Blue Chip Scholars program honors top 100 high school seniors

Laredo Community College recognize the best and brightest academic achievers from Laredo and area high schools during the recent 2005 South Texas Blue Chip Scholars Award Ceremony. The ceremony and reception for the Blue Chip Scholars, their parents, and school officials was co-sponsored by LCC and Henri Kahn Insurance.

“One usually hears the term blue chip in reference to top caliber athletes or high-performing stocks, but in this case, Laredo Community College has adapted the phrase to mean the high-achieving students whose academic performance is noteworthy and admirable,” said LCC president Dr. Ramon Dovalina.

Graduating seniors from 11 local and area high schools received the 2005 South Texas Blue Chip Scholar award.

This year's recipients are:

Alexander High School: Stephanie Alston, Michelle Elizando, Daniel E. Flores, Adriana Garza, Carina B. Gonzalez, María Isabel Gonzalez, Sonam Jaggi, Kristen N. Lee, Tracey A. Lopez, Alejandro Lozano, Rocio C. Olmedo, Eyden Reinhardt, Ryan Noel Reyes, Jamie A. Santillan, and Jessica M. Vela.

Bruni High School : Marissa J. Carrizales and Raquel Cruz.

Cigarroa High School: Nora Bolanos, Brenda Edith Briones, José Carlos Castillo, Blanca A. Castro, José Marcos Cruz IV, Ruby Lee de la Fuente, Emiliano Fragoso, Jorge Gonzalez, Heathcliff Amado Lopez, and María de Pilar Rangel.

Hebbronville High School: Juan Maldonado and Eric Montalvo.

Lyndon B. Johnson High School: Carlos Campuzano, Guadalupe Cantu, Bibiana Diaz, Jesus A. García, Cynthia Y. Guerra, Paula Lopez, Melissa Medrano, Delta Pantoja, José Antonio Perez, and Renato Reynoso.

Martin High School: Iris Carpio, Martin Antonio Gonzalez, Jr., Adolfo R. Mora, Rodolfo Morales III, Karla Y. Muñoz, Melissa Recio, Itzett Romero, Enrique Torres, Oscar Vidales, and Josefina Zavala.

Nixon High School: Marc Christopher P. Andres, Cristina Cantu, James Vincent Cortez, Patrick R. Donovan, Michelle Yvonne García, José Armando Gutierrez, Perla Anel Martinez, Valerie Marie Martinez, Francisco Ortiz, Ricardo D. Rodriguez, Pedro A. Tijerina, Jr., and Carmen G. Vasquez.

St. Augustine High School: Cristina Calderon, Selina Martinez, Tania Denise Plasencia, Sarai Ruelas, Lizet Serna, and Sabrina A. Torres.

United High School: Omar Benavides, Gerardo Contreras, Sandra DeLeon, Meagan L. Dietz, Natasha García, Miguel A. Garza, Carolina Garza, Eva Hernandez, Benjamin Hinojosa, Allison Hrncir, Delia Martinez, Ada Pomar, Janeth Rodriguez, Benjamin Silva, Laura Vela, Cindy Villarreal, Ashley N. Wright, and Mayra Zamora.

United South High School: Ramiro Ballesteros, Michael Lezcano, Gustavo Maldonado, Julian Mendoza, Jr., Cynthia Esmeralda Morales, Vanessa Quiroga, Hector Rios, Jr., Liliana Saldana, Anna Izabel Solis, and Azeneth Vazquez.

Zapata High School: José Enrique Almaraz, Crystal Bustamante, Amanda Essary, Corine Gabriele García, Linda Jauregui, Clarissa Moreno, and Selma Selinda Saenz.

LCC launched the Blue Chip Scholars program in 1996 to recognize achievement of the region's Top 100 high school graduates from Laredo, Bruni, Hebbronville, and Zapata.

The program singles out and honors the most academically-gifted graduating high school seniors each year. Selection is based solely on academic performance. These Blue Chip Scholars are nominated by administrators from their respective high schools and represent the highest level of achievement in their graduating class.