How one librarian’s first job changed her game plan

Josephine Young was fresh out of college when she first applied for a position with HISD in 1978, and at that time, she knew precisely what she planned to do.

“I wanted to work in secondary education,” said the Longfellow Elementary School librarian, “because I did all of my student teaching at that level. But the person I was interviewing with said, ‘Well, you’re inexperienced, so we’re going to start you out with elementary, and once you finish your probationary period, we can move you up to secondary.’ And here I am 35 years later.”

Young has been Longfellow’s librarian for 26 of those years, but she also served as the librarian at Harper (now closed), Crockett, Gregg, and Wilson elementary schools.

“It went by so fast,” said Young. “One year I’m interviewing, and here I am 35 years later. But it’s been so much fun. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I started working in elementary and I just fell in love with it. I never wanted to move on.”

Young officially marked her 35th anniversary with the district on Aug. 29, but several other employees are also marking theirs this week (Aug. 25–31). See if you know anyone on this list:

35 years

• Carol Bean, teaching assistant, Browning ES
• Mary Breed, attendant, Food Services
• Verna Mathews, teaching assistant, Reynolds ES
• Shirley Parker, associate teacher
• Melva White, bus driver, Transportation Services

30 years

• Elena Coronado, teaching assistant, Yates HS
• Mary Gedelian, magnet coordinator, Camp Olympia
• Ann Glidden, associate teacher
• Chaney Ledet, teacher, Attucks MS
• Robinson Parson, associate teacher
• Kenneth Smith, teacher, Madison HS

