Category Archives: Achievement/Recognition

Burbank MS student wins scholarship to summer math camp

Shermya Parkere poses with Principal Rosa Hernandez (L) and teacher Olivia Holub

Shermya Parkere poses with Principal Rosa Hernandez (L) and teacher Olivia Holub

Shermya Parkere, a seventh-grader at Burbank Middle School, is one of one two middle-school students in the State of Texas to win a Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) scholarship to attend the Summer Mathematics Institute (SMI).

The program is sponsored by the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science at the University of North Texas. Shermya will live on the college campus and meet other gifted students who share her passion for mathematics. She learned of the opportunity to apply for the scholarship from her math teacher, Olivia Holub.

“I was really surprised and excited,” said Shermya, who plans to pursue a medical career as an obstetrician. “This experience will look great on my applications next year, when I apply to high schools.”

The institute is a three-week residential program with an intense focus on mathematics. Students enroll in a single class and have the opportunity to complete one year of high school mathematics in this self-paced program.

Thanks to the generosity of Summer Mathematics Institute, the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented (TAGT) has awarded the full scholarships to the SMI program, valued at $2,250.

Nutrition Services honored with the No Kid Hungry Breakfast Champion Award

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HISD’s Nutrition Services Department was presented with the No Kid Hungry Breakfast Champion Award, sponsored by Share Our Strength during a pep rally event on Wednesday at Marshall Middle School. The department provides the First Class Breakfast program, offered in more than 240 locations districtwide.

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Submit nominations for HISD School Nurse of the Year by April 17

Do you know a great nurse at a Houston ISD school? Nominate him or her for the district’s 2014-2015 School Nurse of the Year award!

Nominees must have at least five years of experience as a school nurse and spend at least 50 percent of their time caring directly for students.

Anyone can make a nomination by submitting a form (.pdf) and a letter of support. Applications are due by April 17.

The nominee will need to submit his or her resume, a PowerPoint of no more than 10 slides that includes photos of them interacting with students, an essay describing their personal strengths, and letters of recommendation.

For more information, contact the Health and Medical Services department at 713-556-7280. Also see this related flyer (.pdf) on five ways nurse benefit schools.

HISD elementary school receives $50,000 grant for smart boards, books

Bruce Elementary School was selected this week to receive a $50,000 grant from the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children, an organization that provides educational resources to underfunded schools in urban and rural communities.

Bruce Elementary was one of nine schools from across the country to receive the grant, which will be used to purchase interactive whiteboards and nonfiction books for existing classroom libraries to boost literacy through student engagement and teacher effectiveness.

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Top Business Operations employees enjoy ‘Breakfast with Leo’

As part of the Business Operations Team’s Service Excellence initiative, each of the five divisions designates an Employee of the Month to recognize outstanding performance and excellent customer service. This week, the five Employees of the Month for April had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast with HISD’s Chief Operating Officer, Leo Bobadilla.

(From left to right): Maria J. Smith, Kathy Sterbanz, Leo Bobadilla, Loretta Galaviz, Delia Garcia and Officer Rick Evans

(From left to right): Maria J. Smith, Kathy Sterbanz, Leo Bobadilla, Loretta Galaviz, Delia Garcia, and Officer Rick Evans.

“I really enjoy this event and being able to show my appreciation for such great work,” Bobadilla said.  “We have a great team, and the recognition is well-deserved.”

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Scholars Banquet recognizes 90-plus high school seniors at top of their class

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The Houston Independent School District paid tribute to the top students from each high school’s graduating class during the annual Scholars Banquet on April 7.

In addition to their outstanding academic achievements, these 96 valedictorians and salutatorians have garnered more than $2 million year-to-date in scholarship and financial aid offers.

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Westside HS students win Cooking Up Change competition for second time

CookingUpChangeThree students representing Westside High School’s Culinary Arts Program won grand champion for the second year in a row at the Cooking Up Change Culinary Competition held on March 28.

Jalien Noel, Jose Acosta, and Briseida Salas wowed judges with a Cajun chicken with black bean hoppin’ John, Texas cabbage and greens, and pineapple turnover. Their winning meal will be featured on next school year’s high school lunch menu. The team will also travel to Washington, D.C. in June to represent Texas in the national Cooking Up Change competition against more than ten teams from across the nation.

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HISD juniors awarded grant to visit Great Britain this summer

Four HISD students will travel free to Great Britain this summer, thanks to the British Foundation of Texas’s (BAFTX) Junior Achievers award. The students will travel for nearly two weeks learning about British culture.

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‘Roses and Knights’ take first place in robotics tournament

Students from Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy and Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy won the National Society of Black Engineers’ inaugural National VEX Robotics Championship this past weekend in Anaheim, California.

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