Laughter and camaraderie filled the air at Harris County Department of Education’s second annual Celebration of Excellence banquet on May 23. The staff recognition event honors employees for their achievements and shared commitment to serve the community and empower the students of Harris County throughout the school year.  

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“We are a rather large organization, and throughout the year, we have people who rise to the top, and their peers typically identify them,” Superintendent James Colbert Jr. said during opening remarks. “The Celebration of Excellence is our chance to bring everyone together, recognize them as one, and thank them for their dedication.”  

Forty-one employees from HCDE’s five instructional divisions—Adult Education, Head Start, Special Schools, School-Based Therapy Services and the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids (CASE for Kids)—and the 2023-2024 Employees of the Month attended the celebration where they received certificates of appreciation in front of colleagues and loved ones.  

Norma Rodriguez, an executive administrative assistant, enjoyed mingling with exemplary members of various divisions as she prepared to be honored for being a “lifeline” of necessary resources and assistance to those around her. The January Employee of the Month is instrumental in managing and maintaining support to more than five divisions and several Department-wide events throughout the year. For her, the Celebration of Excellence demonstrates HCDE’s strong values.  

“This celebration shows that HCDE really does appreciate their employees and the hard work that’s completed daily,” Rodriguez said. “Not everyone gets an opportunity to work for a place like this, and it’s fulfilling. I’m right where I want to be.”  

School-Based Therapy Services Senior Director Carie Crabb presented Occupational Therapist Brenna Kollmorgen with the division’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.  

“When you’re a therapist for so long, it truly becomes a part of you,” Crabb said. “This award recognizes how passionate most of us are about school-based therapy, and when our employees dedicate more than 20 and 30 years of their lives to students, we want to honor that.”  

Kollmorgen joined #TeamHCDE nearly 30 years ago and has served students in Klien and Spring Branch independent school districts. Throughout her career, Kollmorgen has helped elementary students with disabilities succeed at school and participate in all aspects of their educational program. She described feeling surprised and humbled to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award as she prepares to retire at the end of the academic year.  

“These kids teach me what life is about because they don’t know life any differently,” an emotional Kollmorgen said. “It’s been a wonderful journey serving this population of students with HCDE, and seeing them reach their potential helps me know that I’m doing the right thing.” 

As the evening ended, Superintendent Colbert thanked employees for continuously choosing to work for HCDE and committing their lives to better those of Harris County students.  

“Our employees get fired up about the thought of perfection and excellence,” Colbert said. “We will be the 1%, and we take the notion that we can change the world seriously. I believe we will do it one student at a time.”  

To learn more about HCDE, visit hcde-texas.org.