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Flag Day sounds like a simple holiday to honor the United States flag, but it also represents the history behind the flag, including the creation of the flag and the holiday itself.

It was June 14, 1777, when the United States approved the design of the first national flag. This design was created by Betsy Ross, and it looked a little different back then than it looks today.

The holiday is a different story. Wisconsin teacher Bernard J. Cigrand was one of the many to first urge for a holiday honoring the flag. In 1885, he and his students at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin, observed June 14 as a birthday for the flag, according to Britannica. He would go on to publish an essay in the Chicago Argus newspaper about the importance of a day to honor the flag. Some might call him the “Father of Flag Day.”

In 1888, William T. Kerr founded the American Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania. However, it was not until 1916 that President Woodrow Wilson would proclaim June 14 as Flag Day. In 1949, the United States Congress passed legislation making it a permanent holiday.

Although Flag Day is in the summer when most schools are out, Scholastic offers many resources you can use to teach the history of the flag to your students. Many of these resources are even free for a limited time! These resources are excellent to keep in your back pocket for the next time you need to make the history of the U.S. flag engaging and educational.

Jack Densmore

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After hosting many years of ATPE Lobby Days followed by several ATPE at the Capitol events— which brought hundreds of members to the Texas State Capitol all at once—the association transitioned during the 2025 legislative session to hosting smaller, targeted visits with legislators. These events are called Capitol Expeditions and began in February 2025. The driver for this change was creating a richer experience for members who are determined to make their voice heard by school boards, at the Capitol, and beyond.

“We found there were other member organizations that had a very continuous presence at the Capitol,” ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter said. “We felt like it was beneficial from an advocacy standpoint to make that change. The experience is more meaningful, both for members and for the advocacy effort.”

However, participation is not automatic; to attend a Capitol Expedition, a member must first complete the ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP) State-Level Microcredential. These online, on-demand professional learning courses help inform members before meeting with their representatives in Austin.

https://youtu.be/xI6Elfa20Hc?si=7_M11KC4AkzCXFdg

“ATPE at the Capitol used to be a two-day event—one day that was dedicated to professional development and one day dedicated to going up to the Capitol,” Exter explained. “We moved the professional development to an online format through the ATPE-MAP program, and then it’s really grown to be more than what the professional development day ever was.”

One member, Lena Angel, described her experience at a Capitol Expedition.

“The Capitol Expedition felt like a grounding experience,” she said. “It’s one thing to vote for representatives in hopes that they will do right by public education, but to actually interact with decision-makers made my vote feel like it counted—regardless of outcomes. Sharing the unique stories of my students with lawmakers was exciting and fulfilling, and I hope that it stayed with them.”

Angel also spoke to the Senate Finance Committee about Senate Bill (SB) 2330, a bill that would have eliminated payroll deduction of membership dues for state and local government employee organizations, including educator associations.

Watch how Angel brought her classroom experiences to the Capitol in her testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.

“This bill was written with the intent to remove payroll deduction for educators despite the fact that Texas allows [this practice] for firemen and policemen,” Angel said. “I feel strongly that this was a move to silence our voices as we are stronger when we unite together. My testimony contained personal stories about how being a member of ATPE has allowed me to have a longer career in education because I know that I am supported and protected.”

Her testimony drew the attention of at least one Texas senator.

“When I finished, Sen. Jose Menendez asked for a copy of my testimony, which is a common practice so that legislators can draw upon these stories when working on bills,” she said. “Educators should know that our stories have the power to change outcomes for our students.”

Angel’s Capitol Expedition group also met with Rep. Mihaela Plesa (D–Plano).

“She invited us into our office, listened to each of our stories, and shared her own experience with public education,” Angel said. “She was very moved and even teared up at one point when we discussed teachers who make lasting impacts on students. She gave each of us a Capitol-shaped squeezy toy that I proudly display in my classroom.”

Lamar ATPE member DeVonte Thompson made his first Capitol visit and was enthusiastic about his participation.

