There's a moment every science teacher lives for — when a student stops doing an experiment for a grade and starts doing it because they can't not know the answer. At LHSSA, that moment has a way of becoming a legacy. This summer, we got to see it stretch across four remarkable young women: Mia, Lexi, Sierra, and Mollie.

Mia was one of the first LHSSA students to make our science fair program something to watch. That early curiosity carried on to her college career. Now continuing her research at Trinity University, Mia recently presented at the Trinity Summer Research Symposium, and by every account, she crushed it. Her research examined clinical wound wash and its effects on cell proliferation — the kind of work that sits right at the intersection of rigorous science and real human healing.

It's hard to overstate what it means to watch a student go from a science fair table in our own halls to a research symposium podium. Mia didn't just learn science at LHS, she learned to think like a scientist, and she's been building on that foundation ever since.

As our campus gears up to welcome students back for another year, one sign of that preparation isn't in a classroom — it's in the garage.

This summer, our Classic Car Restoration Innovation Lab said goodbye to the 1967 Pontiac LeMans that students have spent the past year bringing back to life. In its place, we're welcoming something even older: the parts and pieces of a 1930 Model A Panel Truck, which will become the next restoration project for our students this year.

What is Innovation Lab?Innovation Lab is one of the things that makes an LHS education distinct. It's a hands-on elective period built into the school day, giving students real-world, project-based experience outside the traditional classroom setting. And the range of what that looks like is part of what makes it special.

On any given day, Innovation Lab might mean a student designing custom projects on a Cricut, programming a robotics build, working with their hands in woodshop, or training their body in the weight room. It might mean heading just up the road to The Bee Hive, a senior living community near campus, where students spend time in fellowship with residents — building relationships across generations.

And for a group of our students, it means grease-stained hands and a torque wrench, learning the craft of classic car restoration from the ground up.

Living Out the Portrait of a Graduate
Innovation Lab isn't just about the skills students walk away with — it's about the character being built along the way. Our Portrait of a Graduate calls students toward our six pillars: Integrity, Love, Respect, Involved, Servant Heart, and Perseverance. Innovation Lab puts all six on display.

A student sitting with a resident at The Bee Hive is exercising their Servant Heart and showing Love for someone simply because they're valued, not because it's required. A student getting Involved in something as unconventional as classic car restoration is stepping outside their comfort zone to try, build, and contribute. And a restoration project that stretches across an entire school year — full of stripped bolts, stubborn parts, and slow progress — is a daily lesson in Perseverance, echoing 1 Corinthians 16:13–14: "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love."
The Model A won't be finished quickly. But that's exactly the point — some of the best character is built in projects and years that take time.

Why a Model A?
The Classic Car Restoration program has become one of the most hands-on examples of what Innovation Lab is all about. Students don't just learn to change oil or swap parts — they learn patience, problem-solving, and craftsmanship on a project that takes an entire school year (or more) to complete. They learn to work through frustration when a part doesn't fit, to celebrate small wins, and to take pride in a finished product built with their own hands.
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The 1930 Model A Panel Truck will be this year's canvas for those lessons. It's older, rarer, and — like most great restoration projects — will need plenty of work before it turns heads. We can't wait to see what this year's students do with it, and how it shapes them along the way.

Last week, seven members of the Lutheran High School of San Antonio faculty attended the Herzog Institute's Academics and Student Success training — and they returned with more than notes and handouts. They came back with clarity, fellowship, and a renewed vision for what's ahead in 2026-27.

At the center of everything we do at LHSSA is a simple but powerful mission: to nurture faith and pursue excellence, so that our students have a firm foundation of faith, character, and knowledge on which to lead lives of impact to the glory of Jesus Christ. It's the kind of statement that's easy to print on a letterhead. The harder — and far more important — work is making sure it actually shapes what happens in every classroom, every lesson plan, and every decision a teacher makes during the course of a school year.

