Since their inaugural year in 1982, the group has consisted of senior boys and senior girls who have great loyalty and love for Klein High School. One of the sponsors, Leslie Vela, has been the Standleader sponsor the entire time. Co-sponsor, Misty Kroon joined our ranks when Alicia Eichhorn became an AP. Casey Muhs (a Standleader herself), co-sponsor with Misty Kroon for many years, got married and moved to Austin. Her enthusiasm for KHS is unforgettable. Cassie Dugue and Kelli White have volunteered to help us for the future.

Ms. Eichhorn (now Engleke) had stepped in for D. C. Marlar who replaced the retired Tony Guillot. Our fun-loving group has grown from the original 16 volunteers to the current 43 highly-coveted positions. They have also evolved into one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the district. If you or someone you know was ever a member of the KHS Standleaders, we'd love to hear from you. Please send a note to lvela@kleinisd.net. Be sure to mention when you graduated and what you are doing now.

The Standleaders begin the school year in August by preparing for Freshman Orientation. Students and parents alike always seem to remember those zany seniors who took center court at their orientation pep rally to teach incoming freshmen their favorite cheers. The cheers vary from year to year, but the message it always the same: Klein High is a spirited place with lots (and lots!) of friendly faces

First semester, The Standleaders have many high-profile responsibilities. We paint the run-through banners for the football games and can be seen in the stands at both volleyball and football games in our bright yellow shirts and striped socks, cheering on the Bearkats or running the flags. We spend lots of time planning for and attending pep rallies, especially in preparation for Homecoming festivities.

In December of 2005, The Standleaders hosted the first-ever Mr. Top Kat Competition. Upperclassmen were nominated for the privilege of participating. A panel of judges chose the winners based on their runway presence in three categories: casual wear, swim wear and formal wear. Prizes were awarded to Mr. Top Kat, along with the first and second runners up. Audience members voted on "Best Personality," "Best Smile," and many other categories, announced at the show and included in the Mr. Top Kat Calendar. Since its inception, it has been a tremendous success, and we look for it to be a sell-out this year, so mark your calendars for February 8, 2018. The proceeds from The Mr. Top Kat Competition go into a travel fund which enables the Standleaders and Cheerleaders to travel in style to playoff games throughout the school year. For more Mr. Top Kat details, click here.

During the second semester, we spend our time following the Bearkat basketball, soccer, baseball and softball teams. No matter what the season, we can be found, similarly dressed, in the stands at all home and many away athletic events

Our biggest event is The Standleader Variety Show which usually takes place in late April/early May but requires a minimum of six months of planning. 2021 will mark our thirty-third year for sponsoring the night which showcases the amazing talent at Klein High School while also lampooning the challenges faced by the students and teachers at KHS every day. The immense popularity of the one night show is due in part to the light-hearted parodies performed by the Standleaders to introduce the acts, not to mention that the following year's Standleaders are announced that night. If you are interested in performing in the Variety Show, or purchasing tickets, check out the Variety Show page for more information.

That first year The Standleaders were a small group of volunteers. Now-a-days, these dedicated students fill out an application, are voted on by the faculty and put through a rigorous group interview. Potential Standleaders are selected for interviewing from a field of approximately 100+ juniors in the spring prior to their senior year. Once the group interviews have been conducted by a panel of judges, votes are tallied and winners are announced at the Variety Show in April/May. Any juniors interested in trying out for next year’s Standleaders should check out the Tryouts page.