STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS - Hughson Unified School District

Student Body President Sophia Aguiar joins Hughson Unified School District as the new student board member

September 1, 2026

Hughson Unified School District welcomes Sophia Aguiar as the new student board member. “Our student board member is an important member of our governance team,” Superintendent Brenda Smith said, “They serve as a voice for our students and are able to vote, ask questions, bring suggestions, and report on activities at Hughson High School.”

Aguiar is also this year’s Student Body President. The combined role will see her handling the leadership’s day-to-day work and attending board meetings as the student representative. She will attend seminars to learn about her role and prepare to “further the line of communication from the district office to every student,” Aguiar said. “I am so excited to start this new journey in my community!”

The role comes after many years of serving Hughson schools and the community. Aguiar has lived in Hughson her entire life and attended all K-12 schools in town. “I was not very outgoing to begin with and was not involved in my community until seventh grade when I joined the RMS Web class. I fell in love with leadership,” Aguiar said.

She joined the leadership class in eighth grade and became the CJSF president. “Since then, I have jumped into leadership head-on.”

Through the years, she has been inspired to be involved by her older sister. “My older sister has acted as a huge inspiration for my school involvement. She is not only my biggest cheerleader, but she is also an incredibly courageous, aspirational person who will forever be my role model.”

This is Aguiar’s third year as part of the Hughson High School leadership team. She has also served as Freshman President and Student Body Vice President. She is the team captain of the Hughson High School Cross Country Team, president of Key Club, and Junior Co-President of CSF on campus. “Honestly, what inspires me to be so involved is the thought of waiting for someone else to change something when I can step up instead. I can never sit idly by while work I could help with is being left undone. I think I just have a tenacity that leaves me unable to not lead,” Aguiar said.

Aguiar said she is looking forward to her increased responsibility and “getting to peek behind the curtain of what it really takes to keep a complex system like a school running. I also want to act as a stronger link between the average student and the bigger decisions being made. The larger our community gets, the larger gaps can become, so providing the communication and transparency is essential.”

The student representative gains valuable experience for themselves. “Through this experience, our student board member gains experience in understanding the importance of a board governance structure. This skill will benefit them as they become an active participant in their community,” Smith said. “We appreciate Sophia being a part of the process and hope it is a great learning experience for her.”

Bailey Peters and Jillian Baptista compete in Kentucky as the first California girls team ever to qualify for the National Bass Fishing Tournament

June 29, 2026

For the fifth time, Hughson High School Bass Fishing Club has qualified for the National Championship. Now, Bailey Peters and Jillian Baptista are in Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, as the first girls’ team ever in California to qualify through a tournament.

Peters began fishing when she was four years old with her father, and began consistently fishing in tournaments by the age of nine. It was her father who first taught her to fish. “Growing up, I spent hours on the water with him during both day and night tournaments. One of my favorite memories from those early years was fishing the night tournaments and always getting snacks from all of my dad’s friends of whom we were competing against,” Peters said.

Like Peters, Baptista also began around age four or five and was taught by her father. At that age, her preferred fishing pole was a pink Barbie pole. Out on Pinecrest Lake, she remembers her father grabbing hold of it, and as he turned, it slipped from his hands into the lake. “I was so mad that he lost my favorite pole. He told me he would get me another one, but he never did,” Baptista said. And while her father did not replace the pink Barbie pole, other poles were to follow for Baptista, whose favorite rod she uses now is St. Croix.

On April 19, Peters and Baptista competed on the California Delta and earned their opportunity to qualify for the National Championship. With 47 boats competing, they finished in the top five. “The day started off strong with a great morning bite, but the fishing became much tougher in the afternoon. The Delta has never been one of our favorite bodies of water, so going into the tournament, we were not overly confident. However, once we started catching fish, we knew we had a chance to do well,” Peters said.

The tournaments consist of a five-fish limit, with blast-off beginning around 7 a.m. and weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. Peters and Baptista brought in a full limit weighing 12.54 pounds. Baptista caught their big fish of the day, weighing 4.18 pounds, playing a huge role in our success.