“It was an experience of a lifetime,” Thompson said. “I have so much fun connecting with people in ATPE, legislators, and the lobby team. It was kind of like a kid meeting a Disney character. I learned so much about how they advocate for educators and the landscape of public education in Texas. It was everything I didn’t know I needed.”

DeVonte Thompson

Lamar ATPE member

Thompson also shared his experience meeting his representative.

“The office didn’t know much about what educators went through on a day-to-day basis, but they were willing to listen,” he said. “They asked questions to understand our perspective and shared where Rep. stood on the issues. It was nice to feel heard and advocated for.”

https://youtu.be/7YNQFQOgP4E?si=6bwNRhDNvxPZNxC5

Both Angel and Thompson completed ATPE-MAP courses before visiting the Capitol. Thompson has completed both the Local Advocacy and State-Level Advocacy credentials. Angel completed the State-Level Advocacy program and is halfway through the Local Advocacy program. Beginning this spring, members will be able to pursue the new “Master Advocate” designation.

“The Master Advocate program is intended to be a recognition for members who take the next step and apply what they’ve learned to practical advocacy,” Exter said. “We think people should get recognized for that. It’s a big step.”

Angel also touched on the current programs provided by ATPE-MAP.

“The programs are rich with information that prepares you for an adventure at the Capitol,” Angel said. “As with any ATPE training, you are supported and encouraged.”

The ATPE-MAP courses include three credentials:

• Local Advocacy Credential – Covers community-level advocacy, including engagement with campus and central office leaders, school boards, community organizations, and local media.
• State-Level Advocacy Credential – Focused on the State Capitol, state agencies, and boards. Completion is required to attend Capitol Expeditions.
• Master Advocate Program Credential – Will be earned by completing the State-Level Advocacy Course and one additional course and then practically applying the advocacy skills leaned in those courses. Members may complete Master Advocate now by completing the Local Advocacy microcredential as their additional course, but additional course offerings will be made available in the coming months. Details on applying for the Master Advocate designation will be available soon.

ATPE Governmental Relations Lobbyist Tricia Cave highlighted the importance of ATPE-MAP.

“It takes the guesswork and uncertainty out of a Capitol visit,” she said. “The MAP program teaches educators to approach a Capitol visit with the knowledge that they are the experts in the education field and to go into an office prepared and confident. Participants in Capitol expeditions come away thankful for the knowledge and training they received through MAP and mindful of the tools they learned to get the most out of their Capitol visits.”

ATPE Capitol Expeditions will resume in Spring 2027, so it is important for members to complete their ATPE-MAP training now to ensure they are eligible to participate and make their voices heard.

“If I can speak confidently in front of legislators, so can you,” Angel said. “Your voice, your story, and your experience matter. Please share it!”

Lena Angel

English teacher and co-president of Katy ATPE

Start your ATPE-MAP experience by enrolling today!

ATPE Member Advocate Program

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In the early morning of July 4, a catastrophic flood in the Texas Hill Country claimed the lives of 119 people in Kerr County.

Heavy rains caused the river to rise 36 feet, according to The Texas Tribune. In addition to the lives lost, the flood caused extensive property damage, forever affecting the lives of Kerr County residents.

Kerrville ISD was quick to respond to the crisis. Bus drivers from the district braved dangerous conditions to help evacuate those stranded in flood-impacted areas. The drivers included teachers, coaches, and principals. Among them was Superintendent Dr. Brent Ringo, who hopped into his pickup truck to help—a memory forever seared into his mind.

“I’m not going to ask the bus drivers to go out there and not go myself,” Ringo says. “So I went out in my pickup. It was 5:25 p.m., and when I saw the name pop up, it was the owner of Camp La Junta. I thought, ‘That’s odd. She’s calling me at 5:25.’ She said, ‘Hey, my camp is devastated. It’s gone. I’ve got 400 campers and counselors. We’re all accounted for, and we need out of here. If nobody comes, it’s going to be dark, there’s no lights, and we don’t have food.’”

Crossing Junction Highway, flood damage was visible everywhere.

