Monthly Archives: February 2016

Twenty-four HISD students land 2016 all-state ensemble seats

TMEA2016Waltrip_250Two dozen HISD students have earned a spot on a Texas Music Educators Association All-State Ensemble this year.

Flutist Jiayuan Han (Lamar HS) and French horn player Eduardo Sierra (pictured, Waltrip HS), as well as seven students from Bellaire High School and 15 from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), will perform in various groups during the TMEA’s annual convention in February.

All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can receive. More than 1,600 students were selected this year through a process that began with more than 64,000 from around the state vying for the honor to perform in one of 15 ensembles (bands, orchestras, and choirs).

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HISD declares February ‘Digital Learning Month’

A scene from last year's Digital learning Expo

A scene from last year’s Digital learning Expo

Digital Learning Day was created to showcase schools’ best practices and promote a new educational venue for students that is fun and interactive. In honor of that event, which takes place on Feb. 17 this year, HISD is declaring February “Digital Learning Month.”

Principals and teachers have been invited to participate by trying out new digital tools and innovative instructional practices, then showing how their schools are leveraging digital learning by posting content to social media using the hashtag #hisddigital. Students are also welcome to join the conversation.

Selected students will demonstrate their projects during a Digital Learning Day Expo scheduled for Feb. 11, 2016, at Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th Street, 77092). The expo will take place just before the Board of Education meeting, which starts at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Lanier MS masters 30,013 words to earn top honors in National Vocabulary Bowl

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Students at Lanier Middle School screamed in excitement as they learned that Lanier came in first in the U.S.—beating more than 16,000 schools—in Vocabulary.com’s December Vocabulary Bowl.

The annual Vocabulary Bowl pits schools against one another in a friendly competition of word mastery. Students log onto the interactive learning game, select their grade level, and learn the meaning of words they may never have seen before. Teachers can also create vocabulary lists based on reading students have done in class.
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HISD National Signing Day ceremony to recognize top student athletes

Ninety of HISD’s top performing student athletes will commit to taking their academic and athletic talent to the college level on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day.

The HISD ceremony aims to recognize the students’ formal commitment to continue their education and sports careers at colleges and universities around the country. During the event, students will sign symbolic certificates of intent to continue their careers in baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.

Traditionally, National Signing Day has been reserved for senior high school football players completing their letters of intent with colleges and universities. But, for the past seven years, HISD has included both female and male athletes from all sports to showcase the district’s athletic talent. Additional athletic commitments also are expected after Signing Day.

The event is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, at The Pavilion, 7525 Tidwell Road located on the Forest Brook Middle School campus.

Black History Month 2016: Spotlight on HISD’s distinguished alumni

Editor’s Note: Black History Month runs from Monday, Feb. 1, through Monday, Feb. 29, this year, and HISD is celebrating with a series of weekly stories recognizing distinguished African Americans who graduated from district high schools. This first article focuses on alumni who went on to have successful athletic careers. Others will spotlight artists, educators, legislators, and those with careers in radio, TV, and film.

HISD alumnus Moran Norris regularly gives back to the schools he attended, including Madison High School (pictured). Here, he is distributing backpacks to incoming freshmen during the fall 2015 orientation.

HISD alumnus Moran Norris regularly gives back to the schools he attended, including Madison High School (pictured). Here, he is distributing backpacks to incoming freshmen during the fall 2015 orientation.

From Wimbledon finalist and Olympic gold-medalist Zina Garrison (Sterling, Class of 1982) to National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year and Olympic bronze-medalist Chukwuemeka Noubuisi “Emeka” Okafor (Bellaire, 2001), HISD has produced dozens of African-American graduates who have gone on to enjoy impressive careers in professional sports.

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Seven student athletes honored by Sugar Land Skeeters

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Seven HISD juniors from three different high schools were recognized recently by a professional baseball team for their skill on the field.

The Sugar Land Skeeters honored Elizabeth Castillo, Julissa Duenas, and Marcus Mack (Bellaire HS), Courtney Taylor, Mary Tindall, and Jimmy Winston (Lamar HS), and Richard Bailey (Waltrip HS) during the organization’s fourth annual Hot Stove Banquet on Jan. 21.

The girls are members of the 2016 All-Greater-Houston Preseason High School Softball Team, while the boys are members of the 2016 All-Greater-Houston Preseason High School Baseball Team.

To see a list of all the honorees this year, please visit the Skeeters’ website.