The end of a decade, but the start of an age

By: Libby Sanchez and Jaelyn Morales

As the 2022-2023 school year is coming to an end, the senior class is preparing themselves to graduate and start the next chapter of their lives. Even though most of us don’t wanna grow up, these last 4 years have prepared us to go out into the world and strive for success. On May 26th, 2023, at 8pm, the senior class will gather for one more goodbye. It’s hard not to find it all a little bittersweet and while our class has had many ups and downs, Long story short, we survived! 

For the class of 23 favorites, the seniors voted in favor of silver and green as the class colors, the white rose as the class flower, and “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift as the class song. These past 4 years might’ve been happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time, but they were also years full of many joyous memories with friends and family. There are five seniors graduating from the journalism class and staff editors on the Quill graduating are as follows: Editor in Chief- Libby Sanchez, Copy Editor- Jaelyn Morales, Photo Editor- Noah Ramos, and Managing Editor- Brian Avery. We are all going to miss journalism very much, but not as much as we are going to miss Mrs. Minniear who has been an amazing role model. 

As a class, we all gave our “blood”, sweat, and tears for this moment and survived the Great War. I want to wish every single person in our class the best of luck in their future endeavors and with whatever path they choose to follow. Congratulations Class of 2023, “Long live the walls we crashed through. I had the time of my life, with you” and lastly I want to remind everyone that Taylor Swift was right, “You’re on your own kid.”

Powerlifting

By: Jaelyn Morales

Kayla Salazar at the State Meet with her coaches.

On Feb 15th, the Pleasanton Girls Powerlifting team took 4th place at the Texas Strength Systems. Kayla Salazar finished 1st place in her respective weight class and qualified for regionals! Laura Deleon and Yasmeen Diop finished 3rd and Abigail Hotchkins, Alyssa Castellar, Anna Castillo, Kylie Breier, Karina Perez, and Makenna Pelle also had excellent lifts.

On March 2nd, the team took 2nd place at their regional meet in Edinburg, Texas. Kayla Salazar finished 2nd place in her respective weight class. Abigail Hotchkins and Makenna Pelle finished 8th in their respective weight classes. 

The Pleasanton Boys Powerlifting team took 2nd place at the Texas Strength Systems on Feb 16th and Diego Valdez and Sebastian Aguilar placed 1st in their respective weight class. Roman Hernandez and Zeke Gonzlaes finished 2nd, Kaydin Olle finished 3rd, Andrew Murillo finished 4th, Paul Bernal and Keagan Holes finished 5th, and Damon Morales finished 6th. Valdemar Herrera also had excellent lifts. The boys then placed 2nd at the Regional Meet in Kingsville, Texas. Diego Valdez placed 2nd in his respective weight class and qualified for the State Meet in Abilene, Texas on March 24th. Sebastian Aguilar placed 3rd in his respective weight class, Roman Hernandez, Andrew Murillo, and Zeke Gonzlaes also represented Pleasanton at the Regional Meet and had excellent lifts.

Kayla Salazar proudly qualified for the State Meet on March 17th held in Frisco, Texas and capped off her season with a 7th place finish at state! Diego Valdez also qualified for the State Meet on March 24th held in Abilene, Texas and finished his season placing 5th in his respective weight class. Both Kayla and Diego ended their historic season on a great note and made everyone at PHS very proud. Congratulations to the powerlifting team on their incredible season. They all competed very well and had many accomplishments throughout the season! Pride! Pride!

Women’s Golf

By: Jaelyn Morales

The Pleasanton Girls Golf Team has had an amazing season, but unfortunately it has come to an end. Looking back on the season, the lady eagles have had many accomplishments such as placing 3rd at the Jourdanton Tournament and individual Sadie Mcada, placing 3rd at the Uvalde Pre-District tournament and 5th at the Uvalde Tournament. Sadie also received 1st Team All-District Awards. 

“My favorite part about this season was the overnight trip to Uvalde when the whole golf team played Uno and walked across the street to Stripes,” Mcada quoted. “I also really loved figuring out my game and being somewhat confident with it.” When asked what she’ll miss the most, Sadie Mcada quoted, “I’m going to miss the whole golf tournament day when I just get to have a day walking around the outdoors while competing for something bigger and getting the opportunity to advance such as regionals and state.” Congratulations Lady Eagles on a wonderful season and good luck Sadie on your future endeavors.  Pride! Pride!

JROTC

By: Libby Sanchez

This month has been crazy busy for the Pleasanton High School ROTC group. They ended March with one of their biggest events, the Military Ball. They hosted it at Strawberry Pines in Poteet on March 25th, and had a magnificent turnout. Cadets did a phenomenal job planning this event and following through with a very successful night, full of laughs and a good time. They went as far as reaching out to a guest speaker, Colonel Phil Palmore, and inviting him to this event. His speech is something for these young cadets to hold on to for years to come. Students dressed to impress for the Ball, and many went home as winners of the Royal Court. Daylan Aguero and Taliah Garcia won Lord and Lady. Rion Ochoa and Leah Torres won Dutch and Dutchess. Wally Ramirez and Alyssa Castelar won Prince and Princess. The role of King and Queen was given to Valdemar Herrera and Natalia Jones. A huge accomplishment given to these cadets who deserve it!

The first weekend of April was a competitive one for the Eagle Battalion.. They took their all to the Central Catholic High School Military Skills meet against 16 JROTC programs from across the region. Krista Gutierrez took charge of the unarmed drill team and led them to finishing 2nd overall. They also finished 2nd and 3rd places in two sub categories of the competition. As for the male and female physical fitness teams, they both finished 1st place! Of the male team: Captain Valdemar Herrera, Roman Martinez, Rion Ochoa, and Jayden Herrera. Of the female team: Captain Alyssa Castelar, Yasmeen Diop, Abigail Hotchkin, and Lillian Krause. Both teams competed their hearts out and it definitely showed in the end! Honorable mention to the Academic Bowl team that finished 4th out of 18 teams. Alana Moczygemba, Hailey Yoho, Mason Outland, and Lane Ciomperlik did a phenomenal job representing our school!

The Pleasanton High School JROTC is honored to announce that one of our very own cadets, Krista Gutierrez, was selected to receive the Military Officers Association Scholarship! She worked extremely hard to gain this award of $1,000 to help with future endeavors. They look forward to seeing what amazing things Krista will accomplish!

Pleasanton High School’s JROTC program continues to stay on the move, participating and helping everywhere they can. On April 11th, the Eagle Battalion Color Guard presented the colors at the Special Olympics in Poteet. They continue to show their neverending honor in all that they do. 

