Barton Elementary School’s student council has received recognition at both the state and national levels for its commitment to leadership, service and student voice.
The campus recently received the TEPSA Student Leadership Award from the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA), honoring outstanding elementary student leadership teams across Texas. Barton’s student council is featured on the TEPSA website and will be recognized at the TEPSA Summer Conference Keynote this summer.
In addition, Barton Elementary was named a 2025 American Student Council Association (ASCA) Student Council of Excellence, a national honor presented by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). The award recognizes schools whose student councils promote service, citizenship and school spirit while serving as models for others.
“This recognition is a tremendous honor for our students and staff,” says Barton Elementary School’s Principal Lisbeth Valdez. “It reflects the heart of our Barton community, and our students who lead with service, collaboration and school pride. Our student council represents what it means to ‘Be HERD:’ to be Helpful, Excellent, Respectful and Determined in all they do.”
Barton’s student council is open to all students in grades 3 through 5 and is rooted in a strong sense of belonging and service. Students take on an active role in planning and leading campus initiatives, including a canned food drive that collected more than 1,200 cans for the North Texas Food Bank, as well as teacher appreciation events and other schoolwide activities.
“Student council gives our students a voice and an authentic platform to make a difference,” says Valdez. “Through organizing events, leading service projects and representing their peers, they learn communication, teamwork and responsibility. It’s inspiring to see how their leadership builds confidence and strengthens the sense of belonging on our campus.”
Barton’s student council advisor, Sebastián Hernández, is an Irving High School graduate and former student council president. For him, the recognition feels especially meaningful given his own student leadership journey in Irving ISD.
“It feels very full circle,” says Hernández. “My goal is to help amplify the positive traits within each student and bring them together in an environment focused on giving back, leading with purpose and dreaming big.”
Hernández also noted the significance of working alongside Valdez, who served as his class council advisor when he was a student.
“It is truly a privilege to collaborate with someone who once guided me as a student and who continues to model strong, student-centered leadership,” he says. “It feels special to be fulfilling the same purpose, now at a different scale, by nurturing leadership in a younger generation.”
As Barton looks ahead, the campus plans to continue expanding leadership opportunities and service projects for students.
“I want our students and staff to know that this achievement is the result of consistent teamwork and a shared belief that student voice matters,” Valdez says. “Every teacher who encourages leadership and every student who takes initiative plays a role in this success. Together, we are showing that Barton is leading the way every day.”
