Ms. Delesa O’Dell-Thomas, a distinguished educator with 26 years of education expertise in teaching and administration. She has successfully educated, motivated and encouraged students to succeed despite any obstacles. She instills in her students to believe their future is limitless. She is a native New Orleanean who moved in 1994, and now considers Houston home.
O’Dell-Thomas is the proud founding Principal of Houston Independent School District’s first all girls school, the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, which opened in August 2011 and HISD’s Board partnered with the Foundation for the Education of Young Women to open its sixth school in Houston. The process normally would take about 13 months but O’Dell-Thomas had to complete the process in six months. Prior to becoming the principal of the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, she has taught in Orleans Parish School System in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ms. Thomas was the principal of M.C.Williams Middle School for seven years, which was T.E.A.’s Recognized status, twice for the first time in the school’s history. Also, O’Dell- Thomas served as an assistant principal at Patrick Henry Middle School for seven years.
In 2007 O’Dell- Thomas was named Secondary Principal of the Year by the Davis/Washington Feeder Pattern. In 2009 she was an Ivy League Trailblazer in Education Recipient and honored by Top Ladies of Distinction. In March 2012, she was honored by Married Ladies Social & Art Charity Club of America, Incorporated as an Outstanding Pioneer Woman. In the spring of 2013, she was honored by the TX Legislative Black Caucus and featured in two editions of Black Houston’s, Who’s Who publications. In November of 2013, O’Dell-Thomas was awarded the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) John and Drucie Chase Young Builder’s Award and the recipient of Texas A&M University, Dean’s Roundtable. In 2014 she received the Education in Excellence Award from the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce. In May 2015 she was honored by Young Audiences and as of 2017, O’Dell- Thomas was the recipient of the Smahrt Girls Award and honored by the Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Humble Chapter.
As a classroom teacher at Henry Middle School, she was named Teacher of the Year by her colleagues. In addition, she was the reading department chairperson and assistant principal.
O’Dell-Thomas attended Southern University at New Orleans where she was on the Dean’s List numerous times, and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary English Education. In 1993, O’Dell-Thomas graduated from Xavier University of New Orleans with a Master’s degree in Secondary School Administration. She attended Texas Southern University where she completed her Texas teacher certification and principalship certification. Summer 2006, O’Dell-Thomas notes her studies at Harvard University’s Summer Leadership Program, as her most memorable collegiate experience. O’Dell-Thomas is currently pursuing a Doctorate’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Houston.
She is a member of Houston Association of Secondary School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Houston Alliance of Black School Educators, and the National Coalition of Girls School.
O’Dell-Thomas took on her rightful duty to rear her niece Janaye, as her own, after her sister lost her battle to breast cancer in 2008.
O’Dell-Thomas is a firm believer that with a solid education and lots of hard work— comes success! She loves people and has the heart of a servant leader. Her passion is to educate all children, and to change the world one girl at a time.
Delesa O’Dell-Thomas
Principal
Young Woman’s College Preparatory Academy
1906 Cleburne – HISD Rt. 6
Houston, TX 77004-4131
Ph. 713.942.1441
