June 2, 2025
Dear AHS Community,
We did it—another successful year at AHS! As we conclude this remarkable journey, I would like to take a moment to celebrate our students’ outstanding achievements and express my pride in our entire school community.
One of the highlights of this year was our students’ remarkable performance at the UIL Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest (TSSEC) held at Weiss High School on Saturday, May 24th. We are thrilled to share that eight of our AHS Maroon Choir singers participated and earned outstanding ratings:
Jacob Baird (11th) & Zoe Baird (9th) both received Superior ratings on their solos and were awarded Outstanding Performer Awards — a prestigious recognition that showcases superior musicianship at the state level. This achievement marks a historic first for the AHS Maroon Choir program in over a decade!
Lola Romero (9th) and Levi Tostado (11th) also earned Superior solo ratings.
Juno McQueen and Haley Leugers, both sophomores, earned Excellent solo ratings.
Our Madrigal Ensemble, comprising Jacob Baird, Zoe Baird, Audrey Byrwa (10th), Autumn Eaves Marin (11th), Haley Leugers, Juno McQueen, Lola Romero, and Levi Tostado, received a Superior rating.
Congratulations to all these talented and dedicated singers for their hard work and exceptional performances!
Additionally, as we reflect on our graduating seniors walking across the stage, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the four years we have shared. Watching them grow, learn, and achieve their goals has been truly inspiring. I am so proud of each of you and wish you success in all your future endeavors.
Thank you to our students, staff, parents, and community members for your continued support throughout the year. Together, we have made this year memorable and filled with accomplishments.
Wishing everyone a restful and joyful summer!
Loyal Forever!
Dr. Bedford
May 25, 2025
AHS School Community,
We have officially reached our final week of the 2024-2025 school year! As we prepare to celebrate this exciting milestone, I hope you take some time to enjoy the upcoming three-day weekend with your family and friends.
This school year has been filled with memorable moments, including our ASI & AGS Senior Salutes, a successful Trustee Award Ceremony, and many more. Looking ahead, we are eagerly preparing for the ACS & ADT Senior Salute and Graduation, scheduled for Thursday, May 29th at 8:00 pm at the Burger Center. Our seniors have demonstrated remarkable leadership and responsibility throughout the year. A special shoutout to them for their impressive senior prank, which even made the news.
Way to go, seniors! I look forward to celebrating with all of you as you walk across the stage.
I also want to highlight some outstanding achievements of our students:
Congratulations to Luke Nguyen for competing at the State level in Science, earning 16th place overall in 6A and an impressive 7th place in Chemistry! Luke’s dedication is truly inspiring. Be sure to give him a high five if you see him around!
Our Street Law students had the unique opportunity to tour parts of the Texas State Capitol that are typically off-limits to the public—an incredible experience for those interested in law and government.
OnRamps US History students visited the LBJ Library and participated in a dynamic simulation called “Unfortunate Son,” immersing themselves in the Vietnam War era. Many shared how this experience deepened their understanding of that complex period.
Let’s congratulate our talented art students who participated in the recent competition and successfully qualified for the State V.A.S.E. 2025! Their hard work and creativity have truly paid off, and we are proud of your accomplishments.
