FHS Valedictorian Lydia Morgan and Salutatorian Preston Scott were announced last week, along with an additional 41 students graduating with honors this year.
Opening the annual Academic Banquet for Fairfield High School on Monday night, May 5, 2025, was Principal Sonya Gibson, who welcomed students, parents, faculty, and administration.
Senior Addison Posey gave a beautiful invocation, followed by a meal catered by Sam’ Restaurant.
Awards and recognition were offered for UIL Academics, ILPC, UIL Sponsors/Coaches, ACT/SAT Scores, Advanced Placement, College Board National Recognition, Navarro College DC Cosmetology, New BETA Club Members, Top Five Underclassmen, and Senior Honor Graduates.
UIL Academics
Fairfield High School has earned the title of District 20-AAA UIL Academic Champions from 1990-2025 (excluding 1997, 2020, & 2022).
That’s 33 out of the past 36 years!
They also placed second in Region 3, Class AAA as a school; and many individuals and teams competed at the state level as well.
The following sponsors and students represented the school very well!
–Accounting (Davin Davis – Sponsor)
Tiffany Jauregui: 1st Place District, Regional Competitor
Conner Petty: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor
Connor Colvert & Mayrin Espinoza: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Austin Solis & Callie Morgan: District Alternate
Team: 1st Place District, Regional Team Qualifier
–Computer Science (Davin Davis – Sponsor)
Luke Cruce: 1st Place District, 3rd Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Preston Scott: 2nd Place District, 6th Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Newton Hartley: 3rd Place District, 2nd Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Anderson Cruce: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor, State Qualifier
Bry Willis: Alternate
Aaron Evans, Daniel Bonner, Kyndal Tatum, Haysten Kent, & Antonio Jauregui: Participant
Team: 1st Place District, 1st Place Regionals, State Qualifier for 5th year in a row, 2021 & 2022 State Champs, and 2021, 2022, & 2024 Individual State Champion
–Current Issues & Events (Katie Wade – Sponsor)
Aaron Evans: 1st Place District, Regional Competitor
Antonio Jauregui: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Hudson Little & Laiken Carlson: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Conner Colvert: Alternate
Aiden Hart & Sienna Miller: Participant
Team: 1st Place District, 4th Place Regionals
–Literary Criticism (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Lydia Morgan: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Kynzee Payne: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Devin McNeil & Skylar Cook: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Tiffany Jauregui, Sienna Miller, Yahir Yepez, Leylani Gil, Paisley Robinson, & Jordan McDaniel: Participant
Team: 1st Place District, 4th Place Regionals
–Ready Writing (Nanceen Hoskins – Sponsor)
Paisley Robinson: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Evelyn Fultz & Nadia Hoskins: District Competitor
Anna Allen, Jordan McDaniel, & Jay Patel: Participant
–Science (Cheryl Stone – Sponsor)
Lydia Morgan: 1st Place Overall District, 1st Place District Biology, 1st Place District Physics, 3rd Place Overall Regional, State Qualifier
Brayden Haley: 2nd Place Overall District, 1st Place District Chemistry, 4th Place Overall Regional, State Alternate
Mason Edwards: 3rd Place Overall District, Regional Competitor
Jack Bean: 4th Place Overall District, Regional Competitor
Noah Hoskins: 5th Place Overall District, Regional Alternate
Blake Phillips: District Competitor
Anderson Cruce & Kaden McCrory: District Alternate
Bailey Holland, Emma Thomason, Jaxon Duarte’, Aiden Hart, Braylan McMillian, & Mycah Smith: Participant
Team: 1st Place District and 2nd Place Regionals, State Alternate
–Spelling & Vocabulary (Nanceen Hoskins – Sponsor)
Yahir Yepez: 1st Place District, 6th Place Regionals, State Alternate
Preston Scott: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Tevin Eam: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor
Paisley Robinson: 5th Place District, Regional Competitor
Solomon Growden, Isaiah Chavez, Nidhi Kalanynji, Jay Patel, Vaness Martinez, & Jazlynn Varela: Participant
Team: 1st Place District, 2nd Place Regionals, State Alternate
–Social Studies (James Nutt – Sponsor)
Kaden McCrory: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Blake Phillips: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Trintyn Rogers: District Competitor, Regional Qualifier
Antonio Jauregui: District Competitor
Jesus Pina: District Alternate, Regional Competitor
Team: 2nd Place District, Regional Alternate
–Calculator Applications (GayLynn Swan – Sponsor)
Mason Edwards: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Austin Solis, Tevin Eam, & Erik Rosales: District Competitor
Jonathan Ramirez & Robbie Williams: Alternate
Jhanvi Patel, Aaryn Morgan, Jade Oregon, & Manuel Arriaga: Participant
Team: 2nd Place District
–Mathematics (Chris Owen – Sponsor)
Mason Edwards: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Newton Hartley: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor
Lydia Morgan & Noah Hoskins: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Tevin Eam & Jay Patel: Alternate
Team: 1st Place District, 6th Place Regionals
–Number Sense (Chris Owen – Sponsor)
