HBCU campuses provide great educational experiences with smaller class sizes, meaning students get more one-on-one attention from professors. Many schools also have partnerships with big companies that offer internships and job opportunities after graduation. 

Today, more than 300,000 students are enrolled in over 100 HBCUs in the United States. These campuses emphasize education by integrating cultural awareness, leadership development, and real-world applications into their respective programs. Many schools offer specialized programs in STEM, business, the arts, and social sciences, with some HBCUs ranking among the top producers of Black doctors, engineers, and lawyers. 

Attending an HBCU is more than just earning a degree, it’s an experience that builds confidence, creates lifelong friendships, and prepares students for success. If you’re looking for a college that combines culture, support, and opportunity – an HBCU might be the perfect plac 

Attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) is an experience that college students around the country never forget, as these unique campuses provide both a welcoming home and a cultural experience. 

One of the things that people might notice are the Greek letters on the campus or people’s clothing. Those are the Divine Nine Greek letterings. The Divine Nine are separated into five Fraternities and four Sororities. The fraternities are Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, and Iota Phi Theta. The sororities are Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, and Sigma Gamma Rho. These nine Greek organizations are commonly present on HBCU campuses and serve to help bring people together and build a strong sense of “community.” 

“Whatever it is that you choose to do, whether it’s a college, a sorority, or a fraternity, choose wisely and put forth great effort,” Principal Lesley Maroney shares. “Being part of a sorority, especially at an HBCU, offers a unique and enriching experience that extends far beyond college years. The bonds of sisterhood, opportunities for leadership, and commitment to community service create a lifelong support system. One of the most rewarding aspects is the sense of unity and shared purpose, whether through mentorship, academic encouragement, or cultural enrichment.”

 One of the best things about HBCUs is the sense of family. From the moment you step on campus, you feel welcome. Professors, staff, and students all want to see students succeed. HBCUs are also full of traditions like homecoming celebrations, step shows, and high energy marching bands make student life exciting. 

HBCU campuses provide great educational experiences with smaller class sizes, meaning students get more one-on-one attention from professors. Many schools also have partnerships with big companies that offer internships and job opportunities after graduation. 

Today, more than 300,000 students are enrolled in over 100 HBCUs in the United States. These campuses emphasize education by integrating cultural awareness, leadership development, and real-world applications into their respective programs. Many schools offer specialized programs in STEM, business, the arts, and social sciences, with some HBCUs ranking among the top producers of Black doctors, engineers, and lawyers. 

Attending an HBCU is more than just earning a degree, it’s an experience that builds confidence, creates lifelong friendships, and prepares students for success. If you’re looking for a college that combines culture, support, and opportunity – an HBCU might be the perfect place for you.

While educators are dedicated to fostering academic success, the intense focus on academics can sometimes overshadow the emotional and social needs that students may experience. This oversight can lead to challenges that impact students overall well-being and academic performance. 

Schools can work with specialized programs and hire social workers who are trained in addressing these critical needs. At Lamar, it’s no surprise that a school of this size has engaged in social service programs and hired social workers like Cynthia Ward. 

“All of the student outreach staff members are mental health workers.” Ward explains. “For instance, they might be counselors or social workers and most of them have a masters degree in professional counseling. It’s a department made up of three main programs that we focus on, Families in Transition, Pregnancy, Education and Parenting (PEP) and Drugs & Alcohol.” 

Student outreach programs are established to serve as lifelines for students who may be struggling. These programs are designed as a safety net, which often offers guidance and resources that can support the needs of each individual. 

 One of the key objectives the student outreach programs wish to provide is viable support and resources that contribute to the well-being of students. 

This can include a number of things, such as transportation to and from school, help staying away from drugs and alcohol, providing childcare or educational resources for teen parents and even offering warm winter clothing for students in need during the colder months. 

Having a trusted confidant to turn to is often the difference between a student feeling overwhelmed and isolated versus connected and supported. Student outreach programs provide students with access to a trained professional who can offer their guidance and support. 

“I’m very passionate about school social work, Ward shares. “I feel like it’s a great place to be able to connect with people easier because I imagine school can be a safe place people might feel more comfortable opening up.” 

These outreach initiatives promote inclusivity by ensuring that all students, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances, have access to the support they need. By addressing external factors that contribute to stress and hardship, schools can foster a stronger learning environment where all students can excel.

These notes have seemed to catch a lot of student attention, the spot was perfect right in the middle of the mirror, where most girls usually look the most. The messages are simple but seem to radiate warmth and positive energy, as if it got written for someone who needed them. 

At first it seemed like just a normal, useless sticky note but it weighted to them, a quiet power that lingered in the air. Seeing them felt like receiving a warm and tight hug from someone. It wasn’t just simply some sticky notes, it was thoughts behind them. Someone had taken their time to write these notes and place them where they’d be seen. Someone cares enough to think about other feelings and remind them of their worth and they are not alone, even when they didn’t even know who would be reading them or even if someone will read them they still choose to write it. 

Randomly looking at the mirror and feeling a sense of comfort that many didn’t expect to feel, and just for a moment, the worries faded, replaced with this quiet reminder that no matter how tough your life is it will get better soon. Kindness will find you even where  you least expect it to be at. 