One last congratulations to the most recent Eagle Battalion Cadets and NCO of the month. Cadet CPL Justine Resendez and CPL Madison Nunley were selected for Cadets of the month based on their hard work. Cadet Staff Sergeant Jealousey Oliva was announced NCO of the month of April. A huge congratulations to all and, keep up the good work JROTC!

 

Prom: Senior POV

By: Libby Sanchez

From the very beginning of my junior year, it was apparent that Mrs. Breiten was on the verge of something amazing for what would soon be my senior prom. I witnessed firsthand as she bounced ideas off of her students, taking everything into consideration, and then slowly began putting things into place. She took time and preparation to make sure our senior prom was one to remember. The year-long preparation does not go unnoticed, and the Class of 2023’s last prom is forever memorable thanks to her. 

Taking place at the Botanical Gardens should have been the first hint that it would be beautiful. Flowers still in bloom during spring, there was no bad place to take a picture at this venue. Combine the floral scenery with the theme “Enchanted Forest,” and you’re getting one of the most memorable nights of your life. The weather made everyone skeptical, but thankfully it avoided our area entirely and we were even lucky to have an amazing sunset to begin our evening. With snacks and beverages available for everyone, I can’t remember a single unhappy person.

For seniors, prom is something we look forward to the most. We’ve looked forward to this moment since we grew up watching it happen in the movies. We went from 8th grade gala, to the real deal; s. So it’s something not taken lightly, some even going as far as taking the whole week before to prep. Grace Keylich got her hair colored for prom a week before the date. Slayde Huggins drove to Dallas to find her perfect dress. Jaelyn Morales panicked for weeks because she ordered online and wasn’t sure it would be in on time. Riley Clyatt wore the same exact dress her mother wore at her senior prom. Like I said, this event is not taken lightly and expectations are set high. This year’s prom overachieved those expectations by a long shot. With less than 40 days till graduation, us seniors are holding onto every moment before we go our separate ways from the people we’ve grown up with for almost our entire lives. A bittersweet night for many, but definitely one made memorable for the Class of 2023.

 

Most Athletic Boy : Jayce Krauskopf

Most Athletic Girl : Sadie McAda

Biggest Flirt Boy : Layne Dowdy

Biggest Flirt Girl : Brylee Miller

Most Musical Boy : Matthew Smith

Most Musical Girl : Michaela Anguiano

Class Clown Boy : Ayden Parker

Class Clown Girl : Trinity Garcia

Best Artist Boy : Toby Bird

Best Artist Girl : Angel Tucker

Best Case of Senioritis Boy : Giancarlo Garcia

Best Case of Senioritis Girl : Raylin Castillo

Best Bromance : Connor Lopez & Dylan Vaughn

Besties : Sadie McAda & Brooke Rankin

Couple That Never Was : Connor Lopez & Maria Huezo

Best Personality Boy : Timothy Klein

Best Personality Girl : Emery Gillespie

Most Spirited Boy : Tanner Hollis

Most Spirited Girl : Libby Sanchez

Most Dramatic Boy : Matthew Smith

Most Dramatic Girl : Riley Porter

Best Style Boy : Devon Clark

Best Style Girl : Yolanda Miranda

Best Hair Boy : Riley Mills

Best Hair Girl : Angel Tucker

Most Handsome : Riley Mills

Most Beautiful : Brooke Rankin

Best Physique Boy : Timothy Klein

Best Physique Girl : Angel Tucker

Most Transformed Boy : Bennack Conroy

Most Transformed Girl : Jazmin Bernal

Prettiest Eyes Boy : Cian Martinez

Prettiest Eyes Girl : Victoria Urbanczyk

Best Smile Boy : RJ Marquez

Best Smile Girls : Illeana Ochoa

Cutest Couple : Donovan Alaniz & Desiree Duran

Kindest Boy : Sergio Banda

Kindest Girl : Emma Poorboy

Mr. PHS : Timothy Klein

Ms. PHS : Victoria Urbanczyk

King & Queen : Donavan Alaniz & Desiree Duran

Baseball and Softball

By: Jaelyn Morales

Varsity Eagles at Llano Tournament.

The season of Spring is almost here which means baseball and softball season is starting as well. The varsity softball and jv-varsity baseball teams are all looking forward to having a great season full of new memories and new traditions. The lady eagles started off their season with a game against La Vernia on Feb 13th and unfortunately lost to the bears with a score of 18-5. The team then participated in the Navarro Tournament, Feb 16-18, to get more practice before district. Their next game was on Feb 21st against George West and the lady eagles came out with the win, 11-10. They then had their last tournament in Natalia, Feb 23-25, and then had their first district game on Feb 28th against a tough contender, Floresville, and unfortunately the lady eagles lost 17-0. “I’m looking forward to just having fun and doing what I love, which is playing softball,” said Abby Sosa. 

The varsity baseball team started off their season with a win against SA McCullum, 8-6, on Feb 20th. The team then had their first tournament in Cuero on Feb 23-25 and with a record of 4-0-1 they tied for 1st place. Their next game was on Feb 28th against Jourdanton, Pleasanton’s rival team, and they won with a score of 5-0. The boys played next in the Llano tournament on March 3-5 and ended the tournament with 2 wins and 2 losses. “ I’m excited for District play to begin and hopefully we can win every game and be district champions,” Ryan Morales quoted. 

While the season has started, both teams still have plenty of time to progress and get better and stronger before District and playoffs. Good luck to both teams this season and if you have time, come on down to the fields to support and cheer them on. Pride! Pride!

Women’s Soccer

By: Jaelyn Morales and Letizia Perrino

The Pleasanton Women’s Soccer team started off their season on a high note, winning the bronze match championship at their home tournament, on Jan. 5th-6th. The Lady Eagles earned their spot in the bronze championship after beating YWLA with a score of 2-0 in bracket play. The Lady Eagles played San Antonio Southside in the championship game and won after a foul was made just outside the box with a few minutes left in the game. Kara Medina, as the surprise kicker, successfully kicked it past the opposing team’s goalie, giving her team the lead (2-1) as time expired. 

The next weekend, the Lady Eagles traveled to the Wimberley Lady Texans soccer tournament. Pleasanton opened the tournament with a loss to Gonzales, after battling and being tied almost all game the apaches unfortunately found a goal and won 1-0. The Lady Eagles played again the next day and took on the San Antonio Saint Mary’s Hall Barons. Pleasanton stayed on top the whole game and ended it with a score of 3-0. Adeline Collins, Slayde Huggins and Melinda Randolph all scored one goal each. On the last day of the tournament, the Lady Eagles played against the KIPP Austin Collegiate Cardinals and tied with a score of 1-1. The only goal came from a penalty kick scored by Kara Medina. The girls finished the Wimberley tournament with a record of 1-1-1.