“You’d see cars that aren’t even near the river that [were] mangled and destroyed,” Ringo says. “Pickups mangled and destroyed. Homes gone. Parts of homes gone. Then we came up to Schumacher Crossing, which is a low-water crossing, and the gravel road had been washed out. There were 4- to 6-inch drops in the road from the debris that came through.”

“Our community is going to take years to recover from this, but I think that sense of hope and resiliency was there. We really felt this sense that this experience has drawn us closer together.”

Brent Ringo

Dr. Brent Ringo is the superintendent of Kerrville ISD, where he leads with a hands-on, community-focused approach.

The roads were treacherous for Ringo and the bus drivers, but they pressed on to Camp La Junta.

“Our busses were bouncing through that bridge,” he says gesturing with his hand. “When I say bouncing, they were bouncing up and down. These drops, the debris, and getting to the camps—we didn’t know what we would see.”

The arrival at Camp La Junta was somber, with children lined up, ready to be evacuated.

“These campers at Camp La Junta were wearing T-shirts and shorts, and many of them had no shoes,” Ringo says, “It’s what they went to bed in, and they were muddy because they had gotten out of their cabins, locking arms. They’d been on side of the hill since 3 a.m. that morning with no running water. Our first responders had dropped off water bottles, but they had no food.

“Our drivers were the first sign of normalcy they’d had all day. They greeted them, smiled at them, hugged them as they boarded the busses, and let them know they’d be seeing their families soon.

“I had, I think, 18 boys in my pickup at one time.”

After asking a sheriff’s deputy if any others needed to be evacuated, he contacted the National Guard. Officials responded, saying three girls from Camp Mystic still needed to be evacuated.

Ringo was already aware of the devastation at Camp Mystic, which had made headlines across the country.

“I went to every bus driver available before we pulled out of La Junta and told them, ‘Hey, we’re going to go up the road to Mystic to support those campers,’” he says. “The reaction was somber. That was the camp with missing campers. La Junta had all 100 kids accounted for.”

“As the National Guard brought the girls to us, it was really emotional. The girls were crying. They were singing Christian songs, even as they boarded one of our busses. Those were the girls that went viral—singing as another camper filmed.”

The viral clip, posted by Annette Lawless, reporter for KWCH, shows the girls from Camp Mystic singing during their evacuation.

The Kerrville ISD bus drivers were recognized at the district board meeting on July 21. The drivers included Vince Clark, Micky Pelletier, Don Randall, Geri White, Hal Poorman, Thomas Gough, Monica Umfress, Jeff Kubacek, Chris Ramirez, Aubrey Pruitt, Amanda Nicholson, Rick Sralla, and Shelby Balser.

The district lost a beloved member of the community in the flood: Reece Zunker. His wife, Paula, and their two children also died in the tragedy. Reece Zunker was a Tivy High School soccer coach, and Paula was a former teacher at the school.

In response to the news, the district offered counseling services to students and staff. Reece Zunker’s mantra was, “You’ll never walk alone.”

And as a testament to that mantra, the community never walked alone. Donations poured in from across the country, including a contribution from H-E-B, which donated cleaning supplies including boxed fans, shovels, and more. Supplies were distributed at Tom Moore High School a few days after the flood.

Young Life, a Christian youth organization, led a prayer and social gathering at Antler Stadium in Kerrville on July 9. The San Antonio Food Bank held two food distributions in Kerr County the following week.

The City of Kerrville, Kerr County, and Kerrville ISD partnered to offer a Family Assistance Center beginning July 13 at BT Wilson School. The center provided a range of services, including DMV and voter registration, FEMA support, the Kerr County Clerk, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Social Security Administration assistance, Texas Department of Insurance, veteran services, and Kerrville Pets Alive.

“There were just an enormous number of organizations that wanted to help and give,” says Leah Tull, a social worker in the Kerrville ISD Disciplinary Alternative Education Program.

The district also announced July 28 that all school supplies would be covered for the 2025-26 school year.

In August, the San Antonio Missions Baseball Club hosted a fundraising game. Tivy High School was represented as the players wore replica jerseys, which were later signed by players and auctioned to raise funds for Kerr County Flood Relief.

