Rockwall-Heath honors top 10 seniors at luncheon

Rockwall-Heath High School put its highest-performing seniors in the spotlight with a luncheon that recognized the Class of 2026 top 10 and the families behind them.

Valedictorian Sheldon Brown and salutatorian Lydia Hittle headlined the group honored April 22 at the school. Principal Todd Bradford hosted the event with Rockwall-Heath administrators and counselors, while families, the Rockwall ISD Board of Trustees, Superintendent Dr. John Villarreal and other district leaders joined the celebration.

The district identified the full top 10 by name and rank: Sheldon Brown, Lydia Hittle, Khristina Oo, Elise Doty, Luke Mitchell, Rory Musson, Daniel Hunter, Madison Reeves, Bradley Edwards and Sophie Makahon. Each senior received a yard sign showing that ranking to display at home, turning the recognition into something visible well beyond the luncheon tables.

The gathering came near the end of the school year, a natural pause before graduation and whatever comes next for the seniors after Rockwall-Heath. By formally recognizing the top 10, the school also showed younger students the level of academic performance the campus rewards, from rank at the top of the class to the consistency required to stay there.

Dr. Villarreal used the occasion to thank families for the support that helped students succeed, underscoring that the achievement was being celebrated as a shared one. That emphasis matched the guest list: trustees, district leaders and parents all took part in the recognition, not just the students whose names appeared at the top of the class list.

Rockwall-Heath has made the top 10 luncheon a yearly tradition. The Class of 2025 was honored in a similar event last year at Hidden Creek Event Venue on April 16, and this year’s recognition on April 22 kept that milestone on the calendar as another graduating class prepares to leave a mark on Rockwall ISD.