News Briefs

While most Americans know that black soldiers served proudly in all of the country’s modern wars, it may come as a surprise to some that thousands of black servicemen fought in the Civil War. This year, as part of black history month, several hundred Dallas ISD elementary school students received firsthand history lessons about the role of these troops, nicknamed the Buffalo Soldiers. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sponsors reenactments of the stories of the Buffalo Soldiers. Volunteers in full regalia recently visited several African American Success Initiative schools to share the history of these soldiers with students. At Mark Twain Elementary,…

The 2016 theme for Black History Month—Hallowed Ground: Sites of African American Memories brings to mind the many educators who, because of their contributions to students, parents and this city as a whole, have Dallas ISD schools or facilities named in their honor. Every day, students traverse these hallowed halls and can’t help but absorb some insight about their school’s extraordinary namesake and their accomplishments. During this month, we have profiled the contributions of some of these beloved educators, many who continue, years after their deaths, to impact students. We close out Black History Month with a profile of Kathlyn…

WFAA recently reported on how schools across Dallas ISD are working to make sure students are college and career ready. Specifically, the schools’ focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.), which includes topics from robotics to calculus, is helping prepare students for a successful future. “It’s where the future is going to go,” Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said in the WFAA report. “Our students need to be prepared for that.” Click here to read the full story from WFAA.

Students from the Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School are participating in a panel tonight addressing child sexual exploitation and trafficking in Texas. The panel will also include Texas State Representative Linda Koop; Judge Harlin Hale; Judge Lena Levario; Assistant District Attorney Brooke Grona-Robb; Melissa Miles of the City Attorney’s office; FBI Special Agent Deborah Michaels; and Lisa Shedden with the Department of Justice. The panel is from 6–7:30 p.m. at the George W. Bush Institute auditorium at SMU, 2943 SMU Boulevard. The Rangel students are participating in the panel after learning about child sexual exploitation and trafficking through a…