Spring Branch ISD Featured News

 

 

Spring Branch ISD’s T-2-4 vision of every graduate attaining a technical certificate, military training, or a two-year or four-year degree, leads district teachers, schools and leadership as they work together in shaping the future of education for Every Child.

This year, the Class of 2023 is achieving T-2-4 success, breaking boundaries and achieving more than they thought possible. 

As a senior at Northbrook High School (NHS), Gadiel Elon Montero plans to attend Colby College in the fall, major in biology and attend veterinary school. 

Gadiel’s dreams will become a reality through the Posse Scholarship. 

“When I found out I was so shocked I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t do anything,” said Gadiel. “My dad approached me when he saw my face and he knew.” 

The Posse Scholarship process is not simple. Students go through a variety of interviews and need to demonstrate their leadership skills, as well as their intelligence and determination to continue through the rounds. 

Gadiel was confident through the process, as his teachers, classes and extracurriculars had fully prepared him. He notes that his dual enrollment classes were key to his success, as he learned how to interact and solve problems with others. Gadiel is also part of Collegiate Challenge, an SBISD program that matches experienced community members and district administrative staff with high school juniors and seniors to help prepare them for college. 

Gadiel has been on the swim team since freshman year and became one of the team captains his sophomore year. He is also an officer in the National Honor Society and is part of FFA, where he had his own project. Gadiel notes that the organizations taught him to be more efficient with time and planning. 

“My advice to anyone looking to be a Posse Scholar or obtaining any scholarship is to be involved in high school and in the community,” said Gadiel. “Look at high school as a tool to learn and develop life skills. Never give up and always try to be a better person than who you were yesterday. I went from ESL classes to getting this scholarship. I think that is enough evidence that anyone that wants it, can get it.” 

Similarly, Bianca Perez of Stratford High School (SHS), received the Posse Scholarship and will attend Bryn Mawr College and major in neuroscience. 

Bianca notes that when she was nominated for the scholarship, she watched almost every YouTube video on previous Posse nominees detailing their experiences, as she was not familiar with the process. After going through all the interviews, she describes them as “very stressful.” 

“The most challenging part was the interviews because I felt a lot of pressure to reflect not only my academic achievements but also my extracurricular activities,” said Bianca. 

The night she found out she was a Posse recipient, she could not believe it was happening. 

Bianca thanks SHS for preparing her for college and introducing her to endless opportunities. Her internship class, for example, led her to explore her preferred field and intern at the Houston Neuroscience Brain Center. She encourages students seeking scholarships to prepare before the interviews.

“Make sure to present all your admirable aspects and do your research,” added Bianca. “Also, try your best to always show your passion for your field!” 

When Alina Madyarova, a senior at Westchester Academy for International Studies (WAIS), found out she was chosen as a Posse Scholar, she walked into her theater classroom in tears.

“My teacher, Mr. Harris, led me to the auditorium and asked what was wrong. I mumbled something about Posse and he began jumping up and down congratulating me,” said Alina. “It was such a great relief to receive the scholarship, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.” 

She will attend Colby College and major in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on physics and computational biology. 

Alina credits her success in the interview process to her involvement in her school and community, as they allowed her to develop a skill set that she could present. 

“The intimate atmosphere at WAIS allowed me to build close connections with my peers and to feel more comfortable participating in class,” added Alina. “The small student body allowed me to fulfill my ambitions to the greatest extent with significant leadership experience in three clubs.” 

Alina is the head of WAIStv, a student-led morning news station, the president of the International Thespian Society, a lead actress and technician in school productions and secretary of the advanced choir. Her involvement allowed her to develop her problem-solving and leadership skills. 

She is excited to attend Colby College in the fall and encourages others to apply for scholarships. 

“Don’t let your anxiety of applying overcome you! I have submitted over ten poorly written applications to all different sorts of scholarship funds,” concluded Alina. “Someone will see a spark in you and one of the applications will stick!” 

John Hernandez, senior at Spring Woods High School (SWHS), describes feeling a mixture of excitement and relief when he found out he had received the Spring Branch Education Foundation Rachel Pendray Scholarship. 

While writing scholarship essays and putting his “life and aspirations into a text box” was challenging, John mentions that SWHS prepared him well. 