Redefining Success
Rather than measuring success primarily through grades, test scores, or college admissions, the training pushed our faculty to ask a deeper question: What does it actually mean for an LHS student to succeed? Not succeed by the world's metrics alone, but succeed in a way that reflects who God created them to be.

That question led our team toward a philosophy of education as formation — the idea that our job isn't simply to deliver information, but to help students realize they are unique children of God, with gifts and a calling all their own.

Beginning with the End in Mind
A central idea from the training was this: if you want to know how to teach, you first have to know who you're trying to form. Before you can build a curriculum, plan a lesson, or design an assessment, you have to know what you're aiming for.
So our team did exactly that. Together, they created the Portrait of an LHS Graduate — a clear picture of the young men and women LHSSA is committed to forming. It describes a graduate who:

• Puts integrity into practice — standing firm in every circumstance and living out consistent character, even when no one is watching.
• Loves as Christ — showing genuine care for others and letting the fruits of the Spirit guide their words and actions.
• Treats everyone with respect — seeing others as unique creations of God and creating space for authentic connection.
• Chooses to be involved and invested — engaging their God-given gifts wholeheartedly, to grow and to bless others.
• Exhibits a servant heart — being the hands and feet of Jesus with compassion and humility.
• Perseveres in all circumstances — pressing on through difficulty, trusting not in their own strength but in Christ's.

Each pillar is grounded in Scripture, from Titus 2:7 to 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, so that the portrait isn't just aspirational language — it's built on the Word of God.

Update from Puerto Rico!
Monday was Mission Day — and from the very first moment, our group arrived joyful and ready to give their best for others. With hearts full of purpose, the LHSA mission trip crew dove headfirst into a full day of hands-on service in the community.

The morning was filled with the kind of work that matters — cleaning the community center, raking leaves, helping in the kitchen, tidying the store, and organizing the small market. The highlight of the service day came when the group loaded up hot lunches and delivered them personally to members of the community. In return, the community fed our students a wonderful meal and sent them off with an abundance of blessings.

After their morning of service, the group headed up into the mountains to Toro Verde for an afternoon of adventure. Carson, Zaida, Roman, and Travis took to the skies as our fearless flying crew — conquering not one, not two, but seven ziplines through the lush Puerto Rican canopy. Meanwhile, Brasen, Nick, Colleen, and Kat explored the trails as our ground crew, touring the forested paths by golf cart.

After their adventures in the mountains, the group settled in for a well-earned dinner at La Sombra restaurant, sharing a family-style plate of arroz con longaniza, beans, and sweet plantains. Simple, delicious, and enjoyed together — the perfect ending to an extraordinary day.  Or so they thought. Back at the house, Nick, Travis, Roman, Zaida, and Colleen found a second wind for a few rounds of basketball with a local 10-year-old named Caleb. Wearing chanclas and giving our students an unofficial basketball clinic, Caleb was — by all accounts — absolutely unbelievable.

To close the evening, Zaida led the group in devotion and posed a beautiful question: What have you learned about each other that you didn't know before? What followed was one of those quiet, meaningful moments that only happens when people choose to truly see one another. The group reflected on how much depth people hold when we take the time to genuinely learn about them.

That is the gift of a mission trip. It is not just what you give — it is who you become in the giving.
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"We started as classmates and we are growing as a family. The Holy Spirit is blessing us with love, understanding, respect, and kindness for one another." — Mrs. Santory

Lutheran High School of San Antonio was named a 2026 Inspire the Future: FIRST® Recognition Program honoree for pioneering inclusive robotics and STEM access. 

Our school is only the second school in the state of Texas ever selected since the program expanded to include school recognition in 2024, and one of just 15 schools recognized worldwide in 2026.

Launched in 2022 by FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the Inspire the Future Recognition Program was created to honor the educators and schools making an extraordinary impact on STEM access and opportunity. Each year, 15 educators and 15 schools are selected from nominations submitted by the global FIRST community. Since the program's inception, only two Texas educators have ever been recognized — making Lutheran High School's selection as a Texas school honoree a landmark achievement for San Antonio.