Please take a moment to view the slideshow showcasing our students' artwork and participation at the upcoming state event on April 26, 2025:
(https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VcAOoqaQJlVKFk2WYSyKvXh5ZYsqsrVDwD1NK2NWP0A/edit?usp=sharing)
Please join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of the Austin High Boys Lacrosse team for their historic 2025 season. This season, under the leadership of new Head Varsity Coach Pat Brennan—who joined Austin High in Fall 2023 after serving as Offensive Coordinator for the University of Texas Longhorn Men's Lacrosse team and as a player at Army West Point—the team made significant strides. Finishing the Spring 2024 season ranked 6th in the Class A division and reaching the Final Four, narrowly losing to Vandegrift in quadruple overtime in 2021, and again in 2024. Advancing to the 2025 State Playoffs, where they defeated Kinkaid in a thrilling triple-overtime victory (5-4) in Round 1, then overcame Vandegrift (12-11) in the Elite Eight, and TMI Episcopal (11-8) in the Final Four. Reaching the Championship game for the first time since 1994, facing St. Mark’s in a hard-fought battle. Although the Maroons were defeated with a final score of 7-3, they held St. Mark’s to just 1 goal in the first half and demonstrated incredible resilience throughout the season. The team concluded their season with a 13-7 record, earning the distinction of State Runner-Up in the Class A division. Their journey was marked by talent, determination, and teamwork—qualities that continue to define the spirit of Austin High lacrosse. Please join us in congratulating the players, coaches, and everyone involved in making this historic season possible. We look forward to many more successful seasons ahead!
Additionally, congratulations to Hannah Rojo for signing to compete in Gymnastics at the University of Alaska Anchorage!
Finally, I want to share a delightful article by the Cafeteria Crusader in The Maroon Newspaper. The humor, honesty, and insightful commentary beautifully highlight the dedication of our cafeteria staff. Highlights included:
"The Holy Grail of High School Food"
"If you are dating a vegetarian, bring them here... you’ll get a big smooch"
"Our Cafeteria Workers are incredibly versatile, hardworking, and 100% kill it"
A big thank you to Alden Bruner for writing such a fun and meaningful piece, and to teacher Roger Steele for guiding our school publication.
With just three more full days remaining, we are proud of all our students’ accomplishments and look forward to celebrating their successes.
Let’s finish the year strong!
Enjoy the long weekend, and thank you for your continued support.
Loyal Forever!
Dr. Bedford
May 18, 2025
Dear AHS Community,
As we approach the final nine days of this school year, I find myself reflecting on how quickly time has flown. I am incredibly grateful for all that we have accomplished together and proud of our students and their many achievements. It's truly a joy to share their successes each week!
We celebrated an incredible AHS Athletics Signing Day with the following students committing to their college teams:
Sam Ramberg (Boys Lacrosse) – Sewanee
Max Salinas (Boys Soccer) – Trinity University
Elle Reinarz (Equestrian) – Schreiner University
Dunaven Kurak (Football) – Rhodes College
Javier Godines (Baseball) – Dallas College Brookhaven
Fletcher Wilson (Baseball) – Southwestern University
Let's all wish them continued success as they embark on this exciting new chapter. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing their future accomplishments as proud alumni.
Our US History OnRamps students had an enriching experience touring the LBJ Library and participating in the “Unfortunate Son” simulation, which transported them back to the Vietnam War era. They engaged in decision-making scenarios that highlighted the complexities of that time, and explored the Vietnam exhibit at the museum. Congratulations to our students for their curiosity and engagement!
Our AHS Mountain Biking Team represented us proudly at the state competition, finishing 5th as a team! Special congratulations to our top finishers:
Ellie Williams (Freshman) – 2nd place in Varsity
Amelia Armstrong (Senior) – 4th place
Cargan Cook (Sophomore) – 9th place
Despite some setbacks, several other riders also earned top 10 finishes—truly an impressive showing!
Our AHS Rocketry Club successfully launched and recovered three rockets built from scratch, each carrying a payload of two eggs. Remarkably, all eggs survived multiple flights up to 900 feet! Huge congratulations to the teams:
Team 1: Anar Iveel, Pedro Vicente Polo, Lin Zaw, Maddox Menzie
Team 2: Elliott Day, Ali Reichenberg, Joseph Jeong
Team 3: Andrew Yamilkoski, Quinn Skidmore, Veronica Lehman, Jacob Patt, Kendra Tseng
Please join me in congratulating all of our students for their dedication and hard work!
As we look ahead, I wanted to share some upcoming events with you. We hope to see you there!
