Truly one of the biggest parties of the year in Killeen ISD, the Starmakers Academic Recognition Banquet is all about celebrating the district’s brightest superstars.
With a week of school remaining for the Class of 2025, the KISD Education Foundation on Thursday shined a spotlight on the top 10 ranked academic seniors from six high schools and their chosen most influential teacher.
The star power was blinding.
Education Foundation Director Leslie Gilmore called the annual event at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center a celebration of the profound bond between student and educator.
Top 10 students chose a wide variety of educators and mentors to stand beside them on the Starmakers stage. Most chose high school instructors, but others chose middle school and elementary teachers, and a few chose paraprofessionals and even a custodian.
Chaparral High top 10 senior Mikayla Gray picked her first-grade teacher, Linda Ayala-Hernandez.
“Mrs. Ayala has been the teacher that I remember the most,” said Gray. “She always made school a happy environment. It’s easy for teachers to make students not like school, but Mrs. Ayala was very supportive.”
The pair rekindled a relationship two years ago when Gray ran into her first-grade teacher at Central Texas College. “I hugged her and invited her to some volleyball games, and she still remembered me. There was no one better to choose.”
Gray is set to attend Cornell University and play volleyball while studying in a pre-law tract.
“I was surprised,” said Ayala, recalling it was her second year of teaching when Gray was in her class.
“It’s amazing that so many years later she came back and shared with me those beautiful words. It’s very impacting. It’s nice as teachers when a student selects you. It’s an honor. I love it.”
“She was a joy,” said Ayala. “She was excellent. In fact, she’s the same as she was as a little girl – athletic and hardworking, loved to study, loved to learn.”
“No matter what you do, every person on the school grounds makes a difference in the lives of these kids,” said Gilmore. “What a testimony to the beautiful tapestry of educators we have in KISD. All of us are educators to the children in our communities.”
One at a time, major foundation sponsors took the stage and offered words of advice to the high-achieving students just before each high school principal announced the names of their top seniors and chosen educators.
Culminating the event, Mary Kliewer, a longtime foundation partner and supporter, announced two $1,000 finalists and the winner of the $10,000 Kliewer Family Leadership Award.
The two $1,000 finalists are Chaparral senior Derek Ortiz Mercado and Killeen senior Jeremiah Hankins.
The $10,000 winner is Killeen High senior Olivia Fruik.
The highly involved, gifted student was both the drum major for the Roo Band and captain of the Kangarettes dance team, juggling two enormously challenging roles while meeting the highest academic standards.
“It’s so wonderful,” she said moments after winning the top scholarship award.
“I have been able to lead in so many ways at Killeen High School. Just having all those experiences, even if I didn’t win anything, it was truly wonderful, and I feel like it set me up for success in life. I’m very excited.”
“It’s very sentimental,” said Fruik of coming to the end of her time in high school. “I’m very excited for the future that I have in front of me at Texas A&M, but it makes me sentimental to be leaving the place I call home.”
“Take the time to enjoy these moments together and know that KISD and your community is so proud of you,” said Superintendent Jo Ann Fey. “I hope tonight has been a blessing to all of you.”
“The amount of support that our businesses provide is absolutely incredible,” she said, noting the $389,000 the Education Foundation raised through donors this year to help finance teacher grants and student scholarships.
Starmakers Academic Recognition Banquet photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720326149676/
This year’s top 10 students and their chosen honored teachers include the following:
Chaparral High School
Adi Patel Luz Rubianes
Amara Wiltzius Tracy Sibole
Derek Yeriel Ortiz Mercado Lorre Brock
Kayden Delavan Tyrell McCrea
Madeline Dano Amy Birtchet
Madison Edwards Sarah Crawford
Makaen Foster Paul Finnen
Mikayla Gray Linda Ayala-Hernandez
Noah Borders John Cook
William Hickok Steven Salvato
Early College High School
Aminah Robinson Jennifer Whisner
Ashley Yescas Rodriguez Laura Young
Aundrea Del Pozo Bridgette Petro
Eli Nathaniel Salmeron Margaret Sparrow-Casanova
India Lyric Agee Ashley Carrisalez
Isabel Ramos Vivian Bark
Jasmin Escalante James Elam
Nadine Nyamari Terrell Scriber
Shawn Owens Michelle Metzger
Yabdiel Casto Morales David Lambert
Ellison High School
Chanelle Alexa Cancel Stephen Howdeshell
Frank De Jesus Yepez Infante Desi Torres
Jace Ramos Vivian Norman
Jonathan Dominguez Erik Reynolds
Kathryn Baldovino Mike Bartoszek
Lauryn Padilla Jennifer Zehr
Lynnae Bentley Amy Triggs
Nabihah Nasir Dana Johnson
Wardah Bhatti Kimberly Rogers
Aryasia Ciana Young Sherry McKinnon
Harker Heights High School
Christina Watt Melvin Williams
Elizabeth Leffers Lucas Leavitt
Francesca Gutierrez Allyssa Christ
Hailey Opolot Barton Jacques
Janae Mullings Catina Baldon
John Patrick Believeau Kristal Styles
Jolie Mounthongdy Joshua Kroft
Juliya Childress Samantha Berg
Matthew Rangel Albert Gonzalez
Vincent Yang Suzanne Thompson
Wonkuk Alexander Lee Nathan Kingery-Ragan
Killeen High School
Daysha Covarrubias Mariah Mueller
Georgia Daskalakis Jania Hernandez
Jasmine Conant Tasha Mahagan
Jeremiah Hankins Kristina Young
Julie Natividad Billie Burris
Natasha Isabel Cruz Kenneth McDaniel
Norah Fearson Maxwell Easton
Olivia Feng Clark Carla Wade-Brown
Olivia Fruik Amanda Guhlin
Veronika Irizarry Autumn Lisenbe
Shoemaker High School
Andres Alejandro Valladares Valladares Tamara Cutbirth
Angela Nguyen Don Webster
Benjamin Peevy Yajaira Hernandez
Darnell Paul Semi Harrison
Francisca Gines Enicka Smith
Jomar Rodriguez Santiago Adrian Thomas
Noemi Padilla Jason Gray
Sakura Belmoro Sherry Giarusso
Sophia Gines Elina Tobin
Winona Marie Ochoa Steve Mattox
