McKinney North High School

Here is a link to some informal/candid photos taken at graduation this morning. Download/screenshot what you want. This album will be deleted on June 30th. Happy Graduation Day! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y6ptmc1yyEgAeEA57

Here is a link to some informal/candid photos taken at graduation this morning. Download/screenshot what you want. This album will be deleted on June 30th. Happy Graduation Day! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y6ptmc1yyEgAeEA57

Here is a link to some informal/candid photos taken at graduation this morning. Download/screenshot what you want. This album will be deleted on June 30th. Happy Graduation Day! https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y6ptmc1yyEgAeEA57

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Corinne Watson from McKinney North High School.

See video: https://youtu.be/V3QaqVUlCeo

Corinne is a senior, and she served as a captain on the Bulldogs track team. Corinne was named Most Improved for her team, and she has received Academic All-District. She competed in the UIL State Meet in the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays, and she also made the 2024 All-State Track and Field Team.

Corinne has a 3.6 GPA, and she is on the A and B Honor Roll.

Corinne enjoys volunteering with multiple organizations throughout the year, especially around the major holidays.

Next year, Corinne plans to attend college to major in nursing to become a CRNA and to continue her education to become an Anesthesiologist.

That’s Corinne Watson from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Brandon De Vun from McKinney North High School.

See video: https://youtu.be/Bq3SVv_KFFo?si=vDsuyZu6fag4MMKa

Brandon is a Senior on the Bulldogs Track team.

Brandon is a part of the current school record holding 4x100 relay team with a time of 41.15 seconds. He is a 2024 State Qualifier in the 4x100 relay and Regional Qualifier in the 100 meters.

Brandon has a 4.88 GPA and is ranked 8th in his class. He is an AP student and has received Academic All-District.

Brandon is a member of the McKinney North Interact Club. He volunteers with the McKinney Parks Foundation and works at Five Guys.

Next year, Brandon plans to attend the Naval Academy.

That’s Brandon De Vun from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

“It made me realize that something that I do every single day every single class period, that maybe feels mundane, really is important, and it helps people feel seen.”

See video: https://youtu.be/QiY_YCj3FKI?si=i4F3H8cwsTRljJGr

Madison Marr is the 2025 Teacher of the Year for McKinney North High School. She is a language arts teacher, and she has worked as an educator for 7 years.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is senior Finley Plant from McKinney North High School.

See video: https://youtu.be/bxvA9xtJ5Yw?si=s2IthAB9-TKJe83r

Finley plays cello in the orchestra, and she has served as First Chair for 3 years as well as an Orchestra Officer for 2 years. She has received a ranking of 1 on Solo, and she was selected for the All-Region orchestra in 2025.

Finley is an AP Scholar with Excellence, and she currently has a 4.5 GPA. She has taken 8 AP classes, and she has been awarded Academic Excellence for 3 years. Finley is a member of the National Honor Society, STUCCO, PALS, and the Interact Club.

In her free time, Finley works at Sali’s Italian Restaurant.

After graduation, Finley plans to attend the University of North Texas to major in Business & Accounting.

That’s Finley Plant, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

Directions to Prom

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Dailey Poland from McKinney North High School.

See video: https://youtu.be/zUIDHRyynf4?si=eJOwyguQSzK9Yivp

Dailey is a Senior Captain on the Bulldogs basketball team.

Dailey is ranked 17th in his class, and he has a 4.63 GPA. He is an AP Scholar with Honors and an Academic Excellence cord recipient.

Dailey is a member of PALS, and he serves as vice president of the Key Club.

Dailey volunteers as an HALO’s Buddy through Kiwanis, and he works with the McKinney Little Free Pantry.

Next year, Dailey will attend Texas A&M to pursue a masters degree in Business Administration.

That’s Dailey Poland from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

Preparing Students for Success – the AVID Program in McKinney ISD

“It’s the best program in the district!” As an AVID instructor, Leslie D’Annibale may be somewhat biased, but her enthusiasm for the Advancement Via Individual Determination program in McKinney ISD is not overstated.

