As Harris County Department of Education readies to turn the page on 2025, staff and stakeholders can look back and see another year in which #TeamHCDE celebrated successes and achievements from every corner of the organization, while continuing to cultivate its family-like atmosphere.

In March 2025, USA Today announced what many at HCDE have long known – the Department is regarded as one of the top places of employment across the entire county. This honor came on the heels of HCDE being recognized in the region and earning a spot on the Houston Chronicle’s Top Workplaces list in 2024, its fourth nod since 2019.

Based solely by employee feedback and surveys, this national achievement highlights the sense of value HCDE staff members feel and their appreciation for the work they do every day in serving Harris County students and their families. In turn, HCDE leadership continues to support team members through various Department celebrations and appreciation events.

Let’s look back on 2025 and relive the best moments this year that display what makes HCDE a top place to be:

January – New Coolwood Head Start Officially Opens

HCDE staff opened the calendar year with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community grand opening for the new Coolwood Early Head Start and Head Start facility. The nearly 14,000-square-foot facility features six classrooms and a state-of-the-art kitchen that can provide nutritious breakfasts and lunches for up to 120 students daily. It replaced portable buildings at a site rendered unsafe in 2017 due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Other delays followed, including high winds from Hurricane Beryl that ripped the roof off part of the building in August 2024.

Coolwood has since become a beacon in the North Shore community and a shining example of what early childhood education can look like. Representatives from the Head Start national office have toured the facility and shared the same praise.

“This campus is a flagship for what the Office of Head Start desires for our children,” Head Start Senior Director Venetia Peacock said. “Creating a building like this means something different to everyone, but for HCDE, it’s the standard.”

February – More than 4,800 Regional Scholastic Award Winners Announced

HCDE continues to serve as the second-largest regional sponsor of the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and volunteer adjudication judges – many who were Department staff members – reviewed more than 15,800 art and writing submissions from students across greater Houston.

From these submissions, more than 4,800 creative teens from Harris County received regional honors, including Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention. Additionally, 10 students were nominated for the American Voices and American Vision Awards.

The young artists and writers were honored with exhibits and two receptions at the Wortham Center. More than 25 would later step onto the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York City for the national ceremony in June, joining nearly 2,800 national medalists from a field of over 310,000 submissions.

March – USA Today Names HCDE 2025 Top Workplace

Adding to an already-crowded trophy case, HCDE received a new milestone – USA Today, a co-sponsor of the fifth annual national workplace survey with Energage, announced the Department as one of the top workplaces in America.

Among more than 2,200 companies evaluated through employee surveys and feedback in 2024, HCDE was recognized as one of four local government organizations with 500-999 employees to receive the national honor and the only awardee in the state of Texas within the category.

“Being recognized as a national Top Workplace is a testament to HCDE’s exceptional culture – one defined by the strong, family-like atmosphere at every level of this organization,” Superintendent James Colbert Jr. said. “This award also reflects our employees’ dedication to innovation, collaboration and excellence in the programs we offer and resources we provide to Harris County students and families.”  

April – Picnic in the Parking Lot Events

Three “F’s” describe what HCDE’s annual Picnic in the Parking Lot is – fun, fellowship and food. The two employee appreciation events transform the Irvington and North Post Oak parking lots into lively spaces with music, games, food trucks and photo backdrops.

The picnics give Department leadership an opportunity to thank employees for their hard work and dedication to serving Harris County students and families every day. A number of employees even walked away with raffle gifts. Colbert also took the time to visit with as many staff members as possible before expressing his gratitude at the culmination of each picnic.  

May – Third Annual Celebration of Excellence

With HCDE’s Celebration of Excellence, staff have fewer ways to better conclude a successful school year. On May 21, honored guests and families came together for the third annual celebration, HCDE’s end-of-year recognition event that highlights staff achievements.

In all, 40 employees from the five instructional divisions and the 2024-25 Employees of the Month were recognized in front of colleagues, co-workers and loved ones.

“It’s important to know that when we’re coming to work, we’re working with people we love, we respect and we have good relationships with,” said Jasmine Castleberry, a federal programs and compliance manager for CASE for Kids and the April Employee of the Month. “And relationships matter when you’re trying to do work of the heart. We’re trying to impact students, their families and their communities, and in return, we are also feeling that same impact too.”

June – Adult Education Signing Day and Graduation

In June, the spotlight shined on HCDE’s Adult Education division.

Nearly 60 adult learners put pen to paper on June 4 at the Career Pathways Signing Day. Those who completed workforce training, High School Equivalency or English as a Second Language course were honored, signing letters of intent and committing to employment offers from top Harris County companies. Renowned Houstonian and philanthropist Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale offered words of encouragement.

“Work is life’s greatest therapy,” McIngvale said to a crowded room. “Work changed my life, and when you find that job you love to do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

Two weeks later, HCDE celebrated more than 120 adults who courageously chose to return to the classroom and completed their HSE (formerly GED). The Irvington Conference Center was filled with cheering family members and supporters. Attendees heard motivational words from graduate Emilio Lopez Jr., while commencement speaker Isaac Eguia spoke of his personal journey from academic suspension to earning undergraduate and graduate degrees.

