Cardinal Spotlight

Greg Mihleder is one of the newest members of the high school staff. He is the assistant principal for 9th grade students at Southside High School. He has a wealth of experience and is always on the go building relationships with our students. Thank you Mr. Mihleder for all that you do!

Scotte Montemayor is a 10th grade student and is excelling in our ECHS program. Scotte is a passionate public speaker and a leader amongst his peers. He’s proactive and always goes the extra mile. Scotte plans to attend Baylor University upon completion of high school. Thank you Scotte for representing Southside ISD!!!

New to the high school but not the Cardinal Nation, Ms. Yeseña Rangel’s approach to exemplary work is exquisite. Serving in a new role, Ms. Rangel has gone above and beyond to learn the expectations of the position and establish routines and procedures that create efficiency. Ms. Rangel’s desire to learn is commendable. With her attention to detail and service mindset, she has quickly settled in and become a dependable asset to the administrative professional team. Thank you for your contributions to the team Ms. Rangel!

Joshua Pena has been playing trumpet since he was 10 years old. A junior at Southside High School now, Josh is a shining example of how hard work pays off in the long hall, both inside and outside of the band hall. As a freshman, Josh auditioned for the Mariachi Region Honor group and earned 3rd chair, performing alongside many trumpet players who were older than him. He recently earned 1st chair in the Mariachi Region band this year and at the state level, he was 11th out of 27. He additionally earned 1st chair in the Concert Region Band and was the trumpet soloist in the Southside High School Mighty Cardinal Marching Band. Josh is someone who excels and competes at a very high level with a positive, kind, and helpful attitude and we look forward to what he will achieve next year.

Ms. Maria Flores, the high school registrar is an indispensable part of the cardinal team. Behind the scenes she works tirelessly to provide students and staff with the most accurate and relevant data and provides superb customer service to anyone she encounters. Ms. Flores is always available to provide a helping hand to her colleagues and to be a mentor to new staff members. It is not uncommon to see her wearing many hats throughout the day and for that we are grateful. Ms. Flores demonstrates pride in the Red and White in our school and in our community everyday. Thank you for all that you do day in and day out!

Achieving excellence both inside and outside of the band hall, Justin Padilla is a senior that everyone admires. He is kind to everyone, always keeps a positive attitude, and constantly pushes himself to achieve more than he did the day before. Justin auditioned for the Region Honor band as a junior and senior and both years, he advanced to the area level. He recently competed at the state level where he earned 3rd chair. In the Solo and Ensemble contest, he participated in a saxophone quartet, where he helped lead them to a First Division rating. While Justin plays in the varsity wind ensemble, he has also recently been playing in the symphonic band, where he has been learning clarinet. Justin is currently a section leader and was a featured tenor saxophone soloist in the 2021 Southside High School Mighty Cardinal Marching Band show.

Ms. Emilia Vara has been a dedicated Cardinal for over 15 years! A vital part of our nursing team, she serves our cardinal community as the campus Nurse’s Aide. She facilitates the weekly covid testing at the high school, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. Now more than ever Ms. Vara has been an essential part of keeping us healthy and safe – physically and mentally. She maintains positive, professional relationships with students and staff and supports the campus in times of need. One of the first to arrive everyday, Ms. Vara shows her commitment to the Cardinal Nation daily. Thank you Ms. Vara for us Cardinals!

Perla Mendoza is a senior at Southside High School. She is currently the Choir Club’s President. Perla has been a member of the Cardinal Choir all four years and has attended several choir events such as UIL Solo & Ensemble, and UIL Concert & Sight Reading Contest. This year she has entered the audition process for the Texas All-State Choir where she has advanced to the third round. She’s one step away from earning a spot in the All-State Choir.

Perla also volunteers for the district’s food drive distribution whenever possible and encourages other students to participate as well. Perla is always positive and helps others whenever she can.

Michael Misko has been a Southside High School Band Director for over 10 years. Under his direction, the Southside Band has produced some of the finest young musicians in the region, area, and state. Mr. Misko has produced numerous state qualifiers in the All-State audition process, the Solo & Ensemble contest, and has received numerous 1st Divisions in the Concert/Sight-Reading and UIL Marching contests. True to Mr. Misko’s tradition of success, the Southside Band participated in the Region UIL Marching contest on Saturday, October 16, where the band received a 1st Division rating, the highest result possible. The Southside Band then advanced to Area contest on Saturday, October 23 at John Gupton Stadium in Leander, TX, where they competed against other successful high school programs around the greater San Antonio area. Mr. Misko also teaches Music Theory, the Dual Credit Music Appreciation Class, and directs the Jazz Ensemble and the Southside varsity Wind Ensemble. Mr. Misko has changed the lives of aspiring musicians at Southside by showing them the importance of hard work, dedication, and practice.

Heidy Agis, a senior at Southside High School, is taking full advantage of the many opportunities our district has to offer. As a Health Science student, she is working on her phlebotomy and patient care technician certifications. Heidy is also gaining valuable work experience while participating in the Health Science clinical rotations at various schools throughout the district. A member of the Cardinal Varsity Soccer Team, Heidy is dedicated to the success of her teammates on and off the field. She is an advocate for herself and others, a true Cardinal through and through. Recently Heidy placed in the district spelling bee. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Heidy. Thank you for representing

 

 

Our Cardinal staff Spotlight this week is our wonderful Coach Jessica Cardenas. We admire her hard work, leadership, and dedication to her student athletes. Her student athletes describe her as devoted, fun, and motivational. We thank Coach Cardenas for her tremendous efforts to coordinate the intramural program as well as lead the girls basketball program with pride. The Cardinal family wishes her the best luck this season.

Our Cardinal student spotlight this week is Senior Jesus Fuentes. Jesus Fuentes is devoted to his Culinary studies at Southside High School. His teachers describe him as self-driven, hard working, and determined. During his journey at Southside High School, he has made tremendous strides in mastering Culinary skills. The Cardinal family is proud of Jesus and want to wish him the very best in his endeavors.