Harlingen CISD

Jayme Elder-Torres: "So Cardinal Curbside started with a student. She came back from a Student Advisory Board meeting one day with the idea of starting a food pantry on campus." Melissa Camarillo: "We said we should definitely do that as a community project." Jayme Elder-Torres: "We saw a need for it. Our student population can greatly benefit from it. We all fell in love with the name Cardinal Curbside." Melissa Camarillo: "We looked at H-E-B, Walmart, Target—how they do curbside—and we asked, ‘How do we do it? How do we get the process started?’ At the same time, we talked about student confidentiality." Jayme Elder-Torres: "Then we said, let’s do this QR code style, and from there it kind of just took off. Students can scan a QR code to place an order with us. We then pack it for them. So, all they have to do is come in and pick it up. The form started with questions like ‘Do you need breakfast, lunch, or dinner?’ and ‘Do you need hygiene products?’ And then it grew. It’s beyond just providing them the items. We are teaching them life skills." Melissa Camarillo: "Right now, we are trying to figure out a plan to keep it open for the summer with our NHS and Interact Club students." Jayme Elder-Torres: "We really wanted this to be a place of love and comfort for students. I really feel like our Cardinal community has really come together for us. Our clubs did cereal drives, and ROTC did the ramen drive. Our soccer girls donated $200 to help us stock up on items. It has just been a lot of love. We have cried so much." Melissa Camarillo: "This is my 5th year teaching here at Harlingen CISD. Before here, I worked at Good Samaritan Community Services, which is a nonprofit. I’ve always been passionate about community service. When we started this Cardinal Curbside, I was like, ‘It has to be student-led; it has to be student-voiced. Okay, now we are well-rounded.’” Jayme Elder-Torres: "I am wrapping up my 10th year teaching with the district. With me, it’s always about the students. I love teaching, yes. But what really keeps me in the classroom is students. Not only am I trying my best to teach them and prep them for college and everything in the real world, but I’m also working on that heart piece and the importance of kindness, compassion, and service to others."

-Jayme Elder-Torres, High School English Teacher

-Melissa Camarillo, High School Science Teacher

“I think here, we all believe in our kids just a tad bit more. That’s our district in general. It’s kind of like the 956 culture—we all take care of each other. I started off as a PE paraprofessional. My background is primarily in fitness, and I used to be an emergency medical provider. So, when the opening for a life skills paraprofessional came up, I thought, ‘I really want to be in the classroom.’ I am also an adaptive CrossFit athlete. In the CrossFit space, they actually have adaptive CrossFit. An adaptive athlete is anyone with a permanent disability, whether it’s due to an injury or requires modifications. In my case, I have a rare disease that affects my legs, muscles, nerves, and range of motion. I’ve always tried to defy medical reports. Being in education now, my kids are my ‘why.’ Most of them are nonverbal, and I’m able to push them further and motivate them in their own ways because I know their disability won’t stop them. In September, I competed at the CrossFit Games Championship. They livestreamed my event, and the kids got to watch and learn more about the sport. That was super cool! Being an employee here makes me feel just as motivated as we try to make our students feel.”

Morgan Ramos | Life Skills Paraprofessional

"My love for sports started at an early age. As a product of HCISD, I had great coaches along the way, and I knew I wanted to be a coach to empower students through healthy lifestyles. For some, school is their first exposure to sports, and my job is to develop their movement and fundamentals to prepare them for middle school and beyond. I introduce students to sports they may not have experienced—golf, tennis, baseball, football, and even bicycle riding. It’s exciting to see them engaged and eager to try something new. Three years ago, I started bicycle rides. Around 200 students participate, riding along the street with police officers blocking off streets to ensure student safety. Our students ride through the front entrance, into our parking lot, and finish at the track. It’s something our students really enjoy. Our community comes together to support the event, with volunteers pitching in to help. This is my 29th year at Zavala. As far as I know, I am the longest-serving coach here. We are a community-oriented school. We know the parents. They come and volunteer, and it is a great school. God has blessed me with an amazing career here at HCISD, and I am grateful for it all."

Josue Cano Jr. | Elementary PE Coach

“I decided to study nutrition because my mom said that I love food and nutrition. My sister and I are first-generation college kids. When I went away for college, it was really something. My parents sacrificed immensely to put me through college, and I worked my way through. I worked in the dorm at Texas Tech and fed 2,000 kids. I worked with food, and I worked in the dish room. But I am not the heart of this district—it’s my department. It’s my employees. It’s the love they have for what they do. This department is one of the most important spokes in the wheel of education because if a child is hungry, they can’t learn. Our Child Nutrition staff truly know these kids. They know what they eat, what they like, and what they don’t like. My employees never cease to amaze me. They are always willing to take on whatever task is presented to them. And that’s not a one-time thing, it’s an ongoing philosophy. They thrive on feeding our students, developing new recipes, working extra hours to feed our students after school, and having special events like the Taste of Harlingen CISD where we test new foods and ask for student input. I have worked with another district and healthcare institutions, but nothing feels like home as much as HCISD does. We are strong, we are caring, and our students always come first. My professional career has been extremely rewarding, and it is hard to believe I have been with Harlingen CISD for 28 years.”

