Pillar 3 Stories of Engaged, Well-Rounded Students 2024-2025


Our Special Education department would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of our annual dance! This year's Candy Land theme was vibrantly brought to life by the kaleidoscope of pastel colors! Students and staff from Devine ISD And Poteet ISD joined us for an unforgettable afternoon of joy and connection!
We are deeply thankful to Mrs. Berchelmann and the culinary arts students who crafted a delicious meal, and to Mrs. Clyde's art students who thrilled our guests with their festive face-painting skills! We also appreciated the students from Skull Studios who captured the essence of the event with photos and videos. Read the full article.
National Honor Society Strong at Junior High and High School

Our National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony took place Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at the Lytle Community Center. The Lytle Junior High Chapter inducted 41 new members into the society. This is in addition to our 16 current members that were inducted last year, bringing the total number of active members on our campus to 57. Read the full article.

On May 8, 2025, Lytle High School National Honor Society President, Gillian Haltom welcomed staff, students and families to the 2024-2025 National Honor Society Induction Ceremony. She asked all to celebrate the induction of seven qualifying students of the senior, junior, and sophomore classes who have displayed in their school life the worthy objectives of the National Honor Society: character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Read the full article.
Elementary Rodeo Day is a 16-Year Tradition of Learning
Annual Primary Walk-a-Thon Raises Funds for Student Activities
The Annual Primary Walk-a-Thon is a fundraiser where students are able to come to the track and walk or run as many laps as they can with friends and family. This fundraiser helps students by promoting physical and mental well-being, fostering community engagement, and raising funds for student activities at the Primary. Not only does it encourage physical activity, it brings people together and encourages community involvement.
Pirate Pride Shines at 8th Annual Lytle ISD Showcase of Student Work
More than 1,000 staff, parents, and community members filled the halls of Lytle High School on Wednesday, May 14, from 4–6 p.m. for the 8th Annual Showcase of Student Work. The event highlighted the incredible learning journey of our students — spanning from Pre-K all the way to seniors who graduate with Associate’s Degrees.
The energy was electric as students shared their projects with visitors. Everyone agreed — the best part of the evening was hearing directly from the students themselves, who confidently presented their work and explained what they had learned. Their passion and knowledge made a lasting impression on parents, teachers, and community members alike. Read the full article.
Junior High History Day Engages Students in Learning About the Past
Q: What's the best way to get students engaged in learning history? A: Invite present day people - who passionately share viewpoints and realities of history through artifacts, storytelling and role playing - to a Junior History Day! This annual event has been enjoyed by thousands of students and teachers in the past 13 years! It's one of the most engaging and informative learning celebrations thanks to lots of help from community members and expert guest speakers from all over:
Buffalo Soldiers (Mr. Carter)
Metal Detecting (Mr. Emery)
Fresno Scraper Demonstration (Mr. McCawley)
Confederate Soldiers (William (Bill) Sanford)
Fort McKavett (Mr. Long)
One Room School House (Mrs. Woodruff)
Pioneer Living / Frontiers Man (Eric Morell and Martin Gonzales Atascosa County Historical Commission)
Potato Sack Races/ Horseshoes/ Hoop & Stick Interact with Games from the Past (Mrs. Gonzales)
Using a Loom (Ms. Hill)
WWII in the Pacific (Nimitz Museum under Grant Hanson)
Pirate Band Makes History - Competes at State UIL Competition at the Alamodome

In November 2024, our Lytle Pirate Band made history performing at the State Band Competition held at the Alamodome in San Antonio. This short video of the day brings back the goosebumps, the racing heart, the love, the passion, the glory of our Lytle Band owning center stage. This video embodies the hopes and dreams of our Lytle band students, their families, their directors and our community. How does it feel to reach a goal steadfastly pursued for the past 42 years? Watch and find out.
On Memorial Day, May 26, 2025, 14 of our Pirate Band members traveled to Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville to compete at the State UIL Solo and Ensemble. See the their amazing results in the full article.

