April 29, 2026

The 2025-26 State of the District was given by Hughson Unified School District Superintendent Brenda Smith on April 28 in the Ella Webb Theater. Hughson High School Drumline and Cheerleaders welcomed attendees as they entered the theater to hear a report on the town’s school district.

As in other years, Smith hit the highlights with pomp and efficiency as she ran through the district and students’ many accomplishments in attendance, language, county-, state- and nationwide honors, visual and performing arts, athletics, FFA, leadership, and academics. Smith closed with a recap of the $46 million bond project and progress. “This has been another incredible year for our staff, students, and community, and I am excited to share that with you tonight,” Smith said. “Tonight will be a grand celebration!”

County-wide recognition went to Annaliese Ramirez in Every Student Succeeding, Cafeteria Lead Jillian Bowerman in the Stanislaus County Office of Education Employees Making a Difference Program and Teachers Sally Jamieson, Jenna Kendall, Ashlee Sloan and Keith Bullock, for Hughson’s Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year. Among these, Bowerman was selected as the State Winner for Employees Making a Difference in the food service category. Sloan and Bullock were named finalists for the Teacher of the Year and will be honored on May 5.

Smith welcomed staff and administrators to the stage to honor the 21 students who were awarded the Seal of Biliteracy, a distinction celebrating their ability to speak, read and write in two languages, including English, and the 37 students who were recognized for passing the ELPAC test, demonstrating their English proficiency.

Through the State of the District, Smith celebrated the ongoing work and expansion of the Visual and Performing Arts, taking photography to Hughson’s alternative education sites, performing Cinderella and Annie for thousands of people, bringing back the Hughson Elementary School Winter Concert, and relaunching a choir at Fox Road Elementary School. Additionally, ten Hughson students were selected for county-level honor bands: six from Ross Middle School, and four from Hughson High School for the Stanislaus County Honor Choir and Stanislaus County Honor Band.

To celebrate, the high school choir performed “Touch the Sky” from Disney’s Brave during the presentation, arranged by Mac Huff.

In athletics, Smith began, “Once again, Ross Middle School and Hughson High School have had an outstanding year in the world of sports. We are incredibly thankful for the talented coaches who give their time and dedication to our students. They are not only teaching them the sport, but they are helping them be responsible citizens who work to support each other in their endeavors,” and invited coaches to stand for recognition.

Student honorees included three-time Girls State Wrestling State Champion Baya Austin; Bella Austin, who was also a State qualifying wrestler, third in Division, fifth at Masters, and top 16 at State; Anglers of the Year and have won the Bass Fishing State Champions, Landon Mason and Logan Dekleva. Mason and Dekleva have qualified to fish in the National Championship for the past four years. Smith recognized the EVL Champions from Ross Middle School: Eighth-grade Volleyball, Girls Sixth and Seventh-grade Basketball, and Boys Sixth and Seventh-grade Basketball; and Hughson High School TVL Champions in Wrestling, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Boys Track, Girls Track, and, currently competing in first place, Girls Softball.

For another year, Hughson High School FFA continued to shine at the Stanislaus County Fair with numerous awards, including Champion Lance Curry for showing the Supreme Champion Market Hog and four Stanislaus County Fair Reserve Champions: Lance Curry for Reserve Champion Light Cross Market Hog, Caden Bowerman for Reserve Champion York Market Hog, Tucker Crim for Reserve Lightweight Market Goat and the Reserve Overall Percentage Doe.

Lauren Clark and Lillian Agueda were awarded American FFA Degrees, the highest honor in the FFA organization. Grace Curry was among the Top 4 National Proficiency Finalists. The Hughson FFA’s Livestock Judging Team competed at the National Competition and placed sixth overall.

Six students received their State FFA Degrees. Jack Reid placed second in the Central Region in the Freshman Creed competition. Kate Cooper and Grace Curry have served as Central Region FFA Officers during their Senior Year. Cooper was voted in as the State FFA Vice President at the State FFA Conference.

Smith thanked Story Johnson for her service and involvement as Hughson High School Student Body President, and for her role on the school board as a student board member.

In academics, Smith congratulated second-place Academic Pentathlon winners from Ross Middle School, led by Coach Crystal Case; Hughson High School competitors with their coach, Paul Michaelis, as the Academic Decathlon runner-up; and Izzy Becchetti, the highest-scoring student in the county with over 8,000 points.

In the Occupational Olympics, Hughson won the Small Schools Sweepstakes with students competing in Ag Equipment Technology, Job Interview, and Small Engines.

Smith acknowledged the dedicated years of service and thanked retirees Carlos Maldonado and Cindy Newsome.

She thanked the district’s community partners, including the City of Hughson, the Hughson Lions Club, Taste of Hughson, Legacy Health Foundation, Jessica’s House, and Smith Woodworking & Design, the Parent Teacher Clubs at Hughson Elementary, Fox Road, and Ross Middle School and the Athletic Boosters and Ag Boosters Club at Hughson High School, that led fundraisers and supported school programs that help make these accomplishments possible and accessible to Hughson students. Two fundraisers she highlighted were the Hughson Elementary School Turkey Trot, which brought in $50,000, and the Fox Road Elementary School Fun Color Run, which raised $20,000.

“The Hughson community is so supportive of our schools! On behalf of our staff and students, I would like to thank you for all that you do for us,” Smith said.