Sharyland High celebrates 100th graduating class

EDINBURG — Spirits were high amidst the chaotic gathering of nearly 400 students for Sharyland High School’s graduation ceremony at the Bert Ogden Arena here as school faculty fulfilled their duties in preparation.

This ceremony for Class of 2022 marks the centennial year for Sharyland High School which makes it especially unique with it not just being an anniversary but in that the graduating students have overcome the obstacles of school life during and after a global pandemic.

“It’s been a dramatic change for the kids from the pandemic to now,” Sharyland High School Principal Lori Ann Garza said. “I think that our kids are very resilient, they were able to bounce back, they were eager to participate and very hungry to be involved in different activities.

“I credit this year’s seniors to being our leaders.”

Garza temporarily wore a pair of custom Nike Air Force 1 sneakers from a student named Iker Leal Millan, who can be found on Instagram under the handle CloudeCustoms; a perfect display of school spirit students gained through the years.

The sneakers featured a rattlesnake wrapped around the Nike logo, which was painted gold, as well as the Sharyland logo.

Garza’s sentiments regarding the eagerness of the students and their embracing of school life post-pandemic were echoed by fellow faculty members and students.

“Coming back from the pandemic, the student began to cherish moments a lot more,” Senior Class Sponsor and Head of the Social Studies Department Robert Barbosa said. “I know this (year) was the first time we had our prom sold out so early and there was a huge number of kids that stayed there throughout the prom, so I think those small moments that students used to take for granted before the pandemic they’re now cherishing a lot more.”

Barbosa added that the events during the pandemic weren’t as unified as they are now, mentioning how students had to learn to be social again because social distancing and online learning separated them from their peers and mentors.

A silver lining in a post-pandemic world is that teachers and students at the high school level now have access to technologies that allow students, whether they miss a day of school for medical or competition reasons, to reach out to their teachers for whatever they may need.

Barbosa said that despite the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the many restrictions being lifted, he felt relieved to be teaching students in person again as to him online teaching felt like he was teaching to a computer and not his students.

“I think everybody was just extremely happy about being back this year,” Sharyland ISD Superintendent Maria Vidaurri said. “Our teachers have done an amazing job.”

Vidaurri added that the same holds true for Pioneer High School, which held their commencement ceremony earlier that morning.

This year’s valedictorian, Pedro Salinas, said it feels amazing to be graduating after working hard for so many years, adding that this year had been the most challenging because he had to learn to take responsibility for himself and his studies.

Salinas’ self-discipline and hard work has paid off, leaving his high school years with wise words.

“I would say just believe in yourself,” Salinas said. “Keep yourself accountable, always keep yourself organized and just tell yourself that you’re your only competition.

“You should always strive to be a better version of yourself.”