Texas School Safety Center honors 2026 Statewide School Safety Spotlight Award winners

The Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University has announced the 2026 Statewide School Safety Spotlight Award winners. 

The awards recognize innovative and impactful programs that support Texas school safety mandates and implement effective emergency preparedness and violence prevention strategies. The winners were honored on June 26 at the Texas School Safety Conference in San Antonio. 

2026 Statewide School Safety Spotlight Award Winners:

• Collaborative Community Partnerships
  Grayson County School Reunification Team - Chief Heath Wester, Sherman ISD Police Department
• Outstanding Individual Service
  Deloris “DeeDee” Mihalchik, Joshua ISD
• Positive Climate Programs
  The Dream Team - Ryan Carroll, Longview ISD
• Staff Development and Trainings
  Critical Response Training Program - Officer Anthony Pate and the Southlake Police Department School Resource Officer Team, Carroll ISD
• Student-Led Groups or Programs
  Campus Safety Patrol Program, Brownsville ISD

“Recognizing the School Safety Spotlight Award winners is one of the highlights of the Texas School Safety conference each year,” said Kathy Martinez-Prather, Ph.D., director of the Texas School Safety Center. “We are honored to showcase these individuals, partnerships and districts for their outstanding contributions to school safety in Texas. We hope their work will inspire others and offer models to inform safety practices throughout the state.”

This year’s winners represent programs that focus on reunifying students and staff with their families after an emergency, safety protocols designed for very young students, empowering students to improve safety and contribute to positive climates on their campuses, and training staff and students through drills that enhance emergency preparedness. 

The winners and all finalists for the 2026 awards, and for past years, are featured on the Texas School Safety Center’s website. Nominations for the School Safety Spotlight Awards are open to schools, districts, junior and community colleges, and individuals in Texas. Nominations for the 2027 School Safety Spotlight Awards will open in September.

The Texas School Safety Center is an official university-level research center at TXST with the mission to serve schools and communities to create safe, secure, and healthy environments. It provides safety and security information through research, training, and technical assistance for K-12 schools and junior colleges throughout the state. To learn more visit txssc.txstate.edu.