Melissa ISD programs advanced to multiple state and national competitions during the 2024–2025 school year, making it an incredible year for our district and for the students who competed. From academics to athletics to fine arts, our students worked hard to represent Melissa ISD with excellence and talent.
This school year, students and teams from across the district competed in 28 different state and national-level competitions, with over 260 students earning the opportunity to appear at state. Of those, 21 students and teams were named state champions, and 10 others finished as state runner-ups.
Several programs continued their success at the national level. So far, 9 students and teams have advanced to nationals, with 1 national champion and 1 national runner-up already recognized. Additional national competitions are scheduled to take place this summer.
Of the students who advanced to state, 73 were seniors, leaving behind a legacy of achievement that will inspire future Cardinals.
This outstanding year reflects the strength and diversity of our programs and the determination of our students, coaches, and sponsors. Congratulations to all who advanced, competed, and represented Melissa ISD with pride!
Academic Programs at State & Nationals:
MHS UIL Academics (Coached by Kyle Brenner, Brenden Dimmig, & Rachel Nelson)
Speech Team - State Runner-Up
Informative Speaking: Sarah Orejuela - State Champion, Sage Gillen
Lincoln Douglas Debate: Ahmed Ashmaig
Persuasive Speaking: Pradnya Chakka - State Champion, Ruby Terry
Poetry Interpretation: Halle Heywood
Headline Writing: Sarah Orejuela
MHS Debate Cross-Examination (Coached by Brenden Dimmig)
Lauren Nager - State’s Top Speaker
Lauren Nager and Ruby Terry
Hayden Maynard & Manya Kaushik
MHS UIL Congressional Debate (Coached by Brenden Dimmig): Pradnya Chakka
MHS Robotics (Coached by Rick Gagarin)
Amerie Age, Alisha Akhare, Naghul Annadurai, Pranad Arcot, Ahmed Ashmaig, Jacob Cardenas, Shlok Chaubey, Hanshal Cheruku, Noe’ Collins, Ronin Craven, Shivashish Dahal, Aryan Gavali, Nathan Goodman, Hemanth Harikrishnan, Hudson Haslam, Sophia Helton, Hayden Impastato, Leela Kancherla, Yasmina Khozha-Akhmedova, Sri Charan Komarneni, Chethan Kothilla, Saaj Kshirsagar, Mahedi Lamim, Jace Little, Jansen Morales, Raahull Muthukalai-Senthilkumar, Isaiah Perez, Prathiksha Prashanth, Ian Quinones, Radha Ruchir, Mason Schuble, Preethi Seereddy, Shanza Shaharyar, River Simmons, Sai Sowmith, Supreet Sudharshana, Harini Sunil, Ellie Thompson, Aneesh Thoram, Hayden Travis, Sai Venkata Sri Suvan Vajjaha
MHS SkillsUSA (Coached by Rachel Nelson, Doug Bingman, Keith Ellis, Randy Kramen, Rick Gagarin, & Tom Kyle)
Entrepreneurship Team - State Champions & National Qualifiers: Shlok Chaubey, Venkata Naga Sai Aniketh Chivukula, Jansen Morales, Sai Venkata Sri Suvan Vajjaha
Entrepreneurship Team - State Runner-Ups: Medhasvi Durki, Sheetal Kiran, Indresh Krishnamoorthi, Aashritha Nerella
IT Quiz Bowl Team - State Runner-Ups: Nathan Goodman, Jace Little, Sanyuri Puri, Sushmitha Puvvula, Sebastian Quintana, Skylar Scott
2D/3D Animation Job Exhibit: Juliette Thomas
Applied Engineering Team: Hudson Haslam, Raahull Muthukalai-Senthikumar, Isaiah Perez, Mason Schuble
Applied Engineering Team: Sri Charan Komarneni, Jansen Morales, River Simmons, Harini Sunil
Cosmetology: Emily Clark
Cybersecurity Team: Kanisha Muthukumar Kavitha, Skylar Scott
Digital Cinema Production Team: James Alldredge, Supreet Sudharshana
Engineering Job Exhibit Team: Tanush Avula, Sai Venkata Sri Suvan Vajjaha
