Lubbock ISD

It's been a phenomenal year at Lubbock ISD with our students and staff soaring to new heights all year long. We recognized our newest (and largest) group of state qualifiers at today's board meeting with more than 200 students receiving praise and recognition for their art, athleticism and academics! To see all the photos from tonight's meeting, click here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QgGi7Tw922Gm1sSg6

ATHLETICS
Our recognition started with our student-athletes from all five of our high schools for their achievements in baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, track and field and wrestling. Students were named as academic all-state 1st and 2nd team, elite and honorable mention, Most Valuable Player, Athlete of the Year and Player of the Year by several athletic organizations and media outlets, including the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA), Texas Association of Soccer Coaches (TASC), Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA), University Scholastic League and the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Each year, THSCA recognizes top Texas high school coaches for their contributions to athletics and their accomplishments on and off the field/court. We're proud to announce that Coach Richard Leal from Lubbock High School was honored as the THSCA’s 2025-2026 Wrestling Coach of the Year for Region 1-5A!

The Texas High School Athletic Directors Association (THSADA) also recognizes outstanding athletic administrators for their dedicated service, leadership and special contributions to their local and regional levels of interscholastic athletic administration. We're proud to say that Coach Jolee Luce for being named as the THSADA Region 1 Athletic Administrator of the Year!

FINE ARTS
Since 1994, the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) has sponsored the annual High School Visual Art Scholastic Event, or VASE, which recognizes exemplary student achievement in the visual arts. Coronado High School’s Aaliyah Garcia, in Matthew Wright’s class, was named as one of 150 students across the state – and was one of just two students in Region 17 and the only one in our district to be named — as a Gold Seal winner for her artwork Breakfast in Bed.

The City of Lubbock’s annual Keep Lubbock Beautiful Art Contest addresses issues of waste, preservation and conservation in Lubbock through the language of art. Each year, a new theme for the contest is chosen, and this year's theme was "Creators & Pollinators!" which showcased the impact these creatures have to our environment. We're proud to announce that the winner of the 2026 Keep Lubbock Beautiful - Stash the Trash Art Contest was Roscoe Wilson Elementary student Gauranga Betha.

Twenty students from Evans Middle School achieved notable recognition after strong performances at the Junior VASE visual arts competition. Junior VASE is a TAEA-sponsored event that recognizes exemplary intermediate, middle school and junior high school student artwork. Jurors grade the art from a rating of 1 to 4, and we are pleased to announce that all Evans Middle School competitors all received a 4 rating. Of this group, two students were ultimately selected for the prestigious Platinum Award, the highest recognition available to students at this level.

ACADEMICS
Lubbock ISD students continue to excel in speech and debate at both the state and national
levels. Through regular-season competitions and rigorous qualifying processes, 12 students have
earned the opportunity to represent the district in prestigious tournaments across Texas and the U.S. this year, including the Texas Forensics Association State Tournament, the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions and the National Speech and Debate Association National Tournament!

University Interscholastic League (UIL) Academic contests are designed to motivate students through comprehensive competitions, challenge students to think critically, and provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of essential knowledge and skills. Lubbock ISD is proud to announce that 14 students qualified for the state competition!

The South Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair (SPRSEF) is an annual competition for students in grades 4 through 12 from the South Plains and Panhandle regions of Texas. This year, we are proud to announce that 15 Lubbock ISD students qualified to compete at the Texas State Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

The Texas State Historical Association hosts Texas History Day, a project-based, statewide research program and competition for grades 3–12, affiliated with National History Day. Sixteen students from across Lubbock ISD once again participated in Texas History Day at the state level, with several Hutchinson Middle School and Talkington School for Young Women Leaders students qualifying to compete at the national level and winning special awards.

Each spring, the Texas FFA holds Career Development Events throughout the state, allowing students to showcase their talents and knowledge in these areas. This year, 20 students from the Lubbock ISD AgriSTEM Complex competed in a variety of areas including cotton and meat judging, environmental natural resources, floriculture and wildlife.

Lubbock ISD esports teams from Coronado High School and Lubbock High School had a standout year, earning top placements across a variety of games qualifying them to compete at the TexSEF state tournament!

We are so incredibly proud of all our students and staff for their exemplary talents. Please join us in congratulating each one of them for their accomplishments! We are so proud to have you at Lubbock ISD!

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