Tag Archives: volunteer

Mother inspired by teacher son’s experiences to join Read Houston Read

Read Houston Read volunteer Susan Imre with her son John Lohmann, a social studies teacher at Wheatley High School.

Read Houston Read volunteer Susan Imre with her son John Lohmann, a social studies teacher at Wheatley High School.

The people who volunteer as Read Houston Read mentors do so for a variety of reasons. Some do it because they simply love teaching. Some do it because they have wonderful memories of enjoying books as young people and want to give that experience to other children. For Susan Imre, the reason is a bit more personal. Her adult son is a teacher at Wheatley High School, and she was inspired by the challenges he faces each day with students who struggle in the classroom. Continue reading →

Give the gift of literacy for #GivingTuesday Dec. 2

Volunteer to read with an HISD first-grader in person or virtually

Would you like to volunteer for Read Houston Read?

Sign up for Read Houston Read by clicking here. Show your support by downloading the attached badge and add it to your Facebook page or share it on Twitter.

Download Badge (.jpg)

It’s the time of year to give back, and as part of the national “Giving Tuesday” movement, HISD is asking Houstonians to sign up for Read Houston Read and give a struggling student some of their time—listening, caring, and sharing the joy of reading.

This year, Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving that encourages Americans to donate to a charitable organization, falls on Tuesday, Dec. 2. HISD is encouraging folks to spend a few moments of their time that day signing up to be a volunteer at www.readhoustonread.com. As part of the program, volunteers spend half an hour to an hour each week—either in person or virtually—mentoring a child and listening to them read aloud.

HISD is encouraging local businesses and corporations, as well as their central office employees, to sign up for the program. Many, like HISD Senior Executive Secretary Fatima Barnett, have already started mentoring students. Continue reading →

Hundreds volunteer at schools for Deloitte’s annual ‘Impact Day’

Class may be out for the summer, but three Houston ISD schools kept their doors open on Friday, June 7, 2013, as roughly 300 Deloitte employees poured in to beautify the campuses as part of the company’s annual ‘Impact Day’ service project. The Deloitte volunteers divided themselves between Wharton Elementary, Hamilton Middle, and Reagan High School and spent the day providing both aesthetic and functional improvements to the schools.

Continue reading →

23,000 Backpacks, 2,500 Uniforms: Back to School Fest, By the Numbers

HISD partnered with the City of Houston to host the Back to School Fest on August 11that Reliant Center. Here’s a look at the event and its impact:

  • More than 40,000 students and their families attended the event
  • 40 sponsors and 33 in-kind sponsors
  • An estimated 500 immunizations were administered to children
  • More than 500 individuals volunteered for this event
  • The event showcased 100 exhibitors
  • More than 23,000 backpacks with school supplies were distributed
  • 2,500 uniforms and 725 uniform vouchers were distributed
  • 52,049 pounds of food were distributed by the Houston Food Bank
  • 12 organizations/companies hosted school supply drives to support the Back To School Fest
  • 8,000 socks and underwear for children were distributed

Volunteers from North Highland Company to Spend Day Beautifying Milby High School

What: North Highland Company, a global consultant oil and natural gas service organization, is donating 65 volunteers for a Milby Beautification Day in support of the IPAA Milby Academy of Petroleum Exploration & Production Technology.  The volunteers have committed to 350 man hours to improve and refurbish the school grounds, courtyards, walkways and park benches. 

Who: HISD Board Member Manuel Rodriguez, Milby High School Principal Roy de la Garza, IPAA Academy Coordinator Sarah Hewitt, North Highland Company Vice President Clark Varner, volunteers, students and teachers

When: Saturday, April 28, starting at 8:00a.m.

Where: Milby High School, 1601 Broadway