A Texan high school student missed out on claiming the top spot in her class because of a grading error.
Maya Veliz was poised to graduate as the valedictorian of Blue Ridge High School in Texas.
However, just weeks before her graduation, Maya’s aspirations of becoming the valedictorian were shattered when a ‘miscalculation’ occurred with her GPA.
As a result, she plummeted from the top position to third place in her class.
In an interview with WFAA, she expressed, “It had been, like, the one goal I set myself for the beginning of my freshman year, was, I can do this.”
Veliz was a member of the college’s cheerleading squad, and her academic accomplishments led to her being honored by the College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program.
Throughout the year, administrators allegedly assured her that she was on track to become valedictorian as long as she didn’t fail a class.
Her family had already made plans to attend the ceremony, including arranging flights from out of the country.
However, her hopes were dashed following a conversation with Principal Trent Hamilton, who informed her that there had been an error with her grades.
Maya Veliz was left heartbroken. (KHOU 11)
It turned out that there was an error in calculating her GPA and transfer credits.
Veliz had been enrolled in dual-credit and AP honors courses during high school, and she transferred to Blue Ridge in 2022 as a junior.
Some of the classes Veliz took at her previous school were not offered at her current one, which meant that the credits from her old school were not factored into the transfer policy of the new school.
Jorge Veliz, her father, remarked, “I would understand if this policy had only been implemented recently and they weren’t familiar with it.”
He added, “This is something I wouldn’t want any child or parent to deal with.”
The situation worsens as Veliz plans to attend the University of Texas, and the drop in GPA could potentially jeopardize her scholarship.
This program awards a tuition fee waiver to the student who graduates as the top of their class in high school, covering their freshman year expenses.
Veliz was on the cheer squad and an academic high flyer. (WFAA)
“Currently, I lack that stability,” Veliz conveyed to People.
She further stated, “This impacts my future, and I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone else.”
Her father had also reached out to the school to ensure the transfer of grades and even inquired about the possibility of her needing to take summer classes to uphold her standing.
Neither Veliz nor her family will be attending the graduation ceremony.
A spokesperson for the school district informed WFAA: “Initial miscalculations occurred during the GPA and Class Rank finalization, which were subsequently rectified to align with board policies. All impacted students have been notified.”
“Furthermore, measures have been put in place to prevent such errors from occurring in the future. However, we are unable to disclose any further student-specific information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).”