25 years

• Rozan Adamy, teacher, Rodriguez ES
• Anthony Alleman, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Patrice Alpough, teacher, Jordan HS
• Joseph Amos, teacher, Brookline ES
• Alvin Ardley, instructional coordinator, McGowen ES
• Judy Armes, teacher, Daily ES
• Lisa Asi, teacher, Shearn ES
• Assefa Tsegaye, associate teacher
• Adams Audu, teacher, Westbury HS
• Griselda Avalos, teacher, Browning ES
• Kristie Barbee, teacher, Waltrip HS
• John Barrera, principal, Wainwright ES
• Stephanie Batiste, teacher, R. P. Harris ES
• Betty Bell, teacher, Clifton MS
• Martha Berbel, secretary, R. P. Harris ES
• Pearl Black, instructional coordinator, Hartsfield ES
• Carol Bolden, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Wanda Boutte, teaching assistant, Dogan ES
• Donald Britton, teacher, Crespo ES
• Beryl Broom, program administrator, Student Assessment
• Donna Brown-Bennett, teacher, River Oaks ES
• Margaret Bryant, teacher, Durkee ES
• Theresa Campos, senior manager, Leadership Development
• Richard Carroll, school business manager, Milby HS
• Leticia Cavazos, clerk, Sanchez ES
• Barbara Clemente, teacher development specialist, Professional Development
• Keith Coleman, teacher, Westbury HS
• Monalisia Collier, Internal IT customer service rep, Dowling MS
• Ka Sandra Conaway, assistant, HR Business Partners
• Jacqueline Cordova, teacher, Cornelius ES
• Sandra Cornelius, assistant principal, Wainwright ES
• Francianna Crawford, teacher, Wesley ES
• Marmion Dambrino, director, Athletics   
• Karin Davis, teacher, Horn ES     
• Joseph Deggs, teacher, Mandarin Chinese School    
• Daniel Deleon, principal, Chavez HS     
• Alicia Detamore, teacher, Paige ES        
• Mollie Dolison-Tyler, teacher, Chavez HS         
• Edgar Duran, teacher, Chavez HS          
• Holly Ellenberger, teacher, Walnut Bend ES    
• Goree Emanuel, teacher, Pershing MS
• Charlene Espree, teacher, Cornelius ES           
• Carmen Falla-Aramayo, teacher, Emerson ES            
• Joyce Fielder, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Oscar Flores, associate repairer, Construction & Facility Services   
• Teresa Garcia, teacher, Port Houston ES          
• Regina Garvey, teacher, MacGregor ES            
• Robert Gentry, teacher, Stevenson MS  
• Mariana Goins, teacher, Ketelsen ES School   
• Graciela Gomez, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Jesse Gonzalez, teacher development specialist, Professional Development       
• Hermas Grayless, teacher, Hartman MS            
• Robbin Green, teacher, Sharpstown Intl. School         
• Tammie Green, manager, Food Services
• Sylvia Harris, counselor, Stevenson MS            
• Juanita Hernandez, nurse, Martinez ES
• Lupita Hinojosa, school services officer, Office of School Support  
• Wanda Holmes, student information rep., Harper Alternative            
• Eileen Howell, clerk, Pin Oak MS            
• Stephanie Irby, teacher specialist, Wharton ES            
• Jackson Sandra, teacher, Burbank ES  
• Rosa Jauregui, senior business analyst,            IT Customer Service           
• Carol Johnson, teacher, West University ES    
• Martha Johnson, assistant principal, Stevenson MS
• Patricia Johnson, librarian, Stevenson MS       
• Jones Josephine, teacher, Foster ES     
• Amanda Jost, teacher, Piney Point ES  
• Zachary Julian, teacher, Hobby ES
• Rosemary Kihika, teacher, McNamara ES        
• Debbie Kimble, librarian, McGowen ES
• Koehl Traci, teacher, Eliot ES       
• Sylvia Lacefield, teacher, Oak Forest ES           
• Ana Lauck, teacher, Harvard ES
• Gloria Lemond, teacher, Furr HS
• William Ludwig, teacher, Rucker ES      
• Emily Makhlouf, teacher, Walnut Bend ES       
• Rose Maldonado, clerk, Multilingual       
• Kenneth Malone, area manager, Transportation
• Gwen Manning, teacher, Browning ES  
• Martha Martinez, counselor, Davis HS   
• Elena Martinez-Buley, principal, Rodriguez ES           
• John McDonald, teacher, Sutton ES      
• Patricia McGowen, teaching assistant, Sinclair ES     
• Karol McNary, counselor, Kashmere HS           
• Jacqueline McWilliams, teacher, Scarborough HS      
• Maria Mercado-Reyes, teacher, Montgomery ES         
• James Metoyer, director Elementary Schools Office   
• Cynthia Miller, teacher, Patterson ES     
• Linda Mindingall Payne, teacher, Parker ES    
• Gwendolyn Miraglia, teacher, HSLECJ  
• Carolyn Monmouth, instructional specialist, Whittier ES        
• Sybil Moreno, secretary, Administrative Services         
• Josephine Morgan, instructional coordinator, Lamar HS        
• Marla Morrow, librarian, Lee HS   
• Charlotte Murray-Lawton, teacher, M L King ECC       
• Ibiteyin Myers, teacher, Windsor Village ES      
• Najera Hector, plant operator, Southmayd ES
• Linda Nelson, teacher, River Oaks ES   
• Patricia Newman, teacher, Red ES         
• Alice Nichols, librarian, Paige ES            
• Yong Park, teacher, Early College HS East       
• Pellenberg Sherry, assistant principal, Dogan ES       
• Bridgette Phillips, teacher, Hamilton MS
• Pineda Francisco, plant operator, Milne ES
• Bernadine Powell, teacher, Park Place ES
• Cassandra Prince, teacher, Whidby ES
• Cathy Puente, secretary, Benavidez ES
• Ashfaqur Rehman, teacher, Milby HS
• Tereso Reyes, plant operator, Gregg ES
• Kathy Richards, teacher, Cunningham ES
• Maria Rios, student information rep., Stevenson MS
• Marta Rodriguez, clerk, Carrillo ES
• Norma Ruiz, secretary, Condit ES
• Eileen Ryan, attendant, Food Services
• Alba Salvat, speech therapist, Child Study
• Samuel Sarabia, chief school officer
• Coletta Sayer, teacher, Benbrook ES
• John Schaff, teacher, Harvard ES
• Linda Schroder, teacher, West University ES
• Jamie Scott, teacher, Pin Oak MS
• Willie Scott, teacher, Waltrip HS
• Susan Shafer, librarian, Parker ES
• Demetria Shavers, teacher, Kashmere HS
• Joyce Shaw, teacher, Mading ES
• Edna Silerio, teaching assistant, De Zavala ES
• Peggy Sinclair, teacher, Sam Houston MSTC
• Terry Strayhorn, teacher, Bastian ES
• Anne Stryker, program specialist, Multilingual
• Margaret Taylor, teacher, Bush ES
• Michael Thomas, mechanic helper, Transportation Services
• Joyce Thormodsgaard, teacher, Piney Point ES
• Josephine Treviño, secretary, Longfellow ES
• Penelope Tschirhart, teacher, Lamar HS
• Dalia Valle, secretary, Rucker ES
• Pamela Vaughn, teacher, Westside HS
• Karen Waddell, teacher, Jones HS
• Gladys Weeks, teacher, Carrillo ES
• Delores Wigal, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Rose Wiley, data entry clerk, Highland Heights ES
• Linda Williams, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Robert Wiseman, teacher, Burbank ES
• Bessie Young, Special Education employment rep., Chavez HS
• Michael Zubler, teacher, West University ES

