Student Spotlight: Archie Jones, 12th Grade

This week's Student Spotlight is Archie Jones. Archie's grandmother is Peggy Peters.

Archie is a 12th grader at Hughes Springs High School where he is involved in football, basketball and track.

Archie says his favorite class is Officer Wayne Mosley's Criminal Justice Class. He says he enjoys this class because he is able to learn about the laws of Texas and he wants to be a police officer.

Archie says the educator who has had the most impact on him thus far is Mrs. Stacy Green. He says Mrs. Green is always there when he needs her and always makes sure he has his work done.

Archie says the best thing about being a student in Hughes Springs ISD is being around his friends and being able to give Mrs. Green a hard time!

Archie plans to attend Kilgore College after graduation and to one day become a police officer.

Archie was nominated by Mrs. Deanna Putman. Mrs Putman says, " Archie is a student that you just enjoy having around. He is always smiling and has a very positive attitude. He is liked by his peers and is friendly to everyone. Archie is a positive role model by encouraging other students to do their best. He is polite and respectful to the teachers and staff. Archie's personality helps make a tough day at school easier."

Congratulations Archie! We are so proud to have you as a student at Hughes Springs ISD.

My Christmas Wish by Mrs. Edward's 3rd Graders

Happy Holidays from Mrs. Edwards' 3rd grade class and all of the HSISD Staff and Students!

Blessings In A Backpack Program

We are pleased to announce that we have received part of a grant from the AEP Foundation!!!! The $32,000 grant was awarded to Titus County Cares (TCC) for a community campaign to support its food pantry and school backpack program. The following schools will benefit from the TCC grant:

- Mt. Pleasant ISD
- Chapel Hill ISD
- Winfield ISD
- Mt. Vernon ISD
- Winnsboro ISD
- Hughes Springs ISD
- Daingerfield ISD
- Paul Pewitt ISD

The grant money will be used for TCC’s “Blessings in a Backpack” program which enables qualified students to take a backpack home over the weekend that contains sustainable food items for nutritious meals they may not have received otherwise.

Hughes Springs ISD has been awarded $2,500 of the grant to start a program in our school district. The Hughes Springs High School Student Council is now kicking off the local community campaign to help support the “Blessings in a Backpack” program. Local pledges are needed to help match AEP’s generous donation and help this program thrive in Hughes Springs ISD. All pledges made to the Hughes Springs High School Student Council will stay here in HSISD and benefit our children. The cost of a backpack for one child is $80 per year.

If you are interested in making a pledge to the Hughes Springs ISD “Blessings in a Backpack” program or know a child who might benefit from the program or would like more information please contact:

Katie Denevan, Student Council Sponsor
denevank@hsisd.net
903-639-3841

Or

Deanna Putman, HSISD Communities in Schools Coordinator
putmand@hsisd.net
903-639-3873

Jr. High Choir Concert Video

The Hughes Springs Jr. High School Choir Concert was held on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. The students and Mr. Williams did a great job. For those of you who were unable to attend, here is a sampling of the concert - enjoy!

Here is a video of the Jr. High Choir....

High School Choir Concert Video

The Hughes Springs High School Choir Concert was held on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. The students and Mr. Williams did a great job. For those of you who were unable to attend, here is a sampling of the concert - enjoy!

Here is a video of the HS Choir....

Student Spotlight: Carlos Montalvo

This week's student spotlight is Carlos Montalvo, a 4th grader at Hughes Springs Elementary. Carlos' parents are Mariana Montalvo and Mario Reyes.

Carlos enjoys school and is actively involved in ACE, After-School Centers of Education. His favorite subject is Math. Carlos says he enjoys math because he likes to learn and he knows that it will help him in the future.

Mrs. Courtney Edwards is the teacher that Carlos says has had the most impact on him thus far. He says that Mrs. Edwards loved the way he was always ready to learn when he was in her 3rd grade class.

Carlos says the best thing about being a student at Hughes Springs ISD is that he gets to learn something new every day.

In the future, Carlos says he would like to go to college and become a successful person.

Carlos was nominated by his teachers who say he is "a great kid, smart, responsible, helpful to his classmates and always follows through with what he is supposed to do."

Congratulations Carlos - we have no doubt you will be a successful person and we are so proud to have you as a student at Hughes Springs ISD!

Give Someone A Helping Hand by Jimmy Purdon, 11th grade

Everyone knows that there are less fortunate people and families out there, but have you ever thought how close they may be? Possibly a next door neighbor, someone living across the street, down the road, or other side of town or a neighboring town. The point is, there are families in our small community and neighboring ones that could use a helping hand.

You can help someone in many ways by donating: clothing, food, personal hygiene items, blood, money, and toys. The good news is that no one in Hughes Springs has to travel far to do any of these things. You can give a child the gift of Christmas by donating to any of the toy drives around, including Toys for Tots, which is set up at many locations, or by picking a list from the Angel Tree set up at City Hall and providing the items on that list.

Clothing can be as simple as giving a coat to any of the annual coat drives, or by contacting a local church to see if they distribute clothing to those who need it. Donating food is by far one of the easiest things to do. There are many food drives around during the holiday season including the one here at our high school. If you want to donate food, but may have missed one of the drives, you can always give to a local food bank such as the one at City Hall.

The one way to help that may most directly save someone’s life is donating blood; this can be accomplished at any of the numerous blood drives our school hosts throughout the year.

These aren’t the only ways to help out. You can always contact a shelter; don’t be shy about asking what they need at this time, or if they are seeking volunteers at the time.

These are just a few of the ways you can help out others in your community, and I encourage everyone to find a way that best suits you in helping others. Do not forget that it could be anyone that needs help including, one of your child’s classmates, a coworker, or that person you don’t know but will still appreciate your help.

Student Spotlight: Jasmine Martinez

This week's student spotlight is Jasmine Martinez! Jasmine lives with her sister and brother-in-law, Andrew and Keziah Eckstrom.

Jasmine is a junior at Hughes Springs High School. She enjoys being involved with her school and community as much as her schedule will allow. Jasmine was recently inducted into the National Honors Society which only makes her more determined to keep up the hard work and dedication towards academics. Jasmine is a member of the Varsity Mustang Tennis Team. She also volunteers in the community by assisting Outreach programs at NTCC, as well as time she spends in the ministry.

Jasmine's favorite subject is Anatomy and Physiology. Since she is interested in the medical field, she finds this class challenging but rewarding. The teacher who has most influenced her is Mrs. Martha Giddens. She says she really enjoys the way that Mrs. Giddens' teaches, which is through a hands-on method. She says she likes how Mrs. Giddens brings lifelong experiences into the classroom that she finds fascinating. She also appreciates how Mrs. Giddens encourages her to pursue a medical career.

Jasmine says the best thing about being a student at Hughes Springs ISD is....being a Mustang! She says that HSISD offers a friendly atmosphere and has a great reputation for their academics.

After graduating from high school, Jasmine plans on attending NTCC for her first 2 years of college. After that, she may consider transferring to a larger university or she may stay at NTCC to take advantage of the programs they offer. Jasmine is sure she wants to pursue a medical career, perhaps becoming a Radiologist.

Jasmine was nominated by Mrs. Deanna Putman who says "Jasmine is a model student. She always wants to do her best. She is caring and is always helping out a fellow student in need, whether it is with their homework or just an encouraging word. It is a pleasure to work with Jasmine because of her positive outlook."

Congratulations Jasmine! We are so proud to have you as a student at Hughes Springs ISD!