Kujawa named ASF Star Honoree

Banquet participants included Emcee Bennie Lambert of North Harris College

By Gilbert Hoffman, Publisher
ALDINE– It was great fun, as hundreds of well-wishers gathered at the Greenspoint Crowne Plaza Hotel last Thursday at an awards luncheon, to honor retiring Superintendent Nadine Kujawa as the 2007 Aldine Scholarship Foundation Community Star.
This award has previously gone to well known educators and community leaders such as W. W. Thorne, Dr. John Pickelman, Mr. Sonny Donaldson, Aaron Glenn, and Jim McIngvale.
The featured speaker at the luncheon was Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas Shirley Neeley. Neeley previously had been superintendent of schools for the Galena Park school district, and has been a friend and colleague of Kujawa for about 35 years.
She mentioned the achievements that AISD has reached under the direction of Kujawa, including nominations twice for the nationally renowned Broad Prize for the best urban school district.
Her theme was, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Her illustration of the point was Kujawa’s career in public service and education, and her achievements.

Neeley also had some fun, joking about their common interest in ranching, and John Deere tractors.
Also included in the program were proclamations from the city, the Greenspoint District, Harris County, State Senator Gallegos, and Congressman Gene Green honoring Kujawa for her career. These were presented by emcee Bennie Lambert, Foundation president, and AISD assistant superintendent Ben Wilson.
Several speakers reminisced about the steps they took from Aldine schools to later success in life, including Armando Walle and Abel Garza. Garza spoke about how Aldine has given “hope to those who have grown up underpriveleged.” They thanked Kujawa and those teachers, some present, that had given direction to their lives.
Kujawa is a native of Aldine, growing up on Hopper Road. She started her teaching career as an elementary teacher at Oleson Elementary. Lambert announced that a named scholarship had been established in Kujawa’s honor. Also attending the luncheon were her husband Harry, and daughter Christine, also an educator.
The event, which is the main fundraiser for the ASF, drew a crowd of businessmen, individual supporters, and educators. The Aldine Scholarship Foundation is set up to generate perpetual funding for scholarships for the first year of college, to a graduate of one of the high schools in the Aldine district.
Currently, the endowment totals more than $1,400,000 and each year over 50 scholarships are awarded. Endowments are encouraged, and start at $1000 and becomes a named endowment when the contribution reaches $15,000. Call 281-618-5440.