2021-2022
View the senior slideshow HERE
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STUDENT ACCOLADESCollege Board National Recognized Hispanic Scholars
College Board National Recognized Hispanic Scholars
The National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) was initiated in 1983, by the College Board, to identify outstanding Hispanic high school students and to share information about these academically well-prepared students with subscribing colleges and universities.
Brice Banda, Sloan Stanton, Denisse Vargas, Joshua Garcia, (not pictured Cassandra Segura)
ATHLETICSTEACHERS & STAFFCelebration for Mr. Frock
Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Alyssa Potasznik, our teacher of the year for the 2021-2022 school year!
Teachers of the Month
Let's Rave About Our AHS Team!
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CLUBS & ELECTIVESYearbook
The National Scholastic Press Association named 4 Austin HS schudents to the 2022 Journalism Honor Roll in recognition of the academic excellence. The Comet Yearbook Adviser is Mauri Sparks.
Animation
For the first time in Austin HS history, two animations made it to the UIL semi-finals, more than any other school in the district. One Animation was nominated for a Nobelity Award.
These links will take you to the short animations (each under 3 minutes). Enjoy and please congratulate these wonderful animators.
Photography
Model UN
Model UN recently participated in the Central Texas Model UN (CTMUN) fall conference at UT Austin. Competing against delegates from all over the southern US, Austin High's Model UN team rocked!
FINE ARTSArt Student Award WinnersArt students did some amazing work this year. Check out this slideshow with examples from several competitions and events.
Visual Art Scholastic Event Regional Medalists
Guitar ClassCongrats to the beginning guitar class for getting straight 1's in sight reading at UIL!
Red Dragon PlayersUIL One – act Play won district and placed 4th at bi-District. Several students walked away with individual awards. Bi-District Level
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FINE ARTS
Orchestra
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October 23rd, 2021 has been OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED by the City of Austin as "Austin High Orchestra Monster Concert and Carnival Day"!
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Saturday October 9th, Varsity Orchestra Students attended the All-Regional Try outs. All the students participating did a great job! The following students earned a chair in the All Region 18 Orchestra.
- Preston King Violist
- Sam Reynolds, Garrett Beard and Yuma Ishihara Cellist
- Ira Worsham Bassist
- Adam Smykla and Gabriel Herrera are alternates for the Violin section
- David Westerhausen is an alternate for the bass section
Ballet Folklorico
Red Dragon Players
UIL One – act Play won district and placed 4th at bi-District. Several students walked away with individual awards.
Bi-District Level
Bi-District Level
- Outstanding Technician - Sophie Webster
- Honorable Mention All Star Cast - Levi Adams
- All- Star Cast - Jaret Cole
- Outstanding Technician - Sophie Webster
- Honorable Mention All Star Cast - Liam Suarez & Genet Leeds
- All Star Cast - Lucas Miller
- Best Performer - Jaret Cole
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To celebrate Mardi Gras week, our 2nd year culinary students made Beignets & café au lait as a culminating activity for the 3rd nine weeks. This was our soft opening of Cafe Austin since closing in March 2020. We are happy to be back to in-person learning and look forward to future class projects like these.
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2020-2021
2019-2020
FINE ARTS
Red Dragon Players
The Austin High Theatre Department advanced to the Region Contest. For those interested in our history, this is the 45th time Austin High has advanced to this level of the UIL One-Act Play Contest. We believe this is a state record and is definitely the best record in Austin ISD. The Region Contest is April 14 & 15 at Harlingen South High School.
Individual Awards Winners were as follows.
Individual Awards Winners were as follows.
- Outstanding Technician: Sadie Dragoo
- Honorable Mention All-Star Cast: Katherine Holmes
- All-Star Cast: Lili Coovrey & Pearl Phillips
- Outstanding Performer (formerly best actor): Rand Whitfield
Congrats to Serenna McPhail and Lindsey Alexander for their State Qualifying Theatrical Designs. This is the second year in a row that Austin High Students have advanced to this competition.
- Serenna qualified in Costume Design
- Lindsey qualified in Set Design
Model UN Win Awards
The Austin High Model UN team competed in the Headwaters Conference. The following delegates brought home awards for Austin High:
- Aidan Acuna--Honorable Delegate
- Coleman Cochran--Honorable Delegate
- Arden Luthy--Honorable Delegate
- Nathaniel Fagelson--Outstanding Delegate
- Emile Smith--Best Delegate
- James Crosnoe--Best Delegate
PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS WIN BIG
Photography students are got their shots. The camera-kind, not the COVID-19 kind! Congrats to all the students for continuing to perfect their craft in the face of a global pandemic.