It’s strange how something so small and simple, just sticky notes on a mirror can leave such an impact on people. 

Lamar offers a wide variety of language classes for students to take, but most will only take Spanish. There are various reasons for this, but the most obvious is how practical the language is in our school, state and country. Conversational Spanish tends to be easier to acquire than various other languages offered. 

There are a lot of students on campus who really enjoy a challenge. While Spanish may be useful, the option to choose a less popular language class is very exciting. 

This school year, Lamar hired a new language teacher and she’s teaching a language that is sure to be an exciting challenge for many students. Li Han has come to Lamar to teach students how to speak, write and understand how to use Mandarin Chinese in a coherent way.

According to the Mandarin Immersion Parents Council – there are more than 360 high schools in Texas that offer Mandarin Chinese classes. The course is growing in popularity and students are intrigued by the opportunity to learn such an important language. 

Han’s new classroom is of course located in the foreign language hall, however one important thing passersby will notice about her displayed course schedule is the fact that she only teaches one class per day.

“She’s actually been working at Shackelford Junior High for half the day and then she comes to Lamar to teach classes during 4th (A-Day) and 10th period (B-Day),” Spanish teacher Dean Wou explains. 

Because the course is new, the recruitment process is still taking shape. There are not yet enough students enrolled in Mandarin Chinese to warrant a full schedule of six classes. 

AISD hopes that by introducing junior high students to the language, that many will continue with the program when they enroll in high school. And of course, Mandarin Chinese will continue to be an option for other students who are curious about learning the language.

While the opportunity to learn Mandarin Chinese yields many benefits, the course is definitely a challenge. 

“It’s not an easy language to learn,” Wou says. “It uses four tones for speaking and not everyone is good at tones.”

Mandarin Chinese is a very unique, but difficult language to learn, as it’s a very tonal language rather than phonetic. It uses a logographic writing system called the Hanzi alphabet which uses characters that represent words and meanings. There are also over 50,000 characters in the Hanzi alphabet which will encourage the average learner’s brain to be better at memorization and attention to detail.

Any foreign language a student studies will look good on a job or college application, however, Mandarin Chinese may just offer the kind of edge certain students are seeking.

“If you take Mandarin in high school, it would look good on college applications and Mandarin actually has an AP test,” Wou adds.

Mandarin Chinese requires significant time and effort to master character recognition and pronunciation which may frustrate some students, but the long term benefits make it worth the challenge.

Not all high schools offer a comprehensive Mandarin Chinese course, which is why students should definitely take advantage of the fact that Lamar does.

There are several new teachers on campus and two new administrators. Assistant Principal Abril Jimenez is excited about the many opportunities that await her.

With six years of experience in education – Jimenez has already established a solid foundation of knowledge and skills. She is confident in her ability to immerse herself in the Lamar culture.

Most recently, Jimenez served as ESL Coordinator, while completing an extensive two-year administrative internship at  Vanguard High School in Mesquite. 

“I really liked Vanguard High, but in all honesty I wanted a change and heard a lot of great things about Arlington ISD,” Jimenez says. “Even though it’s only been a few days, I’ve been fortunate to receive such a warm welcome by all the faculty and students.”

Originally from Dallas – Jimenez graduated from Duncanville High School and went on to attend the University of North Texas before finding herself in the education field. 

As she settles into her new position, Jimenez looks forward to building relationships and fostering a positive learning environment. Like her fellow administrators – she loves to see students thrive. 

Much to her delight, Jimenez has already formed bonds with many students and staff members. The school year is still very young, but she is becoming more and more comfortable by the day. 

The AP role affords school leaders endless opportunities to build trust with students. Jimenez takes great pride in this new challenge and she is embracing just how unique and diverse Lamar is. 

“The students here are so wonderful and so open to meeting me,” she shares. “I’m so happy to be able to be in the position I’m in today.” 

With their days starting as early as  4:30 a.m. – the staff members pride themselves on preparing and serving nutritious meals to over 1,000 students per day. 

“I start my day here by setting up, cooking and having breakfast ready at 7 a.m..” cafeteria manager Claudia Tejeda shares. 

Staff are trained in every position, as they rotate throughout the day serving, cooking, or operating as cashiers. 

“We rotate and make sure everything is ready to go by the time the first lunch begins,” cafeteria staff member Teresa Schlee shares. “Between lunches, we set up for the next lunch, which usually takes 20 mins.” 

Lamar offers three lunch periods each day, serving more than 400 students during each lunch. The cafeteria offers six food options, ensuring that most dietary needs and taste buds are fulfilled.

“We have to keep count,” Tejeda stresses. “If I realize I don’t have chicken sandwiches on the line I have to go to the freezer and get them so we can have every option.” 

With so much to prepare and many students to serve, the job certainly isn’t done without breaking a sweat. While many students and staff members don’t think twice about the daily demands of a cafeteria staff – Tejeda and her team still know the value in what they do each day. Fortunately, many students are gracious enough to tell them “thank you” as they pass through the lunch line. 

