Past Winners

Superintendent's Award Winners— Spring 2025

Bianca Aguilar, Matthew Wall, Elijah Shelton, Leonardo Garcia, Sophia Rodriguez, Kaitlyn Macey,

Gabrielle Walker, Celeta Harkins and Iza Meyer

These MacArthur High School students planned and taught lessons in American Sign Language with students in the KIN after school program at three NEISD schools. Thanks to them, the KIN students at Regency Place and Oak Grove elementary schools and at Garner Middle School got exposed to ASL and had fun in the process. The classes took place over two months, and they used their own free time after school and took full responsibility for arranging everything. They learned valuable lessons in leadership and teaching. Very impressive.

Jarrett Finley

Jarrett is a member of the Roosevelt boys basketball team. Throughout his four years in the program, Jarrett has been actively involved in many community service opportunities. He has volunteered for boys and girls summer basketball camp at East Terrell Hills Elementary. He volunteered at Freshman Prep Days handing out supplies and welcoming incoming students. He volunteered at middle school basketball practices and games. He’s been an elementary school greeter. He’s also been a volunteer for the school’s PTSA, campus clean ups, and Special Olympics. Jarrett volunteers because he genuinely wants to represent and support his school and basketball program as much as possible.

Brandom Orona

Brandom is also on the soccer team at Roosevelt High School. His list of extracurricular activities and service projects include Student Council, Fiesta volunteer, Church volunteer, STEAM Carnival helper and elementary school mentor. Thanks to his countless hours of one-on-one time, our young students are improving academically and socially. While most of our students take part in community service, there are a select few who have a passion for helping others and make it part of their entire school experience. Balancing academics, extracurriculars and community service is no easy task, and we take this time to honor Brandom as one of our special student volunteers.

Charles Mikhail

CJ was a 3-year captain for the soccer team, and has many academic accolades at Roosevelt High School, including Science National Honor Society and preparing to graduate Summa Cum Laude. But one of the most meaningful accomplishments for him has been serving as a student mentor at Montgomery and Camelot elementary schools. With over 200 service hours, he is an excellent example of what our student-athletes can achieve. He is a positive role model and helps the students with their school work. In addition to volunteering and tutoring, he has worked on various other community service projects throughout his time in school. He exceeds expectations placed on him, shows up extra early, often plans the events by himself, organizes his peers, and holds a high standard that others can model.

Andrew North

Andrew is the Battalion Commander at Roosevelt High School. He’s also a part of the Technology Student Association, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and FTC Robotics. Community service is a big part of his life, and he’s been supporting the “Snack Shack” on campus for the past three years. Roosevelt’s partnership with Snack Pak 4 Kids San Antonio gives opportunities to give back by unloading and organizing food, then bagging and delivering the food to teachers who discreetly get the snack packs to students in need of food over the weekends. We are grateful for Andrew’s leadership and acts of service.

Anne Gonzales

Anne is a teacher at Ed White Middle School, where she established a new program called “Focus on Achieve.” It gives students who are behind, the opportunity to advance through middle school at an accelerated pace so that they can catch up with their class and graduate on time. Annie devoted her own time over the summer to work with administration to implement the program. She recruited eligible students and gave them an opportunity to take high school course work so that when they move on to high school, they could have a head start. She planned several field trips to colleges and universities, as well as magnet programs to expose students to other opportunities. It’s been a great success and we appreciate her efforts.

Lorena Lopez

Lorena is a former ER nurse, and current school nurse at East Terrell Hills Elementary. Early one morning in March, on the way to work, she witnessed a young boy on a bike get hit by a car. She immediately pulled over, dialed 911, grabbed a first aid kit from her car and rushed to the side of the young man who was bleeding badly and losing consciousness. After quickly assessing his injuries, she used cloth strips from the shirt she was wearing to tie tourniquets to two of his injured limbs. EMS arrived minutes later and took over. Without her quick actions, the outcome may have been tragic. Afterward she learned that the young man would recover and that he was actually a freshman at Roosevelt High School who was on his way to school. We are all grateful that she was there and confident and that she helped save this young

man’s life.

