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Longhorn Legend, Early, TX (2026)

08/28/2026

⭐️💫🌟
INCREDIBLY PROUD OF OUR 2026 LONGHORN LEGENDS!

Please join us as we proudly honor Robert Stewart, Brian Smith, and Tyler Manning as our 2026 Longhorn Legends!

These outstanding individuals have made a lasting impact through their character, dedication, and service to our school and community. We are grateful for the legacy they have created and proud to celebrate all they have given to the Longhorn family.

📅 Friday, August 28, 2026
🎉 Reception: 4:30 P.M. at the High School Student Activity Center
🏈 Legends will be honored on the field: 6:55 P.M.

Come help us celebrate these three incredible Longhorns!

Once a Longhorn, always a Longhorn! 🤘🏻
Congratulations, 2026 Longhorn Legends! ⭐

08/25/2026

TIME CHANGE! PLEASE TAKE NOTE! ‼️
The Longhorn Legends will be honored at
6:55 pm at Longhorn Stadium on August 28th instead of 7:10!
Please be in the stands to honor these great men.

Come celebrate our 2026 Longhorn Legends! 💜🤟🏻💛

08/21/2026

Come celebrate our 2026 Longhorn Legends! 💜🤟🏻💛

08/15/2026

Congratulations Brian.. Dedicated to service and his community!

The Longhorn Legend committee is honored to recognize Brian Smith as a 2026 Longhorn Legend. 🤟🏻

Brian Smith is a proud 1989 graduate of Early High School and has been a lifelong supporter of the Early Longhorns. He comes from a true Longhorn family, following two brothers and a sister who also graduated from Early. Today, that tradition continues with his own family. As a student, Brian was a three-year varsity letterman in football and earned All-District honors all three years as a linebacker and running back. He was also a member of the 1988 District Champion track team. In the spring of 1989, Brian was a member of Early's very first baseball team. As the team's catcher, he posted a batting average of over .500 with an on-base percentage above .700 and was voted the District Most Valuable Player. He also proudly holds the highly coveted title of "Most Handsome" in the Class of 1989 (a distinction he still likes to remind people about). Brian's love for Early didn't end after graduation. For years, he spent countless hours on the sidelines as a photographer, capturing football games and other sporting events. Over the years, he documented generations of Longhorn athletes and preserved memories that families continue to treasure. Brian and his wife of 36 years, Lisa, have raised a family deeply rooted in the Early community. All four of their daughters graduated from Early High School, and their son is currently a senior and a member of the Longhorn football team. Lisa and their daughter, Preston, are both employed by Early ISD. Together, Brian and Lisa are proud grandparents to eight grandchildren, three of whom are students in Early ISD this year. More than anything, Brian is a true family man. He loves spending time with his children and grandchildren and can usually be found cheering them on at ballgames, school events, and any activity they're involved in. Staying involved with his family and his community has always been one of his greatest joys. The Smith family's connection to Early spans multiple generations, and Brian's commitment to the school and community has remained constant throughout the years. Whether as a student-athlete, a proud parent, a photographer on the sidelines, or a loyal supporter of the Longhorns, Brian exemplifies what it means to be a Longhorn Legend.

08/15/2026

Congratulations Robert .. a true Longhorn Legend that continues to serve his community!

The Longhorn Legend committee is honored to recognize Robert Stewart as a 2026 Longhorn Legend. 🤟🏻

