---

   Harlingen CISD would like to congratulate Cadet Lt. Colonel Diana Barrera for receiving an appointment and acceptance to attend the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The HHS senior is currently the Cadet Battalion commander for the Army JROTC unit and was nominated by Congressman Hinojosa for consideration to the Naval Academy. This education is valued at about $300,000. Diana will serve 5 years as a commissioned officer in the Navy as payment for her education.  Diana plans to complete a career in the Navy and would like to specialize in Military Intelligence and continue to serve a full twenty year career in the US Navy.  Diana would like to thank her family and her High School teachers and administrators for helping her achieve this goal. On Thursday morning, May 1st, she was interviewed by the Valley Morning Star. To view the video interview click here

---

   Jacob Sanchez, a 2nd grader at Ben Milam Elementary, placed 1st in the HEB "Be a Healthy Buddy" Essay contest. The program, partnered with HEB and Milam Elem., is designed to teach children about nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Students from Milam were invited to write an essay about the nutritional information that they have learned in the classroom. Helping to congratulate Jacob, were his role models the Harlingen South Hawk football players.

   Diana Young, academic advisor at Harlingen High School South, was just recently named Counselor of the Year by Texas A&M University. Young was chosen among many counselors in Texas for the V.I.C. (Very Important Counselor) award.  She along with three other counselors from the Valley were chosen for this award.  They were chosen among 48 entries. The award honors counselors for what they have done for their students. “I was very humbled by it,” said Young about receiving the award. “I try to do the best that I can for our students.” Young will fly to College Station to attend a ceremony and receive her award in late March.

   Joy Gutierrez, career counselor/SAT at Harlingen High School South, was just recently named Outstanding Counselor for exceptional and significant contributions to Family and Consumer Sciences Education. Gutierrez received this award from The Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Association of Texas in July.“I believe in the career and technology program. I think it has a lot of benefits for students,” said Gutierrez.

Joy Gutierrez, career counselor/SAT at Harlingen South, was named
Outstanding Counselor

   Juan Maldonado won the District Spelling Bee competition yesterday against students from the five local area middle schools in Harlingen. Sinha placed second and Jasmine Perales placed third. Sinha attends Gutierrez M.S. and is in the sixth grade.  Perales attends Vernon M.S. and is in the seventh grade. Maldonado who attends Gutierrez M.S. and is in the sixth grade will head to Brownsville on March 1 to compete in the Rio Grande Valley Regional Spelling Bee at UTB.

Pictured above, Jasmine Perales, third place, Vijay Sinha,
second place and Juan Maldonado, first place, competed at Harlingen
CISD District’s Spelling Bee recently

    Harlingen High School South teacher Shane Strubhart has been honored with the Tech Prep Teacher of the Year award for 2007-2008. “Mr. Strubhart is one of those rare individuals who always has a smile on his face and is eager to help in any endeavor.  He loves to learn and passes that desire on to his students,” said Joy C. Hoeflinger, Harlingen South High school CTE Department Chair. HCISD would like to congratulate Mr. Strubhart on receiving such a prestigious award.

    HCISD would like to congratulate Harlingen South High School student Alexis Sheedy, who placed third in the Univeristy of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College's Distinguished Lecture Series essay contest sponsored by Valley Baptist. Students from 13 area schools wrote 228 contest essays with the theme "How I Would Solve Mexico and USA Border Issues in the Rio Grande Valley." Alexis Sheedy stands with invited speaker Dr. Jorge D. Castañeda, former Mexican foreign minister under President Vicente Fox, at Jacob Brown Auditorium.

    NASA engineer Michael A. Ruiz, retired shuttle crew member Roger Crouch and other NASA representatives visited Dr. Rodriguez Elementary on Oct. 4 to kick off the school's new three-year partnership with NASA. Dr. Rodriguez Elem. was one of 25 schools selected this year to be part of the nationwide NASA Explorer Schools program. "NASA provides exicting learning opportunities for students to study math, science and technology," said Ruiz. While partnered with NASA, teachers will acquire new teaching resources and technology tools using NASA’s unique content, experts, and other resources to provide exciting learning experiences in science, mathematics and technology for students.

---

    Ben Milam and Jefferson Elementary, along with Vernon Middle School received the exciting news that they have been selected to receive a Governor's Educator Excellence Award totaling $245,000 between the three campuses. This grant program awards funds to campuses that have high percentages of economically disadvantaged students and have demonstrated high levels of student achievement or marked improvement in student performance at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

---

   Milam, Jefferson and Houston Elementary were awarded a total $299,786 in the 2007 Improving Through Literacy Through School Libraries grant. The grant is a one year federal grant that the three campuses applied for. The grant money will be used to purchase new books and along with buying new books each campus library plans on providing an after school center within the campus library that will be accessible to parents and children after school and during the weekends.

   Manuel Olivo, principal at Jefferson Elementary and Laura Sheneman,
   librarian were one of three campuses that received 2007 Improving
   Through Literacy Through School Libraries grant.

---