Sarah Moran and Lisa Ybarra

This is the first year for our new MacUNITED early college high school. Sarah is its director and Lisa provides counselor support. Creating a new school from scratch involves many components. To promote a college-going culture, Sarah and Lisa spent a lot of time on weekends decorating the hallway with college pennants and flags. They contacted a local business to get furniture donated, picked up and delivered to the campus. They took initiative to search for donations and invest their own supplies, resources and time outside of the regular school day because they knew it would create a positive atmosphere for students. As a result, students are reminded daily that higher education is within their reach.

Lindsay Mikulksi

Lindsay is the Technical Theater Director at the North East School of the Arts (NESA). She also serves as the Performing Arts Center calendar manager. She also leads the NESA Council, the school's student government. And she is the primary point of contact for any faculty or staff member needing assistance with PAC setup and logistics. Most recently, she spearheaded the District’s annual Founder's Day ceremony. She wrote the entire script for the event. Lindsay then organized and directed the casting for the student performance section. She managed all aspects of the show's production, from rehearsals to the final presentation. Her dedication to creating a memorable and meaningful event, and the countless personal hours she invested, exemplify her exceptional commitment to our District.

Tokiko Powel

Tokiko is one of the many talented teachers at MacArthur High School. With a passion for Japanese studies, she initiated 3 great accomplishments for Japanese students at Mac. She got our students into the 36th Annual Japanese Speech Contest in San Antonio – and one student advanced to the state competition next month in Los Angeles. She initiated a pen pal program with students in Japan. And she also has three students competing for a grant through the Global Classmates Summit 2025. Applying for new opportunities, especially outside of normal classroom activities, can be very time consuming, but she is setting a high bar and demonstrating what can be done.

Collin Zeldler

Collin helped save the day for our NEISD Athletics department. As a technician in our Technology dept, he was asked to help with the timing and scoring programs used during Track season. For years, they struggled to link the programs from system to system and then onto the video board at Heroes Stadium. Collin has a great passion for computers. He embraced the challenge until he found a way to simplify the process. The track season has never run so smoothly. It was not his responsibility to take this job on, but knowing the amount of people these track meets impact, he dropped what he was doing to help.

Gretchen Hokenson, Laurie Haiduk and Christine Divers

Right before the holiday break, a home visit was conducted to deliver paperwork to a mother who did not have transportation. These Jackson Middle School teachers realized the mom was in a 1-bedroom apartment with 4 children, all were sleeping on single mattress. The family had just been relocated to the NEISD area after fleeing a dangerous home life. The teachers were determined to help. They reached out to other faculty members, neighbors, and a local attorney’s office to get clothes, shoes, blankets, towels, bedding. They also got 3 mattresses delivered over a 48-hour period. These women are just another example of how our dedicated our employees are to the children of this District.

Jennifer Taylor

Jennifer jumped into the lead for the NEISD PTA Clothes Closet after the previous chair had stepped down. The Clothes Closet supplies new and gently used clothing, shoes and jackets to students in need at no cost. Jennifer has organized high school student volunteer events, allowing students to get much needed volunteer hours and allowing the Clothes Closet to stay organized and ready for families. She also works closely with the family specialists to identify hundreds of NEISD families in need. Without Jennifer's enthusiastic determination, the Clothes Closet would not run as efficiently as it does.

Cathy Richards

Cathy Richards is a retired teacher and current volunteer at Hardy Oak Elementary. She began helping when her grandson attended school there, but even now, her volunteering continues. She volunteers many hours each week running copies, transforming kinder classrooms into Gingerbread Houses, assembling books for students to read and prepping learning activities. She knows firsthand the countless hours that teachers put in and she enjoys giving back to help ease their workload. While she doesn’t have to be there, we are so grateful she is.

Taydee Lepe and Maydeline Morales

These two moms have helped support the soccer team at Roosevelt High School for the past five years. They bring snacks, make posters, decorate the locker room, organize senior night gifts, and donate their time for fundraisers and other events. Parents, athletes, and spectators have all commented on the work they do. They make things look nice, build team spirit, and never ask for monetary help. Parent support is essential, and Roosevelt is grateful for these amazing moms.

Alfredo and Rosa Rocha

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Rosa and Alfredo are proud cheerleading parents at Roosevelt High School. And they have spread their love to the rest of the cheerleading team. They have provided meals on long days/practices, snack bags at every football game, and always made sure every cheerleader had what they needed. This was always done all out of pocket and with the biggest smiles on their faces. They have also provided numerous rides throughout the year and have even transported supplies when needed. The cheerleading team has never gone without thanks to them. They are always happy to contribute.

