More than 100 students, parents, staff and alumni of
G. H. Whitcomb Elementary School gathered on this
past Saturday to celebrate the campus’ 50th Anniver sary.
Principal Dianna Kattner led the festivities with
entertainment provided by the Whitcomb Elementary
4th Grade Choir.
During the ceremony, students shared their progress
on a special 50th anniversary tile mosaic that will
hang in the hallways of Whitcomb Elementary. Guest
speakers included former Whitcomb teachers Glen
Bridges and Jeanne Goode, who
took guests on a trip down memory
lane with stories of the school’s be ginnings
in 1968. Kattner also reminisced
on the treasured Whitcomb
Giraffe traditions and the beloved
spirit for the school shared by students
and the community.
“The words that you hear people
repeat year after year, whether they
work here, visit here, or bring their
children to school here are ‘there is
such a warm feeling here’ or ‘it just
feels like a family here,’” Kattner
explained. “The students of Whitcomb
leave and return often to see
the teachers that they loved and
that they knew loved them in return.
They become so much a fabric of
the Whitcomb community that after
they grow up and go away to college,
they return to the school that
taught them to love learning, so they
can teach the next generation of
Whitcomb Giraffes.”
Since opening its doors in 1968, Whitcomb has had
a long history of helping its students grow as learners
and leaders. In keeping with that tradition, the
highlight of the ceremony was a special recognition
to Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital for its support
of the District’s expanded Leader In Me program.
The program teaches 21st century leadership and life
skills to students and creates a culture of student empowerment
based on the idea that every child can be
a leader.
“Our District places great emphasis on talking –
and walking – our core values,” said CCISD Superintendent,
Dr. Greg Smith. “With the addition of The
Leader In Me model and curriculum, each student understands
and is prepared to assume his or her role
as productive citizens. Thanks to Houston Methodist
Clear Lake, in 2018, Whitcomb Elementary students
have begun living out The Leader In Me not just on
campus but everywhere they go.”
