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Southlake Carroll always has senior stars on the rise, and the class of 2025 is no exception. Between art, music, robotics, Student Council and even rodeo, these young leaders demonstrate that nothing is impossible when you follow your passions.
Before taking the world by storm, we let these soon-to-be graduates be kids for one more day as they let loose during an afternoon arcade session at EVO Entertainment. Life may not be a game, but it’s safe to say these Dragon all-stars are winning it.
LEO XIAO | The Robotics Engineer
The first time Leo Xiao stepped inside Carroll High’s cutting-edge STEAM Center, he was overwhelmed by both the industrial-grade equipment and the 18-foot-tall facilities used for the robotics and rocket courses. But like any skilled technician, it didn’t take long for this Green Jacket to learn the tools at his disposal to accomplish some incredible feats of engineering.
Since joining Carroll Robotics in his sophomore year, Leo has learned how to program his own robots for local and national competitions alongside his team.
“Each member is responsible for a certain aspect whether that involves building or researching, and each member is vitally important for our ability to succeed,” Leo says.
Leo got the chance to put both his teamwork and technical prowess to the test at the VEX World Championships, a global competition featuring 800 teams from around the world. Leo’s team, in particular, won the Innovate Award for designing a robot that could launch itself into the air using 28 stretched rubber bands. Leo plans to take those experiences with him after high school as he pursues his master’s in engineering.
“I enjoy the collaborative aspect of robotics the most,” Leo says. “Working with a team to design and build a robot that can maximize our ability to play a game is incredibly rewarding.”
JOHN ASKEW | The Cowboy
If Southlake Carroll has a cowboy, it’s John Askew. When he’s at school, John ropes himself into several student organizations, including Student Council, the Young Men’s Service League and the National Honor Society. This 2024 Green Jacket even occasionally hypes up pep rallies as the unofficial emcee.
But when the school bell rings, John is out on the field, working on three separate farms as a ranch hand. John’s appreciation for livestock and country life extends to extracurricular activities as well, especially when he’s wrangling animals 10 times his size for the Carroll Rodeo Team.
“You’re on a 1,500-pound animal that has a mind of its own while trying to rope a 1,000-pound animal that has a mind of its own,” John says. “There’s so many moving parts to keep track of that it’s really hard to just jump on and go.”
After graduating, this rodeo star would like to study agriculture at Texas A&M University and combine his love for both land and people into his own real estate company.
“Everything I’ve done at Carroll has been with the motivation of reaching as many people as I can,” John says. “I feel like there’s not enough joy and hopefulness nowadays. I’m just doing the best I can to put a smile on somebody else’s face.”
MATTEO LONGARINI | The Jazz Pianist
“I’ve always felt there’s something inside of me that’s inherently musical,” Matteo Longarini says. “Music is a universal form of communication. You hear it, and you immediately feel what the musician is expressing.”
Classically trained in piano since the age of 4, Matteo thrived in private Montessori-style schools before transferring to Carroll ISD in 2017. Wasting little time becoming a member of the Dragon Jazz Band, Matteo thrives in its competitive atmosphere. So much so, he even started the Carroll Jazz Championship on campus and won the very first one with his combo.
When he isn’t playing for Carroll, Matteo is performing gigs for local community gatherings, charity events and even graduation parties. The virtuoso is especially excited to audition for this year’s Essentially Ellington festival, a high school jazz competition that only accepts the top 30 performing programs across the country.
Upon graduating, Matteo hopes to pursue a career in international relations. But wherever this talented maestro goes, he’ll take his love of the piano with him as a double major in music.
“It’s my therapy,” Matteo says. “I can just sit down and play my feelings through my fingers into the piano keys.”
AVA GILBERT | The Singer
Anyone who attends Sunday morning church service at White’s Chapel might mistake Ava Gilbert for an angel, mostly because she has the voice of one.
“I’ve been singing ever since I could talk,” Ava remarks. “My family is very musical, and we would always do little talent shows at family gatherings. Everyone either sang or played an instrument. That’s what I was surrounded by from a very young age.”
Part of Southlake Carroll’s Show Choir, Ava’s voice stands out anywhere — especially at UIL contests, placing in both the region and area choirs throughout her career. As a junior, the rising star narrowly missed qualifying for state by just a couple of chairs, which she hopes to rectify during her spring audition.
When on vocal rest, Ava stays busy mentoring the children’s choir. And even though she’s no longer on Carroll’s roster, Ava utilizes her tennis expertise to coach young players in her neighborhood. After graduation, Ava aims to go to Texas Christian University and combine both of her loves as a future music educator.
“I just want to be involved in as many things as I can be and really put myself out there,” Ava says. “I want to make as many memories as possible and take in all of my last year of high school.”
LUCY DUGGER | The Digital Artist
For as long as she could remember, Lucy Dugger enjoyed experimenting with different oils and acrylic paints. But upon entering high school, the aspiring artist found a true niche in digital art.
“If you really want to emphasize bright colors and high contrast, the best way to do that is digitally,” Lucy says. “Plus, you don’t have to buy paints, and it’s a lot less messy.”
Lucy’s transition from a traditional canvas to a touchscreen paid off in big ways. Last spring, her painting, “Boy With Jukebox,” received top marks at the regional Visual Art Scholastic Event before qualifying for the state showcase.
“It was a digital painting of a photo I took of my little brother observing a jukebox five years ago,” she says. “I wanted to exhibit the childlike wonder he had when looking at it, so I used dark lighting and contrasted that with a bright jukebox illuminating his face and lighting up his world.”
Encouraged and inspired by her recent state success, the budding artist plans to continue honing in on graphic design in college.
“I like how I can express myself through my art,” Lucy says. “It makes me focus more on what I want to do and how I want to incorporate it into my future.”