By Alexandra Schoenherr
EfTA Communications Intern
CONROE, TEXAS (June 9, 2025) –Conroe ISD held its annual Student Leadership Academy led by David and Sheree Suchma, the namesakes of Suchma Elementary, the week of June 2-6. Forty-eight rising eighth grade students from across all Conroe ISD junior high schools spent four days immersed in leadership activities focused on shaping distinct community leaders.
Students engaged in activities including interview workshops, alumni panels, field trips, and guest speakers. The week began with lessons on what was previously perceived as straightforward: the handshake. To practice their newly acquired introductory skills participants took part in a scavenger hunt around the Deane Sadler Administration Building in which students visited different department offices where they implemented their introductory and handshake skills to receive a clue.
Following their beginning day of lessons students had the opportunity to hear from rising 12th graders who were also Student Leadership Academy alumni. These alumni shared their experiences from the summer program, reflected on the valuable life-lessons they have learned as leaders within their school communities, and offered encouragement to the participants as they begin preparing for high school.
Additionally, the leadership academy students had the privilege to hear from three distinguished guest speakers: Laura Willard, Rob Eissler, and Bryton Praslicka. Willard is the Coordinator of Career and College Readiness in Conroe ISD, aiming to support students as they map out their futures. Eissler is not only the namesake of the brand new W. Robert Eissler Elementary opening in August, but also served in the Texas House of Representatives and was a Conroe ISD board member for 18 years. Praslicka is the founder and executive director of FluxWorks; a company focused on making contactless magnetic features for use in extreme circumstances serving organizations such as the U.S. Army and NASA.
The week of leadership concluded at Main Event for a celebration of the hard work and dedication these young leaders put in to growing and becoming better community leaders over the course of the week.
