April 28, 2009

Press Release

TISD Foundation Honors Top Students and Inspiring Teachers

High achieving students from both high schools in the Tyler Independent School District will receive special recognition, and they will be sharing the spotlight with some extraordinary teachers during the same event.  For the third year in a row, the Tyler ISD Foundation will sponsor “A Night of Shining Stars,” dedicated to honoring top students from John Tyler High School and Robert E. Lee High School on Thursday, April 30, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rose Garden Center, in Tyler.

“This is an event which brings the top students from their schools together at a single event,” said Larry Goddard, Executive Director of the Tyler ISD Foundation.  “We celebrate the educational achievements of these outstanding Tyler ISD students.”

Each student is asked to name one teacher who has made the most significant and positive impact on their academic success.  The teacher, along with the students’ families, will be honored along with the student at the event.

“We have elementary grade teachers being recognized as well as high school advanced placement course teachers,” said Goddard.  “It is a truly emotional event to hear the students give personal testimonials as to what a difference an outstanding teacher has made in their lives.”

 “We treat the students like celebrities,” said Goddard.  “They will have their photos taken by paparazzi, receive a commemorative gold watch, and make an acceptance speech by providing a testimony of how their teacher positively impacted their life.  This is a night to treat the academic achievers as our local celebrities.  They have worked hard, their families have been supportive, and the teachers are publicly thanked for their dedicated endeavors.” 

The planning committee consists of Gary Howell, Holley Howard, Sarah Jacobi, Kristen Seeber, Tracy Phelps, and Larry Goddard.

Sponsors of the event are: Celestial Patrons:  Hibbs-Hallmark & Company; Universal Donors:  Anonymous Donor and GM&A; Comet Partners: Brookshire Grocery Company, CBS-19 TV, Murphey the Jeweler II—Rick Murphey; Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, LLP, Carol and Fred Smith and family; Constellation Friends:  Batten Photography, Cooperative Teachers Credit Union; Holley and Eddie Howard; Randy Phillips Photography; Nancy and Frank Davis.

In February, at the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA), a statewide organization dedicated to community awareness as well as education foundations of public school districts in Texas, awarded Tyler ISD Foundation’s A Night of Shining Stars with their Crystal Award.  This is the highest award for a foundation event in the 1100 school districts in Texas.

Students and teachers being honored include:

Top Students                        Honored Teachers

Stefania Aldana                       Jan Hood

Katherine Anderson                Lindsay Loftin

Filip Andonovski                      Ronnie Blake

Azael Arizpe                            James Gasparini

Alexander Baldwin                  Debbie Karlovetz

Katelynn Badger                     Jeanie Jones

Bethany Barton                       Keith Showen

Shehzad Batliwala                  Annette McGuffee

Candace Black                       Susan Norvell

Hannah Bosley                        Debbie Black

Cornelius Burns                      Cynthia Davis

Katherine Coburn                    Nancy Bertholf

Shuntel Coleman                     Debra Robertson

Kenneth Conner                      Nancy Jefferson

Erica Cornejo                          Jennifer Sleeper

Celia Correa                            Betty George

Summer Davis                        Marilyn Coler

Jesse Delgado                        Floyd Tittle

Ahmed El-Kishky                    Kathleen Partain

Beth Felix                                Lana Hood

Briana Frost                            Juanita Maxwell

Kalah Hicks                             Pamela Wideman

Kristin Johnson                       Marilynn McKinley

Caleb Ketcham                       Bobby Castillo

Jonathan Knight                      David Peacock

Geronimo Leon                       Shane Prescott

Karina Leon                             Joel Enge

Jennifer Menard                       Diane Sorrels

Wesley Morse                         Lana Hood

Mike Rebollar                          Quantalane Henry Nda-Ackah

Ke’Undra Mumphrey               Gwen Garner

BethAnn McCloskey                Jason DuBose

Hien Nguyen                            Allison Rogers

Andrew Peacock                     Penny Barr

Hayden Pottkotter                    Keith Showen

Gabriel Rosenfield                   Rhonda Alexander

Melecio Silva                            Linda Allen

Maritza Servin                          Allison Rogers

Mika Smith                               David Howard

Cameron Staton                      Christy Carlisle

Skylar Talley                            Lindsay Loftin

Edith Valle                               Chantal Woodhull

The Joseph Maland Memorial Scholarships are given to outstanding Robert E. Lee High School students who participate in the swim team.  The presentation, which will be made by MaryAnn Girard, will be given to two students this year:  Matt Hurst and Rachel Oliver.