HCRP Promotes
Educational Excellence

On Thursday, May 29th,  the Harris County Republican Party once again had the privilege of presenting bicycles to 240 students at J.R. Harris Elementary School as part of our annual Educational Excellence Incentive Program.  The bicycles were awarded to all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students who passed all three sections of the TAKS test.

We were also honored to have State Representative Robert Talton and Judge Reece Rondon participate in the event, both of whom spoke about the value of education to the enthusiastic students.

The largely Hispanic audience particularly identified with Judge Rondon who spoke about the value of his own education, saying, “We have similar backgrounds.  My parents are immigrants from South America.  My father has been a waiter at a restaurant for twenty years and my mother is a retired housekeeper.  My parents insisted that I get an education; it is that education that has enabled me to become an attorney and a judge.”  Judge Rondon also told the students that the bikes they had earned would someday become dirty, old and worn out, but that if they continued to work hard, listen to their teachers and obey their parents, they would have something far more valuable than a bicycle - they would have an education that could enable them to achieve anything they dreamed.

This HCRP incentive program is a perfect example of a public/private partnership that helps to inspire and motivate children in traditionally underperforming communities to reach for success.  In the 5 years since we have initiated this program and under the leadership of Steven Harding, the school’s principal, the performance at JR Harris has steadily improved.  In fact, this year JR Harris achieved the status of a “Recognized School” indicating that over 75% of students passed all three sections of the TAKS test.

I am proud that our Harris County Republican Party can be a part of this successful and worthwhile program.