Here is the ultimate look back at the milestones that defined our year. It is now completely reformatted to match our purple and gold color scheme!
🏆 Academic Excellence & National Honors
Our Eagles consistently soared to the highest academic heights, earning prestigious distinctions:
- National Merit & College Board Superstars: We kicked off the year celebrating our exceptional National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Students. Dozens of students also earned prestigious College Board National Recognition Awards, spotlighting RHS’s academic depth.
- DECA Emerging Leader: Senior Kirah Geffert earned national recognition as a recipient of the 2026 DECA Emerging Leader Honor Award.
- Grow 2 Teach Milestones: We proudly celebrated our 69 Grow 2 Teach graduates—seniors who completed their teaching internships and represent the future of Texas education.
- JROTC Accolades: The Eagle Battalion had a stellar year, hosting a combined Military Ball with Pearce and bringing home numerous national awards for academic and military leadership.
🎨 Masterminds of the Arts & Communications
As a premier Arts, Law, and Sciences Magnet, RHS talent dominated stages, screens, and galleries all year:
- The Tradition of the Golden Eagle Band: From electrifying halftime shows to sweeping captions at marching contests, the Richardson Golden Eagle Band set a magnificent soundtrack for our fall.
- A Magical Annual Musical: Our theatre, vocal, and instrumental departments joined forces for an unforgettable Broadway-caliber production on our home stage.
- VASE State Superstars: Our visual artists blew us away at the Regional VASE, with multiple Eagles earning perfect scores to advance directly to State!
- Orchestra Excellence: The RHS Orchestra delivered breathtaking performances at the UIL Concert & Sightreading Evaluation, earning the highest possible marks and Sweepstakes honors.
- SkillsUSA State Winners: The RHS Communications Magnet proved their media prowess by winning a Bronze Medal for their newscast at the SkillsUSA State Contest.
🔬 Future Health Professionals & STEM
Our career and technical education (CTE) students proved they are ready to lead the future:
- HOSA State Bound: Members of the RHS HOSA chapter showcased their elite medical knowledge at the area competition, securing slots to compete at the State Leadership Conference.
đź‘ź Record-Breaking Athletics & Eagle Spirit
From the crisp fall mornings to the Texas spring heat, our athletes showed true grit:
- Track & Field History: Sullivan Riley delivered a record-breaking performance, punching a well-deserved ticket straight to the State Meet after a historic, record-setting run.
- District Golf Champions: In a thriller of a comeback, the Lady Eagle Golf team bounced back from being down 8 strokes to capture the District 7-6A Championship!
- Playoff Runs & “Mudita”: The Richardson Softball Team (Team 29) inspired us with their deep playoff run and their culture built on Mudita and FAMILY.
- Hoops Legacy: The community came together for an unforgettable night to retire the jerseys of RHS basketball legends Cason and Keaton Wallace.
🤝 Community, Culture, and Campus Growth
What makes RHS truly special is the family that surrounds it, anchored by powerful community moments:
- Building Our Future (Bond 2024): Thanks to the community’s support of RISD’s Bond 2024, we broke ground on critical facility upgrades that will benefit Eagle students for generations.
- Connecting with Eagle Families: From highly attended Parent Information Nights to community pep rallies, our RHS parents and booster clubs proved they are the backbone of our success.
🍎 Celebrating Our World-Class Staff
Behind every great student achievement is an educator pushing them forward:
- Coach Lindsey Cox, named the RISD Assistant Coach of the Year for her incredible leadership and impact on and off the volleyball court.
- Nataly Garza, honored as the RHS Red Apple New Teacher of the Year for her phenomenal impact in her first year with the Eagle family.
🎓 Looking Ahead: Class of 2026
We cap off the year by celebrating our incredible seniors. From the “Dear Senior” spotlight series to the mandatory final rehearsals and the Senior Sunset celebration, we are incredibly proud of the Class of 2026.
Thank you to our parents, teachers, staff, and community partners for making this year unforgettable. Have a safe, wonderful summer, and as always—Go Eagles! 🦅