Monday, May 19th - Yearbook distribution in the Auxiliary Gym
Tuesday, May 20th - Trustee Awards Ceremony in the AHS PAC
Wednesday, May 21st - AGS Senior Salute at 6 pm in the AHS PAC
Thursday, May 22nd - Spring Jazz Concert at 6 pm in the AHS PAC
Friday, May 26th - Final Testing for 1st and 2nd periods
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to AHS dedicated administrators, teachers, staff, and AHS PTSA for their unwavering commitment to our students' success. Let’s keep up the momentum as we close out another successful school year!
Thank you AHS Community for your continued support and partnership.
Loyal Forever!
Dr. Bedford
May 3, 2025
Dear Austin High Community,
I want to acknowledge another successful week and look forward to some exciting events ahead.
We start this upcoming week with AP Testing, which will be conducted all week. We also will be recognizing Teacher & Nurse Appreciation Week. Let's show our love and support for our dedicated teachers and nurses who work tirelessly for our students.
Unfortunately, we had to reschedule several events this past Friday due to inclement weather: the Ballet Folklorico Gran Show de Primavera and our Softball Banquet. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but the safety of our students and staff is always our first priority. We hope you can still make it out to show your support for these wonderful events.
Congratulations to our Athletic Commitments! We are adding more students and making corrections to last week's list. I am equally proud to share our AHS athletes who have committed to play at the collegiate level:
Bryson Batts - Army Football
Preston Perkins - UTEP Football
Dunaven Kurak - Rhodes Football
Luke Bone - Texas Tech Track
Peyton Jones - UTB Tennis
James Scott - Bethel Baseball
Griffin Shepherd - McPherson Football
Jack Bission - UMHB Football
Kole Esselstyn – Drury Swimming
Willow Dymkowski - Hawaii Pacific University Tennis
Hannah Rojo - University of Alaska Anchorage Gymnastics
Elle Reinarz - Schreiner University Equestrian
Sam Ramberg - Sewanee Lacrosse
Kelly Murphy - Wagner Water Polo
Madeleine Griebel - Oregon State Rowing
Congratulations AHS Creative Writing! The Austin High School Creative Writing class with Mr. Padgett had five winners this year in Austin Community College's annual Vision &Voice poetry contest. Please congratulate the following poets if you see them:
Andrew Yamilkoski (12th grade)
Izzy Krieg (12th grade)
Harrison Sines (12th grade)
Miles Wyatt (11th grade)
Evy Rangel Larios (9th grade)
Their work will be published and celebrated at KLRU studios here in Austin.
Congratulations AHS Model UN! Please join me in congratulating our Model UN team after an amazing weekend of competition at St. Mary’s Hall High School in San Antonio. The following students brought home some very well-deserved and hard-earned awards:
Cheyenne Wright – Distinguished Delegate
Sophia Dawson – Distinguished Delegate
The entire team demonstrated preparation and professionalism and represented our school very well. Way to go Maroons!
Congratulations to Austin High Academic UIL! Austin High Academic UIL competed at UTSA for Regionals. We took a record 14 students!
Syon Bhatt
Keelan Christman
Elliott Day
Sophia Hooker
Charlie LaMair
Abigail Lehrach
Mila Madianos
Phoebe Miller
Grant Mings
Luke Nguyen
Gavin Pruett
Grace Randolph
Laila Rizkalla
Caroline Shaw
A special shout-out to Luke Nguyen who is part of our Academic UIL team.
As we approach graduation and prepare to celebrate our seniors, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our PTSA for organizing the wonderful Senior Lunch and College Signing Day event. It was a fantastic way to show our seniors how incredibly proud we are of their achievements. We eagerly anticipate seeing them walk across the stage at graduation. We also recently celebrated our Dedication Day Ceremony, inducting distinguished alums and some of our current seniors into the Hall of Honor.
Mark your calendars for Prom Night on Saturday May 17, 2025! And don't miss out on “The Final Fiesta” – it promises to be a memorable event!
