Irving ISD’s newest collegiate academy, South Irving Collegiate Academy, officially opened its doors on Monday, August 15 to over 100 students. Among those students is 14-year-old Angelina Martinez. Martinez has aspirations of a career in the cyber security field, which prompted her decision to apply to, and attend, South Irving Collegiate Academy.
“I felt like South Irving provided me more opportunities to achieve my career goals,” she says.
Prior to entering high school, Martinez was already making strides towards her bright future as a student at de Zavala Middle School. After her fashion marketing teacher and organization adviser Maria Hubbell inspired her to join, Martinez became a member of de Zavala’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter and quickly rose to team captain. She helped lead the team to 1st place in the event management category at the regional and state FCCLA competitions. As a result of their success, they attended the national competition this past summer in San Diego, California and placed 3rd in the nation.
“We were so excited about this accomplishment, especially since we were the only middle school in Irving ISD with a FCCLA chapter,” adds Martinez.
Now, she’s ready to conquer new goals at South Irving Collegiate Academy. When speaking about the new year, Martinez says she feels really good about this fresh start and loves the closeness of the campus. Earning a college degree is an added bonus.
“You can’t turn down a free college degree,” she says. “If it’s being offered, I’m going to take advantage of it.”
In four years, Martinez will not only earn her high school diploma, but also an Associate of Science degree from Dallas College. Afterwards, she plans to take advantage of the scholarship she earned by placing at the national FCCLA competition to attend Texas Tech University to continue her education.
To learn more about South Irving Collegiate Academy and the opportunities they provide, visit their website.
