(HARLINGEN) – There has been extra sawing, cutting and sanding going on at the Texas State Technical College Building Construction Technology workshop with students from the Migrant Academic Achievement Residential Summer (MAARS) program completing their projects.

For Kimberly Muniz these sights and sounds bring back memories, yet represent her present.

The Raymondville native was part of the MAARS program, a six-week camp designed to meet the needs of high school migrant and seasonal farm workers in pursuing higher education, in 2015 and 2016 as a student at Lyford High School and is now a student in the Building Construction Technology program at TSTC.

“The MAARS program played a huge role in why I enrolled at TSTC,” said Muniz. “It introduced me to career options I never considered before and taught me so much about college and myself.”

Before MAARS, the 19-year-old had plans to attend a four-year university to pursue a degree in kinesiology and now she hopes to find a good paying job in the construction industry and opening a cabinet and furniture business.

“I have no regrets,” she said. “MAARS and TSTC was the best decision I ever made.”

This year, more than 50 high school juniors and seniors from Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties are participating in the program and living on campus.

MAARS gives students two major opportunities: to receive two academic high school credits in an attempt to prevent them from falling behind or to allow them to get ahead in school, and to receive exposure to TSTC’s technical programs and college life.

Yvette Mendoza, TSTC College Readiness coordinator, said their goal for MAARS is to show students that college is possible and to give them the information they need to make an informed decision about their secondary education.

“It’s great seeing our MAARS students take the next step in their education after high school and realize that they can get a college degree,” Mendoza said.

Irma Padilla, a San Benito High School senior, is one of this year’s MAARS students and said she has enjoyed every aspect of the program.

“I’ve enjoyed my experience of getting to meet new people, being on a diverse campus and getting to explore programs and career options,” said Padilla. “I’m trying to learn as much as I can and take advantage of the time I have here.”

The 16-year-old also said the highlight for her was making a night stand that she gets to keep during her time in Building Construction Technology.

“I’m into being creative, designing and building things so I really enjoyed this,” she said. “It was the best part for me and I hope to enroll at TSTC once I graduate.”

Students like Padilla not only experience two technical programs, three weeks each, such as building construction, Precision Machining Technology, Computer Maintenance Technology, Business Management Technology and Biomedical Equipment Technology, but they also participate in community service projects and have fun on the weekends with events and outings planned by Mendoza and her team.

“The students are really enjoying themselves; we’ve had great feedback from them,” said Mendoza. “And with nearly 30 percent of them returning to TSTC, it’s amazing watching them grow and graduate from college.”

For more information on the MAARS program, call 956-364-4464.

(HARLINGEN) – Juanita Salinas was looking for a better life when she decided to enroll at Texas State Technical College’s High School Equivalency Program (HEP), and last week she, and nearly 40 other students, earned a General Education Diploma (GED) during the program’s annual graduation ceremony.

“This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time,” said the 38-year-old. “It feels really great to finally be a graduate and moving on to bigger and better things.”

The HEP program at TSTC is federally funded drop-out recovery program that provides services to eligible migrant and seasonal farm workers from the mid to the lower Rio Grande Valley and prepares students to successfully pass their GED along with support services such as academic and career advisement.

The Harlingen native, who used to work the strawberry fields of Mississippi with her family as a child, said after having a baby in high school at 15 she never thought this moment would come, much less be the class speaker.

As a teen mom Salinas to dropped out of school to work and support her daughter. She held various jobs in the fast food restaurant industry before holding a job as a cafeteria cook for the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District for 11 years.

Now, her eight children and her husband celebrate her as she addresses her class with encouragement and hope for the future.

“Education is life changing,” she told her peers. “Today shows us that nothing is impossible and if you want something you can get it.”

Salinas said she decided to finally take this step in life because she wants to be a positive role model for her daughter who also had a baby in high school.

“I pushed her and supported her to finish her high school diploma,” said Salinas. “And now I want to show her the importance of a college education and that no matter what she can get one.”

TSTC HEP Placement Officer Daisy Avalos said she is excited to see Salinas and the rest of her students complete the GED program.

“It’s amazing to watch all of them graduate,” said Avalos. “As for Juanita, it was great seeing her transition and working toward her goals. She was a true leader for her class and always encouraged others to do their best work and to volunteer.”

