Red Gold News

Students show creativity with library book covers

Desire and Drive

Exposure to new experiences and different people is a big reason to join UIL. Competing at UIL State is a significant accomplishment for freshman Desiree Pena. The UIL States offered Pena a chance to socialize while doing an event she loves.
“I think maybe my goal would be to continue going to state in UIL every year,” Pena said. “With my current coaches, I think it’s possible to go every year, and that’s my goal.”
Pena has put time and effort into her UIL events science, calculators, and literary criticisms. She started UIL back in third grade on a whim when a teacher encouraged her to join. Pena began to participate in the math events and noticed how good her skills were when she started placing.
“Math was always my strong point until middle school when I joined science,” Pena said. “My teacher asked me to join, and then last year, I did well in science and ended up qualifying for state.”
Pena’s experience at the state was filled with meeting new people and doing something she liked: science. From making friends with her roommate to talking to students from other schools, this experience was filled with lasting memories.
“I will never forget my roommate,” Pena said. “We seem like complete opposites on the outside, but we started talking and quickly became friends.”
Pena qualified for UIL State this year and went on to compete at a University in San Antonio.
A big part of UIL is encouraging students to be a part of something bigger than themselves and to offer memorable experiences. Pena started competing for fun and was able to compete at UIL State. Everyone should be encouraged to join and find an event they think is fun.

Academics is only part of her story

Isabella Sarabia is a freshman RedWolf majoring in teaching and is active in the Student Council and UIL. She has even advanced in math, science, number awareness, and calculators to compete at the district UIL meet.
Sarabia contributes to her class by serving as the student council secretary because she enjoys being active in the happenings in her classroom.
Despite her long history in UIL, she has learned to love the events in which she participates. In addition to keeping her mind occupied and assisting her with time management, these events teach her leadership, teamwork, and constructive criticism—all of which are valuable skills for her new position as student council secretary.
Sarabia spends her free time with them outside school to decompress and hang out with her pals. Sarabia has been working in a group with her peers in her new college studies, and she has truly enjoyed it—as long as she and her group get along well.
She finds human geography difficult and loves her geometry lesson, but she paces herself to learn how to avoid putting off doing her work and finish it before it builds up. Throughout her time here, she wants to run for president of the student council to advance. She feels that Jimmy Carter’s selection will help her fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher, so she is grateful.

Abiel Moreno: Embarking on a Multi-path Journey

Abiel Moreno is a freshman, just starting off his four-year journey as a high school student. With the unique opportunity of dual enrollment and extracurriculars along the way, he navigates the juncture where adolescence meets higher learning and time management, embarking on a multi-path journey that promises both challenges and triumphs.
As he navigates the labyrinth of his new high school life, Moreno finds himself immersed in a diverse array of classes, each offering its own unique challenges and rewards.
“I do think I like most of my classes here at Jimmy Carter,” he said, “but my current favorite is definitely Band because of how truly dedicated and committed I am to it.”
Moreno is currently a member of the La Joya High School marching band as part of their talented drumline and strives to participate in it for more years to come.
Alongside his musical endeavors, Abiel is currently enrolled in two dual enrollment classes as per the school’s partnership with South Texas College: Art Appreciation and Introduction to Speech. With these and his usual high school classes, academics can become a top priority over anything else.
“I envision my high school life as shaping my future goals and what I really want to do in the future,” Moreno said. “My family supports me by constantly saying that they are proud of me and are always sure to be on my back when I need to pick up a grade in anything. I try to focus on my academics a lot by getting B+ grades in all my classes. Maybe I could get into an ivy league school later on,” Moreno said.
And so, as he looks to the future, Moreno’s high school experience serves as a launch pad for his dreams and aspirations. In the symphony of his high school life, Abiel Moreno is not just a player, but a conductor of his own future and all that comes after, shaping his ongoing story with a firm foundation.

The Class of Social Resilience: Gael Hinojosa’s Journey

The class of 2024 began their first years of high school during the pandemic. For many, this stunted the growth in social involvement. Amidst the challenges, the 2024 seniors have proven resilient and persevering.
After two years of adjusting to in-person learning, Gael Hinojosa decided to immerse himself in the extracurriculars that JCECHS offers. In his junior year, Hinojosa was a member of the CyberTechies club and the chess club. This year, he has been involved in UIL mathematics, UIL cross-examination debate, NHS, and the Mu Alpha Theta club.
“It was kind of boring not doing much at school. I was just trying to pass and study, but ever since I joined NHS, I have been able to help out Ms. Camarillo with [school-related activities],” Hinojosa said.
The opportunity to join UIL events came unexpectedly, but it led Hinojosa to join the UIL CX Debate team again for senior year.
“Last year, I didn’t do much, but I was put in at the last minute for the UIL CX Debate and computer science,” Hinojosa said.
This year, Gael Hinojosa secured third place as the state alternate in the UIL CX Debate at Jimmy Carter ECHS.
Hinojosa is pursuing an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree with a major in education. While his current major is tentative, Hinojosa plans to attend UTRGV this fall semester and work on a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering.
Extracurriculars have not only increased student involvement but also balanced work stresses and eased the facets of school life. Hinojosa encourages students to be involved to enhance their high school experience.
“Coming here, it’s a work-based school. Make sure you have as much fun as possible,” Hinojosa said.