Alfonso Rodriguez: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Jack Bean: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Noah Hoskins: 4th Place District, 4th Place Regionals, State Alternate
Connor Colvert: 6th Place District, Regional Competitor
Luke Cruce & Isaiah Chavez: Alternate
Team: 1st Place District, 4th Place Regionals
–News Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Kynzee Payne: 1st Place District, Regional Competitor
Bethany George: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Bailey Holland: 4th Place District, Regional Alternate
Skylar Bonner & Callie Morgan: Alternate
Skylar Cook, Tiffany Jauregui, Emma Thomason, Casey Couture, & Jocelyn Salazar: Participant
–Feature Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Kynzee Payne: 2nd Place District, 5th Place Regional, State Alternate
Bethany George: 4th Place District, Regional Alternate, Regional Competitor
Bailey Holland: 6th Place District, Regional Alternate
Skylar Bonner & Jhanvi Patel: Alternate
Tiffany Jauregui & Callie Morgan: Participant
–Editorial Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Callie Morgan: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Bethany George: 4th Place District, Regional Alternate
Carolyn Dunlap: 6th Place District, Regional Alternate
Adalyn Peterson & Kynzee Payne: Alternate
Bry Willis, RaeAnne Rossiaky, Denise Hanson, Skylar Bonner, Jhanvi Patel, & Jocelyn Salazar: Participant
–Headline Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Antonio Jauregui: 1st Place District, Reginal Competitor
Adalyn Peterson: 2nd Place District, Reginal Competitor
Callie Morgan: 3rd Place District, 3rd Place Regional, State Qualifier
Jerry Draper & Anna Allen: Alternate
Obie Crook, Ben Kilkenny, & Jordan McDaniel: Participant
–Copy Editing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Kynzee Payne: 1st Place District, Regional Competitor
Yahir Yepez & Bethany George: District Competitor
Callie Morgan & Jhanvi Patel: Alternate
Casey Couture, Bailey Holland, Skylar Cook, Skylar Bonner, Sienna Miller, Emma Thomason, & Denise Hanson: Participant
–Journalism Team
1st Place District, 6th Place Regionals
–Cross Examination (CX) Debate
Aaron Evans & Hudson Little: 3rd Place District, State Alternate
Gage Wendt & Connor Colvert: 4th Place District
Laiken Carlson & Mason Edwards: 5th Place District
Colten Johnson & Cane Loviette: 6th Place District
–Informative Speaking (Nicole Crawford – Sponsor)
Mason Copeland: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Madyn Mitchael: 4th Place District, Regional Alternate & Competitor
Justin Johnson: District Competitor
–Persuasive Speaking (Nicole Crawford – Sponsor)
Evelyn Fultz: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Brekan Carlson: District Competitor
Owen Lane: District Competitor
–Poetry Interpretation (Stacy Bachtel – Sponsor)
Mariela Espinoza: 5th Place District, Regional Alternate
Anna Allen & Jordan McDaniel: District Competitor
–Prose Interpretation (Stacy Bachtel – Sponsor)
Mayrin Espinoza: Participant
–Lincoln-Douglas Debate (LD) (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Claire Guillotte: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Blake Phillips: 4th Place District, Regional Alternate
Mycah Smith: 6th Place District, Regional Alternate
Robbie Williams: District Alternate
Braylan McMillian & Trintyn Rogers: Participant
–Speech/Debate Team
2nd Place District
–One-Act Play (Kathie Maciel & Rebecca Watson – Directors)
Skylar Bonner: Cast, All Star Cast
Mason Edwards: Cast, Honorable Mention All Star Cast
Dania Azuara, Ayden Canizales, Newton Hartley, & Adalyn Peterson: Cast
Paisley Robinson: Crew, District All-Star Technical Award
Anna Allen, Bella Falkner, Bailey Holland, Raeleigh Kendziora, Jordan McDaniel, Braylan McMillian, RaeAnne Rossiaky, Jazlynn Varela, & Alyssa Winters: Crew
–Broadcasting (Tammy Gawryszewski – Sponsor)
Aaron Evans & Kevin Tierrablanca: 3rd Place, General News Writing
Brooke Cobb: 2nd Place, General Feature Writing
Mason Edwards & Kole Brackens: 2nd Place, General Sports Writing
Brooke Cobb: Honorable Mention, Feature Story
Christopher Mettlen, 1st Place, General Sports Story
Mason Edwards & Kole Brackens: 2nd Place, Sports Feature Story
Evelyn Fultz & Cariss Capps: 3rd Place, Special Coverage
–Online News (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Bailey Holland: 1st Place News Writing
Callie Morgan: 2nd Place News Writing
Bailey Holland: 2nd Place Editorial Writing
Kynzee Payne & Johnnie Sims: 1st Place Sports News Story
Callie Morgan: 2nd Place Sports News Story
Rainy Bonds: 3rd Place Sports Feature Story
Casey Couture: 1st Place Feature Writing
Carlos Garcia: Honorable Mention Feature Writing
Preston Scott & Addison Bailes: 2nd Place Entertainment Review
Nadia Hoskins: 1st Place Entertainment Feature
Brianna Ramos: 2nd Place Photo Slideshow
Casey Couture: 3rd Place Photo Slideshow
Callie Morgan: 2nd Place Personal Column
Callie Morgan: 2nd Place Personal Opinion Column
Bailey Holland: 1st Place Computer Art
Bailey Holland: 1st Place Student Artwork/Cartoon
Bailey Holland: 2nd Place Student Artwork/Cartoon
Callie Morgan: 1st Place Headlines
Skylar Bonner & Preston Scott: 1st Place Social Media Story
Callie Morgan & Bailey Holland: 2nd Place Social Media Story
All Eagle Beat Newspaper Staff & Writers: 1st Place In-Depth News/Feature Package
Thanks to these teachers who served as UIL sponsors, coaching students in various competitions.
