DALLAS — Dallas ISD students helped unveil a commemorative jersey on stage at the Fairmount Hotel on Friday. It bore the number "13" for the 13 years of service to DISD by Dr. Michael Hinojosa - or "Big Papa" as the jersey said.
And moments earlier, in his likely last state of the district address, Hinojosa celebrated the advancements made during those 13 years.
"We are creating a new narrative for urban education," he said to the annual gathering of educators and policy makers. "You can be successful in urban education. Just give us a chance."
The event, promoted and supported by a bevy of corporate sponsors, highlighted successes during Hinojosa's tenure. Lily Lane, a student at the School of Health Professions at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, counts her story among those successes.
She told the crowd of several hundred that her goal is to become a cardiothoracic surgeon and is headed next to Liberty University
"Big steps lie ahead, but Dallas ISD has given me the tools to be bold in taking them," Lane said.
And in his 20-minute keynote address, that's what Dr. Hinojosa says DISD will continue to do.
He noted the Pathways in Technology program, sponsored by 90 companies, that gives hundreds of students each year a jump start on college. DISD says 72% in the program graduated high school with their AA degree too.
A Medical District biomedical school will launch later this year on the campus of UT Southwestern. Hinojosa trumpeted the fact that approximately $1.4 billion in building design, supported by taxpayer bonds, is in development right now.
He also celebrated a teacher retention rate upwards of 95%.
"The pandemic has been tough," he said. "But our results are going to be better than other people."
And he also addressed the political climate that has influenced the flight of multiple North Texas superintendents who have announced their resignations in the past few months.
"Everybody is for diversity, equity and inclusion until you get a lot of noise," he said in reference to sometimes raucous school board meetings.
"I think this is a period that is very difficult but I think it is a phase. I think the good people will step up and we will stop this nonsense in the future."
But after they played a slideshow, to the tune of Eye of the Tiger, celebrating his educational career, there was still that one question Dr. Hinojosa will not answer: what might his next career move be?
"In the future we'll talk about that but right now I've got to land this plane safely. And hand the pilot the keys, or whatever a pilot does. And then figure out what else I'm going to fly."
A plane he believes is on a good course - whether he is the pilot or not.