On May 16, 2025, Carroll ISD went blue for Celiac Strong Day—an awareness event led by rising senior Kylie Connor. Diagnosed with Celiac Disease at age 10, Kylie turned her experience into advocacy.
“Rather than seeing it as a setback, I chose to view it as an opportunity—to raise awareness, build community, and educate others,” Kylie said.
Now in its second year across the district, Celiac Strong Day engaged over 1,800 students and staff. Kylie partnered with six CISD campuses to deliver age-appropriate education, from gluten-free parfaits in middle school nutrition classes to interactive bingo sessions and custom morning announcements in elementary and intermediate schools. At the high school level, Student Councils helped spread the message through social media and giveaways.
Support extended beyond the classroom. Businesses like Pinch of Salt, Kendra Scott and Crisp & Green donated proceeds to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Kylie also collaborated with student clubs to create informative campaigns across Southlake.
“The response has been incredible,” Kylie said. “Our community really embraced this initiative, and I’m so proud to be a Dragon.”