The Clear Creek ISD community came together on May 3, 2024, in a celebration of a “Doggone Great Year” in a spirited nod to 2024 Community Partners of the Year, the Faithful Friends organization and CCISD campus Watch D.O.G.S. or Dads Of Great Students.
Clear Creek ISD also recognized 44 volunteers of the year, representing every CCISD school, at the District’s annual Volunteer and Partnership Breakfast at the Clear Creek ISD Challenger Columbia Stadium Fieldhouse Community Room. In surprise announcements during the event, the District also named Leslie Holcomb of Hyde Elementary the Elementary Volunteer of the Year and Hilton Koch of Clear Falls High School the Secondary Volunteer of the Year for their contributions and commitment to their school communities.
“You may have heard it said, if you want to go fast, you run alone, but if you want to go far, you walk together,” said CCISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Engle in her community impact remarks. “This proverb has been the drumbeat of the Clear Creek ISD community. Because of this belief, and for all that you do for a CCISD student, staff member or school, we honor and thank you this morning.”
Besides the obvious canine connection, the Co-Community Partners of the Year have a lot in common regarding the safety and well-being of students.
Faithful Friends is an animal-assisted therapy ministry whose volunteers, both two-legged and four-legged, aim to support children through their caring hearts and listening ears. Faithful Friends visit with students in the comfort of their CCISD elementary school libraries, listening to them read aloud and building literacy and confidence.
A nationally recognized program, Watch D.O.G.S. helps improve school safety and increase parental involvement. Every elementary school and several intermediate schools in CCISD are home to Watch D.O.G.S. volunteers: dads, grandfathers, and uncles who serve as extra eyes and ears around campus and model service and other core values for students.
More than 200 VIPs, or very important partners, were invited to special performances by top student talent in CCISD. Danielle Sanchez of Westbrook Intermediate, Clear Creek High School String Quartet musicians Bryan Stevens, Suri Xu, William Nolan and Eve Hewett, and Iyla Pettiett of League City Elementary brought the crowd to their feet with their memorable performances.
Wrapping up the breakfast celebration, Cathy Gault, President of the Clear Creek Community Council of PTAs, thanked all those who are members of the PTA and their advocacy efforts on behalf of the school district and its more than 40,000 students. For the second year in a row, Mossman Elementary won the traveling trophy for Volunteer Champion Campus, which was awarded each year to the school boasting the highest PTA membership per student enrollment.
CCISD is grateful for and congratulates the following 2024 CCISD Campus Volunteers of the Year:
Elementary Volunteers of the Year
Lauren Pearson, Armand Bayou
Rani Tate, Bauerschlag
Kumiko Kadohama, Bay
Amy Xenefos, Brookwood
Karen Tulloch, Campbell
Michelle Ashley, Clear Lake City
Alicia Morgan, Ed White
Louisa Weise Barausky, Falcon Pass
Tony Simmons, Ferguson
Vickie Miller, Gilmore
Gwen Torstrick, Goforth
Vanessa Trevino, Greene
Courtney Boudreaux, Hall
Leslie Holcomb, Hyde
Julia Mergerle, Landolt
Sergio Medina, League City
Melissa Porter, McWhirter
Shannon Sobkowiak, Mossman
Heather Strawser, North Pointe
Melissa Thomas, Parr
Melissa Bittick, Robinson
Rebecca Walker, Ross Elementary
Ashley Gilfoil, Ross
Liane Soukup Chlebowski, Stewart
Leslie Butts, Ward
Karina Quijada, Weber
Rhonda Rogers, Wedgewood
Bernadette Chessman, Whitcomb
Intermediate Volunteers of the Year
Anna Hubbard, Bayside
Debi Matthews, Brookside
Citymark Church, Clear Creek
Michelle Ashley, Clear Lake
Julie Hyde, Creekside
Dr. Mark Matney, League City
Seabrook PTA Executive Board, Seabrook
Amy Xenofos, Space Center
Kimberly Spreeman, Victory Lakes
Candice McCormack, Westbrook
High School Volunteers of the Year
Michelle Stuart & Kari Ayala, Clear Brook
Michael & Sherri Creedon, Clear Creek
Hilton Koch, Clear Falls
Selena Bradley, Clear Horizons
Jana Paul, Clear Lake
Nate Shandera, Clear Springs
Eric Foster, Clear View
Supporting sponsors Balfour, Photo Texas Photography, and T-Shirt Trends make the annual breakfast celebration possible.
