Socorro's H.D. Hilley Elementary earns Gold Lone Star Award for counseling program

Socorro's H.D. Hilley Elementary earns Gold Lone Star Award for counseling program by Maryann Parga Mon, November 9, 2026 at 4:15 PM Updated Mon, November 9, 2026 at 4:21 PM H.D. Hilley Elementary 5th grade students participate in group session. (KFOX14) Comment on this story 0 Comment Share story Share topics: Lone Star Award School counseling Socorro Independent School District H.D. Hilley Elementary Gold designation Social emotional learning Student success Frisco gala SOCORRO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — H.D. Hilley Elementary, with the Socorro Independent School District, is celebrating a Gold Lone Star Award for its counseling program, the highest level of recognition in the award system. School counselor Carmen Bebon said the campus worked up to the Gold designation over several years. “This is a progressive award system. It takes up to three years to get to the Gold. So we start off as Bronze,” Bebon said. “And then two years later, I got the Silver. And then this year, I got awarded the Gold.” To earn the recognition, counselors document their goals, data and the work they do with students. At Hilley, that includes individual counseling, group sessions, classroom guidance and schoolwide activities aimed at helping students succeed in class, build social and emotional skills and plan for what comes next. RECOMMENDED: School Spotlight: El Paso student performs at Carnegie Hall School Spotlight: Socorro's H.D. Hilley Elementary earns Gold Lone Star Award for counseling program “School is not just about math and science and our core subjects, but it’s also about teaching them to be a good person. How do I, our coping skills, how do we, how do be successful individuals, especially in a working force, in a workforce, which is our ultimate goal for our scholars,” Bebon said. H.D. Hilley is one of seven Socorro ISD schools recognized this year. The award winners will be honored at the association’s conference gala Nov. 15 in Frisco, Texas. RECOMMENDED: School Spotlight: El Paso's Young Women’s Leadership Academy celebrates 10 years Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. Trending 1-year-old dies after Lower Valley two-vehicle crash on Alameda Avenue A 16-month-old, Oliver Yepes, died after a two-vehicle crash on Alameda Avenue in El Paso’s Lower Valley, police say. Investigators believe the westbound car failed to yield while turning and hit an eastbound vehicle. 43,000 pounds of fiber-optic cable worth $155,000 recovered in Montana Avenue theft case An El Paso County man was arrested after deputies recovered a shipping container, trailer chassis and approximately 43,000 pounds of fiber-optic cable. Man killed in North Loop crash in the Lower Valley; police seek tips A man was killed in a Friday night crash on North Loop Drive near North Zaragoza in El Paso’s Lower Valley, police say. Investigators believe he was lying in the roadway. EPPD seeks tips as traffic deaths hit 57. First Borderlands Renaissance Faire draws big crowd in El Paso Day one of the Borderlands Renaissance Faire came with a few bumps, including long lines and unexpected weather, but attendees and organizers are looking ahead. East El Paso’s Trophie Gaming hit by second break-in in under a week A gaming store in East El Paso is dealing with a second break-in in less than a week after thieves reportedly stole thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise. NEWS IN PHOTOS: " Local " 4 NEW Two women sought in Lower Valley apartment assault 6 Shiloff Family Foundation gives $250,000 to boost Texas Tech Health El Paso scholarships 4 Trump’s Big Bend border wall construction can resume after U.S. Supreme Court ruling 3 El Paso City Council backs bid to host U.S. military's 'Next Great American Base'