Congressman Henry Cuellar Recognizes Student and Teacher at Col. Santos Benavides Elementary

Posted Date: 09/09/2024

US Congressman Henry Cuellar was at Colonel Santos Benavides Elementary to recognize two special members of the campus community

Elizabeth Barreda has been a dyslexia teacher at CSB Elementary for 12 years, and a classroom teacher for 24 years. She has taken a leadership role by training all special education resource teachers at the campus in the same dyslexia program she uses to help students overcome the disability.

Rodrigo Cantu Gonzalez is a 4th grade student at the school. He was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was a baby. Despite his lifelong health struggles, he is rarely absent and never late for school. He excels in all his work, and even mastered his STAAR test in the 3rd grade.

Congressman Cuellar recognized both of them with congressional certificates and praised each of them for their hard work, and for setting such a positive example for their peers.

Before the recognitions, the congressman participated in the school’s High 5 Friday, in which students are greeted with high-fives by local law enforcement agencies. Mr. Cuellar was joined by Superintendent Dr. Gerardo Cruz, District administrators, US Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations Agents,  Webb County Sheriff Deputies, and the UISD Police Department’s mascot.

All of them greeted students with a high-five as they arrived for another day of learning at the campus.