On June 20, the girls headed for Kentucky to prepare for the National Championship on the 101-mile-long Lake Cumberland. They spent several days pre-fishing and learning the lake before the competition, which began early on June 24 and ended on June 27.

Leading up to the start day, they practiced new techniques, focusing on accuracy and making sure they were ready to adapt to unfamiliar water. “Fortunately, Lake Cumberland fishes similarly to some of our home lakes, which gives us confidence as we represent California on the national stage,” Peters said.

“The weather is going to be a challenge for us, it is going to be humid, hot, there will be rain and thunderstorms. This is nothing like we have at home and is going to affect how we fish,” Baptista said before they arrived in Kentucky. Watching videos of anglers on Lake Cumberland, attending to what they’re throwing, and talking to local fishing stores, including Johnny Creek, has increased their knowledge of their options once they reach Kentucky. Pre-fishing will help them learn what they’ll need to throw at Lake Cumberland and identify good spots.

“This is now my first year being involved in the Hughson Bass Fishing club. I am so grateful my partner Bailey Peters pushed me to join, so we could fish together,” Baptista said.

At Nationals, each team is guaranteed a minimum of three days of fishing. Those who place well can continue on.

To help fund their trip, which includes airline tickets, gas, rental car, lodging, bait and fishing gear, their families launched a GoFundMe campaign to offset the cost.

“Fishing has been a huge part of my life, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities and memories it has given me,” Peters said. “I am excited to compete alongside Jillian at the National Championship and look forward to representing California with pride.”

Hughson was watching and cheering its team on. Principal Loren Lighthall said, “The school is incredibly proud of the program and these girls. They are immensely talented anglers and, more importantly, wonderful and kind teenage girls.”

For the latest updates on Peters and Baptista, follow Hughson High Bass Fishing Club on Instagram.

Academics Alive Connects Students to Scholarships and the Community that Gives Them

May 27, 2026

Over 100 different scholarships were presented to Hughson High School seniors on May 19 at the annual Academics Alive, an awards celebration held each spring at the school.

The awards night is a remarkable tradition, not only for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded to Hughson’s youth, but also for the way it connects the organizations that created the scholarships to the student recipients.

For this reason, it is Assistant Principal Natalie Moring’s favorite event of the year. Moring, who became Assistant Principal twelve years ago, is responsible for the program’s structure today. When she started, scholarship information was kept in a filing cabinet. Students came into the office to inquire. A copy of the scholarship application was made, and students took it to complete it on paper.

Now, bringing the system up to date, Moring maintains a webpage linked from the Hughson High School website. Students and their families go online, and find the “Scholarship Searches” page under College TRACKS and are taken to the webpage, organized by due date, where every scholarship opportunity is linked either to the organization's page, or an online application which, when completed, Moring can see and submit to the scholarship organization. Students have access to the website, which is updated weekly throughout their senior year. During Senior Parent Night in September and in English and Economics/Government Classes, teachers make sure students understand how the system works.

The amount awarded can vary widely each year. Students who receive partial- or full-ride academic, athletic, or agricultural scholarships and grants receive their award that night, as well as the small but closely connected local scholarships.

Local scholarships are presented first. Donor presenters come to the stage, offer a few words on the founding of the scholarship, and announce the recipient. The program includes a more detailed description of the scholarship's intent.

“Not only do we celebrate the students getting scholarships, but we also remember the lives of these people and what they contribute to the Hughson community,” Moring said.

Moring believes this portion of the scholarship pool may be what makes Hughson particularly stand out from other schools. As an institution over 100 years old, generations of community members, their children and their grandchildren have attended Hughson High School and want to give back. Thus, many of the scholarships awarded that night were specifically designated for Hughson students.

