Category Archives: Achievement/Recognition

Thousands of HISD students to receive high school diplomas at graduation ceremonies

Nearly 10,000 high school seniors from across the Houston Independent School District will receive their diploma at graduation ceremonies held this week for the Class of 2016.

The district’s first graduation ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 24 for the Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner as keynote speaker. The school will graduate its second class of seniors this year with 11 students. The 6th through 12th grade campus is one of two single-sex academies established by HISD in 2011. The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Kingdom Builders Center, 6011 West Orem Dr. Mayor Turner also will speak at the graduation ceremony Thursday, May 26 for Energized for STEM Academy High School and at the ceremony for Carnegie Vanguard High School on Friday, May 27.

Additional graduation ceremonies will take place around the city between Friday, May 27 and Sunday, May 29 at various locations, primarily at the Barnett Fieldhouse, Butler Fieldhouse, NRG Stadium, Texas Southern University campus, and Williams Pavilion. Continue reading →

Sterling Aviation HS senior wants to inspire others to follow her path to success

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Editor’s Note: This week, thousands of HISD seniors will receive their diplomas during graduation ceremonies across the district. Many of our students have overcome challenging circumstances during their educational journeys. We are sharing a few of their stories this week.

Maryury Santos-Cruz spoke no English when she arrived in the U.S. from Honduras at age 10. Eight years later, she is valedictorian of her class at Sterling Aviation High School.

She credits American television shows, nonstop reading, and the guidance of an effective middle-school ESL teacher with helping her overcome the language barrier.

“I was resilient. I never gave up,” she says. “I believed in myself even if others didn’t.”

Continue reading →

Milby HS salutatorian overcame adversity through sheer determination

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Editor’s Note: This week, thousands of HISD seniors will receive their diplomas during graduation ceremonies across the district. Many of our students have overcome challenging circumstances during their educational journeys. We are sharing a few of their stories this week.

When Salutatorian Joe Salazar entered Milby High School, his studies lagged and he was without motivation.

That’s when Sgt. First Class (Ret.) Eric Hopkins and Col. (Ret.) Charles Benson stepped in with a new challenge — Milby’s JROTC program.

Continue reading →

HISD celebrates 2016 Educators of the Year

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The Houston Independent School District on Friday paid tribute to the district’s top elementary and secondary teachers of the year during the fifth annual Educators of the Year banquet, which honors exceptional teachers and principals.

Hillary Smith, a fifth-grade reading teacher at DeAnda Elementary School, was named HISD Elementary Teacher of the Year, while Christina Carter-Woods, a seventh-grade reading teacher at Pershing Middle School, was named HISD Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Smith and Carter-Woods each received a $3,500 cash award and an engraved plaque. They also will advance to the state’s regional Teacher of the Year competition. Continue reading →

Valedictorians and salutatorians represent the Class of 2016’s highest achievers

Each spring, the Houston Independent School District honors the top two scholars at each of its high schools with a formal celebration of their outstanding academic achievements.

This year, the district recognized the valedictorians and salutatorians at the annual Scholars Banquet held on April 12, 2016, at the Westin Oaks Galleria. A valedictorian has earned the highest grade-point average in his or her graduating class; the student with the second-highest grade-point average is designated as the salutatorian.

Click here to see photos and read the biographies of each valedictorian and salutatorian.

Click here to see the 2016 HISD Spring graduation ceremonies schedule.

HISD educators to ‘pass the cape’ at Friday event

Superhero-themed banquet to honor teacher and principals of the year

HISD will honor its principals and teachers at a superheroes themed Educators of the Year banquet on Friday, May 20, at the Bayou City Event center. In addition to announcing the elementary and secondary 2016 HISD Teachers of the Year from a select group of 12 finalists, the banquet will recognize the 2015 winners as they “pass the cape” to a new group of honorees.

In the spirit of this year’s theme, we asked the 2015 Principals and Teachers of the Year a few superhero-related questions. Continue reading →

Sharpstown High School senior wins a car at school’s Academic Signing Day

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Other events held at campuses across HISD to celebrate seniors’ commitment to colleges of their choice

Thanks to Joel Rogers Classic Chevrolet, a lucky senior will be driving to college. Sharpstown High School’s Academic Signing Day Celebration ended with a drawing, and Joshua Baffoe won a Chevrolet Sonic.

As part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s #ReachHigher Initiative, she sponsored #CollegeSigningDay on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Most HISD high schools have been holding Academic Signing Day events since late April, and they are continuing almost until graduation.

Continue reading →

Meet the Finalists for Teacher of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year  

Winners to be announced at May 20 banquet 

Nearly 2,000 HISD teachers, along with district and school leaders, will gather on Friday, May 20, at the Bayou City Event Center for a superheroes-themed Educators of the Year banquet. The sold-out event, sponsored by Cigna, will honor campus-based teachers of the year and beginning teachers of the year. Fifteen finalists are vying for top district honors, which include elementary teacher of the year, secondary teacher of the year, and beginning teacher of the year.

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Madison High School to compete in national rocketry competition

A team of Madison High School students has built a rocket that the group will launch this weekend in Washington, D.C. at the world’s largest model rocket contest known as the Team America Rocketry Challenge.

The students, who are members of the “Sensation Station” rocket club at Madison, are among only 100 school teams from across the country to qualify to compete in the national finals of the challenge. This year’s challenge requires students to build and launch a rocket carrying two eggs at exactly 850 feet high. The rocket must remain in flight for 44 to 46 seconds and return with no cracks either both egg. Continue reading →

HISD recognizes top volunteers for being “shining stars”

The Houston Independent School District honored its top volunteers today during the annual Volunteers in Public Schools Recognition Reception.

Each year, the Volunteers in Public Schools program — more commonly referred to as VIPS — enlists thousands of parents, community members, business professionals, and youth who are willing to dedicate their time to support HISD students. Volunteers help in classrooms, libraries, media centers, clinics and school offices, serving as tutors, mentors, teacher partners, speakers, security patrols, chaperones, interpreters, and even cafeteria monitors.

The theme of this year’s reception is “Volunteers are Shining Stars.” Volunteers were nominated for awards in four different categories. Winners were selected from 12 finalists. Continue reading →