Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation
hosts third annual Students Choice Awards
Fifteen members of the Class of 2012 honored the teachers they say most inspired them at the May 31 Students Choice Awards Banquet sponsored by the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation.

Held at the Tower Club at Royal Purple Raceway Park, Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation board members and school district representatives joined dignitaries from the City of Baytown, Lee College, and from the Baytown area business community for the annual event recognizing the important role that teachers play in our children’s lives.

“Tonight is a proud moment for Goose Creek CISD. We live in a community that is so caring and giving, and that’s all across the board, but our teachers and staff of this school district are phenomenal, and you can tell that,” said banquet emcee and foundation board president David Frazier. “To all the teachers here tonight, and in the classrooms across our district, thank you for all your hard work. We truly appreciate it,” Frazier said.

Frazier is also the president and CEO of Community Resource Credit Union.

For the Students Choice Awards, seniors from Goose Creek CISD high schools were asked to write a letter nominating their favorite teacher who was instrumental in their lives.

After the 450 entries were carefully reviewed, five students from Ross S. Sterling and Goose Creek Memorial high schools, three students from Robert E. Lee, and two students from the Peter E. Hyland Center were chosen for the 2012 Students Choice Awards.

A portion of the nomination letters were printed in the program for attendees and a 30-minute video showcasing the students and teachers was shown at the banquet of more than 200 people.

Goose Creek CISD Superintendent Dr. Toby York was the night’s guest speaker.

“Our teachers have one of the most difficult jobs in the society. They deserve respect and support. They are among America’s true heroes,” York said. “Most public school students will spend thousands upon thousands of hours with teachers. Aside from family, it is doubtful that any other adult will have as much influence on a child as their teachers do.



“People do not become teachers because of the pay or benefits. They are about the mission of making sure children learn and excel.”

The students honored and the teachers they chose as most inspirational in their lives were:
Araceli Alvarez & Debbie Himsel (Goose Creek Memorial)
Sarafina Andrew & Kurt Bouillon (Lee)
Denise Chavez & Laura Parker (Sterling)
Gabriela Chen & Gary Cochran (Sterling)
Judith Cerino & Maria Gonzalez (Goose Creek Memorial)
Alejandro Gonzalez & Merla Kramer (Goose Creek Memorial)
Julie Gomez & Kim Herrera (Sterling)
Fernando Izaguirre & Robin Richards (Sterling)
Priya Patel & Beth Banks (Harlem)
Gabriela Reyes & Joseph Longorio (Goose Creek Memorial)
Katherine Salom & Kenneth Rogers (Sterling)
Windy Shelton & Kristie Fudge (Harlem)
Aditi Singh & Meg Galloway (REL)
I'niqua Wheatfall & Karen Swart (Hyland Center)
Hannah Wilson & Carrie Trawick-Darjean (Hyland Center)

Established in 2009, the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation aims to enhance community support and to expand resources that enrich teaching, inspire learning, and maximize opportunities for all students in the Goose Creek school system.

Since its inception, the Education Foundation has distributed more than $211,000 for innovative teaching grants that benefit students and teachers across the 128 square mile school district.

The Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation is a charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Service section 501(c)(3), and contributions to the organization are tax deductible.

Thirty-two volunteers serve on the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation Board of Directors and represent many areas of community, corporate, parental and educational opinions.

To find out more information about the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation or to inquire about becoming an investor, contact the GCCISD Education Foundation office at P.O. Box 8081, Baytown, Texas, 77522; by phone at 281-420-4813; or check out its website. To view the photo gallery click here.