The Lady Eagles hosted YWLA on Jan. 17th and beat them with a score of 2-0. They scored off an own goal and a goal for Adeline Collins. Emerie Lopez contributed an assist as well. “So far the season has been good, we continue to do better each game as we are super close as teammates which makes everything so much fun,” said senior, Slayde Huggins, “I’m looking forward to district and seeing how playoffs will go and just getting closer on and off the field.” The Lady Eagles next home game will be on Jan 31st against Hondo at 7:00 pm. This game will be a district game so if you can, go support our Lady Eagles and show them that we support them and are rooting for them. Pride! Pride!

Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Delgado

By: Jaelyn Morales

This month’s staff spotlight is about our wonderful Counselor Office Secretary, Mrs.Delgado, who has been working at PHS for the past 4 years and has helped our counselors out tremendously with transcripts, counselors’ calendars, scheduling appointments for counselors, and students coming and going in the office. As a counselors aid, I see Mrs. Delgado every morning in the office and she is always on her toes helping students with anything they need, answering phone calls, and assisting the counselors all while having a smile on her face and positive energy that always makes my morning.

Before joining the PHS staff, Mrs. Delgado worked in retail for 9 years before deciding to get her bachelors in business management and attended the University of Phoenix and Azusa Pacific University in California, both online, but since her husband was in the military and gone on duty, she decided to start working at an elementary close to home and then got a job at her daughters’ high school. Mrs. Delgado really enjoyed working with little kids at the elementary school and thought it was gonna be less fun working at the high school, but once she moved schools, she realized she actually loved working with the big kids. “I thought it was gonna be less fun, but y’all keep me on my toes just as much, just a different kind,”Mrs. Delgado said. 

When I asked what her favorite part about working at PHS was, Mrs. Delgado said it was interacting and helping the kids. Mrs. Delgado is always very busy at her desk with many different tasks on her list, yet she manages to get them done while always putting the students first. If you see Mrs. Delgado on campus, make sure to thank her for all she’s done for us and congratulate her on being this month’s staff spotlight. 

Football Fright

By: Jaelyn Morales 

The varsity football team is currently at an overall record of 3-5 and a conference record of 1-2. The Eagles have had their ups and downs throughout the season, but that has only made them stronger and hungrier to win more games and be ready for playoffs. The Eagles took on the Poteet Aggies on Sept 23rd for the Oaken Bucket. The Aggies started off strong scoring first, but Pleasanton answered with a 76 yard touchdown by Diego Luna. The Eagles defense was spectacular throughout the 2nd and 3rd quarter where they were creating turnovers. Pleasanton scored again when Issac Henrichson scored a 32 yard touchdown and not long after Luna again scored a 45 yard touchdown, and to finish it Michael Castillo had a 22 yard touchdown. All touchdowns were connected to quarterback Sean Ramos and defense leaders were Joe-Manuel Ortiz, Adrian Garcia, Ricky Alcorta, and Jayce Krauskopf. The Aggies did score once more, but the final score was 28-13 in favor of the Eagles. 

The next game was against Rockport-Fulton on October 7th, which was their first conference game and also homecoming for Pleasanton. The first half of the game was slow with the Eagles scoring 3 and Pirates scoring 9. After halftime, the Eagles scored 14 points with a touchdown by Ramos and a fumble return for a touchdown. The Pirates then answered back with 15 points and right after the Eagles scored 7 points with a touchdown by Garcia. The game then went into overtime with the Eagles scoring a touchdown, but the Pirates scored their own with a 2 point conversion, winning the game. 

The Eagles played Calhoun on October 14th, which was their 2nd conference game of the season. The game started off slow for the Eagles with Calhoun scoring 19 points, but the Eagles came back with a 12 yard touchdown by Castillo,  Luna followed with another touchdown, and because of an error Alcorta was allowed to recover the ball and score. The score was now tied and heading into overtime. The Eagles started strong right away with a touchdown by Luna and Calhoun failed at their opportunity to score which helped the Eagles win 25-19. 

On October 21st, the varsity team played the La Vernia Bears in their 3rd conference game. The Bears were the only team to score in the first half and were up 14-0. By the second half the Eagles were out of their slump and back in the game with a touchdown by Michael Castillo. Chance Hehman then intercepted the Bears ball and Ramos scored a touchdown. The Bears then unfortunately scored again making the final score 21-14. 

The Varsity team will need to win another conference game to earn their spot in the playoffs and will have the opportunity this Friday when they play Floresville. “Our team needs to work the most on focusing on the little things in order to do big things,” said senior Giancarlo Garcia. If you can, go support your varsity eagle football team and cheer them on from the sidelines. Pride! Pride!

 

Cross Country

By: Lillian Krause & Jaelyn Morales

On October 5th, the Pleasanton Cross Country teams competed at the Devine Invitational. Our varsity girls started off strong and brought home first place as a team. Kassidy Vickers, the lady eagles top runner came in 2nd place with a time of 13:09 followed by Shaylynn Gutierez with a time of 13:55 placing 6th place earning them both a medal. Following Kassidy and Shaylynn would be Aryana Partida (14:16 in 11th place), Isabela Osorio (14:22 in 13th place), and Evalynn Garza (14:27 in 14th place). Kara Medina (14:57 in 16th place), Lilly Krause (15:09 in 19th place), Jauslynn Ramirez (15:13 in 22nd place), Shanna Hime (15:13 in 23rd place), and Mallory Fey ( 15:48 in 28th place) would be the final members of the team to cross the finish line for the Varsity girls team. 

Following the girls race would be the Varsity boys who placed 2nd as a team at Devine. Timothy Klein placed 3rd with a time of 18:33 followed by Ian Rodriguez who placed 8th with a time of 19:06. Xavier Rodriguez (19:58), Joseph Cuellar (19:58), Jayden Ogg (20:01), Gilbert Martinez (20:29), Zeke Garcia (21:06), and Logan Knox (21:36) all contributed as well to the boys placing. 

On Oct 12th, both teams competed at Floresville High School for the District 29-AAAA meet. “Our goals for the season were to all do well at district and become district champs, and hopefully the next step will be regionals followed by state,” said Coach Foster. The varsity girls accomplished their first goal when they won 1st place with 39 points and were given the title of District Champs. Kassidy Vickers placed 1st and was named our District Champ helping advance our team to regionals. Shalyn Guitierrez placed 4th with a time of 12:26, followed by Shanna Hime who placed 9th (12:53), and Aryanna Partida who placed 10th (12:58). Evalynn Garza (13:13) and Kara Medina (13:51) were also contributors to the Lady Eagles victory. 