Judy Baker | Director of Child Nutrition

“His name was Carlos. He gave me this (wind-up music box decoration) on the first day of school. That was more than 30 years ago. But even now, every first day of school, I always play it. This is my 38th year as an educator, and I have only taught pre-K and Kinder. That is my passion. I enjoy working with the little ones. From the beginning, I want to know about the child. I ask parents, ‘Tell me more about your child.’ I want to know their likes, their dislikes, their favorite characters, and even any fears or allergies. Then, from there, I can say, ‘Oh, this is going to help me when I am teaching a certain lesson or incorporate it as I am doing reading or math.’ I am very passionate about our dual language program. It’s all about partners. Even in Kinder, they have their partners. They make plans, and they have to decide how they are going to make an activity work. I really enjoy that part and the cooperation and problem-solving that comes into play. I love how, eventually, they all become teachers. Whether it is one student teaching another how to swing on a swing, how to bounce that ball, or how to work with sight words—whatever it is, all of a sudden, they are a teacher, and they get really excited about it. And them being teachers to each other, wow it’s powerful.”

Mary Estelle Decilos | Kinder Dual Language Teacher

Mrs. Mora: “We met when we were students at Harlingen South. Now, we have been married for 19 years.” Mr. Mora: “We are high school sweethearts. We went to college together, too.” Mrs. Mora: “We both got hired as teachers at the same time here at Memorial in 2003. This is Mr. Mora’s 27th year with HCISD, and this is my 26th year.” Mr. Mora: “We are products of HCISD, and our kids are too. We have a daughter currently in 5th grade at Long, and then we have a daughter who is going to graduate from Harlingen Collegiate High.” Mrs. Mora: “We have a 7th grader here at Memorial, and he is my student.” Mr. Mora: “One thing about us is that we are very competitive. But in that, we push each other to always do our best.” Mrs. Mora: “I once had a student who struggled with math, but I never gave up. I pushed him and believed in him. By the end of 7th grade, he passed his STAAR test. In 8th grade, he had Mr. Mora as a teacher, and at the end of the year, he got Masters on his STAAR test.” Mr. Mora: “At the beginning of the year, many students say, ‘I hate math’ or ‘I’m not good at it.’ I take that as a challenge because it’s not about where you start—it’s about where you finish. I connect math to things like sports, and I tell my students, ‘You know how you have to practice to get better at sports? Well, it’s the same thing in my class.’ It’s a two-way street. I motivate the kids, and they motivate me.” Mrs. Mora: “I like the way it is here at HCISD. It is very student-focused. It’s all about engaging the kids first, building relationships, and then we bring in all the academics.” Mr. Mora: “I really feel like it’s a family here. Anywhere you go, they treat you with respect. You just feel valued and appreciated.”

Jessica Mora, 7th Grade Math Teacher   

Alvaro Mora, 8th Grade Math Teacher

"I greet each student with a smile on my face at my door every morning. It’s my job to motivate my students to learn. This is my 22nd year in education and my 14th year at Stuart Place. When past students return to Stuart Place Elementary for the tradition of Senior Walk, nothing makes me happier than to hear them reminisce about their time in my classroom. I’m excited to share that three other teachers, and I started a club this year called Friendship Flyers. The club promotes acceptance of all individuals. We meet with our club once a month, and the week after, they go over to the Life Skills Unit to do crafts with the students. They might build little cars out of Legos or do painting with them. The kids really like it. When they go into the room, you can see the kids light up. I had a student tell me, 'Other than reading, that is my favorite thing to do—to visit that classroom.'"

Meredith Brownell | 5th Grade Teacher

“This is the bell we ring every time we get a grant. I love working with HCISD. This is home for me. My favorite part of the role is seeing that tangible impact. Like if I help with a grant application to help fund a student event, I see their happy faces enjoying the event. If I help grant a tool that a teacher can use in the classroom, I see them in action. That keeps me going. I always say, yes HCISD has one grant writer, but it’s not just me. It’s all about teamwork. I get to work with people from every single department and every single role—teachers, counselors, nurses, district operations, principals, everyone. My family always instilled the value of education, and they made many sacrifices for us to get where we are. I see my role as a grant writer as an opportunity to give back and continue serving my community. If I can do something to help the next generation fulfill their dreams, then I am all for it.”

