Empathetic & Self-aware: Kate Pounds, Memorial High School

 

 

What are your plans once you graduate from Memorial High?

“After graduating from  Memorial High School, I will be attending Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas in the fall. I will be majoring in special education.” 

How do you believe your experience in Spring Branch ISD schools prepared you for the future? 

“I have had the opportunity to learn important skills enabling me to pursue a degree in education alongside my incredible teachers and administrators. Since the first grade, I have attended Spring Branch ISD schools throughout my primary and secondary schooling. I have felt encouraged and supported throughout the 12 years I have been at SBISD. One impactful teacher I had was my third-grade math teacher, Amy Mason Williams. She inspired me to become a teacher through the compassion and leadership she exemplified in the classroom. I struggled in the third grade and she never gave up on me. She taught me important life skills and encouraged me to never stop trying, which I still remind myself of every day. She truly cared for all the students in my class. When I become an educator, I wish to teach just like her.”

Your principal nominated you for a spotlight for being an Empathetic & Self-aware individual. How do you exemplify this SBISD Core Characteristic of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate in and out of your school community?

“Part of helping someone is seeing and understanding how they feel about their situation. I try to understand what someone is feeling and relate to it as a way to help and encourage them. A priority in my life is to help those around me in and outside of school. For example, I have participated in helping in the Life Skills classes since the eighth grade. I have also continued my work with special needs students outside of school by volunteering at a special needs summer camp. I enjoy working and giving my time to these activities and organizations and I hope to continue to do so.”

 What advice do you have for students beginning their high school careers?

“My advice for incoming students is to always reach out for help. The teachers are here to help you succeed in these challenging classes. And remember to have fun these four years because they go fast!”

 

Resourceful Problem-solver: Erick Lucero De La Paz, Northbrook High School 

 

 

What are your plans once you graduate from Northbrook High?

“After I graduate I plan to study architecture at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.“

How do you believe your experience in Spring Branch ISD schools prepared you for the future?  

“During my time in high school and the electives offered, I’ve had the opportunity to explore different options for life post-graduation. What set my mind to pursue architecture was the course offered at the Guthrie Center. In that class, I had exposure to architecture from my teachers, who came from that major and profession, as well as some of the activities and architectural competitions I participated in. This opened up my perspective on what it means to be an architect and what drives people like myself to pursue a career in that field.”

Your principal nominated you for being a Resourceful Problem-solver. How do you exemplify this SBISD Core Characteristic of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate in and out of your school community?

“Something that I have learned these past four years is the importance of not giving up in the face of adversity. Whenever I face an obstacle, whether school-related or in my personal life, I always try to find a way to solve it, as opposed to just quitting. 

What advice do you have for students beginning their high school careers?

“Advice I would give to students beginning their high school careers is to not take time for granted. Four years may seem like a long time but it can go by in an instant. Make use of your time and opportunities early on to help prepare you for your years as an upperclassman and life after high school.”

 

Communicator & Collaborator: Jean Hoang, Spring Branch Academic Institute (SBAI)

 

 

What are your plans once you graduate from SBAI? 

“I plan to study Computer Science at Stanford University.”

How do you believe your experience in Spring Branch ISD schools prepared you for the future? 

“SBAI has helped prepare my future by giving me the opportunity to take rigorous classes beyond normal high school classes, teaching me the importance of time management. In addition, my teachers have been so supportive and they have taught me not to be afraid to reach out for help because I don't have to be perfect at everything.”

Your principal nominated you for being a Communicator & Collaborator. How do you exemplify this SBISD Core Characteristic of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate in and out of your school community? 

“LetsCodeSpringBranch, a free summer coding camp that I helped co-found, has provided middle school students within the district two to three weeks of computer science learning for the last two years and we are going on our third year. It has been an exciting and eye-opening journey to watch the camp grow and communicate and collaborate with Mr. Barnes, Stratford High principal, SBAI and the district. I will take everything that I have learned to continue to bring more opportunities for those who are underrepresented in the STEM community.”

What advice do you have for students beginning their high school careers? 

“My advice for them is to reach outside their comfort zone and find something new they are passionate about. Learn to work with people. Don't be afraid to break social norms.”