Robert Stewart, Early High School Class of 1971 graduate and lifelong resident of Early, Texas, is being honored as a 2026 Longhorn Legend for his unwavering dedication and service to the citizens and community of his beloved hometown. While attending Early schools, Robert was actively involved in football, basketball, track, FFA, and FCA. He was voted Class Favorite and proudly showed pigs at the Brown County Youth Fair. Even as a young man, he demonstrated the work ethic and community spirit that would come to define his life. In 1972, Robert joined the Early Volunteer Fire Department, fulfilling a promise he made to himself as a young boy after watching his family home burn to the ground. Having experienced the devastation of losing everything, he vowed that one day he would help others facing similar hardship. Robert began his career at 3M in 1973 and retired after 40 years of service. Despite the demands of rotating 8- and 12-hour shifts, he never hesitated to answer the call when the fire department beeper sounded. While he retired from 3M, he has never retired from serving the Early community as a Captain and volunteer firefighter. For 54 years, Robert has faithfully served the community in countless ways—from fighting house and grass fires throughout Brown County to responding to vehicle accidents, floods, cooking hamburgers at football games, driving a fire truck in local parades, or participating in community events such as National Night Out. Robert has always been willing to lend a hand wherever needed. Robert also carries on a family tradition of beekeeping, a skill he learned from his father. Known throughout the community for his knowledge and generosity, his name is often shared by City Hall or through word of mouth when someone needs assistance with bee removal or is looking for locally produced honey. In 1972, Robert married his high school sweetheart, Debra Goodnight Stewart (EHS class of 1972). Together they raised two Early Longhorn graduates: Angie Stewart Smith, RN, BSN, Class of 1995, and Dr. Ryan A. Stewart, DC, Class of 2000. He is also blessed with 2 grandchildren Cate & Evan Smith.
For more than five decades, Robert Stewart has answered the call—serving his neighbors, his community, and his beloved Early Longhorn family. That legacy of service is what makes him a Longhorn Legend.

08/15/2026

The Longhorn Legend committee is honored to recognize Tyler Manning as a 2026 Longhorn Legend. 🤟🏻

Tyler Manning graduated from Early High School in 2004. After spending his
entire K–12 education in Early, he is grateful for the friendships, teachers, and administrators who shaped his formative years. Tyler grew up attending Coggin Church, where he received Christ as his Lord and Savior at age seven. His faith deepened significantly through the Youth Ministry under Ricky Cavitt and a dedicated team of volunteers and college leaders who invested in him. During his time in Early ISD, Tyler participated in the GT program from kindergarten through eighth grade, an experience that strengthened the critical‐thinking skills that would define his academic and professional life. He competed in UIL Number Sense, Mathematics, and Science from fourth grade through his senior year, earning district and regional awards. He was also part of an exceptional MathCounts team in seventh and eighth grade, winning at the regional level and competing twice at the state competition. Athletics were another important part of Tyler’s school experience. He played soccer, football, and tennis throughout grade school and high school, learning teamwork, perseverance, and encouragement on and off the field.Tyler went on to earn a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Biochemistry from Hardin‐Simmons University, where he also met his wife, Ashley. They married in 2012. While at Hardin‐Simmons, he received multiple science awards and scholarships and contributed to cancer‐treatment research through an internship at Receptor Logic, Inc. He continued his scientific training at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, completing his Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology in 2016 on full scholarship. Tyler spent 12 years working in the high‐containment Galveston National Laboratory, contributing to more than 20 peer‐reviewed publications alongside an outstanding team of scientists. His work focused on vaccine development and treatments for viral diseases, and countermeasures for potential bioweapons such as Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Junin, and SARS‐CoV‐2. In 2017, Tyler accepted the invitation to be a keynote speaker at the International Congress for Infectious Disease in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During their years in Galveston, Tyler and Ashley welcomed their two sons, Landon and Luke. While there, he served at First Baptist Church and later Galveston Church as Deacon Chairman before God called him unexpectedly into full‐time ministry in the summer of 2023. His family moved to Austin that fall and he now serves as the Discipleship Pastor at Hyde Park Church. He has been active in Christian apologetics through Reasonable Faith and Reasons to Believe, where he currently serves as a national scholar. He has delivered multiple presentations on the scientific evidence for God’s existence and is pursuing an M.A. in Christian Education through Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, he will also serve on the school board for Hyde Park Christian Schools. His dedication to excellence and his servant’s heart is what truly makes him a Longhorn Legend.