20 years

• Cynthia Adams, teacher, Roosevelt ES
• Erika Alvarado, senior secretary, School Choice
• Jorge Arredondo, principal, Austin HS
• Demetria Broaden-Lewis, Special Education chair, Hartman MS
• Brown Jenoris, plant operator, Kolter ES
• Deborah Gurley, student information rep., Isaacs ES
• Cordelia Igwe, teaching assistant, Madison HS
• Morrison Tommie, secretary, P-16 College &Career Readiness
• Julita Perez, teacher, Stevenson MS
• Adolfo Velez, teacher, Bruce ES

15 years

• Veronica Buchanan, attendant, Food Services
• Opal Campbell, student information rep., Burrus ES
• Maria Celaya, teacher, Burnet ES
• Della Ellis, custodian, Frost ES
• Nancy Faust, teacher, Bonham ES
• Irazu Fernandez, teacher, White ES
• Sofia Gutierrez, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Linda Hicks, attendant, Food Services
• Brenda Irving, attendant, Food Services
• Scheryl Johnson, teaching assistant, Hartsfield ES
• Schundra Reeder, attendant, Food Services
• José Serrano, painter, Construction & Facility Services
• Anna Torres, teacher, De Chaumes ES
• Octavia Trahan, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Thelma Washington, attendant, Food Services
• Carlos Zelaya, senior HVAC repairer , Construction & Facility Services

10 years

• Manuel Acosta, teacher, Marshall MS
• Hiram Alex, teacher, Sam Houston MSTC
• Patricia Allen, teacher, Pleasantville ES
• Leticia Alvarez, teacher, Hines-Caldwell ES
• Habab Baroudi, teaching assistant, School at St. George Place
• Marilyn Bingham, attendant , Transportation Services
• Beverly Bryant, clerk, Hobby ES
• Irene Castillo, teaching assistant, Sherman ES
• Deidra Duncans, crossing guard, K. Smith ES
• Jeremiah Gallegos, attendant, Athletics
• Marie Garcia, teaching assistant, Ortiz MS
• Sandra Gonzalez, teaching assistant, Cunningham ES
• Veronica Gonzalez, student information representative, Laurenzo ECC
• Cynthia Grant, teacher, Atherton ES
• Stephen Green, plumber, Construction & Facility Services
• Montre’Johnson, special education chair, Revere MS
• Gayle Julian, teacher, Mading ES
• Bushra Khan, teacher, Austin HS
• James Ligon, teacher, Herod ES
• Stephen MacLauchlan, assistant principal, Reagan HS
• Sally Mayberry, teacher, Sinclair ES
• Georgia Menson, associate teacher
• Mercedes Penate, teacher, J R Harris ES
• Efrem Pierce, teacher, Yates HS
• Michelle Pina, teaching assistant, Hamilton MS
• Rodriguez Julieth, evaluation specialist, Child Study
• Mayra Serrano, secretary, Roosevelt ES
• Stone Sandra, teacher, Waltrip HS
• Sheila Williams, clerk, Pilgrim Academy
• Tammy Young, manager, Benefits
• Syeda Zehra, associate teacher

