Category: Featured

RedWolf Alum Explores Sustainable Agriculture in Costa Rica

UTRGV Student Explores Sustainable Agriculture in Costa Rica

Jared Valdes, a student at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), recently returned from a school-sponsored trip to Costa Rica, where he deepened his understanding of sustainable agriculture and tropical agroecology. Valdes, a member of the class of 2022 at Jimmy Carter Early College High School, is pursuing a degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems with a focus on Tropical Agroecology.

As part of the trip, Valdes visited various farms across Costa Rica, including those producing coffee, bananas, cacao, and vegetables. The program, hosted alongside Costa Rica’s Center for Tropical Agriculture Research and Education (CATIE), offered students hands-on experience with agroecological practices in a tropical environment.

“Being here in Costa Rica, a place teeming with biodiversity, I have been able to experience the outdoors like never before,” Valdes said. “From cloud tropical forests to barren landscapes by the Pacific, I have dived deeper than any other class.”

Valdes and his classmates explored how sustainable agriculture operates in Costa Rica’s diverse landscapes, gaining valuable insights into tropical farming techniques. “We are visiting different farms to gain a deep understanding of agroecological principles in a tropical setting,” he added.

A graduate of the Jimmy Carter Early College High School, Valdes is eager to apply what he learned during the trip to his studies and future career. He hopes to promote sustainable farming practices within his community and beyond.

RedWolves Alum: Raquel Cruz and Her Academic Journey

RedWolves Alum: Raquel Cruz and Her Academic Journey

Raquel Cruz, soon to graduate from Texas A&M Kingsville, is on her way to start a career in kinesiology. In the class of 2021, Cruz was in her junior year when the COVID-19 pandemic affected Texas. Her academic journey highlights the significance of JCECHS.
“It’s helped me manage my time better, so I’ve been able to balance things that I have to do and want to do,” Cruz said.
Before her college years, Cruz was part of the La Joya Independent School District. When it was time for her to enroll in high school, she set her eyes on Carter.
“There were a lot of schools (…), but I just thought that Jimmy Carter was more adequate,” Cruz said. “Adequate for my future and the goals I had in mind.”
As was the case with many students, Cruz took the opportunity to complete two years of college for free. JCECHS is an early college, and its academic programs prepare me for life even beyond college.
“I feel that it helps Texas society advance more economically and socially,” Cruz said.
Cruz graduated from Carter and is soon to hit a closing chapter in her academic journey. Cultivating an interest in the sciences, Cruz has accomplished things she’s proud of.
“My major interest is exercise science (…) I feel like people underestimate the chains you can have in your life with exercise,” Cruz said. “I’ve gone to Waco for the American College of Sports Medicine (…). We were able to place in the top ten of all universities.”
Cruz will be graduating from A&M Kingsville this year.

WhyCarter!

This entry is part 7 of 11 in the series Why Carter?

WhyCarter! At Carter, you can join the comprehensive high schools in their extracurriculars while receiving an advanced education. Interested in being the leader of the pack? Join the RedWolves.