown Winner – something the NL hasn’t seen in 85 years.
He hopes to lead his league in batting averages, home runs and batting — all within the same season. He has a wife and children, all of whom are supportive members of his family.
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Talent in the Woodlands stretches much further than just inside Montgomery County’s supposed “bubble.” When alumni come to visit and athletes bring awards, numerous people set examples here every day. Leading by example, hard work and dedication were all role models in their quest for success.
At Woodlands Online, we hope this list of Woodlands celebrities is just the first of many – who do you know to add to more spotlights?
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