Lyriq Turner, a fifth-grader at Charles Rice Learning Center, delivers her winning speech during the Gardere MLK Jr. Oratory Competition final on Friday, Jan. 15, at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas.

Ashley Fortner-Dominguez always had a love for education, but never thought about teaching as a career. That eventually changed, and after earning certification through Dallas ISD’s alternative certification academy, she is finding classroom success as a bilingual preK teacher at Tom C. Gooch Elementary School.

A record number of counseling programs received the state CREST Award. Shown are counselors from Sunset High School.

Leslie Romero, a fourth-grader at Harrell Budd Elementary, won first place in her division in the National Association for Biligual Education essay contest. (submitted photo)

UT-Dallas professor Eric Schlareth gave students at North Dallas High School a taste of a college-style lecture.

Students in Kimball High School's Distinguished Academy of Hospitality and Tourism are collecting jeans for homeless teens for the Teens for Jeans campaign.

For the second year, Daniela Mora, an eighth-grader at Robert T. Hill Middle School, is also collecting Teens for Jeans.

Trustees Dan Micciche and Miguel Solis share a laugh with Mike Koprowski, Chief of Transformation and Innovation, and Superintendent Michael Hinojosa on Jan. 8 after a news conference at the Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship Academy. A news conference touted the importance and emphasis on Dallas ISD’s public school choice program.

Superintendent Michael Hinojosa takes a tour on Jan. 8 of the Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship Academy with Principal Sarah Ritsema.

Dallas ISD students spelled their way into the Dallas County Spelling Bee this month at five bees conducted at district elementary schools on Jan. 12. Seventeen students advance to the next round, set for Feb. 18.

Staff members at Dallas ISD’s H. Grady Spruce High School took to the streets early one school morning to surprise students with excellent attendance at their homes. (submitted photo)

Temoc, the mascot of UT-Dallas, greets Dallas ISD students on Jan. 13 for a "Unite for Change" event at the school.

Dallas ISD students arrive on the UT-Dallas campus on Jan. 13 for a “Unite for Change” event coordinated by the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas with volunteers from TI, Fluor and Ricker Retirement Specialists. About 500 students received training and mentoring about several aspects of college.

2nd Vice President Lew Blackburn (District 5), Keylon Winn of Roger Q. Mills Elementary, District 6 Trustee Joyce Foreman and District 1 Trustee Edwin Flores.

The Dallas Winds played concerts the last week of January for all Dallas ISD fifth-graders. The goal was to inspire them to play in their school bands in sixth grade.

The Dallas Winds played music students could recognize, from their own lives or from Music Memory competition.