Latest news with #WacoIndependentSchoolDistrict
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Heart of Texas Special Olympics hosts annual Track and Field competition
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) – The Heart of Texas Special Olympics Track and Field competition took place at Rice Field on Friday! Students from across many school districts competed in this regional competition which takes place across Texas every April. Justin Kimbro, a sixth grade student from Tennyson Middle School, was one of many athletes competing this year. He says he was excited to put his training to good use in the competition – and here's what he looked forward to the most. 'Winning. But I'm trying to look to be brave, and that's it,' Kimbro said. Kimbro also says that it felt great to socialize with not only his teammates, but with athletes from other districts. Many athletes from the Waco Independent School District team have been competing in the Track and Field competition for about two years now – many say the event gets better each year. Students will be advancing to the state competition in May. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
School Bus Drivers Share What Keeps Them Going
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — In honor of National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Tuesday, April 22, two longtime Waco Independent School District transportation professionals discuss their unwavering dedication to the students they serve. Stephanie Williams has been driving a school bus for nearly 40 years, while Monique Brock has spent more than two decades behind the wheel. Both women share a common mission – to support and protect the children of Waco. 'The love for children—I love kids, I love being around them, I love being a role model and an inspiration to them,' Williams said. Their daily routine goes beyond transportation. It's about building trust and setting an example. 'We come to give love, we come to show grace, we come to provide transportation that's safe and timely,' Brock said. 'And although we show up here daily, we show up here for one purpose.' Brock also serves as the Assistant Director of Transportation for Waco ISD. Over the years, she's seen how the job has remained the same in principle, but the students and their environment have evolved. Through it all, she remains committed to leading with grace and compassion. For both women, the lasting impact they leave on students—and the joy of being remembered as 'my bus driver'—is what keeps them going. As National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day shines a spotlight on the contributions of these often-unsung heroes, Williams and Brock stand as shining examples of dedication, heart, and community service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Waco ISD Women's Empowerment Summit Focuses on ‘Becoming'
WACO, TX (FOX 44) — For several years now, Waco Independent School District (I.S.D.) has hosted the Women's Empowerment Summit, an event designed to inspire and equip young women to realize their full potential. This year's theme, 'Becoming,' encouraged attendees to embrace the process of growth, confidence, and leadership. Yolanda Williams is the Executive Director for Student Support at Waco ISD, who emphasized the importance of providing students with exposure to diverse opportunities. 'It's very important that we allow our students to be exposed to all different types of opportunities so that people can make choices and know that there are other things that they can do to challenge themselves,' she said. The summit welcomed young women from 7th to 12th grade, offering a series of seminars and workshops aimed at building skills in areas such as confidence, networking, professionalism, and etiquette. The event provided an opportunity for personal and professional growth, and each year, the summit is hosted at a different campus to offer students a chance to explore new environments. The summit was held at McLennan Community College last year, while this year it took place at Baylor University. For Shanija Smith, a junior at Waco High, this was her second year attending the summit. She shared how the experience has helped her grow both personally and professionally. 'You get to learn more about being a woman, being confident, being a business professional,' Smith said. Jocelyn Austin, a senior at Waco High, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to attend the summit before graduation, 'The information I will use in the future, and it's very attainable just to sit down and understand everything. It was a beautiful concept, just being in the chairs and I love it,' Austin said. As the day progressed, students moved from one empowering session to the next, many of them excited about the new possibilities ahead. 'It's a great opportunity, and I hope that every other district gets to witness this just like we did today. It was a good thing. It was very helpful to the younger women, to even me, myself. I learned some stuff that I've never, ever gotten a chance to experience and to learn,' Austin added. For Yolanda Williams, seeing the students' enthusiasm and excitement year after year continues to drive her passion to make the summit better each time. 'It's a feeling that I can't even really describe. They… it's in their words. It's in their smiles. It's in their conversations. The children, they just get so excited,' Williams said. As the summit concluded, these young women walked away with not just new skills, but a renewed sense of purpose, each step closer to becoming the confident, empowered individuals they are meant to be. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
