Brandee Champagne, a 2016 Flower Mound High School graduate and FMHS Cheerleader scholarship recipient, attributes much of her success to the consistency she found in LISD. During her K-12 education, Champagne found strong support and exciting opportunity at every turn.
“I had a number of incredible, amazing teachers and even classmates,” Champagne said. “Everyone I interacted with was respectful and wanted the best for you. Everyone had a similar mindset on the value of education.”
As a student eager to learn both in and out of the classroom, the steadfast support of those around her encouraged Champagne to pursue her many interests. Champagne maintained her love for competitive cheer throughout her education while also trying her hand at a number of different activities.
“I got interested in other sports in middle school when you try out for everything and see what lands,” Champagne said.
She ran track and played basketball but ultimately decided those were not her strong suit. She realized she enjoyed volleyball and that the skills came naturally to her.
“When high school rolled around, I knew I could cheer outside of school and so I thought ‘I’m gonna give this volleyball thing a try,’ and I loved it. It was so much fun for my first three years of high school, and I really found a place there and enjoyed it,” Champagne said.
She spent her first three years of high school becoming a better volleyball player, developing a deeper love for the game, and growing closer to her teammates. Ultimately, though, Champagne found her way back to cheer bows and pom poms for her senior year of high school.
“The team welcomed me with open arms, which was really sweet. It was fun to be a part of that team and tie a really nice bow on my four years at Flower Mound,” Champagne said.
After graduating from Flower Mound, Champagne attended the University of Oklahoma where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a minor in management. Champagne’s interest in marketing grew out of the numerous opportunities she utilized during her time in LISD. Her ‘try everything’ approach enabled Champagne to determine what she enjoyed and how she could pursue those areas professionally.
“I think marketing has a really unique balance between having an analytical and a creative element to it,” Champagne said. “In school, math was always my strong suit, but I also enjoyed art. I took art all the way through my senior year of high school. I felt like marketing let me do a little bit of both.”
As a college graduate and young professional, Champagne continues approaching situations as a life-long learner. Now, Champagne works in advertisement sales for Texas Monthly, a print publication established in 1973.
“Many of my coworkers have been here for 25, 35, even 45 years, which I don't think you find very many places anymore,” Champagne said. “There's just so much to learn from these people that I get to work with every single day. They have a wealth of knowledge that comes with long term exposure.”
In her day-to-day role, Champagne sells ads to educational organizations, travel groups, healthcare providers, and more. Her commitment to learning about this field allows her to serve each client in the best manner possible.
“There's a lot of strategy in putting together marketing plans for customers,” Champagne said. “I just think it's a great field to learn in terms of what it looks like to manage different clients and what those campaigns look like when it comes to the visuals."
From LISD to OU and now Texas Monthly, Champagne is a clear example of what it looks like to be a life-long learner. She’s grateful to have grown up in a district that encourages students to love education and that celebrates their successes.
“Receiving an LEF scholarship was super helpful as I was continuing on my education in college and also as an encouragement saying, ‘you're doing good, you've done a good job and, we're sending you off to college to continue in that manner.' I think that that was a big part for me in feeling really celebrated by a district that I spent so much time in.”
