Category Archives: Achievement/Recognition

Roberts ES teacher ‘Caught in the Act’ of delivering great instruction

Roberts Elementary School English teacher Jennifer Heemer was recently “Caught in the Act” of great instruction during a lesson on how to compose an essay. An HISD video crew, along with Chief Elementary Curriculum and Development Officer Lance Menster, surprised Heemer and her students and captured the video below.

The “Caught in the Act”—or CIA—video campaign was started by HISD to recognize highly effective teachers who are delivering instruction that will lead to students become Global Graduates: young men and women who possess the skills necessary to ensure success in college and the ability to compete in today’s global workforce.

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STEM teacher wins Elizabeth Brand Memorial Award

Taryn Trotter

Taryn Trotter

Taryn Trotter, a STEM teacher at Lockhart Elementary School, has been named one of five recipients of the Elizabeth Brand Teacher Excellence Award for 2015 by the Houston Association of Professional Landmen.

This award has been given out annually by that organization for almost 30 years to recognize outstanding teaching performance and all-around personal development.

Trotter was selected in part due to the individualized attention she provides her students, many of whom come from broken homes and are economically challenged. Continue reading →

Bellaire HS team wins National Personal Finance Challenge

L-R are: Kenneth Yu, Christina Mao, Claire Weddle, Akash Shukla, and Michael Clark

L-R are: Kenneth Yu, Christina Mao, Claire Weddle, Akash Shukla, and Michael Clark

Four students from Bellaire High School have been named the national champions of the 2015 National Personal Finance Challenge, after beating out more than 22 other teams to earn the title.

The competition took place in Kansas City on May 22, and students Christina Mao, Kenneth Yu, Claire Weddle, and Akash Shukla placed first, second, third, and fifth (respectively) in the country on individual tests before advancing to the third round of the competition, which was a team event.
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Hundreds of seniors receive associate’s degrees alongside diplomas

Members of the HAIS Class of 2015

Members of the HAIS Class of 2015

A high school diploma looks better when it’s next to an associate’s degree.

That’s why several HISD campuses offer students the opportunity to obtain an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree from Houston Community College while they’re still in high school. More than 300 HISD seniors met the challenge this year, enabling them to graduate with an associate’s degree as well as a diploma.

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Seven HISD students win National Merit College-Sponsored Scholarships

Seven Houston Independent School District students from four schools are among more than 2,200 high school seniors from across the country to be selected this week to win National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities.

The students — from Carnegie Vanguard, Challenge Early College, and Lamar high schools, as well as DeBakey High School for Health Professions — received college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships from the University of Houston, University of Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, and Texas A&M University.  Continue reading →

PowerUp HUB receives Learning Impact Award

HISD’s pilot implementation of the HUB, the district’s online teaching and learning platform, has received a 2015 Learning Impact Award from IMS Global Learning Consortium, the world leader in EdTech interoperability and impact. The district was one of eight winners selected from K–12 school districts, colleges and universities, and education technology corporations from around the world.

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Students celebrate excellent attendance and more at superhero bash

Lee High School hosted their fifth annual Perfect Attendance Outstanding Student Bash on May 21, 2015. More than 250 students were honored for attendance, academic improvement, and making the honor roll. Each student received an award certificate to commemorate his or her accomplishment.

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HISD athletes run to win at state track meet

Several HISD students achieved remarkable rankings at the Texas State Track and Field Meet held May 14-16.

Top sprinter Julia Heyman (Lamar HS) placed first in both the 3200-meter run and the 1600-meter run. Takyera Roberson (Wheatley HS) also gave an impressive performance with a first-place finish in the 400-meter run, as well as third and fourth place in the 100-meter run and 200-meter run, respectively.

Other high-ranking athletes include: Floyd Green (Wheatley HS) with second place in the 400-meter run; Isaac Brown (Washington HS) with third place in the 800-meter run; Tyreik Gray (Lamar HS) with fourth place in the 100-meter run; Holten Hill (Lamar HS) with fifth place in the 110-meter hurdles; and Mikaila Martin (Chavez HS) with sixth place in shot put.

The Lamar HS boys track team also placed fourth in the 4×100 relay.

Rice MBA award given to high school assistant principal

Keri Wittpenn

Keri Wittpenn

Keri Wittpenn, an assistant principal at the Jane Long Academy, has been named the winner of the Founders Award by the Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program (REEP). The REEP Founders Award is given to one REEP Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree candidate each year. As a 2015 graduate of Rice’s MBA program, Wittpenn was chosen for this award by her fellow classmates due to her leadership in both the REEP and her educational community. Continue reading →