When Eddy R. brought the idea of a Spanish spelling bee to Mount Auburn STEAM Academy, he wasn’t only thinking about competitions.  He was thinking about pride. “It makes me feel good when I hear people speaking Spanish at school,” Eddy, a fifth grader, said. “It makes us feel like we fit in.” For him, language is more than communication; it’s connection.  When students feel proud of their culture, they are more confident in school and in life, he said. “If they don’t fit in, they’re not going to study, and they’re going to give up. But if they’re supported,…

At Woodrow Wilson High School, school spirit sounds different to every student.  For senior cheerleader Daniela R., she proves every day that Wildcat pride can be expressed in ways beyond words. Daniela was born hard-of-hearing, but she’s never let that stop her. She joined the Woodrow cheerleading team as a freshman, and, before that, participated in other activities like dance and track.  “I really love to encourage people,” signed Daniela. And when it comes to Friday nights on the sideline, there’s not much she doesn’t love. Her face lights up with excitement when describing what a game day feels like…

Students at Chapel Hill Preparatory School have big dreams, and their teachers are helping make those dreams real. “When things get hard, I know I have great people at my school who help me,” said Yaneli M. “My teachers have tough times in life, but they still show up for us and put in the hard work. That motivates me.” A sixth grader, Yaneli wants to make her Chapel Hill family proud. She plans to go to college and become a nurse.  “I’m going to show everyone that the teachers in my life helped me so much,” she said. Yaneli…

South Oak Cliff High School is proving with every passing year why it is regarded as “the Mecca.” The campus, long celebrated for its athletic success, is now making headlines for academic growth as well. Its latest STAAR results show the strength of both students and strategy. In two years, SOC advanced by two letter grades and came within one point of earning an A rating for the 2024-2025 school year. Willie Johnson, who returned to SOC as principal after serving as a teacher and coach, said the results represent a shift in expectations for what students on the city’s…