MPISD Superintendent Judd Marshall (center), with MPISD music teachers and students

Contact: Kelly Cowan

MPISD Superintendent honored with TMEA Distinguished Administrator Award

Mount Pleasant ISD Superintendent Judd Marshall was surprised at the January meeting of the MPISD Board of Trustees with the news that they had selected him as a Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Distinguished Administrator. MPISD Director of Fine Arts, Dr. Theodus Luckett III, and campus music teachers and students came to the meeting to present the award to Marshall.

The TMEA Executive Board created this designation to recognize upper-level school administrators across the state who have been instrumental in preserving quality music education programs on their campuses and in their districts. MPISD offers music instruction on all four elementary campuses, choir, and band beginning at the middle school, plus piano, jazz band, and AP Music Theory at the high school level.

(L to R) Rusty Duke, MPISD Board of Trustees member Sandy Bible, Tracie Johnson

P.E. Wallace Assistant Principal honored with MPISD Above and Beyond award

P.E. Wallace Assistant Principal Rusty Duke was honored with an MPISD Above and Beyond award at the January meeting of the MPISD Board of Trustees on Monday, January 22. On Wednesday, December 13, P.E. Wallace staff member Tracie Johnson began choking while eating lunch. Duke quickly performed the Heimlich maneuver, preventing Johnson from sustaining severe harm. In appreciation for his life-saving action, Johnson and P.E. Wallace Principal Nathan Rider nominated Duke for the special award.

The Mount Pleasant Junior High School Cheerleaders with their 2nd place medals

MPJH Cheerleaders place 2nd at NCA National competition

The Mount Pleasant Junior High School Cheerleaders participated in their final competition of the year at NCA Nationals in Dallas on January 20-21. 

MPJH Cheer competed against 14 other squads in the Game Day Junior High/Middle School – Medium division. They scored 86.0833 on day one and 87.2667 on day two, bringing their total score to 86.9709 for the event and earning them 2nd place in their division.

Mount Pleasant Junior High Cheer team members are eighth-graders Jayden Baker, Khiya Bolton, Emily Crabb, Charisma Crabtree, Couri Gruber, Leslie Hernandez, Tenley Marshall (Captain), Ava McCrumby, Katy Pearson, Asia Salters, Sondryce Wilder, and seventh-graders Ella Anderson, Cassidy Burns, Emy Chappell, Malori Chism (Co-Captain), Annie Crabb, Aubree Hawkins, Sage Jordan, McKaylee Shults, and Abigail Verner. Leigh Baker, Hallie Posey, and Karissa Lopez are MPJH Cheer Coaches.

MPHS FBLA State Qualifiers

Angelina Hernandez, 2023-2024 Who’s Who Area 6 Recipient

FBLA Area VI 2024-25 Parliamentarian Alessandro Greco (left), MPHS Lead FBLA Advisor John Whitten (center), and 24-25 FBLA Area VI President Gopi Amin

Record the number of Mount Pleasant High School FBLA students who advance to state.

The Mount Pleasant High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competed against over 250 students in the Area VI FBLA Leadership Conference on Monday, January 22 at the Region 8 Educational Service Center. Of the 76 competitors representing Mount Pleasant High School, MPHS had a very successful day, with 72 members qualifying for state, a new school record. Forty-seven students placed 1st in 25 events.

In addition to competing, MPHS senior and FBLA Area VI President Angelina Hernandez was named the 2023-2024 Who’s Who Area 6 Recipient. Junior Gopi Amin was elected the FBLA Area VI President, with sophomore Alessandro Greco named the FBLA Area VI Parliamentarian for 2024-2025. MPHS is currently the 9th largest chapter in the entire state of Texas.

Students advancing to state, their area placement, and event are as follows: 

• Advertising-Hayden Tennison (2nd)
• Agribusiness-Xitlaly Sanchez (4th)
• American Enterprise-Gopi Amin, Sophie Greco, and Kiara Rundles (1st)
• Business Calculations-Luke Thurman (1st)
• Business Calculations-Tanner Marshall (2nd)
• Business Calculations-Christopher Sorto (4th)
• Business Communications-Briana Gonzales (2nd)
• Business Ethics-Dalia Balderas, Roselynn Ramirez and Sabrina Otero-Svirska (2nd)
• Business Ethics-MyKaela King, Jennifer Luna and Leinad Rodriguez (1st)
• Business Law-Alessandro Greco (2nd)
• Business Law-Abigail Retana (3rd)
• Client Service-Mea Banda (1st)
• Computer Problem Solving-Caparis Smith (3rd)
• Cybersecurity-Jazlynn Juarez (2nd)
• Cybersecurity-Jessica Hang(4th)
• Data Analysis-Joel Palacios, Oscar Castellanos, and Andrew Perez (2nd)
• Digital Video Production-Alondra Santos and Esmeralda Perez (1st)
• Financial Statement Analysis-John Freeman, Shpat Zeqaj and Nathan Martinez (1st)
• Future Business Leader-Hope Powell (1st)
• Graphic Design-Jillian Jetton, Jocelyn Marroquin and McKinsee Oviedo (1st)
• Healthcare Administration-Kaylee Connally (1st)
• Healthcare Administration-Brissia Alvarez (2nd)
• Help Desk-Rafael Calderon (1st)
• Hospitality and Event Mgt.-Diya Desai, Patricia Gonzalez, and Frankie Rodriguez (1st)
• Human Resource Management-Idania Castanon (1st)
• Insurance and Risk Management-Addison Heeren (1st)
• Intro to Business Presentation-Angel Farias, Anthony Gonzalez, and Bruno Deleon (1st)
• Intro to Financial Math-Emily Ortiz (1st) Intro to Financial Math-Cooper Rider (2nd)
• Intro to Social Media Strategy-Terrelle Beard, Amaya McQueen, and Khloe Cooper (1st)
• Introduction to Business Communications-Charity Prater (2nd)
• Introduction to Business Concepts-Alba Zeqaj (2nd)
• Introduction to Business Concepts-Erick Bernardi (3rd)
• Job Interview-Harley Martin (1st)
• Journalism-Joseline Almazan (2nd)
• Journalism-Nathali Rojas (3rd)
• Marketing-Raquel Garza, Yadira Martinez, and Mariana Mendez (1st)
• Mobile Application Development-Aloani Laboy (1st)
• Organization Leadership-Natalia Aspeitia (1st)
• Personal Finance-Jennifer Pena (3rd)
• Public Service Announcement-Evelyn Hernandez (2nd)
• Public Speaking-Angelina Hernandez (1st)
• Social Media Strategies-Genesis Aguilar, Estefani Garcia, and Cecilia Phan (1st)
• Sports and Entertainment Management Kate Ball and Kit Thompson (1st)
• Visual Design-Brianne Davis (1st)
• Website Design-Jose Fuentes, Yahaira Pina, and Michelle Sandoval (1st) 

State alternates:

• Accounting-Bryanna Nava (5th)
• Cyber Security-Daniela Zuniga (5th)

“I am extremely pleased and proud of the success our students had at the area conference as evidenced by the success we had,” said MPHS FBLA Lead Advisor, John Whitten. “Our students have put in countless hours of practice after school each week since October to prepare for area. We will now focus on state and start preparing by studying more tests, improving our presentations, and working on our speeches to get them state-level ready. Our students are very dedicated to ensuring that success is met and always challenge themselves to be better no matter what their outcome is in the area. I am honored and proud every day to lead a group of students who are passionate about FBLA.”

Advancing students will compete at the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Galveston on April 10-12. MPHS FBLA Advisors are John Whitten, Shanta Lockett, and Tracy Porter.