Diego Alvarado

PSJA Southwest Early College High School, Class of 2025

Plans to Attend: DePaul University,

Major: Fine Arts in Acting.

Awards/Honors

• PSJA Southwest Theatre President, 2024-25
• PSJA Southwest Theatre Vice-President, 2023-24
• PSJA Southwest Student Council Vice-President, 2024-25
• PSJA Southwest Student Council Secretary, 2023-24
• Sophomore Class President, 2022-23
• Top 5% of Class
• National Honor Society Member
• PSJA ISD Safe Schools Coalition Safety Champion, 2024
• UIL Division II Young Filmmakers Festival (Narrative Film) State Champion, 2022
• UIL Division II Young Filmmakers Festival (Documentary Film) State Champion, 2022
• UIL Division II Young Filmmakers Festival (Documentary Film) State First Runner Up, 2022
• 3x UIL 5A Young Filmmakers Festival (Documentary Film) State Finalist, 2025
• UIL Division II Theatrical Design (Marketing) State Champion, 2023
• UIL 5A Theatrical Design (Marketing, Hair & Makeup) State Finalist, 2024
• UIL 5A One-Act Play State Finalist, 2022
• UIL 5A One-Act Play State Alternate, 2023
• UIL 5A One-Act Play Regional Alternate, 2024
• UIL 5A One-Act Play All-Star Cast Acting Award, 2022 & 2024
• UIL 5A Prose Interpretation Regional Alternate, 2023
• Texas Association of Student Councils Sweepstakes and Outstanding Student Council, 2022, 2023, & 2024
• Texas Association of Student Councils Summer Leadership Workshop Delegate, 2024
• PSJA ISD Track of Hope Committee Member, 2024
• Texas Thespians National Qualifier, 2022
• Texas Thespians State Thespian Officer Candidate, 2023
• Palm Award Nominee; Best Supporting Actor in a Straight Play, 2024
• Palm Award Winner; Best Ensemble & Best Production of a Straight Play (Lend Me a Soprano) 2024
• Pharr Rotary Student of the Month, December 2024

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 have always considered myself a go-getter. For as long as I can remember, I yearned for recognition, that spotlight! Not out of vanity but out of the insatiable need to prove my worth. Even as a kid, I longed to be different, to be visible, to be celebrated. From Pre-K, I made it my mission to be the best I could be, to strive for excellence in every way. I still remember the warmth of validation I felt each time my teacher, Mrs. Mendez, handed me small rewards, a piece of candy, and tiny toys. They were simple tokens that carried an immeasurable weight. They weren't just gifts: They were proof that my hard work meant something, that I was someone worth noticing.

Of course, not everybody saw it that way. My eagerness, ambition, and thirst for knowledge made me a target at times. The teasing and taunting came swiftly, barraging me with brand names like "teacher's pet" or "know-it-all." At times, their words did sting more than I let on. I remember feeling like a weird kid, wondering why wanting to excel made me different from the rest instead of celebrating. But even in those dark times, I would never dim my light.

Instead, I sought refuge in the library, a palace full of stories that wrapped around me. Mrs. Sinapuelas, the librarian, has always served as a guide through the endless shelves of books, someone who felt like family. And with her, I wasn't just another student. I was someone who mattered, someone whose love for learning wasn't something to be mocked but something to nurture. And then, I found theatre. The stage became more than just a platform, it became my home. In theatre, I found a different kind of validation, one that didn’t come from gold stars or good grades but from the raw, unfiltered emotions that filled the space between the actors and the audience. Here, I wasn’t just chasing recognition, I was telling stories, breathing life into characters, making people feel something real. For the first time, I wasn’t just 2 the smart kid who sat at the front of the class; I was a performer, an artist, a storyteller. Theatre gave me something that school just couldn’t: a sense of belonging. It introduced me to people who shared my passion, who understood the fire inside me rather than ridiculing it. It gave me mentors, like my late theatre director Mr. Trillayes , who saw something in me worth nurturing, and it gave me friends who became family. It taught me that the spotlight I had always chased wasn’t just about being seen, it was about making others feel seen, too.

As I’ve grown, I’ve come to realize that the hardships I faced the teasing & isolation were not obstacles meant to break me but lessons designed to shape me. Every doubt cast upon me, every whispered remark behind my back, every moment I felt out of place only strengthened me. Those experiences taught me resilience, perseverance, and the power of believing in myself even when others didn’t. So, to those who doubted me, who mocked me, who made me feel like I didn’t belong, I thank you. You pushed me to work harder, to dream bigger, to become stronger. To those who lifted me up, I carry your kindness with me always. I am still that little boy who yearns for the spotlight, but now, I understand that true recognition isn’t about applause or trophies. It’s about knowing who you are, standing tall despite the doubts, and never letting the world convince you that you should be anything less than extraordinary. And that is a lesson I will never forget.

What, if anything, would you say to your PSJA Family?

First and foremost, my gratitude goes out to the hundreds of educators at PSJA. You are truly the backbone of our community; your guidance and mentorship is something thousands of students like myself will carry for years to come. Moreover, I'd like to especially thank the Fine Arts staff at PSJA for nurturing the beauty of the arts in the valley and making PSJA a force to reckon with. To all my peers and classmates, I encourage you to push yourselves to be the best version of you that you can be. Trust me, I know it can be incredibly difficult to get out of your head. No matter what anyone says or thinks about you, it's crucial that you know you are the only person who can make you great. I am eternally grateful for everything you have done for me, PSJA. Always, aim for the stars.