The district also created the KISD CARE (Crisis Assessment and Response for Education) Team. The team launched a survey via Skyward Family Access to identify staff and students needs at the start of the school year. The team collaborated with about 80 organizations to distribute gift cards and collect school supplies.

At the August Board of Trustees meeting, the team was honored. Members included Julie Johnson, Leigh Decker, Cheryl Manchester, Lynn Paulo, Leah Tull, Amy Waiser, Lauren Jette, Jenna Wentrcek, Shelby Balser, Dr. Sonny Mouton, Jason Gilbreath, Amy Ahrens, Mary Millette, and Julee Broscoff.

“Through the survey, we connected with individuals in the community who otherwise may not have reached out, and we tried to meet their needs as best we could with the donations generously given from across the nation,” Hal Peterson Middle School principal Dr. Sonny Mouton says.

“We were able to bless all of our families that responded to the survey—and some who didn’t. We provided school supplies and backpacks through the donations and gave them directly to our students.”

Convocations are meant to get teachers excited and prepped for the upcoming school year. However, the impact of the flood still loomed over the event.

Despite that, a student performance touched the hearts of everyone in attendance. About 100 students performed an original song written by senior Amber Stone.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many teachers and staff talk about a convocation,” Tull says. “Usually, it’s more like a pep rally to get everything going, and people love it, but this was just very deeply meaningful.

“Our community is going to take years to recover from this, but I think that sense of hope and resiliency was there. We really felt this sense that this experience has drawn us closer together.”

By the time of this article’s publication, Kerrville ISD is fully into the new school year. Football games, pep rallies, students and staff gatherings, and tributes to Reece Zunker and his family have marked the return to routine.

The effect of the floods will last a long time, but hope and resiliency will last longer.

Jack Densmore

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With the ribbon now cut, elementary school students can now expect visits to their campuses from Texarkana ISD’s new mobile STEM lab.

The lab, housed in an RV sporting the orange and black Texarkana ISD colors, displays bold lettering reading “MOBILE CTE & STEM LAB.”

At the lab’s launch, students explored a variety of activities, including outdoor rocket launches, battery-powered cars, and immersive experiences using the virtual reality/augmented reality software, zSpace.

Sara Salama, the Mobile STEM Lab coordinator at Texarkana ISD, is responsible for working with principals to schedule campus visits and ensuring that activities align with the current Science TEKS. She also works to develop activities that are both fun and engaging.

“We’ve had positive feedback overall from students and teachers,” Salama said. “We’ve had students asking if they could give up their recess to spend more time in the mobile STEM lab.”

For Salama, STEM always came second nature.

“I think I’ve always just been a STEM kid,” Salama said. “I don’t know when this developed, but I’ve always been a math and science student. What I really appreciate about this role is being able to expose students to STEM in a way that that they might not have had access to otherwise and seeing them making that connection. Even if they don’t pursue a career in STEM, it still develops critical thinking and communication skills and teaches them to collaborate.”

Mindy Gennings, formerly the principal at Wake Village Elementary School, began her role as the Director of College and Career Readiness in July 2024. Gennings explained that the idea for a mobile STEM lab had been in the works for several years.

Texarkana ISD already had a strong STEM background, and converting a bookmobile into a full-fledged mobile STEM lab—complete with all the technologies and accessories needed—should help extend STEM opportunities to as many students as possible.

Creating and maintaining the lab requires extensive collaboration across departments, including technology, transportation, and maintenance. The mobile STEM lab also requires a specially licensed driver.

“We definitely could not have made this work if it was not a combined effort,” Gennings said.

In its first year, the mobile STEM lab will serve fifth grade students. Gennings said that next year, the goal is to expand access to fourth grade students, and eventually to all elementary grades K-5.

One of the lab’s main objectives is to ensure the experience is highly engaging for students.

“We wanted it to be innovative,” Gennings said. “We wanted it to be hands on. We know we wanted it to encompass science and math, but we also want to make it enjoyable for the kids.

