Before Thanksgiving, we had a busy week here at Cherokee ISD. Cherokee ISD hosted its third annual College and Career Day on November 20, 2025 and again, it was a great experience for all in attendance! All of the Cherokee ISD students, Pre K through 12th grade, had the opportunity to learn about various career fields, higher education opportunities and day to day activities in the workplace. In addition to Cherokee students, other high school students and staff from Richland Springs, Lometa, Morgan and Priddy high schools accepted an invitation to attend. Afterwards, one of the visiting school counselors wrote to Cherokee to give thanks for the invite and shared that in her 20 years of working in education, that this was one of the best career events she has attended. CISD appreciates the positive feedback and will happily continue to share the day with other rural schools!
Despite the challenging weather forecast for the day, career and college partners showed up in great numbers! The event is divided into three areas in which students rotate through hands-on experiences and face to face conversations with adults, from inside and outside of their regular community.
In the historical gym, Traci Terrill from Region 15 CTE Department in San Angelo brought virtual reality goggles for junior high and high school students to watch and interact with 'on the job' videos. During this activity, approximately 20 students at a time are spread out across the gym so that they may safely move around as they interact with the career videos ranging from changing the oil in a car to performing knee surgery and many things in between.
This year, the outdoor area experience had a few weather related challenges but braving the damp day were representatives from Central Texas Electric Coop (CTEC) truck and safety gear, Texas DPS Dive Recovery Team along with boat and dive gear, various Texas Game Warden officers with canine search resources and drone equipment, Hamilton EMS team and ambulance, San Saba Sheriff Department, San Saba County Road & Bridge brought heavy equipment, Cherokee VFD truck and volunteers, USDA-NRCS and 'the Big Rig' from Edward Forehand Trucking. Due to weather flight restrictions, we missed being able to have CareFlite return along with highly anticipated additional helicopters from various new partners who were also grounded. Here's to hoping for better weather next year!
The inside of Cherokee ISD's competition gym was buzzing with chatter between students and military recruiters, college recruiters, Texas agencies and area workforce partners. Not only was great information shared and career seeds planted, this experience built confidence and professional conversation skills and behavior for our students. Experts from the following agencies were in attendance: U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Central Texas College Killeen and Hill Country Campuses, Ranger College, Howard Payne Univ., Texas A& M Univ Central Texas, TSTC Brownwood and Waco Campus Departments IT, Welding, Diesel, Auto and EMS, Univ of Mary Hardin Baylor, Texas Tech Univ., Angelo State Univ., Tarleton Univ., Central Texas Telephone Co-op (CTTC), CTEC, Blossman Exterminating, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Central Texas Workforce, Central Texas Farm Credit of San Saba, Cadence Bank of Llano, Brian Merlo - Biomedical Engineering, Mimosa Hair and Nail Salon of Llano, D&B Taxidermy & Wildgame Processing LLC, ESC Region 15 Education Department and the Texas Court Reporters Association.
Cherokee ISD has the best career, college and military partners who authentically enjoy engaging with and catering to all students, ages 4 to adults! Cherokee ISD staff is in awe of each representative's commitment to paving the way for the next generation workforce and the willingness to travel to Cherokee, TX. CISD is blessed to be part of a supportive community and gives special thanks to students and teachers who helped set up and clean up, the Cherokee Home for Children for lending tables and to many parents and grandparents for preparing the food for our partners' luncheon prior to the event. If you are inspired to learn more about participating in future Cherokee ISD annual College and Career events, please email Rebecca Sharkey at rsharkey@cherokeeisd.net.
We also hosted a bake sale fundraiser on the day of our annual Thanksgiving luncheon and it was wildly successful! These funds benefit Wreaths Across America and go directly to wreaths that will be placed on the graves of our local veterans. Due to the generosity of our community, we are able to place wreaths on all 78 of our veterans who have been laid to rest in Cherokee Cemetery. Thank you to Mrs. Shannon Padgett and her student volunteers: Jaxon Owen, Phoebe Valdez, and Addie Merriman, for their hard work on this fundraiser and event. The ceremony will be on Saturday, December 13th at 10a.m. at Cherokee Cemetery. All are welcome to come for the short ceremony and to help place wreaths. What a great way to give back to those who gave all for us!
We will be hosting an elementary Christmas Extravaganza on December 18th from 1-4:30p.m. This will include Christmas parties and the Christmas program. We will be releasing more information as the plans get finalized. Just be sure to mark your calendars since it is during the school day, rather than in the evening. This is a change from years past.
Have a great week!