A Tournament Built on Teamwork — On and Off the Court
On the first morning of the Stanley Whisenhunt Classic, long before the first whistle echoed through Bulldog Gym, the Wylie High School culinary lab smelled like cinnamon rolls and a warm breakfast. Students in aprons moved with a kind of choreographed hustle — timers beeping, ovens opening, skilled chopping — all while laughter slipped between the clatter of pans.
Just down the hallway, another team of students was climbing a set of gym stairs to the upper deck corner-turned-production-booth, headsets on everyone’s heads and equipment bags anchored nearby. And across the gym floor, a crew of social media students checked camera settings, swapped batteries, and refreshed Instagram drafts.
The tournament may carry the name Stanley Whisenhunt, but this year, some of its most memorable moments are being shaped by the students of Wylie ISD’s Career & Technical Education program.
For three days, CTE classes across three disciplines — Culinary Arts, Audio/Video Production, and Media/Marketing — are powering nearly every behind-the-scenes element of one of the region’s largest early-season girls basketball tournaments. With teams from the Metroplex, Austin, the South Plains, and the Big Country on hand, it’s a full-community lift… and our students are right at the heart of it.
Culinary: Feeding the Tournament Family
Under the steady leadership of Teacher Lauren Nelson, Wylie’s Culinary Arts students have turned the hospitality room into something that rivals a small café.
Principles of Hospitality students welcome coaches with warm smiles. Advanced culinary students — like senior Maggie Walker — plate homemade baked goods and keep the hot pans moving. And Miss Nelson? She’s the special conductor of it all.
“There is pressure,” Maggie said with a grin. “You’ve got to keep things warm, make sure nothing burns, and stay on top of timing. But I love it. It feels real.”
Miss Nelson sees the same thing.
“It shows what it means to be a Wylie Bulldog,” she said. “We’re not part of the athletic program, but we get to support them. Hospitality is part of who we are.”
On the menu this week: cinnamon rolls, focaccia bread, pasta bakes, sandwiches, drinks, and snacks for referees, volunteers, and coaches.
The players may shine on the court, but the culinary crew keeps everyone fueled.
Audio/Video: Broadcasting Every Play
High above the court, the Audio/Video Production students — led by Teacher Wright Singleton — turned Bulldog Gym into a multi-camera studio.
Every game of the tournament is streamed live on Wylie Bulldog Productions’ YouTube channel, and that’s no small feat. Students rotate through three cameras, direct live shots, communicate through headsets, and manage transitions in real time.
“It’s stressful sometimes,” said junior Ace Harper, “but once you get in the flow, it feels real — like what you’d do in an actual media job.”
Alejandro Barajas, working as the tournament’s technical director, described the challenge of switching shots without missing key plays.
“I just try to make it as clean as possible,” he said. “This feels like real experience you’d need in production.”
The result? A professional-level broadcast produced entirely by high school students.
Social Media & Marketing: Telling the Story as It Happens
The heartbeat of the tournament’s online presence comes from Megan Breaux’s Sports Media and Social Media Marketing classes.
Students design graphics days ahead of time, schedule pre-built score templates, shoot photos from the floor, and push out real-time updates to the tournament’s official Instagram page:
Socials:
Facebook: Stanley Whisenhunt Tournament
Instagram: Stanley Whisenhunt Tournament
X: @WhisenhuntTny
Senior Abby Farris beams when she talks about it.
“I love designing things,” she said. “We made our score graphics early, so we’re ready. I love posting updates — it feels like real work.”
These students are learning how to communicate with the public, create content under deadlines, and represent Wylie ISD on a stage that reaches far beyond school walls.
One Tournament, One District, Many Hands
Superintendent Joey Light often says that Wylie is at its best when everyone comes together — and the Stanley Whisenhunt Classic is proof.
This is more than a basketball tournament.
It’s a living classroom.
A place where students test their skills, lift one another up, and gain the confidence that comes only from real-world experience.
A place where teachers guide patiently from the sidelines, letting students lead the way.
A place where teamwork looks a little different — where some Bulldogs wear aprons, some wear headsets, and others carry cameras instead of basketballs.
And through it all, one thing rings true:
It’s great to be a Wylie Bulldog.