In the case of memorial scholarships, like the John Amador Memorial Scholarship presented by Barbara Foley in memory of her son, “We’re able to have him remembered through this scholarship, so everybody every year gets to hear about her son. We’re remembering these people,” Moring said, “like last year, we had the Abbe Stoneham Memorial Scholarships. Abbe was one of my former cheerleaders when I coached cheer for Hughson Youth Football and Cheer, so we’re able to start giving her a shout-out and remembering her every year.”

The event also included awards presentations, Valedictorian to Samantha Valdivia, Salutatorian to Kevin Ochoa Mendoza and Elizabeth Becchetti; Block H 12 Sport Award and Lifetime Athletic Pass to Valente Soria, Presley Wells, and Landon Mason; California Scholarship Federation Lifetime Members; and TVL Scholar Athletes.

A Conversation with the 2026 HHS Valedictorian and Salutatorians

May 26, 2026

Hughson High School senior Samantha Valdivia has been named this year’s Valedictorian, and Kevin Ochoa Mendoza and Elizabeth Becchetti have been named Salutatorian. To celebrate their accomplishments, we asked Samantha, Kevin, and Elizabeth for their advice, study habits, favorite teachers and more.

What are the key things other students should know about your academic success, and how you achieved it?

Samantha: A lot of my academic success came from persistence and learning how to rely on myself. I procrastinated more than people would probably expect from a valedictorian, but I always made sure I got things done and held myself to high standards. I spent a lot of time teaching myself the material, staying up late to finish assignments, and pushing myself even when I felt overwhelmed. Being a first-generation student also motivated me to work hard and create opportunities for myself.

Kevin: The key thing other students should know is that it is possible. You just have to take action and do the work consistently without procrastination.

Elizabeth: My academic success wasn't something I went after; it was something that happened as a result of my choosing classes that interested me. True success shouldn't be the goal in itself; it should be a result of things you enjoy.

How many Advanced Placement classes did you take?

Samantha: I took seven AP classes throughout high school: AP U.S. History, AP Literature, AP Precalculus, AP Biology, AP Government, AP Calculus, and AP Language and Composition.

Kevin: I took 5 Advanced Placement classes in high school.

Elizabeth: I took 6 AP classes. Shoutout to AP Art History (I tied for the second person in 17 years to earn a 5/5 on the AP test).

What kinds of teams, clubs, organizations or employment have been part of your life during high school?

Samantha: I was not heavily involved in clubs or sports during high school, but I spent a lot of my time focused on academics. I also babysat and took on small jobs here and there to earn money, which taught me responsibility and independence.

Kevin: During high school, I was involved in numerous different clubs and organizations, including the Hispanic Youth Leadership Council and LIFE Group. I also work in agriculture at J&J Farms while attending high school.

Elizabeth: I've done the Academic Decathlon for four years, as well as FFA. I've also been an altar server at St. Anthony's Catholic Church before and during high school.

What was your routine before and after school? How much time did you spend studying or doing homework?

Samantha: Before school, I spent as little time as I could getting ready for the day. I barely got to school on time a lot. After school, I did not spend an excessive amount of time on homework most days. I procrastinated a lot, so I often worked in shorter bursts rather than following a strict study routine. The one class that consistently took hours outside of school was AP U.S. History during my junior year because of the workload and reading. Other than that, I mostly focused on staying caught up and getting things done when they needed to be completed.

Kevin: My routine before school was just getting up early and getting ready for the school day. After school, consisted of doing my homework and completing all work on time before deadlines. The time I spent doing homework or studying was around 2-3 hours per day.

Elizabeth: Before school, I would cherish my sleep for as long as I could. After, I did homework for a few hours. Some days I had no homework, some days I had a lot. Some classes, like Academic Decathlon and AP US History (APUSH), are very homework-heavy, while classes like Plant Science have very little.

How did you balance these things? What advice do you have for other busy students?

Samantha: I balanced everything by learning to prioritize what mattered most in the moment. Even though I procrastinated, I learned how to work well under pressure and stay determined when things became stressful. My advice to other students is not to compare themselves to other people’s routines or study habits. Success does not always look perfect. What matters most is consistency, resilience, and believing you are capable of more than you think.