Barbara Bean, Barbara McPherson, Rushelle Mason, Rita McSorley, Linda Monts, Glenda Rast, Cherie Rubenstein, Denise Sonnichsen an Joanne Wyckoff

The Daughters of the American Revolution Ol’ Shavano Chapter adopted Harmony Hills Elementary this school year. Throughout this school year, they have supported our teachers and students in many activities, such as tutoring, library assistance and fundraising. They have also helped set up, host and break down events like Walk to School Day, Veterans’ Day, Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch, Literacy Night,, Bike Rodeo, Family Fitness Night, Scholastic Book Fair, Custodian Appreciation Day, and so many more. They believe that it’s not just about giving time or money, but bringing yourself and your skill set to the table to help. By doing so, they have positively impacted Harmony Hills in so many ways.

Jorge Cardenas

Mr. Cardenas has been a dedicated Hallway Hero at Wetmore Elementary for several years. Before our District had Campus Safety Specialists, he checked doors and conducted perimeter checks to help ensure the safety of our students and staff. Today he continues to serve as a Hallway Hero, with more than 190 volunteer hours just this year. He makes copies for teachers, helps monitor hallways during testing, and patrols the hallways to reinforce safety. Mr. Cardenas also plays a vital role in the classroom. He steps in to assist in specials classes, providing an extra layer of support. His willingness to help in any way, without hesitation, speaks to his deep commitment to the school community.

Savannah Sembera

Savannah is a big part of the Driscoll Middle School family and that’s not just because she is married to the school’s head band director. She attended many athletic competitions to cheer on students, she served as a chaperone at all band events, she’s brought homemade pastries to the school staff, and volunteered time before, during and after school. A school family often extends to those closest to our students and staff. It’s what makes the community special, and we appreciate her support.

Jules Aldaz Guerra

Jules serves as the President of NESA pARTners, a parent organization dedicated to supporting the North East School of the Arts (NESA). She organizes all parent volunteers, leads fundraising activities, coordinates show meals for students and oversees the distribution of scholarships to deserving students. Jules plays a key role in organizing the annual NESA Banquet. She elevates the visibility of NESA's programs with media outreach. Overall, she has strengthened the collaboration between parents, students and staff. As a parent and business owner, she never hesitates to put in long hours and the school is grateful or her leadership, service and dedication.

Crystal Meginness

With children in elementary, middle and high school, you can imagine that Crystal is very busy. But still, she drops them all off at school in the morning and then heads to Wilderness Oak to volunteer in the school library every week. She shelves books, helps kids find what they need, she helps with special projects and is an official for the school’s Fairy Tale Battle and Battle of the Books. During the school’s book fair, you can count on seeing her there every day. She is one of only two volunteers and if not for her dedication, the library would not run as smoothly as it does.

Alejandra Santibanez

Emergent Bilingual Committees help campuses support bilingual families, and each committee requires a parent representative. Alejandra has volunteered to serve on this committee at Wilderness Oak Elementary for 7 years straight. The committee meets many times during the school year. She maintains confidentiality, she makes herself available quickly when the campus needs to enroll a new student and is patient when long meetings are needed. Wilderness Oak can quickly place students and provide their needed accommodations thanks to her many hours. We appreciate her dedication and flexibility.

Allied Campus Theatre Booster Club

Angi Aramburu, Lindsey LeBlanc (not pictured), Angela Carrillo (not pictured) and Jana Duke

These women stepped up and got the ‘Allied Campus Theatre Booster Club’ started this year for the first time at Legacy of Educational Excellence High School. Not only did they get the paperwork needed, but they spent countless hours supporting theatre students throughout the year. They led monthly board and membership meetings, recruited new members, and worked to get business sponsorships. These theatre parents stepped up to start a booster club that is much needed to help support our theatre students. We appreciate their hard work and dedication to the arts in NEISD.

Alexandra Daniel

Alexandra is a busy college student and has been volunteering to tutor students at Garner Middle School. She is also supporting the students in other ways as well, including mending clothing and stuffed animals. On one occasion, she noticed a student's sweatshirt was falling apart. She took it home and fixed the holes and sewed the torn pocket back on. Another time, she noticed a student who was sad that her stuffed animal was torn. Alexandra fixed it that night. The students were so happy and thankful. In addition, to helping academically, Alexandra is really connecting with the students in a special way.

