Two Houston ISD graduates have received Hispanic Heritage Awards from Mayor Annise Parker.

Mario Martinez, a native Houstonian, has a passion for advocating for children and quality education. He is a Davis High School alumnus and wanted to give back to his community. He volunteers as a translator at Ketelsen Elementary School and is the vice president of the school’s parent-teacher association. He also serves as the secretary of the Marshall Middle School parent-teacher organization.

Nohemi Chavez graduated in the top three percent of her class at Milby High School. She is studying geology at Texas A&M University, and she still finds time to volunteer at the Children’s Museum of Houston and teach Sunday school classes. While at Milby, she participated in the student council, National Honor Society, National Honors Society and English, Science, Spanish, and History Honor Societies.

Parker’s Hispanic Advisory Board selected the recipients of the Hispanic Heritage Awards. Martinez and Chavez, along with three other recipients, will be formally recognized at the Mayor’s Hispanic Award Reception at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, 1001 Bissonnet St., from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 9.