Hello East Harris County and Crosby ISD families,
We’re off to a busy start to February, celebrating achievements and community service by our students.
First, our Cougars are proving they are avid readers! We are so proud of third graders across the District for making it to the Sweet 16 in the Read to the Final Four literacy bracket challenge. Students at Drew, Barrett, Crosby, and Newport Elementary Schools have collectively read more than 5 million minutes since the competition began November 7th. Each Monday, the next round of schools moving forward in the competition is announced on KHOU Channel 11. We are expecting to see great things for our schools when the next round of the Elite Eight is announced. We want to thank Crosby ISD Elementary librarian, Ms. Carrie Henderson, for her hard work coordinating this monumental reading effort.
It was thrilling to see the surprise for Crosby High School senior Shelby Kouba. She was awarded a $2500 scholarship from KPRC Channel 2 and American Furniture Warehouse. Crosby ISD nominated Shelby for her dedication and love of FFA. In fact, Shelby’s classmates and teachers joined together to surprise her in the FFA wing at CHS. We know Shelby feels at home in the world of FFA. She even had a chance to recite the FFA creed at the January Board of Trustees meeting. She did an amazing job. I enjoy the time I’ve personally spent getting to know Shelby better. She is a member of the Superintendent’s Cougar Council, a student advisory committee that puts student ideas into action.
The month began with four Crosby High School student-athletes taking their next step during National Signing Day on February 1st. Congratulations to the following football seniors: Ayden Jones, who signed with the University of Northern Iowa; Braden Womack is headed to Navarro College; Casen McMullen will pursue his dreams at Harden Simmons University; and Luke Smith signed with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Athletic Director Jerry Prieto and coaches reminded the students to enjoy the ride, but they should always remember that someday football will come to an end. Their academic pursuits at the collegiate level are what will be key to their post-football careers.
Crosby High School CTE Veterinary Tech students helped more than 500 pet owners during a massive free spay and neutering event in partnership with The Empty Shelter Project. Our students assisted in greeting, medicating, and nursing the 500 dogs and kittens who underwent the free surgery. The students volunteer to obtain clinical hours needed to achieve their veterinary assistance licenses. Crosby High School will be hosting a massive spay/ neuter event later this spring. We’ll share details soon.
Our CHS CTE Health Sciences students had smiles on their faces this month as they received a terrific donation to improve their program. We are grateful for the gift of the CPR-training manikin named “Little Alice.” The lifelike model will allow our students to be better trained in proper CPR techniques. Thank you to Raúl Williamson & the Dashiell company out of Deer Park for the generous donation.
February is Black History Month, and Crosby ISD has so much living history around us. For instance, few may know this, but one of the coaches in the Super Bowl is from Barrett Station. Brian Johnson is the Quarterbacks Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. He spent his childhood in Barrett Station, and we are so proud he is living his dream. Good luck in the big game! We also have been celebrating important members of our communities. Wilbert Lee Eagleton was the first Black member of the Crosby ISD Board of Trustees. He served from 1967-1976. Another beloved teacher, Mr. Billy Roberts, passed in 2001, and this month, we are celebrating his 37 years of teaching in CISD by sharing a verse from one of his favorite poems. The verse is from a 1911 poem by James W. Foley.
“Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone;
But there are hundreds of tiny ripples
circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center,
Flowing on out to sea,
And there is no way of telling
where the end is going to be.”
Those words really speak to how much impact educators can have in the world around them. Mr. Roberts certainly did. May we all spread ripples of kindness throughout our communities.
We are Better Together! Go Coogs!