Scholastic Photography Winner
Scholastic Photography Winner
- Mary Abby Goss – Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention
- Mary Abby Goss - HM Advanced Digitally Constructed Image, 2nd Place Advanced Fashion, First HM Advanced Fashion, HM Advanced Formal Studio Portrait, HM Advanced Informal Environmental Portrait, HM Advanced Nature, HM Advanced Open, HM Advanced Portfolio, First HM Advanced Sports Action, HM Advanced Still Life, HM Advanced Time Exposure
- Izzy Krause - HM Advanced Travel
- Rowan Dooldeniya - HM Beginner Architecture/Cityscape, HM Beginner Portfolio, HM Still Life
- Isabella Boulware - First HM Still Life
- Claire Foucher & Emily Achtermann
ART EDUCATORS OF THE DECADE!
You read that right! The decade, not just the year. Annie and Billy Dragoo Named Art Educators of the Decade by Broadway World. Read more information about this honor: https://www.smore.com/s56zw
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
AHS PTSA = AISD PTSA of the Year!
SENIOR ATHLETES COMMIT TO COLLEGE
Congratulations to the
Austin High School Top 2 Seniors! Valedictorian - Clayton Kocurek
Salutatorian - Mateo Blumenthal |
Senior Post-Graduation Plans
Click HERE to see where our seniors are heading next year!
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2020-2021
Business Students Take Home Awards |
Congratulations to all of our Austin High business students who participated in the Regional Business Professionals of America competition this weekend. All of our students did an amazing job and we are proud of their efforts. The following students earned high marks and qualified for the BPA State competition in March:
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2019-2020
Congratulations to the following Continuing Ed Scholarship recipients. Well done!
- Giselle Aviles - Austin High Continuing Education Class of 1960 Scholarship
- Carlos Gomez - Austin High Continuing Education Class of 1960 Scholarship
- Ruandy Flores-Morales - Austin High Continuing Education Class of 1970 Scholarship in honor of Kevin Maguire
- Wini Dorlean - Austin High Continuing Education honoring Alice Davis
- Natalie Davis - Austin High Continuing Education Horton Trust Scholarship
- Alex Loredo - Austin High Continuing Education Scholarship in honor of Beau Franks
- Isabel Encisco - Austin High Continuing Education Scholarship in honor of Gay Adams
- Jozlyn Davenport - Austin High Continuing Education Scholarship in honor of J.B. Pace
- Ronaldo Garcia - Austin High Continuing Education Scholarship in honor of Truman Hornsby
- Miguel Rodriguez - Austin High Continuing Education STEM Scholarship in honor of Alma Maldonado
- Briana Sanders - Austin High Continuing Education Scholarship
Ballet Folklorico competed in the Bailees de Mi Tierra Competition and earned four trophies. Way to go!
- 2nd place beginner solo: Gabriel Herrera (dancing Jalisco)
- 1st place advanced trio: Anabella Maldonado, Ashley Villarreal and Sophia Gonzalez (dancing Tamaulipas)
- 2nd place intermediate ensemble: Anabella Maldonado, Ashley Villarreal, Sophia Gonzalez, Rosalia Riojas, Martha Torres, Neyna Singh (dancing Nuevo Leon)
- 3rd place intermediate small group--dancing Veracruz Antiguo Africano
The Austin HS Media Arts Program is pleased to announce that the short narrative movie "Opal" was included in the UIL Film State Final Program on February 25, 2020 at 7 pm at the Paramount Theater. Over 220 narrative short movies were submitted in our division from across the state of Texas and the state final program will show the top six movies. We are very proud of our accomplishment so far. Last year, in UIL Film, Austin HS won the State Championship for documentary and Third Place for narrative.
See the video here: https://vimeo.com/383608824
See the video here: https://vimeo.com/383608824
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Austin High Ultimate tied for 3rd place in the annual MLK Day High School tournament. After a tough loss to 2019 state finalist LASA, they rebounded with a strong 13-9 win over Westlake and finish the day with a 3-1record. Congratulations to Coach Trenfield and the entire ultimate frisbee team.
