“Make it a great day or not, the choice is yours.” 

That’s the quote that Lola Folkes closed every morning announcement with as Principal at Hardy Oak Elementary School. She retired in December after 13 years at Hardy Oak and more than 30 years in education. But that quote lives on with her students and staff. 

That quote, and Folkes’ legacy, is something fifth grader Sophia Oliveira will never forget. It inspired her to write and recite an original poem titled ‘Ode to Ms. Folkes’ during her PTA send off. 

Sophia’s mother, Christine Oliveira, shared the impact that Hardy Oak and Folkes had on her daughter and their family. 

“With sincere thanks and appreciation to Ms. Folkes, who, as my daughter expresses in her poem, embodies the spirit of a true Hornet, as well as to the District for its collective work and impact on Sophia’s early education. She was a dynamic and ever-present leader of the school and was well known for her affable and always optimistic attitude. Hardy Oak and its staff have had a significant impact on our family in the four years that Sophia has attended and for that, we are grateful. We have marvelled as our daughter has blossomed in intellect, social engagement and confidence, and my husband and I have deeply appreciated the opportunities to engage with the school right beside her! The energy and drive of the Hardy Oak PTA, Watch D.O.G.S. and all school volunteers cannot be rivaled. We feel sure this is just the beginning of a life-long learning journey.” 

Way to go, Sophia! And thank you for leading #theNEISDway, Ms. Folkes. 

Big or small, everyone has a story to tell. Visit neisd.net/tellyourstory to share yours.

Former Rough Rider is now a world-famous Globetrotter.

“Anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself and work hard.”

That is the advice Roosevelt graduate Arysia Porter would give current North East ISD students.

The 2015 graduate speaks from experience. Since graduating, she’s set a single-game points record for the St. Mary’s University women’s basketball team. She’s also played professional basketball in Mexico. Now, Arysia plays for the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters and earning the nickname Ace.

“The best part of joining the team is playing the game that I love while traveling around the world to put smiles on people’s faces. In addition, it’s a pleasure to be able to inspire the younger generation, especially young girls.” 

The support and inspiration Porter provides the younger generation was something she learned from her teachers and coaches during her time in NEISD. She remembers teachers like Sarah Chandler and Marybeth Parker, who made learning fun and always supported her sporting goals by going to her games or attending her college signing.

“They made a positive impact on my life in and out of the classroom,” said Porter. “Coach Rheinberger and Coach Murphy took me under their wings, teaching me many skills that helped develop me into the player I am today. Not only did they have an impact on my game, but they also contributed to my growth as a person off the court.”

The confidence and encouragement Porter gained at Roosevelt are now on full display in every Harlem Globetrotters game as Porter runs circles around Washington Generals players and makes 180 Slam Layups.

Arysia “Ace” Porter is showing NEISD students anything is possible as long as they believe in themselves and work hard doing it #theNEISDway

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Jasmine Mitchell is just a few months away from graduating from the University of Texas at Austin as an Arts and Entertainment Technologies major. She has drawn heavily on her experience growing up in North East ISD schools while at college. 

Jasmine went to Stahl Elementary School, Harris Middle School and Madison High School, where she graduated in 2020. The pandemic made her senior year an incredible challenge, but she learned from it. 

“Half of my senior year was canceled, including prom and graduation ceremonies. While this was definitely unfortunate, it taught me how to be adaptable to sudden changes. A lot of the classes taught me how to work well with others and manage my time efficiently. This has helped me a lot in college.” 

One thing hasn’t changed, and that is Jasmine’s love for all things art. One of her favorite memories is touring the annual Night Gallery inside Littleton Gym, where art from high school students across our District is on display. At Harris, she was President of the National Junior Art Honor Society and a member of the National Junior Honor Society. At Madison, she was Secretary of the Interact Club, Secretary of the National Art Honor Society, and a member of the National Honor Society.

Another constant during her experience at NEISD was the incredible teachers. 

“One of my favorite teachers at Harris was Karen Fox. I had her for art class three years in a row, and I credit her for inspiring my love of art and teaching me the fundamentals. 

Sheriden DeCastro was my GT English Teacher at Harris. I feel that I am a more proficient writer today because of her guidance. 

At Madison, Jessica Cardenas was my art teacher for two classes, including AP Studio Art. She really pushed me to further improve my skills and develop my portfolio to get a 5 on the AP Exam.” 

After graduation, Jasmine plans to pursue a career in the video game or comics industry. 

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