Seeing students succeed is exciting. Watching them work together to help each other toward success is even better.

Recently, students from Ed White Middle School’s Design and Technology Academy (DATA) and Nimitz Middle School’s Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) magnet programs competed in the Robstown Robotics Competition.

During the competition, the DATA students had trouble with their robot. As their robotics sponsor explains, the students from STEM were a lifesaver.

“Just wanted to drop a quick note to give a big shout out to your awesome students who rocked it at the Robstown Robotics Competition! Seriously, they blew us away with their skills and, even more so, their fantastic display of sportsmanship.

When our robot decided to break down, your team came to the rescue—loaning us parts, sharing tips, offering advice on how to fix it, and cheering our students on. It was like a real-life teamwork superhero moment!

They’re not just killing it in the robotics game; they’re also setting the bar high for teamwork, sportsmanship, and camaraderie. Hats off to STEM for instilling these awesome values in your students. It’s not just about robotics; it’s about personal growth and being all-around awesome humans.

I just wanted to let you know their actions did not go unnoticed, and these qualities contributed greatly to the overall atmosphere and success of the competition and really set an example for all participants.

Please extend our heartfelt congratulations and thank you to your robotics team for their exceptional performance and, more importantly, for being outstanding ambassadors of sportsmanship. We look forward to future collaborations and continued positive interactions with STEM.

With Gratitude, 

Kari Jones

DATA Robotics Sponsor”

Way to go, STEM students, for showing how to be a good sport #theNEISDway

Big or small, we all have a story to tell. Tell us yours at neisd.net/tellyourstory.

“Mr. Gonzales does a million little things constantly to show students that he cares about them and their success!”

Adrian Gonzales is the head custodian at Oak Meadow Elementary School, but ask just about anyone, and they will tell you he’s much, much more. Oak Meadow teacher Charlene Carrillo sees his impact on her students all the time.

“Mr. Gonzales works so hard to connect with students across every grade level. I have seen countless times when he does small and big things to show students he cares about them.

Last year, I had a student who was crying in the morning at drop-off. He struggled to separate from his family for a full week. Mr. Gonzales saw him crying one morning. He stopped cleaning the floors, approached my student, knelt and spoke comfort to him for a few minutes. Then he offered my student his hand and asked if my student wanted him to walk him to class. My student stopped crying, nodded, took Adrian’s hand and walked to class. The whole time Mr. Gonzales spoke encouragingly to my student. After that day, my student rarely struggled to come into school in the morning. He was always so happy to see Mr. Gonzales and would smile and wave or high-five Mr. Gonzales every time he saw him.

 Mr. Gonzales has captured the hearts of two of my boys this year. He reinforces good choices and behaviors. He makes sure to acknowledge them. 

This past December, Mr. Gonzales bought special light-up headbands for the entire ALE class at Oak Meadow so that they would have a special accessory for one of our dress-up days. 

 I have watched Mr. Gonzales take a moment to push a child on the swing or shoot a basketball with a child outside when he is passing by. Mr. Gonzales does a million little things constantly to show students that he cares about them and their success!”

Thank you, Mr. Gonzales, for the million little things you do to connect to our students #theNEISDway.

If you want to thank an educator, we’ve made it easy. You can send them a Staff Shout Out, and they will be notified. You can also share more information about the experience and tell your story.

Visit neisd.net/shoutouts

“I feel right at home.”

Huebner Elementary School teacher Tracey Sawyer Moreno is a cheerleader for her students. This makes a lot of sense, considering she was a cheerleader when attending North East ISD schools. 

She attended Coker Elementary School and Eisenhower Middle School and graduated from Churchill High School. After college, she worked in North Texas before returning to San Antonio and the District, where her love for learning began. 

“I just love it here. It’s like home. It’s so close-knit. I was involved in everything- cheerleading, volleyball, Rotary Club, and Student Council. It was just fun to be at school and fun to be in a positive environment.” 

It’s that fun, positive environment of support Moreno has provided her students for the last 17 years. She says “support” has always been part of the NEISD way, something she learned as a student and continues to see in teachers and leadership in our District today. 

When she graduated from Churchill, she received support through the NEISD Council of PTA’s Blossom Scholarship, which is awarded to a student from each NEISD high school who plans to become a teacher. That scholarship is still handed out to students every year to invest in future teachers. 

Now, as a teacher, Moreno supports her students in many ways. 

She offers supplies or snacks. But her favorite way of supporting her students is attending their after-school events like recitals or games.

“It helps them see I love them and I care for them. I want to take time to get to know them so they know they can come to me if they need something. It helps them feel more comfortable coming and asking me questions. Their parents are more comfortable about calling or telling me what would help their student learn better. It’s a win-win. Plus, they are just lovely to watch doing something they enjoy outside of class.”

Moreno is showing a new generation of NEISD students how to support one another #theNEISDway.

Big or small, we all have a story to tell. Tell us yours at neisd.net/tellyourstory