 

Academically Prepared: Jesus Silva, Spring Woods High School

 

 

What are your plans once you graduate from Spring Woods High?

“I plan to go to the University of Southern California where I will be studying economics and then hopefully I'll go to law school to pursue a career as a lawyer.”

How do you believe your experience in Spring Branch ISD schools prepared you for the future? 

“SBISD equipped me for the future by giving me a platform to develop my leadership and public speaking skills. Within my community, I've been a part of the National Honor Society, Spring Woods Debate Team, Beta Club and Recycling Club. Not only did this give me an opportunity to experiment as a leader, but it also taught me how to be mindful of others and the way that they work. As a public speaker, I've gotten a lot of practice competing nationally on the debate team, but I also recently became the student ambassador for the Unified Sports Team at Spring Woods where I emceed. I spoke to a huge crowd about a topic that's especially and intimately important to me, which gave me valuable experience.”

Your principal nominated you for being an Academically Prepared individual. How do you exemplify this SBISD Core Characteristic of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate in and out of your school community?  

“I am academically prepared because of the culture that surrounds SBISD. While the T-2-4 vision is great and inspired me to pursue an education after high school, SBISD does a great job of assuring that education isn't just getting a couple of diplomas but instead being a lifelong learner. Because of the inclusive and competitive environment SBISD creates, I'm confident that I'll want to keep learning and that my drive will continue to help me learn in and out of the classroom.”

What advice do you have for students beginning their high school careers?

“You only have four years. Everyone says it goes by really quickly, which is true but I think the goal is to create valuable memories you can look back on. Do what you want to do (within reason) and make sure you do it well because the worst thing to hold onto is regret.”

 

Ethical & Service-minded: Henry Davis, Stratford High School 

 

 

What are your plans once you graduate from Stratford High?

“I will be attending The University of Texas at Austin and taking part in the McCombs Business School, Canfield Business Honors Program.”

How do you believe your experience in Spring Branch ISD schools prepared you for the future? 

“My older brother, a 2015 Stratford graduate, used to love to lecture me about life. Once, a few weeks after graduating with highest honors from the McCombs Canfield Business Honors Program and a few days into his new job as an investment banker, he solemnly told me how important it was that I learn about economic valuation models. However, like most middle schoolers, I was more concerned with my jump shot than sophisticated financial analysis. 

A few years later while studying for a high school competition hosted by the Business Professionals of America (BPA), I had a problem that covered a profit-loss concept my brother had talked about and chuckled to myself, realizing I had officially crossed the barrier where I might have to put aside my new basketball crossover practice to focus on expanding my financial knowledge. My hard work paid off and earning a spot in the state-level competition inspired me to learn more. Stratford High’s business education program has provided me with the best tools to be successful—an important subset being the intellectual ideas in the form of concepts and principles learned in my CTE classes and organizations. 

As a high school student, I am also grateful to have participated in Student Council leadership. Coordinating registration and logistics for their 600+ volunteer Big Day community event has given me valuable insight into the many issues an organization must face to keep its efforts moving forward in a productive way and further drawn me to pursue a career in business. Looking back, I admire the dedication of the SHS teachers and administration who tirelessly work to support the needs of each student as an individual. They have taught me the value of helping others even as I pursue my own goals. 

As a Class of 2022 SBISD Good Neighbor Award recipient, I have learned the importance of giving back. Whether providing school supplies for an SBISD classroom, gift cards for families in need over the winter break, financial support for the Big Day event, or scholarship funds for fellow students through the Get Them Going program, I have seen firsthand the impact of community service on individual lives, and I look forward to continuing the journey as I move forward in life.” 

Your principal nominated you for being Ethical & Service-minded. How do you exemplify this SBISD Core Characteristic of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate in and out of your school community?

“‘Iron sharpens iron’ (Proverbs 27:17). Although seemingly a mere platitude, the idiom actually contains deep meaning.  Similarly, my shared interactions while in the CTE business program elevated me as a human being and as a leader.  The ‘iron’ of accountability in learning new concepts through CTE activities served to sharpen my character and provided me with the wisdom to impact the world. As a Bank of America 2022 Student Leader, I attended their National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. and witnessed the benefits of strong relationships and working together for a cause. Meeting with Senators Tom Carper and Marco Rubio, I had a unique opportunity to talk about the importance of both affordable housing and thoughtful education to community development. Speaking with staff members from both senators’ offices showed me their shared interest in resolving these issues and demonstrated the importance of creating connections to bridge differences, in order to ultimately help all. 