It’s not unusual to spot the cafeteria staff sharing lunch together, as this is a group of individuals that enjoys each other’s company. Surprisingly, the team manages to get their own lunch break in before 10 a.m., so as not to interfere with serving the students. 

“I love my job – the hardest part is honestly just how hot the kitchen gets,” jokes Schlee. 

With new recipes every month and non meat options, the staff urges students to apply for the Free or Reduced lunch program every year. 

“So many students don’t even know they qualify and they could be getting lunch for free or at a reduced rate,” Tejeda assures. 

Staff stop serving food around 1:15 p.m. and begin cleaning and packing up in order to prepare for the next day where it is all done again.

By using their perspectives and creative spaces, these leaders have been able to make an impact within their respective communities here at Lamar. 

“Being a young black leader in school has allowed me to reinvent the image of what the public perceives a young black woman to be,” said Black Student Union and Blue Curtain Officer Trinity Kelly. 

For most black leaders here at Lamar, representation has been their biggest focus. 

“This role has pushed me to stand firm in my beliefs, especially in spaces or situations where my identity may not be fully embraced,” said NHS President Favour Okocha. “It has been a journey of self-discovery, growth and resilience.”

Their roles as leaders have inspired them to build inclusive communities. 

“As a leader I have been able to be a role model for other students and ensure everyone’s voice is heard,” Viqueen Captain Taylar Maiden said. “It’s definitely changed me by giving me the opportunity to inspire and support others through dance.”

Leading others runs deeper than just mentorship – it represents what their ancestors could only hope and dream to accomplish. The opportunity for black students to be in positions of leadership is an honor and inspiration to many. 

“I can say it’s an honor because being in such a culturally diverse school,” P-TECH President Fred Threats believes. “Being able to have a black student who is leading a program is very instrumental in promoting black culture.”

Lamar is fortunate to have these driven student leaders, who are paving the way for future generations to come. 

During such a pivotal and stressful time in a teenager’s life, he or she may struggle to set the foundation for a healthy relationship, all while balancing and navigating high school. 

Although not easy, these five Lamar senior couples have endured the journey and now have advice to share to others out there. 

“Over time you have to change just a little bit for your partner but in high school you’re changing anyway, so I think it’s important to change together,” senior John Casey advises.

In the midst of so much change and growth, the couples strongly emphasized the importance of trust and communication.  

“I don’t always express myself how I should, but over time I realized I need to talk to him about how I’m feeling, because it strengthens the connection between us,” Sahayli Leon shared. 

In response to Sahayli’s sentiments – her boyfriend Keegan Kelley replies “I think communication is one of the most important things in a relationship, you need it to stay healthy.” 

While each couple handles disagreements differently, many people jokingly refer to Aaron Ramos and Yvette Guerra as the “married couple,” because of the mature ways in which they approach disagreements. 

“Never go to sleep mad at one another,” Yvette shares. “It will never sit right.” 

In addition to Yvette’s advice, Aaron advises to “Always do your best to fix the situation, don’t rush into things or try to make it worse, try to slow down and think about your actions.” 

In such a time of change, these couples are able to reflect on how their relationships have  changed their perspectives.

“Being in a relationship changes the way you treat other people, you kind of grow this sense of empathy when you’re with someone for so long,” said Sarah Suhail. “You feel that you’re becoming less selfish.” 

For many teen couples, being in a relationship helps them establish more genuine relationships with others. 

“It’s definitely changed the friendships that I’ve been in and the way that I look in relationships is just so different than before,” Bethanne Monroe shares. 

“Being in a relationship during high school has made me have a positive outlook on school and my future,” Jacob Duque shares. “I wanted to become better, not just for her but for myself as well.” 

When asked to describe their partner with one word, each couple chose words such as determined, caring, bright, smart, mannerly, and hard working. 

It’s important to note that while interviewing each couple, it was easy to notice the unspoken understanding they had for one another. 

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without her,” Aaron reflects. 

horrific motorcycle accident.

For junior Jessie Gomez, it was just an ordinary day of taking his clean xsr700 motorcycle out for a ride when unexpectedly, Gomez was hit by a semi going 80 mph on the highway.  

“Yeah, I’m not going to make it,” Gomez thought as he spun a mile away from the initial scene of the crash. 

In fact, this wasn’t Gomez’s first incident involving motorcycles as he has survived minor crashes in the past, but nothing like this before. 

“I felt like that could’ve been the end right there,” Gomez shares.

While the exact details of what happened have become a blur, the scars left behind tell a thousand tales. 

“I only remember falling, seeing the semi, the lights, and then I blacked out and woke up in the hospital,” Gomez said.

Hospitalized for two weeks from a broken femur, AC joint separation, and with the loss of motion in his fingers, Gomez is unfortunately out for the wrestling season and possibly his senior year as well. 

With the support from friends and family, Gomez found the recovery process to be smoother. 

“My girlfriend was very supportive, she came to visit me every day,” said Gomez. 

Most importantly, Gomez described his dad as his biggest supporter as he was the first person called at the scene after the crash. 

“As long as you live, no more bikes,” Gomez’s father said. 

After two weeks in the hospital and a long recovery process, Gomez’s advice to other riders out there is “to not get hit.”