HOUSTON, May 23, 2024 – Communities In Schools of Houston, an educational nonprofit, announces recipients of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) – Gulf Coast Section (GCS) scholarships for students starting the 2024-2025 academic year. The scholarships will provide $12,000 to each recipient, renewable for eight college semesters ($1,500 per semester) to help fund their higher education.
This year’s four scholarship recipients include: Veronica Paz Agreda, Angelica Aguilar and Alejandra Diaz, all from Spring Woods High School in Spring Branch Independent School District and Abigail Mathews from Heights High School in Houston Independent School District.
Communities In Schools of Houston (CIS) serves at-risk students in the Greater Houston area through direct services and resources, including academic support, community referrals, and mental health services. SPE-GCS partners with CIS to provide scholarship funding for outstanding students to aid them in their college careers. Without this funding, many of these students would not be able to afford to go to college. Several recipients are the first in their families to attend a college or university.
“CIS of Houston is thankful that SPE-GCS has chosen to expand its scholarship program to fund four students this year,” says Lisa Descant, CEO of CIS of Houston. “This financial support will help further the education of these young women who have worked hard throughout their academic careers. This includes taking STEM courses (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), which will benefit greatly each student as they explore jobs in the energy sector.”
SPE’s Scholarship Committee works to increase interest in the energy industry among graduating high school seniors and to retain students currently enrolled in science and energy-related academic disciplines. Through recruiting fairs, special event tours, summer employment internships, and direct contact during the students’ academic careers, the committee ensures a steady flow of focused, high-quality graduates entering the energy industry.
Each of the four scholarship winners works closely with a CIS Student Support Manager who is embedded at their schools. These professionals, who all have a background in social work, assess a student’s needs, and then provide direct services and/or make referrals to community partners to ensure a student has everything needed to succeed in and out of the classroom. The Student Support Managers who mentored this year’s students are Celix Cortez, Licensed Mental Health Student Support Manager and Laura Alvarez, Licensed Mental Health Support Specialist at Spring Woods High School, along with Ashley Taylor, Licensed Mental Health Support Specialist at Heights High School.
Throughout the selection process, the students receive an additional layer of support and guidance from scholarship coordinator, Reyna Vega, CIS Partnership Manager in the Strategic Partnerships Department.
The SPE – GCS Awards and Scholarship Banquet is set for Aug. 1, 2024, when all the scholarship recipients, including the CIS students, will be recognized. Their parents will also be invited to the event.
For more information about Communities In Schools of Houston and its programs, visit www.cishouston.org
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About Communities In Schools of Houston
Communities In Schools of Houston (CIS) is an organization that empowers every student, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background, to realize their potential in school and beyond. During the 2023-2024 school year, CIS is serving 163 school campuses across Greater Houston. CIS places at least one full-time staff member on each partner campus to deliver direct services and to connect students and families with needed community resources. We collaborate with more than 300 community partners each year to help students see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. CIS works alongside students, families, alumni, and stakeholders to create meaningful change that impacts lives today and generations to come.
Link to photos here
Courtesy Communities In Schools of Houston