Fifteen outstanding United High School students got real with Elias Herrera Middle School students about what they can expect at high school during a special United In Mentoring Conference.

 

The transition can be great but some tough times are to be expected and even required in order to grow and flourish as they have, the high schoolers said on Friday. The Hawks listened intently, asking questions ranging from how they dealt with sports injuries to how they became academic superstars.

 

The mentors are part of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council and include students such as class presidents, Student Council president, FFA president, top athletes, and leaders representing cheerleaders, Larriettes, band, robotics and theater. The group is led by UHS Student Activities Coordinator Patricia Martinez.

The student leaders focused on the 6 pillars that include Citizenship, Confidence, Character, Leadership, Ambition, and Purpose. The mentors discussed each pillar in detail. They used their real-life experiences to bring home their points.

One student talked about dealing with depression. Another student talked about plummeting self-confidence due to a knee injury. And other students talked about the important qualities of citizenship - responsibility, respect, dedication and discipline. All the mentors encouraged the students to take advantage of the many opportunities that will be offered at the high school level. Have confidence but also realize that confidence isn’t something you are born with, the students advised. It’s something that is built.

“It’s important to share our own personal testimonies to show them anything is possible at United High School, anything is possible under UISD, when you make the switch from 8th grade to high school level,” said Marcos Mendiola, UHS senior who is the Student Council president.

He added that it’s important to hear advice from peers who have actually lived the experience they are about to embark on.

Carlos Martinez, principal of Elias Herrera Middle School, said he was extremely impressed by the conference and proud of the high school mentors and his students.

“What I was most proud of is my job is to get kids ready for high school and their job is to continue excelling,” Martinez said. “There were eight former Herrera Hawks up there and that makes me very proud … if we can continue to keep sending that quality of kid up to the top and then they go further, that’s awesome.”

Superintendent Dr. Gerardo Cruz, UHS Principal Jessica Salazar and Rebecca Coss-Morales, Associate Superintendent for District Administration and Student Services, attended the conference to show their support for the mentors and middle school students.

“I have had the privilege of watching student leadership evolve in truly inspiring ways, and today we are seeing it in action as our students work alongside our middle schoolers,” said Coss-Morales.

“Today's event is a great opportunity for our students to motivate, encourage, and inspire our next generation of leaders. Their amazing ideas, confidence, and deep sense of responsibility are making a tremendous impact that is being felt across the district, and I am so incredibly proud,” she added.

The UHS mentors are: Christa Rodriguez, Sebastian Perez, Niali Mahtani, Mary Lopez, Marcos Mendiola, Monique Molina, Andrea Bustamante, Caitlyn Cremar, Zyla Wilkinson, Priscilla Sandoval, Jeriel Mercado Rivera, Karolina Lerma, Priscila Moreno Figueroa, Jorge Flores, and David Cortez.

UHS UIM leaders

UHS UIM leaders