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For the first time in school history, the West Brook High School Bruins Basketball Team is headed to the UIL State Finals. A season filled with grit, resilience, and an unbreakable brotherhood has led them to this defining moment. Now, they stand just one game away from completing the dream as they prepare to take on Birdville High School on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

For senior Jacob Babino, the journey to this point is almost unimaginable. “Being a senior on this team is a crazy feeling because if you were to tell me last summer that we would be going to state right now, I probably wouldn't have believed you,” he said. “Making history at this school is something I will brag about forever. We are changing the way people look at West Brook, and we will be remembered forever.”

The path to the championship has not been easy. From grueling practices, to the pressure of maintaining their winning record, the team has faced countless obstacles. Junior Elijah Garrett shared how the weight of expectations sometimes felt overwhelming, but it was the strength of his teammates that carried him through. “Anytime I felt any pressure, I’d go to my teammates about it, and they’d help me through it,” Garrett said.

One of the toughest challenges came midseason when the Bruins suffered their first loss against Fort Bend Bush. Senior Seth Bagneris described it as a wake-up call that changed their entire approach. “I feel like it opened our eyes and helped us realize we have to be ‘locked in’ at all times —whether it’s practice, film study, or whatever —if we really want to do something special,” Bagneris explained. “After that, we turned it up a notch, and the drive and mindset from everyone was amazing to see. All that hard work finally paid off to put us in the situation we are in now.”

For senior Terry Satcher, the journey has been about more than just basketball. It’s about making history with a team that has become family. “This is an unbelievable and amazing feeling. We made history in one season,” Satcher said. “I want to leave knowing I gave it my all and set the tone for the ones coming up. To be the first to do it in school history should motivate other players to continue our legacy.”

A Send-Off Celebration for the Bruins Basketball Team was scheduled in the West Brook Main Gym before the group was to leave for San Antonio. Students, staff, and the entire Beaumont community were invited to “Back the Bruins.”

West Brook is scheduled to release students at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7, 2025, to allow time for travel and support. All other Beaumont ISD campuses will remain on their normal schedule.

The Bruins will take on Birdville High School from North Richland Hills in the UIL 5A State Finals on Saturday, March 8, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., with the 5A session beginning at 11:00 a.m. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster by selecting the 5A session and using the promo code UILWIN to unlock seating options. Fans are encouraged to secure their tickets early and make the trip to cheer on the Bruins as they fight for their first-ever state championship.

The dream is within reach with the Bruins just one final battle away from the ultimate achievement.

Beaumont ISD welcomed business partners, community members, and parents to its campuses to celebrate National School Breakfast Week (March 3-7, 2025), an annual event highlighting the importance of a nutritious morning meal for students.

Visitors joined students in the cafeteria, enjoying a healthy breakfast while reinforcing the benefits of starting the day with nutritious food. As a token of appreciation, guests received fruit baskets, adding an extra boost to their morning routine.

“I had a blast at Curtis Elementary (Wednesday) and Regina-Howell (Thursday),” said Amanda Ardoin, Community Engagement Manager for the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. “I am so thankful that the opportunity was provided. The scouts were so excited!” 

This year’s NSBW theme, “Clue In to School Breakfast,” brought a sense of mystery and excitement to the cafeteria, engaging students with interactive activities that emphasized the value of a well-balanced meal.

“School breakfast sets the foundation for a successful day of learning,” said Mary Ellen Vivrett, BISD Child Nutrition Director. “We’re grateful to our community partners for helping us encourage students to make healthy choices that fuel their academic success.”  

The School Breakfast Program serves more than 12 million nutritious meals daily across the nation, ensuring students have the energy needed to focus and perform well in school. BISD’s celebration is part of a broader effort to promote awareness of the program’s impact on student achievement and well-being.

National School Breakfast Week, established in 1989 by the School Nutrition Association, continues to shine a spotlight on the role of breakfast in shaping brighter futures for young learners.

Beaumont ISD students flexed their academic talent at the Sabine Pass High School UIL Academic Competition on Saturday, March 1, 2025, competing against more than 500 students from over 20 schools. West Brook High School and Beaumont Early College High School (BECHS) delivered standout performances, with West Brook earning the first-place overall sweepstakes trophy.

West Brook students secured multiple first-place finishes, dominating in Number Sense, Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Current Events. Notable individual performances included:

• Ethan Wang – First place in Number Sense and Mathematics
• Joy Li – First place in Chemistry, third place in Science
• Trenden Latham – First place in Persuasive Speaking
• Ensley Rao – Third place in Copy Editing

In team competitions, the Mathematics team of Wang, Li, Ethan Xu and Kasey Kuch placed first, while the Calculator team of Wang, Ben Chen, Li and Kuch finished second.

“This has been an incredible year for our UIL academics team,” said Jenny Nguyen, West Brook’s Academic UIL Coordinator. “Our students have worked tirelessly in and outside of school to prepare, and winning this first-place sweepstakes makes them even more motivated for district and regional meets.”

BECHS competitors also earned high placements, led by senior Leanne Nguyen, who finished first in Feature Writing and second in News Writing.

“I originally planned to compete only in News Writing, but when a few students didn’t show up, I was subbed into Feature Writing,” Nguyen said. “Despite feeling unprepared, I gave it my all. My passion for journalism set my entry apart, and I plan to pursue it as a career.”

