Chisholm Trail Middle School pilots Moments that Matter program, teaching students character lessons

Pride, responsibility, fortitude and strength — these are the values Chisholm Trail Middle School students have been learning through the Moments that Matter program, an initiative inspired by the stories of Medal of Honor recipients.
 

The program, created by the Medal of Honor Griffin Institute, is part of the larger Medal of Honor Character Development Program and it combines videos, class discussions, activities and reflective journaling to help students connect real-life examples of bravery and sacrifice to their own lives. Chisholm Trail Middle School is one of several schools in the area, and the only one in Northwest ISD, chosen to pilot the program.

“I’m honored Chisholm Trail was selected to pilot the program,” said Principal Jennifer Higgins, whose father, husband and son have all served in the military. “We have many students who go into the military, so this gives them a sense of pride and shows them what people have accomplished and the importance of what they’ve done in that field.”

The school launched the program in September, introducing weekly 45-minute lessons to seventh-grade Texas History classes. After completing the lessons last week, students received certificates and commemorative pins. In January, they will take a field trip to the Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas.

Mrs. Higgins said the lessons not only help students learn about values, but they also help them explore another pathway for their futures. 

“It’s important that our students are exposed to the military, just as it is for them to experience other postsecondary options,” she said.
 

One of the teachers leading the program, Marine Corps veteran Isai Conchas, brought firsthand experience to the classroom. From 2006 to 2014, Conchas job was in artillery and ground supply, taking part in back-to-back combat operations in Iraq.

“It really helped when I added some of my personal experiences,” Mr. Conchas said. “Students love hearing stories they can connect with. It helps them see me not just as a teacher, but as someone who’s lived through what we’re talking about.”

Mr. Conchas also helped represent the program, appearing in a Moments that Matter video alongside Dallas Cowboys offensive guard Tyler Booker and other veterans, which aired during the Salute to Service Dallas Cowboys game November 3. In the video, Booker discussed sacrifice, one of the program’s core values, and how leaving home to pursue his career was a challenge he eventually turned into a success.

“That really resonated with me,” Mr. Conchas said. “I know what it’s like to sacrifice. After college didn’t work out because of finances and other challenges, I joined the military because I wanted something that would challenge me and force me to adapt.”

Now in his seventh year of teaching and coaching, Mr. Conchas said he continues to use those lessons daily. 

“The military taught me that nothing will ever be perfect and that you have to adapt to any situation,” he said. “That’s what I try to teach my students — to be flexible, work hard and achieve results no matter the challenge.”
 

Seventh grader Kiera Garner said she’s taken those lessons to heart. 

“This program teaches us about Medal of Honor recipients and what they went through to earn it,” she said. “They worked their hardest and put others before themselves, and it shows us how we can do the same.”

Kiera said she’s learned values like integrity and honesty and applies them to her everyday life, whether helping a friend or avoiding gossip.

“These lessons help you grow as a student and as a person,” she said. “You can use them at school, in your community and with your friends. They really make a difference.”