“Our FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics teams are the heart of this recognition, representing the very best of what happens when student talent meets opportunity,” said Andrew Eickstead, Head of School at Lutheran High School of San Antonio. “This achievement is a direct result of the incredible partnership between our dedicated parents and the school community, all rallying behind the vision of Andrew Schuetze. As our coach and engineering teacher, Andrew has shown us that robotics is about more than technical skill—it’s about a collaborative effort to build a more inclusive world.” 

Robotics That Reaches Everyone: FIRST Access & Kinetic Kids

What sets Lutheran High School apart is not just its competitive robotics teams — the school fields both a boys and a girls FTC team — but its deep commitment to making robotics accessible to students of all abilities.

For four seasons, Lutheran High School has partnered with Kinetic Kids — a San Antonio-based organization celebrating more than 30 years of providing sports and enrichment activities for students with special needs — to create FIRST Access robotics teams. FIRST in Texas’s FIRST Access program supports robotics teams composed of students with special needs, and Lutheran’s robotics students serve as one-on-one mentors throughout the experience.

Each spring, Lutheran students mentor multiple LEGO® robotics teams that compete at the annual FIRST Access event held at Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio in June. The school also fields a dedicated FTC FIRST Access team, guiding those students through the full regular FTC league season from September through February before preparing them for the Morgan’s Wonderland event as well. Lutheran students and their parents volunteer at the Morgan’s Wonderland event each year, turning the competition day into a true school-community celebration.

Engineering for Good: Special Olympics of Texas Partnership

For the past five years, Lutheran High School has partnered with Special Olympics of Texas and its FUNdamental Sports program. Robotics and engineering students have channeled their classroom skills into designing, building, and programming adaptive sports equipment used directly by Special Olympics athletes. Students have also volunteered at the Special Olympics Texas Summer Games every year for the past five years, extending their commitment from the workshop to the competition floor.

Connecting Classrooms to Careers: Industry Partnerships at Port San Antonio

Lutheran High School actively bridges its robotics and STEM programs to the broader San Antonio professional community, with a majority of that industry engagement centered at Port San Antonio — the city’s premier aerospace, technology, and innovation campus. School representatives and students participate in events associated with the Girl Scouts STEM Day, the Women in Robotics Chapter, and the SA Robotix meetup group — bringing students face-to-face with working engineers, technologists, and industry mentors and reinforcing the message that a STEM career is an achievable and exciting path.

Champion for Girls in Tech: NCWIT Aspirations in Computing

Lutheran High School has made it a campus-wide priority to encourage young women to pursue technology careers. Year after year, the school produces more NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award recipients than many similar-sized or even larger public high schools. In the current academic year alone, seven young women earned Rising Star, Honorable Mention, or Winner recognition at the local level — with the program having earned a national honorable mention in  prior years.

Lutheran High School of San Antonio joins nine other U.S. schools and five international institutions as a 2026 Inspire the Future honoree, recognized during Teacher Appreciation Week 2026 by FIRST.

For more information about Lutheran High School of San Antonio’s robotics and STEM programs, contact Andrew Eickstead at andrew.eickstead@lhssa.org

About Lutheran High School of San Antonio
Lutheran High School of San Antonio is a Christ-centered college preparatory high school committed to academic excellence and servant leadership. Its award-winning robotics and STEM programs serve students on campus and throughout the San Antonio community. 

About FIRST®
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Manchester, N.H., that designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM. The Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Program celebrates educators and schools who exemplify STEM for Everyone™. More at firstinspires.org.
https://info.firstinspires.org/inspire-the-future
https://community.firstinspires.org/meet-the-2026-inspire-the-future-first-recognition-program-honorees

About Kinetic Kids
Kinetic Kids is a San Antonio-based nonprofit celebrating more than 30 years of providing sports, fitness, and recreational programs for children and young adults with special needs. More at kinetickidstx.org.

