FHS Valedictorian Avery Thaler and Salutatorian Lily Beaver were announced last week, along with an additional 41 students graduating with honors this year.
Opening up the annual Academic Banquet for Fairfield High School on Monday night, May 6, 2024, was Principal Sonya Gibson, who welcomed students, parents, faculty, and administration.
Senior Charlee Brackens 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, 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 1990-2024 (excluding 1997, 2020, & 2022).
That’s 32 out of the past 35 years!
They also placed third 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 (Misty Rhoden – Sponsor)
Eashan Kalyanji: 1st Place District, 6th Place Regionals
Avie Robinson: 2nd Place District, Regional Qualifier
Preston Scott: 3rd Place District, Regional Qualifier
Cooper Craddick: 4th Place District, Regional Qualifier
Gage Wendt: Participant
Team: 1st Place District
–Computer Applications (Misty Rhoden – Sponsor)
Preston Scott: 1st Place District, 3rd Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Eashan Kalyanji: 2nd Place District, 2nd Place Regionals, State Qualifier, Defending State Champion
Aiden Adams: 3rd Place District, 6th Place Regionals
–Computer Science (Davin Davis – Sponsor)
Newton Hartley: 1st Place District, 2nd Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Luke Cruce: 2nd Place District, 5th Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Preston Scott: 3rd Place District, 8th Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Eashan Kalyanji: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor, State Qualifier
Anderson Cruce: Team Alternate
Jack Bean, Noah Hoskins, and Austin Reeves: Participants
Team: 1st Place District, 1st Place Regionals, Advancing to State for the 4th year in a row
–Current Issues & Events (Katie Wade – Sponsor)
Laiken Carlson, Connor Colvert, Antonio Jauregui, and Sienna Miller: District Competitors
Ayden Canizales: District Alternate
Ben Kilkenny: Participant
–Literary Criticism (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Anna Moyer: 1st Place District, 4the Place Regionals
Lydia Morgan: 2nd Place District, 5th Place Regionals
Kynzee Payne: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Devin McNeil: District Alternate, Regional Competitor
Tiffany Jauregui: District Competitor
RaeAnne Rossiaky: District Alternate
Ayden Canizales, Skylar Cook, Denise Hanson, Sienna Miller, and Yahir Yepez: Participants
Team: 1st Place District, 2nd Place Regionals
–Ready Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Skylar Bonner, Bailey Holland, and Austin Smith: District Competitors
Kaden McCrory and Bethany George: District Alternates
Newton Hartley, Denise Hanson, Noah Hoskins, and Adalyn Peterson: Participants
–Science (Cheryl Stone – Sponsor)
Lydia Morgan: 1st Place Overall District, 1sp Place District Chemistry, 1st Place District Physics, 4th Place Overall Region, 4th Place Regional Chemistry, 6th Place Region Biology
Noah Hoskin: 2nd Place Overall District, 1st Place District Biology, 10th Overall Region
Brayden Haley: 3rd Place Overall District, Regional Competitor
Laiken Carlson: 4th Place Overall District, Regional Competitor
Newton Hartley and Avery Thaler: District Competitors
Brayden Samford: District Alternate
Aiden Adams, Jack Bean, Conner Colvert, Anderson Cruce, Mason Edwards, Bailey Holland, Ben Kilkenny, Anna Moyer, and Blake Phillips: Participants
Team: 1st Place District and 3rd Place Regionals
–Spelling & Vocabulary (Tyson Hopper – Sponsor)
Yahir Yepez: 1st Place District, 5th Place Regionals
Austin Smith: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Tevin Eam: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor
Madysen Farris: 5th Place District, Regional Competitor
Callie Morgan: District Alternate
Owynn Jordal, Deyla Morgan, and Alyssa Winters: Participants
