The presentation of the Mr. and Miss Golden Pride Awards will highlight Friday’s Senior Night festivities, beginning at 6, preceding the Jackets matchup with the Timberview Wolves in the final home football game of the season.

            More than 65 seniors from the Golden Pride Band, Showstoppers Dance Team, varsity cheerleaders, Cleburne Crazies spirit squad and the varsity football team will be honored.

            Nominees for Miss Golden Pride include Zamara Aguilar, Tabitha Collazo, Alyssa Cox, Reagan Horton and Audrey McClure. Mr. Golden Pride candidates are Chris Diaz, Ryelyn Lott, Nathan Martinez, David Thornton and Moises Vargas-Pacheco.

            Selected by their music peers, nominees are chosen for their contributions of leadership, dedication and teamwork, and a commitment to the motto of the Golden Pride: Spirit, Trust, Unity and Attitude.

            Aguilar is a member of the saxophone section during marching season and has performed in both the Symphonic Winds I and Wind Symphony concert bands. During her junior year, she advanced to the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest as a member of the Wind Symphony Saxophone Trio.

            Her band duties have expanded this year to include uniform manager on the Pride’s Student Support Staff. Her extracurricular activities also include Beta Club, Exchangettes, HOSA-Future Health Professionals and she is a student in the CHS Certified Nurse Assistant program. Outside of school, Aguilar is involved at her church where she serves in the childrens’ and media ministries.

 

Following graduation, she plans to attend The University of Texas at Arlington to major in nursing and minor in psychology, with the hopes of a career as a pediatric oncology nurse.

 

Collazo is a four-year member of the Golden Pride Color Guard and serves as Color Guard Captain. She is a member of the band’s Student Leadership Team and is the Color Guard representative on the Band Council. She has achieved Bandsman of the Week honors the past three marching seasons. As a junior, Collazo earned a First Division rating in the North Texas Colorguard Association Solo and Ensemble Competition. Her school activities also include the CHS French Club and she was among the candidates for CHS Homecoming Queen.

 

Collazo plans to study abroad following graduation while pursuing a degree in architecture, and she hopes to continue performing in the “sports of the arts” as a member of an independent winter guard. 

 

Cox has played the flute during her four years of high school band and has served as Golden Pride Drum Major as a junior and senior. During concert season, she has been a member of both the Symphonic Winds I and Wind Symphony.

 

Throughout the past three years, Cox has been a Bandsman of the Week honoree and has advanced to the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest with her ensemble in which she has earned First Division gold medals. As a sophomore and junior, she advanced to the state contest on her solo, also earning First Division ratings. She has served on the Golden Pride Student Leadership Team as a drum major and flute section leader and is currently Band Council vice-president. Her extracurricular activities also include National Honor Society and Beta Club. 

 

Following graduation, Cox plans to attend the University of Texas at Arlington to major in accounting.

 

Horton is a four-year member of the Golden Pride flute section and has performed in both the Symphonic Winds I and Wind Symphony. As a freshman, she was recognized as a Bandsman of the Week. Her band resume also includes two trips to the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest as a member of a flute ensemble, earning First Division ratings. Last year, Horton advanced to the state contest on her solo performance.   

 

She is a member of Beta Club, Exchangettes, and is a student in the CHS Education program, which includes serving as a teacher’s assistant at C.C. Cooke Elementary. Horton has been an Academic Excellence Award honoree the past three years.  

 

Following graduation, she plans to attend a four-year university to pursue a degree in elementary education.  She will graduate from CHS with a paraprofessional certificate and plans to be employed as a teacher’s aide while in college. 

            As a member of the GP Marching Band Battery, McClure has served as section leader, center snare and drumline captain as a junior and senior. She is the Senior Class Representative on the Band Council. Throughout her four years with the Pride, she has performed in the Wind Symphony.

            She has been a Bandsmen of the Week honoree all four marching seasons and qualified for the State UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest as a sophomore. McClure also plays in the worship band at Friendship Church.

            Other school activities include National Honor Society, Beta Club, National Art Honor Society and she is an officer in Technology Student Association. McClure has earned the Academic Excellence Award for three years and is currently ranked third in her graduating class. She plans to continue her studies at The University of Colorado at Boulder to pursue a degree in media broadcasting with hopes of becoming a radio host.

 

Diaz, as a candidate for Mr. Golden Pride, spent two years performing on the Bb soprano clarinet, before moving as a junior to the bass clarinet. During concert season, he has been a member of the Symphonic Winds I and Wind Symphony.

 

In his freshman year and again as a junior he was selected for the Texas Music Educators Association All-Region Band. Last year, Diaz was awarded gold medals at the state level in UIL competition as a participant in solo and ensemble events.

 

He is also a four-year member of the boys’ varsity cross country and track teams. Diaz has achieved the PC-Pro Certification as student in the CHS computer technician program. He plans to major in computer engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington.

 

            Lott, who is a member of the French Horn section, has performed in Symphonic Winds I and the Wind Symphony. He has advanced to the UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest as a soloist and an ensemble member since his freshman year—and hopes to extend that record to his senior year. As a junior, he was a silver medalist in both divisions and was honored as the Pride’s High Brass “Best Marcher.” Lott is also a two-year member of the band’s Support Staff Team, serving on the equipment crew.

 

He plans to join the United States Marine Corps following graduation, with hopes to become a Combat Engineer.

 

Martinez is a member of the Golden Pride Colorguard, joining the band as a junior after enrolling at CHS. Without any previous experience, Martinez received Most Outstanding Rifle and Most Improved Saber recognitions at the conclusion of summer band camp. In winterguard competition, including the North Texas Colorguard Association Solo and Ensemble Contest, Martinez was awarded a Superior Rating in the solo division. Activities for the band member also include Varsity Winterguard and National Art Honor Society.

 

Following graduation, Martinez plans to attend Hill College in pursuing a career in cosmetology.

 

Thornton is a four-year member of the Golden Pride Clarinet Section and has performed in the Symphonic Winds I and Wind Symphony. As a junior, he advanced to the UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest as a member of the Wind Symphony Clarinet Quartet, earning a First Division rating. He has been elected to the Band Council as the Wind Symphony representative.  

 

Thornton has competed as a member of the Jackets’ JV and Varsity Tennis teams and is Varsity Team Captain. He plans to continue his studies in music at the college level.

 

Vargas-Pacheco is in his second year as a Golden Pride Drum Major and has received multiple recognitions for his talents as a tubist. During concert season, he has been a member of Symphonic Winds I and the Wind Symphony.

 

As a freshman, Vargas-Pacheco received the Outstanding Symphonic Winds I Brass recognition and achieved first chair tuba in the All-Region (Region 30) 9^th Grade Band. The following year, he was named to the Texas Music Educators Association All-Region Symphonic Band. In his junior year Vargas-Pacheco was back in first chair among tubas selected for the 5A All-Region Symphonic Band and advanced to the Area round, which included an audition for the TMEA All-State Band.

            He currently serves as Band President and the clarinet section leader. He has achieved the Bandsmen of the Week recognition all four years of marching season and has been a participant and honoree at the state level in UIL Solo and Ensemble competition the past three years.

 

            Vargas-Pacheco has been presented with the Patrick S. Gilmore Outstand Band Member Award as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

 

            His involvement in extracurricular activities also includes Beta Club, vice-president of National Honor Society, treasurer of National Spanish Honor Society and Rotary Interact Club. He plans to major in biology on the pre-med track at The University of Texas at Arlington and to continue his involvement in music by joining the UTA Maverick Marching Band.