HISD students discover college options at NACAC Houston National College Fair

HISD students and parents from 20 high schools across the district gathered at NRG Arena on Tuesday morning for the NACAC Houston National College Fair, where admissions representatives from nearly 240 colleges and universities were on hand.

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“There are a lot of colleges right now that I’m interested in, and it’s good to see all of the colleges out in one place,” said Energy Institute High School student Jacob Guerrero.

The fair, which is organized by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, provides information about national and international schools, public and private universities, two-year and four-year programs, admissions requirements, and financial aid. More than 6,000 students from the Houston area were able to receive information on financial aid, scholarships, virtual campus tours, and advice on writing college essays.

“I really liked the fair, and I think it’s diverse,” said Ebony Edwards, an 11th-grade student at Yates High School. “It’s a good atmosphere for students to come around and see different colleges to see what each offers.”

Students will have three more opportunities to attend college fairs before the end of the month: the Houston Hispanic Forum’s College & Career Day (Feb. 13), the National Hispanic College Fair (Feb. 15), and the Black College Expo (Feb. 27). For details, please see this related article.

HISD assistant superintendent named ‘Educator of the Year’ by LULAC

Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo

Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo

Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo has been named “Educator of the Year” for 2016 by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council 402. The assistant superintendent of HISD’s Family and Community Engagement Department will be formally recognized during the council’s annual scholarship gala on Feb. 17.

“I am humbled by this honor from LULAC Council 402, a group that has been distinguished by its historic service to our community and its commitment to education,” said Dr. Arredondo. “I am also quite humbled to have been included on this list. Past honorees are all life-long educators who deeply value parents and caregivers. They not only welcome them to be part of their child’s education, but view it as a privilege and the highest honor to provide a high-quality education to all students. They also understand that despite the gains that we’ve made, too many children are not achieving their maximum potential, and it is our duty as a whole community to alter those conditions, using every possible opportunity we have from cradle to career.”

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Pilgrim Academy sweeps advanced category at TCEA robotics competition

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On Jan. 30, six teams from HISD’s Pilgrim Academy competed in the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Area 4 Robotics Competition — and three of those teams took home top honors when they swept the Advanced Arena Division for middle- and high-school students.

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Briarmeadow students change lives of Cambodian amputees through IB project

Briarmeadow Charter School students raised enough money at this bake sale to buy prosthetic limbs for two Cambodian amputees.

Briarmeadow Charter School students raised enough money at this bake sale to buy prosthetic limbs for two Cambodian amputees.

Two Cambodian amputees are now enjoying a better quality of life due to increased mobility, after students at HISD’s Briarmeadow Charter School completed a project that provided them with new prostheses.

Hea Yoeung, who lost her lower left leg in a motorcycle accident, and Dork Savorn, who lost his lower right leg after stepping on a landmine during a soccer game, both have new artificial limbs, thanks to a donation of $600 from the school’s first-graders. The students raised the money during a single bake sale, after learning about the needs of amputees around the world.

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Virtual welding trainer gives students real-world experience

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Students from Milby High School’s welding program now have access to a state-of-the-art virtual-reality arc-welding training simulator. The computer-based training system is an educational tool designed to supplement traditional welding training. The VRTEX® 360 allows students to practice their welding techniques in a simulated environment that is just like being on the job. The machine is suitable for students studying everything from basic to advanced welding.

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Thompson ES students reach out to president…and he responds

Thompson ES students display some of the items they received from President Barack Obama.

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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Grant opportunities still available for eco-campus partnership with Taiwan

The National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA program is looking for HISD schools interested in joining the third year of their USA-Taiwan Eco-Campus Partnership Program.

The program, designed and coordinated by the NWF, U.S. Environmental Program and EPA Taiwan, matches schools in the United States directly with sister schools in Taiwan to work together on a global level to address environmental- or sustainability-related issues.

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Westbury HS staff tells students why they are inspirational

The world is full of stories about teachers who have inspired their students to reach for greatness.

But at HISD’s Westbury High School, campus staff members have turned the tables. Faculty and administrators alike have been stopping Westbury pupils in the hallways to share the many ways they feel inspired by these students to come to school every day and continue the work they do in public education.

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New classroom wing at Grady MS is open for learning

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Grady Middle School students stepped inside their new $14.8 million classroom wing today – the first day of classes in the new building. With natural light streaming into classrooms and shared collaborative spaces, and flexible furniture placed throughout, the new wing truly reflects a modern learning environment.

The addition completes the multi-phase master plan for the campus that was begun with funds from the 2007 bond. The building features a core classroom wing with 24 classrooms, six science labs, six learning commons, and three administrative suites. Student capacity at the school is now expanded from 580 to 850 students.

HISD to celebrate Year of the Monkey with two weekend events

Students at Kolter ES perform during a 2015 Lunar New Year celebration.

Students at Kolter ES perform during a 2015 Lunar New Year celebration.

Monday, Feb. 8, marks the beginning of a new lunar year in many cultures, and to observe the occasion, HISD will be hosting two celebrations in partnership with the Confucius Institute.

The first will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School (6300 Avenue B, 77401), while the second has been scheduled for 6–8 p.m. at Westside High School (14201 Briar Forest, 77077).

Both are free and open to the public.