Primary STEM Lab Receives Chicken Eggs to Observe and Track Growth
On March 26, 2025 our Primary STEM Lab received chicken eggs from Mr. Dale Rankin and Ms. Holly Kopplin of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office. Our students were able to observe the eggs for 21 days. Students observed candling of the eggs and tracked the baby chicks growth all the way until they cracked and hatched from their shells.
Athletics and Extracurricular Keep Students Striving for Excellence in All Areas of Learning!
Click any image in the above gallery to see, read, and share the full article!
Lytle Elementary Career Day Success!
What a great day to be a Pirate! Students wished they had more time with our incredible guest presenters, which speaks volumes about the quality of their presentations and the value they brought to the event.
A huge thank you goes out to our amazing presenters:
Linda Bohlen - Lytle Loft Self Storage & Pumphouse Car Wash
Cassandra DuBose - Frio Regional Hospital
Megan Gonzales - Frio Regional Hospital
Ivonne and Jim Muraira - Running M Land Services
Manuel Zuvia - HDR
Clayton Ripps - TxDOT
Laura Brown - Lytle Youth Program Director
Jeremy Davenport - San Antonio Fire Department
Matt Bates - San Antonio Fire Department
Oscar Espino - San Antonio Police Department
Roger Garcia - Lytle Police Department
Welding Students Compete in STVT Weld Wars

Cutting Contest | GMAW Contest | SMAW Contest |
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On Saturday, April 12, nine advanced welding students traveled to the South Texas Vocational Technical Institute in San Antonio for the first annual STVT Weld Wars Competition. It was a busy day filled with success! Below are the results from the day. Read the full article.
Students in 8th grade (Junior High) plus 9th, 10th and 11th grade students at the High School were invited to attend an Elective Fair and High School Information Night with their parents. It was an evening to learn about the registration process, PTECH, dual credit and graduation requirements. The Elective Fair allowed students and parents to tour and interact with all the possibilities.
In High School science labs, students dive into engaging, hands-on experiments and interactive lab activities. These dynamic lessons spark curiosity and critical thinking while bringing scientific concepts to life. Whether dissecting specimens, conducting chemical reactions, or analyzing data, the immersive experience fosters deep learning and encourages students to ask thoughtful questions. The enthusiasm in the classroom is palpable, as students take ownership of their learning and collaborate in real-world problem-solving scenarios.
Elementary UIL students participated in the UIL District Meet on Saturday, December 14, 2024. We are so proud of all of the hard work students and coaches put into this event. Read the full article for results.
Pillar 3 Stories of Engaged, Well-Rounded Students 2023-2024

2024 Lytle ISD Showcase of Student Work Enjoys Record Crowds in Seventh Year
Our 2024 Lytle ISD Showcase of Student Work is an incredible demonstration of our students' learning from Pre-K through to our students who earn Associate's Degrees as seniors in high school. This was our seventh annual event and more people than ever came to hear from the kids themselves - as they are the BEST presenters of their projects and learning!
A Monster Calls, UIL One Act Play is a Hit with Audiences and Judges
Lytle High School UIL One Act Play cast and crew performs WONDERFULLY at Regional competition and earns third place, which is an Alternate to State. This means they are in the top twelve 3A schools for theatre in the entire state of Texas!
Theater Director Randee Nelson is proud of this history-making achievement of entire cast and crew, including these students with several individual Regional awards:
All star crew: Camila Vega
Honorable mention all star cast: Stefan Emery
All star cast: Micaela Heath
Best performer: Gillian Haltom
Art Students Experience Real Gallery Shows and Sales!
Ms. Clyde’s Art Students enjoyed a successful spring Art Show, hosted by Haywire Ranch Productions on Lytle’s Main Street. Students sold 13 pieces and many prints were ordered to benefit the Art Club. See the show pieces and receptions in the photo albums.
Art student, Cristobal Lara created a wonderful abstract portrait of Tupac Shakur, and it sold at one of the two community gallery shows. The couple that purchased it liked it so much that they requested a companion piece of Biggie Smalls! We congratulate Cristobal on his very first commission as an artist!