Jim Murto

Jim is the District Manager for Champs Sports. Mr. Murto, along with his team, donated shoes and clothes for students in our District. In fact, just in shoes alone, they have donated more than 500 pairs. Our students in need now have high-quality shoes and clothes and can feel good about wearing them. Mr. Murto and his team took months to plan and collect the donations from other stores, and got other managers involved to help. It’s a project they have never taken on before but when they learned how much it would help our families, they made it happen.

MacArthur Skate Club

Aidan Anthony Gonzalez, Aaron Ramos, Steven Amaro, Evan Ray Abel, Hector Cepeda, Abigail Maynard, Athena Lor, John Abrego, Amanda Boyd, Tamara Torru

During a recent meeting of the MacArthur Skate Club, teacher and club sponsor Adam Compton went into cardiac arrest. The students in front of you were there and quickly responded. Some stayed to monitor him, while others went to get help, retrieve a AED, and call 911. MacArthur Athletic Trainer Amanda Boyd was in her office when the students ran in. She went to Mr. Compton and started CPR. With the help of the students, they utilized the AED to shock his heart into rhythm. At that point, paramedics arrived and took over. When asked how they knew what to do, they credited their teacher Tamara Torru for teaching it in class just weeks earlier. Compton spent a week in the ICU and is now already back at work. We are thankful to each of these individuals, who played a specific and important role in saving a life.

Walter Rando

Walter is a student leader at Northwood Elementary School. He has served diligently as a Student 2 Student ambassador for three years. Walter takes new students on tours of the campus. He instantly makes them feel welcome and makes sure they know they can count on him to be a friendly face. He attends all S2S meetings and events that support our military connected families. Walter is also a safety patrol, and in fact was voted by his peers and recognized as the First Patrol for the first nine weeks. Walter is in Strings at school and takes cello lessons outside of school. A great student and public speaker, Walter is leading by example and we are grateful for the kindness he extends to others.

MacArthur ASL students

Savannah Calzada, Audrina Canales, Darryl Copeland, Adalynn Cornwell, Yasmine Cruz, Kamila Diaz Flores, Jasmine Luna Alderete, Zachary Martinez, Jamey Sanchez Martinez, Sofia Medina, Isabella Medina, Zabella Medrano, Victoria Medrano, Kaylee Ortega, Madison Perez, Eva Rivera, Xavier Robinson, Grace Robinson, Daniel Rodriguez, Skylar Saenz, Kelsey Starnes, Brielle Tate, Katherine Taylor, Angelina Thompson, Mateo Trevino, Emily Turner, Emerald Valentine, Fynlee Weaver, Kennedy Whitenack and Ariana Yanez

These young men and women are American Sign Language students at MacArthur High School. In addition to the work they do in the classroom, they have volunteered to teach American Sign Language for free to the community. Over the course of two months in the fall, they teach lessons, consisting of spelling, signs, sentences and conversation at a local public library. Community members leave these classes with a basic conversational level of ASL and understanding of Deaf culture. The response has been great with community members saying that it helps them better communicate with friends, relatives, co-workers and customers. None of our students are required to do this, but they do and give up their weekend time to do it. They plan, organize, set up and meet on their Sundays. It’s been extremely successful with members of the ASL program at MacArthur teaching these classes for the past 10 years. We are proud of the positive impact they are making on the community.

JRTOC Cadets

Samantha Schmidt, Luis Ojeda, Elias Baltierrez, Andres Noguera, Estefania Lopez, Daniel Yanez, Xavier Perez, Ansley Harris and Jody Stanley

These JROTC cadets and their instructors were asked to help at NEISD’s first ever Summer Feast event in June at Ed White Middle School. It was a huge success and attended by more than 400 families. Part of this resource fair was a San Antonio Food Bank giveaway where families could walk away with a large amount of food items. It was easily close to 100 degrees outside, and these cadets carried the heavy bags and boxes to each family’s vehicle. Even the instructors rolled up their sleeves to load and unload for the thankful families. This included hundreds of bags of potatoes, cases of water and food bags in and out of the school. This went on for hours. The District was hoping the first-of-its-kind event was well received but didn’t anticipate such a massive crowd. Still, these cadets displayed leadership and selflessness in serving our community. And they made sure every last family was helped.

