Union Students

• Union Schools launched the “Be Present to Win” campaign to combat chronic absenteeism, with a goal of reducing it by 7 percent. Significant progress was made, with 200 fewer students chronically absent during the 2024-25 school year – a decrease of 1.35 percent district-wide. 
• Rocket the Redhawk was revealed as the new costumed mascot for Union High School at the fall pep assembly. 
• The Union Teacher Empowerment Program launched in February 2025, made possible by the passing of SB 1256 during the Legislative Session in May 2024. The bill empowers Oklahoma educators by establishing advanced, lead and master teacher certifications, coupled with significant stipends ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. 
• 62 Union 8th Grade students were selected to participate in the next cohort of the EDGE Program. This program enables students to obtain a two-year associates degree through Tulsa Community College at the same time they complete their high school degree. 
  Union’s Native American Program was honored as the Fiscal Year 25 Exemplary Program by Muscogee Nation’s Johnson-O’Malley office. 
• High School Counselor Sarah Forbes was named a top five finalist for Oklahoma School Counselor of the Year. 
• The Redhawks R.I.S.E. (Ready, Independent, Skilled, Empowered) gained momentum during its second academic year, helping individuals with disabilities to transition into adulthood. The program was made possible by the passage of a new Oklahoma law that allows special needs students to stay in school, working on transition skills, until the age of 22. 
• Union Virtual served 100 students in grades 5-12 during the 2024-25 school year, with another 1,200 students participating in the blended virtual program at Union High School. Coursework was provided through Flexpoint, Edgenuity and Edynamics. 
• Scott Pennington and Jessica Hogaboom of the district’s Hope Department are leading an effort to prioritize hope as a way of improving students’ overall wellbeing. Union’s partner and guide in the effort is University of Oklahoma professor Dr. Chan Hellman, Director of the Hope Research Center at OU-Tulsa. 
• Union Special Services hosted the 4th Annual “Choose to Include” event for more than 600 students and their families at Union Tuttle Stadium in May. Choose to Include is a special day for students with significant cognitive and adaptive needs. This year’s theme was “Everyone Deserves a Chance to Fly.” Students played a variety of activities, including bocce ball, bowling, stomp rocket launchers, the parachute ball game and other fun activities.
• Senior Madeline Bacon was awarded the first Mr. G. Scholarship, in honor of the late Nick Griffith, a teacher who loved and inspired so many students during his time at the Union 6th/7th Grade Center. 
• The teachers at Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center were selected as the elementary recipients of the “Possibilities in Action” partner award from Union’s psychology team. 
• Leadership Tulsa toured Darnaby Elementary and the Union Innovation STEM Lab in April to learn more about the school’s STEM offerings and Project Lead The Way. 
• Seven EDP staff development opportunities were provided at school sites by the University of Oklahoma Center for Early Childhood Professional Development (CECPD). Topics included Guaranteeing a Safe Environment; Building Professionalism in Out-of-School-Time Staff; Planning for Out-of-School-Time Programs; Building Team Spirit; Trauma-Sensitive Practices; Employee Self-Care; and Vector Safety training. 
  In-person CPR/First Aid training was offered in small groups. All training was approved for credit through the CECPD. Each staff member is required to take 20-30 hours of training annually. 

• The more than 100 elementary through high school cast and crew members of the all-school musical “Footloose” performed three nights of retro 1980s-themed fun for enthusiastic audiences in February 2025.
• The Union Middle School Musical “The Lightning Thief” performed two shows to sold-out audiences in November, with over 60 6-8th grade cast members and technicians. 
• Union High School Repertory Theatre (grades 11-12) hosted and won many individual and group awards at their Oklahoma One-Act Play Competition in October performing “Radium Girls.” 
• Repertory Theatre performed “Our Town” in April to sold-out audiences.
  Union’s Theatre of Professionals (grades 9-10) presented “The Physicists” in September, and “The Odd Couple” in May.
• Union’s Select Theatre (8th grade) performed “Murder on the 518” in April.
  Juniors Jake Douthitt and Brinley Stockstill were chosen to compete in the Discovery Awards, a regional program that highlights and awards excellence in eastern Oklahoma high school musical theater.
• Numerous speech and debate students qualified to compete in the National Tournament hosted in June 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa.   

• Union High School speech and debate team member Chiedza Naomi Mahuni won second place in the Next Narrative Monologue National Competition held in New York City in May. 

