New Braunfels
Independent School District
Silver Unicorn
Silver Unicorn Award
About the Award
The Silver Unicorn is intended to provide appropriate recognition of individuals in the community who have rendered outstanding service to the children and youth of the New Braunfels Independent School District. This award is one of distinction and special honor from the District. After the inception of the program in 1965, no more than three awards shall be made annually.
NBISD seeking nominations for 2023 Silver Unicorn Award
Nominations for 2023 are now closed.
The New Braunfels ISD is now seeking nominations for the 2023 Silver Unicorn Award until the deadline of 4 p.m. on February 15. The Silver Unicorn, the highest honor presented by the NBISD Board of Trustees since 1965, is given annually to recognize individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the children and youth of NBISD. To date, more than 300 individuals have been presented with this prestigious award.
Nominators must complete a nomination form and include a written recommendation stating why the individual should receive this special honor. Up to three individuals will be selected by a selection committee.
Current NBISD employees are eligible to be nominated after five years of service to the district. Board members are eligible after serving a minimum of two (2) terms or six years on the Board and having completed their current term. Current Board members are not eligible. Any member of the community is eligible. The Silver Unicorn may also be presented posthumously.
Nomination forms are available here or at the NBISD Administration Center, located at 1000 N. Walnut, New Braunfels, TX 78130. Completed forms can be hand-delivered or mailed to the NBISD Administration Center. If mailing, please postmark by February 15, 2023, and mail to ATTENTION: Silver Unicorn Award Committee.
All nominators and recipients of this year’s Silver Unicorn Award will be notified by mail of the results after March 07, 2023. The Board will recognize the recipients on April 3, 2023. For more information, call (830) 643-5705.
2022 Silver Unicorn Recipients
2022 Silver Unicorns Recipients (l-r) Sherry Harrison, Trent Wenzel and Cynthia Trujillo, accepting on behalf of her late husband Duane Trujillo
Sherry Harrison
Sherry Harrison is a role model who is adaptable, patient, enthusiastic, passionate, and professional, and she possesses a great sense of humor. These are just some characteristics that she has in abundance and displays each time she volunteers her time to the students, our school district, and the New Braunfels community.
Harrison’s service to NBISD and our community included her role as a member of the Board of Trustees. She successfully served for 12 years (4 terms), including her roles as Board Secretary, Board Vice President and Board President.
In addition, Harrison has served as a volunteer for nearly 20 years at the Seele Elementary School Library, where she continues her volunteer work to this day. Over the years, she has also been an advocate for NBISD's youth through her support at various campuses, including numerous athletic, band, PTA, and other district events.
Additionally, she has a positive and significant influence and impact on the development of the youth of NBISD through her involvement with the Mid-Texas Symphony, including service as a long-time President, Children's Concert Docent, a member of the Children's Concert Hospitality group, and as a Debutante Committee member.
Trent Wenzel
Trent Wenzel has been an educator for 22 years as a World Geography and AP Human Geography teacher and has positively impacted countless NBISD students.
Wenzel is a lifelong resident of New Braunfels, started a pressure washing company during his junior year at New Braunfels High School, and paid for 100% of his education through his pressure washing business here in our community.
As a teacher, NBISD recognized Wenzel as a District Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2007 and 2019. Over the years, he has also received the Distinguished Teaching Award at the National Council for Geographic Education, and he participated in the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program while traveling to Japan. Wenzel also received Distinguished Alumni Awards from the Department of Geography at Texas State University and from NBISD.
Wenzel has devoted many years teaching his students to think spatially. He has also received countless letters of commendation from students and parents throughout the years. In addition, he has volunteered as a soccer coach for the New Braunfels Youth Soccer Association, volunteered at senior class theme dinners, and has been a pep rally MC at NBHS and the Ninth Grade Center. He has also transported the Unicorn Mascot to numerous varsity football games as part of a group known as the Buford Haulers.
Wenzel will always have Unicorn pride as he continues his journey and further establishes his legacy. It is also fitting and exciting to note that his great-grandfather, Willard D. Hill also received the Silver Unicorn Award during the award's inaugural year in 1965.
Duane Trujillo
Duane Trujillo faithfully served the NBISD community for 17 years as an Assistant Principal and Principal at various campuses, including Memorial Elementary, Seele Elementary, and Carl Schurz Elementary Schools.
Trujillo’s passion for working with students was evident to everyone he met. He will be remembered in the many ways he impacted NBISD students and how he served as a positive influence on the many teachers, administrators, and staff who worked with him. In addition, he fostered the development and retention of new teachers, and he had a passion for recruiting future teachers and personnel to the field of education.
He was always able to see the good in those around him and helped others to find their joy. Trujillo was known for his jokes, dance moves, positive outlook, and love of education. Students were always his top priority. He showed dedication to his students every day. In addition, Trujillo helped many families with resources to meet their physical and emotional needs and he continuously sought out grant opportunities and donations to fund the unique needs of his campuses.
His “tip-top” mentality, laughter, passion, love of life, and love for his students will never be forgotten by those he worked with and those he served.
LIST OF PAST RECIPIENTS
View or print the list in chronological order.
View or print the list in alphabetical order.
For more information about this program, call the Office of the Superintendent at (830) 643-5705 or send an email.
This page was last updated on Feb. 3, 2023.