I AM Child-Centered

#HopeforJake

Olivia Suarez, Baylee Black and Katy Cavanaugh, Alexander Middle School

From January through March, Alexander Middle School fifth-graders Olivia Suarez, Baylee Black and Katy Cavanaugh held a t-shirt fundraiser for Jake Cox, a Pearland two-year-old suffering from Neuroblastoma as part of their service fair project. To promote shirt sales, the girls created an online order form, a video explaining the project and passed out flyers. They also printed and sorted order sheets, tallied shirt size totals and sorted and delivered the shirts. The project ended up selling over 130 shirts, raising over $1,000 for the Cox family.

Ms. Lexie Charles, Lawhon

“Ms. Charles is an example of a world-class  teacher. She motivates and encourages her students daily. She challenges and supports them inside and outside the classroom. She supports her students (she even attended a student's karate belt ceremony), has notes of encouragement on their desks at all times, and acknowledges their thoughts, efforts and actions. She promotes a positive and caring learning environment and instills a love of learning in her students.”

- Amy Etchberger
(Asst. Principal, Lawhon Elementary)

Natural Beauty Campaign

In an effort to create a positive environment for female students struggling with confidence, Berry Miller JH created the “Natural Beauty Campaign.” For three days, students and staff went to school wearing no makeup or product in their hair, reinforcing that they don’t need to look a certain way in order to feel worthy or accepted. “Natural Beauty” sparked conversations about confidence, helped students and staff build deeper relationships and created an atmosphere of support for the entire school.

Chrissy Cruz & Debbie Sitler

“In 2015, Chrissy and Debbie were matched through the RISE Mentoring program. As with most mentor/mentee relationships, they started getting to know each other slowly. Chrissy is now in her junior year at PHS and her mentor, Debbie, can’t believe how far they have come. In just one more school year she will watch Chrissy graduate.  ‘I love my mentor. We talk and enjoy hanging out. I can be a lot but she keeps showing up for me’, Chrissy said. It’s obvious that they are committed, not just to the program, but to each other. Four years after first meeting, it’s hard to tell who has benefitted more from this relationship.“

- Mandy Benedix
(Mentor Volunteer Specialist/RISE Mentoring)

I AM Knowledgeable

Pearagon

PJH West’s Pearagon, an all-female robotics team, was recently recognized with the Motivate Award at the FIRST Tech Challenge Regional Championship. The Award is presented to the team that represents the essence of the competition through team building and displaying enthusiasm. The accolade is evidence of Pearagon’s commitment to the competition and true team spirit.

Ms. Holly Hall, PJH South

“Ms. Hall took the lead on arranging for several PJH South students to participate in a roundtable discussion of young adult fiction with challenging teen topics at the National Council for Teachers of English Conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center. While participating in the national conference, students were able to meet and interact with young adult authors such as Jason Reynolds.”

- Jason Frerking
(Principal, PJH South)

National Merit Scholarship Program

Pearland ISD proudly announced 15 finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. These finalists include Pearland High School’s Angela Tran and Dawson High School’s Alexander Albert, Yupu Cai, Aayush Dave, Nethra Kaushik, Eric Li, Frank Li, Roger McNichols, Siddharth Nair, Morgan Spradlin, Willa Tao, Divjot Walia, Hans Wang, Helen Wang and Katherine Xie. To become finalists, students had to have outstanding academic records throughout high school, earn high SAT scores and demonstrate leadership in school and community activities.

Chandler Green, Dawson High School

“Our son was recently filmed and interviewed by College Board in December to share his story about how after consistently working on the Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy and then taking the SAT a second time, his score was significantly impacted yielding a 210-point increase! Chandler has now chosen to pursue a degree at Sam Houston State University. Our son is a product of Pearland ISD, and we feel that he is fully prepared for the academic journey ahead!”

- Tiffany & Carelton Green
(Chandler’s parents)

Golden Broom Award

Each month, campus custodial staff are reviewed by supervisors and based on a merit criteria they are awarded the District Golden Broom Award. All Pearland ISD custodians create a safe and clean learning environment for staff and students. The recognition extends beyond acknowledging employees for the routine duties and tasks they complete. The monthly Golden Broom highlights the custodial team that goes above and beyond to serve the success of the district and work every day to make their campus shine.

Dawson & Pearland High School Marching Bands

“After the announcement was made that both the Dawson and Pearland Marching Bands had advanced to the Texas State Marching Band Contest, the students chose to celebrate by getting together for a group photo. Even though both wanted to win, they were able to recognize that they can respect and support each other, while still competing at their highest level! A great example of world-class programs creating world-class people.”

- Tom Bell
(Director of Fine Arts)