See video: https://youtu.be/66709GXiga8

AVID is transforming the way students learn and prepare for their future by helping students build strong study habits, manage their time effectively and prepare for college and beyond. From mastering study skills to tackling the SAT, AVID empowers students with the tools they need to succeed!

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Andy Alvarenga from McKinney North High School.

See video: https://youtu.be/DJnkqmfygGY?si=OUXNDlUKBXWneyCd

Andy is a senior on the Bulldogs Soccer team, and he received Newcomer of the Year and was selected to 1st team All-District.

Andy is ranked 42nd in his class with a 4.3 GPA, and he has taken 8 AP classes. He is a member of the National Honors Society, Interact club, and Spanish Culture Club.

In his free time, Andy plays club soccer and volunteers by doing community service projects.

Next year, Andy plans to go to college to study Engineering while continuing his soccer career. That’s Andy Alvarenga from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

McKinney North High School recently took on a special Kindness Challenge, inspiring students and staff to spread positivity throughout the school and community.

See video: https://youtu.be/38sZuTTN9CE?si=SWNsvz5HLWg970g5

Organized by counselor Nikki Summers, this initiative honors the memory of Blake, the son of a longtime friend, whose family encouraged acts of kindness in his honor as he became ill before his 3rd birthday.

Through this challenge, students are making a difference, one kind act at a time. Let's keep the kindness going!

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Arianna Johnson from McKinney North High School.

See video: https://youtu.be/NtCfr5nx658?si=PvC9v6VfkWh23niT

Arianna is a Senior Captain on the Lady Bulldogs Soccer team.

Arianna received All-District 1st Team Defender in 2024.

Arianna is ranked 86th in her class and has a 4.0 GPA. She is an AP student and a Red, Blue, and Orange Cord Recipient.

Arianna is a member of the National Honors Society and PALS. She also plays club soccer with FC Dallas Youth.

Next year, Arianna plans to continue her Soccer career at the University of Texas at Tyler while majoring in Health Sciences.

That’s Arianna Johnson from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Jaelyn Hill.

See video: https://youtu.be/pDyFByuOYyM?si=RSHlJ5UKYv6w3a0G

Jaelyn is a senior at McKinney North High School where she is in the AP Art: 2D Design course in the Visual Arts Program. She scored a 4 the past 2 years at the Visual Arts Scholastic Event, and she scored a 4 on her AP 2D Art and Design Portfolio. She participated in the 3rd Congressional District Art Competition.

Jaelyn currently has a 3.6 GPA, and she is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.

Jaelyn participates in the HOSA Program and the Practicum in Health Science.

She volunteers at ManeGait Therapeutic Horse Therapy, and she enjoys riding at Caspian Equest.

After graduation, Jaelyn plans to attend college locally for the first year or two and then transfer to Texas A&M University to earn a degree in Large Animal Veterinarian Medicine.

That’s Jaelyn Hill, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Maegan Kilman.

See video: https://youtu.be/v_-bquf9vYc?si=td9JHg3pIQUowwae

Maegan is a senior at McKinney North High School where she is Captain of the McKinney North Dance & Drill Team, the NorthStars. She has earned awards for “Northstar of the Week” and “Spirit Star of the Week”.

Maegan currently maintains a 3.5 GPA, and she has taken AP Spanish and AP English courses.

After graduation, Maegan plans to attend college and major in Dance Science.

That’s Maegan Kilman, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is senior Preston Quintero from McKinney North High School.
Video: https://youtu.be/-cNsC1RrQlk

