CCISD Community Celebrates 2024 Partners and Volunteers of the Year

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.

Click here for the event photo gallery.

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 when it comes to 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 by way of 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, 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 an extra set of eyes and ears around campus and model service and other core values for students.

Click to watch Faithful Friends and Watch D.O.G.S. in action on CCISD campuses.

The more than 200 VIPs, or Very Important Partners, in attendance were treated 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 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 Elementary
Rani Tate, Bauerschlag Elementary
Kumiko Kadohama, Bay Elementary
Amy Xenefos, Brookwood Elementary
Karen Tulloch, Campbell Elementary
Michelle Ashley, Clear Lake City Elementary
Alicia Morgan, Ed White Elementary
Louisa Weise Barausky, Falcon Pass Elementary
Tony Simmons, Ferguson Elementary
Vickie Miller, Gilmore Elementary
Gwen Torstrick, Goforth Elementary
Vanessa Trevino, Greene Elementary
Courtney Boudreaux, Hall Elementary
Leslie Holcomb, Hyde Elementary
Julia Mergerle, Landolt Elementary
Sergio Medina, League City Elementary
Melissa Porter, McWhirter Elementary
Shannon Sobkowiak, Mossman Elementary
Heather Strawser, North Pointe Elementary
Melissa Thomas, Parr Elementary
Melissa Bittick, Robinson Elementary
Ashley Gilfoil and Rebecca Walker, Ross Elementary
Liane Soukup Chlebowski, Stewart Elementary
Lesley Butts, Ward Elementary
Karina Quijada, Weber Elementary
Rhonda Rogers, Wedgewood Elementary
Bernadette Chessman, Whitcomb Elementary

Intermediate Volunteers of the Year

Anna Hubbard, Bayside Intermediate
Debi Matthews, Brookside Intermediate
Citymark Church, Clear Creek Intermediate
Michelle Ashley, Clear Lake Intermediate
Julie Hyde, Creekside Intermediate
Dr. Mark Matney, League City Intermediate
Seabrook PTA Executive Board, Seabrook Intermediate
Amy Xenofos, Space Center Intermediate
Kimberly Spreeman, Victory Lakes Intermediate
Candice McCormack, Westbrook Intermediate

High School Volunteers of the Year

Kari Ayala and Michelle Stuart, Clear Brook High School
Michael and Sherri Creedon, Clear Creek High School
Hilton Koch, Clear Falls High School
Selena Bradley, Clear Horizons Early College High School
Jana Paul, Clear Lake High School
Nate Shandera, Clear Springs High School
Eric Foster, Clear View High School

Supporting sponsors Balfour, Photo Texas Photography and T-Shirt Trends make the annual breakfast celebration possible.