While Mrs. Massey Williams began her life in Austin, she got to Judson ISD as soon as she could. Her three daughters all attended JISD schools and graduated from Judson High School. Mrs. Massey Williams is a fixture at JISD events and campuses and is always finding ways to help.

Mary Helen learned from an early age how to give back to her community by watching her mother do so tirelessly. And she learned well. 

Since 1989, Mary Helen has asked, “what do you need me to do?”. She has volunteered on numerous campuses, reinstated a PTO, donated furniture to teachers’ lounges, volunteered on the JISD Bond Committee, and spent over 10 years in the Rocket Booster Club trailer. 

She’s a Rocket Mom but she doesn’t discriminate, spreading the Massey Williams love to all of our high school campuses, by supporting the Choir, ROTC and she spent plenty of time in the TBird Booster trailer, too.

However, students are really her passion. There is never a child who doesn’t have or feel support when Mary Helen is around. From her work with Project Graduation to the Perfect Attendance Breakfast, she was there to give students the support they needed and deserved. 

Finally, Mary Helen Massey Williams is a founding member of The Judson Education Foundation Board. She has spent countless hours at events that fund innovative teaching grants and scholarships for students.

Mary Helen says, “I’m not happy unless I’m serving the community and the kids.” That tells us that Mary Helen has spent hundreds and hundreds of days filled with the happiness of service to others.

Charles Ford is a 1992 graduate of Judson High School. While at Judson, Charles excelled in both track and basketball. 

Charles qualified for the State Track Meet three times during his time as a Rocket, winning the State High Jump title both his sophomore and senior years. To this day, Charles Ford holds the Judson high jump record at 7’2. 

Charles was a multi-sport talent. As a Freshman, he earned New Comer of the Year with the Rocket Basketball team. Charles lived up to that award, receiving all-district honors each of the following years. As a senior, Charles was a vital part of the 1992 Rocket basketball team that represented Judson High School in the state finals. He also was also named 1st Team All-State.

Charles continued to use the skills he learned as a Rocket at St. Mary’s University, playing basketball for the Rattlers. During his collegiate basketball career, the Rattlers won two conference championships. Currently, Charles is in the St. Mary’s record books, being 6th in rebounds and 5th in steals.

Charles has continued to give back to his community through sport as a volunteer coach for the Boys & Girls Club of Laredo and CYO. He is currently a volunteer coach for Nike ProSkills San Antonio.

Charles' coaches and teachers attest to his leadership, resilience and character on and off the court. 

JISD received numerous accolades about Mr. Ford, but the one below sums up what all of his nominators shared.

“Rocket Pride is not just a saying, it is the foundation of the Judson athletic program. The foundation of Judson was created because of men like Charles Ford. If ever a persondeserves this award, it is Charles. Not only did he set a standard for excellence in the athletic program, but he has also set a standard for how a Judson Rocket should live their life after graduating.”

Julie Lewis Harris spent her entire K-12 education in the Judson Independent School district having been a Kirby Elementary Cardinal, a Kirby Junior High Falcon and a Judson High School Rocket, graduating in 1984. It was as a Kirby Cardinal that Julie began her athletic career, excelling at field days and at the elementary school inter-squad relay event. 

At Kirby middle school she competed in volleyball, basketball and track and field. At Judson High School she was a standout athlete in both basketball, where she earned all-district honors, and in Track and field where she averaged 27 points a meet and set numerous city records. Under the tutelage of Coach Glenda Hodge, the Judson Girls Track and field team won many district and regional championships. Julie was named to both the Texas Girls Coaches Association All-star team and the San Antonio Light All-City Track and Field team.

As a collegiate athlete, Julie was a two-time NCAA All-American, and earned fourteen All-SEC honors as a member of the Louisiana State University Lady Tiger Track and Field Team. She won the inaugural SEC outdoor triple jump crown and helped lead LSU to its first-ever SEC Championships in Track & Field, sweeping both the indoor and outdoor team titles in 1985 and also winning both titles in 1987 and 1988. Julie competed in the 1988 Olympic Trials where she placed third in the triple jump exhibition.  

After her days as a competitor, Julie continued to pour into the sport as a highly successful coach at many levels. She coached at Syracuse University and St Johns University producing five All-Americans and three Olympians. While coaching at Istrouma High School and LSU Laboratory school in Baton Rouge La, her teams won multiple district and regional titles while producing 25 district champions and 4 state champions.  

Julie has received prestigious international coaching assignments including head coach for the Belize Olympic Team at the 1996  Atlanta games, Assistant Coach for the 1999 USA Indoor World Track and Field Championships in Maebashi Japan, and Head Coach for the 2000 North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association team in Monterrey Mexico. 

One of her proudest coaching moments was guiding fellow HOH member Kayone Hankins Carter to AAU All-American honors.

Julie also worked with USA Track and Field serving as Coordinator of women’s elite jumps development and director of the USA Junior Elite Jumps Camp.

Ms. Harris received her bachelor’s degree from LSU in 1988 and went on to earn a Master of Science degree from Syracuse University.