Brownsville ISD kicks off school year with big pep rally

Motivational speaker Todd Nesloney and a pair of pitch-perfect Barbies kicked off the 2023-2024 school year for the Brownsville Independent School District on Tuesday at Rivera Early College High School.

Administrators, teachers, staff and virtually everyone associated with the Valley’s largest school district assembled for BISD’S annual pep rally in the Rivera gym.

“Get ready to be inspired, motivated and energized,” one of the Barbies intoned as she introduced Nesloney, an author, educator, blogger and director of culture and strategic leadership for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisor’s Association.

Nesloney led his audience through a series of rapid-fire observations about today’s educational landscape, the teaching profession and how to motivate students.

“Guess what, all of you today are leaders, the moment you walk into the room you’re a leader whether you like it or not. …My definition of leader is someone who’s willing to serve others,” Nesloney said, citing Jesus Christ as the ultimate example.

Another observation, “We are the students we’re complaining about,” drew applause when he refereed to turning off cell phones.

Then later, “This is about speaking to the human condition. At the core, every single person longs to be seen, heard and valued.”

Nesloney then provided some ideas for the coming year to motivate students, among them naming a class celebrity of the week independent of the award having to be sanctioned by a principal or administrator.

The affirmations will do wonders, even with shy or problem students, he said.

Nesloney also urged teachers to re-dedicate themselves to literacy, saying it is the basis for the teaching profession, the one profession that teaches all the others.

He said the best books are re-read many times, just like the best movies are watched over and over again.

“Don’t recommend a book to a kid that you haven’t read yourself,” he advised.

Nesloney also said there is such a thing as an uneducated educator but joked that there weren’t any left in the room because he had just educated them all.