Nathan Montano

There’s a new and impressive bus stop in the bus loop at MacArthur High School and it’s all thanks to Nathan, a Madison High School student. The 10-foot by 12-foot enclosure protects Special Education students from the elements while they wait for the bus. It was a need Nathan noticed when visiting his mother, who works at MacArthur. Montano decided helping those students would be the best way to earn his Eagle Scout rank. So, after some fundraising and approval, Nathan spent two weekends digging, pouring concrete and putting together the massive structure where students can sit and wait safely for their bus. It was an outstanding way to show leadership and give back.

Giovanny Ortega

Giovanny is a Churchill High School student who has stepped up this year to fill a crucial leadership role across our District. He is our lead CyberPatriot mentor, coordinating with other students and CyberPatriot coaches across the District to provide after-school help at middle school CyberPatriot meetings. He visits 2-3 middle schools a week both in the morning and after school. Including the prep time that he puts in prior to arriving at the campuses he supports, he will work 6-8 hours each week on this. Gio is very proactive about communication and organization, and the CyberPatriot program has had more requests for mentor support than ever before.

Ruth Garcia

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Ruth is the music teacher at Longs Creek Elementary School and the definition of a team player. As a fellow teacher had to go on unexpected leave a few days before an event, Mrs. Garcia stepped in and took over without a second thought. Students were able to see the culmination of their time and hard work fundraising for the American Heart Association because she was willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen for them. She only had about a week including time over the weekend to get everything coordinated, including a rotation of events and volunteers. It would have so much easier to postpone or cancel the event, but she knew how much it meant to the students and to her team mate who could not be there. This is not out of the ordinary for Ruth; she often puts others’ needs above her own.

Mylissa Pannell and Martha Reyes

Tejeda Middle School Principal Martha Reyes is unfortunately unable to be here today, but she and Coach Mylissa Pannell are being honored for their quick thinking and actions that saved a student’s life a few months ago. It started off as a normal day in the cafeteria, until a sixth-grade student started choking on their food. Principal Reyes acted swiftly, ran over and began performing the Heimlich maneuver. Coach Pannell jumped in to provide support and quickly helped dislodge the food. These incredible women were there in a critical moment and prevented a tragedy from occurring. They set a positive example for their students, and their dedication and quick thinking are an inspiration and source of pride for Tejeda. Thank you for being there and responding as quickly as you did.

Jonathan "Bryce" Willis

Mr. Willis has been the sponsor of Serna's Coding Club for the past three years. When the Coding Club first started, there were only 10-12 students participating. This year, they have more than 30 students. Clubs like this provide our students with a pathway to possibly enter one of the many magnet programs our District offers. In fact, the number of Serna students moving on to these programs has significantly increased. In addition to what they do in the club, students have the opportunity to attend a Career/Industry field trip to witness coding in the real world. He coordinates this collaboration with Youth Code Jam staff to ensure our students are provided the opportunity to receive this enrichment activity they might not otherwise be able to pursue outside of school.

David Christie

David, a Johnson High School teacher, realized that the holidays can be financially challenging for many, including his school’s own custodians. At the time, retention and hiring of new custodians was also a challenge. So, he spearheaded an annual collection among his fellow staff members, and it has become an annual tradition at Johnson. Last year, more than $3,000 was raised, with individual donations ranging from $5-$200, allowing a substantial gift for the head custodian, full time and part time custodians. He put in the extra time to coordinate, bookkeep, purchase gift cards and package the gifts. It is so heartwarming to see a staff of almost 200 come together to take care those that take care of them, and it all started with David.

Myrna Zamora

Myrna provides instructional support at Hardy Oak Elementary as a paraprofessional with our pre-kinder students. But on one particular day, she needed to tend to the medical needs of a young student who started experiencing a seizure in the classroom. It was nap time for this group of Pre-Kers and she was supervising. When she saw what was happening, she notified the front office that she needed immediate assistance for the child. Mrs. Zamora was responsive, reactive and calm, which is what this child and the other students needed during this stressful time. First responders took care of the child who fully recovered.

