The devastation created by Hurricane Harvey has certainly brought many stories of human spirit to the surface. Many of those stories were formed right here in North East ISD. Below are just two examples of how NEISD’s Tradition of Excellence has reached out to our Texas Gulf Coast towns and cities.
Former NEISD students help former administrator in Rockport
Longtime coach and administrator at NEISD, Ernest Paz, currently owns property in Rockport, Texas. The coastal city took the brunt of the recent hurricane and left the entire city in ruins. Paz’s property, like other homes in the area, had a lot of damage and needed cleaning up.
For a couple weeks, no one was allowed to enter Rockport to assess property damage. In early September, people were allowed back in, which motivated Johnson High School Principal, John Mehlbrech, to travel to Rockport with Paz to see the damage first hand and help clean up some of the debris. As they headed toward Rockport early Saturday morning, they stopped at Bill Miller BBQ for breakfast. While there, a couple of former Roosevelt High School students recognized Paz and asked what he was doing. These Roosevelt students were also on their way to Rockport to volunteer their services to anyone that needed it.
Rafael Ibarra, Alberto Morales, Edna Rios, and Gerardo Garza decided to give up their Saturday to help those needing help in Rockport. They had no idea who they were going to help, but wanted to do what they could. Ibarra and Morales attended Roosevelt in the early 2000s and remembered Paz as their assistant principal. After a brief reunion, they decided to meet Paz and Mehlbrech at his place in Rockport to assist in any way possible.
The team was able to accomplish a lot more than anticipated before heading to Rockport from San Antonio. However, it was all because these individuals gave their time and effort to help with clean up.
“Rafael and Alberto are two examples of former NEISD students who grew up knowing what is important in life,” said Mehlbrech. “When you wonder whether the goals set by NEISD are making a difference in students’ lives, I look at these gentlemen and say, absolutely.”
Thanks to all who volunteer their time to help those in need.
Churchill JROTC lends a hand after hurricane
In the wake of the destruction left by Hurricane Harvey on the Texas coast, Cadets from Winston Churchill High School’s JROTC battalion, stepped up to provide much needed assistance to a small town just west of Houston. On Saturday, Sept. 9, the Charger Battalion made a special trip to the American Legion Hall in Wharton, Texas, located about three hours southeast of San Antonio. Cases of water, food, cleaning supplies, and nearly 500 personal hygiene kits were collected as part of a Cadet organized and led a community relief drive that included families and students of from Churchill High School, two elementary schools, and several San Antonio area businesses.
The delivery arrived at the American Legion Hall in Wharton where storm victims were meeting with area volunteers to pick up the badly needed supplies. The small town suffered the complete or partial destruction of nearly 1400 homes due to Hurricane Harvey. Many of the residents had moved in to temporary shelters, including the American Legion Hall and a number of small business centers and warehouses that managed to survive the storm. The devastation to the community was overwhelming, and as fast as the supplies were removed from the truck and trailer they were loaded into the vehicles and directed to the hardest hit families.
In Wharton, 98% of the victims had no flood insurance and the overwhelming majority of the families worked at business in the community that, because of the storm, no longer exist. It is estimated that the recovery could take at least two more years. For the Cadets at Churchill, the experience left a powerful and lasting impression, so much so that the Cadets have decided to continue the drive by collecting relief supplies and organizing efforts to deliver additional support to the families living in Wharton, Texas.