Avalos added, “I’m so proud of our students and the changes they’re making in their lives. They’re the ones working to break a cycle.”

The HEP program prepares GED students to test in the areas of math, science, history and English and gives students the opportunity to do community service.

Those completing the program also have the flexibility to work and go to class, allowing TSTC to serve more than 100 students per year since its inception 18 years ago, many of which return to TSTC to get a degree.

“We are very proud of our students. I admire their commitment not only to their families, but to their education,” said Toni Luna, TSTC HEP director. “Our students know the true meaning of hard work. It is because of them that our HEP program has been so successful.”

Salinas is now a student at TSTC pursuing an associate degree in Education and Training. Her goal is to become a special education teacher.

For more information about TSTC’s HEP program, call 956-364-4505 or visit tstc.edu/harlingenhep.

(HARLINGEN) – Sixth grader Abigail Alaniz sat inside a briefing room and built a remote control robot at the Texas State Technical College Challenger Learning Center during the college’s first Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Summer Camp.

The 11-year-old, who will be attending Miller Jordan Middle School in San Benito in the fall, said she has always had an interest in robotics and was excited for her first STEM camp experience.

“The project is going good. All of the teachers are helpful,” she said. “I’ve learned new things like wiring because that’s the only way my robot will work.”

Alaniz, who hopes to do other camps like this in the future, added that she was excited to finish the project, test it and take photos with her masterpiece. She also said she hopes to continue practicing robotics and hopes to be a scientist when she grows up.

The Challenger Learning Center’s pilot program began June 12 and ran for two weeks for students ages six to 14 from across the Rio Grande Valley.

The half-day summer camp focused on astronomy, rocketry and robotics through hands-on experiences and age-appropriate activities.

“STEM is a huge initiative for the school districts in our area. Our program allows us to support the schools and keep students engaged in STEM fields and learning even during summer break,” said Yvette Mendoza, TSTC College Readiness coordinator.

The camp was divided into four age groups: Atlantis, age six to seven; Discovery, ages eight and nine, Endeavor, ages 10-12 and Challenger, ages 13 and 14.

Atlantis and Discovery students made magnetic slime and launched rockets respectively, and also completed the center’s Micronauts Program which offers kindergarten through fourth-grade students the opportunity to learn science through hands-on projects such as experimenting with magnets and microscopes and learning about computer coding and the solar system with TSTC’s planetarium.

Students like Alaniz and one of her campmates, seventh grader Randall Garcia from Gutierrez Middle School in Harlingen, were part of team Endeavor. Endeavor and Challenger teams built and raced robots and completed Challenger space shuttle flight missions.

“My grandma bought me a robot for Christmas and I have wanted to learn more about how to make them work since then,” said Garcia. “It’s kind of hard, but I’m getting it. I’m excited to test it.”

TSTC College Readiness Director Neri Balli said the camp has allowed them to open the world of STEM to even the youngest learners and open their eyes to the career opportunities available in the field.

“The STEM camp is taking the Challenger Learning Center to the next level,” said Balli. “It allows us to expand our services into more areas of STEM and increase our community involvement.”

Mendoza said the camp was at capacity for both weeks.

“We had a great turnout because it was a great opportunity for our Valley students,” said Mendoza. “They were really engaged in everything they did and it’s all thanks to the support we received. We’re really excited for the future of this program.”

For more information or to schedule a tour of the Challenger Learning Center, call 956-364-4125.

(HARLINGEN) – Yvette Martinez is part of the first cohort from Texas State Technical College’s Registered Nursing program that will be graduating in July and is preparing for her future by attending the Nursing Career Expo.

The Nursing Career Expo, a first for TSTC and organized by the college’s Talent Management and Career Services, was hosted Monday at the newly renovated TSTC Nursing Center.

“The fact that TSTC hosted this for us is great,” said Martinez. “Receiving their guidance in something like job hunting, which can be daunting and nerve wrecking, is a great opportunity for us.”

Martinez and her classmates, and students from the vocational nursing program, had the opportunity to visit with at least 11 potential employers such as Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center, South Texas Health System and numerous clinics and home health agencies.

