Monday evening Valedictorian, Oscar Peña, and Salutatorian, Odalys were recognized for being the top two graduates at Jimmy Carter Early College High School.

bc8dc38c-c571-4760-8522-363f873db53aThe top two shared the spotlight amongst the RGV’s top graduates. Additionally, presented with both a medal and certificate of recognition for their academic accolades.

While academic merit is certainly significant Peña reflects on the effort that goes into making it happen.

“Smartness doesn’t always mean success, hard work does,” said Peña.

RGV Partnership Foundation hosted the 30th Valley Proud Honors Banquet Monday, May 20th at the Harlingen Convention Center.

Describing themselves as “the diverse and distinguished roster of leaders that make up the membership of the RGV Partnership work hand-in-hand to advance the prosperity of the Rio Grande Valley under “one mission, one voice,” said RGV Foundation Partnership.

“The recognition of my accomplishments has added value because the staff who helped us and our families are the ones who supported the effort all along,” said Peña.

Peña was also the recipient of a $500 scholarship at the event.

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Oscar Peña, 2019 Jimmy Carter Valedictorian, poses with a certificate of recognition. 

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.