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A few of our band students did well at the Texas All State Band tryouts. Sophomore Dashiell Kostka (trumpet) and Junior Mauricio Castillo (clarinet) earned spots, which represents the top 2% of students across the state! They will participate in the Texas Music Educators Convention in San Antonio from February 12-15th
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Three members of the AHS choir program advanced to the TMEA Area contest Tuesday night.
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Congrats to Ms Mardi, AHS math teacher, for being recognized by the University of Chicago for an Outstanding Educator Award! #AISDProud
2018-2019
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Congrats to the Girls Varsity Lacrosse who won District. They now move on to the state championship tournament May 10-12. At the state championship tournament, the team will play its matches in memory of David Phillips, father of JV teammates Lucy and Sally Phillips.
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Riley Cruzcosa was awarded a National Gold Medal in Drawing and Illustration for her artwork of Retrospect, a drawing of her father and Riley as a baby by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. She will be honored at The National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall, June 6, 6:00 pm. Receiving a National Medal places Riley within the top 1% of all submissions!
Ethan Tocker was awarded a National Silver Medal in Photography for his photo Forgotten, from Marfa, Texas. Both students' work will be published in the Online Galleries at artandwriting.org in June their names will be listed in the 2019 Yearbook, a companion publication to The Best Teen Art and The Best Teen Writing anthologies. |
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The Austin High School Theatre Department ranked 1st at the Bi-District UIL One-Act Play Contest, advancing to the Area Contest on April 6.
Several students received individual recognition.
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Austin High took home two awards at the UIL State Film Competition at the Paramount Theater.
- "Austin High, Divided" won the UIL Film State Championship in Div 2 Documentary (4A, 5A, 6A)
- produced, edited, camera by Ben Fremin and St. John Requejo
- additional editing by Roberto Manco-Stenz
- graphics by Bill Shoener
- sound by Alex Clark
- produced, edited, camera by Ben Fremin and St. John Requejo
- "2450" won UIL Film 3rd place in Div 2 Narrative (4A, 5A, 6A)
- produced by Dante Caputo
- directed by Bill Shoener
- editing and music by Gregory Mills
- photography by Calvin Jessen
- produced by Dante Caputo
Ballet Folklorico's Competition Team participated in the Viva Aztlan Festival and competition in Lubbock Texas, competing at the adult category, which means they competed not only against high schools, but also semi-pro adult touring companies from Texas and New Mexico. Despite the stiff competition, our dancers brought home several awards.
- Ashley Villarreal and Angela Tudon won 3rd place in adult duets.
- Our group entries placed in the 2nd adult division
- 3rd place for technique with our Huasteco entry
- 3rd place for choreography with Huasteco
- 2nd place choreography for San Luis Potosi Rioverde
- 1st place for costumes with Huasteco
- 3rd place overall for the Huasteco entry
- 3rd place for technique with our Huasteco entry
- Carlos Revolorio and Anabella Maldonado were named "estrellas" in the Huasteco region
- Sofia Valedez received the honor in our San Luis Potosi entry.
The Austin High Theatre Department won 1st place in the District UIL One-Act Play Contest. This is the 52nd District Championship for Austin High!
Several students received individual recognition.
Several students received individual recognition.
- Outstanding Technician: Aislinn Walker
- All-Star Cast: Jacob Maupin-Garcia and Rand Whitfield
- Honorable Mention All-Star Cast; Tiffany Olzanowski
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Austin High School Visual Arts students displayed their artwork at Collections on the Block for a Charity Show supporting Beyond Batton. Artwork generated over $1,000 in sales. More photos here.
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Tennis coach Leslie Oduwole was named No Cut Coach of the Year for Texas by the USTA, recognizing her goal of letting everyone on the team participate. Check out AISD in 3 to see the award ceremony and an interview with Coach Oduwole.
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Texas Senator Kirk Watson presented history teacher Cherry Whipple a 2018 Outstanding Teacher of the Humanities Award from Humanities Texas. In addition to Ms. Whipple's award, Austin High receives $500 to spend on Humanities-related resources.
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Ms. Whipple accepting a teaching award on Halloween...dressed as a witch!
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Linda Garcia and Norma Ramos received AISD Rave Awards for outstanding customer service in November.
AHS Theatre students earned more national qualifiers than any other school in AISD at the Texas Thespian Festival this year. We also earned 2nd in State for the Tech Team Challenge.
