Celebrating 126 Years of Serving the communities of Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot, and Moore in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties
2026 Devine Homecoming Court was made up of (l to r) Freshman: Chaz Villa and Emily Cashion, Sophomore: Jack Bandel and Nayeli Munoz, Juniors: Zachary Ortiz and Kenzi Ray, and Seniors: Kenzie Schott, King Rowdy Esparza, Queen Margarita Vizcarra, Shawn Lowe, Jayme Moralez, Melenie Cardenas, Bryson Robison and Rolando Garica.
Devine HS
The Warhorse Mighty Marching Band has earned the right to advance to the UIL Area E Marching Competition again this year. They will compete this Saturday, October 24 in Alice, Texas in the AAA division. The Devine HS band performs at 3:00 p.m. in the Alice High School Memorial Stadium.
Devine earned the right at the UIL Region XI marching contest in Hondo last weekend to advance. The band performed their 2026 UIL marching show production entitled “After The Long Night” which features the songs, Black Hole Sun, Here Comes The Sun, True Colors, and Spring(Vivaldi).
“The band also received the 1st place award at this year’s God’s Country Marching Band Contest in Hondo the prior weekend, October 10 where they were awarded the Grand Champion award as overall winners!” said Bert Sanchez, Devine ISD Director of Bands.
See schedule below.
Lytle HS
The Lytle Pirate Band earned its 9th consecutive First Division Rating at UIL Region Marching last Saturday. The band is advancing to the Area level, and will compete in prelims performance this Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 9:40 a.m. in Alice.
Last year on Saturday 11/1/25, the Lytle Pirate Band made school history by earning…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
Lytle FFA teams competed this week at Texas A&M University Kingsville Hoggie Invitational LDE (Leadership Development Event) Contest. There were many big schools and some tough competition in attendance! Schools as far as Constock to the coast to compete! Our teams had top 10 and top 5 finishes highlighted by two second place Banner Wins! We are very proud of our hardworking teams and look forward to them competing next week at the Palo Alto Invitational and next month at the Wintergarden District Contest! Congratulations to all our teams and coaches!!!
Teams that competed included…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
Students involved in this year’s play are TOP ROW: Julius Garza, Hunter Inming, Camila Vega, Kaelyn Vega, Kendal Jackson, Joshua Chavira; MIDDLE: Aiden Dresch, Marsiela Montalvo, Elisabeth Urban, Caleb Morton, Olivia Cherry
BOTTOM: Noah Olmedo, Celeste Perez, Himari Morgan, Celia Perales.
Under the direction of Celeste Perez, the Lytle HS Theatre group will be performing “A Murder is Announced” by Agatha Christie on November 21 at 7:00pm and November 22 at 12:30 pm and 7:00 pm at the Lytle High School Auditorium.
This storyline takes place in a little village and is centered around a local newspaper’s announcement of a crime before it actually happens. The curiosity of whether it will actually happen or if it’s just some sort of joke, keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.
Ms. Perez mentioned that this year’s play is meant to bring a fun twist. “There is scandal, schemes, and…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
By Anton Riecher
By unanimous action, the Devine school board voted Monday to approve final payment of $678,497 to Cuero-based construction company Weaver and Jacobs for the district’s 2023 bond project.
The motion was put forward by board member Alixana Buvinghausen and seconded by Carl Brown.
The Devine ISD 2023 bond project was an $11.255 million district-wide capital improvement and safety initiative approved by voters in November 2023. It involved district-wide safety, security and facility additions or renovations across all four district campuses.
In other action, the board voted unanimously to adopt amendments to the District of Innovation plan with the addition of capping the class size for intermediate classrooms at…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this! Click the link to sign up today! www.devinenewsmembers.com
Devine Warhorse Band received first place at God’s Country Marching Contest.
The UIL Region XI Marching Band Contest will be held on Saturday, October 17 at Barry Stadium in Hondo. Class A and AA schools will be performed from 4 to 6 pm. Class AAA schools start at 7 pm with Carrizo Springs, then Devine at 7:15 pm, Crystal City at 7:30 pm, Natalia at 7:45 pm, Cotulla at 8 pm, Poteet at 8:15 pm, Lytle at 8:30 pm ending with Hondo at 8:45 pm.
Devine Warhorse Band performed their program “After The Long Night” at the God’s Country Marching Festival in Hondo on October 10 and received first place for the 3A classification and overall champion.
The Lytle Pirate Band won second place overall, just behind Devine HS. They received the Best…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
Lytle Pirate Band received second place overall at God’s Country Marching Festival.
Natalia Mustang Band performed “Controlled” at the marching contest in Hondo.
Lions Club Students of the Month are McKailee Sorrell and Esai Sanchez. Pictured are DHS Principal Michael Gomez, DHS Students of the month McKailee Sorrell and Esai Sanchez, and Lion President Lewis Stroud.
