Maya Veliz, a senior at Blue Ridge High School in Texas, had worked hard over the last four years to become the valedictorian of her class. She was officially announced as the top student in March, but shortly before graduation, she was informed of a miscalculation that dropped her to third in her class. This error could potentially cost her a scholarship and was devastating news to her and her family, who had already made plans to attend the graduation ceremony.
Veliz had transferred to Blue Ridge High School from a different school in 2022, and some of the credits she earned at her previous school were not weighed under the district’s transfer policy. This policy had been in place for seven years, and the miscalculation regarding Veliz’s GPA and class rank was a result of this oversight. Despite her hard work and dedication to her studies, Veliz was now at risk of losing the scholarship she was lined up to receive and had to deal with the disappointment of not achieving her goal of valedictorian.
The situation surrounding Veliz’s academic standing has caused frustration and disappointment for both her and her family. Her father had been in contact with the school to ensure that the transfer would not affect her position in her grade, but the error was only discovered shortly before graduation. The school district acknowledged the mistake and has taken steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, but the damage had already been done to Veliz’s academic and personal goals.
The stress and uncertainty caused by the miscalculation have taken a toll on Veliz, who had been looking forward to delivering her valedictorian speech at graduation. Now, she has decided not to attend the ceremonies, feeling that her future has been negatively impacted by the mistake. Veliz’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of accurately calculating and verifying students’ academic achievements to prevent such errors from occurring and affecting their futures.
The support and understanding of the community have been crucial for Veliz during this challenging time, as she navigates the disappointment of not achieving her goal of valedictorian. The scholarship she was supposed to receive would have provided her with financial stability and opportunities for her future education, but now she faces uncertainty about how to proceed. Despite the setbacks, Veliz remains determined to overcome this obstacle and move forward with her academic and personal goals, with the hope that others can learn from her experience and avoid similar situations in the future.
