With public education as one of the pressing issues in the Houston area, it comes as no surprise that the ballroom of River Oaks Country Club was filled with supporters at the Houston A+ Challenge annual dinner, "The Power of the Network."
The mother and son team of Beth Wolff and Ed Wolff chaired the fundraiser that focused on quality education and innovation in education. Featured speakers were former State Rep. Scott Hochberg and former State Sen. Florence Shapiro, both champions of education during their legislative tenures and both of whom received the Andrea White Award for Service to Public Education. Also in the spotlight were middle school teachers Ellen and Jeer Cabahug, who shared their experience in the A+ program.
Chevron was honored with the Maconda Brown O'Connor Award for Leadership in Public Education, the award accepted by Joni Baird, who told the gathering how Chevron had raised $1 million that will go directly to classrooms through the Fuel Your School Initiative program.
Houston A+ Challenge executive director Scott Van Beck was on hand to thank supporters including H-E-B, which was presenting sponsor for the fundraiser.
Those with a focus on improving educational opportunities in the Houston area included A+ Challenge board chair Bill Crouch and wife Karen, Soraya and Scott McClelland, Susan Bischoff, Beckie and Gasper Mir, Yava and Milton Scott, Barbara and Jonathan Day, Shawn Gross, Vic Samuels, Irma and Roberto Gonzalez, Judith Cruz and Bo Fraga.
Maconda Abinader, from left, Joni Baird and Beth Wolff at the Houston A+ Challenge dinner.