National Qualifiers:
National Qualifiers:
- Ben Fremin - Lighting Design
- Serena McPhail - Costume Design
- Tori Salazar - Stage Management
- Ben Fremin, Jade Shaver, Dito Mycue, Isaiah Pena, Tori Salazar -
- Tech Team Challenge
- Aislinn Walker - Monologue
- Sydney LePage, Sydney Kenner, Logan Miller - Group Musical
- Jade Shaver - Costume Design
- Liam Brinks, Lili Coovery, Emma Galbraith, Jillian Etherdge, Dylan Hoffman, Joel Klemn, Katherine Holmes, Alex Karnell, Ellis Mahoney, Tiffany Olszanowski, Adie Sutherland, Aidan Springer, Brecklyn Quinlivan - Group Musical
- Chloe Goodman, Divina Baca - Duet Musical
- Sofia Martin - Solo Musical
Magnolia
This is a short movie about an 18-year-old graduating high school who is held back from life by her mother. This video was created in the Austin High Media Arts Program. It is over 10 minutes long and was screened in October with the other narrative short films made in the program. It won the Audience Award at the Narrative Showcase Screening. https://vimeo.com/303847398 |
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Student Bands and Musicians at Austin High
This is an introduction to some of the musicians and student bands at Austin High. This video was created as a news piece for KAHS. It is over 10 minutes long and it contains links to listen to the music of the students. https://vimeo.com/303785097 |
Congratulations to our Orchestra students in All-Regional and All-State Orchestra. We have three students who will be performing in All-Regional Orchestra:
- Nicole Kim
- David Shilliday
- Alex McGahagin
Congratulations to the following singers for placing in the TMEA Area contest. They advance to AREA in San Antonio in January, 2018.
- Tyler Rose: Tenor
- Chris Hernandez: Bass
Austin High Girls Golf won 2nd at the Lake Travis Invitational. Contributing to the win were Hannah Choi, Katherine Dwyer, Elle McCartt, Amethyst Rodriguez & Fallon Russell. Hannah also took 1st in the tournament with a low score of 77!
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Austin High's Commercial Photography students won 2 of the 28 state-level awards at the Texas Photographic Society Competition. This was our first year participating.
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Two AGS students, Avni Singh and Rachel Williams, attended the Western History Association Conference in San Antonio October 19-20 to present at a poster session, along with their teacher Ms. Whipple. Rachel went on to win a prize for her poster in the high school division. In addition, Ms. Whipple received the Charles Redd Center Teaching Western History Award.
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Congrats to Vanessa Estrada who was recently recognized by Austin ISD for going above and beyond in her service to others. The Recognizing All Valuable Employees, or RAVE, Program was established to publicly honor those who exemplify the highest level of customer service. If you had an exceptional experience interacting with an Austin ISD employee on the phone or visiting an Austin ISD site, please nominate that staff member by completing this form.
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Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and US Territories.
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium for Ms. Whipple, AHS's library will receive a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials. Ms. Whipple will also receive an invitation to a 2019 Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminar, a weeklong program that offers teachers daily discussions with eminent historians, visits to historic sites, and hands-on work with primary sources. |
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Congratulations to AGS Junior Lydia Heisel for being selected for the Youth Presidential Leadership Council (YPLC) at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park. Students were evaluated on leadership potential, engagement with community, and interests in the National Park Service. Participation was highly selected, with only 8-12 students selected.
Lydia will participate in interactive workshops, receive leadership training, work on service projects, and engage in dialogue with influential guest speakers. In addition, her volunteer hours will count towards her AGS endorsement. Way to go, Lydia!
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The Austin Ed Fund awarded $1900 to Austin High School for a 2018 Innovation Grant in support of Ms. Cooper's "Flexible Seating for Learning" proposal. This grant was used to deck out Ms. Cooper and Ms. Whipple's classrooms with flexible seating options and other items.
Austin Ed Fund’s Innovation Grants support creative approaches to teaching and learning in Austin ISD classrooms. "Studies show that students are more successful when collaborative learning spaces and flexible seating are available in classrooms. This project provides student-centered options for the learning environment, which will engage students and build the 4C skills: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication. Serving junior-level students in one of the four academies, it will impact 160+ students the first year with a potential of benefiting additional students in future years. " |
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