“We want to have different stations for science, technology, engineering, and math,” Salama added. “There’s also a maker space where every unit includes a career connection so students can see how these concepts relate to real-world jobs. We’re sparking their interest at this young age and helping them imagine what they might want to pursue later in life.”

Salama is already developing new additions to the lab, including projects with Makey Makey technology. The idea is to turn common household items—such as Play-Doh, fruit, pennies, and paper clips—into working circuits and video game controllers.

For Gennings, a personal connection ignited her passion for STEM education.

“What truly sparked my interest was my son,” she said. “He attended Morris Elementary here in Texarkana ISD and was deeply engaged in STEM activities in school. That experience carried through middle and high school, and now he is in college for engineering. Seeing what STEM did for him made me more interested in it and want that same opportunity for every student.”

Texarkana ISD’s mobile STEM lab will begin visiting campuses during the 2025-26 school year. Salama joked that students preferred spending time in the lab over recess, so the lab is sure to be a hit wherever it goes.

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ATPE membership comes with a variety of benefits, including valuable opportunities to connect with fellow educators. These connections are fostered through local units and regions, which serve as platforms for members to engage and support their communities—something these groups have consistently achieved.

Region 19 ATPE

Every December, Region 19 ATPE proudly participates in the Toys for Tots program, which has been spreading holiday cheer by delivering gifts to children during Christmas since 1947. In addition to this annual tradition, Region 19 ATPE actively supports several charitable initiatives throughout the year. These include partnerships with El Pasoans Fighting Hunger—El Paso’s only food bank and a member of Feeding America, which served over 180,000 food-insecure individuals and distributed 110 million pounds of food in 2024 alone.

Region 19 ATPE has also contributed to sock and beanie drives benefiting the Salvation Army and organized toy and food drives for the Child Crisis Center of El Paso (CCCEP), a nonprofit shelter that operates without federal funding. The center provides a secure sanctuary where children can regain their sense of normalcy, free from concerns of harm, hunger, homelessness, or isolation.

Additionally, Region 19 ATPE supports Laws N Paws Animal Rescue, an organization founded by El Paso Police Department detective Vanessa Acosta. Since its inception in 2017, the organization has rescued more than 550 animals, offering care and second chances to countless pets in need.

Region 20 ATPE

At the start of the spring season, Region 20 ATPE announced an opportunity for its members to volunteer at the San Antonio Food Bank, and Region 20 membership responded. “We were part of a group that bagged over 35,000 pounds of food,” Region 20 ATPE President John Milner says. “(We) filled 1,700 of those purple bags with onions, potatoes, and carrots. Some members bagged vegetables while others helped with loading pallets and moving pallets to be weighed before food bank staff used forklifts to put pallets in their large cooler to await being trucked out all over San Antonio area.”

In addition to its spring community service, Region 20 ATPE also hosted a toy drive in December.

Plano ATPE

Featured in the 2024-25 edition of the ATPE Lookbook, Plano ATPE actively participates in a variety of local service projects. These efforts include shoe collection drives and serving meals at churches and shelters. “When we lead by example, they’re able to understand the passion behind what we do and why we do it,” Region 10 ATPE President Clarice Cross says. Other recent initiatives include a Trek or Treat event that benefited the Plano Animal Shelter and serving food at Journey of Hope, a support center for children and families coping with grief.

Northside (20) ATPE

Northside (20) ATPE took part in the Elf Louise Christmas Project, a tradition that began in 1969 when Trinity University student Louise Locker set out to provide Christmas presents to children from less fortunate families who might otherwise go without. In this photo, local unit members Rose Burton and Rudy Romero load up donated toys for distribution.

Denton ATPE

Each year in late March, Americans across the country participate in the event known as The Great American Cleanup, and Denton ATPE proudly joined the effort in 2024. That year, 1,500 registered volunteers collected 926 bags of trash and 120 bags of recycling, removing a total of 5 tons of waste from the community.

Has your local unit or region helped with a community service project? Share it in the ATPE Online Community!

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Jack Densmore

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