The big hitters of Major League Baseball (MLB) will be gathering together at Target Field in Minnesota next month for the All-Star Game, and one HISD teacher could be appearing there as well, after being named a finalist in the organization’s All Star Teachers program.
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Category Archives: High Schools
Class of 2014 scholarship/financial aid offers top $250M
Scholarship offers and financial aid awards for the Class of 2014 are still coming in, but this year’s graduating seniors have already shattered last year’s record by more than $69 million.
Westbury HS band raising money for Pro Football Hall of Fame trip
Westbury High School has been invited to march in the Pro Football Hall of Fame parade in Canton, Ohio, in August, but the musicians and dancers need a bit of help to pay for the trip.
The band was invited because former student and athlete Michael Strahan, who now hosts Live with Kelly and Michael and contributes to Good Morning America, is being inducted this year in recognition of his 15-year career with the New York Giants.
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Westside HS students compete at national Cooking Up Change competition
They didn’t win any official prizes at the recent Cooking Up Change competition, but for the three Westside High School students who participated in the event, the experience of making it to the national finals in Washington, D.C. was its own reward.
“It’s a huge achievement, not only for our school, but for our state,” said student Barrosha Boykin, who participated in the finals on June 9 with fellow rising seniors Santiago Castañeda and Andrew Winkle.
Eastwood Academy design develops with collegiate model in mind
Eastwood Academy students want their new building to feel more like a college campus with learning commons where students can study independently and lounge with friends.
“Many school buildings look plain and boring,” said Eastwood student Rosemary Lugo. “I would like to see them bridge our building together almost like a mini-college with learning commons for students to hang out or read books by themselves.”
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Computer simulation is helping teachers refine instructional methods
Teachers at eight different HISD schools have been spending more time with avatars this spring—but it’s not because they’re playing on FarmVille, The Sims, or Second Life.
Instead, these educators have been fine-tuning their instructional skills using TeachLivE, a pilot program in which flesh-and-blood teachers deliver actual lessons to virtual students in a computer-simulated classroom. The students are programmed to respond in real time to the actions of the teacher, so instructors can identify ways to improve their lessons almost immediately.
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EMERGE students tour nine top-tier universities in four days
In what can be described as a super-charged dose of college “realness,” EMERGE students from 15 HISD high schools completed a whirlwind tour of some of the top colleges and universities in the nation in only four days, from June 1-4. More than 80 sophomores and juniors toured Tufts, Harvard, MIT, Clark, Brandeis, Stonehill, Brown, Boston College and Northeastern University, talked to current students and found out what it takes to get in…and stay in.
Students, many of whom will be the first in their family to attend college or university, had the chance to eat in the dining halls with current Ivy Leaguers, attend panels on subjects such the role of cultural centers on academic success, and even engage in time-honored traditions such as “painting the cannon” at Tufts University. They also received advice from current students and admissions counselors on financial aid and the affordability of higher education.
More importantly, the trip gave many high-schoolers a renewed sense of purpose. “Knowing that I have a real chance of attending one of these amazing schools, such as Harvard or Tufts, has created a sense a hope that I didn’t have three days ago,” said junior Giovanna DeLeon. “Realizing that our economic background is not something that needs to define us or whether or not we should or can go to college is powerful.”
The EMERGE program encourages and prepares talented HISD students from underserved communities to successfully attend and graduate from Ivy League and other top-tier colleges.
HISD will soon be launching an EMERGE blog to highlight these students’ journeys throughout the next year. In the meantime, you can read the first few entries from Day 1 and Day 2, and visit the HISD News blog at https://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/ for regular updates. You can also follow the students on Twitter using the hashtag #EMERGETour.
Pomp and circumstance for Class of 2014: 48 hours, 40 HISD graduations
Houston ISD’s Class of 2014 is big – the graduates attend a total of 42 high schools. In less than 48 hours between Friday and Sunday, the district held 40 graduation ceremonies.
Team HISD made sure that each ceremony was special for the graduates and their families. The district used 10 facilities across the city, including Reliant Arena, Reliant Stadium, and the George R. Brown Convention Center, to accommodate all of the celebrations.
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2013-2014 annual Board of Education student awards
Each year the Board of Education recognizes distinguished seniors from HISD high schools in recognition of their total accomplishments exemplified by their character, academic achievement, leadership, and service. Selection is made by a school committee appointed by the principal and the award is presented by the board trustee during commencement exercises. An outstanding young man and young woman are selected as well as up to five honorable mention students from each high school. This year’s recipients are:
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Going to graduation ceremonies? Here’s important info and schedules
Thousands of Houston ISD seniors will receive their high school diplomas during 42 ceremonies at 12 locations throughout the district beginning at 7 p.m. today (May 30) and continuing through June 8. The schedule is available here.