![With the AISD rank and GPA discrepancies, some students had significant changes to their stats. College and career counselor Camille Nix worked with students to appeal their college decisions if they got rejected from schools depending on their previous stats before getting updated. Students worked with Nix to update schools on their new stats in order to fully get their appropriate decisions. “Those who already were accepted [won’t be affected], but it could factor in if a student appeals their initial decision,” Principal Andy Baxa said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/53674616658_18d367e00f_o-1200x676.jpg)
![Junior Mia Milicevic practices her forehand at tennis practice with the WJ girls tennis team. “Sometimes I don’t like [tennis] because you’re alone but most of the time, I do like it for that reason because it really is just you out there. I do experience being part of a team at WJ but in tournaments and when I’m playing outside of school, I like that rush when I win a point because I did it all by myself, Milicevic said. (Courtesy Mia Milicevic)](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/c54807e1-6ab6-4b0b-9c65-bfa256bc7587.jpg)
![The Jaguar student section sits down while the girls basketball team plays in the Great Eight game at the Denver Coliseum against Valor Christian High School Feb. 29. Many students who participated in the boys basketball student section prior to the girls basketball game left before half-time. I think it [the student section] plays a huge role because we actually had a decent crowd at a ranch game. I think that was the only time we had like a student section. And the energy was just awesome, varsity pointing and shooting guard Brooke Harding ‘25 said. I dont expect much from them [the Golden Boys] at all. But the fact that they left at the Elite Eight game when they were already there is honestly mind blowing to me.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_7517-e1716250578550-900x1200.jpeg)
![BACKGROUND IN THE BUSINESS: Dressed by junior designer Kaitlyn Gerrie, senior Chamila Muñoz took to the “Dreamland” runway this past weekend. While it was her first time participating in the McCallum fashion show, Muñoz isn’t new to the modeling world.
I modeled here and there when I was a lot younger, maybe five or six [years old] for some jewelry brands and small businesses, but not much in recent years,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz had hoped to participate in last year’s show but couldn’t due to scheduling conflicts. For her senior year, though, she couldn’t let the opportunity pass her by.
“It’s [modeling] something I haven’t done in a while so I was excited to step out of my comfort zone in a way,” Muñoz said. “I always love trying new things and being able to show off designs of my schoolmates is such an honor.”
The preparation process for the show was hectic, leaving the final reveal of Gerrie’s design until days before the show, but the moment Muñoz tried on the outfit, all the stress for both designer and model melted away.
“I didn’t get to try on my outfit until the day before, but the look on Kaitlyn’s face when she saw what she had worked so hard to make actually on a model was just so special,” Muñoz said. “I know it meant so much to her. But then she handed me a blindfold and told me I’d be walking with it on, so that was pretty wild.”
Caption by Francie Wilhelm.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/53535098892_130167352f_o-1200x800.jpg)
With his name officially hanging on the wall in the mat room, senior Lucas Early is on his way to the State Championships once again.
“We take a lot of pride in having our names on our wall,” wrestling coach Jeff Knight said. “So now he’s up there forever as you know, the first boy to be a three-time state qualifier.
At the District Meet, Early earned his first District Championship after taking 2nd place during his sophomore and junior seasons.
At the Region Meet, Early reached the 106 pound finals before falling to Ellison High School’s junior Aodhan Jimenez, who took 4th at the State Meet last year. The 2nd place finish earned Early his third trip to State, however.
“He did very well making it all the way to the Region finals,” Knight said. “He lost to the one wrestler that’s ranked ahead of him. It was a very competitive match for the gold medal.”
Early will now compete in the State Meet on Feb. 16-17 at the Berry Center in Cypress with a hope to win it all. Early won one of his three matches last year at State.
“We’ve only had one boy ever medal at state and so I would love to see him be able to make it to the medal stand,” Knight said. “Our goal is to make it to the medal round and, of course, his ultimate goal is to be the state champion. Just to see him get there Friday and win those early matches and put himself in position to win a medal.”
Over the last two years Early has become a tremendous leader for the wrestling team. The team consists of 55 wrestlers, and Early has been a mentor for the newcomers.
“He’s really stepped up the last two years on helping teach the different methods,” Knight said. “He kind of takes a lot of the younger kids kind of under his wing, and it’s been a really good mentor to them.”
As the team captain, Early holds the responsibility of helping the team. The coaches have kept pushing him each day as well, which has helped him to stay accountable. His teammates have also helped support him each week.
“The coaches just push me to be better every day,” Early said. “You know, give them 100%. Not let me slack off. And (my teammates) push me to be the best leader I can be and they sacrifice their time to watch me.”
Early said his biggest supporter is his dad, who makes a point to go to every one of Early’s meets.
“He loves it too,” said Early. “He likes seeing me have success and become a better person through wrestling.”
With the end of his senior season approaching, Early has left a legacy of 44 wins and only two losses this season. He recently achieved his 100th career win, a feat few high school wrestlers achieve. He does not plan to wrestle in college.
“It’s bittersweet – being a senior,” Knight said. “This is his last go around.”
This story was originally published on Park Times on February 14, 2024.
