Luke Kertcher, UT High School's new social worker, is building a comprehensive social work program from scratch for a fully virtual school — an area with few existing models to follow. Drawing on his background as a teacher during the pandemic and later training at UT's School of Social Work, he's developing services across three tiers (schoolwide activities, small groups, and individual/family support) while also training staff and families on how to actually use a social worker in an online setting.

Ian Parham Jr. graduated from UTHS this June after balancing online coursework with a standout basketball career, recovering from a torn ACL, playing internationally for Belize, and leading Good Vision Academy to a SWAIC Division I Championship. He's now signed with UTRGV's Division 1 basketball program, majoring in Management with his sights on the sports industry.

UT High School's Class of 2026 is the largest in school history, with 280 graduates crossing the stage at Bass Concert Hall -- some traveling from as far as Brazil and Colombia to be there in person. Student speakers from both the Texas and International Diploma Programs shared their journeys, while Principal Darnell Horton reflected on a first-of-its-kind year of community-building that brought far-flung classmates together long before graduation day.

In honor of Military Child Month, UT High School is proud to feature senior Analu Pangelinan — a military kid who has lived in seven states, ten cities, and attended ten schools, and who found something unexpected at UTHS: stability. From seamless enrollment to personalized student support, Analu's story reflects the school's commitment to military-connected students and families. Read how UTHS became her academic home.

When Charlie Salcedo enrolled at UT High School in early 2024, she was looking for something traditional school couldn't offer: the freedom to learn on her own terms. For Charlie, virtual school isn't just a practical choice. It's where she found her footing.

UT High School serves nearly 200 military-connected students—more than 10 percent of its enrollment—offering priority enrollment, free tuition, and flexible online learning that provides stability for families navigating frequent relocations. As a two-time Purple Star Campus designee, UTHS demonstrates an ongoing commitment to military families through specialized counseling, staff professional development, and community partnerships like its annual stocking drive for Texas veterans. For many on the UTHS team, this mission is personal: staff members including the Superintendent and multiple principals come from military-connected families themselves.

Cathryn Bermudez, a UT High School senior and Student Council secretary, has turned her experience as an online learner into a mission to build community — organizing Houston meetups, championing a mental health club, and pushing for more student engagement opportunities. The Houston resident, who moved from Mexico City at 15 and found structure and belonging at UTHS, is now preparing to pursue a double major in journalism and psychology at UT Austin with aspirations to write about the criminal justice system.

UT High School is launching UT Sage, an AI tutoring platform developed at UT Austin, to provide students with 24/7 academic support while teaching them to use artificial intelligence responsibly and ethically. Integrated into a comprehensive curriculum redesign led by Linda Webb, the platform features specialized, scope-controlled tutors for course-specific learning—starting with mathematics and expanding across subjects. With robust safety safeguards designed specifically for students, Sage equips UTHS learners with essential AI skills they'll need for college and careers in an increasingly AI-driven world.

UT High School's Student Council transforms online education into a genuine community through four active committees and ambitious initiatives led by student representatives from across Texas and internationally. From organizing regional meetups and developing mental health programming to reimagining graduation celebrations for dispersed students, the council ensures every student feels connected regardless of their location. With a 100-member-strong leadership focused on communication, achievements, culture, and graduation, the council proves that physical distance doesn't diminish the power of meaningful student voice and belonging.

Senior Nawal Rasheed was looking for a way to maintain the multicultural connections she'd experienced at an international school in Lebanon when her family relocated to Pakistan—and found it at UT High School, 11 time zones away. Now serving as Student Council president, she's built meaningful relationships with classmates across Asia and the Middle East, proving that community isn't about geography—it's about finding people who understand your journey, wherever in the world they might be. Through UTHS's flexible online learning environment, Nawal has discovered that a school thousands of miles away can feel like home.