About Special Olympics of Texas
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. 
https://www.sotx.org/fs
https://www.sotx.org/blog-detail/to-lutheran-high-school-of-san-antonio-robotics-isn-t-just-about-building-machines-it-s-about-building-a-more-inclusive-world-18808067

About National Center for Women & Information Technology
The National Center for Women & Information Technology is a 501 nonprofit organization in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado Boulder. The center works to increase participation of girls and women in computing. NCWIT was founded in 2004 by Lucinda Sanders, Dr. Telle Whitney, and Dr. Robert Schnabel. 
https://www.aspirations.org/award-programs/aic-high-school-award

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​🏅 Big things happen when heart meets hard work.

The Engineering Class and Robotics Team at Lutheran High School of San Antonio designed, built, and delivered adaptive sports machines for the Special Olympics of Texas — and the impact was nothing short of extraordinary.

Representing Lutheran High at the Texas Special Olympics, Lexi and Matthew embodied everything we hope to instill in our students. Their sponsors said it best — calling them wonderful ambassadors whose patience and kindness with athletes is "so genuine and appreciated."

We couldn't agree more. 💙

Thank you, Lexi and Matthew, for making us proud in the best possible way — and thank you to every student, teacher, and mentor who helped make this mission a reality.

Wednesday, April 22 was signing day at LHS!  We want to thank each and every coach, parent, teacher, and teammate who poured into these young men, and we were excited to celebrate with them as they officially put pen to paper and wrote the first line of their college athletic careers. Aiden Martinez, Andrew Wright, and Asher Biedinger each signed today, carrying the Mustang name with them as they step into the next great race, meet, and season of their lives. We couldn't be more proud.
 
AIDEN MARTINEZ | Track & Field
Signing to compete at Mississippi College
 
Aiden Martinez has spent four years turning the track at LHS into his proving ground, and the results speak for themselves. At the 2025 TAPPS State Championships alone, he claimed silver in the 100m, bronze in the 200m, and another silver in the 400m — a remarkable three-event performance at the highest level of Texas private school competition. And that was just the spring. As an AAU Junior Olympic Qualifier, Aiden has consistently shown that he competes with and beats the best in the nation.
 
Beyond his individual medals, Aiden was a crucial anchor on the LHS 4x400 relay team that set a school record alongside teammates Reed, Luciano, and Andrew — a mark that now stands in the LHS record books. He also contributed to the team's 4th-place finish at the 2025 TAPPS State Championships, a result that required every runner to give everything they had.
 
Aiden's relentless work ethic, his clutch performances under pressure, and his heart for his teammates have defined his time as a Mustang. Mississippi College gains a fiercely competitive sprinter with a proven championship pedigree.
 
Highlights:
• 100m – 2nd Place, TAPPS State Championships 2025
• 200m – 3rd Place, TAPPS State Championships 2025
• 400m – 2nd Place, TAPPS State Championships 2025
• AAU Junior Olympic Qualifier
• LHS 4x400 School Record (with Reed, Luciano & Andrew)
• LHS Team 4th Place Finish, TAPPS State 2025
 
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." — Deuteronomy 31:6
 
 

ANDREW WRIGHT | Track & Field
Signing to compete at Princeton University

There are superlatives, and then there is Andrew Wright. By any measure, Andrew's high school career stands among the most decorated in the history of Lutheran High School track. A six-time TAPPS State Champion, a two-time TAPPS Athlete of the Championship Meet, a three-time National Champion, and an eight-time All-American — placing in the top six in the entire United States — Andrew's résumé is extraordinary. He is also a Nike-Sponsored Professional Athlete, a distinction that speaks to his national profile before he ever steps onto a college track.
 
Most recently, Andrew captured gold and a meet record at the 2026 Nike Indoor National Championships, along with a bronze medal — a performance that served as perhaps the finest exclamation point on an already legendary prep career. His 2024 TAPPS State Championship sweep — gold in the 100m, 200m, and 400m, along with Athlete of the Meet honors — was an amazing testament to the work he has put in during high school. 
 
