Catherine Smith
Two HISD educators, Catherine Smith and Madelyn Traylor, were recently honored as “Houston’s Hometown Champion” after winning the most votes in a national social-media contest sponsored by Radio One/News One.
The contest is held annually in each of the company’s major markets, and Smith and Traylor were recognized as the joint Houston winner this year for their “extreme work in the community” and for their efforts to improve the lives of others.
The Black College Expo is making its return to Houston on Saturday, and many HISD middle and high school students are taking advantage of higher education opportunities days before the big event.
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College recruiters and representatives from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Power Center (12401 South Post Oak Road, 77045) to provide students and parents with one-on-one counseling, as well as scholarship and financial aid information. HISD students and parents can attend the event for free.
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Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, among HISD’s oldest school buildings, will undergo a $27.1 million renovation/addition that will expand learning spaces throughout the current building and add modern science and technology labs to enhance STEM curriculum.
Plans are in place to preserve much of the historic building, as well as the facade, and transform what now are three separate buildings into one cohesive structure.
Editor’s Note: Black History Month runs from Monday, Feb. 1, through Monday, Feb. 29, this year, and HISD is celebrating with a series of weekly stories recognizing distinguished African Americans who graduated from HISD high schools. This article focuses on alumni who went on to have successful careers in radio, television, and film. Previous articles highlight athletes, artists, and politicians.
HISD has produced a number of notable African-American graduates who have established successful careers in radio, television, and film. Before making their names in the industry, though, they got their start in district communications programs.
Kim Gagné
Television producer and Yates High School graduate Kim Gagné (1982) is a two-time Daytime Emmy award winner who won for her work as a supervising producer for the Steve Harvey show. She also won a regional Emmy for her time with Houston’s KHOU-TV. Gagné got her start as a student in the Yates School of Communications. In her “I Am HISD” profile, she discusses the skills she learned while at Yates.
“While I was in the Yates magnet program, I realized that what I wanted to do with my life was possible,” said Gagné. “I thought, ‘This is not crazy. I can achieve this.’ The magnet school was in its infancy, and the teachers were so dedicated. We learned about TV, radio, film, and photography. It was pretty amazing. I had the best experience and made lifelong friends.”
Roland Martin, who also graduated from Yates (1987), is best known as a nationally syndicated columnist, a TV One cable-network commentator, and host of “News One Now,” a one-hour weekday news show. He is also a former CNN analyst and was named by Ebony magazine as one of the 150 most influential African Americans in the U.S. in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
During a visit with Yates students, Martin remembers that it all began in high school. “The foundation of what I do, everything related to communications, actually began at HISD and Yates,” he said. “That has been my passion since I was 14 years old, and I certainly want the school to continue with its strong and vibrant communications program.”
Other distinguished African Americans in radio, television, and film who graduated from HISD schools include Ralph Cooper (Worthing HS, 1966, radio), Rosalind Jordan (Jones HS, 1984, journalist), and Sherri Williams (Lamar HS, 1990, journalist).
Join the conversation! Do you know other distinguished alumni who graduated from HISD schools? If so, tell us about them on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #HISDBlackHistory.
The Houston Independent School District named its top campus leaders on Thursday during surprise visits made to the winning schools — Bush Elementary School and Lanier Middle School.
Bush Principal Theresa Rose was named HISD’s Elementary Principal of the Year, and Lanier Principal Felicia Adams was selected as HISD’s Secondary Principal of the Year.
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Rose and Adams were among 15 elementary and 21 secondary principals vying for the distinction of HISD Principal of the Year. They learned of the award during surprise visits made on Feb. 18 to their respective campuses by HISD Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Ken Huewitt.
“I am so proud of our principals and thrilled to have the chance to recognize them for all their hard work and dedication,” Huewitt said. “Effective principals are absolutely critical to ensuring the success of both students and teachers.”
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School construction is progressing at a record pace in HISD, and if you’ve spent any time driving in district neighborhoods recently, you have probably spotted one or more of our schools under construction.
With fifteen projects currently in the construction phase, that’s more active construction than at any other time in the district’s history. Many of these projects are well into vertical construction, and visible progress can be seen almost daily.
Check out these latest photos taken the second week of February.
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As the district moves forward with implementation of the $1.89 billion bond program, which was approved by Houston voters in 2012, the bond team expects to have signed construction contracts on an additional six schools by the end of the first quarter of 2016, and nearly all the remaining projects will be bid by the end of 2016.
