SHE`S THE CHOP OF THE CLASS
HS flub yanks girl’s valedictorian rank
A Texas high school cheerleader stripped of being valedictorian due to a “miscalculation” of her grades had planned to heap praise on her school and teachers in her acceptance speech, The Post has learned.
Maya Veliz was officially announced as Blue Ridge HS valedictorian in March. However, the title was taken from her this month after the north Texas school said it had made an error involving transfer credits from another school. Her GPA ranking then dropped to third in the class.
Maya had already written an acceptance speech for the May 23 graduation, said her father, Jorge Veliz — adding that his daughter no longer wants to attend the ceremony.
The speech, which the family shared with The Post, details how “honored” Maya was to receive the prestigious title she had worked tirelessly to achieve.
“I stand here before you tonight, honored as the valedictorian for the class of 2024,” the draft begins.
The now-prophetic speech continues, “Through my experiences at BRHS and what I have learned these past two years is that failure has made me who I am today and to have found success and persevere regardless of the outcome.
“I strive for inclusion and success in everything I do, regardless what anyone says my limitations may be,” Maya wrote. “I owe this [recognition], all of it, to my teachers, to my friends, and most importantly to my family; no one achieves anything alone.
“If I seem too passionate, it’s because I care. And If I come on strong, it’s because I feel strongly.”
Jorge said the family received a phone call from the school’s principal, Trent Hamilton, about the miscalculation with the GPA and transfer credits.
In 2022, Maya transferred from a school in Frisco as a junior. Some of the classes offered at her former institute weren’t offered at Blue Ridge HS, according to People. Those credits were not weighed under the district’s long-standing transfer policy, according to WFAA TV.
‘Conflicting information’
Maya and her family are now worried she could lose a scholarship at the University of Texas, where she plans to go to college.
Valedictorians from accredited Texas high schools are guaranteed a tuition waiver for their freshman year of college, according to the Texas Education Agency. The university did not respond to a request for comment on Maya’s situation.
“At the end of the day it’s not about the money, it’s about what’s being done to her,” Jorge said. “She feels sad, she feels left out. They’ve always had her be part of any kind of event at school. They had her give a speech during last year’s graduation.”
He said the family has since learned of a similar situation in 2020 with a former student. The student, whom he declined to identify, reached out to Maya on Instagram offering support.
He also pointed to an April 16 Facebook post from the school’s softball team congratulating two students, Destiny for being “ranked #1 and Kaitlyn #2 for the senior class.”
Jorge said there is “conflicting information about what triggered the re-evaluation.”
The school district said it investigated the case as a “private student matter” that was then “communicated with the parents.”
“The district reviews academic achievement, grade calculations and class rank during this time period each year in accordance with applicable state law and board policies,” a Blue Ridge Independent School District spokesperson told WFAA. “Miscalculations were originally made when finalizing GPA and class rank; then corrected to ensure compliance with both of those board policies.”
The school said that “plans have been initiated to ensure that a mistake like this does not take place in the future.”