Team: 1st Place District, 3rd Place Regionals
–Social Studies (James Nutt – Sponsor)
Kaden McCrory: 6th Place District
Antonio Jauregui, Jesus Pina, and Finn Smith: District Competitors
Corbin Barlow: District Alternate
Alyssa Winters: Participant
–Calculator Applications (GayLynn Swan – Sponsor)
Avery Thaler: 2nd Place District
Tevin Eam, Mason Edwards, and Peyton Woodall: District Competitors
Erick Rosales and Austin Solis: District Alternates
Team: 2nd Place District
–Mathematics (Chris Owen – Sponsor)
Newton Hartley: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Mason Edwards: 4th Place District, Regional Competitor
Luke Cruce: 6th Place District, Regional Competitor
Noah Hoskins: District Competitor
Gage Wendt: Regional Competitor
Trinity Glass: District Alternate
Deyla Morgan: Participant
Team: 1st Place District, Regional Qualifiers
–Number Sense (Chris Owen – Sponsor)
Alfonso Rodriguez: 1st Place District, 6th Place Regionals
Conner Colvert: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Obie Crook: District Competitor, Regional Competitor
Noah Hoskins: Regional Competitor
Gage Wendt: District Competitor
Jack Bean and Tevin Eam: District Alternates
Team: 1st Place District, 3rd Place Regionals
–News Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Kynzee Payne: 5th Place District
Tiffany Jauregui: 6th Place District
Mayrin Espinoza: District Competitor
Casey Couture and Bethany George: District Alternates
Callie Morgan, Jocelyn Salazar, and Yahir Yepez: Participants
–Feature Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Kynzee Payne: 4th Place District
Tiffany Jauregui: 5th Place District
Mayrin Espinoza: District Competitor
Bethany George and Bailey Holland: District Alternates
Casey Couture, Nadia Hoskins, and Callie Morgan: Participants
–Editorial Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Carolyn Dunlap: 2nd Place District, 1st Place Regionals, State Qualifier
Blake Phillips: 6the Place District
Bryanna Willis: District Competitor
Kynzee Payne and RaeAnne Rossiaky: District Alternates
Denise Hanson, Antonio Jauregui, Jhanvi Patel, and Jocelyn Salazar: Participants
–Headline Writing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Adalyn Peterson: 3rd Place District, 3rd Place Regionals, Sate Qualifier
Callie Morgan: 2nd Place District, 5th Place Regionals
Antonio Jauregui: 4th Place District, Reginal Alternate
Obie Crook and Denise Hanson: District Alternates
Ayden Canizales, Skylar Cook, Anderson Cruce, and Jhanvi Patel: Participants
–Copy Editing (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Anna Moyer: 2nd Place District, Regional Competitor
Mayrin Espinoza and Tiffany Jaurgui: District Competitors
Bailey Holland and Kynzee Payne: District Alternates
Jhanvi Patel: Participant
Team: 2nd Place District, 3rd Place Regionals
–Informative Speaking (Nicole Crawford – Sponsor)
Justin Johnson: 5th Place District
Lily Beaver and Mason Copeland: District Competitors
Yahir Yepez: District Alternate
–Persuasive Speaking (Nicole Crawford – Sponsor)
Cole Coufal: 5th Place District
Mason Edwards and Evelyn Fultz: District Competitors
Kaliyah Gasaway: District Alternate
–Prose Interpretation (Hannah Spradlin – Sponsor)
Mayrin Espinoza: District Competitor
–Lincoln-Douglas Debate (Peter Marotta – Sponsor)
Zoe Guillotte: 3rd Place District, Regional Competitor
Jerry Draper: 4th Place District
Aiden Cobb: 5th Place District
Team: 3rd Place District
–One-Act Play (Hannah Spradlin & Kathie Maciel – Directors)
Newton Hartley and Emma Jo Smith: Cast, District All-Star Cast
Ben Kilkenny, Mason Edwards, Jude Rounds, Aiden Cobb, Skylar Bonner, Kynzee Payne, Anna Moyer, and Deyla Morgan: Cast
Raeleigh Kendziora: Cres, District All-Star Technical Award
Kiera Walker, Bailey Holland, Mariana Aguilera, Eashan Kalyanji, Madison Russell, and Adalyn Peterson: Crew
UIL Individual State-Level Contests
