Category Archives: Volunteers and partnerships

HISD recognizes top volunteers for being “shining stars”

The Houston Independent School District honored its top volunteers today during the annual Volunteers in Public Schools Recognition Reception.

Each year, the Volunteers in Public Schools program — more commonly referred to as VIPS — enlists thousands of parents, community members, business professionals, and youth who are willing to dedicate their time to support HISD students. Volunteers help in classrooms, libraries, media centers, clinics and school offices, serving as tutors, mentors, teacher partners, speakers, security patrols, chaperones, interpreters, and even cafeteria monitors.

The theme of this year’s reception is “Volunteers are Shining Stars.” Volunteers were nominated for awards in four different categories. Winners were selected from 12 finalists. Continue reading →

Rocket’s support of #BestSchoolDay campaign to benefit HISD’s Literacy By 3 movement

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HISD’s efforts to have students reading at or above grade level by the third grade got a huge boost on March 10, when DonorsChoose.org launched a surprise “flash-funding” campaign to support teachers’ classroom projects.

Hundreds of HISD educators stand to benefit from the #BestSchoolDay campaign, as Houston Rocket Dwight Howard announced his intent to fund every Houston-area, Pre-K-through-grade-2 teacher’s existing DonorsChoose.org request for books or reading materials during an appearance he made on the Stephen Colbert Show Thursday night.

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Smithsonian science study promises long-lasting benefits for HISD students

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HISD just completed a five-year study with the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), and the lessons learned from it will be benefitting HISD students for years to come.

The study evaluated the effectiveness of the SSEC’s Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) model of science instruction in three states, using an Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In HISD, the study followed approximately 9,500 students at 26 schools whose academic performance was monitored from 2011 through 2016.

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Five HISD schools recognized for their efforts to fight hunger

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Five different HISD schools were recently named “Champions off the Field” by the Souper Bowl of Caring for their efforts to fight hunger.

This annual food drive and fundraiser, which ran from Jan. 20 – Feb. 7, generated more than $9.9 million in donations nationally this year, a portion of which came from the 33 HISD schools that participated.

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Community partners help Rusk School students develop financial literacy

Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas works with Rusk students on the EverFi Vault software to develop financial literacy.

Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas works with Rusk students on the EverFi Vault software to develop financial literacy.

On March 3, BBVA Compass delivered some high-tech tools and some high-altitude NBA stars to HISD’s Rusk School to help the East-End STEM-magnet campus prepare its students to compete academically in the 21st century.

BBVA Compass, the official bank of the NBA, teamed up with Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas, bank brand ambassador and three-time NBA Champion Bruce Bowen, and other NBA greats such as Robert Horry and John Lucas at the school as part of the BBVA Compass Future Builders Program.

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Student Congress seeking volunteers, speakers for April 9 TEDxHISD

HISD’s Student Congress, in partnership with Rice University, will be conducting a TEDxHISD conference on April 9, 2016, and leaders of that organization are still seeking both volunteers and speakers.

TEDx are independently organized events designed to bring people together to share great ideas. The TEDxHISD event will take place from noon until 6 p.m. in the Anderson Bio Lab Lecture Hall 131 at Rice University (6100 Main Street, 77005). It is open to all HISD high-school students.

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Community partnership lets Pilgrim Academy students explore ‘Pathways to Law’

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Pilgrim Academy students pose with retired Jones Day attorney Jim Teater during a “Pathways to Law” exercise on Feb. 22.

Students at HISD’s Pilgrim Academy have been exploring the intricacies of the Fourth Amendment’s search-and-seizure clause as part of an ongoing partnership with the international Jones Day law firm.

Founded in 2013 by former Jones Day attorney Jim Teater (now retired), the “Pathways to Law” program is designed to help eighth-grade students develop a better understanding of the law and expose them to possible careers in the legal field.

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‘Eye on Houston’ exhibit showcases student photography

Detail of “Young Souls,” by Bellaire High School student Blanca Barrios. Image courtesy MFAH.

Detail of “Young Souls,” by Bellaire High School student Blanca Barrios. Image courtesy MFAH.

Art-loving Houstonians can see the world through the eyes of more than three dozen HISD students this spring, thanks to an exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) that is returning for its 21st year.

Formerly known as “Eye on Third Ward” and limited to photographs taken by Yates HS students, “Eye on Houston” formally opened on Jan. 12 this year in MFAH’s Audrey Jones Beck Building (5601 Main Street, 77005), and features photographs taken by 37 students from five different HISD campuses. Those students are all juniors or seniors at Bellaire, Chávez, Westside, and Yates high schools, or the Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center.

The exhibition will be on display through Sunday, May 1, 2016.

2016 State of the Schools luncheon to highlight ‘stars’ of HISD

2016SOTS_EnewsImageHISD’s annual State of the Schools luncheon will be taking place at the Hilton Americas Hotel on Thursday, March 3, and the theme for 2016 is “Ready for the World: Starring Team HISD.”

Attendees of this year’s event can expect to meet and mingle with some of the district’s biggest “stars,” including teachers of the year, nurses of the year, principals of the year, and even the city’s very first youth poet laureate (a member of HISD’s Class of 2016).

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FAFSA Roadshow brings financial aid support directly to students

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The library at Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center was overflowing with college financial aid information on Tuesday, Feb. 16, during HISD’s first-ever FAFSA Roadshow. Created jointly by three district departments — College Readiness, EMERGE, and College Access — the roadshow will travel to all HISD high schools to promote education and provide assistance in applying for scholarships, grants, and other types of financial aid.

“The purpose of today is to assist students in completing their TASFA or FAFSA, which is required in order for them to have some type of funding to pay for college,” said College Access Coordinator Kimberly Williams-Dooley. “Our students are doing a great job. We were very intentional about making sure our students had their documents in order.”

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