The varsity boys finished 2nd with 50 points at the District meet and are advancing to regionals as well. Timothy Klein placed 4th with a time of (18:02) followed by Micah Klein who placed 7th with a time of (18:22). The following boys also contributed greatly to the boys success: Jayden Ogg (19:04), Ian Rodriguez (19:05), Xavier Rodriguez (19:09), Gilbert Martinez (19:31), and Joseph Cuellar (19:53).

“The amount of work they’ve put in towards running, hundreds of miles a month, they’re a different type of breed,” said Coach Foster. The varsity girls and boys team both competed at the UIL Regional IV meet on Oct 24th and you can find the results in our next month’s edition of the quill. Good luck to our cross country teams as they continue to run their hearts out and compete at the next level. Pride! Pride!

 

That’s What She Set

By: Jaelyn Morales & Lilly Krause

Victoria Urbanzyk hits 1000 digs and 1000 assists!

The Varsity Volleyball team has been on fire since the start of the season, and they are currently at a record of 27-1. After losing their first game of the season to Johnson City in 3 sets, the Lady Eagles regrouped and came out focused and ready for their next game against Poth, coming out with a victory of 3-1. After only one game, the team found their groove and maintained it throughout the games that followed. On Aug 11-13th, the Lady Eagles won the Edgewood Tournament, placing 1st for the second year in a row. Kiley Wiechring and Madelyn Estrada made the all-tournament team, Victoria Urbanczyk was Offensive MVP, and Sadie McAda was named MVP of the tournament. On Aug. 16th the Lady Eagles played Southside and beat them 3-1. The following Thursday was the start of the Devine Tournament and our team played every game without losing a set. The championship game was against the host of the tournament, the Devine Arabians, and the Lady Eagles came out strong and beat the Arabians in 2 sets leaving the score at  2-0. Victoria Urbanczyk and Angel Tucker made the all-tournament team and Sadie Mcada was MVP of the tournament. 

On Aug 24th the team played YWLA and won 3-0, and started the Southwest tournament that Thursday. The team went undefeated throughout the tournament while playing some good competition and played the host, Southwest, in an intense match that the Lady Eagles fought in ‘till the end and won 2-1. Grace Keylich and Victoria Urbanczyk made the all-tournament team and for the 3rd time this season, Sadie Mcada was named tournament MVP. On Aug 30th, the girls were back on the road to play Randolph and came out with another win of 3-0, then played Fox Tech on Sept 3rd and won 3-0, keeping their winning streak alive. Their last non-district game before district was against D’hanis and the girls did start to struggle throughout the game, but quickly pulled themselves together and won the game 3-1. On Sept 9th, the Lady Eagles played their first district game against Carrizo Springs and with ease won the game with a score of 3-0 to start district off strong. On Sept 13th, the team had a day off from district and played John Jay in a very hard-fought game. After the girls lost their first set, they stayed focused and won the next 3 sets to beat them 3-1. On Friday, September 16th, the Lady Eagles had their 2nd district game of the season against one of their toughest opponents, the Devine Arabians. While the girls did beat them in the Devine Tournament, they still had to stay focused and come out strong to make sure they got the win. 

We decided to spotlight the freshman team, this issue, and we met with the new freshman Coach, Coach Townsend, on September 8th to hear what she had to say about the freshman team’s progress this season. She began to tell us that her goal for this season was to get her athletes to be focused and play with each other. “I don’t care how many games we win, as long as we work together as a team.” Which she continued to say was also one of their biggest obstacles and that she has some team-building ideas to help work on that. As district play starts we want to wish all three teams good luck in the future and if you have time to catch a game and support, they would gladly appreciate that. Pride! Pride!

 

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Softball

By: Jaelyn Morales

On April 22, the Pleasanton Varsity softball team played their last district game of the season at Hondo. The score was tied 0-0 throughout the game with good defense from the Lady Eagles until the top of the 5th when Pleasanton scored 3 runs from good base hits. The girls stayed on top until the bottom of the 6th when the Hondo Owls scored 8 total points in one inning gaining the lead. The Lady Eagles had one more chance to make a comeback in the 7th, but unfortunately only scored 1 run ending the game with a score of 4-8.  Pleasanton placed 3rd in their district and were paired with Pearsall for their bi-district game.

On April 28, the Lady Eagles opened the best of three series in Pleasanton. In the top of the 1st inning, Pearsall scored 6 runs and Pleasanton was able to score when Elizabeth Salinas reached on a walk and scored on a single by Maggie Maddox. Kadence Delgado came in to pinch run for the pitcher and scored on an error. The Lady Eagle still had hope until the 4th inning when Pearsall batted around twice and scored 13 runs in one inning. By the end of the game Pearsall had scored 23 points overall and won 23-2 after the game ended early by run rule. On May 1, the Lady Eagles traveled to Pearsall to finish the series and lost 8-2 and finished the season with a 14-8 record.

Congratulations to the following Pleasanton Eagle Softball players for their awards-

Senior Taylor Bryant: Academic All-State Honorable Mention, Co-1st Team All-District 3rd Base, Academic All-District

Senior Autumn Guerra: Academic All-State 2nd Team, All-District Honorable Mention, Academic All-District

Junior Anai Romo: 1st Team All-District Outfield, Academic All-District, Texas Select All-Star Showcase Non-Committed Player

Junior Jaelyn Morales: All-District Honorable Mention,  Academic All-District, Texas Select All-Star Showcase Non-Committed Player

Junior Bianca Cruz: Academic All-District

Freshman Elizabeth Salinas: 1st Team All-District 2nd Base, Academic All-District

Freshman Gabrielle Ramos: 1st Team All-District Catcher, Academic All-District

Freshman Finley Hilburn: All-District Honorable Mention,  Academic All-District

Freshman Maggie Maddox: 2nd Team All-District Pitcher, Academic All-District

Freshman Aubry Cantu: 2nd Team All-District Utility Player

Advice Column – Resume Tips

By: Jaelyn Morales

A resume by definition is a formal document that provides an overview of your professional qualifications, including your relevant work experience, skills, education, and notable accomplishments. It is a document that you will use to show your future job employers all of your past job and career information in the best and most professional way possible in order for them to see you as a good fit for the job. A resume should first have your personal information like your name, contact information, and work history so that the employers you are being interviewed by know how to contact you in the future and have a background on you. When these employers look at your resume they are looking for key information such as education level, skills, and certifications. A lot of people, when making their resume tend to add as much information as they can, and this is a great way to get their attention, but you also need to make sure that you are putting reliable and relevant information that your job at that time will want and need. 

