Two Mustangs Headed for NASA: Cody U. and Kennedy V. Selected for Texas Aerospace Scholars9/19/2026
Congratulations to juniors Cody U. and Kennedy V., who have been accepted into the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (TAS) program — an authentic STEM learning experience that connects Texas high schoolers directly with NASA's missions and the next generation of space exploration.  TAS is a year-long journey. It begins this fall with Launch Pad, an online course where students work through four mission-inspired modules spanning Earth science, space exploration, and technology. From there, the program builds: the highest-achieving students earn an invitation to Moonshot, a five-day virtual summer experience mentored by real NASA scientists and engineers, where teams plan an Artemis-themed mission to the Moon and Mars. The very best teams go on to Base Camp, a residential experience at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
We're proud of Cody and Kennedy for pursuing this opportunity and excited to follow their progress through the program this year. Go Mustangs! Learn more about the Texas Aerospace Scholars program here.
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On Saturday, August 22, the Lutheran High School family gathered to celebrate a milestone, the official groundbreaking of our Community Impact Center. More than 100 members of our Mustang family joined us for the occasion. We had current and former parents and students, pastors from our association congregations, future Mustangs, alumni, and friends of the school. It was a true homecoming of the community this project is built to serve.  The moment arrived when donors, board members, faculty, students, and members of the LHS family each took a shovel to the dirt, officially breaking ground on this $3.4 million project. Anchored by Psalm 127:1 — "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain" — the Community Impact Center will be a space for worship and fellowship, further building a firm foundation of faith, character, and knowledge in our students.  Even our youngest Mustangs got in on the celebration. What a blessing to watch these former Mustangs bring our their future Mustangs for this celebration! Following the ceremony, the celebration continued with fellowship, refreshments, and conversation as the Mustang family reflected on this moment together. Mobilization is targeted for late September or early October, with an 8–10 month build ahead. We are excited to watch this project take shape and to see the impact it will have on our students and our community for years to come. We are grateful for every family, alum, pastor, and friend who stood with us on this special day — and for the God who has brought us to this moment.  At Lutheran High School of San Antonio, we are building a firm foundation of faith, character, and knowledge with our students. And before we can hit the books, we know we need to build relationships. Connecting with friends and teachers makes the learning process smooth and the school year enjoyable. That's why we spend time purposefully getting to know one another during the first week of school — and this year's Day One was our best proof yet of why that investment matters. We kicked things off with Mustang Bingo — students crossed the gym floor collecting names for every square on their board, and teachers jumped in right alongside them. It's a small thing, but it sets the tone for the whole year: nobody in this building is a stranger for long. From there, Student Council took the mic to introduce themselves, and our Admin Team got the full Mustang treatment — four students led the crowd through a "Which teacher is most likely to..." guessing game, with STUCO members lining up behind whichever admin they thought fit the bill. It was silly, it was loud, and it was exactly the kind of moment that turns a title on a staff directory into a person kids feel like they already know. Before the games really got going, we paused for our Opening Devotion, grounded in this year's theme verse: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." It's a verse our students will hear again and again this year — in chapel, in classrooms, in the way we ask them to treat each other on the days that are hard as well as the days that are easy. Kindness isn't a slogan here; it's the whole architecture of how we want this school to feel. The morning's Activities Rotation split students up by grade and sent them everywhere — learning a class cheer in the gym, battling it out in a cafeteria game of Minute to Win It, signing up for co-curriculars in the Make Lab, and squaring off in yard games. Late morning brought one of the most meaningful parts of the day: the introduction of our school pillars and this year's Chapel Families. Four members of our admin team each spoke about a pillar or two — Servant Heart and Love, Involved and Perseverance, Integrity and Respect — and explained not just what they mean, but why they matter, and how every single one of them centers on Jesus. Chapel Families are where our students will live out those pillars all year long, mixed across grade levels, meeting together, growing together. After lunch, our student council leads us in a game of head-shoulders-knees-cone followed by a scavenger hunt built around getting to know our teachers and navigating campus. We closed the day with a cheer competition, with each class learning a chant from our cheer team and performing it as creatively and passionately as they could muster. It was loud, it was long, and it was exactly what a first day should be — not a rush into routines, but a deliberate investment in the relationships that will carry our students through everything the year has in store. Welcome back, Mustangs. Be kind and compassionate — living lives of impact!  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.  Between Mia and the next generation stand two more Voelcker Fellows who've kept the momentum going. Sierra, heading into her junior year at LHSSA, is currently deep in her Voelcker research this very summer — putting in the lab hours that will one day be somebody else's "remember when" story. Lexi just wrapped up her time at LHSSA and is headed to UTSA this fall on a full-ride scholarship from the Terry Foundation. From Voelcker research to a fully-funded college launchpad, Lexi's trajectory is exactly the kind of impact we pray for over every student who walks through our science labs. And now the torch passes again. Mollie, our newest Voelcker Fellow, just finished her freshman year at LHSSA — and she's already presenting research posters most upperclassmen would find intimidating. Mollie shared her poster on the research she'll begin next summer: working alongside her mentor to study prostate cancer, specifically how to determine whether a cancer has a high likelihood of recurrence, and what can be done to prevent it. Think about that for a second. A freshman, planning cancer research a full year out, with a level of clarity and purpose that would be impressive at any age. Mia, Lexi, Sierra, and Mollie aren't an anomaly — they're evidence of what happens when serious science education is paired with mentors who believe students are capable of more than they think. Mrs. Rikard and Mr. Schuetze have poured years into building a science program at LHSSA that doesn't just teach content; it forms scientists — and more than that, it forms young men and women who see their gifts as something to steward for the good of others. These students are pursuing excellence not for the trophy or the transcript line, but because they've caught a vision of what it looks like to use their minds well — to the glory of Jesus Christ and for the good of their neighbors, whether that neighbor is a wound-care patient or a family facing a cancer diagnosis.  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. 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:
 From Vision to Practice
With that portrait as a compass, our faculty were equipped to begin with the end in mind — asking at every turn: does this lesson, this assessment, this classroom practice actually move our students toward this picture of who we want them to become? The training emphasized authentic, student-centered learning and performance-based assessments that ask students to demonstrate real understanding and transferable skills, not just recall facts for a test. It also gave our team practical tools for asking the big questions that tie the daily work of teaching back to mission — questions our faculty will keep returning to throughout the year as they plan curriculum, design lessons, and disciple students in and out of the classroom. Fellowship That Fuels the Mission Beyond the frameworks and planning tools, this training was a gift of fellowship. Seven LHSSA educators spent focused time together, praying, dreaming, and wrestling with hard questions about what faithful Christian education looks like. That kind of shared vision doesn't happen by accident — it takes intentional time set apart, and our team is grateful for the chance to invest in it together. Looking Ahead to 2026-27 Our faculty return with more than a training certificate. They return with a shared language, a clarified mission, and a concrete tool — the Portrait of an LHS Graduate — that will shape how we teach, plan, and lead in the year ahead. We can't wait to see this vision come to life in our classrooms this fall. Please join us in praying for our faculty as they prepare for a school year rooted deeply in mission — one where every lesson points toward students with a firm foundation of faith, character, and knowledge, ready to lead lives of impact to the glory of Jesus Christ.Acad  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. "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 [email protected] 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  🏅 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 |
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