The first day of school always brings a mix of emotions—nervous smiles, proud parents, new routines, and a fresh chapter waiting to be written. Whether it’s your child’s very first day of kindergarten or their last first day as a senior, these are the moments that shape the school year ahead—and the memories that stay with us.

Next week, My Neighborhood News will be publishing a special Back-to-School Photo Gallery for the communities we serve, and we'd love to spotlight kids in Cypress Mill who just embarked on a new school year. Are you a first-time teacher starting your first year in the classroom, or maybe you're starting off at a new school this year? We want to feature you, too!

How to Submit

We’re collecting photos now through Sunday, August 25. If you’d like your photo included in the gallery for Cypress Mill, please use the submission form below. Be sure to tell us a little about your student (or you) and what made their first day special.

click here to Submit Your back-to-school Photo

Submissions are open to families living in Cypress Mill and nearby neighborhoods.

One Family Will Be Featured in a Special Story

As part of this project, we’ll also be randomly selecting one family per neighborhood or region to be featured in a separate Family Focus spotlight! That feature article will go a step further—highlighting not just your back-to-school tradition or a meaningful milestone, but also sharing a bit about your family: what you enjoy doing together, how long you’ve lived in the neighborhood, what you love about living in your community, and the small things that make your story feel neighborly, relatable, and rooted in Cypress Mill.

If you’d like to be considered for this special feature, just share a few extra details in your submission form. You don’t need a perfect photo or a major achievement—just a story that reflects real life in Cypress Mill.

What to Include

Here’s what we’re asking for:

• Your favorite back-to-school photo
• Your child’s first name, grade level, and school name
• A short caption or note (optional but encouraged)
• Your neighborhood or subdivision so we can place the photo in the right gallery
• A few extra words if you’d like to be considered for the spotlight

We’ll begin publishing galleries early next week.

Why It Matters

At My Neighborhood News, we're passionate about covering the decisions that shape our schools and neighborhoods while also celebrating the people and everyday moments that give Cypress Mill its heart.

We hope you’ll take a few minutes to share a photo from your first day. It’s a small way to reflect the heart of Cypress Mill, one family at a time, and we'd love to celebrate this special milestone with you.

Thank you for being part of the story!

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.