Catalino Pino, Angie Hargreaves

When the NETS Java Joy Coffee and More Café was left without a teacher or a designated location for its operation, Catalina and Angie assumed responsibility to sustain the work-based learning program. This initiative offers our students in the 18+ Community-Based Program the opportunity to manage a student-led, school-based enterprise. Under the guidance of Catalina and Angie, the students were able to develop new custom beverages and pastries, engage in community service and acquire culinary skills. The students’ coffee shop was even able to be part of District events. Angie and Catalina devoted considerable time and effort to ensure that these students are involved and engaged. They manage this teaching responsibility with their official roles as program specialists and we are so glad the program was able to continue uninterrupted.

Anthony Cataldo, Karie Patton

At the end of last school year, a school employee began experiencing a health emergency at Tuscany Heights Elementary School. Anthony and Karie, the Campus Safety Specialist and School Nurse, were there and responded right away. They performed CPR, including chest compressions, emergency breathing, and used the campus’ AED device until EMS took over. It took 15 minutes before first responders arrived, and they never stopped. Their efforts were crucial, and the outcome would have been much worse if they had not been there. Their jobs train them to respond in emergencies, but when it is one of our own, the emotions could take over. They stayed steady and professional, and helped save this employee’s life.

Marisa and Jay Garcia

Marisa is the assistant principal at Windcrest Elementary School. She works tirelessly for her community and their Fall Festival is one of their biggest events of the year. That’s thanks in big part to her family who built its haunted house completely from scratch. It was one of the biggest draws of the night, with more than 500 people attending the festival. Many of whom came just for the haunted house. Mrs. Garcia and her husband Jay stayed late after school for many weeks to ensure families had the best experience. In fact, she encourages all of her family to volunteer at the school’s events, and they do come every year. Additionally, she works on many beautification projects around the school to ensure the campus shines. Mrs. Garcia embodies what it means to call school "family."

Olmos Cafeteria Staff

Elvira Padilla, Veronica Casas, Diana De La Rosa, Heidi Rodriguez Erazo, Katherine Agueros, Norma Rodriguez Fernandez, Maria Cisneros and Andrea Garcia

The Special Olympics is a program that offers students a valuable opportunity to showcase their physical abilities in a supportive and inclusive environment. This year, Olmos ALE students qualified to participate, and because of these amazing ladies, each one was able to sport the District’s Special Olympic t-shirt. They are members of the Olmos cafeteria staff and they got together and decided to pitch in their own money to make sure the students looked their best. They obviously didn’t have to do this, especially out of their own pockets, but it shows just how much they care for our students. Not only do they serve and prepare delicious meals for our kids every day, they develop relationships, motivate and encourage them. And we couldn’t be more grateful.

Iris Santana

Ms. Santana is a beloved grandparent and volunteer at Harris Middle School. She stations herself at the crosswalk during student pick up and helps ensure everyone’s safety while crossing during that busy time. It also helps staff as they know she will be there until they can come take over. By volunteering to do this, she helps create a secure environment that reduces the risks of accidents, especially when traffic can be unpredictable. She also sets a positive example for children about the importance of safety and looking out for one another. She can always be counted on to be there and encourage drivers to be mindful and careful as they drive through.

Jennifer Mares, Maribel Cruz, Katy Thomas

Jennifer Mares, Katy Thomas and Maribel Cruz

These individuals planned and coordinated a successful Boo Bash Trunk or Treat event for Thousand Oaks Elementary School. It was held at the local YMCA and they handled all aspects of event preparation, including coordinating with local businesses and families to create a fun and safe Halloween experience. They coordinated all the cars that were decorated with creative, kid-friendly themes, ensured they had candy and prizes, planned the movie, and arranged food trucks for the event. They also managed setup, break down, and supervised the event to ensure everything went smoothly. Many families expressed gratitude for having an enjoyable, free, and safe Halloween event right in their neighborhood. While PTA members often support school events, the level of planning and effort that went into this Trunk or Treat showcased their extreme dedication to our community

Aaron Althaus

Aaron is outstanding volunteer at Wetmore Elementary School. He has offered invaluable support across the campus this year. He has volunteered as a Hallway Hero numerous times, helped staff by making copies, supervised the Atten-Dance celebration, patrolled hallways and lends a hand in specials classes. His willingness to step in wherever needed helps alleviate the workload for staff members, allowing them to focus more on teaching and engaging with students. Especially when it comes to safety, having involved parents makes all the difference. When we work together, we can ensure that our students and staff are safe and supported.

