ETR Staff Report
Longview, TX – Cheers and the sound of the Lobo Drumline filled the halls of Longview High School as the Class of 2026 celebrated the next step in their journey during the second annual Lobo Decision Day, honoring seniors committing to college, trade or certificate programs, military service, and direct entry into the workforce.
“This has quickly become one of the most meaningful traditions on our campus.”
Longview High School Principal Shameika Allen
The celebration began with a high-energy campus walk led by the drumline, as seniors moved through the halls surrounded by applause from teachers, staff, and classmates. For freshmen, sophomores, and juniors lining the route, the walk offered a front-row view of the joy, pride, and spotlight awaiting them as they move closer to graduation.
“This day is about making every student’s next step feel important,” said Felicia Carnes, College & Career Readiness Manager, 9-12. “When students see their classmates celebrated for choosing a college, a trade program, a certification pathway, military service, or direct entry into the workforce, it reinforces that there is more than one way to build a successful future. Our goal is for every Lobo to leave here knowing their plan matters.”
Following the walk, seniors gathered in the Mickey Melton Performing Arts Center for a refreshed signing
ceremony that put students at the center of the celebration. Students stood with college pennants against a college-themed backdrop, signed their Lobo Decision Day papers, and were recognized by their fellow seniors.
“This has quickly become one of the most meaningful traditions on our campus,” said Longview High School Principal Shameika Allen. “Our seniors have worked hard, made decisions about their futures, and taken ownership of what comes next. Today gives them the same excitement, energy, and pride we bring to other major student accomplishments, and they deserve every bit of it.”
Before the event, seniors also took part in a special “Sign the Beam” moment, adding their names to a metal beam that will become part of Longview High School’s new Career and Technical Education facility. The beam signing connected the Class of 2026 to the future of the campus itself, leaving a permanent mark on a building designed to prepare generations of Lobos for college, technical training, military service, the workforce, and real-world success.
“While these graduates will have moved on to college, careers, and the rest of their lives before these new facilities are completed, it’s important that they understand they are always going to be connected to them in the future,” said Dr. Marla Sheppard, Longview ISD Superintendent. “Our hope is that, in the years to come, they will take just as much pride in these new facilities as future generations of Lobo
alumni.”
The celebration also carried forward a longtime Longview High School tradition by incorporating the annual Scholarship Awards into Lobo Decision Day. Kay Ray, Executive Director of the Longview ISD Foundation and the district’s scholarship coordinator, announced local scholarship recipients throughout the program, helping ensure students were recognized not only for where they are headed next, but also for the financial support they have earned along the way. As of the event, Longview High School seniors had reported $6,859,089 in institutional and local scholarships, including $202,520 awarded through local scholarships coordinated by the College and Career Center. Additional scholarship awards are expected to be announced before graduation.
“College Crates” help prepare seniors for college
Adding to the excitement, Longview ISD raffled off 20 College Crates to graduating seniors. Each crate included two large bags filled with dorm-room necessities, including bedding, towels, laundry supplies, storage bags, a shower caddy, school supplies, and other items to help students settle into life after high school. This year, each crate also included a laptop computer for college-bound seniors. The crates were provided through College Crates Essentials, Inc., a student-founded nonprofit that raises funds to provide dorm-room essentials and technology to seniors who may otherwise be unable to afford them.
“Lobo Decision Day is a celebration, but it is also a promise,” said Dr. Sheppard. “We are telling our students that their futures matter, their choices matter, and their community is proud to stand behind them. Whether they are headed to a university, a two-year college, a trade or certificate program, military service, or the workforce, they are carrying the Lobo spirit with them.”
Throughout the morning, the energy stayed high as students signed their Decision Day papers, posed for group photos, cheered for classmates, and celebrated the many pathways represented by the Class of 2026.
For Longview ISD, the event continues to build a college, career, and workforce-ready culture that begins long before senior year. By inviting middle school students to attend, the district gave younger students a glimpse of what their own futures can look like.
“Decision Day helps students see the finish line and the starting line at the same time,” Carnes said. “For seniors, it honors everything they have accomplished. For younger students, it plants a seed. They can look at that stage and say, ‘That will be me one day.’”
Lobo Decision Day is now in its second year and continues to grow as a signature Longview High School tradition, celebrating student achievement, honoring every postsecondary pathway, and reminding the community that the future of Longview is being built one Lobo at a time.
For more information, contact media@lisd.org.
Courtesy photos Longview Independent School District
