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High school graduation ceremonies for South Texas Independent School District (STISD) begin on Thursday, May 22, with the celebration of the inaugural graduating class of STISD Virtual Academy, the district’s only all-virtual school. 

Virtual Academy’s graduation will be held on Thursday, May 22, at 7:00 p.m., at the STISD Central Administration Building Teaching & Learning Center, located at 7001 E. Expressway 83 in Mercedes.

The remaining graduation ceremonies will take place May 23-24 at the Bert Ogden Arena, located at 4900 S I-69 C in Edinburg. The following are the dates and times for those ceremonies:

• STISD World Scholars (Edinburg): Friday, May 23, at 7:00 p.m.
• STISD Medical Professions (Olmito): Saturday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. 
• STISD Health Professions (Mercedes): Saturday, May 24, at 1:00 p.m.     
• STISD Science Academy (Mercedes): Saturday, May 24, at 4:00 p.m.

STISD also proudly announces the 2025 valedictorians and salutatorians for the district’s high schools, including South Texas ISD Health Professions (Health Professions) in Mercedes; South Texas ISD Medical Professions (Medical Professions) in Olmito; South Texas ISD Science Academy (Science Academy) in Mercedes; South Texas ISD Virtual Academy (Virtual Academy), the district’s all-virtual middle and high school; and South Texas ISD World Scholars (World Scholars) in Edinburg. 

The STISD valedictorians are Dylan Kim of Health Professions, Joaquin Zamarripa of Medical Professions, Sean Nievera of Science Academy, Joseph Martinez of Virtual Academy, and Lizt Fontirroche of World Scholars. 

Kim of Mission will attend Rice University in Houston, Texas, in the fall, where he will major in bio sciences.

Zamarripa of Brownsville will attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he will major in human sciences.

Nievera of Brownsville will attend The University of Texas at Austin, where he will pursue a degree in electrical and computer engineering.

Martinez of Mission will attend Texas A&M University in College Station, where he will major in economics.

Fontirroche of McAllen will attend The University of Texas at Austin, where she will major in biochemistry.

The STISD salutatorians are Andres Loa of Health Professions, Anthony Roa of Medical Professions, Stefan Sy of Science Academy, Joselynn Ramirez of Virtual Academy, and Angelina Villalobos of World Scholars. 

Loa of Weslaco will attend Texas A&M University, where he will study biomedical engineering. 

Roa of Harlingen will attend Rice University, where he will pursue a degree in neuroscience. 

Sy of Pharr will attend The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania – Huntsman Program to major in business and international studies.

Ramirez of Weslaco will attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to major in nursing.

Villalobos of Rancho Viejo will attend Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she will major in English & law, jurisprudence and social thought. 

STISD is comprised of four magnet high schools – South Texas ISD Health Professions, South Texas ISD Medical Professions, South Texas ISD Science Academy, and South Texas ISD World Scholars– as well as two middle schools – South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy and South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy – and one virtual campus that includes middle and high school – South Texas ISD Virtual Academy. All campuses are tuition-free and serve students from Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties. For more information, visit www.stisd.net.

Dylan Kim, Health Professions Valedictorian

Joaquin Zamarripa, Medical Professions Valedictorian

Sean Nievera, Science Academy Valedictorian

Joseph Martinez, Virtual Academy Valedictorian

Lizt Fontirroche, World Scholars Valedictorian  

Andres Loa, Health Professions Salutatorian

Anthony Roa, Medical Professions Salutatorian  

Stefan Sy, Science Academy Salutatorian   

Joselynn Ramirez, Virtual Academy Salutatorian

  Angelina Villalobos, World Scholars Salutatorian