A Texas highschool cheerleader was snubbed from valedictorian honors and will lose her scholarship all on account of a miscalculation whereas her household booked aircraft tickets to observe the speech.
Maya Veliz, a senior at Blue Ridge Excessive College within the northeast nook of Texas, was formally introduced as the varsity’s prime scholar in March after working onerous in the direction of the feat over the past 4 years.
“It had been, like, the one objective I set myself for the start of my freshman 12 months, was, I can do that,” Veliz instructed WFAA.
Veliz starred on the varsity’s cheerleading squad and was acknowledged by the School Board Nationwide Hispanic Recognition Program for her educational achievements.
As Veliz progressed towards her dream, directors allegedly instructed the scholar constantly that she was on monitor to be valedictorian so long as she didn’t fail a category.
Veliz’s household additionally ready themselves for the once-in-a-lifetime commencement second.
The senior had written her speech and members of the family outdoors the nation had bought their aircraft tickets. However the plans went out the window after Blue Ridge Excessive College Principal Trent Hamilton known as the excessive schooler in regards to the error.
Hamilton knowledgeable Veliz a few miscalculation together with her GPA and switch credit from a special college which meant she was third in her class as an alternative of valedictorian.
“To listen to these phrases not even 30 days earlier than commencement was gut-wrenching,” she cried.
Veliz, who was taking twin credit and AP honors all through highschool, had transferred from a college in Frisco in 2022 as a junior and a number of the courses supplied at her former institute weren’t supplied at Blue Ridge Excessive, in accordance with Individuals.
The credit Veliz earned at her earlier college weren’t weighed below the district’s switch coverage that’s been in place for seven years, in accordance with WFAA.
“I might perceive if this was a coverage that’s been in impact for a 12 months or two that they weren’t acquainted with,” the excessive schooler’s father Jorge Veliz stated.
Veliz, who deliberate on attending the College of Texas, may lose out on the scholarship she was lined as much as obtain.
College students who graduated atop of their class from accredited Texas excessive colleges obtain a tuition waiver for his or her freshman 12 months of school, in accordance with the Texas Training Company.
“I now don’t have that stability,” she instructed the outlet.
“That is one thing I wouldn’t need any child to take care of or any mum or dad,” Jorge Veliz, added.
The annoyed father stated he has been in touch with the varsity over the past 12 months, to make sure her daughter’s switch wouldn’t have an effect on her place in her grade.
He even requested if his daughter needed to take summer season programs to keep up her class rank.
The college district stated it accomplished the overview of Veliz’s grades to adjust to state regulation.
“Blue Ridge ISD has investigated this non-public scholar matter and communicated with the mother and father. The district opinions educational achievement, grade calculations, and sophistication rank throughout this time interval annually in accordance with relevant state regulation and board insurance policies EIC and EIC Native,” a district spokesperson stated to WFAA.
“Miscalculations have been initially made when finalizing GPA and Class Rank; then corrected to make sure compliance with each of these board insurance policies. All college students affected have been notified. And as well as, plans have been initiated to make sure that a mistake like this doesn’t happen sooner or later. Any additional particular scholar data can’t be mentioned pursuant to the Household Academic Rights and Privateness Act.”
The heartbroken scholar says she isn’t planning on attending the commencement ceremonies.
“This impacts my future,” she stated. “And I don’t want that upon anybody else.”
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