Veterans Memorial High School introduces their Top 3 Students for the Class of 2021. This year Adrian Michael Gallardo has been named as valedictorian, Karina Peña is the salutatorian, and Ryann Avery Ramirez is the third ranking student. Congratulations to these students and the Class of 2021 for all their academic accomplishments.
Adrian Michael Gallardo
Veterans Memorial High School 2021 valedictorian, Adrian Michael Gallardo, is the son of Victor and Dina Gallardo. He plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin and pursue a degree in Computer Science. Once he has completed his degree he would like to work for a prestigious company and is also considering graduate school at some point. He will be busy this summer not only working at his job with H.E.B. but also preparing for his first semester at UT by attending their orientation. Adrian is looking forward to learning about his field, meeting new people, and taking in the college experience. He states that he will miss his family and friends but is optimistic that he will make new ones too.
In addition to his studies, Adrian has been very active with the National Honor Society (NHS) and was the NHS Representative his junior year and the NHS Vice President his senior year. He has also videotaped for his Audio & Video Technology Class all four years in high school and has several recordings of the football team along with other videos that have hit the school’s YouTube channel. Adrian was awarded a College Board scholarship and received several offers from several colleges that were merit based.
He leaves the Class of 2022 with a few words, “Make the best out of the situation you are in because you never know when it is going to change.”
Karina Peña
This year’s Veterans Memorial High School salutatorian is Karina Peña. She is the daughter of David and Leticia Peña. She will be attending the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the fall where she will pursue a degree in Integrated Health Science. Her plans include applying to medical school once she obtains her bachelor’s degree. She wants to become a dermatologist and work locally where she could help her community. Her interest in the medical field comes from being surrounded by family members that work in that field. This summer she hopes to start working as a pharmacy technician once she obtains her certification.
She is excited about having the best of both worlds while attending UTRGV, she will have her family to rely on for help and still experience campus life at the university. Not only did she excel in her studies, but she participated in several extra-curricular programs such as competed in Business Professionals of America (BPA)- Medical Office Procedures, BPA Secretary, BPA Vice President, BPA President, HOSA, Stars Drill Team Co-Captain and Major, as well as several community events. She got scholarship offers from several schools but decided to attend UTRGV on a full ride.
She leaves the Class of 2022 with a few words, “Make the most of it and surround yourself with people who believe and encourage you. Stay on top of everything but have fun.”
Ryann Avery Ramirez
The third ranking student from Veterans Memorial High School is Ryann Avery Ramirez. She is the daughter of Ana Medina and Ramsey Ramirez. She will be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall where she will be majoring in Biology and minoring in Archeology. She states that once she obtains her bachelor’s degree, she will continue to seek higher education. Her ultimate dream job is to become a traveling veterinarian. She is passionate about helping animals and the traveling component is a perk. She would like to specialize in exotic animals. She is currently working as a lifeguard for the City of Mission and will continue during the summer. She would also like to spend some time with her family before she must leave for Austin. She is looking forward to meeting new people from different environments and backgrounds. The one thing she will miss the most when she goes to college is the delicious food.
Ryann is a very busy young lady participating in several extracurriculars such as being a varsity diver for 4 years, Patriots Diving Captain, Diving 4x Regional Qualifier, Diving 1x State Qualifier, All-State Academic, All-State Honor Roll Mention, All-State Second Team, District Champion Diver, HOSA, Patriot Cheer, Destination Imagination State, Regional, and Global Qualifiers, Student Council Secretary and Vice President , National Honor Society Treasurer, UIL Journalism, Feature Writing, Editorial, & News, and a member of the VMHS Harlequins technical team. Ryann was awarded several scholarships such as the University of Texas at Austin Texas Excellence, RGV Hall of Fame, and the RGV SDCA.
She leaves the Class of 2022 with a few words, “Just try your best. We went through really hard times and at the end you trying your best is what matters. Dedicate some time to what is important to you.”