Preston plays double bass, and he is a 4-year member of the Honors Orchestra. He was selected for All-Region String Orchestra, All-Region Symphony Orchestra, All-Area Orchestra, and All-Region Band, where he was the only string player performing in the All-Region Band concert.
Preston is a TMEA Texas Music Scholar, and he has received the Exemplary Musician Award for Solo Performance and Outstanding Artistry.
Preston currently has a 4.35 GPA and ranks 40th in his class, and he has taken 11 AP courses.
In his free time, Preston plays varsity baseball for the Bulldawgs as well as club baseball. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and he works part-time at STIX Icehouse.
After graduation, Preston plans to attend college to dual major in Music Performance and Biology, with a future goal of attending Baylor University for medical school.
That’s Preston Quintero, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is senior Sierra Franjesevic from McKinney North High School. Video: https://youtu.be/raPUaqHOTn4?si=czwV4j813YYCqsV7 Sierra is a 4-year member of the varsity choir, and a 2-year member of the elite varsity choir, True North. She has performed multiple solos, and she received a 1 Rating on all of her UIL Solo Performances. Sierra has a 3.94 GPA, and she ranks 94th in her class. She has taken AP and Dual Credit courses, and she is on the varsity cross country team and the varsity soccer team at McKinney North. In her free time, Sierra volunteers with Meals on Wheels, the Boys and Girls Club, Street Side Showers, and Feed My Starving Children. She also helps residents at a Memory Care facility, and she has tutored two Afghan Refugee students by helping them learn English as their second language. After graduation, Sierra plans to attend Brigham Young University to study Civil Engineering, and she will serve on a church mission. Sierra enjoys helping people that are struggling with English and learning to adjust to the culture of the United States, and she hopes to continue this service in the future. That’s Sierra Franjesevic, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week is Rachel Sellers from McKinney North High School. Video: https://youtu.be/ZbTiTb8JCW4 Rachel is a Senior Captain on the Bulldogs Swim team. Rachel is a 2-time State swim competitor. She has received the Bulldog Beast Award and she holds the McKinney North’s School record in the 200 and 400 Free Relay. Rachel has taken multiple AP classes and was named First Team Academic All-District. She is a Red and Blue cord recipient and has a 3.85 GPA. Rachel is a swimmer for the Metroplex Aquatics Club Swim Team. She is a swim instructor at the Apex Center and she is a babysitter. Next year, Rachel plans to attend Collin College to complete her basics. Afterwards, she plans to major in business to become an entrepreneur, as well as continuing to teach and coach swimming. That’s Rachel Sellers from McKinney North High School, our Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Athlete of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Finn Collins. Video link: https://youtu.be/M-mEUvZGB3w Finn is a senior at McKinney North High School where he is in the AP Art: Studio Drawing course. He has scored a 4 at the Region 10 Visual Arts Scholastic Event for two years in a row, and he scored a 3 on the AP 2D Design Portfolio. Finn’s artwork has been selected twice to be displayed at the McKinney ISD Administration Building. Finn currently maintains a 3.95 GPA, and he ranks 91st in his class. He has taken AP Statistics and AP Studio Drawing. In his free time, Finn plays the drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and sometimes the bass guitar. He is a 4-year member of the McKinney North Swim and Dive Team, where he earned a letterman jacket, and Finn works part-time at Old Navy. After graduation, Finn plans to attend Collin College for two years and then transfer to UNT for a degree in Art. That’s Finn Collins, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.

This week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week is Jud Rector. https://youtu.be/C6Bzygtnw34?si=myGg_YkaSQNPIbEh Jud is a senior at McKinney North High School where he is a member of the True North Varsity Choir. For the past two years, he has earned a 1 in ranking on Solo & Ensemble contest, and he was a Honors Recital Winner in the 11th grade. Jud currently has a 4.3 GPA, and he has taken 10 AP courses. He ranks 32nd in his class and is in the top 6%. In his free time, Jud plays varsity baseball for the Buldawgs. He also plays select baseball and volunteers at the local library. Jud has spent 3 years working for Bearfoot Lifeguard Company, with 2 years of managing experience and 1 year of instructing experience. After graduation, Jud plans to dual major in Music Performance and Business and then potentially pursue an MBS in Business. He is interested in several schools, including UT Austin, Rice, SMU, TCU, U of Arkansas, Duke, UNC, Baylor, or Oklahoma University. That’s Jud Rector, this week’s Dennis Baker State Farm Scholar Artist of the Week.