The Lingleville Class of 2023 walked across the stage Friday, May 26 with the largest amount of scholarships ever received by a single graduating class – more than $445,000.
Nineteen of the graduating seniors (out of a class of 25) earned a combined total of 538 college credit hours acknowledged on their high school academic achievement record. They have a combined college grade point average of 3.6.
Graduate scholarships include: Juan Carlos Alarcon: $24,000 Merit Trustee Scholarship, $5,000 MCM Endowed Scholarship, $4,357 AFS Study Abroad Grant, $3,496 MC Grant, $1,000 Global Access Initiative Travel Grant and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Jimena Alvarado - $20,000 Tarleton Dean’s Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Edgar Balcazar - $4,605 UTA Mav Undergraduate Grant and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Joseph Diego Briseno $25,000 Erath County Farm Bureau Scholarship, $1,500 Scottish Rite Foundation Scholarship, $1,000 Mickey Belew Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 Stephenville Rotary Club Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship, $1,000 Bart Vankranenburg Memorial Scholarship, $500 Merit Scholarship, $500 Lingleville Volunteer Fire Department Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Katelyn Renee Brooks $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Alex Cristian Carrizales $2,000 Ranger College Promise Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Leon Cruz - $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Colton Samuel Dominguez - $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Xavier David Figueroa - $500 American Legion Auxiliary Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Skylah Faye Finley $4,200 Tarleton Tuition Grant, $1,000 Upward Bound Summer Bridge Scholarship, $1,000 Dwain and Carolyn Bruner Endowment Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Josalyn Amara Garcia $ 16,000 Tarleton President’s Guaranteed Scholarship, $8,000 Texas State Achievement Scholarship, $5,000 Texas Grant, $5,000 Strickel Harrison Scholarship, $2,012 Texas State Tuition Grant, $2,000 National Hispanic Scholarship, $1,000 Upward Bound Summer Bridge Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Izzy Adan Juarez $1,924 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; James Leatherwood $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Colton Dale Leblanc $1,596 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Randi D’Ann Luttrell $74,000 Texas Leaders Scholar for West Texas A&M University, $12,000 Texas A&M Corpus Christi Achieve Scholarship, $7,652 Tarleton Promise Grant, $ 4,800 Merrit Scholarship for West Texas A&M University; $2,000 Tarleton’s President’s GAP Scholarship, $1,500 Scottish Rite Foundation Scholarship, $1,000 Dwayne and Caroline Bruner Endowed Scholarship, $1,000 Erath County Farm Bureau Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Evelyn Maldonado Ruiz - $1,500 Tarleton Nursing Scholarship, $1,000 Mickey Belew Scholarship, $1,000 ACET Scholarship, $1,000 Dwain and Carolyn Bruner Endowment Scholarship, $900 Tarleton Tuition Grant, $700 Marshall “Digger”Procter Memorial Scholarship and $1,432 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Steven Leslie Martinez - $3,100 Tarleton Tuition Grant and $2,000 Ranger College Promise Scholarship; Damian Ortuno - $1,000 Upward Bound Summer Bridge Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Araceli Rangel - $1,000 Mickey Belew Scholarship, $500 Merit Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Rogelio Rangel - $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; JaeLynn Kay Robertson - $16,000 Texas State University Scholarship, $12,000 UTA Scholarship, $1,000 Upward Bound Summer Bridge Scholarship and $1,596 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Klaas Schievink - $3,000 Ranger College Promise Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Bryson Lane Vann $1,432 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Sam Waterlander $50,000 Dordt Erath County Scholarship, $40,000 Dordt Honors Scholarship and $1,975 Lingleville Senior Scholarship; Bowen Cole Williams $1,432 Lingleville Senior Scholarship.
After being presented their scholarships, the class Valedictorian Jimena Alvarado and Salutatorian Josalyn Garcia presented their addresses.
“Many say this time of our lives is bittersweet. It might be. But those feelings don’t mean this is a bad thing. We were together up until yesterday. Now it’s time for us to separate. Change often scares people. But things change regardless. And though we will have sad and bad days, we can still strive for better days. No matter what kind of day it may be, we will still revolve around the sun. And as a sensible persons once said, ‘decide for yourself what makes you happy,’” Alvarado said in her speech.
The salutatorian praised the class for being a group of game changers: possibly the largest graduating class of Lingleville High school, 40% of the class graduating from Ranger prior to High School graduation, with six welding certificates and four associate’s degrees, all with honors. As a class, they exceeded the national average for SAT scores.
“Ladies and gentlemen, before you sits a group of star athletes, academic achievers, entrepreneurs and future leaders,” she said. “Together, we have been unstoppable, pushed limits, and overcome so much in our short years here. Obstacles such as Covid, homeschool, post-Covid mandates, and the loss of great educators and loved ones. We have watched this nation crumble with riots, hate, and school shootings. We have walked these halls inside locked doors and fences, with fear in the back of our minds, always lingering; yet we have pushed on, persevered, and we have made it.”
Class members presented family and friends with red roses as a symbol of thanks after enjoying a senior slide show.
The 25 graduates walked across the stage and were presented with the diplomas tossing their hats in a celebration of maroon excitement.