Ram Nation News – May 13, 2025

We celebrated the re-dedication of the Waltrip Spark Park tennis courts this week! A huge thank you to PTO President Michelle Schoene for her leadership in making this project happen, and to Kathleen Ownby, Executive Director of the SPARK School Park Program, for cutting the ribbon. We also appreciated the special Certificate of Honor from Council Member Abbie Kamin.

Shoutout to artist Linda Hinojos for restoring her beautiful mosaic, which is now shining bright again.

The best part? The courts are now open to the community from 4 PM to dusk on weekdays and all day on weekends—grab your racket and check it out!

Team 64892A made Waltrip proud at the 2025 VEX JROTC National Championship! Out of 72 fierce competitors, they brought home the coveted Sportsmanship Award, earned the #4 alliance pick, and battled all the way to the quarterfinals—missing a spot in the semifinals by just one single point.

These Ram Nation robot rockstars showed off incredible heart, hustle, and teamwork throughout the tournament. And they didn’t just impress on the field—social media personality FUN FRC took notice too, interviewing the team and sharing footage of one of their matches.

Huge congratulations to Team 64892A on an unforgettable run! We can’t wait to see what you build next.

Don’t miss Senior Awards tonight from 6pm – 8pm in the WHS Auditorium! Parents, families, and friends are all welcome to join in celebrating our amazing seniors. See you there!

Swing by La Viva this Thursday, May 15th, between 4pm and 9pm for Waltrip PTO Spirit Night—just mention Waltrip PTO to your server and 20% of your total will come back to support our school.

Easy, delicious, and for a good cause. See you there, Ram Nation!

The Class of 2027 is selling snow cones after school on Fridays! Swing by after the bell to cool off and support our sophomore class. Your sweet treat helps fund future class activities and events!

Waltrip is offering free and low-cost summer sports camps for students in grades K–12! From softball to soccer, volleyball to wrestling—and our popular S.A.C. Strength & Conditioning Camp—there’s something for every Ram.

Roarin’ in the Summer is Back—Now with Jazz!

The 3rd Annual Roarin’ in the Summer Band Camp returns this June—and new this year is Jazzin’ in the Summer, Waltrip’s first jazz-intensive camp!

Who: 4th–12th grade band students with at least one year of experience
What: Fun, skill-building activities, daily private lessons, and a focus on musicianship, teamwork, and leadership
When:

Roarin’ in the Summer: 8:30 AM–12:30 PM, June 16–20 & June 23–27 (no camp June 19)

Jazzin’ in the Summer: 1:30 PM–3:30 PM, same dates
Cost: $100 per camp – Free for current and incoming 9th grade Waltrip band students

Our Seniors are heading off to college, careers, the military, and more—and we’re throwing them a send-off to remember!

📅 Tuesday, May 27, 2025
🕘 9:00–10:30 AM
📍 Waltrip Auditorium

We’re collecting giveaway items to support their next steps:

• School supplies
• Backpacks or totes
• Water bottles, lamps, organizers
• Mini-fridges, printers, and more!

Drop donations at the College Center by May 16.

This week, we’re celebrating real results—and spotlighting two high-priority needs that still need your help. Thanks to your support, our soccer program received $4,000 in funding for new goals that are already in use on the field. Now, we’re focusing on the Lady Rams’ bleachers and the wrestling team’s essential gear. These are just two of many items on the Wish Wall, but they’re at the top of our list as the school year winds down.

✅ Funded: Soccer Goals Now on the Field
Thanks to $4,000 in donations, Waltrip’s soccer program now trains and competes with brand new goals. This capital improvement makes a visible difference—and our athletes feel it every day.

⚾ Spotlight Need: Lady Rams Still Waiting for Bleachers
https://tinyurl.com/4y86ckhj
We’ve raised $796 of the $5,000 needed for new softball bleachers. Our Lady Rams deserve a proper place for fans to cheer them on. Help us close the gap before summer break!

🤼‍♂️ Urgent Need: Wrestling Program Still at $0
https://tinyurl.com/mupsjxp5
While other projects gain momentum, our wrestling team’s request for $600 in essential gear remains completely unfunded. Be the champion who gets them what they need!

Once goals have been met for Wish Wall items, any excess donations will go to PTO general funds to be used towards the school and student body

As we approach the end of the year, the Waltrip PTO School Store needs YOU! This is a great opportunity to volunteer during lunch, help raise funds for our school, and meet our amazing students. If you’re VIPS approved, please sign up to help staff the store!

If you’re not yet VIPS approved, you can sign up here: VIPS Approval

Once approved, sign up to volunteer here: Sign Up Now

Can’t volunteer? No problem! You can still help by donating: Donate Here