The Hunt Independent School District has established new awards to honor two children who lost their lives in the devastating July 4, 2025, floods in Kerr County.
Honoring the Memories of Renee and Lyle
The awards will be given annually to students who exemplify love, joy, and courage, values that the two children, Renee Smajstrla and Lyle Zunker, embodied. Renee would have entered third grade, and Lyle would have entered second grade at the time of the floods.
According to Hunt ISD Superintendent Sarah Nichols, the goal after the floods was to provide stability for students who were still processing the trauma. “Academics is essentially on the back burner until a student’s well-being is taken care of,” Nichols said. The district’s approach was to take care of people first and trust that academics would follow.
The community’s response was instrumental in making this possible, with families and neighbors organizing special events and support for children. The district also found ways to honor the two children, including placing their signatures, saved from schoolwork, onto the gym floor during the dedication of the district’s new gym.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
