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Young Women’s Leadership Academy Graduation
Friday, May 30 @ 10 a.m. 
Alamo Convocation Center
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Graduation Speakers
Oradoras de graduación

Young Women's Leadership Academy
Class of 2025 Valedictorian 
Mia Lopez

What are your plans for next year and why did you choose this path?

My major is psychology. I’ve always been interested in how the human brain works. How certain events can trigger people and why that is. I’ve always been interested in the social aspect of it as well. I would like to one day get my master’s degree in social psychology or a field relating to that so that I can then either become a psychological researcher or a therapist. 
 
I’m also considering studying developmental or early childhood psychology so I can work with children in the future. Because of the way my school is set up, it’s a middle school and a high school, and I feel like that has really pushed me toward wanting to work with middle school students, especially during my senior year because I’ve done theatrical productions with them. In my senior directs, I have chosen to work solely with middle school students just because of how much I love being a mentor and being friends with them.

How have SAISD schools shaped you into the person you are today?

I think my experience at YWLA has definitely pushed me toward being more of a leader. Cardinal Senate has really just pushed me to be able to talk to people and has forced me into some social situations that I’ve had to learn to deal with using grace and poise. I’ve definitely come out of my shell more than I had been before I went to YWLA.

Who has been most influential to you in your education this far and why?

My mother – she has always been there for me whenever I needed her and she has just provided me with so much support — academic and otherwise — and I really would not have been able to come this far if I hadn’t had that familial support, someone always telling me to get my work done, keeping me on task and making sure that I don’t get to the point where I’m so stressed out that I just stop doing anything. 
 
The second person is my theatre director Larry Martinez, Jr. He came into our school halfway through my junior year and he has just been so influential, teaching me the kind of person that I want to be. His determination and perseverance have really inspired me to be that kind of rock for others because he has been that for the theatre department.

Young Women's Leadership Academy
Class of 2025 Salutatorian
Amrutha Konduru

What are your plans for next year and why did you choose this path?

Next year, I will be attending The University of Texas at Austin and majoring in Neuroscience and Plan II Honors. I hope to conduct research, study abroad, and embrace my passions during my time in Austin. Eventually, I aspire to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist and believe this program will set me up for success.

How have SAISD schools shaped you into the person you are today?
Being a student at the Young Women’s Leadership Academy has taught me a lot about resilience and discipline. I’ve learned how to command a room, carry myself with poise, and stay fearless in foreign environments. The greatest skill I’ve acquired is resourcefulness: knowing how to do a lot with a little.

What is the greatest challenge you have overcome in your education and how did you overcome it?

My greatest challenge was an intense fear of failure. I would avoid participating in competitions and studying for tests, but I overcame that anxiety by blindly jumping in. It seems counterproductive, but I had to fail a few times to realize it wasn’t so bad. Now I see a loss as a step towards my next win.

I hope that the Class of 2025 will continue to fail forward. My advice to them is to chase their dreams and use setbacks as motivation. Remember that the worst days make the best stories. Search for balance, put yourself first, and make mistakes.

Young Women's Leadership Academy
Class of 2025 Valedictorian (primer lugar) 
Mia Lopez

¿Cuáles son tus planes para el próximo año y por qué escogiste ese camino?

Mi especialidad es la psicología. Siempre he estado interesada en cómo funciona el cerebro humano. Cómo ciertos eventos pueden desencadenar a las personas y por qué eso es. Siempre he estado interesada en el aspecto social de la misma también. Me gustaría obtener algún día un máster en psicología social o en un campo relacionado con ella para poder convertirme en psicóloga de investigación o en terapeuta. 
 
También me estoy planteando estudiar psicología del desarrollo o de la primera infancia para poder trabajar con niños en el futuro. Por la forma en que está organizada mi escuela, es una escuela secundaria y una preparatoria, y siento que eso realmente me ha empujado a querer trabajar con estudiantes de preparatoria, especialmente durante mi último año porque he hecho producciones teatrales con ellos. En mi último año como directora de teatro, he optado por trabajar únicamente con estudiantes de secundaria, simplemente por lo mucho que me gusta ser su mentora y ser su amiga.
 
¿Cómo te han formado las escuelas de SAISD para ser la persona que eres hoy?

Creo que mi experiencia en YWLA definitivamente me ha empujado a ser más una líder. El senado de mi escuela realmente me ha empujado a ser capaz de hablar con la gente y me ha forzado a algunas situaciones sociales que he tenido que aprender a manejar con gracia. Definitivamente he salido más de mi caparazón que antes de ir a YWLA.
 
¿Quién ha influido más en tu educación hasta ahora y por qué?

