Class of 1995

The Cantu Family makes us proud! Five of Maria and Israel Cantu’s children are graduates from Splendora High School, but ALL of their children are remarkable citizens of our great nation. From Guadalupe to Marco, all are part of a military legacy that began with their father, Israel Cantu, Sr. Their father enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966 and served 21 years in the Marine Corps. While serving in Rota Spain he met and married his wife Maria Isabel Arevalo-Salas. Their children Guadalupe Medina (no military service, but married a marine and their children are serving); Israel Cantu, Jr. (Corporal/USMC 1990-1995); SHS 1993 graduate Jason Cantu (Sergeant Major/USMC 1993-Present); SHS 1995 Graduate Marisol Zammitt (Captain/USMC 1999-2005); SHS 1999 Graduate Miguel Cantu (Commander/US Navy 2004-2015 and US Navy Reserve 2015-Present); SHS 2003 Graduate Adrianna Fox (Captain/USMC 2008-2103); SHS 2006 Graduate Paloma Lankford (Lieutenant US Navy 2011-2017); and Marco Cantu (Staff Sergeant/USMC 2011-Present) are all dedicated to this country.

What does it mean for most of the children to be SHS Wildcats?  “Our experiences living in a small town such as Splendora and attending school there has instilled into us a sense of altruistic values such as service to our community and this great nation. We are all proud of our town and our former school district. Go Wildcats!” 

Brandie McCulloch graduated from Splendora High School in 1995, attending Splendora ISD since kindergarten.  After high school, Brandie attended Lone Star College – Kingwood and earned certifications to do medical coding and transcription. Brandie worked at Insperity while attending college and was a part of the organization for almost 13 years. It was there where she fell in love with helping small to medium size businesses take care of their greatest assets, which is their people.  Brandie is now a Sales Executive for Netchex where she continues to help her clients take care of their people while growing their businesses by minimizing risk and managing cost.  Brandie continues to live in Splendora and has a beautiful daughter -  
Micah Grace Jones. 

When asked what does it mean to be a SHS Wildcat, Brandie replied, “I am who I am today because I was a Wildcat. I learned so much from our small town including how to work hard and work together.  My proudest moment as a Wildcat was earning a spot in the State Tournament as the first Splendora Softball Team ever. My parents were Wildcats, me and my siblings were Wildcats, and now my daughter is a Wildcat. ‘It’s a great day to be a Wildcat’ as my friend Dale Martin always said, and I am grateful for that.” 

Tamara Abke proudly calls Splendora her lifelong home. A 1995 graduate of Splendora High School, she earned the honor of Salutatorian and took advantage of a variety of leadership and extracurricular opportunities. During her high school years, she was a Varsity cheerleader, an active member of Splendora FFA where she served in multiple leadership roles, an officer in the National Honor Society, and a participant in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She was also honored to serve on the homecoming court and was voted Most Likely to Succeed by her peers.

Tamara graduated from Texas A&M University in 1999 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and began her career in education as a Kindergarten Reading Intervention teacher at Leon ISD. She later taught 4th grade and Pre-K at a private Christian school before returning to her hometown of Splendora in 2008. There, she served students as a Reading RTI teacher at Splendora Junior High and later as a 6th-grade Math teacher at both Greenleaf Elementary and Splendora Junior High.

After 13 years in the classroom, Tamara furthered her education by earning a Master of Education in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M. She then served as a professional school counselor at Tarkington High School for four years, followed by two years supporting the students and staff of Peach Creek Elementary. Most recently, she served Timber Lakes Elementary as an Assistant Principal before stepping into her current role as Coordinator for Counseling and Wellness for Splendora ISD.

In this role, Tamara is deeply honored to serve her district by championing the social, emotional, and academic growth of all students. She is dedicated to fostering a culture of care, collaboration, and advocacy—ensuring that every student feels valued, supported, and prepared for their future. She is proud to be part of a district that prioritizes whole-child development and wellness, and she looks forward to continuing to grow alongside her community.

Tamara and her husband, Shaun, are the proud parents of three children: daughters Gracie and Allie, both graduates of Splendora High School, and their son Aaron, who currently attends Coleman 6th Grade Campus.

For Tamara, being a Wildcat is more than a title—it is a legacy. She treasures her years as a student in Splendora ISD and remains grateful for the teachers and classmates who shaped her journey. Today, she embraces the privilege of serving her hometown community with the same passion and commitment she once experienced as a student, passing along that proud Wildcat legacy to her own children and to future generations.