A holiday party tradition from the officers and assistants of American Airlines this year resulted in every student at the Young Men’s Leadership Academy at Fred F. Florence getting a new book from the required spring reading list—a total of 800 books. The American Airlines employees purchased the books and delivered them to the school for distribution to the students.
“As our guest began to arrive [to the holiday celebration], with them came boxes and boxes of books,” said Gwen Parker, who organized the book drive. “What happened on their end is that they liked the idea so much that they pooled their money and ordered every single book. They wanted each child to get a new book.”
Other things to celebrate at the Young Men’s leadership Academy include a $1.5 million award by The Texas Education Agency for the Community Partnership Grant to bring innovative programs and wrap-around services to the Pleasant Grove community.
The entire student body at the school received Mavericks tickets as a reward for improved attendance thanks to Mark Cuban and The EverFi Corporation. Former student, Torey Cohen, participated in the EverFi Business Entrepreneurship Contest last spring semester and challenged Mark Cuban to provide Mavericks tickets to the entire YMLA student-body if the school’s attendance rate increased to 97 percent.
Students at Ebby Halliday Elementary School also benefitted from the efforts of community volunteers who came out to read to students last month and emphasized the importance of reading.
Kleberg Elementary School had much to celebrate after it was chosen to become one of the district’s newest innovation schools. Kleberg will be a pilot science, technology, engineering and math school. An innovation school offers a new academic model inside an existing neighborhood campus that keeps its traditional boundaries.
