On Thursday, February 26, 2026, the Gadsden Independent School District Board of Education proudly recognized a historic achievement during its regular board meeting — Gadsden Independent School District was officially named the 2025 School District of the Year by the National Hispanic Institute.

This national distinction reflects GISD’s sustained commitment to developing student leadership, academic excellence, and civic engagement across our high schools.

A National Honor Rooted in Student Leadership

The National Hispanic Institute (NHI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating leadership skills in high school and college-age Latino students. Through programs such as the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session and The Great Debate, NHI equips students with critical thinking, public speaking, policy analysis, and civic engagement skills that prepare them for college and professional leadership roles.

GISD students have demonstrated exceptional performance within these programs, earning state and national recognition for their work in legislative simulations, debate, and public policy development.

Student Recognitions

During the board meeting, trustees and district leadership recognized multiple student honorees connected to NHI programming, including:

• Participants and leaders from the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session
• Students earning distinctions such as Most Persuasive Speaker and Junior Counselor
• Ramon Enriquez, Gadsden High School Class of 2024 Valedictorian, named the 2025 NHI College Student of the Year

These recognitions reflect not only individual achievement, but the strength of GISD’s counseling, instructional, and leadership pipeline that supports students in pursuing advanced academic and civic opportunities.

Gratitude to Our Counselors and Campus Leaders

This achievement would not be possible without the dedicated work of our campus counselors and administrators who actively recruit, mentor, and prepare students for participation in NHI programs.

GISD extends sincere appreciation to:

• AVECHS Counselor Katherine Angel
• GHS Counselor Maria Dominguez
• GHS Principal Maria Legarreta
• STHS Principal Gema Suggs

We also recognize and thank Acting Superintendent Nubia Tarazona and the Board of Education for their continued support of student leadership development and college readiness initiatives.

A District Commitment to Developing Future Leaders

Being named NHI’s School District of the Year underscores what we already know: GISD students are capable, competitive, and prepared to lead.

At Gadsden Independent School District, leadership development is not an extracurricular add-on — it is embedded in our culture. From classroom instruction to counseling programs and extracurricular academic competitions, our district is committed to ensuring students have access to high-impact experiences that shape their futures.

We are proud of our students, grateful to our educators, and honored to partner with the National Hispanic Institute in building the next generation of leaders.

Congratulations, GISD. The future is bright — and it is being led by our students.

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What is the National Hispanic Institute?

The National Hispanic Institute is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to developing leadership capacity among high school and college-age Latino students across the United States and Latin America.

Through programs such as:

• The Great Debate
• The Lorenzo de Zavala (LDZ) Youth Legislative Session

students engage in immersive experiences designed to strengthen:

• Public speaking
• Policy writing
• Critical thinking
• Civic engagement
• Professional communication
• Consensus building

These programs help increase Latino representation in professional and civic sectors while preparing students for postsecondary success.

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GISD Student Leadership Impact

Since 2022, 57 GISD students have participated in the Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Students from:

• Alta Vista Early College High School
• Chaparral High School
• Santa Teresa High School
• Gadsden High School

have served in leadership roles across the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the LDZ program.

In 2025, GISD students earned multiple honors, including:

• Dennis Chavez LDZ Governor
• Dennis Chavez LDZ Lieutenant Governor
• Majority Leader of the House
• Most Persuasive Speaker
• Honorable Cabinet Member
• Authorship and passage of student legislation

Additionally, Ramon Enriquez, Gadsden High School Class of 2024 Valedictorian, was named the 2025 NHI College Student of the Year.