On Tuesday, Sept. 15, two of our students — Janiecia Chatman, 14, and Mariya Johnson, 17 — died in a tragic bus accident in southeast Houston. Two other students and the bus driver were injured.
In the hours and days after the accident, people from across the country expressed their concern for the victims. Below is a sampling of the words of support they have shared.
We continue to keep those affected in our thoughts and ask you to do the same. Please feel free to share your own comments below.
More than 125 students, parents and alumni of Kashmere High School turned out Tuesday evening for the first of three bond community meetings that will be held to update stakeholders on plans to renovate the campus. The meeting was held in conjunction with the school’s open house.
High school is one of only four to be highlighted nationwide
HISD’s Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center was honored this week with a visit from Univision and a rally to encourage Latino students to strive for greatness in education. Two students were also recognized during the event, which was made possible by a partnership among Univision, getschooled.com, and #QuieroAprender (#IWantToLearn).
“Those organizations have been focusing on four schools across the nation,” said Sam Houston Principal Rupak Gandhi about #QuieroAprender, “… and how they have turned their campuses around in the past couple of years in terms of improving academic performance and really changing the lives of their students. Sam Houston was chosen as one of the schools, based on our growth in those areas.”
In 2015, Sam Houston met state accountability standards for the first time in two years, and was removed from the “Improvement Required” list. It was also recognized for academic distinction in social studies. The school offers its students eight different certification or licensure programs. Last year’s valedictorian is currently attending Columbia, while the salutatorian is attending Rice University.
The education rally included a student discussion about the importance of education, interviews, and a spoken-word poetry contest entitled “What is the value of education to you?” Two students hand-picked by the principal for their achievements led the onstage discussion along with Satcha Pretto, co-anchor of the morning show Despierta America. One of those students – senior José Piñeda – was chosen by #QuieroAprender for an in-depth interview that will be featured in an upcoming documentary.
“It was a great opportunity to highlight the good of the school.” said Piñeda, who is on the student council and part of a mariachi band. “There are many Hispanic students here who want to make progress and move forward.” Piñeda is in the top five percent of his graduating class and plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Texas.
“To me, #QuieroAprender is a phenomenal organization, because it really puts the power of education in the student’s hands,” said Gandhi, “and that’s what matters most.”
Considered the eighth-largest country in the world, the second-largest in Latin America, and the largest Spanish-speaking country, Argentina is known for its culture, passion, and individuality. Argentina is widely known for the Tango, a partner dance with European and African influences, which originated in the 1890s along the River Plate, and soon spread to the rest of the world. Argentinians are a very passionate people and you can observe this trait during soccer matches. It is said that Argentina is home to the most heated and fierce rivalry in the soccer world, between the top two local soccer clubs: Boca Juniors and River Plate. Another iconic representation of Argentinians is their nomadic gaucho, who can be compared to the North American cowboy. Gauchos are in charge of herding cattle year-round and are considered skilled lasso handlers and excellent horsemen. Gauchos played a major role in Argentina’s independence from Spain, and they are a respected symbol in the country.
Argentina’s rich cuisine includes everything from grilled meats, pastas, and empanadas, to their famous dulce de leche and mate.
Did you know…? In Latin, Argentina means “silver.” Settlers believed that the country was filled with silver, but unfortunately it wasn’t. The first animated feature film was made by Argentinian Quirino Cristiani in 1917. Argentina was the first country to adopt fingerprinting as a method of identification in 1925.
This is the third in a series of articles spotlighting different countries in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. To see a complete list of previous entries, click here.
Today, our Mexican brothers and sisters are celebrating their Independence Day. As a part of their Independence Day celebration, many Mexican nationals gather to celebrate El Grito (The Cry), but what exactly is that? Tradition says that El Grito is considered the event that officially started Mexico’s War of Independence against Spain, when the priest Miguel Hidalgo, along with other leaders, gathered in a church in the town of Dolores (Guanajato), ringing the bell to call people to stand up against the Spanish Crown. This is known as El Grito de Dolores (The Cry of Dolores.)
In Mexico, people gather in public squares where politicians and public figures reenact El Grito on the night of Sept. 15, finishing with three cheers of “Viva Mexico!”
Did you know…? Mexico introduced chocolate, corn, and chilies to the world. Oct. 4 is National Taco Day in the United States. Many people think Cinco de Mayo is also Mexico’s Independence Day, however, that is the celebration of victory of the Battle of Puebla, where the Mexican army defeated the French army in 1862.
This is the second in a series of articles spotlighting different countries in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. To see a complete list of entries, click here.
HISD’s annual Grads Within Reach walk took place on Sept. 12, 2015, and volunteers convinced more than 80 students to come back to school and continue their education.
Almost 500 volunteers fanned out across the city, visiting the last-known residences of students who had not shown up for class this year and leaving information on how to re-enroll if no one came to the door.
The Houston Independent School District is observing Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanics and Latinos to the U.S.
Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off September 15 with the anniversary of the 1821 independence day of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (known back then as the Captaincy General of Guatemala or Kingdom of Guatemala,) and goes through Oct. 15. Belize, Chile, and Mexico also commemorate their independence during September. Throughout the month, a variety of events showcasing performances, music festivals, food tastings, art shows, and many other displays of the rich Hispanic culture can be observed in schools across the district.
“Hispanic Heritage Month is truly a time to celebrate — especially in Houston, a truly global city known for its rich diversity and culture,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. “In HISD, we are proud of our diversity and thrilled to take part in recognizing the many wonderful contributions of our Hispanic community.”
Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ll be highlighting an interesting fact from each Latin-American country, to share a little bit more about their history. So stay tuned! And check back daily to see which country will be spotlighted next. Then join the conversation on social media and tell us your favorite reason to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Today Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua are celebrating their Independence Day! Formerly known as the Captaincy General of Guatemala or Kingdom of Guatemala, these five countries declared their independence from the Spanish Empire on Sept. 15, 1821, when they signed the Act of Independence of Central America. Shortly thereafter, they became part of what was known then as the First Mexican Empire, until they separated to form the Federal Republic of Central America. In 1838, the dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America began, and each of the five provinces became the countries that we currently know.
Did you know…? There is no spot in Central America more than 125 miles from the ocean. Each Central American country has a variation of tamales, but they are always wrapped in either corn husks or plantain leaves and steamed or boiled.
This is the first in a series of articles spotlighting different countries in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. To see a complete list of entries, click here.
UPDATED 6:40 p.m., Sept. 15: Two students were killed, and two students and their bus driver were seriously injured this morning when an HISD school bus crashed at the 610 Loop and Telephone Road.
The bus was transporting four students to Furr High School when it was hit by another vehicle on Loop 610 around 7 a.m. The bus then left the freeway and crashed onto Telephone Road.
HISD Board of Education member Wanda Adams is partnering with the Family Learning Academy to host the District IX Early Childhood Summit on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The free event will take place at Reynolds Elementary School (9601 Rosehaven, 77051) from 8:00 a.m. until noon, and will connect families with resources to help parents engage in early childhood best practices and support students’ success.
The event will feature a panel of HISD departments, administrators, and community leaders, workshops, and a community resource fair with information for parents. District representatives will also be signing up families to participate in HISD’s HIPPY program, which provides a school-readiness program for parents of 3- to 5-year-olds in the district. Continue reading →