Other notable finishes for BECHS included:

• Joseline Arellano – Sixth place in Editorial Writing
• Camryn Gay – Fourth place in Feature Writing
• Michael Lavergne – Fifth place in Headline Writing
• Daje' Johnson – Fifth place in Poetry
• Lillian Couch – Second place in Physics, sixth place in Science

Students credited preparation as the key to their success. Senior Hailey Renick, who competes in Informative Speaking and Current Events, has a morning routine that keeps her on top of things. “For my events, I prepare by listening to current events podcasts while getting ready for school,” Renick said. “That guarantees I’m informed before each competition.”

Jacob Bergman, an 11th grader competing in Informative Speaking, Social Studies, and Current Events, emphasized the importance of studying historical documents and literature. “I participate in Social Studies, which requires studying early U.S. history and reading The Magnificent Catastrophe,” Bergman said. “The hardest part is writing a strong essay to boost my raw score.”

With district and regional competitions approaching, both West Brook and Beaumont Early College High School will continue striving for excellence.

BISD Student Competitors and Placements

Beaumont Early College High School

• Joseline Arellano – 6th place, Editorial Writing
• Camryn Gay – 4th place, Feature Writing
• Leanne Nguyen – 1st place, Feature Writing; 2nd place, News Writing
• Michael Lavergne – 5th place, Headline Writing; 2nd place, News Writing
• Daje' Johnson – 5th place, Poetry
• Chad Collins – 4th place, Poetry
• Lillian Couch – 6th place, Science; 2nd place, Physics

West Brook High School

• Ethan Wang – 1st place, Number Sense; 1st place, Mathematics; 4th place, Calculator; 4th place, Computer Science
• Kasey Kuch – 2nd place, Number Sense
• Joy Li – 3rd place overall, Science; 1st place, Chemistry; 5th place, Number Sense; 6th place, Mathematics
• Ensley Rao – 3rd place, Copy Editing; 4th place, Current Events; 4th place, Headline Writing
• Brody Ramirez – 2nd place, Current Events
• Hailey Renick – 2nd place, Informative Speaking
• Jacob Bergman – 5th place, Current Events; 5th place, Informative Speaking
• Xander Montojo – 1st place, Ready Writing
• Ethan Xu – 1st place overall, Science; 1st place, Biology; 2nd place, Chemistry; 2nd place, Computer Science
• Aiden Ma – 4th place overall, Science; 2nd place, Chemistry; 3rd place, Computer Science
• Cody Yang – 6th place, Computer Science
• Kammy Nguyen – 2nd place, Social Studies
• Trenden Latham – 1st place, Persuasive Speaking; 4th place, LD Debate
• Andrew Ma – 5th place, LD Debate
• Zyren Cai – 6th place, LD Debate
• Auriel Boatman – 5th place, Literary Criticism
• Alex Fonseca – Ready Writing, Social Studies

West Brook Team Events

• 1st Place – Number Sense Team: Ethan Wang, Kasey Kuch, Joy Li, Aiden Ma
• 1st Place – Current Events Team: Brody Ramirez, Ensley Rao, Jacob Bergman, Josh Pierce
• 1st Place – Science Team: Ethan Xu, Joy Li, Aiden Ma, Selasie Doe
• 1st Place – Mathematics Team: Ethan Wang, Joy Li, Ethan Xu, Kasey Kuch
• 1st Place – Computer Science Team: Ethan Xu, Aiden Ma, Ethan Wang, Cody Yang
• 2nd Place – Calculator Team: Ethan Wang, Ben Chen, Joy Li, Kasey Kuch
• 2nd Place – Literary Criticism Team: Auriel Boatman, Xander Montojo, Alexa Alayah, Michael Gage
• 3rd Place – Social Studies Team: Kammy Nguyen, Michael Gage, Brody Ramirez, Jacob Bergman

Regina Howell Elementary could be best described as a united nations of cultures as it welcomed the entire community to Beaumont ISD’s Fifth Annual Multicultural Night. The February 28, 2025 event was a vibrant celebration of the district’s rich cultural diversity.

For students like Krish Lohano, a fourth-grader in Regina Howell’s Pegasus program, the night was an occasion for exploration and sharing. Dressed in traditional Indian clothing (in recognition of the event’s special focus on India), the Pakistani-American student was in attendance with his family and was thrilled by the festivities. “I remember coming here last year. It was so good. This one is so much better,” he excitedly shared.

Hosted by BISD’s Bilingual and ESL Department, the event showcased cultural exhibits, multilingual books, and interactive activities aimed at fostering appreciation for the many nationalities represented in the district.

Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen noted that Regina-Howell Elementary is one of the district’s most diverse schools. “19 different cultures exist right here on this campus. That’s beautiful,” she offered during her welcome remarks.

Students and families in attendance enjoyed a special guest speaker, Dr. Sudhir Alampur, a Beaumont gastroenterologist from India, who shared highlights of his home country. Guest reader Dr. Komal Karani engaged the audience with readings in both English and Hindi.

BISD Curriculum and Instruction Community Liaison Alberto Iglesias called the night a major opportunity to honor the district’s diverse backgrounds. “[We want] kids, students to feel proud of their traditions,” he said.

Students who arrived in traditional attire received a special treat, while families enjoyed cultural stations and educational resources provided by BISD departments and community business partners.