Category Archives: College Readiness

HISD student wins corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship

Thao_LamA Houston Independent School District student is among more than 1,000 high school seniors from across the country to be selected to win a corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship award.

Thao T. Lam of DeBakey High School for Health Professions received a $2,500 corporate-sponsored scholarship from The Novartis Group, a leading manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and health-care products. Lam plans to attend the University of Miami and later work in pediatrics. Continue reading

Interim superintendent stresses ties between industry and education during East End Chamber symposium 

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“It’s so important that our students today have more than the basic education,” HISD Interim Superintendent Ken Huewitt told attendees at the fourth annual Houston East End Chamber of Commerce Education Symposium: Building an Effective Workforce. “They are entering a global market, and that means they must be bilingual and bi-literate.”

As breakfast keynote speaker, Huewitt began by highlighting industry partnerships between HISD schools and East End businesses, including the Energy Institute and BP; Chavez High School and NASA; Austin High School and maritime businesses; and the Rusk School and Baylor College of Medicine.

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HISD, mayor to recognize 100-plus seniors headed to nation’s top tier colleges, universities

The Houston Independent School District along with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will recognize 164 graduating scholars headed to the nation’s top-tier colleges and universities during the third annual EMERGE Senior Celebration on Thursday.

Through EMERGE, scholars from 28 high schools have earned the distinction this year of being accepted to colleges and universities including Yale, Harvard, Rice, Brown, Stanford, Smith, Dartmouth, Duke, Wake Forest, Northeastern, Pomona, and  Boston University.

The EMERGE program aims to help low-income, high-potential students gain admission to and graduate from Ivy League and other top tier colleges and universities across the nation. The EMERGE scholars will be recognized for their dedication and hard work during a banquet scheduled for Thursday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Rice University in the Tudor Fieldhouse. Mayor Turner is scheduled to speak at the program along with HISD Interim Superintendent Ken Huewitt. Continue reading

Trustee Dávila to host Family Learning Academy on college readiness  

HISD Trustee Diana Dávila has partnered with the Family Learning Academy and the College Readiness Department to host the District VIII Parent Summit on College Readiness on Wednesday, May 4.

The free event will take place at Jackson Middle School (5100 Polk St., Houston, TX 77023) from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and will connect families with resources to help with their children’s post-secondary plans.

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HISD to celebrate College Signing Day as part of White House education initiative

The Houston Independent School District will commemorate national College Signing Day on Tuesday, April 26 by encouraging high school seniors to tout their college acceptance letters and wear college paraphernalia as part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Better Make Room and Reach Higher initiatives to celebrate education.

HISD will host its College Signing Day event at Austin High School, where more than 300 high school seniors will be recognized for their academic excellence. The event will bring together students, administrators, teachers, school counselors and parents to celebrate seniors who are headed to college, thanks to academic scholarships. Many of the students will be the first in their families to attend college. Continue reading

Carnegie Vanguard ranked 10th best high school in nation

Carnegie Vanguard High School has been ranked as the 10th best high school in the country, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best High Schools rankings.

Three additional Houston Independent School District schools were ranked in the top 100 — DeBakey High School for Health Professions, which was ranked 29th, Eastwood Academy, which came in at the 50th spot, and Challenge Early College High School, which was ranked 78th. Continue reading

7 HISD schools named winners of SAT promotional campaigns

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Representative from HISD’s College Readiness department and The College Board spent most of Friday driving across Houston to surprise 11th-grade students at seven high schools who were named winners of the School Day Incentive program.

The purpose of the program is to increase student participation and scores for the School Day SAT on April 12, thereby increasing student access to higher education and money for college. Two contests were introduced through the incentive: the You Khan Do It Scholarship and the Best SAT Campaign Ever. Students were encouraged to participate in taking the SAT for a chance to earn scholarships toward college-bound materials or activities.

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On SAT School Day, juniors can take test for free during school hours

Thousands of HISD high school juniors will have the opportunity to take the SAT college admissions test during normal school hours, free of charge, on Tuesday, April 12 during SAT School Day.

SAT School Day takes place in both the fall and spring, offering students the chance to experience firsthand what it’s like to take the SAT in the familiar surroundings of their own school, thus reducing test anxiety.

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HISD Scholars Banquet to recognize 90-plus high school seniors at top of their class

The Houston Independent School District will pay tribute next week to the top students from each high school’s graduating class during the annual Scholars Banquet.

In addition to their outstanding academic achievements, these 98 valedictorians and salutatorians have garnered more than $10 million year-to-date in scholarship and financial aid offers.

The students will be recognized for their dedication and hard work during the banquet, which will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 at The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria, 5011 Westheimer Road. Continue reading

55 HISD students from seven schools named National Merit finalists

Fifty-five seniors from seven Houston Independent School District high schools have qualified as finalists in the 61st annual National Merit Scholarship Program and will now vie for more than $32 million in college scholarships.

The students are among about 15,000 from across the country to advance to the finalist level, allowing them the opportunity to continue in the academic competition. Continue reading