Northbrook High leaders kick off the school year through community service
Before classrooms were filled and hallways buzzed with the excitement of a new school year, Northbrook High School (NHS)'s leadership team spent the afternoon serving the Houston community.
Approximately 33 Northbrook campus leaders volunteered at Kids' Meals, packing lunches for preschool-aged children facing food insecurity across the Houston area.
Rather than starting the year in meeting rooms, the team chose to begin by serving together, reinforcing the culture they hope will define the year ahead.
The service project reflected a simple belief: leadership begins with service.
"It was important for us to begin the year by putting our values into action," Principal Daphne Wilson said.
"Before we ask our staff to lead, teach and serve students, we wanted to ground ourselves in the idea that leadership begins with service. We are strongest when we come together around something greater than ourselves."
The experience also helped strengthen relationships among staff before students return. By working side by side toward a common goal, campus leaders built trust, collaboration and a shared commitment that will carry into classrooms throughout the year.
"As a new principal, I wanted our staff to understand from the beginning that we are building a school community rooted in service, relationships, teamwork and shared responsibility," Wilson said.
"I don't want those values to exist only in a mission statement. I want them to be visible in how we work and how we treat others."
For NHS, community extends well beyond the campus. Wilson said schools, families, businesses and community organizations all play an important role in helping students succeed.
"Our school does not exist in isolation," Wilson said. "The needs, strengths, hopes and challenges of our community enter our building with our students every day. Serving alongside organizations like Kids' Meals reminds us that we are partners in supporting children and families."
That commitment to service is already part of Raider culture. Northbrook's National Honor Society students completed nearly 2,000 hours of community service last school year, and campus leaders plan to continue creating opportunities for staff and students to serve throughout the year.
Recent partnerships have also included supporting Hollibrook Elementary's registration garage sale and connecting with community partners such as SpringSpirit and Office Depot.
"I hope our students learn that leadership is not about being in charge. It's about being willing to serve," Wilson said. "Communities improve when people contribute, and the example we set can be just as powerful as any lesson we teach."
As Northbrook prepares to welcome students back, the leadership team's first day together sent a clear message: great schools are built by investing in the communities they serve.
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