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GPISD is pleased to recognize Lisa Sampson, 2012 North Shore Senior High graduate. Lisa is a long term product of GPISD, having attended Havard Elementary, Cobb Sixth Grade Campus, North Shore Middle School, North Shore 9th Grade Campus, and North Shore Senior High.

Lisa was very active in high school, playing flute and piccolo in the marching band/wind ensemble. She also served as the Band President and Flute Section Leader. Additionally, Lisa was National Honor Society 10th Grade Representative, Parliamentarian, 12th Grade Representative, class officer Sophomore Class Representative, and yearbook copy editor.

Lisa also excelled academically, earning NSSH Salutatorian in 2012. She had the highest ACT and SAT scores in the Class of 2012. Naturally, she was an AP Scholar with Honor and an All “A” Honor Roll in 9th-12th grades.

Lisa is currently a senior at Rice where she serves on the Executive Board of the Student Admission Council, Chair of the Student Admission Council's Student Outreach Committee, Co-Chair of the Minority Recruitment Committee, and a Tour Guide within the Office of Admission. This year, she also served as a Co-Chair of the Martel Residential College Master's Search Committee and President of the Wesley Foundation campus ministry. She is involved in the National Society of Black Engineers, the Melodious Voices of Praise Gospel Choir, the Black Student Association, the Rice African Student Association, in addition to student government at her residential college, Martel. She will be graduating from Rice in May with a degree in Bioengineering, and she is currently seeking a position in the engineering industry.

When asked about any special experiences/educators in GPISD who influenced her, Lisa said, “I worry that if I try to name all of the GPISD educators who have been positive influences in my life that I may forget someone -- the list is quite long! Nearly each and every one of the teachers and administrators that I've known during my time in the district has helped me to grow and has changed me for the better. I fondly look back on my time in school primarily because of the lasting memories I made with my teachers, especially during high school”.

Lisa attributes her success as a GPISD student and college student to her parents, “beyond any shadow of a doubt,” she says. Her parents, both from Ghana, have always pushed her brothers and her towards excellence. She stated, “They have supported us in everything we’ve set out to accomplish and have made incredible sacrifices to get us what we needed. My parents' love has kept me looking forward, even during my toughest days. I am incredibly blessed to be their daughter.”

Undoubtedly, Lisa plans to give back to this community in the future. She said, “I am incredibly passionate about getting students of color to pursue higher education and am a huge proponent of STEM education for minority and low-income students. I will come back to North Shore and Galena Park on behalf of the Rice University Office of Admission to give information sessions about Rice and get students excited about college.”

GPISD is truly fortunate to have former students like Lisa who are leading the way for a new generation of community leaders!