Ben Freeman

Coach Ben and his late wife Cynthia Freeman are beloved volunteers on the Roosevelt High School campus and have been for over a decade. The two started out as big fans of the athletic program and offered up their support however they could from providing donations to cheering on the Rough Riders from the stands. Cynthia Freeman envisioned a mural in the Roosevelt gym that captures the determination and competitive spirit of Roosevelt athletes. She passed away before this was possible, but Coach Ben was committed to fulfilling her dream. Recently, he commissioned a Roosevelt art teacher and muralist to complete the 70-foot mural at a cost of thousands of dollars. Now complete, it will reflect their athletes’ dedication, passion and discipline for years to come. He plans to continue beautifying and supporting the campus, and we are forever grateful for his support and efforts.

Cindy Phillips

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Cindy is a beloved grandparent at Wetmore Elementary School. Every Thursday, she lends her help to two kindergarten classrooms. She reads stories and engages the class with crafts that tie into current lessons, making learning both meaningful and memorable. She even brings in treats for the students, adding a special touch to her visits. The impact on the school community has been profound, fostering strong relationships and creating a sense of excitement and anticipation each Thursday. Beyond her time in the classroom, she invests many hours planning and preparing—creating customized lessons, selecting stories and designing crafts. Her ongoing commitment reflects her dedication to making each session engaging and meaningful.

Theresa and Terri Heinzmann

This mom and grandma duo are dedicating time to support students at Wetmore Elementary School. Each week, they lead focused small groups, where they provide instruction and reinforce positive behavior. They engage students in conversations about being good role models, inspiring them to grow as individuals and learners. With guidance and training from the teacher, they’re able to support students’ reading and writing skills. They work with them in the classroom during stations while the teacher works with another small group, so students remain engaged and do not miss instructional time. Their support has a significant impact on the school community.

Janine Sirotiak

Janine is the PTA President at Hardy Oak Elementary and has served in countless other leadership positions as well over the years. She has volunteering at many school events, planned and coordinated class parties, and served breakfast and lunches to staff on special days. As a former NEISD educator, Janine understands the life of an educator and has chosen to give back to support our staff in many different ways. As Fall Festival chair, she ensured the school was successful in raising money for even more future events and needs. Whether it is evenings, weekends or summers, the school can always count on her help.

Lindsay Kissel

We have active volunteers and then we have volunteers like Lindsay. For more than six years, she has supported Hardy Oak Elementary School in a long list of ways. She has volunteered as room representative, field trip chaperone, lunchroom helper, copy room helper, decorated doors for teachers, created bulletin boards, chaired the staff appreciation committee, served as kindergarten helper, planned 5th grade parties, organized staff meals for events, helped plan the winter party, organized gifts for custodians, assisted with the fall festival, and volunteered at bike rodeos and field days. No task is too great or too small for Lindsay. In just 12 months, she has volunteered more than 250 hours and isn’t stopping anytime soon.

H-E-B

Tony Lanctot, Jennifer Palacios and Stephanie Blaz

These community members provide so much support to the Roosevelt High School community. In fact, without their support so many of the events held on campus would just not happen. Working for H-E-B, they are quick to jump in and provide for all requests. This support has gone on for years, but in addition, we are grateful for Mr. Lanctot who is an active participant in their Campus Improvement Committee and has never missed a meeting. He makes the campus a priority and it is reflected in his commitment to provide supplies and supports whenever needed.

Sabra Kirby

Mrs. Kirby stepped up to be the PTA president at Driscoll Middle School this year and helped revive the PTA that was going inactive. She rounded up parents and got the organization back in motion. Thanks to her efforts, they are operating this year with a full PTA board. Books have been reconciled, there is money to support projects, they are selling school shirts, volunteering at events, providing decorations for events, and helping support in many ways. We love when our parents step up for our students and campuses.

Misty Belmontez

Misty is a retired Roosevelt High School teacher who teaches parent education classes and supports the school’s Community Garden, a project she started and championed for years prior to her retirement. This is the second year she has provided weekly garden classes for Roosevelt cluster parents. Parents cannot get enough. She has also taught them lessons in cooking, candle making, soap making, science and so many other topics. Her enthusiasm for learning has inspired parents and helped them develop a love for nature. Her love of teaching and her vast knowledge are so appreciated.