Cheers and shouts ring in the CTE1 hallways, with students lined up along the walls. Confetti rains, cameras flash and chants fill the halls. Together all of these things work for just one event aiming to celebrate 10 hardworking students.
On May 1, 2026, the class of 2026’s top 10 ranked students received a live-broadcast celebration and announcement. One by one, students from tenth to first walked to receive a hat and a balloon in an NFL draft style. The following students walked the hallway in the order of 10 to one: Aidyn Morris, Ethan Jones, Hayden Henry, Meredith McPhaul, Jackson Adams, Lillie Orgeron, Lilian LeFors, Samuel Cross, salutatorian Sanders Wiggins and valedictorian David Mayo. Many people helped make this event run smoothly in all areas of planning.
“The event was designed to feel like a high-energy ‘GameDay-style’ celebration while still honoring the academic excellence of our students,” digital media and marketing specialist Brittney Brookes said. “The morning began with the top 10 students being gathered privately before the announcement. Families arrived at the CTE Commons for a surprise breakfast experience while the students participated in the live reveal portion.”
With the help of numerous sponsors, this event became not only an announcement of the top 10 students, but also a celebration of their achievements.
“Our sponsors played a major role in helping us create a first-class experience,” Brookes said. “Farmers Bank & Trust served as the Presenting Sponsor and helped support the overall event experience while also participating in the breakfast program. Texarkana Emergency Center & Hospital supported the event as the Academic Excellence Sponsor and Texarkana GameDay served as a Rising Star Sponsor through production support and event collaboration.”
Students, parents and friends alike all came to support and honor the top-ranked students, leaving a lasting mark on the students’ success.
“It was made into such a big deal, and I think it showed the top 10 really accomplished something important,” Orgeron said. “I also loved cheering everyone on and spending the morning with my family. It was an amazing surprise.”
Every student in the top 10 received love and attention for their hard work throughout their high school careers.
“Everybody, whether you are 10 or one, got the same experience. I really liked that everybody had the big hoopla, because it’s hard to be in our top team, especially in this class,” student council adviser Susan Waldrep said. “It’s not an easy thing. You have to work hard.”
The people, event and decorations all brought life to the announcement.
“Each of the parents of the top 10 were notified by the district, and they decorated tables for their child,” Waldrep said. “They did two fabulous photo ops with balloons and, for each student, they had a baseball cap with their number and their name on the side. Everybody got that, and they got a balloon with their number [which] went to their table.”
Four years of hard work and determination led these students to their ranks, while also learning to balance extracurriculars.
“Before I got to high school, I made it my personal mission to be in the top 10 of my class. That being said, these past four years have been filled with a lot of stress, but it has truly been worth it,” LeFors said. “During that time, I’ve learned to allocate my time, make priorities and stay persistent even when it’s hard.”
These students worked diligently because they know success doesn’t come from anything but from hard work.
“[I made] sure to always use all of my effort,” Cross said. “If you don’t give your best effort, you can’t expect the best reward.”
The top 10 students did very well in school, but they also recognized the importance of a life outside of it.
“I would tell other students to put great importance in their academics but also maintain an active social life,” Mayo said. “I took as many AP’s as I could, while also balancing TigerVision and golf.”
Life outside of academics not only helps the students personally, but also for acceptance into their dream colleges.
“Grades only get you so far. Don’t spend all of your time studying,” Wiggins said. “Colleges like well rounded individuals who do lots of activities.”
With the help of all involved, the Top 10 Announcement went smoothly and became a successful celebration for everyone.
“One of our main goals was to create an experience that felt exciting, meaningful and worthy of the students’ accomplishments, and I believe we achieved that,” Brookes said. “Seeing the reactions from students and families made all of the planning worth it.”
