All four of Aubrey ISD's Beta programs saw success on the National Beta Convention stage in Orlando from late June into early July.
Aubrey High School earned two Top 10 finishes, Brockett Elementary brought home five Top 10 finishes, as did Fuller Elementary, and Aubrey Middle School collected eight Top 10 awards at Nationals.
'I was just really, really proud of the whole group,' said Charity Lujan, who was one of the co-sponsors for Fuller. 'We had really awesome parent involvement, too. At the elementary level, the parents accompany the kids, their own children, and there was just a lot of support. I also saw a lot of the parents wanting to promote independence in their own kids.'
She expressed gratitude not only for her co-sponsor, Jennifer Hicks, who went to Orlando, but also for Aubrey Middle School Junior Beta sponsors Randy Skoog and Leighanne Huckaby.
'They put in countless hours to make that trip happen, and it is a lot of work to coordinate,' Lujan said.
Ruby Conway took seventh in Digital Art for AHS, and Jaqueline Martinez took sixth in Spanish 9th Grade.
Brockett brought home the area's only first-place at Nationals this year, with the school's Quiz Bowl team of Camden Brown, Aubrey Davis, Cooper Felderhoff and Jonah Spinks earn the title.
Brockett also brought home second in Meeting of the Minds, with the team of Ellie Clay, Grayson Johnson Lilly Moore and Jonah Spinks; fourth in Technology with the duo of Ryan Carlock and Barrett Ward; seventh in Health and Physical Education by Brown; and ninth in onsite drawing by Elijah Moore.
Fuller Elementary earned third in onsite painting ninth and Spanish 4th Grade, both by Martina Erazo Robayo; ninth in Spanish 5th Grade by Miranda Lugo; fourth in Collaboration Connection; and sixth in Lead Outside the Box.
Aubrey Middle School, which was competing under that school name for the final time, brought home fifth in Computer Science Principals 6th Grade by Ethan Michael; sixth in Computer Science Principles 8th Grade by Gabriel Kane; eighth in Health and Physical Education 7th Grade by Ruby Gillum; sixth in Health and Physical Education 8th Grade by Mckynleigh Odell; seventh in Marketing and Communications; 10th in Performing Arts Solo by Makayla King; fifth in Reimagine Recreate Recycle; and third in Spanish 8th Grade by Emily Paul.
Collinsville High School also had National Senior Beta winners, with Sydney Price bringing home 10th in Agriscience, Chase Sheppard earning seventh in Health and Physical Education 9th Grade, and Sophia Woody taking eighth in US History 10th Grade.
'It was great to see the level of excellence … and all the kids from across the United States that competed,' Lujan said as both a sponsor and a mother of two Beta members. 'Being able to bring my kids into that setting where they were surrounded by young leaders and they were able to communicate and mingle socially with all the other kids, it felt great to offer them that opportunity and that chance.'
