SAISD SPOTLIGHT: Brackenridge High School Paella team heading to New York City

For Brackenridge High School culinary arts instructor Rafael Gonzalez, it’s become an annual tradition. For five of his Eagle culinary arts students, it will be their first time.

“It” is a prize trip to New York City the week after graduation on June 3 for winning one of the top two spots at the local Paella Challenge. The annual springtime competition is hosted by Chef Johnny Hernandez. This is the third time in four years Gonzalez will be making the New York trip. The Brackenridge students that are going, Iszabella Cantu, Melissa Carreon, Xavier De La Garza, Haylie Riojas and Emmanuel Valdez, have been cooking together for years. Starting with learning the basics like knife skills, food safety and hygiene, to recipe development and competition plating.

While in New York, they will spend two days at the Culinary Institute of America and two days touring other locations connected to food and education. The group is still raising funds for the second part of their trip. On Saturday, May 24 the crew will be at Folklores Coffee at 106 Michigan Ave. selling Philly Cheesesteak plates for $15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Calendar items? 

May 26 (Mon) – SAISD closed for Memorial Day
All SAISD offices and campuses will be closed on Monday, May 26, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Normal school and office hours resume on Tuesday, May 27.

May 27 (Tues) – SAISD Project Search Graduation at CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital
Noon to 2 p.m., CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital CCF Auditorium 5th floor, 333 N. Santa Rosa St., 78207
2025 marks the ninth year that SAISD has partnered with CHRISTUS Children's Hospital to provide job training to students with disabilities in their final year of high school. SAISD was the first district in San Antonio to bring Project Search to the community and continues to help many students achieve successful employment as a result. The guest speaker will be Cris Daskevich, the CEO of CHRISTUS Children's Hospital.

May 28 (Wed) – CAST Med High School & CAST Imagine Middle School Bond 2020 Ribbon Cutting
5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., CAST Med High School & CAST Imagine Middle School, 2601 Louis Bauer Drive, 78235
San Antonio ISD will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at CAST Med High School and CAST Imagine Middle School to celebrate the completion of Bond 2020-funded upgrades to the co-located campus. These improvements are part of the district’s broader efforts to modernize facilities and enrich the student learning environment. The event will include a student mariachi performance, ceremonial ribbon cutting and student-led campus tours of the improved areas, including a renovated indoor courtyard, updated foyer area, new laboratories, renovated classroom spaces, new art room, and a book nook.

May 30 to June 5 (Fri - Fri) – SAISD Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremonies
*Various times (see schedule), Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
SAISD is proud to celebrate the graduating Class of 2025. The first weekend’s set of high school graduations will take place in the Alamo Convocation Center. The setting will shift to the Freeman Coliseum for one day on June 3, before resuming at the Alamo Convocation Center for the final two days.

Graduation schedule:

May 30 (Fri) – Young Women’s Leadership Academy Graduation 
10 a.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
May 30 (Fri) – Adult & Community Education Graduation 
1 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
May 30 (Fri) – Young Men’s Leadership Academy Graduation 
3 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
May 31 (Sat) – Fox Tech High School Graduation 
10 a.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
May 31 (Sat) – Travis Early College High School Graduation 
1 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
May 31 (Sat) – St. Philip’s Early College High School Graduation 
4 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
May 31 (Sat) – Sam Houston High School Graduation 
6 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
June 3 (Tues) – Jefferson High School Graduation 
10 a.m., Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St., 78219
 
June 3 (Tues) – Burbank High School Graduation
1:30 p.m., Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St., 78219
 
June 3 (Tues) – Brackenridge High School Graduation 
5 p.m., Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St., 78219
 
June 4 (Wed) – Advanced Learning Academy Graduation 
10 a.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 4 (Wed) – CAST Tech High School Graduation 
1 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 4 (Wed) – CAST Med High School Graduation 
4 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 4 (Wed) – Highlands High School Graduation 
6 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 5 (Thurs) – Lanier High School Graduation 
10 a.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 5 (Thurs) – Edison High School Graduation 
1 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 5 (Thurs) – Cooper Academy Graduation 
4 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212
 
June 5 (Thurs) – Healy-Murphy Center Graduation 
6 p.m., Alamo Convocation Center, 110 Tuleta Drive, 78212