Martin Luther King Jr. oratory competition earns national, local attention


The performances of several HISD elementary school students who delivered original Martin Luther King Jr.-inspired speeches last week garnered praise from both local and national media outlets. ABC’s Good Morning America described the students’ speeches as “profound” and “impressive.”

The students’ speeches focused on the question, “What would Dr. King say in his campaign speech if he were running for president this year?” as part of the 20thannual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition sponsored by Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP.

Students from Cornelius, Pleasantville, Wainwright, and Whidby elementary schools were featured in news stories on the competition, thanking Dr. King for his service and legacy. Parts of their speeches also were highlighted on TV.

Cornelius fifth-grader Richard Espinoza-Garza, who won the competition, told ABC that Dr. King “meant we should all come together – all races, all cultures.”

Click the links below to view stories on HISD students participating in the oratory competition.

In Memoriam: Ann Sledge (1958–2016)

AnnSledge_TNAnn Sledge, a lifelong educator and former HISD administrator, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the age of 57.

Sledge was a much-loved member of Team HISD for more than 30 years, ascending from Title I coordinator and bilingual teacher in the 1980s to senior manager of leadership development by the time she resigned in 2013. During her tenure with the district, she also served as an assistant principal for five years, a principal for 13 years, an executive principal in the (former) West Region for six years, and a school support officer for one year.  Continue reading →

Show your appreciation on national ‘Thank Your Mentor Day’

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On Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, people of all ages will take time out of their busy schedules to show their appreciation during national “Thank Your Mentor Day.” The day, which occurs during National Mentoring Month, is reserved for giving thanks to all of the good Samaritans who provide guidance, advice, and encouragement to young people.

Many HISD students, both present and former, have been affected by one special person who gave of their time to improve the lives of others. Whether it was a teacher, principal, parent, or volunteer, if you are a current or former student whose life was changed for the better thanks to a mentor, share your story with us.

Leave a comment below, send us a tweet @HoustonISD, or go to our Facebook page and send a special shout-out to the person who helped shape your life. Use the hashtag #ThankYourMentor.

If you are looking to become a mentor to a student in HISD, please learn more about our Read Houston Read program. As a Read Houston Read volunteer, you can spend one hour a week, in person or online, reading and being read to by a beginning reader. If you are interested in other mentoring opportunities, contact the Volunteer in Public Schools (VIPS) department at 713-556-7020.

HISD joins U.S. Departments of Education, Health & Human Services to announce new initiative supporting healthy students, communities

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The Houston Independent School District and the U.S. Departments of Education and Health & Human Services joined forces Friday to encourage communities to link health and education services to better support students.

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier welcomed acting U.S. Secretary of Education John King and Health and Human Services Acting Deputy Secretary Mary Wakefield to Sharpstown High School, a model for health and education collaboration.

While there, they toured the campus-based Memorial Hermann clinic and Apollo Market — which provides free food, health screenings, and community resources to students and their families — and participated in a roundtable discussion. Continue reading →

HISD, UH offer free tuition to students who choose to get degree in education, work in HISD

The Houston Independent School District and University of Houston are joining forces to offer a new teacher preparation program that aims to bring HISD’s brightest students back into the classroom upon their college graduation.

Through the Teach Forward Houston fellowship program, HISD graduates interested in obtaining a degree in education are eligible for free tuition at University of Houston in exchange for teaching four years in HISD after graduation. Continue reading →

For third time, a Cornelius ES student wins Martin Luther King Jr. oratory competition

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For the third time in a row, a student from Cornelius Elementary School has taken home the top prize at the Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition. Fifth-grader Richard Espinoza-Garza was all smiles as he took center stage to claim his prize. Now in its 20th year in Houston, the annual competition is sponsored by Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP.

Principal Karen Jackson attributed her school’s three-year winning streak to a combination of strong support and a positive campus culture. “We are highly competitive and demand excellence from our kids in everything we do,” said Jackson. “We have a speech coach, and every winner from our campus has had over-the-top parental support.”

This year, 12 finalists answered the question, “What would Dr. King say in his campaign speech if he were running for president this year?” Continue reading →

HISD’s Procurement department honored for excellence in public procurement

HISD’s Procurement Services Department has been recognized for excellence in public procurement after a rigorous application process through the National Institute of Government Purchasing’s Institute for Public Procurement.

Specifically, HISD achieved OA4 Accreditation, which recognizes excellence in public procurement by establishing a body of standards that should be in place for a solid purchasing operation and the demonstration of best practices.

Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education approves resolution beginning process of renaming certain schools

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved a resolution that formally begins the process of renaming four schools in order to represent the values and diversity of the school district, in accordance with the district’s non-discrimination policies.

The resolution affects Henry Grady, Richard Dowling and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson middle schools, and Lee High School. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education elects new officers

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted Thursday to name Trustee Manuel Rodriguez as its new president.

Rodriguez has served on the HISD Board of Education since 2003.

Trustees also voted to elect new board officers: Wanda Adams, First Vice President; Diana Dávila, Second Vice President; Jolanda Jones, Secretary; and Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Assistant Secretary. Continue reading →