To help you better understand what employers are looking for in a resume, I interviewed an employer named Frank from Pridestaff in San Antonio, where they work to help citizens find the right job for them. I asked, What’s the most important thing you look for in a resume? ” He responded with, “Definitely the format, making sure each job is detailed and clear.” I also asked for advice for students who are starting their resumes. “ The most important advice is to look at wording.” he said. He gave an example of ways to word your resume in a better and more informational way. He said when stating that you worked at a fast food restaurant, instead of saying “making food or giving people their food”, you could instead say “I assembled food or prepared food.” It may not look like a big difference, but once you read your overall resume you will see the difference. 

Another thing you can add to your resume is a summary statement, which you might think is similar to an objective statement, but there are a lot of differences between the two including pros and cons. An objective statement tells the reader what you hope to get, while the summary statement tells them who you are and what you can do for the company. In other words, instead of stating what you hope to gain, you can instead display all your accomplishments, applicable skills, past experience, and other certifications that exhibit your value as an applicant. An example of an objective statement would be, “Seeking a position in counseling at Pleasanton High School.” A summary statement might be: “Accomplished and determined counselor with 5+ years of experience. Versatile background includes counseling students from grades 7th-12th at Jourdanton High School and Devine High School. Calm and lively attitude creates an atmosphere that encourages student innovation, motivation, and learning.” As you can see the summary statement has more information than the objective statement, but doesn’t go on forever, it has just enough to show your employer what you will bring to the table. 

There’s no right or wrong answer to the question, “Should resumes still include objective statements?” It’s really up to the employer and his preference, but remember a summary statement is your first impression to your could be new employer, so if you do decide to write one make sure to use details and express to them as many skills and experiences as possible to let them know you are the right person for the position. 

Student Spotlight: Evelynn Caraway

By: Jaelyn Morales

Our Student Spotlight this month is sophomore, Evelynn Caraway, who is involved in many activities at PHS, while also being a top student in the classroom. She is involved in tennis, band, and raising/showing livestock. 

Evelynn is a straight A student who’s favorite subjects are her math and agricultural classes. When asked what her favorite part about school is, Evelynn responded, “I like getting to see people everyday that I enjoy being around.” Her friends are a big reason why she likes school and also has fun while learning. 

Evelynn is also in extracurricular activities like tennis and band. She plays and practices tennis all year round and when asked what her favorite part about tennis is, she said, “ I like that we don’t just have one season like all the other sports, we have fall and spring.”

Aside from tennis, Evelynn is also a part of the PHS band where she plays the French horn. The PHS band recently competed in the UIL Solo and ensemble competition where Evelynn earned a 1st Division in her Horn Trio, qualifying for state. 

When she’s not playing tennis or playing for the band, Evelynn is raising and showing livestock. “I learn so many things when showing livestock while also having fun with the animals and the people around me,” Evelynn said. Evelynn has been showing lambs since she was in 4th grade and throughout the years she has learned many things about her animals. Evelynn is a smart, hard working, and kind  person who will go on to do great things in life. Congratulations Evelynn on being this month’s student spotlight!

Program over Feelings

By: Jaelyn Morales

Lady Eagles at Navarro Tournament

On February 15th, the Varsity softball team had their first game of the season at home against Poteet and run-ruled them by a score of 10-0. The Lady Eagles had two home runs for the night and both were back to back followed with a lot of other solid hits. Gabby Ramos, in her first appearance at bat for the eagles, hit a moonshot right over center field followed by Jaelyn Morales who hit it over right field. The team also had a great defensive game with multiple double plays and help from the outfield. Freshman pitcher, Maggie Maddox, pitched the complete 5 inning shutout. When asked what her biggest goal this season is, Coach Laws answered, “My biggest goal is for the girls to go farther than they have in a while and I would love to see them win a district championship, which is doable!” 

On February 17th-19th, the Lady Eagles competed in the Navarro Tournament at Huber Ranch, in Seguin. Their first game was against Poth and was won by a score of 9-5, then against Stockdale which was won with a score of 12-0. The next day the team started off the day with a win against Cotulla and a score of 19-3, followed by another two wins against Wagner (11-2) and Eagles Pass Winn (13-1). On the final day of the tournament, the Lady Eagles played Randolph and won by a score of 13-2. After going 6-0 the whole tournament and outscoring their opponents 77-14, the team received 1st place and Maggie Maddox received the MVP award for pitching all six successful games. Seniors, Taylor Bryant and Autumn Guerra, and Junior, Jaelyn Morales received all-tournament honors. ” I feel very confident about this season,” said senior Autumn Guerra, “We have a good hardworking group of girls and a new coach as well, we have a clean slate and opportunities.”

On February 22nd, the Lady Eagles traveled to Cornerstone Christian school and unfortunately had their first loss of the season. There were errors on defense, and offense could not get their bats going resulting in a loss of 3-5. They were supposed to play in the Floresville Tournament, but it was canceled due to bad weather. On March 1st, the Lady Eagles played against Bandera at home and the girls started out the game rough with defensive and offensive mistakes, but then started to get their groove back. They were close to making a comeback later in the game, but in the end they couldn’t get their bats going and lost by a score of 9-12. The team is using their recent losses as a sign to push themselves everyday and as motivation to, as Coach Laws said, “come out each and every game ready to put up a fight.”

It will be imperative for the team to keep working hard mentally and physically as district approaches. “The energy in the team this year is awesome. We all strive to be better and better everyday and I couldn’t ask for a better team for my final year of softball,” said senior Taylor Bryant, “My biggest goal this season is to push myself harder than ever, to me right now being great isn’t enough there is always something I can improve and hopefully go far in the playoffs this year with that mindset and I believe something we can work on this season is becoming one as a team and really getting to know each other like sisters.” The Lady Eagles have 3 more regular games and then will play Brooks Academy for their first district game. If you can, try and visit an upcoming game and show your support for them. Pride Pride!

Defend Our Court

By: Jaelyn Morales

Diamond Brownlee, senior, goes for a layup in the game against Cuero.

The Pleasanton Girls’ Basketball team started off District play on Jan 7th against Cuero at home. The Varsity Lady Eagles put up a good fight throughout the game staying neck and neck with the Lady Gobblers, but unfortunately ended the game with a close score of 28-24. The Lady Eagles next two district games were against La Vernia on Jan 11th and Navarro on Jan 14th, with both games being against very tough opponents. Pleasanton gave it their all but came out with a loss in both games, with a score of 61-25 against La Vernia and 60-38 against Navarro. “This season has been a roller coaster for us, ” said Junior, Mary Martinez, “We’ve had our ups and downs this season, but we have improved since last year.” The Lady Eagles may be playing against some hard competition, but that hasn’t stopped them from working hard as a team and giving it their all each and every game. 