On April 10, 2024, NHS Sponsor, Ms. Hannalore Mueller and Art Teacher, Ms. Morgan Clyde welcomed staff, students and families to the 2023-24 Lytle National Honor Society Induction Ceremony. NHS President Fatima Montes asked all to celebrate the induction of 18 qualifying students of the senior, junior, and sophomore classes who have displayed in their school life the worthy objectives of the National Honor Society: character, scholarship, leadership, and service. Montes adds, “This year alone, the members and inductees have stepped up and served well over 3,000 hours in community and school events.” Read the full article.
Our Little Chicks Study the Life Cycle of Little Chicks
Primary teachers and students, in partnership with 4H (our local Ag Extension office) were thoroughly engaged in their chick-hatching project! Our Littlest Pirates learn about the Life Cycle as they observe a bunch of unhatched eggs. Students record their daily observations and as their studies conclude, they delight in watching their chicks hatch. Mrs. Galindo says, “They were were absolutely giddy holding their precious baby chicks.”

Elementary Rodeo Day Tradition is Going Strong
Elementary Rodeo Day is a 15-year tradition that brings students from all campuses together with rodeo-loving, farming and ranching community members.




Lytle High School Top Performers At-A-Glance
UIL Academics
Five 1st place Regional Qualifiers (Literary Criticism, Social Studies, Calculator Apps, Computer Science, Math Team, Science Team, and Spelling)
State Alternate in Social Studies and Copy Editing
UIL One Act Play
State Alternates, top 12 in 3A schools
Tech awards, Honorable Mentions, All-Star cast, Best Performer
UIL Young Filmmakers
Documentary wins State
Animation places 4th at State
UIL Robotics
3rd place at First Tech Challenge Competition
Band
Area Finals
Sweepstakes six years running
Select students made State for Solo/Ensemble

High School UIL Young Filmmakers Teams Receive State Champion Award for Documentary Film - Second Year in a Row!
High School Skull Studios sponsor, Mr. Andrew Oser announces that his student documentary film team's project, Caiden's Hope, placed first in combined conferences 1-3A. This is the second year a Lytle documentary received the championship award. The animation team's project, Reminiscence, placed fourth. Mr. Oser thanks the digital media team, Adam Leyva, Lorrianne Migura, Dale Mather and Robert Mumme. He thanks administrators and the transportation department for allowing students to travel to complete productions and get to contests safely. Finally, he thanks the high school teachers for allowing students the extra hours to get their video projects ready for competition. Enjoy watching these award winning projects.
Junior High Cross-Curricular Projects Grow Engagement , Research and Collaboration Skills

At Lytle Junior High, students are excelling through cross-curricular projects that combine subjects like history, science, and language arts. In one project, they worked together to explore the social studies topics, blending research, scientific analysis, and writing skills. This collaborative approach not only deepens their understanding but also builds teamwork and critical thinking, preparing them for future challenges. Lytle CTE Director, Jennifer Criswell who is in this picture taken during a classroom observation says, "The students were able to communicate with each other both written and verbally. It was amazing to see how they use academic language with each other. All the students in the group were confident and articulate in sharing their ideas."
High School Robo Pirates Claim Third Place UIL State Finish



