According to the TEPSA website, since 2018 TEPSA has recognized outstanding Texas student leadership teams for their service and contributions to their communities.
This year, Willow Bend Elementary, along with 33 other school teams, met the rigorous criteria and demonstrated how they served their school and community during an unprecedented year.
Willow Bend Student Council hosts several events through out the traditional school year. This year, they were awarded for their ability to pivot, take what they normally do, and mold it to fit in with all of the COVID-19 restrictions and limitations.
Willow Bend Student Council Advisor Elisa Gonzales said that due to COVID-19 the student council had to cancel and reimagine many of their fund raising events this year.
“We did not get to do our annual volunteer field trip or host our Winter Wonderland event,” Gonzales explained. “We still fundraised, just in different ways. We sold reusable water bottles in October by just using order forms, making posters, and doing announcements. Since we were not allowed to use the water fountains, it was a great fall fundraiser. We also sold goodie bags to go home at our COVID style Fall festival and Winter Wonderland event by again using order forms and promoting it.”
The funds raised are then used to support past Willow Bend Elementary students that are graduating from Frenship High School through the Willow Bend Teacher and Student Council Scholarship.
Gonzales said the administration and support at her campus is what drives the Student Council to do so much.
“Our school administration and staff 100% support our Student Council in their ideas and projects,” Gonzales. “They want our students to have these opportunities to go volunteer, to raise money, and to do different jobs around our campus.”
Gonzales said that the scholarship fund raising is just one of the ways the Willow Bend Student Council stands out.
“Another thing I think also might set us apart is that our council is a huge part of our school,” Gonzales said. “We don’t really have a PTA, so at times our kiddos work hard, raise money and vote to give it where it is needed. They really step it up to fill in some of those gaps that a PTA typically fills.”
This past school year Atmos Energy adopted Willow Bend and has continued to act as their PTA, but the Gonzales said that the student council still functions with the same goal in mind – working hard to make a difference.
Gonzales said that the future goal of the Willow Bend Student Council is to work together with other Frenship Elementary student councils to make a bigger impact.
“I know we are not the only council in this area doing great things,” Gonzales said. “In fact, pre-Covid one of our goals was to bring all Frenship councils together for a big community project. Hopefully we can start working on that again.”
Gonzales explained that she and her council members could not do what they do without the support of Willow Bend.
“We also have a ton of support from our administrators and teachers,” Gonzales said. “From encouraging our kiddos to join at the beginning of the year, to being flexible for all of our meetings and events, they really do cheer us on and want to see our StuCo be successful!”