On January 21st, the Lady Eagles played the Lady Apaches in Gonzales and won with a score of 48-41. They never gave up and worked hard to win this game. “The best part of playing basketball is being able to call the girl’s family and play with my two best friends,” said La’syenika Garcia. “The best part of basketball is the memories we make with the team and our coach,” said Mary Martinez. This team has made so much progress this season and will continue to make progress and get better as the season goes on. With the second part of district play starting up the Lady Eagles will need our support so if you can, try to make it to one of their next home games and cheer them on. Pride Pride!

JROTC

By: Jaelyn Morales

The Co-Ed Raider Team after placing 1st overall.

On November 13th, the JROTC Eagle Battalion Physical Fitness Team competed in the Alamo City Striker Drill meet at Ronald Reagan High School. Team members included Braxton Springer, River Reyes, Aries Uhl, Valdemar Herrera, Jayden Herrera, and Damon Morales for the Eagles and they placed 2nd out of 31 teams. The Lady Eagles team included Annie Araiza, Alyssa Castelar, Alania Nethken, Abigail Hotchkin, Hailey Yoho, and Gabriella Ramos who finished 5th out of 19 teams.“ The teams there were very competitive, but we tried our best and came out in 5th,” said Gabriella Ramos. The other teams that competed were the Male, Female and Mixed Color Guards and the Armed Drill Teams. The teams had their next meet on Dec 4th, which was the NEISD US Open JROTC Raider Meet. Our Co-Ed Raider Team placed 1st overall. The event results were Obstacle Course: 1st, Physical Training Test: 2nd, Team 5K Run: 1st, Rope Bridge: 1st, Cross Country Rescue: 1st. Congratulations to the Co-Ed Raider Team on their outstanding performance and hard work. 

For October, the newest Cadet of the Month was Cadet Private Yasmeen Diop. She was said to have demonstrated the best proficiency in the areas of leadership, motivation, drill, physical fitness, and cadet knowledge among the Leadership Education Level 1 cadets. “I felt very proud and confident in myself because it made me feel more capable of greater things and also the knowledge I learned from that experience really helps me in so many ways,” said Yasmeen. 

For November, the Cadet of the Month was Cadet Private Roman Martinez. He competed in the NEISD “Ultimate Raider” Competition on Dec 4th, which is a challenging solo event against other talented cadets from schools around the San Antonio area. Great job Yasmeen and Roman on both being great leaders and motivators and also great job to every team who competed in the Raider meets and good luck in your future meets. Pride Pride!

College vs. Trade

By: Jaelyn Morales

When you’re about to graduate from high school and start your life as an adult, what is something that is on every teenager’s mind? If you said college, you are right. Most high-school students are so focused on getting into those four-year universities that they don’t give any thought to alternatives such as trade school. Students feel college is the only true path to a successful career because of parents who have high expectations or schools who don’t educate their students enough on the positives of trade school. In the 1980’s and 90’s trade school enrollment was at a low compared to college enrollment, but since the 2000’s the number of trade school enrollment has increased and will continue to grow, if more people think of trade school not as a failure or back-up plan, but as a chance to have a good career without going into debt or losing time. Mike Rowe, an apprentice on the TV series Dirty Jobs, has traveled around the US to work with plumbers, electricians, steamfitters, pipe-fitters, brick layers, farmers, fishers, and a bunch of other skilled workers who aren’t being recognized as much as they should be. He believes these jobs are as important as office jobs because who makes the building these office workers are in and the electricity, water, and plumbing. 

People assume vocational school is for people who weren’t in the top of their class or were struggling in college, but that’s not true at all. Tradespeople and skilled workers actually need to be very critical-thinkers and most have to be very accurate in terms of measuring, building, and more. Trade school also takes half the time college does because you are only learning the skills you will need for your specific job, while at college students have to learn a lot of other subjects they may not need in the future. Trade School not only takes half the time to complete, but is also almost half the cost of the average university. The average cost of a four-year university is $9,410(per year), while the average cost for trade school is $5,000-$15,000 in total. There is also a major increase in college students who are going into debt, just because they are trying to get their degree and when they finally get that job they have been working so hard for, their first earnings won’t be going towards something for them, but instead going towards paying off their college debt. 

Vocational schools focus mainly on training in fields like healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. Some trade school careers include electrician, welder, carpenter, nursing assistant, locksmith, plumber, dental hygienist, and home inspector. These are just a few careers out of the hundreds you can study for and start sooner than you would at college, while building experience faster. According to Education Data, in the United States, the overall dropout rate for undergraduate college students is 40% and 38% of college dropouts said they left due to financial pressure. Having shorter and way cheaper programs at trade schools helps students stay engaged and less stressed. There has been a great rise in students going to trade school after graduating from high school in the last couple of years, but there are still a lot of students who think their only option is college and we need to change that. The choice between trade school and college ultimately comes down to your personal preference and priorities, but before choosing try thinking about your future goals, interests, and passions. Remember to pick what is best for you and think about how your decision will affect you in the future.

The Game Plan

By: Jaelyn Morales

The Varsity Eagles huddle together before their game.

On August 27th, the Pleasanton Varsity Eagles played their first game of the season against Edison at home. The Eagles won with a score of 42-13 with 6 different players scoring a touchdown. Pleasanton scored 21 points in the first quarter with the help of Juan Lopez, Joel Arevalo, and Michael Castillo who all scored a touchdown. Edison scored their first touchdown in the second quarter and gained 6 points leaving the score at 21-6. In the third quarter the Edison Bears scored on another touchdown putting the score at 21-13, but Pleasanton scored right after with a touchdown by Jayden Palacios ending the quarter with a score of 28-13. In the final quarter, Jayce Krauskopf scored a touchdown and Seth Harrison followed with a touchdown as well to end the game. “I feel good and proud of everyone in the football program for the improvement/jump we made compared to last year, “quarterback Sean Ramos said. “Last year wasn’t our best year, so to see us grow as a program and team is something to be excited about.” 

On September 3rd, the Eagles played Antonian College Preparatory away from home. The Eagles lost 19-17, trying their best to make a comeback in the end with little time left, but fell short. They started off the game strong and scored 10 points in the first half with a touchdown by Diego Lopez and a 35-yard field goal by Jose Angel-Perez. In the second half, Antonian scored two touchdowns in the 3rd quarter to put them in the lead 13-10 and the Eagles responded with a touchdown from JJ Morales putting the score at 17-13. With only six seconds left in the third quarter, Antonian scored the game winning touchdown. Nobody scored in the 4th quarter. “We need to work on little mistakes such as penalties and turnovers before district,” said Ramos. “We are trying to play as clean and crisp as possible and that means not letting the other team capitalize on mistakes on our end.” 

