Archive | Wall of Honor 2018-2019

CHS Trumpet Player Selected for All-State 5A Symphonic Band

Posted/span> on June 24, 2019 in Creekview, Fine Arts, Fine Arts – State-National, Wall of Honor 2018-2019

CHS trumpet player, Colby Cruz, was selected for the All-State 5A Symphonic Band on Jan. 12, 2019. Cruz, a senior at Creekview High School, has been pursuing this achievement for the past couple of years.

All-State Band

There are over 30 regions within the state of Texas. Musicians must first make it into their region level before they can advance to the next level, which is Area. Thousands of students audition for the region level and hundreds audition for the Area level. Only very best of those advance to the State level. Additionally, Colby earned 1st chair 5A Band – 1st place among the thousands of trumpet players in the state that auditioned through region and area.

Ingredients for Success

Creekview Band Director, Arturo Denis stated, “We were so excited and proud of his accomplishment, it’s a very challenging task to achieve.” Denis explains, “It’s also worthwhile to note that Colby was a member of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, DCI Drum and Bugle Corps Oregon Crusaders and Bluecoats. He made the region and area level for Jazz ensemble auditions, and was active in lessons and daily practice – all the right ingredients for success.”

This is the 2nd year in a row that a CHS student has qualified for the All-State Band and earned 1st chair. Denis added, “The process is grueling and highly selective – Colby Cruz truly is one of the ‘best of the best.'”

RLT FFA Student Wins Best of Breed at State Fair

Posted/span> on June 19, 2019 in ffa, Turner High School, Wall of Honor 2018-2019

RLT FFA student, Morgan Guerrero, won Best of Breed for her black Polish rabbit at the State Fair of Texas in 2018. Guerrero is a sophomore in R. L. Turner High School’s FFA (Future Farmers of America) program. Guerrero’s rabbit, Bowie, is approximately 8 years old and has been a winning entry at stock shows for most of his life. Guerrero works with Bowie 3-5 hours per week. This time ensures that he is properly groomed and accustomed to being positioned and posed by judges when at competition.

Standards of Perfection

When rabbits are on the show table, judges are looking for standards of perfection in the breed as established by American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). These standards include body mass, condition of nails, condition of pelt, and placement of eyes and ears. A rabbit can be disqualified for having a broken toenail or for biting a judge.

CFB & FFA

CFBISD has its own barn, known as the Agriculture Project Center. Guerrero has another rabbit named Edwards, and they both reside at the barn with other students’ animals. Students in the program visit the barn daily to feed, water, and care for their animals. Guerrero raised a market goat in 2017-2018 and is currently raising a Simmental Breeding Beef Heifer. Additionally, she is a member of the Livestock Judging Team. Students in the district can become a Junior FFA member starting in the 3rd grade and 9 years of age. Junior members can take part in activities at the local level and raise approved livestock animals to show at the selected shows. To become a FFA member, students must be in the 9th grade and take an agricultural science course (1 per school year) and pay a modest annual fee.

Stepping Stone to Future Career

Guerrero is currently planning on being a Veterinary Technician. She plans to intern at a veterinary office in the 2019-2020 school year.

RHS Violinist Selected for TMEA All-State Sinfonietta Orchestra

Posted/span> on June 17, 2019 in Fine Arts, Fine Arts – State-National, Wall of Honor 2018-2019

On Nov. 4, RHS violinist, Esther Peng, was selected for the All-State Orchestra. Peng, a freshman at Ranchview High School, has been playing the violin for only 3 years. With over 30 regions within the state of Texas, musicians must first make it into their region orchestra to be considered for an All-State tryout. There are several hundred entries from violinists from across Texas that are considered for All-State membership. That number, however, is nothing compared to how many thousands audition statewide for Region orchestras.

Remarkable Achievement

Being named to All-State as a violinist is quite the achievement – particularly for a freshman. She has ranked among the top 112 violinists in the state. Ranchview Orchestra Director, Brian Towndrow stated, “for her to have landed there as a freshman is a pretty big deal.” Peng was selected to the Sinfonietta Orchestra, which is the third of three orchestras. Towndrow explained, “It’s also worthwhile to note that orchestra is the only musical arts division in the state that selects its All-State members from one big pot, so as a 4A school our Ranchview Orchestra members are competing against 5A and 6A players from major powerhouse programs statewide.”

Competing against the ‘Best of the Best’

This is the first time in Ranchview’s history that a student has qualified for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Orchestra. She competed against 376 other violinists across the state to earn this position. Towndrow added, “Most of those contestants first had to qualify for Region and Area levels of qualification, which are themselves very grueling and highly selective contests. She was up against the ‘best of the best.'”

Only 240 orchestra students across the state get to say they are Orchestra All-State members per year. Of those, 112 are violinists selected to fill the three All-State ensembles. Of those 112, only 8 are freshmen. Peng is one of only 21 freshmen selected to an All-State Orchestra on any stringed instrument.

RLT Wrestler Wins Preseason Nationals

Posted/span> on June 13, 2019 in Athletics, Athletics State & National Champions, Wall of Honor 2018-2019

On Oct. 28, the R. L. Turner Wrestling Team competed in the USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals in Iowa. Dario Rivera, Gaby Aguinada, Jayne Barron, and Natalie Berumen all had big wins as they wrestled the best in the United States. Mia Uvaldo took 6th in the country, making her an All-American. Nick Juarez won the competition, taking 1st place as National Champion in his division.