“We’ve been meeting about and organizing this expo for about a year now,” said TSTC Statewide Nursing Division Director Jean Lashbrook. “We hope that our students see that they’re in demand and that this motivates them to cross the finish line.”

Prior to the expo, students like Martinez received assistance from career services representatives in resume building and interview skills to prepare them for on-site interviews also hosted during the event.

“Events like this really give us (students) a leg up,” said Martinez. “I’ve personally had a chance to ask questions, gain exposure to opportunities available and get practice in interviewing. This is invaluable.”

Shirley Byrd, TSTC’s Registered Nursing program director said this expo was needed for the vocational and registered nursing students.

“While TSTC already hosts a large career expo earlier in the year, it’s difficult for our students who are at their clinical sites daily to make it back to campus,” said Byrd. “So it was time to help our students out with their own event.”

TSTC Vocational Nursing student Maria Melendez, who will also be graduating in July said this expo has helped her expand her horizons.

“My goal is to have a job lined up by the time I graduate,” said Melendez. “It was great having the opportunity to speak with potential employers and learn about my choices.”

Melendez said her experience at TSTC has been memorable. From her instructors, the hands-on training and the new friends she has met, it has encouraged her to return to TSTC for the registered nursing program after she graduates.

Heather Sauceda, TSTC Vocational Nursing program director, has recently seen her students achieve consecutive 100 percent national board exam pass rates and has seen a job placement rate that is close to 100 percent.

“Not only are nurses in demand, but our TSTC nursing students are in demand,” said Sauceda. “Our students are hired because of the training they receive in our program, from the hands-on in our simulation labs and the soft skills we teach, they are more than ready to work after they graduate.”

Sauceda added, “We’re working hard to fill a skills gap in the nursing field.”

Lashbrook said they are working statewide to fill the gap by increasing enrollment in the nursing programs from 30 students to 40 students at TSTC’s West Texas campus and will do the same at the Harlingen campus in the near future.

For Martinez and Melendez it will still be a few weeks before they find out if they are offered nursing positions, but both agree that TSTC has given them the opportunity to pursue their passion: caring for others.

By Emily Swartz

Josephine Delgado, 22, aspires to be a Human Resources Manager. She is currently attending the Business Management Technology program at Texas State Technical College.

A one-time resident of San Perlita, Delgado has been an active student at TSTC heavily involved  with Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and the Intramural Sports Club, where she serves as treasurer.

To add to her impressive feats, Delgado currently holds a 3.5 grade-point average. She plans to graduate with her associate degree in Fall 2018.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation I plan on pursuing an online bachelor’s degree in business with a specialization in human resources. I hope to eventually work in this field.

What’s your dream job?

What got me most interested in business was taking related courses in high school. Upon entering TSTC, my interest only grew. The goal is to one day work as a Human Resources Manager.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

I credit TSTC for much of my success in life and consider balancing good grades and activities a great accomplishment. I am very proud to be a member of the honor society. Likewise, I also made the President’s List in spring 2016 and 2018. TSTC definitely facilitated my growth as a student.

What great lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

My takeaway from my time as a TSTC student is time management and organization of my priorities. This is something I struggled with at first, but eventually mastered.

Name a TSTC person who most influenced your success.

The entire faculty is wonderful, but the person that comes to mind is my Business Management

Technology Professor Dr. Edna Claus. She has been instrumental in my success here. TSTC as a whole is so helpful and provides the resources that students need to succeed.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to stay focused and not to lose sight of your goals.

(HARLINGEN) – Jose A. Trevino is a Building Construction Technology student at Texas State Technical College. The Brownsville native expects to earn his associate degree in Spring 2020.

Trevino said right after high school he enrolled at a local four-year university, but ultimately withdrew because he felt out of place and unfulfilled, so when he found TSTC and the building construction program he knew he had found his place.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I want to find a job in my field, either in the Rio Grande Valley or in Houston, and gain experience in residential construction.

What’s your dream job?

I want to grow within a company and become a project manager or construction site supervisor and eventually realize my dream of opening a residential construction business and a carpentry shop building furniture.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

The best decision I have ever made was coming to TSTC, which in turn has allowed me to achieve good grades in a field that I love.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that over thinking my next move  isn’t always a bad thing. It is sometimes a challenge because I get easily distracted with my thoughts, but sometimes it really helps me plan ahead and motivates me toward new ideas.