In addition to these important events, I am attaching updated information regarding the upcoming construction of our new turf. The district and I are currently working to schedule a community meeting to provide you with comprehensive details and answer any questions you may have about this exciting project. We will share the meeting date and time as soon as it is confirmed.
Let's continue to make these last four weeks of the school year productive and positive!
Dr. Bedford
Loyal Forever!
April 28th, 2025
Dear Austin High School Community,
As we draw closer to the end of yet another successful school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many exciting events and celebrations that await us. It’s always a joy to highlight our students’ achievements, and this year has been nothing short of remarkable.
A special shout-out to our Austin High Model UN team for their impressive participation in the CTMUN conference this past weekend! A heartfelt congratulations to Syon Bhatt for winning the Best Delegate award for his exceptional performance in the Chess in Turmoil Delegation!
Bravo to the Austin High Maroon Guitar Non-Varsity and Varsity Ensembles for their outstanding performance during the Concert & Sight-Reading Evaluation at the AISD PAC on April 14th-15th. We are thrilled to announce that both ensembles earned “Sweepstakes” Superior ratings in both Concert and Sight Reading for the second year in a row. Way to go, AHS Guitar!
Kudos to our dedicated Publications students! On April 12, several yearbook and newspaper students represented us at the ILPC Spring Convention at UT. They engaged in valuable sessions on publication design, photography, interviewing, writing, and more. I am proud to announce that The Comet 2024 yearbook was awarded a Silver Star from ILPC (UIL) on April 13. This recognition places us among some of the best yearbooks statewide and even nationally. A huge congratulations to last year's yearbook students for this outstanding achievement!
Congratulations to our Athletic Commitments. I am equally proud to share our AHS athletes who have committed to play at the collegiate level:
Bryson Batts - Army Football
Preston Perkins - UTEP Football
Dunaven Kurak - Rhodes Football
Luke Bone - Texas Tech Track
Peyton Jones - UTB Tennis
James Scott - Bethel Baseball
Griffin Shepherd - McPherson Football
Jack Bisson - UMHB Football
Kelly Murphy - Wagner Water Polo
Madeleine Griebel - Oregon State Rowing
Kole Esselstyn - Drury
Willow Dymkowski - Hawaii Pacific University
Hannah Rojo - University of Alaska Anchorage
Elle Reinarz - Schreiner University Equestrian
Sam Ramberg - Sewanee Lacrosse
Exciting news, our school has received passing recognition from the Texas Education Agency based on our 2023 results! This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our students, staff, and entire school community. For more details, please see the attached document outlining our achievements. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or my Administrative Assistant, Ms. Garcia.
2023 Texas Education Agency Results
I want to express my sincere gratitude to our incredible PTSA for organizing such a wonderful celebration for our Administrative Professional staff this past week. Our clerical staff are truly special, and we are incredibly fortunate to have them. Their dedication and hard work are vital to the success of our school.
A huge thank you to the following hard-working clerical staff members for all they do: Linda Garcia, Sierra Watson, Ruth Garcia, Valerie Garza, Eric Dao, Cassandra Francisco, Sarah Johnson, Maria Quick, and Ashley Lopez.
Thank you all once again for your relentless pursuit of excellence and for making our school a great place to learn and grow.
Loyal Forever!
Dr. Bedford
April 14th, 2025
Austin High School Community,
What an exciting week we've had at Austin High! I am filled with pride as I reflect on the incredible accomplishments of our dedicated students and the hard work they continually put forth. Their commitment to excellence shines through in every activity they undertake.
Congratulations to the Red Dragon Players! A big shoutout to the Austin High Theatre Department for advancing to the Area competition at the UIL One Act Play Bi-District contest! The Area contest will be held on Saturday, April 12th at Dripping Springs High School Auditorium. Individual awards include:
Chris Carrara - All Star Technician
Jacob Baird - Honorable Mention All Star Cast
Sharky Meehan - All Star Cast
Tanner Cole - All Star Cast
Congratulations to our Maroon Band for achieving All Division I Ratings in both Concert and Sight-Reading at this year's UIL Evaluation! These talented students have shown tremendous dedication in transitioning from marching season to the Full Orchestra UIL and now to Concert Band UIL. Go Band, Loyal Forever!
