Katy ISD Volunteers of the Year Honored at Annual Celebration

KATY MAGAZINE l JUNE 2019

By Jennifer Miko

At the end of the 2018-2019 school year, the Partners in Education and the Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) Executive Board recognized the district’s thousands of volunteers at their annual celebration event.

The 2018-2019 Katy ISD Volunteers of the Year.

The Katy ISD VIPS Celebration honored the volunteers who donate their time and talents to the district’s students and teachers. The Katy High School Bengal Brigade and Cheerleaders served as greeters for the more than 800 volunteers who attended the event at the Merrell Center.

District-wide entertainment was provided by McMeans Junior High, Tays Junior High and Paetow High School Theater as well as Taylor High School Theater and Choir.

Volunteers Contribute to District's Success

For two decades, Rebecca Fox, former member, Katy ISD Board of Trustees, has attended the VIPS Celebrations. "Their service reveals the commitment our parents and community members have to support our students and teachers," says Fox. "Volunteers are such a vital part of the success of Katy ISD."

One of the most anticipated segments of the program were the announcements of each school’s 2018-2019 Volunteer of the Year. Here is the list of this year's honorees:

---

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

---

Alexander Elementary: Charlotte Shutt

Bear Creek Elementary: Taylor Perez

Bethke Elementary: Kalee Harper

Bryant Elementary: Kathalyn Garza

Campbell Elementary: Lucy Madero

Cimarron Elementary: Anita Gelowitz

Creech Elementary: Leslie Cernosek

Davidson Elementary: Virginia Beeson

Exley Elementary: Jennifer Young

Fielder Elementary: Victor Alvarado

Franz Elementary: Vanessa Williams

Golbow Elementary: Kathryn Perry

Griffin Elementary: Allison Lindberg

Hayes Elementary: Trazanna Moreno

Holland Elementary: JoLynn Meier

Hutsell Elementary: Dawn Woytek

Jenks Elementary: Miriam Daboub

Katy Elementary: Stephanie Richter

Kilpatrick Elementary: Lian Blake

Mayde Creek Elementary: Kelsey Judd

McRoberts Elementary: Ruby Martinez Ilagan

Memorial Parkway Elementary: Yvonne Debus

Morton Ranch Elementary: Cornelia Elrod

Nottingham Country Elementary: Jim Troutman

Pattison Elementary: Iratxe Barcenilla Larrinaga

Randolph Elementary: Kim Brown

Rhoads Elementary: Kimberly Lord

Rylander Elementary: Devon Hulyk

Schmalz Elementary: Tamela Adams

Shafer Elementary: Brittany Dyal

Stanley Elementary: Amanda Boyle

Stephens Elementary: Christine Peña

Sundown Elementary: April Eldridge

West Memorial Elementary: Jayna Balcer

Williams Elementary: Sara McKenzie

Wilson Elementary: Carly Ferchuk

Winborn Elementary: Holly Painter

Wolfe Elementary: Barbara Havlik

Wolman Elementary: Sheila Adams

WoodCreek Elementary: Mindy Pitcock

Volunteer Roles Continue to Evolve

"More of today's volunteer roles accommodate working parent schedules. Dads are taking a greater leadership role through programs like Watch D.O.G.S.," Janet Theis, Katy ISD's Director of Community Partnerships. "Our Sister Schools program connects volunteers at two campuses across the district."

---

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

---

Beck Junior High: Maryellen Hager

Beckendorff Junior High: Jenny Kumar

Cardiff Junior High: Jennifer Valencia

Cinco Ranch Junior High: Dena Pyne

Katy Junior High: Laura Stukenborg

Mayde Creek Junior High: Sue Roberts

McDonald Junior High: Besima Baltic

McMeans Junior High: Allason James

Memorial Parkway Junior High: Kristen Allen

Morton Ranch Junior High: Michelle Duty

Seven Lakes Junior High: Angela Kunkel

Stockdick Junior High: Ruben Jimenez

Tays Junior High: Chris Green

West Memorial Junior High: Ann Perez

WoodCreek Junior High: Anitra Ondrush

Each Campus Benefits from Volunteers

The office of the Katy ISD Partners in Education calculated that volunteers across the district donated more than 847,142 hours. In human resource terms, these hours represent the equivalent of 604 additional teachers or nine additional teachers at every campus.

---

HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR

---

Cinco Ranch High School: Anna Marsh

Katy High School: Kelly Goerig

Mayde Creek High School: Emma Boutwell

Morton Ranch High School: Katrina Williams

Paetow High School: Tawnya Morse

Seven Lakes High School: Santiago Molina

Taylor High School: Sharon Mitchell

Tompkins High School: Linda Lummus

Inspiring Guest Speakers Address Audience

Over the years, notable guest speakers have entertained the audiences at the VIPS Celebration. Each one recognized the dedication of the volunteers and their impact on the children, teachers and school district. Some of the most prominent people to take the podium at the VIPS event include First Lady Barbara Bush, Apollo Astronaut Gene Cernan, former Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane, Senator John Cornyn (then Texas Attorney General) and former NFL player Spencer Tillman.

This year, the keynote speaker, 18-year-old Aidan Thomas Anderson – "giver, speaker and musician," inspired the crowd. The co-founder of the charity Aidan Cares, now in its 11th year, has gained national and international attention. His organization’s mission is to encourage people to spread the joy and importance of giving by “partnering with nonprofits, communities, and individuals to magnify the good they want to see in the world.”

Anderson has encouraged youth from more than 30 countries to start their own giving initiatives. The young man is dedicated to showing people, especially kids from all economic backgrounds, the incredible impact that can be achieved by serving others.

"Ours is a vibrant volunteer program that consistently responds to the evolving needs of our schools and community," says Theis. "What has not changed is Katy ISD's commitment to its volunteer programs. Volunteers will always be an important part of our Katy ISD family."

Volunteers in Public Schools, a Katy ISD Partners in Education program, offers moms, dads, family and community members a wide variety of volunteer opportunities at their chosen campus. To learn more, visit the Partners in Education website or contact your campus Volunteer Coordinator.

SEE MORE KATY MAGAZINE STORIES

#June2019 #ALKUModernJewelers #FuntastikLabs #ProgressiveWomens