HOUSTON -- The Port of Houston Authority was inducted into the Houston Independent School District Partnership Hall of Fame this morning at a Partnership Appreciation Breakfast held at the Royal Sonesta Houston Hotel. Gilda Ramirez, Vice President, Small Business Development, accepted the award on behalf of the Port Authority.

The award is presented to community partners for the exemplary services they provide to HISD students and recognizes such initiatives as partnerships, support for district-wide programs and sponsored special events that have a multiple school or district-wide impact and serve as a model for other partnerships.

One of HISD's longest existing partners, since 1986, the Port of Houston Authority was recognized for its Port of Houston Partners in Maritime Education program, which includes the Maritime Academy, which aims to introduce area students and encourage them to pursue career opportunities in the maritime industry. Now in its fourth year, the Maritime Academy programs at Jack Yates and Stephen F. Austin high schools serve about 600 enrolled students, who benefit from dual course credits, field trips, college scholarship opportunities and internships. The first class of students in this program will graduate this spring.

KBR and Prepared4Life/Lemonade Day Houston were also among the 2012 Hall of Fame inductees.

About the Port of Houston Authority

For nearly 100 years, the Port of Houston Authority has owned or operated the public cargo-handling facilities of the Port of Houston – the nation's largest port for foreign waterborne tonnage. The port is an economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the nation. It supports the creation of more than one million statewide jobs and more than 2.1 million nationwide jobs, and the generation of economic activity totaling more than $178.5 billion in Texas and $499 billion across the nation. For more information, visit the Port Authority website at: www.portofhouston.com