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The award-winning MPHS Colorguard
The Goin’ Gold Band Drum Majors (L to R): Manoa Bagsic, Sebastian Campos, Shpat Zeqaj
Contact:
Kelly Cowan
Mount Pleasant High School Goin’ Gold Band competes in Winnsboro.
The Mount Pleasant High School Goin’ Gold Band competed at the Battle for the Spear Marching Classic at Winnsboro High School on October 15. At the end of prelims, MPHS was named a Finalist and received Outstanding Colorguard and Outstanding 5A Band awards.
After marching again in finals, the Goin’ Gold Band earned awards for the highest-ranked Colorguard of the day, the highest-ranked Percussion section of the day, and the 2nd place overall band.
The Goin’ Gold Band will conclude their competition season at the 5A UIL Area competition this Saturday, October 22, at Mesquite Memorial Stadium, with their preliminary performance scheduled for 4:00 pm.
Natalie Crockett and MPHS Principal Craig Bailey
Crockett selected its Mount Pleasant High School DAR Good Citizen.
Mount Pleasant High School senior Natalie Crockett was recently selected as the MPHS Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen.
The Martha Laird Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsors the DAR Good Citizen program in our area. They designed the contest to honor an outstanding young person in a high school’s senior class who demonstrates the four qualities of a DAR Good Citizen: Dependability, Service, Leadership, and Patriotism.
Crockett has held numerous leadership roles in campus organizations. She is the Secretary of the National Honor Society (NHS), Vice President of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), and Treasurer of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). She is also a member of the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) and the UIL Academic team and has participated with the Goin’ Gold Band.
In addition to leadership, service to the community is another essential characteristic of good citizens.
Crockett has volunteered with Titus County Cares and has tutored ESL students at MPHS. She also helped create “Project MP SAFE” to teach CPR, Stop the Bleed, and First Aid to the Mt. Pleasant community participants, providing classes monthly for businesses and other community groups. She received the United Nations Association of the USA Merit Award for community service during her junior year.
Crockett has earned Academic Blanket Awards for English III and World History. In addition, she received a National Rural and Small Town award and National Hispanic Recognition from the College Board National Recognition programs and is an AP Scholar. Natalie has competed at the State level with UIL Math and Science and HOSA, placing 2nd in Health Care Administration. In addition, she competed in Chicago this past summer as a National Qualifier for FBLA. She is undecided on where she will attend college but is planning to major in Pharmaceutical Science.
Receiving the MPHS Good Citizen allows Crockett to participate in the scholarship portion of the program at the local Chapter level. Independent, non-DAR judges will evaluate each contest entry, and the winning entry will advance through the state and national levels of judging. She is the daughter of Rob and Mariela Crockett.
6145: The MPHS NHS Officers (L to R): Madison Carpenter, Natalie Crockett, Camdon Johnson, Anthony Orellana, Perla Guzman, Camila Serrano
MPHS holds the National Honor Society induction ceremony
The Mount Pleasant High School chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) inducted ten seniors and sixty-three juniors during a special ceremony on October 17 at the Region VIII Education Service Center. The new members join the fifty-three returning senior members of the chapter bringing the total membership to 126.
To be inducted into NHS, a student must have earned a weighted cumulative GPA of 5.10 and meet specific service and character standards, exemplified in behavior and personal conduct both on and off campus. The NHS inducts students who meet the criteria in their junior or senior year during the fall semester.
Officers of the MPHS Chapter are President Camdon Johnson, Vice President Anthony Orellana, Secretary Natalie Crockett, Treasurer Perla Guzman, Parliamentarian Madison Carpenter, and Historian Camila Serrano.
The 2022-2023 new members are:
Senior Inductees: Saul Alvarado, Wendy Carrillo, Madison Craig, Luis Garcia, Audrie Mendoza, Nancy Netro, Lolita Solis, Kade Strickland, Melissa Vasquez, and Javier Vazquez.
Junior Inductees: Genesis Aguilar, Joseline Almazan, Hannah Anderson, Mea Banda, Jason Barrientos, Sidney Beles, Shirlyn Cardona, Idania Castanon, Oscar Castellanos, Nathanial Cates, Nicholas Cates, Madison Cooper, Ella Cross, Caroline Currey, Brianne Davis, Clinton DeBord, Drew Dyke, Jose Escobar, Jarley Esguerra, Marlyn Estrada, John Freeman, Jose Fuentes, Estefani Garcia, Yahir Garcia, Ana Garrett, Briana Gonzales, Cesar Gonzalez, Sophie Greco, Owen Green, Abigail Gutierrez, Angelina Hernandez, Stephanie Hernandez, Morgan Hill, Jillian Jetton, Araceli Landaverde, Erik Liera, Nathaniel Martinez, Rebeca Martinez, Yalit Mata, Kennady Mayben, Amariya Miller, Clayton Miller, Angel Munoz, Annie Munoz, Jeisy Munoz, Zoe Newman, McKinsee Oviedo, Joel Palacios, Andrew Perez, Estven Perez, Cecilia Phan, Fernando Robles, Kiara Rundles, Ethan Sanchez, Allie Sloan, Makayla Spigner, Joseph Tolentino, Jacori Turner, Jonathan Turner, Harrison Wall, Jordan West, Conlee Zachry, and Shpat Zeqaj.
