Recognition during Leander ISD’s Board of Trustees June 18 meeting highlighted the achievements of more than 100 students who accomplished tremendous feats in Career & Technology Education. 

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA)

Leading the way toward careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, DECA competitors from Cedar Park, Leander, Vandegrift, and Vista Ridge qualified and placed as state finalists. During competitions, students compete in events that range from marketing and finance of an existing company to creating their own business and planning out the entire operation. These students certainly show that they have their minds on successful futures.

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

As the only career and technical in-school student organization with family as its central focus, FCCLA focuses on promoting personal growth and leadership development through family and consumer sciences education. Well done to our first, second and third place winners at Rouse, Vandegrift and Vista Ridge high schools who placed in areas such as hospitality and tourism, chapter service project display, interior design, public policy advocate and professional presentation. 

FIRST Robotics

Each year, teams of high school students, coaches and mentors in the FIRST Robotics club work during a six-week period to build game-playing robots that weigh up to 125 pounds to ultimately compete against high schools around the globe. Focusing on developing and educating the rising generation of entrepreneurs and leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, our Vandegrift and Vista Ridge FIRST Robotics teams received multiple awards to include the Think, Inspire and Connect Awards. Way to go!

Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)

Placing in sixteen different awards, our Health Occupations Students of America from Cedar Park, Leander and Vandegrift High Schools prove they are among the best of the best! As a national student organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and Health Science Education, HOSA promotes career opportunities through leadership development, motivation and recognition of students who are interested in the healthcare industry and encouraging the enhancement of the delivery of quality health care to all people. 

Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE)

Creating and supporting various activities, workshops, contests, scholarships and summer workshops, our Texas Association of Future Educators is a statewide organization that offers students the opportunity to explore the teaching profession. Our Vista Ridge winners earned awards in job interviews, lesson planning and delivery, impromptu lessons, and public speaking. Hopefully, these high-flyers will work with us one day here in our very own Leander ISD!

Air Force Association (AFA) CyberPatriots

For a fourth year, Vandegrift High School has had at least one CyberPatriots team advance to the National Youth Cyber Defense open division semifinals. The Air Force Association created the youth cybersecurity program with hopes of inspiring students to pursue a career in cybersecurity. Using virtual machines to open different operating systems and learning to secure them, teams strive to help build a better, more secure society, while sparking interest in cybersecurity among their peers. Congratulations to our Vandegrift Cyber Patriots teams for advancing to state and semifinals!

Journalism

Members of our Cedar Park and Vista Ridge High Schools Yearbook and Newspaper staff are writing and speaking their way into stardom! With awards from the National Scholastic Press Association, Interscholastic League Press Conference, and Quill and Scroll International Honors Society, to name a few, these ambitious journalists prove that they are well on their way to aspiring careers in news, media and public relations.

University Interscholastic League (UIL) – Journalism

Impassioned writers and film-makers from Cedar Park, Leander, Rouse, Vandegrift and Vista Ridge High Schools penned and shot their way to the top of the University Interscholastic League competition. These students truly are the best in their trade with multiple awards including feature writing, news writing, editorial writing, narrative film and digital animated film. We cannot wait to see what these students come up with next!

Camacho Elementary STEM Certification

Camacho Elementary School achieved a great honor in becoming the district’s latest certified STEM school. This designation provides our Cosmos a research-based framework and criteria for high-quality, challenging and robust STEM educational programs. These standards of excellence clearly define the qualities and components vital to creating and sustaining superior student-centered teaching and learning programs, preparing students to master 21st-century skills. This award proves that our Camacho Cosmos exemplifies the collaborative, project-based learning where kids work closely together in a hands-on way to solve real-world problems. Congratulations to the outstanding students, teachers and staff at Camacho for this achievement!