It's our last week of STAAR, so stay Warrior aware with a Smore for the ages! Check out all the happenings for April 20-24: https://app.smore.com/n/4bty1-talkington-warrior-weekly
Alumna Update!
Huge congratulations are in order for Taylor Harrison, THS Class of 2025, who was named International Public Debate Association Novice National Champion. She competed against 118 other debaters from across the country! She says that she credits her success to her time here at Talkington and that she misses us. We certainly miss her and could not be more proud of the great things she is achieving. Way to go, Taylor!
Huge congratulations are in order for Taylor Harrison, THS Class of 2025, who was named International Public Debate Association Novice National Champion. She competed against 118 other debaters from across the country! She says that she credits her success to her time here at Talkington and that she misses us. We certainly miss her and could not be more proud of the great things she is achieving. Way to go, Taylor!
Hello, high school families! Because the ATC and AgriStem are not open tomorrow morning due to STAAR Testing, students with 1st-4th period ATC or AgriStem will go to the Talkington library.
AMAZING TALENT!
Mae O’Brien, a sixth-grade student at Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, has received several achievements in piano competitions.
Most recently, Mae participated Great Composers Competition ( European) international online music competition and was awarded:
First Prize in the German and Austrian music category
Second Prize in the Eastern European music category
In addition, over the past couple of months, she has earned:
Two First Place awards in the Lubbock Music Teachers Association piano competitions
Two “Superior” ratings at the National Federation of Music Clubs District Festival
Second Place (middle school division) at the Texas Tech University piano Festival with 300 dollar scholarship.
We love to see our Warriors finding opportunities to challenge themselves, to showcase their talents, and to go above and beyond! Way to go, Mae! Shout out to her teacher, Mrs. Spitsberg, for supporting her through this journey. We are so proud!
Mae O’Brien, a sixth-grade student at Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, has received several achievements in piano competitions.
Most recently, Mae participated Great Composers Competition ( European) international online music competition and was awarded:
First Prize in the German and Austrian music category
Second Prize in the Eastern European music category
In addition, over the past couple of months, she has earned:
Two First Place awards in the Lubbock Music Teachers Association piano competitions
Two “Superior” ratings at the National Federation of Music Clubs District Festival
Second Place (middle school division) at the Texas Tech University piano Festival with 300 dollar scholarship.
We love to see our Warriors finding opportunities to challenge themselves, to showcase their talents, and to go above and beyond! Way to go, Mae! Shout out to her teacher, Mrs. Spitsberg, for supporting her through this journey. We are so proud!
DATE CHANGE!
Due to testing, the 9th grade college visit has been moved to May 6. We will depart by 7am, so students will need to arrive early.
Students will have permission forms to sign (if they didn't get one, they can pick one up on the front table of the cafeteria), and they will need to pay the $5 fee for the trip as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our College Success Advisor: brandi.couch@lubbockisd.org.
Due to testing, the 9th grade college visit has been moved to May 6. We will depart by 7am, so students will need to arrive early.
Students will have permission forms to sign (if they didn't get one, they can pick one up on the front table of the cafeteria), and they will need to pay the $5 fee for the trip as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our College Success Advisor: brandi.couch@lubbockisd.org.
Stay strong for a second week of STAAR testing! Find out about all the awesomeness with the Talkington Smore for April 13-18: https://app.smore.com/n/9tcx3-talkington-warrior-weekly
Join us to watch the amazing productions on Monday for FREE! Come support our theatre students--you will love their performances!
8th grade BONUS trip to Texas Tech University!
Our entire 8th grade class has been invited to the TTU 8th Grade Excursion on April 28. We will be there all school day to explore majors, learn traditions, eat lunch, and learn about college life.
This trip is FREE to students. We are so grateful to our partners at TTU College Connect!
Our entire 8th grade class has been invited to the TTU 8th Grade Excursion on April 28. We will be there all school day to explore majors, learn traditions, eat lunch, and learn about college life.
This trip is FREE to students. We are so grateful to our partners at TTU College Connect!
We constantly encourage our students to find ways to make an impact on those around them, and we love sharing these efforts! Recently, 7th grader Anjali Knolli set up a partnership with a nonprofit organization, the Mathru Krupa Foundation, to raise awareness about hygiene and health and to provide products for women in our community.
At Talkington SYWL, this initiative has been successfully implemented through baskets stocked with free hygiene products in student bathrooms. A sustainable restocking system has been established, with student volunteers replenishing supplies every Friday to ensure consistent availability. Ms. Hernandez is the facility sponsor, so if you would like to donate to this cause, please bring the items to her.
