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High school senior credits PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD programs with helping her keep a 4.0 and earn a real estate license
Summary
A PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD high school senior said caring for a mother after a January stroke threatened her grades but district classes, teachers and dual-credit options helped her maintain a 4.0 and graduate with several credentials.
A high school senior in PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD said she cared for her mother after a January stroke and nearly fell behind in school, but district programs and teacher support helped her keep a 4.0 GPA and earn professional credentials.
"One of the biggest challenges I faced was my mom's like health really declined. She had a stroke at the beginning of January," the student said, describing long days when she finished classes, went to her mother’s home and still completed homework.
The student said she felt isolated at first but found support by reaching out to others. "Once you kind of put yourself out there, you realize like that that day or that that year I was not alone… teachers supporting me, friends supporting me," she said.
The speaker said exposure to a district real estate class changed her career thinking. "Before senior year, I was like, 'Oh yes, I'm going to be a lawyer.' But then when PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD introduced them and I signed up to be in the class of real estate, I was like, 'Oh, now I kind of want to be a real estate agent,'" she said. She added she plans to combine work in real estate with college study: she intends to enroll at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and pursue a bachelor's degree in criminal justice while also considering real estate law.
The student described sustained extracurricular involvement: she said she joined the criminal justice and forensics club in her sophomore year, served as vice president as a junior and is president as a senior. "I could say that with a lot of pride because it's something I worked really hard for," she said.
She also listed credentials she expects to complete upon graduation: dual-credit coursework that led to an associate degree (type not specified), a real estate license and a certificate in entrepreneurship and small business. She credited PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD for providing the programs and opportunities.
She closed by urging other students to use available resources: "Take advantage of whatever opportunities they present to you… that's what I did and I feel like that's some of the wisdom I would pass on," the student said.
The speaker’s remarks highlight how school-based classes, dual-credit options and extracurricular leadership can shape students’ academic persistence and career choices. The student said she plans to attend UTRGV after high school and to continue combining professional credentials with a college degree.