On September 10th, the Eagles played in a Highway 97 rivalry game against Jourdanton. The stands were packed and the pressure was on for both teams. In the first quarter, Pleasanton scored their first touchdown of the night with the help of Palacios. Jourdanton answered, gaining 6 points at the start of the second quarter. Palacios scored another touchdown and Arevalo scored right after to make the score 21-6. Jourdanton added 6 points close to the end of the second quarter and Pleasanton responded with a touchdown by Henrichson to end the first half. The third quarter only had one touchdown from Castillo to put the score at 35-12. Early in the fourth quarter the Indians scored a touchdown and went for another but were unsuccessful. Pleasanton then scored their last touchdown of the night with the help of Krauskopf. With eleven seconds left Jourdanton scored their final touchdown to end the game with a score of 42-26 and a  big win for Pleasanton. 

On September 17th, Pleasanton played against Devine at home and came out with a victory and score of 35-12. Devine took the lead 6-0, but the Eagles answered, scoring 21 points in the first half. Devine scored again in the third quarter, but Pleasanton shut them down by scoring twice in the 4th quarter. ”As we enter the midway part of our season and with district start in 2 weeks, I am pleased with the overall team’s records at this time: freshman 3-2, JV 3-2, and the Varsity is currently 3-1,” Coach Liska said. “As for the Varsity, I am very pleased with the growth of several individuals and our team as a whole. I really like the direction this team is headed.” Pleasanton only has a couple games left, including their homecoming game on October 1st, before district starts. If you can, try to go and cheer on your Varsity Eagles at their next game, which is homecoming, and show your eagle spirit. Pride Pride!

Breaking Records at State

By: Jaelyn Morales

Ashon Thompson, Estevan Jackson, Juan Lopez, and Sean Ramos smile for a picture

The Varsity Boys and Girls track teams competed in the 4A Area Track Meet on Thursday, April 15th in Wimberly, TX. The Lady Eagles placed 11th with 9 points in total. Even with weather changes throughout the day, both teams worked hard and pushed through.  In the field events, Ciarah Garcia placed 6th in triple jump and Victoria Castillo placed 6th in the high jump. On the track, Kassidy Vickers placed 6th in the 3200 M run and the 1600 M run, while Jilllian Barcomb placed 6th in the 300 M hurdles. The 4 x 100 M relay team of Emree Adamitz, Kiley Wiechring, Brandi Barnett, and Marissa Rothenbach placed 7th and the 4 x 200 M relay team of  Diamond Brownlee, Kiley Wiechring, Victoria Castillo, and Angel Tucker placed 8th. Caitlyn Neischwitz was the only athlete who advanced to the Regional lV Meet for the Lady Eagles. 

The Varsity Boys placed 3rd with 91 points in total. Before the weather became cold and drizzly, the field events took place and competing was sophomore Sean Ramos who finished 8th in long jump, junior Juan Lopez who finished 4th in long jump and 8th in triple jump, junior Este’van Jackson who finished 3rd in triple jump and 5th in long jump, and freshman Preston Pilgrim who finished 3rd in pole vault. For the running events, the 4 x 100 M relay team of junior Rudy Franco Jr, Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, and Este’van Jackson finished 5th but only by .03 seconds and sadly missed their chance at qualifying for regionals. Sophomore Averee Cantu, junior Reagan Moore, and freshman Jayden Palacios ran the 800M and finished 6th, 7th, and 2nd. Junior Justin Veale ran the 110M hurdles and finished 5th and also ran the 300M hurdles and finished 7th. Senior Ashon Thompson flying past his competitors placed 1st in the 100M dash and 200M dash and Jayden Palacios also placed 1st, but in the 400M dash. The 4 x 200M relay team of Este’van Jackson, Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, and Ashon Thompson finished 2nd after a tough race and the 4 x 400 M relay team was the last race of the night and consisted of Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, Este’van Jackson, anchored by Jayden Palacios who placed 3rd with a time of 3:28.24 seconds and barely missed breaking another school record. Six athletes advanced to the Regional IV Meet for the Eagles.

The Texas 4A Regional IV track meet took place at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville on April 23rd and 24th. Senior Caitlyn Nieschwitz finished 10th with a time of 2:39.21 in the 800M run. Caitlyn has accomplished so much in her 4 years of track & field for the Lady Eagles and the whole community is proud of her. The Varsity Boys placed 2nd at the regional meet and had a total of 62 points. Este’van Jackson placed 9th in triple jump and Juan Lopez placed 7th in long jump, both narrowly missed getting into the finals.  Preston Pilgrim was the first athlete to earn a spot at the state meet with a 2nd place finish in pole vault. Jayden Palacios ran the 400M dash finishing 1st with a new school record and ran the 800M run with a 3rd place finish.  Ashon Thompson placed 1st in the 100M dash and remained undefeated and also ran the 200M dash and finished 2nd. The 4 x 200M relay was unfortunately disqualified on a rules infraction and did not earn any points. The 4 x 400M relay team placed 1st and broke the prior school record time (3:27) set 46 years ago. They broke the record with a time of 3:23.507 and then broke their own record on Friday with a time of 3:28.482. “The best moment was watching our 4×4 team break the school record in prelims at regionals and then the next day break it again and beat Wimberly who was talking trash to our guys,” said Rudy Franco Jr. The Eagles didn’t let the trash-talking phase them and instead they settled it on the track. Their hard work paid off and the team met their biggest goal which was making it to the state championship. 

The UIL State Track and Field Meet was held at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the UT campus in Austin, Texas. First up for the Eagles was Preston Pilgrim who scored the first points for the team and set a new personal record when he cleared 14’-6”. Next up was senior Ashon Thompson who ran against tough competition and placed 4th in the 100M dash with a time of 10.56 and also competed in the 200M dash and placed 4th scoring points for the eagles in both events. Jayden Palacios was now up to run the 400M dash and gave it all he got to place 3rd breaking his own school record time of 21.84 seconds and winning the bronze medal. The final race for the eagles was the 4 x 400M relay team of Sean Ramos, Juan Lopez, Estevan Jackson, and Jayden Palacios. They were competing against some of the best relay teams in Texas, but that didn’t phase them at all. Ramos started the race with a great first leg and handed it off to Lopez who kept the eagles in the mix. Estevan Jackson had an amazing leg as well and to finish it was Palacios who took off for the finish line and finished in 4th place breaking the school record with a time of 3:21.51 and scoring points as well for the team. The Varsity Boys represented the school and community proudly and placed 5th with 24 points at the meet. “The way I felt about this track season is a feeling that can not be described, it was like a movie,” stated Rudy Franco Jr. For Ashon Thompson this is his last year competing for Pleasanton, but he has made his team, school, and community proud and has shown the underclassmen how it’s done. The future is very bright for the eagles and the team and coaching staff and very excited and looking forward to next year. Congratulations to the Pleasanton Track and Field teams for all their hard work and dedication. Pride Pride!

