At W.Z. “Doc” Burke Elementary School, tucked within the heart of NISD, the hallways have always echoed with more than just footsteps and morning greetings. They hum with unity, compassion, and the quiet power of a community that believes in one another. And this year, that very spirit carried them all the way to a national championship—the NCAA’s Read to the Final Four crown.
It started with a spark. The school’s beloved librarian, Yilsa de los Santos, known for her contagious enthusiasm and warm heart, introduced the competition to Burke’s third-graders early in the year. With her encouragement and clever use of digital resources, students dove into stories, one page at a time. Minutes turned to hours, and reading became a movement.
Then, everything changed.
Tragedy struck when the librarian’s husband of 30 years passed away suddenly. Her absence was deeply felt. But this is Burke—and Burke stands together. The teachers and assistant principal quietly picked up the baton, logging minutes and cheering on their young readers in her honor. What began as a reading challenge transformed into something more: a mission powered by love, respect, and resilience.
The turning point came when Burke was asked to host the Sweet 16 rally. That’s when the whole school—and their families—leaned in. Three themed Saturday events followed: Camp Out, Campfire Stories, and Fairy Tales. Families gathered in the library, where kids read with their siblings and parents, and staff read aloud to wide-eyed children. The dream of making it to the Final Four started to feel real.
Before school, after school, and even during lunch, the reading never stopped. Students joined a "Reading Club," where they spread out across the library in quiet determination. A third of the 89 third-graders stayed consistently, day after day. The principal read during lunch, teachers carved out time during recess, and parents shared proud photos of their kids reading everywhere—on hoverboards, at baseball games, and even reading to their pets.
They made the Elite 8. Then, the Final 4. And by the time the final pages were turned, those 89 third-graders had logged an astounding 1,827,419 minutes—nearly 3.5 years’ worth of reading—securing a landslide win for their school and a $5,000 prize for library improvements.
But the win was more than numbers.
It was the girl who kept reading books while her brother was being treated for a heart condition. It was the student whose young mom beat Cancer and showed up to the Saturday events. It was the new arrival from Colombia who found comfort in stories during a time of transition. It was every parent who showed up, every teacher who stayed late, and a grieving librarian who, through unimaginable loss, poured herself into giving kids something to believe in.
At Burke, they say their students are humble, kind, and capable of great things. This championship proved it. In a world that often measures success by scores and standards, Burke measured theirs in minutes—1.8 million of them, to be exact—each one a testament to the heart of a little Title I school with big dreams.
And this? This is only the beginning for Burke Elementary School.
View photos from the 2025 Burke Read to the Final Four winning announcement here.
Submit Your News: Do you have a great story to share? Send your news and event details to [email protected]. Highlight the achievements, honors, and happenings at your campus or department—we'd love to feature them!