Returning Senior members of the MPHS NHS Chapter are Wendy Alarcon, Manoa Bagsic, Reese Ball, Vanessajane Bayna, Paris Beard, Clayton Brison, Merlin Cardona, Madison Carpenter, Chloe Carter, Devin Castaneda, Payton Chism, Jenna Cook, Natalie Crockett, Norma Delgado, Paulina Diaz, Alexandra Estrada, Anna Kate Fisher, Cesar Flores, Alan Garrett, Isabel Gonzales, Maranda Gonzalez, Perla Guzman, Ethan Harbour, Jordyn Hargrave, Karli Jo Hill, Kylie Humber, Nayeli Jaimes, Camdon Johnson, Jose Lopez, Samantha McClenan, Gracelyn McClendon, Anthony Orellana, Adriana Orona, Madeline Plascencia, Param Poudel, Lizzette Ramirez, Mary Reeve, Elijah Rider, Xitlali Rivas, Natalie Rodriguez, Chris Russell, Fernanda Salazar, Briana Sanchez, Camila Serrano, Arenia Tigert, Jose Trejo, Evelyn Valente, Amy Vazquez, Michelle Vazquez, Kendall Walker, Jack Welborn, Caleb Whitten, and I’Yana Williams.
The MPHS National Honor Society Faculty Council members are LeAnne Blalock, Gina Crouch, Jerilyn Goolsby, Kristi Houchin, Ann Jenkins, Mandy Jones, Ana Munoz, Maryna Otero, and Larry Russell. The MPHS National Honor Society Advisors are David Clark and Angela Priefert.
NHS Vice President, Anthony Orellana, introduces returning senior member, Merlin Cardona
New MPHS NHS inductees take the National Honor Society pledge
MPHS junior, Caroline Currey, is welcomed as a new member
90: MPHS Principal, Craig Bailey, congratulates junior Jonathan Turner
The 2022-2023 MPHS All-School Boy and Girl, Camdon Johnson and Reese Ball Mount Pleasant High School selects All-School Boy and Girl.
By JOVANI GARCIA
MPHS Tigertalk Staff Writer
The faculty recently selected Camdon Johnson and Reese Ball seniors as the 2022-2023 All-School Boy and Girl. Each year the high school staff picks a senior boy and senior girl who represents the ideals and standards of MPHS. This honor is considered the highest a senior can receive because the staff votes for it.
Johnson, the son of Landon and Tracie Johnson, is the National Honor Society President, HOSA member, NTHS member, Student Council Member, and Student Officer Secretary.
Johnson also is a Small Town & Rural Community Nation recognition recipient and earned blankets in English and U.S. History. In addition, he has participated on the varsity baseball, swim, and track teams.
His hobbies include baking, singing, working out, reading, painting, cleaning, acrobatics, and volunteering.
Johnson is undecided about where he will go to university. Still, he plans to attend a four-year undergrad university, transfer to a medical school, then enlist in the Navy to complete his residency.
“I felt honored to receive this award. Throughout my high school career, the faculty and staff have always been there to assist me with issues I have faced,” Johnson said. “I want to express my gratitude toward you all for allowing me to receive this honor.”
His role models are his grandmothers, the most selfless individuals he has ever met.
His favorite food is Spanish rice. His favorite class is Biology because he has always had a mind geared toward science since childhood.
Ball, the daughter of Tim and Rebecca Ball, is the President of the Future Business Leaders of America. She is also an NHS member, Small Town & Rural Community Nation recognition recipient, Student Council Treasurer, Spanish III Academic Blanket winner, and participated in varsity swim and golf.
Her hobbies include reading, working out, volunteering, and being caretaker.
She is undecided on where she will go to university but plans to attend a four-year university to major in English and eventually attend law school.
She said, “It means so much to me that I was chosen to represent the ideas and standards of MPHS. I could not have received this great honor without the support from the faculty and staff that I have received over the past four years. Her favorite food is Gigi Hadid’s spicy pasta. And my favorite subject is Algebra II because “the topics in this class were highly versatile and helpful to me throughout my high school career.” Her role model is her mother. She says, “she is the hardest working and kind person I know.”
Madeline Tumey-Simmons and Anthony Orellana
MPHS Speech and Debate members place at All Saints Tourney
The Mount Pleasant High School Speech and Debate team competed on October 15 at the All Saints Episcopal School tournament in Tyler. The debate team had two members named tournament champions in their respective categories.
In the Varsity Lincoln Douglas debate, senior Anthony Orellana was named Tournament Champion in LD after defeating competitors from Saginaw, North Mesquite, Grapevine, and Flower Mound. In addition, Orellana was named Top Speaker in LD out of 26 competitors.
Senior Madeline Tumey-Simmons placed 1st in the Poetry division with her piece, “Strange Fruit for Emmitt Till.” Taking the championship was Tumey-Simmons scoring all 1s from every judge in the final round.
In March, Orellana and Tumey-Simmons earned points toward their qualifications for the Texas Forensic Association State tournament in Houston.
Band Beau Victor Olvera and Band Sweetheart Betzaida Garcia
Mount Pleasant High School crowned Homecoming King Cesar Flores, and Homecoming Queen Gyselle Lozano, during their annual Homecoming festivities on Friday, October 14. In addition, each football team chose a Sweetheart to represent their team, including Paris Beard (Varsity), Ella Cross (JV), and Jazlynn Chism (Freshmen). Also honored were the Band Beau, Victor Olvera, and the Band Sweetheart, Betzaida Garcia.
Photos by John Whitten
