Naomi Abrego
PSJA Memorial Early College, Class of 2024
Plans to Attend: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Engineering
Awards/Honors
- Top 5% of Class
- CollegeBoard AP Scholar
- CollegeBoard National Hispanic Recognition Program
- PSJA ISD Track of Hope Campus Chairwoman
- Pharr Rotary Student of the Month
- The Monitor Student of the Week
- The Hispanic Women's Network of Texas Latinas in Progress Delegate
- Pre-Freshman Engineering Program STCPrep Member 2019-2021
- Texas Association of Student Councils Sweepstakes and Outstanding Student Council 2021, 2022, 2023
- Texas Association of Student Councils District 16 President School
- Magic Valley Electric Co-Op 2022 National Youth Tour Delegate
- Division 1 Gold Medal Class 1 UIL Solo and Ensamble Choir 1
- Division 1 Non-Varsity Treble Choir UIL Sweepstakes
- Division 1 Bronze Medal Class 2 UIL Solo and Ensemble Choir
- TASC Summer Leadership Workshop Delegate 2022, 2023
- Ivy League Quest Tour Recipient
- Division 1 Varsity Treble Choir UIL Sweepstakes
- UIL ILPC All-State Journalism Staff
- UIL Journalism Regional Qualifier
- KRGV Student of the Week Nominee
- Most Likely to Succeed
Tell us your story! What hardships or challenges have you overcome to get to where you are today? How have these experiences motivated you to pursue your educational dreams?
I always tell myself that there is no success without failure. I’ve always been scared of that f word. Failure. But as I matured I realized that I can’t be perfect, and things won’t always go as planned. Growing up I never had much help. I lived in a single mother household and was raised by my grandma. My mom was always working and constantly told me that her not helping me was her way of making me smarter. I grew distant from people, developed peculiar traits, picked up on bad habits, and struggled. I’ve faced my handful of hardships and have dug myself into holes where I never saw the light. However, with my perseverance, I dug myself out of those once seemingly inescapable holes. I rose above because I had something to prove. I had to prove to my mom that her sacrifices, her leaving behind the only life she knew, her giving up on her dreams, weren’t for nothing. She is my motivation. She pushes me to want to change the world. She tells me that education is a gift and is ever giving as long as you are willing to receive. She didn’t have the opportunity to attend college so I plan on being the first in my family to obtain a degree. I want to pursue knowledge to eventually turn ideas to reality and change the world bit my bit. I appreciated the failure and celebrated the success.
How have the opportunities offered at PSJA ISD, including the PSJA Early College Program, impacted your life?
My whole life changed because of PSJA. From the dual language program to early college, PSJA has prepared me for life beyond high school. I get to say that I earned my college degree before my highschool diploma. The Early College Program truly opened my eyes to college life. As a first generation student, I received valuable insight towards college life. The early college program established my love and thirst for knowledge and education.
What, if anything, would you say to your PSJA Family?
I truly believe that I would not be the person I am today if it weren’t for PSJA. I’m eternally grateful to be apart of such an amazing and loving community and it is truly a privilege to be in a leadership position for this community. I’m one of those kids that spends more time at school than at home because PSJA is my family. I’ve formed unbreakable bonds and relationships with some of the best people. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. There are genuinely no words to describe how my PSJA family has changed the trajectory of my life.