Mi madre siempre ha estado a mi lado cuando la he necesitado y me ha proporcionado mucho apoyo, tanto académico como de otro tipo, y realmente no habría podido llegar tan lejos si no hubiera tenido ese apoyo familiar, alguien que siempre me dijera que hiciera mi trabajo, que me mantuviera al día y que se asegurara de que no llegara a un punto en el que estuviera tan estresada que dejara de hacer nada. 
 
La segunda persona es mi director de teatro Larry Martinez, Jr. Llegó a nuestra escuela a mitad de mi tercer año y ha sido muy importante, me ha enseñado el tipo de persona que quiero ser. Su determinación y perseverancia me han inspirado para ser ese tipo de apoyo para los demás, porque él lo ha sido para el departamento de teatro.

Young Women's Leadership Academy
Class of 2025 Salutatorian (segundo lugar) 
Amrutha Konduru

¿Cuáles son tus planes para el próximo año y por qué escogiste ese camino?

El próximo año, asistiré a University of Texas at Austin y me especializaré en Neurociencia y Honores al Plan II. Espero investigar, estudiar en el extranjero y desarrollar mis intereses durante mi estancia en Austin. Eventualmente, aspiro a asistir a la escuela de medicina para convertirme en psiquiatra y creo que este programa me preparará para el éxito.
 
¿Cómo te han formado las escuelas de SAISD para ser la persona que eres hoy?

Ser estudiante en Young Women’s Leadership Academy me ha enseñado mucho sobre resiliencia y disciplina. He aprendido a dirigir un grupo, a desenvolverme con gracia y a no tener miedo en entornos desconocidos. La mejor habilidad que he adquirido es el ingenio: saber hacer mucho con poco.
 
¿Cuál es el mayor desafío que has superado en tu educación y cómo lo superaste?

Mi mayor desafío fue un intenso miedo al fracaso. Evitaba participar en competiciones y estudiar para los exámenes, pero superé esa ansiedad dando el gran salto a ciegas. Parece contraproducente, pero tuve que fracasar unas cuantas veces para darme cuenta de que no era tan grave. Ahora veo una derrota como un paso hacia mi próxima victoria.
 
Espero que la clase de 2025 siga fracasando para prosperar. Mi consejo para ellos es perseguir sus sueños y usar los contratiempos como motivación. Recuerda que los peores días hacen las mejores historias. Busca el equilibrio, ponte primero y comete errores.

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Young Women's Leadership Academy
Class of 2025

Pages will be updated as program information is received from schools.
Las páginas se actualizarán a medida que las escuelas finalicen la información del programa.

Senior Class of 2025

Class Song

Class Motto 

YWLA Pledge
I challenge you to
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.
Watch your actions, they become your habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

Senior Class Officers 

  • Young Women’s Leadership Academy Administration
    YWLA Network Head of Schools
    Delia Montelongo

    Priscilla Alfaro - Principal

  • Highest Ranking Graduates

    Valedictorian 
    Mia Lopez

    Salutatorian 
    Amrutha Konduru

    Summa Cum Laude, GPA 100+ or Higher

    Magna Cum Laude, GPA of 95-99

     

    Cum Laude, GPA OF 90-94

    AP Scholar with Distinction
    Granted to students who receive an average score of 3.5+ on all AP exams,
    and score 3+ on five or more AP exams.

    AP Scholar with Honor
    Granted to students who receive an average score of 3.25+ on all AP exams,
    and score 3+ on four or more AP exams.

     

     

    AP Scholar
    Granted to students who receive scores of 3 on
    three or more AP exams.

  • Cardinal Senators

     

    National Honor Society

    National Art Honor Society

     

    National English Honor Society

    National Science Honor Society

    National Math Honor Society

    Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica Michelle Bachelet Members

    International Robotics Honor Society

    Superintendent’s Advisory Board Ambassador

    Transportation You

 

 

Cords and Stoles Designations

Navy, Gold and White - Academic Decathlon
Royal Blue and Gold - English Honor Society
Pink and Light Blue - Girl Up
Double Blue and Gold - National Honor Society
Medals - Spanish Honor Society
Blue and Gold - Thespian Honor Society
Red, White and Navy - Cardinal Senator
Red, White and Blue - FIRST Robotics
Light Blue and Gold - Mu Alpha Theta
Purple, Yellow and Green - National Science Honor Society
Red and White - Student Council
Orange and Silver - UT Dual Credit
Green - Gamma Sigma
Rainbow - National Art Honor Society
Dark Green and Silver - Transportation You
Purple - Young Poets Society

Graduation Candidates

Class of 2025
College Admissions
COLLEGE ADMISSION OFFERS RECEIVED AT TIME OF PROGRAM PUBLICATION

Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Administration, Faculty and Staff
2024-2025

 

Advisory Board and Foundation Trustees
2024-2025

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