Bravo to the Austin High Choir! Our Maroon Choir Non-Varsity Treble and Varsity Mixed Choirs also excelled at the UIL Concert & Sight-Reading Evaluation, earning "Sweepstakes" Superior ratings in both categories. Their hard work in languages including English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Swahili truly paid off. Please join me in congratulating our AMAZING choir singers for their outstanding commitment to musical artistry!
Way to go, Golf Team! The Austin High Maroons Golf Team continues to make waves, advancing past District for the first time since our move to the UIL 6A Conference! Special shoutout to Braydon Pratt, who finished in 4th place as the Regional Alternate with an impressive score of 154. The Varsity team also set a record at Lost Pines, shooting a fantastic 298. Great job, team!
Mark your calendars for The Gran Show de Primavera 2025: Vueltas on Friday, May 2nd at 7 PM in the Austin High School PAC! Our talented dancers will perform pieces from 18 different regions/styles, accompanied by live music from Mariachi de Oro from Crockett High School. Admission is by donation at the door. We look forward to seeing you there!
As we look ahead, please keep in mind the following important testing dates:
- Biology STAAR EOC - Wednesday, April 16, 2024
- US History STAAR EOC - Thursday, April 17, 2024
- Algebra 1 STAAR EOC - Thursday, April 24, 2024
We are thrilled to welcome Officer Harros as the newest member of the Austin High School family! Officer Harros will be joining Officer Bond as our School Resource Officer (SRO) to help maintain a safe, supportive, and connected environment for our students.
Let's keep the momentum going and look forward to all the exciting events we have in store for the upcoming week! Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to our students and community.
Loyal Forever!
Dr. Bedford
February 16, 2025
Dear Austin High Community,
As we wrap up another week and prepare for a new one, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting highlights from our students and school events.
Important Reminder: Due to the student holiday, school will be closed tomorrow, Monday, 2/17/2025. I hope everyone has a chance to rest and recharge.
Congratulations to our Students!
Patrick Gentile, Matt Green, and Paige Solka made it to the final round of the state UIL Film competition with their documentary, "The Legacy of The Paramount Theater." The final screening will be held at UT on February 27, and we wish them all the best!
Austin High Maroon Choir Achievements:
On Saturday, February 8th, our students shone brightly at the Region 18 UIL Solo & Ensemble competition at Hays HS. All eight soloists received "Superior" ratings, and our Madrigal Ensemble also earned a "Superior" rating. Please join me in congratulating:
Antonella Alfonzo Silva
Jacob Baird
Zoe Baird
Audrey Byrwa
Autumn Eaves Marin
Haley Leugers
Juno McQueen
Lola Romero
Levi Tostado
Lady Maroons Basketball:
Despite a tough loss to Vista Ridge Rangers this past Monday, we are incredibly proud of our Lady Maroons for giving it their all. We appreciate their dedication and sportsmanship!
PTSA Appreciation:
The Austin High PTSA celebrated our staff's hard work at their 50th annual Valentine's Breakfast. A huge "thank you" to all the volunteers who made this event possible and to everyone who attended to show your appreciation for our staff. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our community. Your kindness and encouragement make a significant impact on our students and staff.
Thank you for being an integral part of the Austin High community!
Loyal Forever!
Dr. Bedford
February 2, 2025
Dear Austin High School Family,
I hope this message finds you all well and energized for another successful week ahead! I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work our students have been doing; their commitment truly does not go unnoticed.
We had the honor of celebrating our National Honor Society Ceremony last week, and I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the newly inducted members. We are incredibly proud of you and your families!
A special shout-out goes to our AHS Varsity Cheer Team for their outstanding performance at the UIL Spirit State Championship in Fort Worth last Saturday! They represented Austin High with Great Spirit, showcasing their skills in crowd leading, fight songs, and band chants. Way to go, Maroons!
