2015-3 Remembrances Special Edition1
City of Schertz
Remembrances Special Edition Article 2015-3
Presented by: Schertz Historical Preservation Committee
Schools/City Collaboration Promotes Heritage Theme
Planning began in the summer of 2014 between the City of Schertz and the Schertz, Cibolo, Universal City Independent School District (SCUCISD) to pursue student learning initiatives
designed to provide students a better understanding of the history of their communities. Planning continued into the fall of 2014 when three projects were chosen to accomplish the learning objective. First, was an art and essay contest open to students of all grade levels. The rules to enter the competition were simple. Each interested student would be required to develop an art composition representative of some aspect of the community’s history. The art piece
could be a depiction of an historic person, place or event. The art piece would be supported by an essay written by the student explaining “how the local area’s history affects his or her present and future.” Entries would be judged according to grade levels of the competitors. Second, was the scheduling of an historic Schertz city tour. The tour has been scheduled for May 2015 and will entail visiting historic sites throughout the City of Schertz with a narrative presentation by a
knowledgeable tour guide. Students (Gifted and Talented Program) from the Corbett Junior High School will be among the participants on the tour. The third element of the learning collaboration project will be a student governing day wherein selected students will step in and hold honorary city government positions (Mayor, Councilmen, City Manager, etc.) for a day. This latter event will be held sometime during the 2015-2016 school year.
The “movers and shakers” for these student/city initiatives were representatives of the City Secretaries Office (Brenda Dennis), School District Social Studies Coordinator Rebecca (Becky) Williams and Schertz Historical Preservation Committee members Jim Web and Barbara Hall. Becky Williams was the primary organizer and facilitator for the art and essay project and will
be so for the remaining aspects of the project. Several volunteers assisted Becky and her team with the judging and awards presentation efforts. More than 50 art/essay contest entries were submitted for judging and evaluations occurred on March 2, 2015. The winners were honored at a March 24, 2015 City Council meeting with each
being given a trophy and a certificate of excellence. The awardees were called individually to the front of the City Council chamber and presented their awards by the Mayor of Schertz (Michael Carpenter) and the Superintendent of SCUCISD (Dr. Greg Gibson).
The outcome for the first phase of this historic awareness collaboration has been a success and
the participating partners are looking forward to the future events. The students and their families are more aware of the community’s history and all are proud of what has been achieved by the participating students.
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Examples of a few student historic art submissions
Audience for the student awards presentation
Two of the 15 individual contest award winners with presenters Dr. Gibson & Mayor Carpenter
Contest winners with Becky Williams Contest judges from Committee and schools (far left) & Dr. Greg Gibson (far right)