Maria Rodriguez, the first Hispanic female sergeant in the Dallas ISD Police Department, has achieved a significant milestone in her community.  Born and raised in Dallas, she attended various Dallas ISD legacy schools, including Maple Lawn Elementary School and Thomas Jefferson High School, where she was active in extracurricular activities such as the Liberty Belles and martial arts. In 2010, she joined Dallas ISD as a teacher assistant at Skyline High School. There, she met officer Alan Miles, who encouraged her to apply to the Dallas ISD police. Promoted to sergeant in December 2023, Rodriguez shared her pride in being…

Eight years ago, as a fourth grader riding a parade float down Hillcrest Road in a Class of 2025 T-shirt, Eden M. began a tradition she would carry on throughout her high school years. “When I was little, I would come to Hillcrest games wearing my ‘Class of ‘25’ shirt,” she said. “Last year, it hit how much I’ve grown because there was a sweet little girl with the cheerleaders wearing a ‘Class of ‘33’ shirt–it’s the same shirt I have, so it felt like a full circle moment.” Hillcrest High School hosts an annual homecoming parade, a 20-year tradition…

This year, every Dallas ISD physical education teacher will have easy access to their very own first-aid kit. The idea came after Lisa Whitaker, director of the Health and Physical Education Department, saw a need for extra resources in the classroom. “I noticed an opportunity to provide student and teacher support during physical education classes,” she said. “My goal was to support teachers during physical education classes and be in direct partnership with campus nursing staff.” This summer, interns with the Health and Physical Education Department recognized the same need. This inspired the team’s final project: assembling 245 first-aid kits…

For Bethany E., learning a language is a gateway to the world. “I think it’s important to learn a new language because you learn more about the world you live in and experience something different,” she said. Bethany is taking Italian language classes at Skyline High School, which is the largest Italian program in Dallas ISD. She enrolled in the class her freshman year and never looked back. “I wanted to take Italian because I was very interested in its culture and history and wanted to learn about it more in depth,” Bethany said.  Now a senior, she plans to…