MPHS UIL Academic Regional medalists

UIL Regional champion and State qualifying Social Studies team 

(L to R) Vanessajane Bayna, Jeisy Munoz, coach LeAnne Blalock, Yahir Garcia, Estven Perez

UIL State Spelling Coach Gina Crouch (left) and Isabel Gonzales (right)

UIL State Calculator Applications coach Osias Hernandez (left) and Nathaniel Martinez (right)

Contact:  Kelly Cowan

MPHS UIL advances to UIL State Academic meet

The Mount Pleasant High School UIL Academic team competed in the Region II 5A UIL Academic Meet on April 22 at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Overall, 6 MPHS students have advanced to the State Meet.

Team members advancing to State include:

Social Studies (1st place team)—Vanessajane Bayna 1st place, Estven Perez 4th place, Yahir Garcia, and Jeisy Munoz

Spelling—Isabel Gonzales 2nd place

Calculator Applications—Nathaniel Martinez 3rd place

Also placing at Regionals were Anthony Orellana (6th place in Persuasive Speaking), Madeline Tumey-Simmons (6th place in Poetry), the Spelling team of Isabel Gonzales, Sophie Greco, Angelina Hernandez, and Natalie Crockett (3rd place team), and the Calculator Applications team of Nathaniel Martinez, Param Poudel (4th place), Devin Castaneda, and Isaac Hernandez (2nd place team).

Advancing teams and individuals will compete at the UIL State Academic Meet is May 17-18 at The University of Texas at Austin. State qualifying coaches are Gina Crouch (Spelling), Leanne Blalock (Social Studies), and Osias Hernandez (Calculator Applications).

The MPHS Goin’ Gold Band student leadership team (L to R) Luke Thurman, Bruno Deleon, Ayden Padilla, Andrew Perez, Neftali Gonzalez, Zoe Newman, Amy Santillan, Araceli Solis, Ahilin Hernandez, Jennifer Pena, Bianca Quistian, Suhey Lopez, Orion Senence, Shpat Zeqaj, Jose Fuentes

(L to R) Assistant Drum Major Orion Senence, Head Drum Major Shpat Zeqaj, and Assistant Drum Major Jose Fuentes

MPHS Goin’ Gold Band announces student leadership team

The Mount Pleasant High School Goin’ Gold Band held Drum Major auditions on Friday, April 7. Leading the band during the 2023-2024 school year is Head Drum Major Shpat Zeqaj, with Assistant Drum Majors Orion Senence and Jose Fuentes.

Section Leaders for 2023-2024 include Flutes (Bianca Quistian, Jennifer Pena, Amy Santillan), Trumpets (Orion Senence), Clarinets (Andrew Perez, Araceli Solis, Neftali Gonzalez), Saxophones (Zoe Newman, Suhey Lopez), Baritones (Bruno Deleon, Ahilin Hernandez), Tubas (Ayden Padilla), and Percussion (Luke Thurman).

The 2023 Marching Band show is titled “Wednesday” from the hit Netflix series by the same name, a modern interpretation of The Addams Family, featuring the recognizable theme song and music by Bach, Metallica, the Rolling Stones, and The Cramps.

The Wallace Dance Team performs their competition pom

Third-period dance class members Ashley Chavez (left) and Madison Cheatum (right) perform their class dance

Wallace Middle School 6th period dance

The Wallace Dance Team performs their award-winning lyrical

Khyia Bolton performs a praise dance

Seventh period Dance class members (L to R) Maliyah Fisher, Genesis Santos, and Kynlei Bryson perform their class routine

Wallace Middle School 8th period dance

Wallace Middle School 9th period dance

The Wallace Dance Team closed out the show with their competition, Hip Hop

P.E. Wallace Middle School Dance Showcase

Wallace Middle School held its first Dance Showcase on Friday, April 21, in the P.E. Wallace gym. The Showcase featured performances from all seven dance classes and the Wallace Dance Team with special guest performances by the Advanced Dance Team at Mount Pleasant Junior High, Tiger Doll Captain Chloe Carter, soloist Khyia Bolton from Mount Pleasant Junior High, and soloists Presley Alexander, Piper Hearron, and Kenlee Jaggers from Raevin’s Dance Factory. The Wallace dance program is under the direction of Stefen Harmon.