Author: Mia Estrada

Collegiate

A love for music wins

Mia Estrada

Mia Estrada mestrada@foghornnews.com Before performing on stage, Gema Rodriguez got nervous as she saw people in the crowd, waiting for her to sing. “I always get jitters as I’m about to perform. I’m not as nervous as I was before when I was younger because I’m more experienced now,” said the Collegiate High School sophomore. Rodriguez showcased her love for music at Corpus Christi’s Kids Got Talent competition, winning first place in the high school category. “I had no idea I was going to win, and I was really happy, especially because last year I placed second,” Rodriguez said. “So…

Collegiate

Collegiate celebrates Red Ribbon Week

Mia Estrada

Mia Estrada mestrada@foghornnews.com Many students across the U.S. were celebrating the largest drug prevention program, Red Ribbon Week, starting Oct. 23, including Collegiate High School student Stanley Uzoigwe. “Red Ribbon Week is important, not for preventing drug use but for educating people about the pros and cons of using them,” Uzoigwe said. With different themes of the week created by Student Council Secretary Chloe Carrillo and Treasurer Roger Marin, Uzoigwe’s favorite theme was “Drugs are Scary,” dressing up as a skeleton to scare off drugs. Student Council President Benjamin Falcon said every year schools get a little closer to ending…

Campus

Abuse victim opens up about past

Mia Estrada

mestrada@foghornnews.com Three years ago, Milena, a Del Mar College student, moved to the United States from South America, in part to escape the vicious abuse by her then-husband. “In the beginning of our relationship, all was perfect, all was love. Exactly a year after I got married, he started to show his real personality,” said Milena, who is being identified with a different name to protect her identity. After a night of getting drunk, her husband slapped her twice on her face. He apologized the next day, regretting the incident. Milena believed the night before he was semi-conscious and blamed…

Campus, Collegiate

The honor of a red cord

Mia Estrada

mestrada@foghornnews.com Many high school seniors are donating blood to the Coastal Bend Blood Center to help the community, but also to receive a red cord for graduation. Tammy Alcala, Collegiate High School career prep teacher, once worked with the blood center and wants students to support the center’s mission. “Just the experience of saving lives is a good reason to donate blood. It gives the opportunity to do something for their community that’s not too hard to do,” Alcala said. The Red Cord Heroes Program allows students to donate three times throughout the year or have five people donate in…

Campus

Organizations seek volunteers

Mia Estrada

Mia Estrada Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation social media specialists Ryan Gonzalez and Orlando Narvaez caught many students’ attention when handing out condoms at the Viking Volunteer Fair. “We are hoping to assist anybody who is HIV positive to get connected into health care and also spread awareness of practicing safe sex or getting STD tested,” Narvaez said. The Viking Volunteer Fair, held Sept. 25-26, allowed students and businesses to come together for participant and work opportunities. On the first floor of the Harvin Center, students received information from different booths of organizations such as Freedom Fitness, Women’s Shelter of South…

Campus, Collegiate

For DREAMers, a rude awakening

Mia Estrada

Collegiate student uncertain about her future in America Ten years after coming to America, Collegiate High School student Liliana and several other DACA recipients may soon find themselves deported to a home they hardly remember. “Waking up every day in the morning thinking is this the day that I’m going to be deported or the day when my parents are going to be deported is really hard,” said Liliana, who is being identified with a different name to protect her identity. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Sept. 5 announced the ending of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or…

Campus, Collegiate

High school to get UIL

Mia Estrada

Mia Estrada mestrada@foghornnews.com Collegiate High School students will soon be able to participate in University Interscholastic League Academic events for the first time. Collegiate High School, which started at Del Mar College in 2006, was initially not designed to be a UIL participant. Because of growing student interest, the school’s administration submitted a proposal and was approved for consideration this academic year. Students will be able to compete this school year in UIL Academic Competitions in various disciplines or subject matters; however, the campus has not yet made these selections. Collegiate Principal Tracie Rodriguez, Ph.D., said the addition of the…

Campus, Collegiate, Education

Collegiate High School to get UIL events

Mia Estrada

Students can compete in Academic Competitions Collegiate High School students will soon be able to participate in University Interscholastic League Academic events for the first time. Collegiate High School, which started at Del Mar College in 2006, was initially not designed to be a UIL participant. Because of growing student interest, the school’s administration submitted a proposal and was approved for consideration this academic year. Students will be able to compete this school year in UIL Academic Competitions in various disciplines or subject matters; however, the campus has not yet made these selections. Collegiate Principal Tracie Rodriguez, Ph.D., said the…

Campus

Final task may also be his biggest

Mia Estrada

Mia Estrada After losing a third of his Flour Bluff home to Hurricane Harvey, Charles Miller, superintendent of physical facilities at Del Mar College, returned to the college to access and repair the damage done by Hurricane Harvey. “A third of my roof is gone. I just got my power back last night (Aug. 31) and all my fence is down. But somebody always has it worse,” Miller said. Miller, who was supposed to retire Aug. 31, returned with 11 other employees to help, postponing his trip to Cozumel, Mexico, with his wife after his retirement. “We want to give…

Campus

Going into the blue

Mia Estrada

  Captain Whitney Curry takes students by surprise when she places a raw anchovy on her tongue, as they all stand around laughing and recording with their phones. Professor Lillian Bass and Biology 1409 students set out on the floating classroom, the Archimedes Educational Cruise, to witness the evolution of living organisms. More excitement comes when Bass explains she’ll give five extra points on an exam if three students eat the three raw anchovies left. As everyone looks around in concern and eagerness, three students step forward to eat them and everyone laughs as they do so. “I really think…