After raising awareness and providing products here, Anjali wants to make sure others in our community have what they need. She has big plans for the future, and we are so proud of this amazing Warrior! Way to take the initiative to help others!
At Talkington SYWL, this initiative has been successfully implemented through baskets stocked with free hygiene products in student bathrooms. A sustainable restocking system has been established, with student volunteers replenishing supplies every Friday to ensure consistent availability. Ms. Hernandez is the facility sponsor, so if you would like to donate to this cause, please bring the items to her.
After raising awareness and providing products here, Anjali wants to make sure others in our community have what they need. She has big plans for the future, and we are so proud of this amazing Warrior! Way to take the initiative to help others!
Writing Warriors will be published!
We had 4 of our Warrior writers selected for another Young Writers USA Contest, "Unsolved." For some, this is their second time being selected, meaning they will be published in TWO anthologies this year, along with some 1st timers as well!
Congratulations to these writers and their sponsors, Ms. A. and Ms. Parker!
Tamara Karsnok
Alessandra Lysiak
Alaura Coakly
Gigi Ioppolo
We had 4 of our Warrior writers selected for another Young Writers USA Contest, "Unsolved." For some, this is their second time being selected, meaning they will be published in TWO anthologies this year, along with some 1st timers as well!
Congratulations to these writers and their sponsors, Ms. A. and Ms. Parker!
Tamara Karsnok
Alessandra Lysiak
Alaura Coakly
Gigi Ioppolo
For STAAR testing and AP testing (4/9 - 5/15), you will be using secure testing apps on your Chromebook. These need to be the most recent version to work correctly! Please use your gopher update feature on your Chromebook to update the operating system. STAAR testers will need to be able to access the Secure Test Browser app.
Most of our students will be all-STAARs this coming week by Mastering the State of Texas' Assessment of Academic Skills! Learn about this and everything else by being Warrior Aware with the Talkington Smore for April 7-11: https://app.smore.com/n/61ac3-talkington-warrior-weekly
Dear Parents of TSYWL,
There is still time to take the survey! We just wanted to send a reminder about the Communities In Schools (CIS) parent survey that was sent out on last week. CIS is a program that provides support and resources for students. CIS National invites you to take the survey, asking about your experiences as a parent at TSYWL. It’ll take about 20 minutes to complete, and as a thank you, you will be entered into a raffle to win 1 of 5 $50 gift cards.
If you want to take the survey, please use the following link to access the consent form and survey by April 10th, 2026: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/impactevalfamilysurvey
We hope that you consider participating in the survey! Your thoughts are important to help CIS National improve the CIS model for students, families, and schools nationwide. If you have any questions about the study, please contact the CIS National Research & Evaluation team at Research@cisnet.org.
There is still time to take the survey! We just wanted to send a reminder about the Communities In Schools (CIS) parent survey that was sent out on last week. CIS is a program that provides support and resources for students. CIS National invites you to take the survey, asking about your experiences as a parent at TSYWL. It’ll take about 20 minutes to complete, and as a thank you, you will be entered into a raffle to win 1 of 5 $50 gift cards.
If you want to take the survey, please use the following link to access the consent form and survey by April 10th, 2026: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/impactevalfamilysurvey
We hope that you consider participating in the survey! Your thoughts are important to help CIS National improve the CIS model for students, families, and schools nationwide. If you have any questions about the study, please contact the CIS National Research & Evaluation team at Research@cisnet.org.
For STAAR testing and AP testing (4/9 - 5/15), you will be using secure testing apps on your Chromebook. These need to be the most recent version to work correctly! Please use your gopher update feature on your Chromebook to update the operating system. STAAR testers will need to be able to access the Secure Test Browser app.
Don't be an April fool; stay Warrior Aware with the Talkington Smore for March 30-April 2! For students in grades 6-11, it's time to lock in for STAAR test prep: https://app.smore.com/n/r1w25-talkington-warrior-weekly
Hello, Warrior families! April 9 - 23 is STAAR testing across Lubbock ISD. Please check the testing dates for days your student will be testing! Students need to be on campus for these assessments, so please schedule upcoming appointments accordingly. Thank you!
Thursday, April 9 = English grades 6-9
Tuesday, April 14 = English grade 10
Thursday, April 16 = Science grades 8-9
Tuesday, April 21 = U.S. History grades 8 and 11
Thursday, April 23 = Math grades 6-8 and Algebra I
Thursday, April 9 = English grades 6-9
Tuesday, April 14 = English grade 10
Thursday, April 16 = Science grades 8-9
Tuesday, April 21 = U.S. History grades 8 and 11
Thursday, April 23 = Math grades 6-8 and Algebra I
Help us wish the best of luck to our STATE SCIENCE FAIR CONTESTANTS! They are all set up and ready to compete tomorrow!
