Students Have a Voice in Henrietta ISD Program

Bearcat Ambassadors are the voice of the student body at Henrietta ISD, a small school district of fewer than 1,000 located about 50 miles from the Oklahoma border. These high school students weigh in on key district issues, advocate for student needs, and communicate important information to the Bearcat community.

Ambassadors stay informed by attending school board meetings, facility committee meetings, and meetings with their superintendent and leader of the Bearcat program, Jaime Clark. They share what they’ve learned with the public as they attend ceremonies, parent information nights, and meetings. They hand out brochures, welcome people, and speak on stage with Clark.

“Every time we attend an extracurricular event, we are representing our school,” said freshman Allison Ryan, a Bearcat Ambassador. “Our ambassadors are informed of recent news students may want to hear so we can share that information with parents and students, and anyone who has questions.”

They also come back with recommendations based on student feedback, making communications a true two-way street.

“One of the main things we do is advocate for the students at Henrietta,” said Ryan. “We hear [from students] about new things that can be added to school and improvements that can be made. We then relay that information to our superintendent, Ms. Clark, about how we can make our school better.”

So far, the program has been incredibly successful. Students are confident with sharing their perspective at board meetings, and board members now ask students for their input on proposals, leading to valuable feedback on various issues, including the new high school the district is building.

Ambassadors Help Bond Pass

Ambassadors were instrumental in communicating the importance of passing a bond issue in 2024 to build a new high school. The plan calls for the old junior high school, built in 1928, to be transformed into a new high school and football stadium by 2026. The current high school will then become the junior high school.

To help residents gain a better understanding of the need for the bond, Henrietta ISD hosted community information nights and tours at the old junior high school. Ambassadors were on hand to help by answering questions, passing out brochures, and sharing their enthusiasm for the plans.

The Bond Goes Live

After the community overwhelmingly passed the two bonds, totaling $36 million, the student ambassadors had the opportunity to discover how the financing process works when they visited Hilltop Securities in Dallas to see the bond go live. They saw the issuance of bonds, which is when the bonds are released for investors to purchase. Then, they were able to watch the purchases come through.

“They know John, our financial advisor,” said Clark. “They know his name! When we went to Hilltop, he came out and did a presentation for the students so they knew what was going on. So, when the bond went live, they were literally sitting there watching it happen.”

“They were so good about breaking it down for us,” said Allison Bowles, an ambassador and a senior at Henrietta High. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I got to go and watch our bond go live, and I got to see those companies pour into our community to build a better school.”

Ryanne Vicars, an ambassador and senior, said the experience helped the group understand the process and explain it to fellow students.

“Students hear it from us and [better] understand what we’re going through instead of hearing it from a committee,” Vicars said.

Scouting Out New Features

To prepare the ambassadors for future discussions with other students and the community on the features and needs of the new school, Clark took the group on an eye-opening field trip to Sherman and Godley ISDs. At Sherman ISD, they were impressed by the learning stairs which are extra-large stairs that facilitate learning and collaboration outside of the classroom. At Godley ISD, they found ideas for career and technical education class spaces.

Throughout the process, Clark has remained cognizant of the students’ ages and backgrounds and has found different ways to empower them and build up their leadership capacity so they can truly be the voice in every room, even the facility committee.

“We’re not going to have [another] bond for years to come in Henrietta,” said Clark. “We need to get this right. We need to serve the needs of our athletic department, our school, and our community. We had to see some of those things in Godley ISD to think outside the box to see how a building can do many things. They went on these school tours, and they became the expert.”

Bowles said the tours came after a few district facility meetings where details of the new school were discussed.

“It was so much fun. One of the things we’re going to try to incorporate in our school that we saw in Sherman ISD is having our high school logo on the cafeteria tables,” Bowles said. “It’s the little things you would never think of, and we’re a part of that. We’re the voice for the students for these decisions.”

Breaking New Ground

On a windy day in March, the Henrietta community gathered together for the new high school groundbreaking ceremony. The ambassadors and board members posed with hard hats and shovels before gathering with the entire athletic department and band.

The band played the school fight song as Andrea Evangelista, an ambassador, cut the ribbon for the new site. It was a full circle moment for the students who had been working together for their new school and following the process every step of the way.

“It was amazing to see how many people were there to see this happen,” said Evangelista. “It was really heartwarming for me to see this happen because I was born and raised in Henrietta. Everyone was so in tune, supportive, and respectful of what was happening. I could see the love flourishing out from our community.”

Construction Kicks Off

With construction underway, the ambassadors are helping keep their peers safe. They attend facility committee meetings and hear construction updates at each board meeting to help understand the project’s overall timeline, milestones, and safety needs.

“Our goal is to update the student body on the timeline of the project and the effects that come with it,” said Ryan. “Even though this is a highly anticipated and exciting project, we want to make sure students are safe during the construction process. The best people to advocate for students are students.”

Future Leaders

Vicars and Bowles won’t attend the new school, but both said they have learned so much from the experience of helping to make it a reality and from the overall program.

“I will take these experiences through life with me,” said Vicars. “When I grow up and have children, I’ll know what’s going on.”

Bowles added, “I’ve gained so much from this. I’m so confident today, but at the beginning, I would not have been okay with any public speaking whatsoever. I have branched out so much and I’ve gained so much, in terms of leadership.