–FILM (Tammy Gawryszewski – Sponsor)
Jack Bean, Conner Colvert, and Finn Smith: State Finalists for Animation
Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) Awards
–Broadcasting (Tammy Gawryszewski – Sponsor)
Cariss Capps and Evelyn Fultz: 3rd Place General News Story, 3rd Place General News Writing, Honorable Mention Feature Story
Conner Covert and Finn Smith: 1st Place General News Writing, Tops in Texas General News Writing
Kole Brackens: 3rd Place Graphics
Mason Edwards: 1st Place Commercial/PSA, Tops in Texas Commercial/PSA
–Online News (Kathie Maciel – Sponsor)
Casey Couture and Callie Morgan: 2nd Place News Writing
Rainy Bonds and Ava Gann: 3rd Place News Feature
Callie Morgan and Bailey Holland: 1st Place Entertainment Feature
Ava Gann and Nadia Hoskins: 2nd Place Entertainment Feature
Bethany George and Jocelyn Salazar: 1st Place Computer Art
Nadia Hoskins: Honorable Mention News Writing, 3rd Place Sports Feature Story, 3rd Place Feature Writing, Honorable Mention Feature Writing
Jocelyn Salazar: 1st Place Editorial Writing, 1st Place Personal Opinion Column, Honorable Mention Infographic/Sidebar
Mayrin Espinoza: 1st Place Sports News Story, 3rd Place Sports News Story
Bailey Holland: 2nd Place Student Artwork/Cartoon, 3rd Place Student Artwork/Cartoon
Callie Morgan: 3rd Place Sports Action Photo, 2nd Place Headlines, 1st Place Social Media Story
Brianna Ramos: 3rd Place General News Photo
Bethany George: 1st Place Portrait
ACT/SAT
These seniors were recognized for scoring above the state level of excellence for the ACT (24) and SAT (1100): Lily Beaver, Aiden Cobb, Madysen Farris, Eashan Kalyanji, Deyla Morgan, Taylor Stone, and Avery Thaler.
New BETA Club Members
Aiden Adams, Auren Adams, Mackenzie Allen, Jonathan Kipp Collins, Connor Colvert, Obie Crook, Mason Edwards, Bethany George, Joshua George, Trinity Glass, Brayden Hayley, Bailey Holland, Emily Kent, Callie Morgan, Abril Ocampo, Jazmin Ocampo, Blake Phillips, Jesus Pina, Rhett Ralstin, Madison Russell, Cinthia Serrato, Finnton Smith, Avery Strait, Briana Thurman, and Gage Wendt.
Top Five Ranked Underclassmen
–Freshmen: Noah Hoskins (5.32), Anderson Cruce (5.24), Antonio Jauregui (5.22), Anna Moyer (5.22), and Yahir Yepez (5.16).
–Sophomores: Mason Edwards (5.50), Blake Phillips (5.33), Bailey Holland (5.27), Avery Strait (5.27), and Gage Wendt (5.19).
–Juniors: Lydia Morgan (5.60), Preston Scott (5.35), Luke Cruce (5.34), Newton Hartley (5.32), and Skylar Bonner (5.25).
Senior Honor Graduates
These students (pictured at top) achieved an average Grade Point of 4.00 or greater: Valedictorian – Avery Thaler (5.68), Salutatorian – Lily Beaver (5.36), Eashan Kalyanji (5.33), Madysen Farris (5.26), Madox Mitchael (5.24), Kennedy Lane (5.22), Caris Mayer (5.17), Taylor Stone (5.12), Linsey Cockerell (5.02), Kayden Dallas (4.98), Emma Jo. Smith (4.93), River Bonds (4.91), Landry Bayless (4.83), Aurora Figueira (4.83), Jaci Marissa Eppes (4.72), Carolina Limones (4.70), Dionicio Azuara (4.63), Lillian McBean (4.55), Bradley Kahne Mabry (4.54), Avery Minze (4.41), Cameron Cockerell (4.40), Makenna Eppes (4.40), Brianna McDonald (4.38), Mason Daniel (4.36), Jake White (4.33), Charlee Brackens (4.33), Avie Robinson (4.31), Jonathan Kipp Collins (4.26), Eric Escobedo (4.24), David Pierre Algood (4.24), Abril Ocampo (4.23), Emily Kent (4.22), Kaliyah Gasaway (4.21), Deyla Morgan (4.20), Allie Hughes (4.18), Collin Glass (4.18), William Bragg Bonner (4.16), Cooper Craddick (4.15), Emma White (4.14), Ruger Long (4.1), Itzel Rosales (4.07), Evan Chavers (4.06), and La’Zariah Robinson (4.03).
Closing remarks were offered by Board of Trustees President, Kevin Benedict and District Superintendent, Joe Craig.
A closing benediction was given by student Evan Chavers.
If you see any of these students, be sure to congratulate them on their hard work and accomplishments this year!
