By PETE BANDA
Special to the NEWS
As the next senior class enters its final days of school, the top two ranked students have been set in stone and announced. Cassandra Elizabeth Cruz earned the title of Valedictorian after a stellar high school career full of achievements and extracurricular activities.
Lauren Ariana Saldaña secured the number two ranking and the title of Salutatorian after a tight race where each of the top two students had weighted GPAs over five.
While every graduating class over the past few years has had an elite list of top-10 students, all competing for one of those top spots, the top-ranked students of 2023 filled their days with fun and let the rankings fall where they did.
“I feel like everyone in our top 10 was competitive, but not in a cutthroat way,” said Cruz. “For me, I knew I wanted to get the full high school experience, and while it was a goal of mine to get the top spot, I really wanted to enjoy these years more than anything else.”
Cruz, who was a standout cheerleader and powerlifter at San Benito High, plans to announce her college decision at a graduation party over the weekend, but acknowledged she has narrowed down her list to Fordham, SMU, University of Alabama, University of Texas and Texas A&M. The multi-talented senior is eying a degree in Biology while on a Pre-Dental track with plans to eventually become a Pediatric Dentist.
In a high school career filled with success, Cruz maintains her biggest accomplishment was the friendships and connections she fostered while climbing her way to the top of the class. While she ultimately claimed the top spot, the journey to get there was nothing short of spectacular.
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