Spring ISD’s Family and Community Engagement Center will be renamed in honor of U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, 74, who died July 19 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. SISD’s board of trustees unanimously approved the name change during an Aug. 13 school board meeting.

As a Houston Democrat, Lee led Texas' 18th Congressional District, an area that encompasses portions of the city of Houston, Spring and Humble, as previously reported by Community Impact.

“Lee was not only a prominent figure in our nation’s capital but also a tireless advocate for the people of the District 18,” board Secretary Kelly P. Hodges said in a statement read aloud on Aug. 13. “Her unwavering commitment to our community was evident through her work in securing vital federal resources for our schools, advocating for equitable access to education and supporting initiatives that uplifted our most vulnerable populations.”

Lee served in the House of Representatives for 29 years.