Heights HS valedictorian accepted to 10 top universities

The list of prestigious universities that want to enroll Heights High School valedictorian Emily Ramirez is impressive—Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Duke, Stanford, Wellesley, Pomona, and Rice.

Emily has decided on Harvard, however, partly because her sister is finishing her sophomore year there now. Since attending Harvard Elementary School, it has been a dream of hers to attend Harvard University.

The numerous acceptances have taken the sting out of her disappointment regarding an abbreviated senior year and graduation ceremony that is up in the air.

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Scarborough valedictorian looking forward to in-person classes at Notre Dame

Benjamin Brown has adjusted to his new online classroom routine but says he would prefer to go back to in-person classes to utilize his “full potential.”

Benjamin wakes up 30 minutes prior to his first virtual class, has breakfast, and logs into the portal where the class will take place. Afterward, he immediately gets started on the work for his dual credit and high school classes.

“One of the two of the main challenges I am experiencing with virtual schooling is waking up on time,” he said. “The second is definitely an increase in the amount of work from my dual credit classes.”

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Westbury valedictorian grateful for friends, family, teachers’ help

Maria Rosas Rosas always looks on the bright side. Despite her disappointment at not seeing her friends and family at graduation, she is feeling proud.

“Being a virtual valedictorian doesn’t feel that different from being a valedictorian walking the halls at Westbury,” Maria said. “Apart from the uncertainty surrounding graduation, I am proud of myself and my accomplishments. I know my friends, teachers, and family are also proud of me. That is all I really need.

“Like everyone else, I can’t help but feel disappointed by the way the school year is ending. We have been working so hard the past four years and expected to see ourselves walking across the stage, receiving our diplomas, and sharing some tears. Now that is gone. Although it’s depressing, I believe it will make our next meeting more memorable..”

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Waltrip HS valedictorian ready for future in finance

For Yash Shahi, being Waltrip High School’s Class of 2020 virtual valedictorian feels just as good as if school were in session.  

“Nothing has changed – it still feels great,” he said. “I am so happy that I was announced valedictorian before school closed.” 

Despite the physical distance, Yash has found innovative ways to help his fellow students with the transition to virtual learning.

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Milby HS valedictorian looks forward to next chapter

Mariela Banda was looking forward to celebrating the end of her high school years in person with her classmates at Milby High School.

“Being a virtual valedictorian is unfortunate since we will not be able to fully close this chapter of our lives before we continue with the next one,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking not to be able to share the joy of graduation with my class. Instead, we have to worry about the future. Being a virtual valedictorian is both challenging and stressful, but I feel certain my class will continue to move forward.”

Mariela is still reaching out to motivate members of her senior class.

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Despite missing classmates, Energized for STEM Academy valedictorian embraces innovation

Although he is more of a “face-to-face person,” Energized for STEM Academy valedictorian Michael Duru is excited to be at the top of his class during this time of virtual learning.

Michael Duru

“The circumstances under which this is happening aren’t great, but I feel somewhat special to be part of something that has never happened before.” Duru said.

A natural leader, Michael encourages his fellow students to participate in the online school environment by joining in virtual class discussions.

“I’ve been able to help lead my class by reaching out to other students via text and being as active as possible in class group chats,” he said. “I welcome this change as a way to stay connected with my peers and encourage them to finish the year strong.”

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HISD celebrates special day to honor principals

National School Principals Day is Friday, May 1, and although HISD schools are closed, principals remain on the job supporting their staffs and students during the transition to distance learning.

For their hard work, leadership, and dedication to children during this unprecedented challenge, HISD is recognizing the district’s outstanding campus leaders as schools navigate the COVID-19 crisis and ensure that academic greatness continues to be held to the highest standard for all children.

HISD encourages students, teachers, parents, and all HISD staff to thank and recognize our campus leaders. Please share on social media what makes your principal an outstanding leader using the hashtag #HISDPrincipalsDay.

‘Get Emoji-tional’ to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4 through 8, and it’s a time for our staff, students, parents, and community to recognize our teachers.

For Teacher Appreciation Week, HISD is launching a fun campaign called “Get Emoji-tional” so we can share the love 😍 for our teachers on social media. Each day, share emojis as well as videos, photos and special messages with the hashtag #ThankAnHISDTeacherto show your support for teachers.

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New food distribution sites identified for Saturday and week of May 4

Food distribution efforts led by the Houston Independent School District in partnership with the Houston Food Bank will continue this Saturday at NRG Stadium and throughout next week at 25 campus sites throughout the district.

The Saturday event at NRG is the third mass community food distribution.  The site is expected to distribute 10,000 food packages — each weighing 80 to 100 pounds — in about five hours. To accommodate the increase, the site will open from 2 to 7 p.m.

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Kinder HSPVA receives three Tommy Tune Awards for ‘The Color Purple’

Two HISD students receive scholarships 

HISD’s Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts received three Tommy Tune Awards for its production of “The Color Purple” in the annual competition, which celebrates the educational value and excellence of high school musical theatre in the Greater Houston area.

The awards were announced during a first-of-its-kind online presentation on Facebook and YouTube on Tuesday night. The show featured Broadway, television and film stars along with production and theatrical professionals from across the nation.

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