For 16 years, Linda Miner has been all in, leading uniform and supply drives, organizing college prep seminars, and pampering teachers during teacher appreciation week as a dedicated parent volunteer in the Socorro Independent School District.
Due to her exceptional commitment to Team SISD's success, Miner has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Heroes for Children award from the State Board of Education District 1.
She was one of only 15 awardees statewide who received this recognition for the outstanding services and valuable support that they have offered to their school community, the staff, and most notably, the students of Texas. Miner and the other award recipients were recognized during the general meeting of the State Board of Education on Sept. 13 in Austin, Texas.
“I was surprised. It was exciting,’ Miner said about the honor. “It's a lot of hard work, but it was so worth the work.”
Miner began volunteering in SISD when her children started attending Dr. Sue A. Shook Elementary School. One of her first major projects was to spearhead the school’s first uniform swap. The purpose of the swap was for parents to donate or trade outgrown uniforms with other families to save money on purchasing new school uniforms.
“When my son was in Pre-K, there were kids that had uniforms that didn't fit them, so I bought new uniforms for them. Then I realized I could just give them my son's old uniforms. So that’s how it all began,” Miner said.
Since then, the uniform swap has become an annual event organized by the Ysleta Lions Club. The event has expanded to include all schools in the region.
Rachel Tarango, coordinator of SISD’s Parent Volunteer Program, nominated Miner for the award. She said that Miner advocated not only for her children’s education but for all SISD students.
“She is truly committed to fostering a nurturing community for students while actively engaging with the SISD community,” Tarango said.
Despite her busy schedule as a working mom, Miner made it a priority to be actively involved in her children’s schools. She served on parent-teacher association boards and coordinated numerous events. Miner said volunteering helped her stay connected to her son and daughter, who graduated from El Dorado High School.
“As a working mom, I wanted to be in my kids’ lives,” Miner said. “It's hard to be a working mom and balance. “But even if you're a working mom, or a working parent, you can figure out something. There's something you can do that can change so many lives, and these kids changed my life, too.”
She also believes that being involved in her children's lives through her volunteering helped them gain more confidence in school and become successful adults. Her daughter attends Brandeis University and her son is a student at Princeton University.
“I told my kids, ‘I’m top 15 now. I know how it feels,’” Miner said with a laugh.
Since her children graduated from high school, Miner has continued to contribute her talents to SISD and the community, dedicating nearly 500 hours a year to volunteering.
Miner serves as board secretary on the SISD Foundation Excellence in Education board of directors, and volunteers with Texas PTA as a scholarship judge. She also encourages other working parents to volunteer in their children’s schools as a positive way to be involved in their education.
“I could be a mom with a career but still be involved,” Miner said.
Miner is the eighth SISD volunteer to be honored with the Heroes for Children Award. Previous SISD volunteer recipients include Yamile Gonzales, Joe Ramirez, Susan Hill, Flor Gentry, Ofelia Murillo, Stephen Hambric, and Delia Medina.