08/15/2026

The Longhorn Legend committee is honored to recognize Robert Stewart as a 2026 Longhorn Legend. 🤟🏻

Robert Stewart, Early High School Class of 1971 graduate and lifelong resident of Early, Texas, is being honored as a 2026 Longhorn Legend for his unwavering dedication and service to the citizens and community of his beloved hometown. While attending Early schools, Robert was actively involved in football, basketball, track, FFA, and FCA. He was voted Class Favorite and proudly showed pigs at the Brown County Youth Fair. Even as a young man, he demonstrated the work ethic and community spirit that would come to define his life. In 1972, Robert joined the Early Volunteer Fire Department, fulfilling a promise he made to himself as a young boy after watching his family home burn to the ground. Having experienced the devastation of losing everything, he vowed that one day he would help others facing similar hardship. Robert began his career at 3M in 1973 and retired after 40 years of service. Despite the demands of rotating 8- and 12-hour shifts, he never hesitated to answer the call when the fire department beeper sounded. While he retired from 3M, he has never retired from serving the Early community as a Captain and volunteer firefighter. For 54 years, Robert has faithfully served the community in countless ways—from fighting house and grass fires throughout Brown County to responding to vehicle accidents, floods, cooking hamburgers at football games, driving a fire truck in local parades, or participating in community events such as National Night Out. Robert has always been willing to lend a hand wherever needed. Robert also carries on a family tradition of beekeeping, a skill he learned from his father. Known throughout the community for his knowledge and generosity, his name is often shared by City Hall or through word of mouth when someone needs assistance with bee removal or is looking for locally produced honey. In 1972, Robert married his high school sweetheart, Debra Goodnight Stewart (EHS class of 1972). Together they raised two Early Longhorn graduates: Angie Stewart Smith, RN, BSN, Class of 1995, and Dr. Ryan A. Stewart, DC, Class of 2000. He is also blessed with 2 grandchildren Cate & Evan Smith.
For more than five decades, Robert Stewart has answered the call—serving his neighbors, his community, and his beloved Early Longhorn family. That legacy of service is what makes him a Longhorn Legend.

08/15/2026

The Longhorn Legend committee is honored to recognize Brian Smith as a 2026 Longhorn Legend. 🤟🏻

Brian Smith is a proud 1989 graduate of Early High School and has been a lifelong supporter of the Early Longhorns. He comes from a true Longhorn family, following two brothers and a sister who also graduated from Early. Today, that tradition continues with his own family. As a student, Brian was a three-year varsity letterman in football and earned All-District honors all three years as a linebacker and running back. He was also a member of the 1988 District Champion track team. In the spring of 1989, Brian was a member of Early's very first baseball team. As the team's catcher, he posted a batting average of over .500 with an on-base percentage above .700 and was voted the District Most Valuable Player. He also proudly holds the highly coveted title of "Most Handsome" in the Class of 1989 (a distinction he still likes to remind people about). Brian's love for Early didn't end after graduation. For years, he spent countless hours on the sidelines as a photographer, capturing football games and other sporting events. Over the years, he documented generations of Longhorn athletes and preserved memories that families continue to treasure. Brian and his wife of 36 years, Lisa, have raised a family deeply rooted in the Early community. All four of their daughters graduated from Early High School, and their son is currently a senior and a member of the Longhorn football team. Lisa and their daughter, Preston, are both employed by Early ISD. Together, Brian and Lisa are proud grandparents to eight grandchildren, three of whom are students in Early ISD this year. More than anything, Brian is a true family man. He loves spending time with his children and grandchildren and can usually be found cheering them on at ballgames, school events, and any activity they're involved in. Staying involved with his family and his community has always been one of his greatest joys. The Smith family's connection to Early spans multiple generations, and Brian's commitment to the school and community has remained constant throughout the years. Whether as a student-athlete, a proud parent, a photographer on the sidelines, or a loyal supporter of the Longhorns, Brian exemplifies what it means to be a Longhorn Legend.