As members of the Class of 2024 get ready to graduate and set their upcoming college and career plans, Spring ISD celebrated 28 graduating seniors who have all completed the district’s CTE education pathway and chose to participate in the district’s Future Educators Signing Day on Thursday, April 4. 

The seniors were honored in a ceremony inside of the Randall Reed Community Center at Planet Ford Stadium  that featured the soon-to-be-grads signing letters of intent to return to the district to teach after graduating from college with an education degree. The program, which is an extension of Spring ISD’s mission to raise up future leaders and educators from within the district, is now in its eighth year.

Spring ISD Board of Trustees President Justine Durant welcomed the students and their families, and applauded them on choosing a path as educators and signaling their intent to return and teach in the district after college.

“I am so excited to be here,” Durant said, “and on behalf of my colleagues, I want to commend all of you for making a truly momentous decision and committing to such an important and meaningful goal. As board members, we get the opportunity every day to see the accomplishments of our students here in Spring ISD. It’s no secret that teachers change lives, and their commitments help students be successful. Today, you are committing to playing that role in the future in Spring ISD.”

Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa told the seniors about her own early days teaching in the classroom, how those early experiences helped solidify her calling, and reiterated the district’s promise to help each of the future educators become the best teachers possible.

“We need committed, passionate, knowledgeable educators to serve our students and our district, and in Spring ISD we say, who better to serve and teach our students than you, than one of our own?” Hinojosa said. “You, that have gone to school in Spring. You know our students and our community. We will welcome you back with open arms, and make a commitment to train and support you to become the very best teacher.”

Following her own remarks, Hinojosa introduced Daniel Young, the event’s main guest speaker, who stood before the members of the Class of 2024 as proof of the program’s success – having been part of the inaugural class of Spring ISD’s Future Educators program in 2017.

A Westfield High School graduate and student-athlete, Young competed in football, baseball and track in high school, going on to attend the University of Texas at Austin for college, where he studied science and education – as well as playing Longhorn football – before returning last fall to the district where he grew up to begin working as a 9th grade biology teacher and member of the coaching staff at Dekaney High School.

“The reason why I’m here today is because of Spring ISD – all of my community, all my mentors, my teachers,” Young said. “We are cut from a different cloth here, so take honor in it. Take pride in it. Know that your community has groomed you to be successful. We have a plethora of examples of success coming from this district, and I am blessed to say that I am one of them.”

Spring ISD’s education career pathway was first introduced in 2006 at Carl Wunsche Sr. High School. Over the years since, the district has expanded the pathway to Dekaney, Spring and Westfield high schools to allow students to be exposed to education as a career option beginning in the ninth grade. In addition, the district’s relationship with Junior Achievement gives an opportunity for students to have hands-on experience through internships and leadership programs across Spring ISD elementary and middle schools.

During the signing event, select students also received scholarships donated by administrators and friends of the Spring ISD community, after which Director of Career & Technical Education Cynthia Williams offered the seniors a few final thoughts and words of encouragement.

“We are so proud of you,” Williams said. “This field of education is one of the most – if not the most – important area of study to pursue. Once you enter a classroom, you are teachers that will help shape the generation of leaders to come. I encourage you to take your studies seriously, learn as much as you can about everything, enjoy college, and remember where you started, right here in Spring ISD.”

The seniors who took part in the ceremony, by home campus, include:

Dekaney High School

• Abby Alaniz
• Jayla Cross
• Zoe Figueroa
• Karla Flores
• Maria Guadalupe-Gomez
• Gisel Lopez
• Lissi Mejia
• Janiya Morris
• Any Pineda-Cruz
• Karen Rios
• Ja’niya Robinson
• Kayla Sanderson
• Sophia Serrano
• Janae Taylor

Spring High School

• Ariella Toro
• James Butler

Westfield High School

• April Acevedo
• Breanna Anderson
• Nykia Carter
• Cameron Carter-Sims
• Arianna Davis
• Hailey Dixon
• Maria Flores
• Erianna Latin
• Brianna Okafor
• Trinity Strambler
• Sa’Miyah Tureaud
• Irina Vilas