Top 20 (#1-5)

#5 – Erika Hernandez

Embroiderer, Artist, NHS, Vice President of Art Club, Dance Manager

Optimistic, Patient, Silly

Favorite Class – AP Art with Ms. Stadtmueller

Favorite Teacher – Ms. Stadtmueller

Current Favorite Artist – Cody Johnson

Great High School Memory – Football Games as a Dancer

Future? – Missionary Nurse (Traveling the world, providing healthcare to the less fortunate)

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Nursing

“Let yourself grow. Let yourself be open to different ideas and different things. Don’t try and stay in this little bubble, because you’re not going to get anywhere like that. Be patient with yourself and continue working hard. Don’t give up. And have fun.”

#4 – Eric Oh

Gamer, Anime Lover, Guitar, Math UIL, Computer Science UIL, NHS

Mathematician, Christian, Golfer

Favorite Class – AP Calculus BC with Mrs. Hartson

Favorite Teacher – Mrs. Hartson

Current Favorite Movie – Interstellar

Can’t Live Without – Family

Great High School Memory – “I was hanging out with two of my friends and one of them was about to move. We gathered at a buffet and the guy who was about to leave asked the waiter, ‘what’s the spiciest thing you got here?’ and they had wasabi. He takes a spoonful of wasabi, puts it in his mouth, takes him a whole ten seconds to realize it was the biggest mistake of his life. He was valedictorian. So smart, yet so stupid.”

Future? – Work in Robotics

Texas A&M University – Mechanical Engineering

“It’s pretty basic. You just have to pay attention and don’t chicken out of the hard classes. They may be hard, but they do get you college credit and points.”

#3 – Aaron Alave

Gamer, Anime Lover, NHS, UIL Social Studies, SkillsUSA, Jiu-Jitsu, Swim, Band, Trombonist, President of Model UN

Chill, Laidback, Funny

Favorite Class – All Engineering Courses with Ms. Ramos

Favorite Teacher – Mr. Fredrickson

Current Favorite Artist – Eve

Can’t Live Without – Anime (Current Favorite – Chainsaw Man)

Great High School Memory –  “My freshman year in Model UN, I was doing a mock conference debate. It was the last day and we were doing one of the last objectives, and it just devolved into a nuclear conflict where everyone was assassinating each other with Nerf guns.”

Future? – Naval Aviator

United States Naval Academy – Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

“Enjoy your time here. Sure, the first year or two are going to suck, but once you get into the flow of things, it’ll be alright.”

#2 – Alexia Barrera

Band, Cheer, Softball, NHS, Math UIL, Math Tutor

Persistant, Resilient

Favorite Class – Band with Mr. Deater

Favorite Teacher – Mr. Deater

Current Favorite TV Show – Outer Banks

Can’t Live Without – Food (Specifically Tacos)

Great High School Memory – Friday Night Football Games 

Future? – Law School, Opening Up Own Law Practice (Possible Future as Politician or Supreme Court Justice)

University of Texas at Austin – Political Science

“Take it all in. High school’s what you make of it. Don’t come in thinking, ‘it’s not going to be fun, I hate school.’ You want to look back and think, ‘I came here and did what I needed to do, and I had fun.’”

#1 – Kristina Kukleryte

HOSA, Student Council, NHS, Class Officer, Math Tutor

Driven, Goal-Oriented

Favorite Class – Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) with Ms. Guerra

Favorite Teacher – Ms. Guerra or Mr. Thomas

Current Favorite Artist – Zach Bryan 

Can’t Live Without – Naps

Great High School Memory – Going to Stuco State

Future? – Dermatologist with Own Practice

Trinity University – Biology

“Know your teachers and know what they want. Because a lot of times, you have to understand what the teacher’s expecting rather than aiming for perfection.”

“Get involved in different clubs and organizations, not because you feel like you have to, but because when you get involved you make a lot more friends and you get to see behind the scenes. Get involved with what the school’s offering.”