Page 6 - 2025 GPS End-of-the-Year Magazine

Rodeo Round-Up:

Students Shine at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR)
is a celebrated event that includes showcasing
the talents and dedication of students from
across Texas. This year, Galena Park ISD is proud
to highlight the remarkable achievements of our
students who excelled in various competitions,
demonstrating their hard work, creativity, and
commitment to excellence.

Galena Park ISD celebrated Normandy
Crossing Elementary School fourth grader, Alexa
Kenerson, for her third-place finish in the Houston
Livestock Show and Rodeo’s 2025 SPURS Writing
Competition. The competition challenged
students to express their thoughts on agriculture,
Alexa Kenerson Recognized for Remarkable Achievement
education, and rural life themes, requiring both
creativity and a deep understanding of the subject matter. Alexa’s poem, “My Colorful Lasso,”
stood out among thousands of entries in the competition. The Houston Livestock Show is the
largest in the United States, and this marks only the second time in Galena Park ISD history that a
student has placed in this contest. Alexa’s achievement is a testament to the strong emphasis on
writing and critical thinking skills fostered within GPISD.

In addition to the accomplishments in literature, Galena Park ISD students also excelled in
agricultural endeavors. The HLSR auction is a high-stakes event where students showcase their
livestock projects, hoping to attract bidders’ attention. This year, after placing at the top of
her class, Lluvia Herrera, a junior at Galena Park High School (GPHS), successfully sold her steer,
bringing home not only a substantial financial reward of $8,500 but also the experience of a
lifetime. Álvaro Benavides, a North Shore Senior High School (NSSHS) junior, also won his class
by placing first. While this was the first heifer raised in the District’s recent 10-year history, it did
not make it to the auction as the HLSR does not sell breeding heifers. Their dedication to raising
and caring for their projects paid off, as the judges recognized the quality of the work and effort
invested. Their achievements highlight the
importance of agricultural education and the
opportunities it provides for students to develop
responsibility, business acumen, and a strong
work ethic.

In the action-packed calf scramble, where
students compete to catch and halter a
calf, GPHS’s Nevaeh Garcia, Lluvia Herrera,
and Alissa Rodriguez, along with NSSHS’s
Rafael Herrera, Bridgette James, and Skylar
Watson-Smith, showcased their agility and
determination. By successfully catching a calf,
each earned a $2,000 certificate to purchase a
project for next year’s show. Additionally, every
student will receive a $500 cash reward if they Álvaro Benavides Proudly Presents His Heifer