Donovan Fox
Charles Mounce
National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholar Honorees:
William Bangle
Bennett Bond
Max Chasen
Carter Cochran
Tanner Cole
Anar Iveel
Jack Shillington
Joseph Sondgeroth
Moses Sternberg
Fletcher Wilson
On Saturday, Sept. 29, the Austin High Band won their class at the Cap City Marching Contest hosted by LASA HS at Burger! After advancing to the finals competition, they placed 2nd overall and won 1st place overall in music performance. Congrats Maroon Band!
@AISDFineArts
1) PTSA Membership & Designated Donations – opened August 1
Funds collected for PTSA membership go to the Texas PTA and ACPTA.
You will also be given the opportunity to donate directly to Teacher Appreciation, Community Programs, the Endowment Fund and Grounds Beautification.
2) Custodian Appreciation – November
All funds raised go directly to the AHS Custodial Staff.
3) All In Excellence Fund – Spring Semester
The funds benefit and support the AEF (Austin Excellence Funds) Grants and supplement PTSA operational expenses, the college career center, Campus and Community Outreach, Teacher and Staff Appreciation, Parent/Student Programs & Meetings, the Vertical Team, and other various approved expenses.
4) Spirit Wear and Gear continues through the year or until inventory is depleted.
Funds go to the merchandise expense and supplement all PTSA programs.
Mrs. Ana Solis-Herrera has been named the Stephen F. Austin High School Teacher of the Year. She has taught orchestra at Austin High for 21 years. With a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Violin Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Music Education from the University of Texas at Austin; she brings a symphony of experience and expertise. Mrs. Solis-Herrera has performed inter- nationally with many orchestras in Asia, Latin America, and the United States. She was invited to speak at music education conferences in Italy, Sweden, and Latin America for her research on the music preferences of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States. Continue reading “Teacher of the Year” »
Trent Gray, a senior here at Stephen F. Austin High School in the Academy of Classical Studies, has consistently distinguished himself in both athletics and academics. From those early days on the field to this pivotal moment, Trent stands as a testament to his dedication, perseverance, and outstanding character. Continue reading “Austin High senior officially commits to U.S Naval Academy” »
Meet some current AHS students, administrators and PTSA members and enjoy some Kona Ice!
This story was printed in the Maroon on April 17, 2024. Written by Penn Smith, Franciso Sanchez-Celestino
Walking our halls today is eighty-four-year-old Roosevelt Nivens, a living legend here at Stephen F. Austin High School. With a remarkable tenure of 19 years as a coach and an additional four years as a substitute teacher, Nivens has left a mark on the hearts and minds of thousands within the Austin High community and beyond.
Nivens’ journey began in poverty, growing up in Muskogee, Oklahoma with his mother and five sisters. Despite humble beginnings, he found solace and mentorship in high school through basketball, forming a profound bond with his coach, who assumed the role of a surrogate father figure. This compassionate guidance inspired Nivens to pursue a career in coaching later in life.
Before his coaching career, Nivens earned a full scholarship to Langston University, where he excelled as a defensive tackle in football while also playing as a center for the basketball team and participating in track. “My experience as a student-athlete at Langston University was amazing, we were winners.” During Nivens’ time at Langstone University, the Langston Lions football team won three consecutive titles as champions of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference in 1959, 1960, and 1961.
He said, “It helped me to become a coach, giving knowledge of the game. And built my character as a man, taught me how to get up when I fell down, and let me know I am important and loved.”
His collegiate years spanned from 1959 to 1963, a time marked by the pervasive grip of segregation, which denied him admission to the University of Oklahoma.
Following his college tenure as a student-athlete, Nivens transitioned into the educator role, a path unexpectedly accelerated by an injury to the head coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Idabel, Oklahoma. Thus, in his inaugural year as a teacher, Nivens found himself thrust into the role of head coach for the football team, a daunting challenge that he persevered in amidst much adversity. “It was very unexpected but there were already a few good athletes there, and we ended our season 5-5.” He was there for three years as the head coach for the football, basketball, and track teams.
His journey led him to Austin, Texas, where he embarked on coaching girls’ softball at Austin High, a program he initiated. His dedication and prowess soon saw him coaching all three levels of basketball, affectionately christening the team as “The Running Maroons.”
Nivens’ unwavering compassion and perseverance within the Austin High community culminated in a crowning honor, as the gymnasium was named after him in his honor. Overwhelmed with emotion upon receiving this honor, he fondly recalls the moment he learned of the gym’s dedication, prompting him to invite his entire family to witness the unveiling of the maroon-lettered tribute. So profound was his attachment to the gym that he chose it as the venue for his wedding to his second wife, Oleander Thomas, in 2021, a testament to the deep significance of Austin High in his life.
Today, Nivens continues to impact Austin High, sharing wisdom, spreading smiles, and leaving a remarkable legacy of compassion, perseverance, and loyalty in his wake. With plans to substitute for two more years before retiring, he remains an unwavering supporter of Austin High.
Our 55th Class Reunion is planned for August 3, 2024. Check back–more information to follow!!!
We are proud of our AHS Band students who made
ALL-REGION BAND.
Wind Ensemble
Aidan Herrera – Flute
Sara King – Bb Clarinet
Sebastian Blanco – Bb Clarinet
Jack Hebert – Trumpet
Tommy Bryant – Tuba
Symphonic Band
Molly Liao – Bb Clarinet
Julimar Otero-Figueroa – Bb Clarinet
Hudson Hall – Tenor Saxophone
Justis Garza – Trumpet
Eliud Pozos – French Horn
Luke Salinas – Tenor Trombone
Luke Bone – Euphonium
LaFalco “Corkey” Robinson, longtime band director in the Austin school system, passed away on June 20, 2021, at the Lantana Lodge at Longhorn Village just outside of Austin, TX. Corkey was born to William Wallace and Geneva Walker Robinson on August 11, 1927 in Cooper, Texas, where he grew up and graduated from Cooper High School, playing saxophone in the high school band. When the school’s high school band director was drafted into the Armed Services, Corkey became director of the dance band, and began his career as a conductor at a very young age.
He entered The University of Texas at Austin in September 1944, where he played briefly in the Longhorn Band before entering the U.S. Navy in 1945. He attended the Navy School of Music, and was later assigned to a Navy dance band in the Pacific theater.
Following his discharge from the service in 1949, Corkey re-entered U. T. Austin in 1950 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953 and a Master’s degree in Music Education in 1956. Later that year, Corkey became the band and orchestra director at O. Henry Junior High School in Austin. Continue reading “Thank you LaFalco “Corkey” Robinson” »