First Aid/CPR: Royal Sabal
Information Technology Services: Jace Little
Medical Assisting: Ellie Thompson
Prepared Speech: Manya Kaushik
Related Technical Math: Aneesh Thoram
Technical Computer Applications: Hannah Gil
T-Shirt Design: Aneesh Thoram
MHS FCCLA (Coached by Amy Klein, Shanna Hobbs, Annika Harmsen, & Catherine Harris)
Red Talks on Education: Hikmah Adedamola Abdul-Hammed - Advancing to Nationals
Fashion Construction: Mahima Vaghani
Fashion Design: Kinsley Essary, Michelle Grant
Public Policy Advocate Team: Jenna Gonzales & Rachel Lewis
Public Policy Advocate Team: Hikmah Adedamola Abdul-Hammed & Fitz Browne
Professional Presentation: Jack Duong, Mariah Judkins
Serving up Success: Kassandra Mojica
Cupcake Challenge: Lea Sabo
MHS DECA (Coached by Philip & Brooke Pendleton)
Innovation Plan Team: Venkata Naga Sai Aniketh Chivukula, Jansen Morales, Hudson Haslam
Innovation Plan Team: Sheetal Kiran, Medhasvi Durki, Aashritha Nerella
Finance Operations Research: Parin Mandya Raghavendra
MMS DAR American History Essay Contest (Coached by Brandon Dunn)
Vanshika Pathani - State Champion & South Central Winner
Athletic Programs at State:
MHS Powerlifting
Boys Powerlifting (Coached by Joey Majors): Miles Morrison, Zander Paton
Girls Powerlifting (Coached by Travis Pickup): Paisley Needham, Mikayla Nickerson,
MHS Softball (Coached by Cassie Crabtree, Morgan Wooten, JD Clemmons, Chris Phelps)
State Champions: Hutton Adrian, Amariee Bradford, Kennedy Bradley, Caigan Crabtree, Rylee Feagin, Izzy Gonzales, Gabby Kuehler, Emmy Mabry, Eloisa Maes, Paisley Needham, Makenna Ramsey, Gianna Rose, Rihanna Wheeler, Finlee Williams, Hattie Winter, Bradyn Young
MHS Swim
100-Yard Breaststroke: Maxim Smirnov
MHS Special Olympic Track & Field (Coached by Crystal Phillips)
10M Assisted Walk: Amazing Grace Ama - State Champion
Boys 100M Walking Race: Logan Vega - State Champion
Girls 50M Dash: Lilly Della - State Champion, Emmy Ruiz
Boys 50M Run: Jacob Byrnes - State Champion, Aidan Howard - State Champion
Wheelchair 100M Dash: Molly Wynn - State Champion
Girls 100M Dash: Antanique White, Taylor Young, Viola Pirillo, Savannah Moothart, Nevaeh Moothart
Boys 100M Dash: Aayushmann Jaiswal - State Runner-Up, Nathan Tan, Mack Harris
Boys 200M Dash: Marcus Covey - State Runner-Up
Girls 4x100m Relay Team - State Champion: Savannah Moonthart, Nevaeh Moothart, Antanique White, Viola Pirill
Boys 4x100m Relay: Terryon Clincy, Mack Harris, Marcus Covey, Salvador Valdez
Girls Running Long Jump: Antanique White - State Champion
Boys Running Long Jump: Marcus Covey - 3rd Place
Girls Softball Throw: Savannah Moothart - State Champion, Lilly Della - State Champion, Emmy Ruiz - State Runner-Up, Viola Pirillo, Taylor Young, Nevaeh Moothart
Boys Softball Throw: Logan Vega - State Runner-Up, Aidan Howard - State Runner-Up, Nathan Tan - 6th Place
Boys Tennis Ball Throw: Jacob Byrnes - State Champion
Girls Wheelchair Shot Put: Molly Wynn - State Champion
Boys Shot Put: Terryon Clincy, Mack Harris
Boys Javelin Throw: Aayushmaan Jasiwal - State Runner-Up
MHS Tennis (Coached by Logan Daniell)
Boys Singles: Eddie Zeng
MHS Track & Field (Coached by Zach Hernandez)
Girls 100M Wheelchair: Zoe Grall
Girls 100M Dash: Kennedy Branch
MHS Wrestling
Boys Wrestling (Coached by Oliver Pierce, Neil Phillips, Scott Howard, & Stone Drulman): Jadyn Johnson - State Champion, Jaxon Johnson - State Runner-Up, Gage Herrin, Ryker Lund, Ray Ndanzia, Connor Surrette, Ryan Ortega
