Page 40 - 2017 GPISD Honor Board Application

4. Support for Educational

Improvement Projects

and School Transformation Initiatives

4.4 EVIDENCE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

The Board strongly values creating opportunities for
students which provide them with real-world experiences
related to their career goals. Students frequently participate
in facility tours hosted by business and industry partners,
career days, mock interviews, and special events which
spotlight a wide array of career pathways such as the Girls
STEM Symposium, hosted by the University of Houston-
Downtown. In addition, the District enthusiastically
supports students’ college and workforce readiness by
sending hundreds of GPISD students to the annual Career
and Education Day, hosted by the Houston Hispanic
Forum.

The GPISD Board of Trustees supports our fifth grade students’ STEM curiosity through their continued
support of STARBASE, a Department of Defense-sponsored summer learning opportunity, held at
Ellington AirField. STARBASE provides for 450 at-risk 5th graders to experience five days of hands-
on learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, with an emphasis on career and college
readiness. The camp’s instructional topics include states of matter, force and motion, and measurement,
to name a few. Student activities in STARBASE include conducting experiments, building and launching
rockets, and acting as pilots during computer-based flight simulations. Programs such as STARBASE
engage students in academic growth and inspire them to pursue STEM education and career
opportunities.

After-School/Summer Programming
The Galena Park ISD Board of Trustees approves
partnerships with the Harris County Department
of Education, as well as Communities in Schools
of Southeast Houston, to provide after-school and
summer programming at many of our campuses. The
District’s seven 21st Century Community Learning
Center programs include activities which engage
students and parents outside of regular school hours,
while providing academic support and enrichment such
as intramural sports, cooking classes, and Zumba.

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