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Alief ISD honors 2024–25 scholar athletes, parade winners and district staff at April board meeting
Summary
The Alief ISD board recognized scholar athletes with college commitments, announced winners of the district's international parade and acknowledged staff including librarians, paraprofessionals and bus drivers.
Alief ISD on April 15 recognized its 2024–25 scholar athletes, announced awards from the district’s recent international parade and thanked staff across multiple departments during the superintendent’s report.
Assistant Athletic Director De La Rosa presented the scholar‑athlete list and the colleges where the students plan to attend. Selections included Jacob Ordonez (soccer) headed to Clark and Columbia; Zuri Nalley (volleyball, Hastings High School) who will attend Texas A&M to study animal science on an academic scholarship; Mikhail Mabanjavar (football, Hastings) who plans to attend the University of Texas to study information technology; and Yael Ruiz (Elsik Tennis) who received a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University to study economics. The presentation named multiple other scholar athletes and their postsecondary plans, including students who will attend Texas Tech, Southern University, Bethune‑Cookman, Blinn College and the University of Houston.
The board also heard from Lisu Nguyen, the district public relations specialist, who recapped the second annual international parade on March 29. Nguyen thanked volunteers, the parade committee, Alief police and the Houston Police Department for their support. Parade winners named by the district included Taylor High School Rolling Lions, Hastings Big Bear Band and Elsik High School Air Force JROTC; community partner winners included the International Management District, Tropicalia Colors of Brazil and HEB.
Superintendent Mays and other speakers used the superintendent’s report to recognize several staff groups: paraprofessionals (noted April 2 as Paraprofessional Day), certified librarians in celebration of National School Librarian Day and National Library Week, assistant principals during National Assistant Principal Week and school bus drivers on National Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Brian Gonzales, director of digital learning, introduced and thanked library information specialists who support teaching and learning across the district.
Why it matters: the recognitions highlight college pathways for student‑athletes, district community engagement through the parade and the district’s ongoing effort to acknowledge staff who support daily school operations. The board provided no formal actions or budget votes during the recognitions.
Speakers who addressed these items included De La Rosa (assistant athletic director), Lisu Nguyen (public relations specialist), Brian Gonzales (director of digital learning), Superintendent Mays and multiple coach and student presenters who introduced scholar athletes.
