Spring ISD student leaders present recycling, inclusion and college-readiness projects to trustees

President Durant called the Spring Independent School District board’s special call session to order on May 28, 2026, and invited student leaders from across the district to present community-service projects developed through the board president’s leadership cohort.

Isaiah Lewis, student council president at Carl Winchee High School, described the ‘‘0 Waste Project,’’ a campus and neighborhood recycling initiative that Lewis said produced “a little bit over 313 gallon bags” of collected recyclables. ‘‘It was bigger than just getting those 300 bags,’’ Lewis said, adding the project relied on student clubs and volunteers to collect, sort and transport materials to a local recycling center. He and other student speakers urged the board to reinstate and better maintain recycling bins on campuses and emphasized peer-to-peer education as a key success factor.

Andresa Frickano Santos, president of DeCaney High’s National Honor Society, described ‘‘Wildcats United,’’ an inclusion program aimed at engaging life‑skills (special education) students in theater, talent shows, the Special Olympics and other campus events. The presentation included examples of life‑skills students auditioning for and performing in productions and reports of increased confidence and social interaction. ‘‘These experiences allow them to feel included, recognized, and celebrated by their peers,’’ Frickano Santos said.

Student leaders from Spring High outlined a Dual Credit Awareness and College Readiness Initiative that targeted ninth graders with information about dual‑credit courses offered through Spring ISD’s partnership with Lone Star College and the TSI requirement. Presenters said their outreach — about 15 class presentations reaching over 200 ninth‑grade students — coincided with an increase in summer course registrations from roughly 10 students the prior summer to more than 70 this year.

Spring Early College Academy students presented ‘‘Building Stronger Schools Together,’’ a punch‑card program to encourage family engagement. Presenters shared campus survey figures — for example, one campus reporting about 38% of students feel supported at home and 29% feel supported at school — and described a point system and recognition rewards to boost parent‑school interactions.

Students from Westfield and Momentum high schools described a Bus Driver Appreciation Day that included performances, cards and recognition events for transportation staff. Board members noted a statewide bus‑driver shortage and said student recognition was especially timely.

Board members and district leaders praised the presentations. President Durant thanked students and staff for sustained work and said the cohort model will be shared at national meetings. Trustee comments highlighted the value of peer‑led outreach, the potential to scale successful projects districtwide, and the role of student leadership in improving inclusion and college access.

The presentations emphasized concrete outcomes (the 313 bags collected; the rise in dual‑credit summer enrollments) and proposed next steps such as reinstating recycling bins, creating a dedicated inclusivity club to sustain work with life‑skills students, and expanding family‑engagement punch cards to additional campuses. The board encouraged students to continue serving as district ambassadors and to collaborate with administrators on scaling effective projects.

The cohort presentations closed with certificates and photos; the board then moved into a closed session later in the evening.

This article summarizes student presentations and trustees’ responses as reported during the May 28, 2026 special call session of the Spring Independent School District Board of Trustees.