Royal Sound Machine to perform in 2024 at Disney World

The Royal Marching Sound Machine will be bound for Disney World in summer 2024. The trip will include opportunities for fun and for learning, and the students will take part in the recording of a Disney movie soundtrack. The Royal ISD Board of Trustees approved the trip. Over the coming months, fundraisers will be held to offset trip expenses.

This year, the band achieved sweepstakes honors, meaning that they received superior ratings from all judges in their marching, concert and sight-reading competitions. The last time this was achieved at Royal was 1976, when school Trustee Elton Foster was a Falcon band member. In addition, numerous musicians advanced beyond the district level, the band performed in dozens of community events, and the band won $2,000 at a Waller County Battle of the Bands event. Five class of 2022 graduates received fine arts scholarships, several of which are valued at over $51,000.

Royal health science students treated to first annual banquet

Royal High health science students enjoyed their first annual banquet on May 18. Students transformed the health science classroom to celebrate their accomplishments and the 2023-24 officers:

• Isaac Martinez, president.
• Rebeca Arvizo, vice president.
• Kyla Thomas, secretary.
• Daniel Hernández, treasurer.
• Danahe Alcantar, reporter.
• Yésica Rodríguez, parliamentarian.

HCC Katy campus to host college & community resource fair and open house

Houston Community College is hosting college and community resource fairs to increase community engagement and community resource visibility. It is seeking to collaborate with local businesses in this effort.

The Katy campus, 22910 Colonial Pkwy., will host its community fair and open house from 5-8 p.m. July 12. For more information, visit the website, the abbreviated URL for which is bit.ly/3J9b4an.

Two students from Katy earn degrees list at West Texas A&M University

Two students from Katy earned their degrees in May at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

Elizabeth Rivas earned her master’s degree in the educational diagnostician program. Lina El C Youssef earned her master’s degree in finance and economics.

Overall, the university awarded 828 baccalaureate degrees and 289 master’s degrees to spring graduates at the May 13 commencement ceremonies, following procedural confirmation from the university’s seven deans.

The oldest graduate was 66, and the youngest were 18. The graduating class includes 108 with a perfect 4.0 GPA and 81 veterans; 45 percent of the undergraduates are the first in their family to earn a college degree. Students from 37 states in the nation and 26 different countries graduated.

Additionally, 193 potential August graduates walked the stage at the May commencement ceremonies.

Graduates include those on the Dean's List (overall grade point average of 3.50-3.99) and on the President’s List (a 4.0). The three levels of honor recognition are Summa Cum Laude (3.90-4.00), Magna Cum Laude (3.75-3.89) and Cum Laude (3.50-3.74).

A student-centered approach of recruiting and retaining the very best is part of the university’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the campaign—which publicly launched in September 2021—has raised more than $125 million and will continue through 2025.