5 years

• Donna Anderson, teacher, Brookline ES
• Salomey Asamoah, attendant, Food Services
• Marie Baptiste, teacher, Welch MS
• Melissa Barajas, officer, Police Department
• Anita Battle, crossing guard
• Lois Bell, attendant, Food Services
• Celestina Benitez, attendant, Food Services
• Adela Bermudez, teacher, Highland Heights ES
• Delsi Betances-Garcia, associate teacher
• Marcella Boudreaux, teacher, Herod ES
• Gregory Brazle, crossing guard, Elrod ES
• Amelia Cano, nurse, Waltrip HS
• Cardenas Linda, clerk, Sam Houston MSTC
• Yvette Davila, teaching assistant, Dodson ES
• Shamethia Dillard, assistant principal, Durkee ES
• Tabitha Dudley, teacher, Bastian ES
• Juana Duque, custodian Sam Houston MSTC
• Halley Erickson, teacher, Condit ES
• Brenda Ester, crossing guard, West University ES
• Sabrina Fernandez, clerk, Holland MS
• Sergiao Finn, stadium and equipment technician, Athletics
• Reno Ford, teacher, Key MS
• Tami Frazier, teacher, Dogan ES
• Sara Garcia, teacher, Ashford ES
• Carolyn Gray, attendant, Food Services
• Griffin Merriamon, crossing guard, Peck ES
• Christina Guerra, teaching assistant, Rucker ES
• Royleesha Hickerson, teacher, Atherton ES
• Brandon Horton, officer, Police Department
• Marnie Hylton, social worker, Piney Point ES
• Yvette Johnson, clerk, Challenge Early College HS
• Sherail Jordan, associate teacher
• Devin Kopp, teacher, Rusk ES
• Ho Lee, teacher, Hartman MS
• Ollie Lewis, attendant, Food Services
• Samuel Lewis, associate teacher
• Shantel Lewis, substitute aide/clerk
• Melvin Lovelace Jr, teacher, Worthing HS
• Vasti Marcelo, teacher, Helms ES
• Lynn Mayer, teacher, Deaf Campus
• Michael Maynard, teacher, Milne ES
• Michael McClung, officer, Police Department
• Yesica Meza, teacher, Austin HS
• Ashley Monteil, teacher, Lyons ES
• Miriam Montgomery, attendant, Food Services
• Naquisha Moore, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Rocio Moreno, teaching assistant, Briarmeadow Charter
• Faustino Oyervidez-Perez, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Dorothy Page, crossing guard, Helms ES
• Maria Pallares, clerk, Williams MS
• Bertha Perez, custodian, Davis HS
• Yolanda Perez, team lead, Food Services
• Vivian Pham, teacher, Daily ES
• Maritza Price, teacher, West Briar MS
• Nicole Reamer, teacher, West Briar MS
• Jerry Reitz, crossing guard, Patterson ES
• William Robinson, teacher, Fonville MS
• Rene Rodriguez, teacher, Holland MS
• Norma Jean Ruiz, secretary, HS Ahead Academy
• Christopher Sanzo, substitute aide/clerk
• Kristal Scott, teacher, YWCPA
• LaMoya Smith, Special Education chair, Thomas MS
• Lakeysha Smith, attendant, Food Services
• Temeka Smith, crossing guard
• Marcellous Stevens, crossing guard
• Marilyn Thomas, teacher, Hines-Caldwell ES
• Jerry Thompson, crossing guard, J. P. Henderson ES
• John Tovar Cortes, teacher, Attucks MS
• Binh Tran, bus driver, Transportation Services
• Denise Vale, clerk, Bellaire HS
• Letekia Walker, crossing guard, Dodson ES
• Amanda Williams, teaching assistant, Golfcrest ES
• Angelica Wilson, teaching assistant, Bruce ES
• Jennifer Woods, teacher, Marshall MS
• Sylvia Ysais, attendant, Food Services

Check back next Friday for some early September Milestones. Leave a comment below if you’d like to congratulate any of the above employees.