• Numerous students qualified via their solos or small ensembles to participate in the OSSAA State Solo & Ensemble Festival held at Oklahoma State University in April.  

• Several middle and high school bands, choirs, and orchestras took performance trips to Branson, Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo.; Dallas; and numerous locations in Oklahoma.  

• Union Winter Guards won several Winter Guard and Percussion Oklahoma (WGPO) shows during their competitive season, as well as hosting the State Championship at the Union Freshman Academy in April 2025.

• The Union Indoor Percussion Ensemble won a WGPO State Championship and returned to the Winter Guard International (WGI) Championships in Dayton, OH, earning 7th place overall and a coveted position in Finals Competition. 

• The Varsity Winter Guard won 2nd Place at the WGPO State Championship in April.  

• Union continued its partnership with Tulsa Symphony Orchestra to provide musical interactions for students at Rosa Parks Early Childhood Center. 

• Carnegie Hall Link Up Program served all 4th grade students. An in-person concert was performed in March at the Union Performing Arts Center by Tulsa Symphony Orchestra for this initiative. 

• The Renegade Regiment, Unions’ marching band, returned to competition at the Bands of America St. Louis Super Regional, earning 7th place in class 4A and 11th place overall in the final’s competition. The group also returned to BOA Nationals in Indianapolis, IN, earning a spot in the Semi-Finals Competition. 

• The Renegade Regiment won 5th Place at the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association state championship competition.

• The YouthArts! Visual Art Show took place in April featuring thousands of works of art created by students in all Union buildings, grades K-12.  

• The YouthArts! Honor Choir comprised of students from every elementary school returned to the Union Performing Arts Center. There was a full day of rehearsals with a guest clinician followed by a standing room-only performance in the evening for parents and family.  

• Junior Kaitlin Madalone was selected as a finalist for the international art competition for the ARTEFFECT Unsung Heroes project.

• Eight visual art students received awards from the Scholastics Art and Writing Competition.  

• 10 visual art students were recognized by OAEA as Young Talent All-State award winners.

Baseball

• Isaac Arrieche
  Northwest Oklahoma State University
• Devin Blackwell
  Rose State College
• Armando Gomez
  Seminole State College
• Nate Gregg
  Southwestern College

Basketball

• Vanessa Coleman
  Emporia State University
• Korbin Gunn
  McPherson College 
• Esme’ Smith
  Coffeyville Community College
• JaMiya Woodard
  Louisiana State University Eunice

Cheer

• Hannah Giles
  Oklahoma Baptist University
• Aleah Nichols
  Southwestern Christian University

Football

• Boston Carrasco
  Iowa Western Community College
• Ashton Cunningham
  Boston College
• Jackson Franklin
  United States Air Force Academy
• Josiah Hammond
  University of Kansas
• Jesse Jones Jr.
  Coffeyville Community College
• Kris Mendenhall
  Coffeyville Community College
• Shaker Reisig
  Boston College
• Jordan Schelling
  Northeastern State University
• Larry Sirmons
  Coffeyville Community College
• Syrell Smith
  Sterling College
• DJ Strother
  Independence Community College
• Josh Tiehi
  Southeastern Oklahoma State University 

Golf

• Avery Fore
  Lyon College 

Pom

• Sophia Nguyen
  University of Tulsa

Softball

• Kat Gipson
  Eastern Oklahoma State College
• Danytza Perez
  Fort Scott Community College

Soccer

• Juan Guzman
  Southwestern College
• Sophia Trevino
  Oral Roberts University

Track and Field

• Lexy Atteberry
  Southern Nazarene University
• Kaden Berry
  Cowley College
• Grace Blacet
  Pittsburg State University
• Carly Borgelt
  United States Military Academy
• Samari Carter
  Northwestern Oklahoma State University
• Kennedy Johnson
  University of Tulsa
• Gracie Kempenich
  Oklahoma Christian University
• Jarek Watie
  University of Kansas 

Wrestling

• Josh Henderson
  Fort Hays Tech Northwest
• Azreal Smith
  Indian Hills Community College
• Wuraola Yinusa
  University of Central Oklahoma 
• Zebidiah Tibbles
  Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College

Valedictorians

• Vann Dickens, Track & Field
• Avery Fore, Golf
• Teagan Wilson, Swim

Salutatorians

• Grant Faulkner, Swim
• Mia Greer, Pom
• MiDori Phelps, Athletic Training
• Elisha Tyshchuk, Track & Field
• Wura Yinusa, Wrestling