Newsletter 1 - Harlandale ISD

Week of February 9, 2015
Foundation celebrates 15 years of creating a college-going culture
For the 15th year in a row, Harlandale
ISD employees will spare some change
and part of their paychecks to help
students attend college. The annual
Harlandale
Education
Foundation
(HEF) Fund Drive kicked off February
11th and runs through the 25th with a
goal of $55,000. That number could
quickly double though as a friend of
Harlandale’s has again committed
to matching every dollar raised by
employees.
Pictured left to right: Norma Martinez Lozano, HEF Board Member, Maria Quezada,
1999 scholarship recipient, Jim Adams, HEF Board President, and Rey Madrigal,
Superintendent, at kickoff breakfast.
Families, businesses and community
members are also encouraged to
help create a college-going culture.
To make a contribution, call the HISD
Communications Office at 210-989-4355.
The Harlandale Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with an independent Board of
Directors. It is one of the only foundations in Texas that awards a $625 or $1,250 scholarship to every HISD
graduate who goes on to pursue a higher education at a college, university, or technical/trade school. HEF
has raised nearly $1.6 million since it was initiated in 1999.
Back then, Maria Quezada was a senior at Harlandale High School suffering from two debilitations: Cerebral
Palsy and lack of resources.
“Because I was considered special needs, college didn’t seem like an option, and since we didn’t have a
lot of money, I didn’t know how I could go,” Maria said.
As the academic school year wound down, however, Maria heard about a new scholarship program - HEF
- and learned that she could get money to attend any institute of higher education.
“I was like, wow, that will help, so I enrolled at Palo Alto” she explained.
The Class of 1999 was the first group of students who benefitted from the Foundation. Since then, more
than 2,000 have received scholarships. Since then, Maria has also surpassed her own expectations,
earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She now works as
a Field Organizer for the Texas State Teachers Association. Maria recently served as keynote speaker of
the HEF Employee Fund Drive Kickoff Breakfast on February 4.
She told a crowd of principals, HEF coordinators and district administrators, “Giving to the Foundation is so
important because it helped me, and it helps so many other students too. We all need a chance.”
2
Cowboys and Indians team up for great cause
For the month of February, both Harlandale and McCollum high schools are
teaming up to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Each high
school is aiming to raise $3,000 by hosting different types of fundraisers around
their campus. From initiating a penny drive to selling decorated foam hearts for
Valentine’s Day, students are doing what they can.
This is the first year that both high schools are competing in the South Central
Texas District competition and are doing so against surrounding districts,
according to Antonia Navaira, student council sponsor for Harlandale HS.
The students have also found a way to include their teachers during the process. Harlandale is hosting a “Pie
Your Favorite Teacher” fundraiser while McCollum students are taking their teachers’ baby photos and having
students and staff donate a dollar to guess who’s who.
To donate to Harlandale’s collection email [email protected].
To donate to McCollum’s collection email [email protected].
Graphic arts student advances to state
A handful of McCollum High School Graphic Art students
are making a name for themselves. Isabel Alonzo, Kristian
Lopez, Liliana Duran, Rebeca Sanchez and Savanah Ortega
all earned top honors at the Skills USA District Conference.
“The students worked hard, meeting weekly for the past couple
of months to learn all they could about Adobe Illustrator,
InDesign and Photoshop,” said William Thomas, Printing &
Yearbook Instructor.
At the competition, the students were given a flyer and were tasked with recreating it. Both Sanchez and
Alonzo placed in their category as Alonzo took home the top prize and earned Best in Show. Alonzo will
represent the Cowboys at the State Conference in Corpus Christi March 26-28.
KONO 101.1 surprises Wright ES Teacher of the Week
KONO 101.1 visited Wright Elementary February 12 to
surprise its Teacher of the Week - 1st grade teacher Joellen
Caroll.
