Motivated in different ways by their parents, Ashley Enrriquez and Jalynn Zavala have earned their way to the top 2 spots at OCTECHS.
Enrriquez, 17, is the valedictorian and Zavala, 18, is the salutatorian. They will walk the stage at 8 p.m. Friday at the Odessa College Sports Center, 201 W. University Blvd.
They have attended OCTECHS for four years and earned associate degrees. Enrriquez’ is in business leadership and Zavala’s in criminal justice.
Enrriquez is heading to the University of North Texas to earn a bachelor’s degree in real estate and Zavala is staying at OC to pursue a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in criminal justice.
Enrriquez wants to become a licensed Realtor.
Zavala wants to go to law school and possibly become a defense attorney.
“I’m leaning more towards defense attorney,” Zavala said, “just because I know our system isn’t perfect and I want to give everyone that chance. … Everyone needs to be defended.”
Enrriquez said she is dedicating her degree to her mom because of the help and support her mom has given her.
“Graduating is more like an accomplishment … for her,” Enrriquez said.
Zavala said when she got her associate degree it motivated her dad, who is a police officer, to get his associate degree.
“We’re in the same degree right now,” she added. “… It’s really exciting. It’s like we’re motivating each other. I see him doing it and I’ve got to do it, too. We’re just kind of supporting each other.”
“Hopefully in December, he might be walking the stage, too,” Zavala said.
They have been giving each other tips and tricks on different classes.
Enrriquez and Zavala knew each other, but they didn’t have any classes together.
“I never expected to be valedictorian,” Enrriquez said.
Zavala said she didn’t think they felt like there was any competition between them.
“We were just doing our job; just doing our assignments; turning them in each day. It wasn’t really I need to do this because I want to beat her or beat him. It was just to do the assignments,” Zavala said.
If she were advising someone younger on how to make it to the top 10, Enrriquez said they should find a motivation like her mom.
“For everything, literally everything, I would just think of her … (and) that would activate me,” Enrriquez said.
Zavala said you should have a system.
“Because once you create a pattern, it’s very easy to stay consistent because even if you don’t want to do it you’re going to do it because you know you have to and you’ve set those steps in place so you’re just going to automatically start doing things,” she added.
Enrriquez and Zavala said all the hard work was worth it.
“I enjoyed all four years here,” Zavala said. “It was fun.”
At first, Enrriquez said she was kind of sad that OCTECHS only focused on academics. She had played tennis in middle school at Ector.
Zavala went to Bowie and then Crockett for middle school.
She liked that OCTECHS geared their programming toward specific pathways.
“I appreciated having a step-stool for my future,” Zavala said. “Instead of having to wait like everyone else in regular high schools, I already have my associate’s in the degree that I want.”
Enrriquez said business leadership helps across different fields.
At first, she was going to go into criminal justice because her dad wanted her to be an immigration lawyer. But the first week she was at OCTECHS she changed to business.
Principal Karl Miller said his top two students are both outstanding young women.
He added that they are both highly motivated and dedicated.
“One of them is looking to go into law enforcement and/or an attorney or a judge some day. The other one is looking at business and that pathway. They will both be successful. There’s no doubt in my mind. We have a number of students who are doing that from our campus,” Miller said.
