Mission, Texas- Ten Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) High School students with an interest in business and finance participated in a special seminar that incorporated into the formal refinancing/refunding of one of the district’s bond issues. The ten students came from all three high schools: Mission Collegiate High School, Mission High School, Veterans Memorial High School.
The students from Mission Collegiate High School were: Cristina Briceno, Doris Sarabia. The students from Mission High School were: Jose Aniceto, Anjelica Garcia, Alissa Rodriguez, Marcela Rodriguez. The students from Veterans Memorial High School were: Valeria Arredondo, Alejandro Marroquin, Gabriel Pena, Carlos Quintanilla.
“We have been working on developing ideas to incorporate some of the business dealings of the district into real-world lessons for students,” explained Rumalda Ruiz, assistant superintendent for finance. “This is the first opportunity we have had and the other professionals involved in the bond refunding are excited to have our students participate.”
During the seminar, students received an introduction to municipal bonds, an introduction to Texas school finance, and then the bond underwriters call to discuss pricing with the students. The all-day seminar also included participation in the underwriter’s preparation and bid, transaction summary preparation, review of the transaction, and preparation for the bond refunding presentation to the Mission CISD Board of Trustees that evening. The students conducted the entire presentation to the Mission CISD Board of Trustees during the meeting of October 11. A motion to approve the refunding as presented was approved in a unanimous vote of the trustees.
Pictured are the high school students who participated in the special bond refunding process after receiving special certificates from members of the Board of Trustees.