Dave Rios, morning DJ, alongside the radio station’s mascot,
Top Dog, showed up to join in on story time taking place in
the library. After Caroll read to the kids and they recorded
the Pledge of Allegiance, Rios took over and made the big
announcement.
“I had no idea,” said Caroll.
Caroll’s former student, Ruben Ramon, nominated her for the honor. Ramon, now at Harlandale Middle
School, praised Caroll for the positive impact she made on his life.
“Being told that I was recommended by Ruben meant so such,” said Caroll.
3
Little scientists and engineers show off
Bright minds and ideas came together February 5-7 as Harlandale ISD held its annual district-wide Science Fair along
with the Inaugural Ingenium Engineering Fair. More than 80 science and 200 engineering projects were submitted by
1st-5th grade students. Below are the results:
SCIENCE FAIR
5th Grade:
1st Place – Weight of a Baseball Bat – Jose Saucedo (Gillette)
2nd Place – Work my Heart – Andres Luna Chavez (Vestal)
3rd Place – Which Diaper is Most Absorbent – Diamond Navarrete (Schulze)
4th Grade:
1st Place – Homemade Medicine vs. Angel’s Eyes – Allicyn Joj (Gilbert)
2nd Place – Strawberry DNA – Allison Baker (Schulze)
3rd Place –Save Avocados - Daniel Guel (Gillette)
3rd Grade:
1st Place – Which Paper will fly the Farthest – Matthew Jones (Gilbert)
2nd Place – Pump my Blood – Maricel Luna Chavez (Vestal)
3rd Place – Driest Diapers for Babies – John Garza (Wright)
ENGINEERING FAIR
5th Grade:
1st Place – Amazing Animal Grouper- Liliana Duran
2nd Place – Recoge Jugetes- Jose Urbiola
3rd Place – What’s Yours is not Mine- Michael
4th Grade:
1st Place – Harlandale Goes Green- Olivia Garces
2nd Place – Trash Ball- Gabriel Salazar
3rd Place –The Best Irrigation System Ever- Julian Rodriguez
3rd Grade Bilingual:
1st Place – Sparrow Exterminator- Noah Anthony Adams
2nd Place – Alex’s Orange Cologne- Alexander Mikes
3rd Place – Bri Mari- Maribel Luna Chavez & Briseida Nicolas
3rd Grade:
1st Place – The Sweeper Bot 3000- Ramiro Guerra
2nd Place – BB Ammo Recycling- Matthew Jones & Anthony Perez
3rd Place – The Aero Car- Madison Espinoza & Isaac Gutierrez
2nd Grade Bilingual:
1st Place –Protector de crayones- Marina Cisneros, Marializ Rojo, Mariana Torres, Abigail Granado
2nd Place –Train for Kids in Wheelchairs- Marbella Nino, Dulcemarya Marquez,
Rosa Martinez, Marle Morales
3rd Place – Una Casa Segura- Sabrina Vasquez, Viviana Jaimes, Leila Ramirez,
Keila Rodriguez
2nd Grade:
1st Place – The Water Machine- Cassidy Cabrera & Aaliya Mancha
2nd Place – Helping Farmers- Larry Ryan Alonzo & Johnathan Joj
3rd Place – The Maze Genie- Joshua Gonzales & Joseph Aparicio
1st Grade Bilingual:
1st Place –Un Edificio Grande- Jenna Clark, Jose Rosales, Aaliyah King
2nd Place – El equipo Creativo- Darko Dragustinovis, Gabriela Gonzalez,
Jesus Martinez
3rd Place – Ingenieria Civil- Mitchell Miller, Omar Lechuga, Adrian Molina
1st Grade:
1st Place – ZooKeeper- Isaac Ramos, Maryann Trevino, Gavin Garcia
2nd Place – The Helper 75- Nathan Gonzales
3rd Place – The Magnet Car- Nathan Moreno
The Harlandale Insider is produced by the Communications Department .
Please send announcements, stories and good news to [email protected].