Congratulations to all our Austin High Orchestra musicians on their fantastic performances at UIL Solo & Ensemble! Their hard work and dedication have paid off; we are very proud of you. Here's how our students performed:
46 musicians achieved Superior Ratings
30 musicians achieved Excellent Ratings
A special shoutout to the 16-student advancing to the State Level:
Violin: Syon Bhatt, Merjon Cimrin, Jade Garcia, Olivia Horn, Edward Lee
Viola: Eli Celestino, Alex Dettmer, Noah Facundo, Donovan Fox, Isaac Guajardo, Miles Leifeste, Graceson Lobb
Cello: Gabriel Guajardo, Gideon Head, Kate Nguyen, Kendra Tseng
Once again, congratulations to All, and Best of wishes to those headed to State!
The Austin Symphony had two performances at Austin High on Friday, January 31st, in their Beyond the Notes Concert Series. The Austin High Students were a magnificent audience, and our 11 students representing Austin High on the side-by-side performance were fantastic.
Aidan Herrera-Flute
Gwyn Shackelford -Bassoon
Sebastian Blanco-Bb Clarinet
Elizabeth Herrera, Cello
Eliud Bozos-French Horn
Everson Smith, Percussion
Jack Hebert-Trumpet
Stella Smits, Violin
Edward Lee, Violin
Noah Facundo, Viola
Isaac Guajardo, Viola
Congratulations on a job well done!
We also have some fantastic news to share about our Visual Arts Students. Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2025 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards:
Gold Key Winners:
Lucy Cotera; "Break the Cycle"
Kayla Goyette; "Rebirth: Viewing Loss as Life"
Sora Jenkins; "What Remains Will Grow"
Honorable Mentions:
Lucy Cotera; "Play Dead"
Kayla Goyette; "Dog Tooth"
Dory McClaren; "Birds"
Maya Neale; "Judith"
From Teacher Wallach:
Gold Key: Keira Bertelsen; "Remember," Luci Wolfschlag; "With Them I Wander"
Silver Key: Keira Bertelsen; "Simplified Insanity," Josie Wilson; "Cat Nap"
Honorable Mentions: Annabel Endresen; "Let Down," Morgan Taylor; "Killers of the Flower Moon"
And let's not forget to congratulate our Business Professionals of America (BPA) students who competed at the Regional Conference at Pflugerville Weiss High School. They worked tremendously hard and brought home several awards, including:
First Place: Financial Analyst - Carter Cochran, Miles Nguyen, Huey Choo, and Evan Gonin
Second Place: Financial Analyst - Coco Alan, Connor Tanski; Integrated Office - Miles Nguyen
Third Place: Financial Analyst - William Gray, Max Koransky, James Yates
Fourth Place: Intermediate Word - William Gray
Our AHS Choir has also shown remarkable talent! A special congratulations to:
Junior Ellie Butterworth (9th Chair Soprano 1)
Freshman Zoe Baird (7th Chair Soprano 2, first alternate to the TMEA All-State Treble Choir)
Junior Jacob Baird (1st Chair Tenor 2, representing AHS in the TMEA All-State Mixed Choir)
This is the fourth consecutive year Austin High has been represented in a TMEA All-State choral ensemble—what an incredible accomplishment!
Lastly, let’s give a round of applause to our Model UN team for their achievements in San Antonio. Competing against over 1000 delegates, they brought home several awards, including:
Jojo Burns – Best Delegate
Sam Dominguez – Best Delegate
Maksim Eckhart – Honorable Delegate
Madeleine Griebel & Jackson McKay – Distinguished Delegates
Moses Sternberg – Best Delegate
Joaquin Torres – Honorable Delegate
Your preparation and professionalism shone brightly, and we are proud to have you represent our school.
Let’s keep the momentum going, Maroons! Thank you all for your hard work and dedication. Have a wonderful week ahead!