Eastside Memorial Early College High School honored more than 140 seniors at today’s first graduation ceremony at the Frank Erwin Center.

Superintendent Paul Cruz highlighted the accomplishments of several students, including

• Lisa Herrera, James Nkurunzia and Miriam Vazquez, who had enrolled in the Eastside School Health Sciences program and who were selected as participants in a recent nursing academy program at Texas State University. 
• Leandrea Acosta and Angel LaCour, who attended Beyond Diversity training to learn practical skills for having courageous conversations about race.
• Eriberto Ordoñez, who won district and placed second in area in the triple jump, and qualified for area competition in the long jump and high jump.

Salutatorian Isias Cervantes thanked his family and friends for their support and for making him laugh. 

"I couldn't have done it without you. We did it!" he said. "We are here at the end of a journey but at the start of a much greater one. Congratulations to the class of 2018 for being one step closer to the future."

Valedictorian Josephine Zambrano said high school helped develop the class of 2018 and made them stronger. 

"But don't let the end of your journey be graduation," she said. "All of us have the potential to do bigger and more momentous things after high school."

Congratulations to the Eastside Memorial High School Class of 2018! We’re #AISDProud of our #AISDGrads!