Phase 1 of the Worthing project will be complete by summer. Schools on track to open in time for the start of the 2016-2017 school year include Condit Elementary, Mark White Elementary, North Houston Early College High School, South Early College High School, Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School, and (non-bond) North Forest Early Childhood Center.
The bond program, which will rebuild or renovate 40 schools, including 29 high schools, also includes improvements to district-wide athletics facilities, middle school restroom renovations and significant technology upgrades. HISD is also building some non-bond funded schools: North Forest High School, North Forest Early Childhood Center and the Energy Institute High School.
More information on HISD Building Programs
Editor’s Note: Black History Month runs from Monday, Feb. 1, through Monday, Feb. 29, this year, and HISD is celebrating with a series of weekly stories recognizing distinguished African Americans who graduated from district high schools. This third article focuses on alumni who went on to have successful careers in the fine arts. The first and second articles spotlighted professional athletes, and lawmakers/politicians (respectively). Others will feature educators and those with careers in radio, TV, and film.
HISD has a wealth of African-American alumni with talent in the performing and visual arts — and many of these distinguished graduates have chosen to share their gifts with later generations of students.
On Feb. 8, 1926, Jack Yates High School opened its doors as the second campus for children of color in the city of Houston. Ninety years later, Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a proclamation announcing Feb. 9, 2016, as “Jack Yates Senior High School Day.”
Since its opening, the school has been a launching pad for world-renowned artists, athletes, politicians, and other figures. The school was named after a formerly enslaved reverend, who became an influential leader in Houston’s Fourth Ward.
99-year-old Maxine Williams, Yates alumna
“A lot of good things came out of Yates,” said Carolyn Simples, president of the Fabulous Fifties Yates alumni group, whose crimson and gold attire brought a celebratory mood at City Hall. “And [they] are still coming out of Yates.”
One such product, 99-year-old alumna Maxine Williams, was present for the event. So, too, were 50 current Yates government students, hoping to witness the ceremony. They had the opportunity — through Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and the help of Yates alumni and city attorney Arva Howard — to see the proclamation process from beginning to end.
“To get our kids involved and understand how government works, and get them involved in the process…for me, personally, it’s kind of a highlight of the year,” said Yates Principal Kenneth Davis. “Having a historically black school that receives a proclamation — this is something they’ll always have and remember in the future. It’s part of their history as well.”
To see a sampling of Yates’ distinguished alumni, please visit the district’s Alumni channel.
Thompson ES students display some of the items they received from President Barack Obama.
When Brenda Mays’ class at HISD’s Thompson Elementary School sent individual holiday greeting cards to President Barack Obama last December, they didn’t really expect to hear back from him. But when the students began opening their mailboxes late last month, they were astonished to discover he hadn’t just responded to their letters; he had sent them each a care package, too.
Each package contained a variety of materials, such as photos of the president and his family (including dogs Bo and Sunny), personal letters addressed to the students by name, and fact sheets about Obama’s family, the White House, and the importance of eating healthy and exercising.
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Of the eight schools that advanced to the Elite Eight, only the Final Four remained standing on Feb. 5, during the Read to the Final Four Literacy Competition pep rally at the University of Houston’s (UH) Hofheinz Pavilion.
After an activity-filled morning that included a dance-off, a science experiment by UH professor Dr. Simon Bott, and lots of cheering (assisted by the UH cheerleaders), the Final Four schools were announced. They are:
“It was so much fun!” said third-grader Braniya Banks, from top team Dogan Elementary. “All of Dogan helped us log our time to win.”
The Read to the Final Four Literacy Competition began in the fall of 2015, with 6,800 third-graders participating. Since that time, they have logged 6.4 million minutes of reading and, according to the Houston Public Library, checked out more than 5,000 books from its shelves.
Approximately 800 students attended the pep rally, which aimed not just to inspire the students, but to reward them as well for all of their hard work.
The top reader from each of the 68 participating schools will receive a bicycle, courtesy of CYCLE (Changing Young Children’s Lives through Education). The winning school will also receive a monetary award.
“This is a great event,” said Rachel Quan, vice president of External Operations for the Final Four Houston Local Organizing Committee. “It’s the culmination of a lot of different partnerships with the Final Four and the local organizing committee, the NCAA, the Houston Public Library, Cycle, UH and, of course, HISD. There’s a lot of folks involved in seeing that these third-graders get more excited about reading.”
The remaining four schools will continue competing until the final event in April, when the top school will be announced. Students at the other 64 schools should not stop reading, though, as there may be additional prizes for the top individual readers.
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