Patrice Whitten, Educator and Former Administrator
Outstanding Individual Service

Patrice Whitten exemplifies exceptional insight and expertise in school safety and crisis intervention. She demonstrated her deep understanding of security threats, behavioral de-escalation, and emergency response during an incident in which she successfully diffused a life-threatening situation involving a student with a firearm.

Through her calm, strategic approach, she protected the lives of students, staff, and law enforcement officers. Her actions highlight the importance of relationship-building and proactive safety measures in preventing violence before it escalates. She not only de-escalated the immediate threat but also provided critical emotional support to the student in crisis, demonstrating her comprehensive understanding of both security and mental health challenges in school environments.

Mrs. Whitten’s leadership extends to ongoing advocacy for improved safety policies, staff training, and student support systems. Her commitment to safety education, emergency preparedness, and fostering a secure school culture makes her an invaluable leader in advancing best practices in school security.

Paul Batchelder Jr., New Caney ISD
Outstanding Individual Service

Paul Batchelder Jr. has served as the Director of Life Safety and Emergency Preparedness for New Caney ISD (NCISD) since 2019, overseeing safety systems and emergency planning and facilitating critical safety training for district personnel. He leads safety audits, monitors legislative changes, ensures compliance with state regulations, and coordinates with local emergency agencies.

Paul is dedicated to improving safety at NCISD through innovative tools like the Crisis Manager app, which provides staff with real-time updates and emergency protocols. He conducts training sessions to ensure staff are well prepared for emergencies and works closely with local responders to enhance safety readiness. He also fosters a safety-first culture through district-wide drills.

Paul actively engages students and the community in safety efforts, including introducing student-led safety videos to promote peer education and ensuring that safety protocols reflect input from all stakeholders. His proactive strategies and collaborative efforts ensure that the district remains prepared for a wide range of potential safety and security issues.

Officer Michelle Contreras, Southside ISD
Outstanding Individual Service

As the school resource officer, Michelle Contreras is deeply committed to engaging and involving students, staff, and community partners in creating a safer environment at Menchaca Early Childhood Center. Officer Contreras fosters a culture of creativity and empowerment, encouraging students to contribute their ideas and perspectives to campus safety initiatives. Through art projects, storytelling sessions, and classroom discussions, she invites children to explore concepts of safety in ways that resonate with their developmental stage.

Officer Contreras fosters open communication channels within the school community. She encourages students, staff, and parents to voice their concerns and share any potential safety-related issues they may encounter. She provides comprehensive training sessions to educate staff members on emergency procedures, risk assessment techniques, and best practices for maintaining a secure learning environment. She actively engages in preventative measures and collaborates closely with school administrators to develop emergency response protocols, ensuring swift and coordinated action in any unforeseen event. She conducts thorough assessments of the school's physical infrastructure, identifying potential vulnerabilities and recommending targeted improvements to mitigate risks.

Her role extends far beyond that of a traditional law enforcement officer; she is a catalyst for change, continuously seeking ways to enhance safety protocols and cultivate a culture of preparedness.

Keith Chapman, Crandall ISD
Outstanding Individual Service

Keith Chapman serves as Executive Director of Emergency Operations and Security Management for Crandall ISD. Through risk assessments, mitigation strategies, response protocols, training and drills, partnerships with local law enforcement and emergency services, and communication with staff, students, and parents, Keith has significantly improved Crandall ISD’s emergency response capabilities.

He created Security Shorts, a series of quick safety and security videos targeted specifically to parents and community members, students, and staff. He constantly conducts interior and exterior door checks and created a "Fortress Award" for principals to highlight this important topic. Keith recognizes that safety extends beyond physical security. He serves as the contact for the Behavioral Threat Assessment Team and has contributed insights into the importance of addressing mental health and student well-being as critical components of safety and security.

Keith's dedication to community engagement has fostered a sense of shared responsibility for safety, resulting in stronger ties between the school and local emergency services, as well as increased awareness and participation among parents and students in safety-related activities.

Alice Jordan, Garland ISD
Outstanding Individual Service

Alice Jordan is the glue that holds together Garland ISD’s Security Department. During her eight-year tenure as office manager, administrative assistant, and resident school safety professional, Mrs. Jordan has provided a high degree of insight through her planning, researching, recommending, and executing more streamlined, sustainable, and commonsense methods of operation including improving lockdown drills and redesigning the 24/7 security dispatch center.

She is in constant contact with police lieutenants, school resource officers, city officials, staff, and students. She singlehandedly coordinates and schedules police and security officers for thousands of events each school year. She provides a high degree of insight and knowledge – always asking crucial questions that improve day-to-day operations. Her community partnerships have taken the department to the next level regarding training with SWAT teams and the Department of Defense.

She communicates to all stakeholders: parents, students, teachers, principals, community members, law enforcement, and others. She troubleshoots and communicates with all 71 campuses to identify and address problems. Mrs. Jordan’s natural inclination toward problem-solving and using evidence-based practices daily reduces risks in Garland ISD.

Sarita Hernandez, Stockdale ISD
Outstanding Individual Service

Sarita Hernandez is a parent volunteer at Stockdale ISD who plays a key role in supporting safety and security practices in the district. Mrs. Hernandez is a leader in promoting the Brahma Watch Volunteer Group, a group of off-duty and retired first responders who check exterior and interior doors to ensure they close correctly and are locked and watch perimeters to ensure that individuals on campuses are authorized to be there.

Mrs. Hernandez is a retired Wilson County Sherriff's Office Dispatch who has carried her skills and observations over to the arena of school safety. As a member of the Stockdale ISD Safety and Security Committee, Mrs. Hernandez has made suggestions that moved the district to adopt commonly programmed radios that can be used throughout the district, allow first responders access to the district camera system, and implemented a plan for a donation-based security measure that would funnel guests through main entry points with decorative fencing and gates to help protect the interior of campuses. She spends many hours on-site interacting with students, ensuring student safety, and serving as an extra set of eyes on Stockdale ISD campuses.

Sergeant Scott Knight, Collin College
Outstanding Individual Service

Sergeant Scott Knight manages and coordinates training for the 66 sworn officers, eight dispatchers and one civilian employee who serve Collin College. Since Sergeant Knight was assigned to the training division two years ago, he has built a well-organized, effective division from the ground up.

In 2021, Sergeant Knight coordinated more than 7,448 contact hours of training for the department and is on track to surpass that number in 2022. The training covers a variety of topics including firearms, active attack training, critical incident training, mental health, crime scene and evidence, sexual assault, leadership, trauma-affected veterans, Clery/Title IX, TCOLE mandated training, and field training for new officers. Sergeant Knight has also coordinated several training events that included Collin College’s police and fire academy students.

Sergeant Knight is carrying out the mission of the college - to help develop skills, strengthen character, and challenge the intellect - within the agency by coordinating an on-going training environment that focuses on the needs of officers and the community they serve. His engagement in creating and maintaining a high level of training enables the department to provide top-level service to the community and achieve the goal of a safe learning environment for students.