Category Archives: Achievement/Recognition

Carnegie Vanguard HS freshman wins Congressional Art Competition

The Cowboy

The Cowboy

Oulu Li, a ninth-grader at Carnegie Vanguard High School, has been selected as the winner of the Congressional Art Competition for District 18, which is represented by Sheila Jackson Lee.

Each spring, high-school students in each congressional district submit their works to the Artistic Discovery competition, a nationwide visual arts competition designed to recognize budding talent. More than 650,000 young people have participated since the contest began in 1982.

Oulu Li

Oulu Li

Students send entries to their representatives’ office, and panels of district artists select the winners. The winning students are recognized both in their respective districts and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Their works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.

Grady MS student named myON’s third ‘Reader Leader’

Grady MS seventh-grader Prabin Panta with HISD Curriculum Specialist Cynthia Gonzalez and Library Services Manager Liz Philippi. Photo courtesy Muses3, LLC.

Grady MS seventh-grader Prabin Panta with HISD Curriculum Specialist Cynthia Gonzalez and Library Services Manager Liz Philippi. Photo courtesy Muses3, LLC.

Prabin Panta, a seventh-grader at Grady Middle School, has been named the third “Reader Leader” by myON for logging the most time spent reading on that website during a particular month.

Prabin read for 97 hours and 22 minutes in myON in April. As a part of his prize, Prabin received a laptop (with computer case) from Muses3, LLC, the representative of myON in southeast Texas. He was formally recognized during a special ceremony held on his campus May 14.

“It was a pleasure meeting Prabin,” said Carl Franklin, account manager with Muses3. “He is a terrific student and an amazing reader. We are delighted that myON is part of his middle school experience.”

Board of Education announces student awards for 2014–2015 school year

Trustee Paula Harris (far L) presents the Board Awards to some of the first graduate from the Young Women's College Preparatory Academy

Trustee Paula Harris (far L) presents the Board Awards to some of the first graduate from the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy

Each year, the HISD Board of Education honors distinguished seniors from district high schools in recognition of their accomplishments, as exemplified by their character, academic achievement, leadership, and service.

Selections are made by school-based committees appointed by each principal and the awards are presented by the trustee representing each district during commencement exercises.

One outstanding young man and young woman are selected from each high school, as well as up to five honorable mention students. A list of this year’s award recipients is here (.pdf) and a list of the students receiving honorable mention is here (.pdf).

400 “Bikes for Excellence” awarded to HISD fifth-graders

As members of the Thin Blue Line Foundation & Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club roared up to Stevens Elementary, students poured out of the school to welcome them. Last week, the club visited four HISD elementary schools to present 400 bicycles, helmets, and locks to fifth-graders at C. Martinez, Sherman, Stevens, and Wainwright elementary schools. The bikes are awarded to students who have excelled in academics, personal conduct, and attendance.

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HISD schools sweep recycling bin decorating contest

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He may have cardboard for horns and empty plastic water bottles for brains, but that hasn’t stopped the Milby High School mascot from making a big impression on visitors to the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th St., 77092).

Students from that school’s Peace Club decorated a 96-gallon recycling bin from the City of Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department as part of an art contest called “Growing Up Recycling,” and their submission won the $500 first prize. Continue reading →

HISD to announce its Teachers of the Year on Friday, May 15

HISD will be announcing its Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year during the district’s annual Celebration of Excellence on Friday, May 15.

The ceremony won’t start until 6 p.m. that evening, so be sure to follow us on Twitter or visit the district’s website after the event concludes at 8 p.m. to see who won the titles for 2015.

You can see a list of the ten finalists (along with a photo gallery of most of them in action) here.

Also announced that night will be the “Fan Favorite,” a new category of recognition created this year to honor the people’s choice for the most-liked campus-based Teacher of the Year. People began voting for their favorites on May 1, and you can see a list of the six finalists here.

Peck Elementary recognized for service to homeless students by Ellen DeGeneres Show

A KHOU-TV Channel 11 news report that aired late last month on Peck Elementary School has resulted in a big surprise for the campus and its principal—and some very public recognition on a popular TV show.

Ellen DeGeneres, the host of the daytime talk show of the same name, heard about the district’s Homeless Outreach Center there through that broadcast, and her staff reached out to Principal Carlotta Brown to see if they could feature the school on the show.

That episode aired on Thursday, May 14, and during the segment, Brown was surprised with a $100,000 check to support campus programs and a $10,000 check for herself. (Watch the segment here.) Continue reading →

Six first- and second-graders to receive year-long Houston Ballet training

The Houston Ballet awarded ballet scholarships to six of the 25 Wainwright ES  first- and second-graders who were selected to participate in the organization’s “Chance to Dance” program. The ballet provided six weeks of classes, as well as transportation to their Center for Dance in downtown Houston.

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Young Audiences honors HISD high schools with arts awards

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Young Audiences of Houston’s celebrated their 59th year of providing arts education to the Houston area at their annual gala on May 7, where they presented Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy (YWCPA) and Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men (MLCPA) with 2015 Arts Empowerment Awards.

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Peck Elementary to get a big surprise on May 14 Ellen show

Tune in at 3 p.m. on KHOU-TV Channel 11 to find out what it is

A KHOU-TV Channel 11 news report that aired late last month on Peck Elementary School has resulted in a big surprise for the campus and its principal—and some public recognition on a popular TV show.

Ellen DeGeneres, the host of the daytime talk show of the same name, heard about the district’s Homeless Outreach Center housed there through that broadcast, and she reached out to Principal Carlotta Brown to see if she could feature the school on the show.

Tune in to Channel 11 (KHOU-TV) to The Ellen DeGeneres Show at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, to see what happened next—including the big surprise that will help Brown serve her students even better.