Andrew will take his speed, his faith, and his incomparable drive to Princeton University in the Ivy League. The Tigers gain one of the most gifted sprint athletes to come out of Texas in recent memory. We have no doubt he will make LHS proud in every lane he runs.
 
Highlights:
• 6× TAPPS State Champion
• 2× TAPPS Athlete of the Championship Meet
• 3× National Champion
• 8× All-American (Top 6 in the USA)
• Nike-Sponsored Professional Athlete
• 2026 Nike Indoor National Championships – Gold (Meet Record) & Bronze
• 2025 Nike Outdoor National Championships – Gold (Meet Record)
• 2024 TAPPS State Championships – Gold in 100m, 200m & 400m; Athlete of the Meet
• LHS 4x400 School Record (with Aiden, Reed & Luciano)
 
"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." — Hebrews 12:1
 
ASHER BIEDINGER | Basketball
Signing to play at Palo Alto College
 
When Asher Biedinger arrived as a freshman, he made an immediate statement: four straight years on varsity. Over those four seasons, he built a great resume. His 771 points scored, 802 rebounds (3rd most in LHS history), 157 blocks (4th most in LHS history), and 200 assists represent a complete presence on both ends of the floor — the kind of player who changes the game without always being the loudest name on the scoresheet.
 
Asher was recognized for his excellence by his peers and coaches alike, earning First Team All-District honors three times and Second Team All-District once. His four years of varsity experience and his size, skill, and basketball IQ make him exactly the type of player who can make an impact at the college level.
 
Asher signs with Palo Alto College, where he will continue to grow as a player and a person. The Mustang community has watched him develop from a promising freshman into an anchor of the program, and we know his best basketball is still ahead of him.
 
Highlights:
• 4 Years on Varsity
• 771 Career Points
• 802 Rebounds – 3rd Most in LHS History
• 157 Blocks – 4th Most in LHS History
• 200 Assists
• 3× First Team All-District
• 1× Second Team All-District
 
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9
 
 
Thank you to the administrators, teachers, parents, and students who invested in these three young men over the past four years. The harvest you see today was planted long ago by faithful, loving hands. 
 
"Be strong and courageous... for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." — Joshua 1:9

Lutheran High School's engineering students are transforming the way athletes with special needs experience sport — one circuit board at a time.

There is a certain kind of work that changes you — not because it is difficult, but because of who it is for. For the engineering students in Mr. Schuetze's class at Lutheran High School San Antonio, that work comes every year in the form of a humble but extraordinary mission: building and improving machines that help athletes with special needs participate in sports they love.

This year, as the Texas Special Olympics Summer Games prepare to take place in Melissa, Texas, the Mustang engineering team is loading their creations for transport — devices that have been designed, assembled, tested, and refined right here in our own school's classrooms.

"This, along with FIRST Access, is some of the most rewarding experiences in my robotics career. I've had many, but these nearly every time bring a tear to my eye and love fills my heart to see our students want to do and make these things in service to others." — Mr. Schuetze, Engineering and Robotics Instructor.

The original "Mustang Free Throw Machine" is still at the center of this year's effort, and is in it's third iteration.  It is an Arduino-powered device that enables athletes to experience the joy of shooting a basketball, regardless of physical limitations. What began as a prototype held together with a breadboard and a tangle of colorful jumper wires has been completely rearchitected by students this year into a far more robust and reliable system. All five motor controller wires now mount cleanly in channels 0–4 on a custom Arduino shield, while user buttons and limit switches are soldered directly to the board — dramatically reducing the chance of a loose connection during an event. Students also disassembled, inspected, and reassembled the gearboxes on the upper motors, and are now dialing in motor speeds in the updated code to optimize performance.

