Highlands High School senior Kalvin Rodriguez learned last week during an on-campus surprise ceremony that he was selected for a KENS 5 All-Star Student award. The award, sponsored by The UPS Store, recognizes top-performing students in school districts around the San Antonio area.  

"I am very excited and very proud to represent my high school," said Kalvin. "It was a shock to me to find out I had been selected for this award."

Kalvin is Highlands JROTC cadet lieutenant colonel and is active in the school's JROTC program.

"I have been teaching JROTC for 11 years now, and I have seen over 1,200 students come through the program," said Col. Alan Maitland, Highlands JROTC teacher. "I can honestly say that Kalvin represents the best of the best students I have known for his citizenship, leadership, and academics."  

In the 2020-2021 school year, Kalvin earned the top student leadership position in Highlands JROTC due to his demonstrated leadership, citizenship, and scholarship. He is a team player and always the go-to leader, whether he is involved in a community service project, the classroom, or in competition. 

"Kalvin epitomizes the ideal student with exceptional values, beliefs, ethics, and character," said Dr. Penny Pruitt, principal of Highlands. "He exemplifies the absolute best we look for in all our students."

During the last school year, Kalvin trained and led his peers during three Highlands JROTC co-sponsored community San Antonio Food Bank distribution events on the Highlands campus. On multiple occasions during the last three school years, Kalvin has been an involved citizen of the community by presenting the colors in school and community venues as part of the school's Color Guard. 

In competition, Kalvin has competed with distinction at the JROTC national level for the last three years as a leader on the Drill Team and Color Guard. He keeps up with his academics as well, and is currently ranked in the top 3% of the Class of 2021.  

Kalvin is applying for a Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Scholarship and after graduation, hopes to attend The University of Texas at Austin to study aerospace engineering.