History

The Leonel Castillo building used to be the Robert E. Lee Elementary school that started in 1919. For about 83 years, the school served generations of Near Northside youth. The architectural design of the building was done by a prominent architect who also helped design important buildings in Houston, such as UH Cullen Building, JP Chase Tower, and San Jacinto Monument. Due to population growth, the city of Houston built Ketelson Elementary, and in 2002, Robert E. Lee Elementary was shut down, and the building was renamed after Houston's first Hispanic elected official, Leonel Castillo. Leonel Castillo was a trailblazer who had fierce pride, courage, and determination by becoming the first Hispanic elected official in Houston, winning the post of City Controller at the age of 32. In 2021, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia partnered up with RYSS to bring Leonel Castillo STEM Early Childhood Academy (now RYSS Early Childhood Academy at Leonel Castillo Community Center), a cost-free and state-accredited PK program, to the Near Northside.