Students to Receive State Championship Rings for 2024 Success

Several students will receive State Championship Rings for their success in several events last year. These champions include: junior Blake Phillips, senior Newton Hartley, senior Landon Salinas, senior Na’kayla Connor and junior Blayke Brackens. 

Phillips placed first in Sr Prepared Animal Science speaking.

“I honestly did not know how to feel whenever my name was called,” Philips said. “Something inside of me did not expect to win because I was going against older kids, who have been in this position multiple times.  I am very pleased to see kids who are not in athletics be recognized for their efforts, and I am very excited to receive this honor of a state ring.” 

Brackens and Connor were part of the team that won the championship for the 4×200 relay at the State Track Meet in May. Salinas won State Champion in powerlifting, and Hartley won the championship for UIL computer science. 

“I knew when I entered UIL that I wanted to become state champion at least once,” Hartley said. “When it was time to see the scores, I knew that I had succeeded whenever Mr. Davis’s face lit up and his pointer finger shot up denoting ‘one.’ Naturally, I was ecstatic, for both myself and for my childhood self that so badly wanted to be a programmer.”

These students proved that they are the best in the event that they put their time and effort into.  

“Of course I’m excited,” said Hartley. “It’s a piece of metal that exclaims ‘hey, I love what I do and I’m good at it!’”