The Class of 2024 produced 39 valedictorians, and The Accolade interviewed each to reflect on their high school journeys and thoughts. This is a full version of the Q&A, of which the preview is included in our May magazine issue. Any remaining full-version Q&A will be posted in alphabetical order throughout the week in the Feature section.

Question 1: Which university have you committed to?

Answer: Rice University.
Question 2: What will you major in?

A: Environmental engineering.
Question 3: What’s your favorite movie or TV show, and why?

A: My favorite TV show is “Jane the Virgin” because it’s really entertaining the whole time.
Question 4: Are there any quotes you live by that guided you through your academic journey?

A: “Cross your fingers and hope for the best.”
Question 5: What extracurricular activities or hobbies did you enjoy in high school, and how did they complement your academic success?

A: I’ve done BMX racing outside of school for all four years, and it probably made it harder for me academically because I was absent a lot.
Question 6: What subject did others find hard, but in your opinion, was the easiest for you?

A: Math.
Question 7: What extracurricular activity did you struggle to balance with your grades?

A: BMX racing.
Question 8: What did you sacrifice to maintain your grades?

A: A lot of sleep and probably just free time.
Question 9: How did your surrounding friends/family support you throughout your high school years?

A: My friends help me out a lot, and a lot of them are also valedictorians so we helped each other a lot. My family always supported me and wanted me to keep good grades but also helped me out when I needed it.
Question 10: Who is one teacher you are thankful for/ look up to and why?

A: I really look up to my engineering teacher, Mr. [Martin] Rodriguez, because he has multiple sources of income in addition to being a teacher and has a lot of real-world experience to share with his students.
Question 11: What is one study habit you recommend to underclassmen?

A: Honestly, just using Quizlet and making flashcards.
Question 12: What is one piece of advice you would tell your freshman self?

A: Stop procrastinating.
Question 13: How did you discover what you wanted to major in college?

A: Kind of through my enjoyment of certain classes, such as my math class and all the environmental classes I took.
Question 14: If you had to go back to any moment of your life when would it be?

A: Probably back to August, so I could put more time into my college applications and not procrastinate and loose all my sleep in November and December.
Question 15: What career do you eventually want to have in the future?

A: Environmental engineering.