The restaurant chain Luby’s surprised a student with a $1,000 check on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men as an award for demonstrating outstanding character. Continue reading
Category Archives: Volunteers and partnerships
HISD, Neil Bush encourage Houstonians to give back by reading to students
Community asked to spend at least 30 minutes a week reading to a child
HISD and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation encouraged Houstonians to volunteer for the Read Houston Read literacy program in honor of ‘Giving Tuesday’ — a day specifically established to celebrate generosity and give back.
Brian Ching is the face of Read Houston Read in new public service announcement
The Houston Dynamo and Dash professional soccer teams are official sponsors of HISD’s Read Houston Read volunteer program, and their most visible face is helping to recruit reader-mentors.
Brian Ching, longtime star with the Dynamo and the U.S. Men’s National Team and now managing director of the Dash women’s team, has recorded a public service announcement seeking volunteers for Read Houston Read.
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Ching spent a day with students at The Rusk School near BBVA Compass Stadium, where the Dynamo and Dash play, to read with them and record the message. Continue reading
HISD volunteer receives state honor for his service to Jones High School
Pastor Eugene Jones was also recognized by Houston Ministers Against Crime in May for his volunteer efforts.
Earlier this year, the Rev. Eugene Jones was honored for his service to Houston’s school children work with the Charles Harding Senior Award during HISD’s annual salute to volunteers. Now, he is getting recognition at the state level as one of the Texas Board of Education’s 2014 Heroes for Children.
Each year, 15 Texans are selected by state board members and recognized for volunteering their time, talents and skills to help improve the public schools in their communities, and Rev. Jones was the only one from HISD to be selected. He was formally honored along with 14 other winners during a special ceremony held on Sept. 19, and his name will be engraved on a plaque that will be permanently displayed at the Texas Education Agency.
Waltrip HS senior wins car at Cool to Be Smart
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Nearly 2,000 HISD sophomores, juniors and seniors got together Sunday to let the world know it’s Cool to Be Smart. It also pays to be smart – many students left with prizes — and one senior won a brand new car.
The event honored students who have taken Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual language courses and their corresponding exams.
Books Between Kids seeks volunteers ASAP for book distribution parties
It’s not every day that one-time volunteers get assigned the best job in the house, but that’s exactly what will happen to philanthropists who sign up to help Books Between Kids later this month.
Between May 16 and 23, that organization will be hosting the celebrations that volunteers wait for eagerly all year—the book distributions at which thousands of HISD students get to pick out free books to take home forever. Four of the 32 participating campuses this year lack the volunteer corps necessary to adequately staff these exciting events—and now, they’re asking HISD for help.
HISD recognizes 2014’s top volunteers for ‘helping us grow’
This year’s honorees serve Bellaire, Jones, and four Montessori schools
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Each year, thousands of parents, businesses, and community partners support public education by volunteering their time on HISD campuses or engaging in other activities that contribute to the growth of the district. And every spring, HISD selects the top volunteers from among their ranks. Continue reading
HISD, Barbara Bush Foundation team up to tackle literacy crisis
The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation on Thursday unveiled a plan of action to boost literacy rates across people of all ages, and is partnering with the Houston Independent School District and other organizations to make literacy a top priority.
“We will not end the cycle of poverty until we end the cycle of low literacy,” said Bush Foundation President Julie Baker Finck in unveiling “Houston’s Literacy Crisis: A Blueprint for Community Action.”
“The blueprint’s purpose is to increase awareness of Houston’s prevalent literacy crisis, elevate literacy as a top priority, and mobilize the community into action,” she said.
The announcement follows the presentation of HISD’s comprehensive literacy plan – Literacy By 3 – to the Board of Education at a workshop last week. The plan engages students, teachers, parents, and community members around the goal of having every student reading with proficiency by Grade 3.
CANCELED: ‘Houston FAFSA Day’ training scheduled for Jan. 24
Did you know that high-school seniors who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are 90 percent more likely to attend college than those who don’t?
FAFSA gives students access to $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds made available by the federal government—and to get the word out, HISD is taking part in Houston FAFSA Day, a communitywide effort to help high school seniors and their families complete the application with confidence and ease.
Televisa Foundation to Help English Language Learners ‘Live the Dream’
Latina entertainer, neuroscientist kick off new partnership at Burbank MS
English language learners at HISD’s Burbank Middle School got a lesson in the importance of aiming for the stars recently, when a neuroscientist and a popular entertainer came to that campus.
Continue reading