At the Robotics First Tech Challenge Competition, High School Robo Pirates finish fourth out of 37 teams and Junior High finishes second out of 37 teams. Both advance to Area competition and the High School team ends their season with a third place in State UIL competition.
Junior High Robotics Enjoys Strong Start to their Competition Season
The Junior High Techno Pirates dominated at their second league competition, winning every match and walking away with a first-place league ranking. At the Harmony Science Academy they win the first match of the competition with the highest score of the meet - 102 points.
Since their last outing, builder Sarai Calvio added a component to the robot that launches a paper airplane to add 30 points in three of the matches. Programmers Elyssa Beazer and Weston Cook refined the team's autonomous program since the last competition. Running strong, the team takes six of the meet's top ten match scores.
To address a few setbacks, builder Abril Perez quickly repairs the airplane launcher after breakdown. Driver Isaiah Valdez scores with the robot while avoiding penalties. When Lytle partners with other teams, a few mishaps are penalized by the judges. One of Lytle's alliance partners was given a 50-point penalty, but Lytle scores big and earns both teams a win, 81-89.
After their November fourth place league ranking, this meet pushes the Lytle team to a first place ranking among 18 schools.

Lytle Techno Pirate driver Isaia Valdez (center) lines up the robot's airplane launcher to try for a 30-point bonus while Elyssa Beazer (right) holds her breath and Abril Perez (left) looks on.
Junior High Student Katherine Chuong Wins First in District and Sixth in State for VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay
Read her “Why America Inspires Me" essay. Watch the video with her Lytle Love message:
High School Fighting Pirate Band Reaches New Heights in all UIL Solo and Ensemble Contests
Members of the Pirate Band competed individually and in small groups by performing at UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest.
The following students earned a First Division (highest score) AND are advancing to State Solo and Ensemble in May:
Nadia Daniels, Victoria Garcia, Micaela Heath, and Vanessa Mercado – Flute Quartet
Christian Alcorta, Emma Emery (8th grader!!!), Daniel Herrera, and Elijah Martinez – Saxophone Quartet
Stefan Grigsby – French Horn Solo
Auslyn Beazer, Joshua Guerra, Zinthia Lara, Aiden Martinez, and Michael Martinez – Brass Quintet
Taryn McDonald – Marimba Solo
The following students earned a First Division (highest score):
Eli Martinez – Alto Sax Solo
Collin Sprenger – Alto Sax Solo
Andres Arredondo – French Horn Solo
Ethan DeLeon – Snare Drum Solo
The following students earned a Second Division (second highest rating):
Gabi Cortez – Trumpet Solo
Camila Vega – Trumpet Solo
The following student earned a Third Division (third highest rating):
Luke Montez – Euphonium Solo
Mr. Chessher, Mrs. Robles and Mr. Lopez are incredibly proud of these Pirate Band members, and are excited to see them continue growing musically.

Junior High Band Earns Sweepstakes
In March 2024, the Junior High Symphonic Band travel to Hondo for UIL Concert and Sight Reading Evaluation and perform exceptionally well, earning top ratings from all six judges. Ratings of 1, 1, 1 from concert judges and 1, 1, 1 from sight reading judges are the highest ratings possible. Thank you to Junior High Band Director Mrs. MJ Robles, Mr. Lopez and Mr. Joshua Chessher for all their work guiding our students to success, and a hard-earned Sweepstakes award!
Previous to this Sweepstakes win, 24 band students traveled to Pearsall to compete in the Junior High All Region Band. Competing with over 500 students from 23 different schools in our region, students did great, putting in 12 students to one of two bands.
8th grade Flute: Andrea Gomez, second chair Concert Band, two-time All-Region Band member
8th grade Clarinet: Mikayla Mata, fourth chair Concert Band, two-time All-Region Band member
8th grade Bass Clarinet: Emiliano Cardenas, first chair Concert Band
8th grade Alto Sax: Emma Emery, third chair Symphonic Band, two-time All-Region Band member
8th grade Alto Sax: Easton Burley, fourth chair Concert Band
7th grade Alto Sax: Lila Cortinas, first Alternate Concert Band
8th grade Tenor Sax: Madison Hernandez, second chair Symphonic Band
7th grade French Horn: Lilliana Gallegos, sixth chair Symphonic Band
7th grade French Horn: Novalee Rangel, fifth chair Concert Band
8th grade Trombone: Elijah Robles, sixth chair Concert Band
7th grade Percussion: Ryan Hendrickson, sixth chair Symphonic Band
7th grade Percussion: Maddie Aguinaga, second chair Concert Band
Pillar 3 Stories of Engaged, Well-Rounded Students 2022-2023

