Contact Information:
ChildBuilders
Amanda Siroosian, Executive Director
713-481-6553
asiroosian@childbuilders.org
Release Date:
February 3, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ChildBuilders Honors Gulf Coast Community Services Association, Barbara Cockrell Elementary School, and Educators from Amigos por Vida Charter School
Houston, Texas — ChildBuilders honored three exceptional partners and educators at its Annual Celebration held on January 29, 2026, recognizing their outstanding commitment to children’s mental health, safety, and well-being.
The Distinguished Partner Award was presented to Gulf Coast Community Services Association in recognition of its long-standing partnership with ChildBuilders and its commitment to adapting and implementing multiple ChildBuilders programs within its Head Start centers. Through this partnership, ChildBuilders ensures that some of the most vulnerable children in Houston receive prevention and personal safety education at an early age.
The Outstanding School Award was presented to Barbara Cockrell Elementary School in Pearland ISD and school counselor Dalia Flores. Ms. Flores began working with ChildBuilders in 2019 as a counseling intern while piloting one of ChildBuilders’ elementary programs. Since that time, Barbara Cockrell Elementary has remained a strong and reliable partner in delivering prevention education and social and emotional skill development to students.
The Inspiring Educator Award was presented to three educators from Amigos por Vida Charter School for their leadership and collaboration in helping to evaluate ChildBuilders’ Stand Strong • Stay Safe elementary program. Their contributions strengthened the program by providing critical insight into how students are learning assertiveness and other safety skills through this program.
In her acceptance remarks, Kathy Johnson, Assistant Director of Head Start at GCCSA, shared, “It is amazing to see how this program empowers our three, four, and five-year-olds to stand up for themselves – and they have done that. We have parents who have testified to that.”
“These honorees show what is possible when schools and community partners work together to protect children and support their emotional health,” said Gretchen Lash, Director of Program Services at ChildBuilders. “Their dedication strengthens families, classrooms, and our entire community.”
ChildBuilders is a Houston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and promoting mental health by equipping children, parents, and educators with practical skills in assertiveness, emotional regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution.
For more information about ChildBuilders and its programs, visit childbuilders.org.
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