Maya Veliz, a senior at Blue Ridge High School in Texas, had worked hard throughout her high school career to achieve her goal of becoming valedictorian. She was officially announced as the school’s top student in March and had prepared her speech for the graduation ceremony. However, her dreams were shattered when she was informed of a miscalculation in her GPA and transfer credits from a different school, which resulted in her being ranked third in her class instead of valedictorian.
Veliz had transferred to Blue Ridge High School from a school in Frisco as a junior in 2022. Some of the classes offered at her former school were not offered at Blue Ridge High, and the credits she earned at her previous school were not weighed under the district’s transfer policy. This led to the miscalculation in her GPA and class rank.
Veliz’s family had already purchased plane tickets to attend the graduation ceremony and were devastated by the news. Her father, Jorge Veliz, expressed his frustration, saying that he had been in contact with the school over the last year to ensure that his daughter’s transfer credits would not affect her position in her grade.
The school district has stated that they reviewed Veliz’s grades to comply with state law and that miscalculations were made in the finalization of her GPA and class rank. They have also initiated plans to ensure that a similar mistake does not occur in the future.
Veliz is now planning on attending the University of Texas, but the loss of her valedictorian status may result in her losing out on a scholarship she was expected to receive. She has expressed her disappointment and stated that she does not plan to attend the graduation ceremonies.
This事件 has highlighted the importance of accurate record-keeping and communication between schools and students. It is essential that students are fully informed about how their transfer credits will be calculated and how it will affect their class rank. Schools must also ensure that their policies and procedures are clear and consistently applied to all students.