Elementary Wins Literary Sweepstakes Award for District 28-AAA
In December 2022, Lytle Elementary hosted eight schools for the UILDistrict Meet. Competition was fierce between Encinal, Ramirez-Burks, Lorenzo De Zavala, Benito-Juarez, Dilley, Hondo, Natalia and Lytle. Our students practiced hard and preparation paid off! In 28 events, 45 students placed, and 13 teams received top three honors - racking up enough points to take the Elementary Literary Sweepstakes Award for District 28-AAA.

Check out the Lytle ISD Showcase of Student Work Highlight Reel:
Elementary Rodeo Rounds Up Fun for 14 Years
For 14 years, the Elementary Rodeo has been a great example of Lytle's Engaged, Well-Rounded Students. Watch the video to see how community partners along with High School, Junior High and Elementary students work together to create important learning experiences!
This video recap of the 2023 Elementary Rodeo is a great example of Lytle's engaged, well-rounded students and wonderful community partnerships. In doing some quick research using Artificial Intelligence https://chat.openai.com/, I am delighted to report that this fabulous rodeo exceeds AI's summary of "what you can learn at a rodeo." See the AI generated copy below that is MISSING any mention of learning about FOOD at the rodeo. Our Lytle culinary students cooked using a Dutch Oven (official State Cooking Implement of Texas) and they served samples of Pan de Campo (the State Bread of Texas!) Also, AI doesn't mention a thing about students teaching students, which educators know adds so much magic to the learning experience!
Enjoy more photos of the 2023 Rodeo Day in these albums:
According to AI, students can learn these things at a rodeo, including:
1. History - Students can learn about the history and evolution of rodeos in America and how they have become an important part of the western culture.
2. Animal Science - Students can learn about different breeds of animals used in rodeos, including horses, bulls, steers, lambs and rabbits. They can also learn about the care and handling of these animals.
3. Rodeo Events - Students can learn about different events in a rodeo, such as barrel racing, calf roping and bull riding. They may learn about the tools and equipment used in farming and ranching, such as tractors, plows, and combines.
4. Physical Fitness - Students can learn about the importance of physical fitness and the athleticism required to participate in rodeo events.
5. Safety - Students can learn about the importance of safety in rodeo events for both the animals and the participants.
6. Sportsmanship - Students can learn about the importance of good sportsmanship in rodeo events, including respect for fellow competitors and animals.
Overall, a rodeo can provide a fun and educational experience for students of all ages, allowing them to learn about western culture, animal science, physical fitness, safety, and sportsmanship.
High School FFA Officers Teach Elementary Student Council Students about Officer Roles and Parliamentary Procedures

UIL Filmmakers Champion Documentary and Nobelity Prize Winners.

Watch the award winning documentary and the exciting night of awards!
High School Principal Elizabeth Stewart shows off her Champions t-shirt listing athletic, academic, band, and FFA students accomplishments in a history-making 2022-2023 school year.
Wonder Media Story Makers
Lytle ISD is always looks for ways to motivate our students to practice writing and learn technology skills for their future. In June, we piloted a program that helps Elementary students to learn animation skills to bring their writing to life. After a month, the verdict was overwhelming - students 100% LOVED the Wonder Media StoryMaker program. Check out the entire playlist. You'll enjoy students’ writing, performances and their creative animations. Special thanks to their teacher, Mr. Pedro Rodriguez and five Lytle High School Skull Studios students who worked as tutors leading these young animators to success. The program expands to three campuses in the 2023-24 school year!
Want more amazing animations? Check out all the videos on our YouTube playlist: Wonder Media and Lytle Animation Program Partnership
Pillar 3 Stories of Engaged, Well-Rounded Students 2021-2022
