The College Board (AP) has awarded 11 RedWolves the National Hispanic Recognition Award. 

Melanie Aguilar, Carolina Amador, Christopher Avalos, Mariana Castillo, Daniela Flores, Marlon Gonzalez, Cristal Martinez, Jesus Menchaca, Arianna Rios-Luna, Luz Rivera, and Adilene Vasquez

As Carter students accomplish personal and academic milestones, these academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs serve to distinguish themselves amongst peers and during the college admission and scholarship application process.

These programs celebrate students’ hard work in high school and showcase their strong academic performance. The academic honors for rural area, Black, Indigenous, and/or Latino students allow students to share their strong academic achievements with colleges and scholarship programs seeking to recruit diverse talent.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our students and recognize them for the great work they’ve been doing. We’re proud of their strong academic performance in the classroom and on College Board assessments like the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, and AP® exams,” said Principal Mrs. Gomez-Perez. “There’s so much that makes our students unique, and receiving this honor reinforces this as an asset for their future.”

Tarlin Ray, senior vice president of BigFuture® at College Board, said the college recruitment process is becoming more challenging for students to stand out. 

 “This is a benefit not only for students but also for colleges and universities committed to recruiting diverse and talented students,” Ray said. 

Ivan Silva serves as the advisor for RedGold News Student Publications, where he mentors student journalists and oversees all aspects of the publication. In addition to his work with RGN, Silva teaches Dual Enrollment courses in Speech Communication and Interpersonal Communication, helping students bridge the gap between high school and college-level academics.

He is also an adjunct instructor at South Texas College (STC), where he brings his expertise in communication studies into higher education classrooms. On campus, Silva is actively involved as the UIL Coordinator and UIL Journalism Coach, guiding students to success in academic competitions at the district, regional, and state levels.

Through his combined roles as Journalism Advisor, RGN Advisor, and educator, Silva is dedicated to fostering student voice, leadership, and excellence in communication, both in print and beyond.