Students, families and staff gathered Monday, May 11, for the annual Awards Night to Honor outstanding Seniors at Tracy High School, celebrating the accomplishments of graduating seniors in academics, athletics and leadership.
Among the students recognized was the valedictorian and major scholarship recipient Paula Olmedo, who said she was shocked when she learned how many awards she had received.
“I felt really surprised because I didn’t really expect it at all,” Olmedo said.
Olmedo, who earned some of the night’s largest scholarships, explains being named valedictorian represents dedication more than natural talent.
“For me, being valedictorian means that hard work pays off,” she said. “It doesn’t really mean that one is naturally intelligent, it means that one has studied and put in the work.”
She also emphasized that academic titles do not define a person completely.
“There’s no real number one,” Olmedo said. “Just because someone is valedictorian doesn’t mean they know everything. There’s always something new to learn.”
Looking back on her high school experience, Olmedo said overcoming procrastination was one of the biggest challenges she faced.
“Honestly procrastinating,” she said. “It was a really bad habit of mine and once I started avoiding it and doing my assignments ahead of time, I felt more relaxed.”
Olmedo also shared advice for younger students applying for scholarships in the future.
“My advice is to look at the local scholarship prompts before they put them up,” Olmedo said. “that way you don’t have to do a whole ton of essays at the same time.”
Athlete of the Year and multiple scholarship recipient Gaby Hernandez was also honored during the ceremony for her achievements both on and off the court.
“I was very happy and caught completely off guard, but really proud all my hard work paid off,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said earning Athlete of the Year was especially meaningful because it reflected years of commitment and character.
“I was really happy to be recognized for my hard work because outside my teams I wasn’t really recognized by the community, so that was nice to see,” Hernandez stated. “I knew it was a thing and it really drove me to work hard and play sports all four years and also exemplify what it means to be a good athlete on and off the court.”
When reflecting on the key to her success, Hernandez credited the support system around her.
“The love and support of my family and friends,” Hernandex explained. “My teammates were a big reason I was excited to show up each day and try new things.”
Another senior recognized for earning multiple scholarships was Dzi Dzi Djonorh, who said many of the opportunities she received came through connections she built during high school.
“I learned about most of the organizations that awarded me scholarships through the college and career center website,” Djonorh said. “but some of the organizations I had been working with since freshman year, like the Tracy African American Association.”
Djonorh said two scholarships in particular stood out because of the relationships she developed with those organizations over the years.
“The scholarship that meant the most to me was either the Delta Sigma Theta or Tracy African American Association scholarship because I have been working with them for many years,” Djonorh explained.
Receiving multiple scholarships also brought relief for her family, she added.
“I was really shocked and grateful when I found out I had won multiple scholarships,” Djonorh expressed. “I was also relieved to take some financial stress off of my parents.”
The annual event highlighted not only the accomplishments of Tracy High seniors, but also the perseverance, discipline and support behind their success.