Who has had the most influence on your success?

The person who has influenced my success the most is my Veterans Memorial High School carpentry teacher Mr. Ted Carver. He is the one who advised and encouraged me to check out TSTC’s building construction program after I left the university. Because of him, I am where I am today.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to choose to do what you really love, be prepared for class and keep an eye on your goal. Finish college and start your career.

(HARLINGEN) – Thanks to the help of the Texas State Technical College community, the TSTC Student Government Association was able to bring home the win with more than 7,600 pounds of recycled products collected for the Keep Harlingen Beautiful Recycling Contest.

SGA was recently presented with a $500 check to use toward other recycling and community service efforts for this achievement.

“We are so proud of them,” said TSTC Executive Director of Student Life Adele Clinton. “Our students are creating a culture of recycling around campus. And we’re excited to see how participation has grown and how people are thinking consciously now about what they recycle and throw away.”

For five years now, Keep Harlingen Beautiful has hosted a recycling contest among the public and private schools of Harlingen, Marine Military Academy and TSTC.

From September 1 to March 31, each campus collects newspapers, papers, cans and plastic bottles in hopes of being the campus with the most recycled products at the end of the contest.

“TSTC’s recyclables more than doubled that of the other campuses,” said Keep Harlingen Beautiful Executive Director Melissa Boykin. “TSTC students are an amazing group to work with, they always show up and go above and beyond.”

TSTC currently has 35- and 40-gallon, blue recycle bins across campus, with at least one located in every building, and 135 smaller bins in each dorm room.

SGA President Thalia Gutierrez said she is excited about the group’s recent accomplishment and glad others on campus are starting to see the difference recycling can make.

“We can’t stress the importance of recycling enough at student events and new student orientations,” she said. “I’ll admit I wasn’t into recycling before joining TSTC’s initiative, but now I recycle everywhere, at home, at the beach picking up cans and bottles that litter our community.”

Gutierrez also added, “We encourage students to recycle not only for contests, but to help keep our environment clean and beautify our community.”

TSTC and Keep Harlingen Beautiful have a long-time partnership that has been in place for at least a decade.

With this partnership, TSTC has been able to arrange recycle pickup with Keep Harlingen Beautiful and receive funding for major community service projects such as National Make a Difference Day.

“Whether the project is valued at $11,000 or $27,000, we can count on Keep Harlingen Beautiful,” said Clinton. “This is a huge testament to our students, their work ethic and commitment. They know our students will always come together to make our community a better place. This is truly a win-win partnership.”

Community service projects funded by Keep Harlingen Beautiful include park and neighborhood cleanups and the planting of flowers and shrubs along walking trails, parks and canal banks. Volunteer hours for such projects account for at least $8,000, saving the city money and manpower.

All recycled material Keep Harlingen Beautiful receives from contests or throughout the year from the community is purchased and all of the money Keep Harlingen Beautiful collects goes back into these beautification projects for the city.

“TSTC is one of my favorite campuses to work with,” said Boykin. “Every volunteer from TSTC is great and we’re excited at the growth we have seen in the number of volunteers from the college. We love having them and we look forward to our continued partnership.”

(HARLINGEN) – With the SkillsUSA national competition around the corner, three men from the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technology program at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen are preparing in hopes of bringing home the gold.

Muhammad Khan, Javier Garcia and Leonel Garza Jr. will be traveling this weekend to Louisville, Kentucky for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

SkillsUSA is a professional organization teaching technical, academic and employability skills that help high school and college students pursue successful careers. Members build these skills through student-led team meetings, hands-on competitions, leadership conferences and other activities.

Khan wants a chance to redeem himself.

Khan is attending the SkillsUSA national competition for a second year and again competing in the Sheet Metal Technology category. Last year he came up short of a gold medal, but he hopes to change that this time around.

“When I won gold at state and learned I’d be heading to nationals once again I was excited for the second chance,” said Khan. “Last year was my first competition ever and this year I know what to expect, so I hope that gives me a leg up.”

The Los Fresnos native has been preparing tirelessly alongside his HVAC instructor Rogelio Longoria.