While interning for Avenue CDC and running my own nonprofits, I experienced the importance of business skills to maintaining a successful company. At Avenue, I worked with well-equipped management teams and  participated in diversified marketing campaigns to strategically plan the most efficient methods to manage budgets and increase revenues. 

As an SBISD graduate, my mission will be to encourage businesses, nonprofits, and individuals—coordinating efforts with government officials—to build community partnerships that work together for the common good. For me, searching for ways to promote more inclusive communities in whatever sector I find myself in is my goal.” 

What advice do you have for students beginning their high school careers?

“Hold yourself accountable and be honest with yourself.”

 

Persistent & Adaptable: Ashley Lara, Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS)

 

 

 What are your plans once you graduate from WAIS? 

“After graduating I plan on attending the College of Saint Benedict, a private liberal arts institution in Minnesota.”

How do you believe your experience in Spring Branch ISD schools prepared you for the future? 

“My elementary school, Cedar Brook Elementary, did an outstanding job of giving me initial exposure to career-related studies, job fields, and college majors. I particularly remember an event where students were given a pamphlet giving descriptions of different types of jobs, something that expanded my awareness of things that I would potentially be interested in the future.

I am most grateful for Westchester Academy for International Studies and the Guthrie Center. At Westchester, I partook in several community service activities. For instance, I'm part of the National Art Honor Society, the National English Honor Society and the National Honor Society. These organizations had activities in which I was able to contribute back to the community. Some included teacher breakfast donations, partaking in lung cancer awareness week, writing pen-pals to elementary school children, volunteering at events sponsored by my local schools and contributing to the beautification of our campus by creating ceramic pieces. 

Lastly, at the Guthrie Center, I was a member of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) and the president of the Guthrie Design Club. NTHS empowers students in Career & Technical Education. The Guthrie Design Club is a Career and Technical Student Organization that allows students to partake in various Skills USA competitions and fundraisers. For NTHS, I signed up as a student volunteer for the CTE Destination Success Career Exploration event, which  promoted the programs at the Guthrie Center, particularly talking to other individuals in the community about the opportunities offered by the Graphic Design course. For the Guthrie Design Club, I helped the sponsor with fundraising since most competitions require a fee to enter them. As the president and someone who values visual art, I wanted other students at Guthrie to partake in competitions with no financial worries.”

Your principal nominated you for being a Persistent & Adaptable individual. How do you exemplify this SBISD Core Characteristic of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate in and out of your school community?

“Throughout my academics, I have learned to adjust my character and skills. For instance, upon becoming a junior I became more diligent with my time and tasks because of the IB career-related programs offered at Westchester. Becoming an IB Career-related Programmer (CP) candidate was not an easy task but I managed to pass by. To keep my GPA in high academic standing I engaged in more conversations with my professors and stayed after school for tutorials if I did not understand a topic.

In the past, I was shy and rarely talked to the adults on campus, but the isolation experienced during my online schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic made me realize the importance of establishing interpersonal relationships. I learned to rely on my counselors when I struggled with academics and personal struggles. With my determination and moral support, I successfully attained all my graduation requirements. 

Moreover, I showed persistence and adaptability in my local religious community when I volunteered as a religious teacher. Every Tuesday, I helped teach students about the importance of their religious faith and cultural heritage. The class was centered on helping elementary school children prepare for their first Communion, an extremely important event for the Roman Catholic Church. Despite each class being an hour and thirty minutes long and the classes being a year-long course, I managed to help young individuals reach the requirements to have their first Communion.”  

What advice do you have for students beginning their high school careers?

“It is completely normal to feel lost and disoriented during your freshman year of high school. If you have any worries don't be afraid to ask your counselors or teachers for assistance, they will be happy to help you. Also, join clubs at your school or home campus to meet new friends, discover new passions or skills and develop your collaborative skills. But most importantly, enjoy your time in high school while maintaining good academic standing.”