ACT/SAT
These seniors were recognized for scoring above the state level of excellence for the ACT (24) and SAT (1100): Addison Bailes, Skylar Bonner, Cole Coufal, Casey Couture, Luke Cruce, Carolyn Dunlap, Zoe Guillotte, Brayden Haley, Newton Hartley, Benjamin Kilkenny, Rylie Longer, Lydia Morgan, Addison Posey, Brayden Samford, Jack Savage, Preston Scott, & Austin Smith.
Advanced Placement
These senior students were recognized for scoring at least at 3 on the Advanced Placement Exam in AP English Language, AP Chemistry, AP Physics: Addison Bailey, Cole Coufal, Luke Cruce, Joshua George, Brayden Haley, Newton Hartley, Tiffany Jauregui, Justin Johnson, Benjamin Kilkenny, Lydia Morgan, Addison Posey, Preston Scott, Austin Smith, & Alyssa Winters.
College Board National Recognition Program
These seniors were commended in the National Merit Scholarship Program: Newton Hartley & Lydia Morgan.
Navarro College Dual Credit Cosmetology Certification of Program Completion
Megan Amaya, Suzanne Hanson, Mayte Hidalgo, Joanna Limones, Honey Lundy, Lily Moore, Reese White, & Hailey Woodcock.
New BETA Club Members
Reese Beaver, Kole Brackens, Bryn Burkhart, Skylar Cook, Anderson Cruce,
Tevin Eam, Evelyn Fultz, Nadia Hoskins, Antonio Jauregui, Bailey Lovelady,
Delaney McGowan, Zaylan McMillian, Sienna Miller, Jhanvi Patel, Adalyn Peterson,
Elizabeth Pillans, Kaylie Ridge, Airen Robers, Gracie Robinson, Lauren Scott,
Austin Solis, Riley Stone, Bryanna Willis, and Yahir Yepez.
Top Five Ranked Underclassmen
–Freshmen: Hudson Little (5.25), Aaron Evans (5.12), Paisley Robinson (4.86), Anna Allen (4.84), & Ivy Wren (4.78)
–Sophomores: Noah Hoskins (5.41), Antonio Jauregui (5.30), Yahir Yepez (5.29), Anderson Cruce (5.24), & Adalyn Peterson (5.20).
–Juniors: Mason Edwards (5.54), Blake Phillips (5.32), Gage Wendt (5.26), Avery Strait (5.26), & Bailey Holland (5.18).
Senior Honor Graduates
These students achieved an average Grade Point of 4.00 or greater: Valedictorian – Lydia Morgan (5.65), Salutatorian – Preston Scott (5.37), Newton Hartley (5.35), Luke Cruce (5.32), Skylar Bonner (5.28), Addison Posey (5.26), Tiffany Jauregui (5.21), Carolyn Dunlap (5.18), Madelyn Morrison (5.04), Rylie Longer (4.99), Elizabeth Pillans (4.95), Suzune Awalt (4.91), Brayden Haley (4.88), Justin Johnson (4.82), Connor Petty (4.80), Addison Bailes (4.71), Nadia Hoskins (4.63), Jocelyn Salazar (4.61), Benjamin Kilkenny (4.60), Jimilyah Nash (4.56), Emma Hill (4.51), Bailey Lovelady (4.51), Abigail Gallegos (4.50), Mayrin Espinoza (4.50), Joshua George (4.49), Brooke Cobb (4.42), Briana Wall (4.42), Adan Espinoza (4.39), Alfonso Rodriguez (4.36), Angelina Cobb (4.35), Gracie Robinson (4.35), Cole Coufal (4.32), RaeAnne Rossiaky (4.30), Brayden Samford (4.30), Zoe Guillotte (4.29), Kynzee Payne (4.27), Hailey Wall (4.26), Morgan Roberson (4.24), Bryn Burkhart (4.24), Lillian Poole (4.15), Sol Ruiz (4.04), Austin Smith (4.03), & Justus Savage (4.00).
Closing remarks were offered by Board of Trustees President, Kevin Benedict and District Superintendent, Joe Craig.
A closing benediction was given by student Joshua George.
If you see any of these students, be sure to congratulate them on their hard work and accomplishments this year!
(Photos by Natalia V. Marsters)