During competition, Khan is required to design a duct layout, cut the sheet metal and build the duct, so that’s exactly what he has been practicing.

“All of the skills we learn in class are the skills we need to be successful at Skills,” said Khan. “And with the help of Longoria, I’ve been able to use the program’s labs, tools and materials to prepare. Because of this, I’m ready.”

Garcia, on the other hand, has found success in a non-related HVAC category: Robotics Urban Search and Rescue.

The Brownsville native and his partner Martin Ramos from Mechatronics Technology are the only robotics team representing Texas so they have been working overtime to ensure their remote control robot is ready for competition.

“We’ve made a pretty good team and have been able to come together,” said Garcia. “We’ve given up a lot of our free time, but we know it’s going to be worth it.”

The next challenge for the men will be to prepare their robot in one hour at the competition to complete an obstacle course, find and lift a fake bomb.

“I had my first taste of robotics in high school, and I’m glad I have the opportunity to give it a try again,” said Garcia. “And this is such a large competition that I’m excited to meet other like- minded people and to learn from each other.”

Last but not least, is Garza. He will have an entirely different experience at SkillsUSA from his peers.

The McAllen native who is president of the TSTC SkillsUSA chapter, is also HVAC Technology’s first state officer. He is one of six students representing Texas at the national conference.

At the state competition held in Waco earlier this year, Garza applied for the position, ran a campaign and had to address at least 200 SkillsUSA delegates in hopes of receiving the majority vote.

“My goal is to be able to provide the moral support our competitors need, from both TSTC and across the nation,” said Garza. “And of course to represent TSTC and Texas well.”

As a state officer, Garza will serve a one-year term and will be responsible for helping SkillsUSA coordinators with conference logistics, preparing meeting and competition materials, preparing conference tote bags, grading competition exams and purchasing food and supplies.

This is Garza’s second time being elected state officer, but last year he had to forfeit the position because he was about to become a dad and this year he will miss his son’s first birthday.

Longoria, the men’s instructor, said he is proud of what they have accomplished in SkillsUSA this year and most in part because of the men’s hard work, time and sacrifice.

“This upcoming trip is a culmination of all of their hard work and prepping they have done outside of class during their free time,” said Longoria. “This is their reward. We’re rooting for the gold, but no matter the outcome I hope they know they’ve already made us proud.”

Khan, Garcia and Garza will join at least 50 other TSTC students statewide at the week-long event, June 25-29.

(HARLINGEN) – Saul Pizano liked to watch space shuttle launches on television when he was growing up.

Now, that fascination with space is enabling the Texas State Technical College student to learn from professionals in their environment.

Pizano, 22, began a summer internship in June in NASA’s Lithium Ion Battery Thermal Management System at Johnson Space Center in Houston. His role is to help design a thermal management system used in batteries for usage in space. He is scheduled to finish in mid-August with an option of continuing in the fall.

“Anything that is sent into space requires power requires batteries,” Pizano said.

Mark Rosas, an instructor in TSTC’s Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics program, said internships are important for a student’s future success in the workplace.

“Internships in general are awesome,” he said. “They (the students) get real-world experience and learning beyond a classroom setting. It puts you one step above a competitor in a job search.”

Pizano took a week off from his internship to compete in late June on a two-man team in Additive Manufacturing at SkillsUSA’s 54th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The competition involved using knowledge of 3-D printing and computer aided drafting.

“You are applying what you learn at SkillsUSA and can apply this to work,” he said.

The trip to Kentucky also marked the first time Pizano had been out of Texas.

“I want to travel more,” he said. “There are so many things to experience.”

Pizano grew up in Harlingen and graduated in 2014 from Harlingen High School.

“I helped my dad a lot when I was smaller,” he said. “He would take me out to these construction sites. I loved seeing how all the houses are designed. I liked the idea of creating something from nothing.”

Pizano graduated from TSTC in 2016 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics and earlier this year received an Associate of Science degree in Physics.

After his internship, he wants to study mechanical engineering and physics at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

“We tell our students that finishing an associate degree is only a stepping stone into something better,” said David Campos, TSTC’s statewide division director for Architecture, Science and Engineering Technology. “They can make a real good career out of it or as a stepping stone.”

Pizano wants to one day work full time in a civil service job at NASA.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.