Girls Wrestling (Coached by Rick Gagarin & Stone Drulman): Malia Griffin (State Champion), Akeelah Moore, Teylar Fetty, Mary Griffin, Payten Gutierrez, Khadijah Kamara
Fine Arts Programs at State & Nationals:
MHS Art (Directed by Diana Ortiz)
VASE Art Competition: Sophia Helton
MHS Band (Directed by Kevin McNulty, Zac Robason, David Landry, Michelle Hanegan, Christopher McHenry, & Marli Dority)
All-State Band: Madison Fulenchek
Solo & Ensemble: Tyler Borra, Hailey Burch, Jacob Burns, Adalie Carter, Diego Ceron-Valdez, Jacob Chapla, Ronnie Chidzungu, Abel Cruz-Vinueza, Danyell Daniels, Korbin Danielson, Anirbed Dutta, Noah Esmeralda, Madison Fulenchek, Archishman Ganguly, Zane Griffith, Hayden Hadnot, Hayden Hurd, Cairo Huynh, Ruben Ibarra, Hayden Impastato, Rylan Kidd, Ransom Lewellen, Derek Marcussen, Brent Morrison, Jackson Nichols, Levi Nunn, Emmanuel Obianke, Esteban Ortiz-De Choudens, Alexander Patricoff, Seth Paul, Leonardo Rocha De Leon, Steven Rodriguez, Nathan Rose, Nick Saenz, Cameron Sampsell, Cesar Sanchez, Alyaan-Aly Satani, Lara Seagraves-Shields, Joshua Shemwell, Ethan Shorters, Emma Smith, Semira Snorton, Maddox Stafford, Ananya Talluri, Addison Thomas, Hayden Travis, Nayana Vemuri, Logan Venner, Colton Weidemann, William Weimer, Finley Wilson
MHS Cheerleading (Coached by Alex Whorton, Kaitlyn Brooks, Lori Allen, & Lexi Fields): Chaise Christensen, Riley Cox, Ella Danielson, Luci Davis, Kayla Dezern, Lexie Dudek, Kaitlynn Eaglin, Kaylin Edwards, Madelynn Elliott, Rylee Feagin, Savannah Fischer, Elisabeth Fowler, Kate Garrett, Kennedy Gentry, Macey Goard, Madison Herrin, Avery Hornsby, Emery Hultgren, Miataa Johnson, Brogan McKee, Kay Ndanzia, Iyana Nyakundi, Kaitlyn Rodriguez, Carrington Russell, Ava Stern, Sophie Stipp, Katie Stock, Riley Tatum, Olivia Tenney, Madison Walls, Abigail Warfield
National Cheer Association Competition - Advanced to Nationals
UIL Spirit State
MHS Choir (Directed by Victoria Kensek)
Solo & Ensemble State:
Soloists: Mahima Bathula, Angelyn Bonilla Garcia, Robin Davis, Annabelle Knapp, Noelle Pletcher, Victoria Vargas, Rylan Kidd
Ensemble: Laasya Pappu, Navya Patil, Isabella Chupp
National Choir: Sophia Martinez
MHS Special Olympic Cheerleading (Coached by Crystal Phillips)
State Champions: Lilly Della, Abbie Madabuike, Savannah Moothart, Nevaeh Moothart, Jian Morales, Viola Pirillo, Emmy Ruiz, Nathan Tan, Taylor Young
MHS Theatre (Directed by Megan Moore, Kyle Brenner, & Aubrey Moore
One-Act Play: Sam Barton, Maddie Brown, Naison Brown, Anna Caliguire, Taylor Crews, Paden Davidson, Korinne George, Avery Greene, Halle Heywood, Addi Ibanez, Nicole Iwuoha, Colby Lanz, Sincere Lewis, Abby Lynn, Briley Neu, Nathan Rose, Alyssa Sabo, Allison To, Valeria Velazquez, Logan Venner, Avery Ward, Jax Woods, Riley Woods
Theatrical Design (Hair & Makeup): Cecilia Tran - State Champion
Texas Thespians State Festival:
Monologue: Logan Venner - Advancing to Nationals
Solo Musical: Maddie Brown - Advancing to Nationals
MHS Winter Guard (Directed by Clay Singletary): Inioluwa Abatan, Annabell Bryant, Alyssa Burns, Anashe Changa, Havisha Chiliveri, Brinley Crowder, Ava Daigle, Emily Dalton, Jaxon Day, Julie Fitzgerald, Ava Fox, Karina Gomez, Mackenzie Howland, Alexis Loukuta, Kyle Nichols, Kallie Rife, Abbie Schraeder, Sienna Sidler, Kate Smith, Cassidy Walter
WGI World Silver Medalists
NTCA State Champions
MMS Band (Directed by Sasha Blankenship, Bailey Hicks, Dalia Lee, & Marli Dority)
National Trumpet Competition: Isaac Gil - National Champion