Alma Rock | Grant Writer

"As a teacher, I am always trying to find ways to make what I am teaching more engaging and interactive while still adhering to the rigor. Whether it’s collecting post-it notes with a net or using candy corn for bingo—it’s little things like that. I do these things in my classroom to make learning fun for them. Recently, a student asked me, ‘Mrs. Vela, you’ve been teaching for 30 years. Aren’t you tired?’ I went home that same day and kept thinking about it. Of course, we get tired day to day, but she meant the profession. So, I asked myself, ‘Why am I not tired?’ I came back the next day and told her, ‘Do you know why I’m not tired? Because I love what I do.’ Then she came up to me and hugged me, and it melted my heart. I really love what I do. That’s my purpose. That’s my why."

Rosalva Vela  4th Grade Teacher

“It’s not just about serving students a meal, but about greeting them with a smile and saying, ‘Hey, how are you doing today?’ Harlingen South has been my school for almost 19 years. When my son was here, he was in the Cardinal Band. I was a band booster, and I helped sew their uniform pants. I always made sure to carry things in my bag that students might need for games and competitions, like new socks and gloves. Being able to help them made me so happy. When my son went to college, I said, ‘God, what am I going to do now?’ But he gave me thousands of kids to serve. God gave me the opportunity to be here, and if he keeps giving me the chance to help the students in one way or another, I’ll be here for them. The food we give out—it's fruit, it's milk, it’s a complete meal, and it’s free. Why not take advantage of it? I always tell students things like, ‘Come on, mijo, get your breakfast, save your money for college, or get your supper. Come on, please don’t go. Try it—you’ll love it.’ Something I always tell our athletes is, ‘Play with your heart, not with your bones. Bones can break, but your heart—no matter what happens, the spirit rises.’ At the end of the day, do you know what the most important thing is? It’s that we fed those kids and that we made them feel safe and important just by asking, ‘Hi, how are you doing today?’”

Silvia Posadas | Child Nutrition Food Service Specialist II

"When I first arrived in '99, they gave me a gasoline bus—it was not diesel like they are now. I still remember. It was bus number 28. I used to pick up a student near the Faith Pleases God church and every day, this little girl—who was about 9 or 10 years old—would bring me a taco. That school year, I think they moved up north, and I didn't see that little girl again. But one day, while at a pawn shop here in Harlingen, a young woman—about 30 years old—came up to me and said, 'You may not remember me, but you were my bus driver. I used to give you tacos.' She hugged me and said, 'Sir, you were a great bus driver.' That really moved me. These are memories that are worth keeping. Over time, it feels great to serve a child who grows up, has a family, gets a good job, and still looks at you with appreciation."

-Mario Nogueira (Dad) Bus Driver

"I have five children. Jonathan is my second oldest. Back when they were younger, it was a challenge being a mother, a woman bus driver, and all that, but I thank God because I was able to manage it all somehow. Honestly, I feel very comfortable and happy here in the district. Working with kids is something I love. So, it has been a very beautiful, rewarding experience, and I’m truly grateful to this district for the opportunity they gave me."

-Nohemi Nogueira (Mom) Bus Driver

"My parents are my inspiration. They’ve grown so much over the years. I admire their patience and respect for students. They have taught me the importance of building healthy relationships with students, the community, parents, teachers, and staff. My happy place here at work is with my parents, my directors, my coworkers, and my students. My happy place at home is with my wife and my children. I love the fact that my kids are involved. They play sports, and my son is in the Cardinal Band as a freshman. That makes me very happy and proud."

-Jonathan Nogueira (Son) Lead Driver

“Since I was in third grade all the way to my junior year, we used to travel up north. We were migrants. One of the proudest moments I remember was traveling together to Ohio. It was my siblings—five of us—and both my parents. The big crop we would harvest was cucumbers. Sometimes we would leave in April and not come back until October. That was seven to eight weeks straight, no days off—rain or shine, which taught me that if you really want something, it’s going to require hard work. Sometimes, I joke about my job and ask, ‘I get paid to do this?’ because there was a time when I had to go out, get all these crops, put them in a hamper, and throw them onto a big crate while my dad drove the tractor…that was work. Working with kids is different. When you give a student a high five, a fist bump, a hug… and they look at you and smile, it’s like…I’ve already won. We all have different roles in what we do across this district, but when we are working hand-in-hand with kiddos, you have to have passion. You start there, and your heart will lead you the rest of the way.”

Mario Castillo | Adaptive PE Teacher