Student Spotlight: Timothy Klein

By: Jaelyn Morales

Timothy Klein hustling for the ball

Timothy Klein is a sophomore here at PHS, who before coming to Pleasanton, went to school at Wellsprings in RAK, United Arab Emirates. Timothy is a kind and responsible student who tries to help out his fellow classmates whenever he can. Timothy enjoys all of his classes, but his favorite subject is Math. When asked what his favorite part about school is, Timothy responded, “I enjoy being around other students and getting to know them.”

He is not only a smart and overachieving student, but he also plays for the Pleasanton Men’s Varsity Soccer team and runs cross country. When he’s not in the classroom, he is playing his heart out on the field. This year, the men’s soccer team came out on top as undefeated district champs and made it to playoffs where they became bi-district champs and area qualifiers.

Timothy was also chosen by Mrs. Minniear as the next recipient of the PHS Positivity Challenge. “Timothy has such a genuine smile and fantastic attitude!” she expressed, “He is polite and kind and has a positive influence on those around him.” Timothy is one of the most kind and caring students you will meet at PHS, and that is why he is this month’s student spotlight! 

Powerlifting

By: Jaelyn Morales

Lady Eagles gather for a photo

The Pleasanton Girl’s and Boy’s Powerlifting teams have had some challenges this season, but that didn’t stop them from giving it their all and working hard as a team. “Our biggest challenge of the season was, of course, COVID-19,” stated Coach Sanchez, “it kept us from being able to get in the weight room, early, as a team. There were so many protocols that we had to follow, and they changed almost daily. It was important for us to continue monitoring any of those changes and to make sure we were following the guidelines.” Even with all these challenges, the girl’s powerlifting team made it to the regional tournament, which took place in Corpus Christi, TX. Unfortunately, none of the girls qualified for the state tournament, but Coach Sanchez said he is still very proud of them and the boys. “ I am most proud of the grit and perseverance our team displayed. Regardless of the challenges they faced, whether they be from the pandemic, or from competitors or judges, our athletes lifted and represented Pleasanton ISD in a manner that should make the entire community proud of them.” Great job Powerlifting Girls and Boys!

Balancing Extracurriculars and Academics

By: Jaelyn Morales

Academics and extracurricular activities are both beneficial for someone’s mental and physical health. They are also important for a student’s growth and development, but what happens if you can’t balance both? An imbalance can cause students to build anxiety, stress and could possibly affect the body, thoughts, feelings, and even behavior. The ongoing increase in heart rate can take a toll on your body and cause low energy, headaches, trouble sleeping, and much more, but with the right schedule and some tips you can be excelling in both academics and extracurriculars, plus have extra time for yourself.

Student-athletes should know that both sports and academics are important, but between the two, academics should always come first. Your first responsibility should be learning and turning in your assignments, so you can have good grades. Those good grades will give you a better chance at getting into college and finding a good and fitting career for you. Extracurriculars like sports, art, music, drama, and environmental education can help you with your teamwork skills, language skills, problem-solving skills, and can also encourage creativity, concentration, focus, and build self-esteem and confidence. A healthy and organized balance of both will not only make you a successful student, but will also help you in future years.

To balance both you will first need to know how to manage your time. Managing your time can be rather difficult, but after a while it will get easier and easier and your stress level will start to decrease. You should start by setting a small goal for yourself, make sure it is achievable and measurable. An example of a goal could be turning in all your work on time this week or even taking a break at a specific time so you don’t overwork yourself. After setting up your goals, you should start taking advantage of opportunities. Take advantage of free periods, extra time, school resources, and friends who are willing to help you out. Lastly, you should plan ahead and don’t let your week plan you. You can use a calendar, planner, or your phone to make reminders and note when you have games, practices, work due, or free time. This will help you plan your time wisely and make sure you complete all your tasks for the day. Remember these tips and you will succeed in both academics and extracurriculars while also having fun.

Take Center Stage

By: Jaelyn Morales

Some of the members that made area and region are pictured with their instruments.

All Region and Area Band is a competition where students go through an audition process that involves hundreds who have all been preparing and rehearsing for this moment. For the audition, the students would normally travel to the event and perform their music pieces in front of judges, but this year will be a little different. Instead of going to the competition, students will be sending in a recording of themselves performing to be judged and scored. Even with this alteration, it won’t prevent students from performing to their best ability.

The students who competed and qualified for All Region Band are Jadelyn Garcia (6th chair flute), Abigail Perez (4th chair flute), Michael Delgado (1st chair oboe), Austin King (1st chair bassoon), Matthew Smith (2nd chair bassoon), Savannah Clark (1st chair alto clarinet), Shyanne Tijerina (2nd chair alto clarinet), Ricardo Alegria (3rd chair bass clarinet), Mya Cashiola (5th chair bass clarinet), Arecely Estrada (1st chair contrabass clarinet), Reese Decker (8th chair trumpet), Evelynn Caraway (4th chair horn), Kristina Mertz (5th chair horn), Toby Bird (3rd chair horn), Rylee Beddo (1st chair string bass), and Addyson Dority (12th chair percussion).

The students who competed and qualified for Area Band are Michael Delgado (1st chair oboe), Austin King (1st chair bassoon), Matthew Smith (2nd chair bassoon), Savannah Clark (1st chair alto clarinet), Shyanne Tijerina (2nd chair alto clarinet), Ricardo Alegria (3rd chair bass clarinet), Mya Cashiola (5th chair bass clarinet), Aracely Estrada (1st chair contrabass clarinet), Reese Decker (8th chair trumpet), Evelynn Caraway (4th chair horn), Kristina Mertz (5th chair horn), and Rylee Beddo (1st chair string bass). 

“I am very proud of their achievements this year,” Mr. Solis said, “They have done a very great job and I am happy with our turnouts.” Unfortunately, no students made it into the All State Band, but Michael Delgado (1st chair oboe) was chosen as an alternate and was very close to making it. Mr. Solis is hoping next year will be better and the students who are coming back continue on to the state level.