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Socorro ISD honors trustees, students, staff and Pebble Hills marching band at Jan. 23 special meeting
Summary
At a Jan. 23 special meeting, the Socorro Independent School District recognized board members for School Board Recognition Month, presented student-made gifts, awarded six $500 scholarships, and honored coaches, a trainer and the Pebble Hills High School marching band for regional and national achievements.
Socorro Independent School District recognized its trustees, staff and students at a special board meeting on Jan. 23, 2025, honoring School Board Recognition Month and celebrating student and staff achievements across athletics, the arts and scholarship awards.
The recognition item, presented by Daniel Escobar, chief communications officer for Socorro Independent School District, opened with remarks thanking the seven locally elected trustees for their service. "Tonight, we honor you, the dedicated members of the Socorro Independent School District's Board of Trustees, for being all in to creating a brighter future for our community," Escobar said. He summarized district accomplishments in 2024, including leading the region in STAR and EOC results, 82% of schools earning an A or B rating and 12 campuses earning an A from the Texas Education Agency.
The district displayed student-made sea glass art created at John Druegan School and invited the student artists to present pieces to trustees. Escobar noted the district had 39 Purple Star–designated campuses for the 2024–25 school year and said the district now counts 46 Purple Star schools overall, language he used to highlight supports for military-connected students.
The board also recognized individuals and groups for recent honors. Coach Mike Besamek was acknowledged for his December induction into the Texas Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame; the board recognized Manuel Curola, an athletic trainer at El Dorado High School, for on-site treatment of an official who experienced hypoglycemia during a game; and the district presented a series of campus tokens of appreciation to trustees.
Veronica Hernandez, president of the Socorro American Federation of Teachers, presented six $500 Thrive scholarships funded in partnership with the Texas AFT and the local AFT chapter. "We had over 327 applications," Hernandez said, and the program limited awards to one recipient per high school. The scholarship recipients called to the podium were Angie Gurusqueta (Pebble Hills High School), Paloma Del Rio (Socorro High School), Sergio Cordova (Americas High School), Angela Long (Montwood High School), Herman Belarde (El Dorado High School), and Trinity Praise (Eastlake High School), who was not present.
The board celebrated the Pebble Hills High School Spartan Marching Band for a year of regional, national and international performances, including the Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2025, and appearances at the National Flute Association convention and the Western International Band Clinic. Maximo Sierra, band director, was named as the leader of the marching band; a large roster of student musicians was announced during the recognition.
A district photographer will post high-resolution photos from the event online. "The photos will be available for free high resolution download," Mr. Largo, the district photographer, said; the district said images would be posted through the district website's SmugMug link.
There were no public speakers signed up for public comment on the agenda, and the board adjourned at 6:44 p.m. after completing recognitions and presentations.
