Navarro Independent School District Celebrates Student Achievement in Academics, Athletics, and the
GERONIMO, TX — March 24, 2026 — The Navarro Independent School District Board of Trustees recognized a diverse group of high-achieving students during its March meeting, highlighting successes in UIL academic competitions, playoff-bound athletic programs, championship dance performances, and state-level visual arts.
Academic Excellence: District UIL Competitions
District scholars showcased their expertise across a wide range of disciplines this spring, including mathematics, creative writing, and chess. From the Intermediate Campus, Reese Reynolds, Emry Langford, and Gwyneth Brummett secured first-place finishes. They were joined by a large group of podium finishers, including Tatum Atchley, Dylan Broseker, Brianna Henderson, Maggie Neal, Elijah Hanson, Leif Kessler, Mara David, Liam Sanford, Samuel Gann, Brayden Flores, Aubree Castro, and Barrett Holmes.
At the Junior High level, Vivienne Anderson led the way with five top-three placements, earning gold in Art Smart and Ready Writing. Other first-place victors included Lindsey Scott in Spelling, Archer Gallini in Social Studies, and Luke Kessler in Listening Skills. The district also celebrated top finishes from Aria Reynolds, Dominic Scaramozi, Noah Scarborough, Willow Simmons, Bailey Baker, Kaden Woods, Leah Bostic, Zoey Martinez, Emily Stephenson, Elon Agbede, Liam Alexius, and Emerson Calame.
Athletic and Academic Success in Basketball
Both the Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs were honored for qualifying for the Bi-District Playoffs while maintaining high standards in the classroom.
The Men’s team, led by Head Coach Jarrett Tyler, saw Bayley Burgess and Weston Shields earn dual honors as 1st Team All-District and Academic All-District selections. Alvant Bates and Samuel Ibumba received 2nd Team honors, while Deegan Bush, Dax Harborth, Colorado Kenway, Chase Nored, and Luke Vogel were recognized for their academic excellence. The board also noted the vital contributions of Israel Bagaza, Eli Baker, and Ashton Wilkinson.
The Women’s program, under Head Coach Nicholas Israel, mirrored this success. Elle Hepp and Camden Shields secured 1st Team and Academic All-District honors, while Jillian Baker and Trinity Loftice earned 2nd Team and Academic spots. Additional accolades went to E’mirrah Harris, Audrina Pacheco, Hannah Durrett, Brooklyn Fox, Piper Fox, Presley Larson, Keza Nyarwaya, and Journie Martin for their combined efforts on the court and in their studies.
Championship Performances in Dance
The district's dance programs reached national and regional milestones this season. The Dazzlers, directed by Michelle Conaway, were crowned Grand Champions in both the Officer and Team categories at the Danceline Nationals. Paige Lang earned an individual third-place national ranking for her solo.
The Stargazers, led by Hailey Schaefer, earned Best in Class honors in Jazz and Hip Hop at the Ascension Regional Competition. Members of both elite teams were commended for their dedication and superior performance ratings during the spring circuit.
State-Level Recognition in Visual Arts
The district's visual arts program reached a historic peak as 8th-grade student Vivienne Anderson saw her digital piece, Don't Spill the Tea, selected for the TAEA Youth Art Month Spring Exhibition. Out of thousands of statewide entries, her work was chosen for display at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. Under the guidance of teacher Shannon Trussell, Anderson has also become a published artist in the Celebrating Art Texas anthology, marking her as one of the premier young artists in the state.