Celebrating the group’s 41st year, members of the Spring ISD Career and Technology Education Advisory Board gathered recently with Spring ISD staff, families and community members at the district’s Randall Reed Center to award scholarships to 20 Spring ISD seniors, and to announce special teacher grants to support the work of classroom educators across the district. 

“This year’s theme is ‘Navigating Our Way with CTE,’” Spring ISD Director of Career and Technical Education said during her opening remarks. “Throughout tonight’s event, you will see examples of how CTE is guiding students to showcase and hone their skills now, giving them a competitive edge in tomorrow’s workforce.”

Each year, the Advisory Board reviews scholarship candidates to select the final group of highly qualified seniors for recognition and scholarship awards. They are each awarded $1,000 scholarships – donated by a community member, district department or organization – given in recognition of their successful progress through their CTE coursework during high school. The students represented a range of CTE pathways – from pre-med and pre-law to business, psychology, engineering, education and law enforcement.

During her remarks, Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa praised the students’ dedication to continued learning, and reminded attendees that members of the Class of 2024 had faced special challenges during their high school years, entering high school during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and spending much of their freshman year at home, taking part in remote, virtual learning.

“This class has not only shown their commitment, but most importantly, they’ve stayed focused in school beyond all challenges,” Hinojosa said. “They have persevered. They were committed to having an amazing education; they were committed to their coursework; and most importantly, they were committed to themselves – to see it through. And so this graduating class here in Spring ISD, I like to say they’re my ‘gritty’ class. They’re the ones that never gave up. Like we say in Spring, they are ‘Unstoppable!’”

During a special keynote speech, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School 2022 graduate Rashel Pingarrom spoke to the students about her own CTE journey, and how her EMT studies in the Medical Tower at Wunsche prepared her for certification as an EMT, and ultimately to her present work with Acadian Ambulance Services.

“Straight out of high school, I didn’t have to worry about being underpaid, or working at a job I wasn’t going to love or have a passion for,” Pingarrom said. “Navigating through this journey has shown me that I’m capable of more than I ever thought I was.”

CTE Advisory Board member and retired Spring ISD principal Sherry Dunlap introduced advisory board members, and noted how much Pingarrom’s story applies to students of all ages across the district, many of whom take part in CTE offerings and have the opportunity to earn professional certifications and even their associate degrees in addition to their high school diplomas. 

“We have 85% of Spring ISD students actually participating in CTE programs,” Dunlap said. “That’s phenomenal.”

The event also honored several CTE teachers who were awarded grants to support their programs, including projects that will bring updated simulation equipment and other instruments for use in dentistry and EMT pathways, new chicken coops for district agriculture programs, and new skill-building experiences to help train law enforcement pathways students.

The CTE Advisory Board – made up of community members, businesspeople and local leaders – operates with a mission to advise, assist, and support students with the opportunity to acquire challenging academic and technical skills, thus preparing them for high-skilled, high-wage, and high-priority occupations in a competitive 21st-century global economy.

“Thank you to our CTE Advisory Board for all of their commitment and support,” Hinojosa said during her remarks, “not only for our CTE programs, but most importantly for our students. They are the reason we are here.”

Below are the CTE $1,000 scholarship winners from the Class of 2024:

• April Acevedo (Westfield High School, Education Pathway), attending Sam Houston State University to pursue a major in Music Education, and sponsored by Willie Jones Jr. & Family
• James Butler (Spring High School, Education Pathway), attending Trinity University to pursue a major in Education and English, and sponsored by Donna C. Lewis & Family
• Tyrell Drones (Westfield High School, Engineering Pathway), attending University of Houston to pursue a major in Computer Engineering, and sponsored by Seth & Dianne Sharr
• Savannah Ellis (Dekaney High School, Law Enforcement Pathway), attending Trine University to pursue a major in Criminal Justice, and sponsored by Spring ISD Police Department
• Darian Flores (Dekaney High School, Business Management Pathway), attending University of Richmond to pursue a major in Accounting, and sponsored by First Financial Group of America
• Maria Gutierrez Granados (Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Pre-Law Pathway), attending University of Houston to pursue a major in Business Administration, and sponsored by Chase Jones Law
• Kylie Khalil (Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Pathway), attending Williams College to pursue a major in Geological Sciences, and sponsored by Anne & Clark Courtright
• Cassidy Layne (Spring High School, Psychology and Counseling Pathway), attending Texas Woman’s University to pursue a major in Nursing, and sponsored by P.O.L. Investment Group of Texas
• America Lerma (Dekaney High School, Pre-Medical Studies Pathway), attending UT-Austin to pursue a major in Biology, and sponsored by Dr. Kyrel Broxton
• Madison Lewis (Spring High School, Business Management Pathway), attending Texas A&M University to pursue a major in Psychology, and sponsored by Spring ISD Human Resources
• Ashley Nguyen (Westfield High School, Pre-Medical Studies Pathway), attending UT-Austin to pursue a major in Biology, and sponsored by Spring ISD Board of Trustees
• Kayla Nguyen (Westfield High School, Pharmacy Pathway), attending University of Houston to pursue a major in Biology, and sponsored by CenterPoint Energy Foundation
• Andy Phung (Westfield High School, Engineering Pathway), attending University of Houston to pursue a major in Computer Science, and sponsored by CenterPoint Energy Foundation
• Elisabeth Pierce (Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Pre-Law Pathway), attending University of Houston Clear Lake to pursue a major in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and sponsored by Anne & Clark Courtright
• Jada Sanders (Westfield High School, Business Management Pathway), attending Texas Southern University to pursue a major in Business Administration, and sponsored by Marcus Ford & Family
• Saryah Scott-Curly (Westfield High School, Business Management Pathway), attending Texas A&M University to pursue a major in Biology, and sponsored by Bed of Roses Assisted Living LLC
• Tina Tran (Westfield High School, Arts Pathway), attending University of Houston to pursue a major in Communications Sciences and Disorders, and sponsored by Energy Capital Credit Union
• Crystal Vazquez (Westfield High School, Pre-Medical Studies Pathway), attending UT-Austin to pursue a major in Nursing, and sponsored by H5 Strategic Alliances
• Hung Vu (Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Dentistry Pathway), attending UT-Austin to pursue a major in Biology, and sponsored by Bentley & Associates, P.C.
• Lance Williams (Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, Pre-Law Pathway), attending Howard University to pursue a major in Political Science, and sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. LeAnderay M. Collins