National Library Week Celebrated with a Good Cup of Coffee ☕︎

Success Starts Here: the Freshmen Outlook

As a new school year inches around, high school recruitment teams begin to branch out into the halls of middle schools. Screens in auditoriums start to light up as presenters display school accolades, programs, and offered resources.
Recruitment season for the 2023-2024 school year it has captivated many middle schoolers. It was the first introduction of dual enrollment credit for Vanessa Gaytan, a jumpstart to higher education.
“I didn’t always plan to go to an Early College High school; I didn’t even know there was such a thing until I heard about it,” Gaytan said. “As soon as I heard what they provided in their presentation, I knew I had to attend this school.”
JCECHS facilitates academic success by providing the environment, support, and resources necessary to achieve one of five associate’s degrees offered on campus through STC’s partnership.
“Everybody shifts their focus to their academic environment because, mostly, everyone is trying to keep up and pass their classes; all that energy just goes into having a good academic environment,” Gaytan said.
Because of the rigor and tedious college work, the academic environment is crucial to thriving in courses.
“My ideal high school experience is being in a calm environment and meeting all of my duties with no trouble. It does fit that description very well,” Gaytan said.
Every year, incoming freshmen are invited to the school’s summer bridge program to tour the school, train and test for TSI exams, and learn the ropes. This program is designed to ease the transition from middle school to high school dual enrollment courses.
“It wasn’t a big nor small change; it just felt like I fit right in, but going first through the summer bridge did help facilitate and prepare myself for the people I would interact with,” Gaytan said.
Gaytan plans to become a data analyst while pursuing her associate’s degree.
“What sparked my interest in becoming a data analyst was mostly the money, but I also chose it because I knew It was something I could be good at, unlike the medical field,” Gaytan said.
One goal she hopes to achieve through this experience is time management skills by drilling dates and deadlines for homework and what is expected of her. This responsibility is something new she has learned since taking college courses.
“I’m doing very well. Honestly, it’s not challenging if you focus on the work and turn it in,” Gaytan said.

Leadership in Training: A Junior’s NHS Story

Aylin Camero is a junior at Jimmy Carter Early College High School. Not only is she a student, but she is also a member of the National Honors Society (NHS).
Aylin has had a nerve-wracking start when coming to JCECHS.
“When I first got to this school, I was a bit nervous about a lot of things. I didn’t know how things would work if I made any friends or if I could keep up.” Camero said. Camero shakes off her nervousness and opened her eyes.
“I soon realized this school wasn’t that scary, and I made an amazing group of friends I now laugh and talk with daily,” Camero said. “I did want to leave at first, but through this school, I’ve learned what it means to work hard for what you want.”
Aylin’s desire for recognition and appreciation for her hard work drove her to join NHS.
“Becoming a member of NHS was something I wanted to achieve because it would give me a sense of acknowledgment for how hard I work,” Camero said. “Teachers who recognized my character, leadership, and willingness to learn had faith that I could do well in NHS. It’s an honor to be part of such an organization.”
Aylin highlights the value of character when considering the traits that helped her get accepted into NHS.
“A quality that I believe contributed to my election was my character. Students often lack respect for teachers and staff. I see it happen all around me. I can recognize how hard teachers work, so I also try my best. I try to be respectful to teachers and do my work on time to avoid problems,” Camero said.
My academic and personal growth jumped from low to high when I joined the NHS.
“Being a member of the NHS has shown me what it means to help others. I used to do a sort of community service at my church. However, I haven’t been doing it for a while. NHS has shown me how good it feels when you help others. It’s not something you do for yourself but for others. It’s a community,” Camero said.
Upholding the pillars of NHS– scholarship, service, leadership, and character– has grown as a way of life for Camero.
“Day to day, I uphold the four pillars of National Honor Society by performing my best in the classroom.” Camero said.
“The first pillar, scholarship, I demonstrate by keeping my grades high in classes. While struggling, I try to finish my work and get good grades. Service, I demonstrate almost every day. During the first period, I always open the door for people. While small, it is still a responsibility I take on. I demonstrate leadership in my classes during group projects. Whenever I am assigned to work with a partner or so on, I take the lead and get things done. A person’s character is shown every day. I uphold this pillar daily by being kind and respectful to my peers. Others may say I’m too nice to teachers. However, there is nothing wrong with being kind to the people who spend their time teaching us,” Camero said.
NHS is unique among other academic groups because of its focus on service to the community.
“What distinguishes NHS from other organizations is the community built through it. NHS is a group that focuses on helping other people. It’s not for the benefit of students but for the benefit of people and animals. Projects such as the Love for Paws or the Blood Drive demonstrate the virtues this group holds up,” Camero said.
It can be challenging to balance NHS tasks with other commitments, but Aylin remains committed to doing her part,
“When I first joined NHS, I found a way to balance it out among everything else. The key is to dedicate a certain time to everything. I find time to help out in NHS whenever I can. However, when I am busy, I try to finish what I’m doing to fulfill my duties as a member,” Camero said.
There are many obstacles to being a member of NHS, but they are resolved quickly,
“One big challenge that arises every time around holidays is getting donations. Getting people to donate is hard since they often forget or don’t care. This problem is often solved by announcing the project we’re working on every morning and going around personally to mention it,” Camero said.
Looking ahead, Aylin sees a future shaped by her goals and experiences at NHS.
“My plan for the future is to become a nurse. NHS has already impacted my life by giving me a feel for what it means to help. I hope to continue carrying what I learned from NHS into my future career,” Camero said.