In a festive celebration, hundreds attended Katy ISD’s annual brick unveiling ceremony on December 3, honoring campus Teachers of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year. Each of the 76 educators who were recognized with the prestigious honor received a commemorative brick in Katy Heritage Park serving as a permanent tribute to their dedication for teaching and outstanding accomplishment.

Katy Heritage Park, located at 5990 George Bush Drive in Katy, showcases the personalized bricks in a permanent display.

“Tonight is about celebrating the educators who go above and beyond to serve our students and schools,” said. Ken Gregorski, Katy ISD Superintendent. “It is my privilege to thank each of you for the extraordinary impact you have on our students, schools, and community.”

“In collaboration with Venus Construction, Modern Pest Control, and the Katy Heritage Society, the brick unveiling event honors the enduring legacy of exceptional educators in Katy ISD's history,” said a spokesperson for the district in a subsequent press release. “This celebration not only recognizes Katy ISD Campus Teachers of the Year but also pays tribute to the broader Katy community. The commemorative bricks at Katy Heritage Park serve as a timeless testament to the decades of outstanding educational experiences provided across Katy ISD campuses.”

It was a bittersweet moment for Ida Franklin, owner of Venus Construction, who originated the commemorative brick event over twelve years ago. At the December 3 ceremony, Franklin said that it would be her last year to be involved with the event, as she is selling her company, Venus Construction. “I am so proud of the legacy that this has turned into,” Franklin said on her Facebook page on December 4. “It has grown to be one of my favorite things over the last twelve years. [I am] very proud that [new owner] Robert will be continuing on with the sponsorship of this event along with my friend Del Lawson from Modern Pest Control and Adrienne Davitz and the Katy Heritage Society. I am also eternally grateful for the support of the Katy school district. There is no way we could have grown it to what it is today without their continuing support.”

“It has been an honor,” Katy Heritage President Adrienne Davitz replied to Franklin’s post. “Thank you so much for your vision and dedication.”

Franklin has supported Katy ISD as a “partner in education” in various ways for many years, including supporting construction-related education at Cimarron Elementary in March 2023. She also served as a judge in the inaugural National Civics Bee® sponsored by the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce at Morton Ranch High School in 2024.