Devine High School students McKailee Sorrell and Esai Sanchez were honored as Students of the Month at a recent Devine Lions Club meeting. Both are seniors at DHS.
McKailee Sorrell
McKailee is a senior at Devine High School. Throughout her high school years, McKailee has been involved in many areas of school and community life while taking on leadership opportunities and challenging herself academically.
She has been very involved in FCCLA throughout all four years of high school, serving as Co-Peer Involvement Chair her sophomore year, President her junior year, and Historian her senior year. She has competed in FCCLA each year, advancing from Regionals to State. During her junior year, she and her partner, Paige, traveled to Washington, D.C., where they received a Gold Medal and placed 26th in the nation for their project “Read to Succeed”. She has also been involved in Student Council, serving as Vice President her sophomore year, Secretary her junior year and Social Media Coordinator her senior year.
She currently serves as Secretary of the National Honor Society and has been involved in FCA/Youth Alive throughout high school, serving as President her sophomore year and as a student leader her junior and senior years. She played JV tennis from her freshman through junior years and is participating in UIL Literacy Criticism for the first time this year. She also gives the daily morning announcements for DHS. Academically, she is ranked third in her class and has staken honors, AP, and other advanced courses.
Outside of school, she is an active member of First Baptist Church of Natalia and volunteers through Mission Devine, food bank distributions, Vacation Bible School, Wreaths Across America, and other service opportunities. She has also worked at Land & Ranch Services since her sophomore year and began working at Devine Acres Farm this year.
After graduation, she plans to attend Texas State University to major in Health Sciences with a Pre-Nursing concentration, with the goal of earning a Bachelor Science in Nursing. She plans to become an ICU nurse and hopes to build a career centered around caring for and helping others.
She is grateful for the teachers, advisors, family, friends, and community members who have supported her throughout high school and for the opportunities she has been given to grow, lead, and serve others. She is honored to be recognized as Student of the Month.
McKailee is daughter of Michael and Brandi Sorrell.
Esai Sanchez
Esai is a senior at Devine High School. He is an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society. He is also a member of the Varsity track, baseball and soccer teams, as well as the Warhorse Band, where he plays drums.
Last year, he was honored to be selected for the ATSSB All-State Band, and is committed to working hard and giving his best effort to earn that honor again this year.
After graduation he plans to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where he will major in music. He will be auditioning soon for their indoor drumline, and is excited about the opportunity to continue developing his skills and pursuing his passion for music at the collegiate level.
Esai is the son of Bert and Monica Sanchez.
DHS Theatre students are excited about their upcoming play, a cautionary comedy about humanity’s reliance on AI and technology. Top row: Griffin Blouin, Sakura-Genesis Schoenfeld, Kassandra Fajardo, Samuel Alcantar, Adyn Holloway, Emma Gardner, Cody Castleberry, Viola Dzierzanowski, Vicente Ramirez, Rebecca Sanchez, Payton Hester, Gloria Green, Katelynn Toner, Ben Ramon, Phoenix Reyes, Kayla Dzierzanowski, Gabrielle Paramo, Kamden Paige, Elena House, Josiah Mills, Sebastian Balderas, Dakota Nighswander, Natalie Gutierrez, Emma Martinez, Lucas Hoffman and Briana Balderrama. Bottom row: Marissa Sosa, Sophia Alcantar, Jenavive Esquibel, Ella Bowyer, Jessica Ballesteros, Angelica Castillo, Isabella Duron, Jaeden Land, Patrick Foss, Angeliana Rendon-Zapata and Jazlyn Fajardo. Photo by Brianna Paredes.
Performance Details: Under the direction of Mr. Jose Guardiola, the Devine High School Theater cast and crew present the world premiere of Glenn McGinnis’s hit new comedy on Thursday, October 29, at 7pm. Doors to the DSAC Auditorium open at 6:30pm.
About the Production: Join this highly successful, award-winning ensemble for the inaugural performance of a cutting-edge cautionary-comedy about humanity’s reliance on technology.
Story Synopsis: Operation: Save Humanity follows Doug Johnson, a…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
Students are hard at work rehearsing. Photo by Brianna Paredes.
Natalia ISD Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda traveled to the Texas Capitol in Austin on Tuesday, October 6, to provide testimony before the Texas Senate Committee on Education during an interim hearing focused on maximizing instructional time.
Dr. Avellaneda was specifically invited to share Natalia ISD’s experience after the district previously operated under a four-day instructional calendar before returning to a traditional five-day week.
Joining Dr. Avellaneda in presenting before the Senate Committee on Education will be Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath; Dr. Emily Morton, Director of Research Consulting with NWEA; and James Mosteller, Legislative Director with Excel-In-Ed.
During his remarks, Dr. Avellaneda will discuss the district’s experience with the four-day week, the decision to return to five days, lessons learned from the transition, and factors that have contributed to Natalia ISD’s recent academic improvement.
Dr. Avellaneda emphasizes that…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!