Kevin: I balanced these things by dedicating time to school-related activities, but also personal things, such as working out to avoid burning out. Some advice I have for other busy students is to have time dedicated to certain things throughout your day in order to avoid distractions and to also give it your best effort, and make sure to complete assignments before they are due to avoid any deductions from your grade.

Elizabeth: I balanced things through simply not procrastinating. I would sit down for hours and blast through all my homework, which doesn't work for many people, but worked for me. I also prioritized things based on how much I valued them. APUSH could be done in advance, so I would have time to study for the Academic Decathlon, for example, and it again fell to the wayside during the three weeks I studied for the AP Art History test, as I prioritized my chance of scoring that 5 over APUSH. Pick the classes or tests you want to do the best in, and put those over other classes.

Which classes and/or teachers at Hughson High had the most influence on you?

Samantha: Some of the most influential classes for me were my AP classes, especially AP Calculus and AP U.S. History, because they challenged me academically and allowed me to accept failure as a way to grow. Teachers such as Mrs. Christianson, Mr. Kroll, and Sra. Newsome had a strong impact on me because they encouraged me to challenge myself and supported me throughout high school.

Kevin: The classes and teachers that had the most influence on me are Advanced Placement United States History with Mr. Kroll. It taught me how to manage time on a weekly basis and how to establish routines to stick with that translate to life in general. Other classes were Agricultural Equipment Repair and Agricultural Wood, which are welding and wood shop classes, because those classes taught me trades and skills I can use to build a career after high school.

Elizabeth: My math/Academic Decathlon teacher, Mr. Michaelis, had a big influence on me, as well as Mr. Bland, the AP Art History/photography teacher. Both supported me to do the best I could. Academic Decathlon was the class that had the biggest influence on me. It's a class that I believe taught me most of what I know. More than facts like Winston Churchill invested in the stock market days before the 1929 crash, or that 40,000 birds die each year from flying into buildings, it's taught me confidence, public speaking, and leadership skills. It's given me pride in myself and my teammates, and incredible friends who have changed me for the better. I wouldn't be the person I am today without it.

What kind of culture of learning exists in your home? What has that meant for your success in high school?

Samantha: As a first-generation student, I didn’t grow up in a home where people could guide me through school or college preparation. A lot of my learning was self-driven. I relied heavily on technology, independent research, and my own determination to figure things out. That experience taught me resilience and independence, and it pushed me to become someone who creates opportunities instead of waiting for them.

Kevin: The kind of culture of learning that exists in my home is one with emphasis on education, doing your homework and any other school activities. That has meant that I have standards that I have to live up to, which help me try to be the best I can be in all aspects and in turn led to my success in high school.

Elizabeth: My mother has always supported my education, allowing me to focus on academics while in high school.

What are your college and career plans?

Samantha: I plan to attend the University of California, Merced, and major in civil engineering. In the future, I hope to build a career where I can help design and improve infrastructure that positively impacts communities.

Kevin: My college and career plans are attending a trade school or enrolling in an apprenticeship to learn a trade or skill that I can use in the future to start my own business in the construction field, such as an electrical company or a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning company.

Elizabeth: Next year, I'll be attending Modesto Junior College before transferring to Cal Poly Humboldt to major in Rangeland Resources. I plan to work for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

What should the community know about the quality of education at Hughson High?

Samantha: Hughson High School offers students many opportunities to succeed academically and personally. The teachers genuinely care about their students and encourage them to challenge themselves. Students here are capable of accomplishing incredible things when they take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

Kevin: The quality of education at Hughson High is very high compared to other schools. The teachers care about the students' success, which is evident in the improved state test scores and other metrics.

Elizabeth: As Mr. Michaelis says often, Hughson has some of the best test scores in the area, and as a result, the school is one everyone wants to send their kids to. All of the teachers I've had have always been supportive of students trying to excel academically.