Students and their families are welcome to join us in person or online on Tuesday, March 31 from 4:15-5:45 to learn more about how to build a balanced college list and how to research schools to find the right fit. Students will need their Chromebooks.
Join us in person in the cafeteria or online on Google Meet at meet.google.com/ywu-cath-kes.
Join us in person in the cafeteria or online on Google Meet at meet.google.com/ywu-cath-kes.
Sophomores and Juniors--here's a FREE opportunity for you to prepare for INCubator class and learn great skills! This camp is not affiliated with LISD. We are just sharing the information for families who may be interested.
TTU Rawls School of Business will host the fifth annual Business Career Awareness Program (BCAP) this summer: Sunday-Thursday, June 14-18, 2026!
BCAP is a one-week, in-residence, all-expenses-paid summer program for rising juniors and rising seniors in high school to visit Texas Tech and learn about majoring and working in business. Attendees will check in on Sunday evening and, during the following four days, will learn about the various academic programs offered by the Rawls College (accounting, energy commerce, finance, information technology, management, marketing, real estate, and supply chain management) and other specialized business topics (neuroscience, social responsibility, family business/entrepreneurship, business ethics, and negotiation). They also will work in teams to complete a week-long business-simulation activity in which they will launch and operate their own virtual coffee shops. Attendees will receive information about the TTU application/admission process, careers available for business majors, student organizations, study-abroad opportunities, and student-success services. They will stay in a residence hall, eat in a dining hall, and enjoy the full college experience, including a campus-wide scavenger hunt, the Rec Center leisure pool, and volleyball and basketball at Urbanovsky Park!
Interested students can apply using the QR code on the attached handout or by clicking this link: https://ttu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9XOpnYSfcRbOAgC. The application deadline is Friday, April 17. They will notify admitted students by Friday, May 1.
If you have any questions about BCAP, please contact Fallon Contreras, Rawls Director of Student Engagement and Recruitment, at fallon.contreras@ttu.edu or myself, Director of the Lyons School of Accounting, at kirsten.cook@ttu.edu.
TTU Rawls School of Business will host the fifth annual Business Career Awareness Program (BCAP) this summer: Sunday-Thursday, June 14-18, 2026!
BCAP is a one-week, in-residence, all-expenses-paid summer program for rising juniors and rising seniors in high school to visit Texas Tech and learn about majoring and working in business. Attendees will check in on Sunday evening and, during the following four days, will learn about the various academic programs offered by the Rawls College (accounting, energy commerce, finance, information technology, management, marketing, real estate, and supply chain management) and other specialized business topics (neuroscience, social responsibility, family business/entrepreneurship, business ethics, and negotiation). They also will work in teams to complete a week-long business-simulation activity in which they will launch and operate their own virtual coffee shops. Attendees will receive information about the TTU application/admission process, careers available for business majors, student organizations, study-abroad opportunities, and student-success services. They will stay in a residence hall, eat in a dining hall, and enjoy the full college experience, including a campus-wide scavenger hunt, the Rec Center leisure pool, and volleyball and basketball at Urbanovsky Park!
Interested students can apply using the QR code on the attached handout or by clicking this link: https://ttu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9XOpnYSfcRbOAgC. The application deadline is Friday, April 17. They will notify admitted students by Friday, May 1.
If you have any questions about BCAP, please contact Fallon Contreras, Rawls Director of Student Engagement and Recruitment, at fallon.contreras@ttu.edu or myself, Director of the Lyons School of Accounting, at kirsten.cook@ttu.edu.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
We have several milestones coming up for our seniors: INCubator Final Pitch Night on April 20 at 5:30pm, INCubator Showcase People's Choice Presentation on May 1 at 9:00am, and Signing Day on May 1 at 2:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend!
We recommend that you register for a visitor's badge ahead of time for Signing Day:
https://www.schoolsafeid.com/event/10137
If you have any questions about these events, please contact Brandi Couch at brandi.couch@lubbockisd.org.
We have several milestones coming up for our seniors: INCubator Final Pitch Night on April 20 at 5:30pm, INCubator Showcase People's Choice Presentation on May 1 at 9:00am, and Signing Day on May 1 at 2:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend!
We recommend that you register for a visitor's badge ahead of time for Signing Day:
https://www.schoolsafeid.com/event/10137
If you have any questions about these events, please contact Brandi Couch at brandi.couch@lubbockisd.org.