“As you move forward, take pride in what you achieved,” said Dr. Eduardo Honold, Adult Education senior director. “This is just the beginning.”

July – Chief Communication Officer Danielle Clark earns NSPRA Mentor Legacy Award

Well respected by her peers and widely regarded as an accomplished leader, passionate advocate and innovative communicator, HCDE Chief Communications Officer Danielle Clark was honored twice in 2025 for her decorated career in school communications and dedication to pave the way for others in the field.

Her work with the state’s association (TSPRA) and implementation of its first-ever academy for early-career professionals earned her the prestigious title of the TSPRA’s 2025 Most Valuable Member in February.

In July, Clark was named the recipient of the 2025 Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).

“Everyone in this room can be a mentor, you don’t need 26 years to do it,” said an emotional Clark to a packed room during NSPRA’s annual conference. “Take the time to answer questions from those new to the profession. That is a magical moment and could forever change the trajectory of their career.”

August – HCDE Launches into its ‘Varsity’ Campaign at Convocation

Following a one-year hiatus, Superintendent James Colbert Jr. brought back HCDE’s annual Convocation, the Department-wide gathering that marks the start of the school year and gives all employees a chance to fellowship under the same roof. Team members are honored for their years of service, while Colbert gives a message that carries HCDE into the upcoming school year.

Held on Aug. 8, this year’s event theme, “HCDE is Varsity,” celebrated a championship-level team that provides outstanding services and advocacy for a special population of students. 

Staff showcased their basketball, baseball and football skills at engaging photo backdrops, while many stopped by the sneaker stadium to shine a light on their hottest kicks.

“HCDE is a unicorn,” Colbert said with a nod to the Department’s mascot. “I’ve been to schools all over the country, and I’ve never seen a place with so many diverse programs. We save lives, we change lives and we are champions of children. We have a righteous mission as we advocate for kids who often get no advocacy.”  

September – Adult Education Learning Center Earns TASA/TASB Stars of Distinction

Opened in 2023, HCDE’s Adult Education Learning Center has quickly become an industry standard for innovative learning environments. Harris County adult learners are benefitting from the facility, and now the center can add “award-winning” to its resume.

The Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards awarded HCDE two Stars of Distinction as part of the 2025-2026 Exhibit of School Architecture. The collection features more than 40 projects that showcase new and renovated Texas schools and celebrated excellence in planning and designing learning environments. HCDE’s $19 million facility was designed to mirror a community college atmosphere with 17 classrooms, five laboratories, administrative offices, student lounge and multipurpose community room.

TASA/TASB leaders recognized HCDE and the fellow honorees at txEDCON 2025, while the projects were also featured in an online exhibit.

October – Choice Partners Celebrates ‘20 Years of Sweet Success’ at Food Show

Choice Partners marked two decades of collaboration and community with a candy-coated celebration at its Nutrition and Product Expo. The “sweet success” theme set the stage for a day of sampling, connecting and exploring the more than 140 vendors and their latest products and services.

Students from 12 greater Houston school districts attended and tested food items at the expo. They placed gold star stickers next to their top five vendors, and nutrition directors then used feedback to evaluate food and beverage products for their school cafeteria menus. Choice Partners also uses feedback to plan future food contracts, enabling the co-op to maintain its standard of service.

“Our vendors and students are helping us celebrate big this year,” Choice Partners Assistant Director Trisha Prestigiacomo said. “This is our highest participation in years, and we are grateful. We’ve had a lot of fun with our theme; we went all out, and it’s been great watching all the vendors and students enjoy themselves.”

November – Community Partners ‘Tee It Up’ at Inaugural EFHC Topgolf Tournament

More than 125 community partners and influential education professionals attended the Education Foundation of Harris County Topgolf Tournament to raise money for programs and initiatives that empower educators and students across 25 school districts. The event also honored Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca, an education advocate who taught bilingual and dual-language early childhood classes, consulted on urban school district evaluation systems and has been an overall advocate for improved education systems.

Students from Stafford MSD’s welding program created the tournament trophies using equipment funded by EFHC grants.

In all, 18 teams competed while spending the afternoon networking and reinforcing EFHC’s mission to ensure Harris County students have access to quality education and opportunities to succeed.

December – Head Start Moms Gifted Cars from Bates Collision Center Giveaway

Long-time community partner Bates Collision Center continued blessing two Head Start families through the 27th Annual Responsible Parenting Awards, gifting two refurbished vehicles to deserving mothers. The special giveaway marks the 49th and 50th cars gifted through the initiative, where Bates employees donate their time to work on the cars and a committee selects two recipients, chosen based on need, involvement in their children’s lives and responsible parenting.

Raquel Tait, whose daughter attends John G. Jones Learning Center, and Michaela Rojo, whose daughter attends Fonwood Head Start, were the two deserving recipients. On Dec. 10, Tait and her daughter, Zen, were honored at the Baytown location. The next day, Rojo and her daughter, Kailey, unwrapped their vehicle at the Channelview location.

The car giveaway has grown into a community effort led by collision center owners Lee and Leila Bates. Other business partners donated gas, car insurance, materials needed to rehab the vehicles and gift cards.