John notes that being involved in clubs and extracurricular activities gave him the skills to get into college and excel. John is part of the National Honor Society, the Robotics Club and the Computer Science Club. Additionally, he notes that Emerge has been a great resource for him. 

“As an organization for low-income minority students, Emerge provides college mentoring and other valuable services to help students, like me, achieve their potential,” said John. “Being a leader in some of these clubs helped me develop valuable skills like time management, teamwork and leadership.” 

John has also received scholarships from the universities he has applied to. He received the Alan and Jane Handler Scholarship from the University of Rochester, the Dean’s Scholarship from the University of Southern California and the President’s Scholarship from Bentley University. 

Carnegie Mellon University and Vanderbilt University are among his top choices, but John has not yet decided what school he will attend. However, he plans to major and pursue a career in computer science. 

John encourages fellow students to never give up despite disappointments along the way. 

“Continuing to work and persistence is key to finding the right path to achieve one’s goals,” concluded John. 

Another excelling student-athlete is Abigail Tomaski, valedictorian at Memorial High School and four-year varsity basketball and track athlete. 

KPRC and a representative from American Furniture Warehouse, scholarship sponsor, surprised Abigail with the KPRC 2 Senior Scholarship during her AP Government class recently.

Abigail is also a CITGO Distinguished Scholar. The program awards a $1,000 scholarship to students who excel academically and are leaders in good sportsmanship. 

Abigail notes that the scholarship processes were overwhelming but the MHS counselors were extremely helpful. 

“My teachers, coaches and the administration at MHS have very positively impacted me and my high school experience as they have encouraged me to dive deep into learning and embracing my passions both in and out of the classroom,” said Abigail. “My strive for excellence in academics and athletics has allowed me to lead by example as a high-character role model and an unconditional leader.” 

Abigail’s involvement in school and the community has allowed her to shine. She is captain of the varsity basketball team, a varsity track and field athlete, founder and president of the Mustang Military Support Club, president of the National English Honor Society, president of Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society and social chair of the Women in STEM Club. 

Abigail is still deciding on a university, but she will major in biomedical engineering and ultimately attend medical school to become an oncologist. 

“The best advice I would give to any student hoping to attend college is to simply find what you are passionate about and be someone to your community,” concluded Abigail. “Scholarships are fantastic opportunities for everyone to be able to pursue their passion in higher education!” 

As a football player at NHS, David Ordim has always excelled on and off the field. 

Therefore, it was no surprise when he received the Brothers in Arms Diversity Scholarship. 

“David has been involved in multiple sports every year and has maintained outstanding grades despite facing adversity outside of school,” said Andres Gomez, NHS athletic director. “He is a great teammate and a fierce competitor, who will be very successful in life because of the attributes he has honed as a student-athlete.” 

Formed by three legendary Houston quarterbacks, Andre Ware, Warren Moon and Vince Young, Brothers in Arms seeks to offer financial assistance and diversity scholarships to student-athletes, who are raised in a single-parent environment. 

David will be attending the University of Houston and majoring in civil engineering. He mentions that his engineering class at NHS provided an opportunity for him to explore the field and fuel his passion. 

“Football has taught me not to do everything on my own and that I can rely on people to help in my development,” said David. “My advice for those looking for scholarships is to be yourself because in the end, there are many scholarships that may just be the right fit for you!” 

With 2,213 graduates, SBISD’s Class of 2022 received more than $32 million in scholarships to further their education. We can’t wait to see how much in scholarships this year’s graduating class earns! 

Congratulations to all our scholarship recipients, we are #SBISDProud of you! 

Graduation is near, see below for the 2023 graduation schedule:

• Westchester Academy 
  • Friday, May 26 at 7 p.m. 
• Northbrook High School/YES Prep 
  • Saturday, May 27 at 10 a.m. 
• Memorial High School 
  • Saturday, May 27 at 1 p.m. 
• Spring Woods High School 
  • Saturday, May 27 at 4 p.m. 
• Stratford High School/Spring Branch Academic Institute  
  • Saturday, May 27 at 7 p.m. 

All graduation ceremonies will be held at Don Coleman Coliseum, 1050 Dairy Ashford Rd. 

See the full album of scholarship celebrations!