The engineering logic is simple and purposeful: every loose wire is a potential failure point in the field. When an athlete is waiting, hopeful, and ready to play, reliability is everything.
But the Free Throw Machine is only part of the story. The class is also converting a Homerun / Tennis machine from its original VEX system to an Arduino and non-VEX motor — a meaningful rework requiring new hardware and entirely new code. A fishing carnival game is also in development, built from the ground up as a new addition to the lineup. And students have designed a stomp rocket device — a direct request from SOTX volunteers at last year's event — which required real investment in pneumatic components and represents exactly the kind of student-led, needs-driven engineering this program is known for in our pursuit of excellence.

What makes this program genuinely remarkable is not just the technical skill on display — it is the orientation of that skill toward others. These are not passion projects built for a grade or a trophy. They are tools built for specific human beings: athletes who deserve to experience sport in all its joy, and who will be waiting at the Summer Games in Melissa this week.

The Texas Special Olympics organization has taken note, and conversations are underway about how best to formally recognize Lutheran High School's service to the program.
In the meantime, the machines are loaded and ready. The code is being dialed in. And a group of Mustang students will soon stand at the edge of a gymnasium in Melissa, Texas, watching an athlete sink a free throw — made possible by work that started right here in San Antonio.
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Go Mustangs. In service to others, to the glory of God.

The district track meet is in the books — and there is so much to celebrate for our Mustangs! From personal records to a district championship, our Mustangs delivered an outstanding performance from start to finish.

Before highlighting individual results, it's worth saying what matters most: the way our athletes support one another is truly remarkable. The encouragement, the cheering, the genuine love our students show for each other — it is an inspiration to every coach on this staff and a reminder of why we do what we do. We are proud to be even a small part of your journey.

Standout Performances
Christian — District Champion — Long Jump · 200m Claimed the district title in the long jump and also advanced in the 200m.
Hadessa — Advanced — 100m · 400m Competed and advanced in both events — hours after flying back from a soccer tournament in Florida. Her flight landed at 10:30 AM and she came straight to the track after playing soccer for six hours the day before. Incredible.
Jackson — Personal Record — 100m · 200m Set PRs in both the 100m and 200m on the same day.
Nick — Personal Record — 800m Slashed 8 seconds off his previous 800m best. That is a massive improvement.
Chandler — Personal Record — 400m Dropped 2 seconds in the 400m — a significant and hard-earned gain.
Addison — Personal Record — 400m Set a new personal best in the 400m.

These results reflect months of hard work and a commitment to getting better every single day. Personal records don't come easy — they come from showing up consistently and pushing through discomfort. Every one of you should be proud.

We look forward to seeing our advancing athletes continue to compete and represent LHSSA with excellence. Go Mustangs!

Saturday, April 11 both our boys and girls robotics teams competed at the TAPPS robotics event in Waco — and brought with them months of hard-won skill, determination, and teamwork. We are proud to share that our girls team advanced all the way to the semi-finals, a remarkable achievement that reflects the dedication of everyone involved.

But the story of this weekend goes deeper than any single result. In the weeks between the close of our FIRST season and the start of TAPPS competition, both teams poured themselves into the engineering, CAD design, and coding work that would carry them forward. That time — quiet, unglamorous, and absolutely essential — is where the real growth happened.

"We are not using kids to build robots, we are using robots to build kids."
— Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST

Dean Kamen's words have never rung more true. What our students are gaining through robotics extends far beyond lines of code and points per match. From mastering engineering principles and CAD software to writing and refining complex code, from learning to lead teammates under pressure to leaning on one another in fellowship — these young people are pursuing excellence in every sense of the word.

Their work is rooted in faith, shaped by discipline, and pointed toward a future where the skills they're building will make a real difference — in their own lives, and in the communities they'll go on to serve.

We are proud of both teams for the work they put in and the way they competed.

A heartfelt thank-you to Mr. Schuetze, our coach, and Mr. Alwood, our coding mentor, for their tireless guidance and investment in these students. And to all the parents who have given their time and energy this season — none of this happens without you. Thank you for making this such a meaningful year.