Congratulations to the Boswell High School, Chisholm Trail High School and Saginaw High School Valedictorians and Salutatorians for the EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç Commencement Class of 2024! We are #EMSproud of these scholars and their commitment to academic success.
The SHS, CTHS and BHS campus graduations will take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Saturday, May 25. The Saginaw High School ceremony begins at 10 am, the Chisholm Trail High School ceremony begins at 2 pm, and the Boswell High School ceremony begins at 6 pm. The event will also be live streamed for those who are unable to attend in person: www.emsisd.com/graduationlive.
Saginaw High School
Valedictorian | Francisco Garcia
Francisco Garcia is an EMS Original, attending school in EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç from Kindergarten through 12th grade at Gililland Elementary School, Highland Middle School and Saginaw High School. During his time at Saginaw, he was a member of the Spirit of Saginaw Band, competed in UIL Math and UIL Science, and was a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, National Honor Society and Gold Standard.
His favorite memory in EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç comes from an experience in eighth grade.
"Playing with the band during eighth grade night was the first Saginaw football game I went to, and the energy was like nothing I felt before. Hanging around my current friends and future friends made me really excited to join band in high school. I also enjoyed seeing a marching show, and I remember having the strong desire to be someone big in the band."
Recognitions while at Saginaw include being named a TMEA All-Region Saxophonist all four years in high school, winning the John Philip Sousa Band Award and being a Lift Music Fund Microgrant recipient. Other recognitions in high school include winning the UIL District Math Championship, qualifying for for UIL Academic Regionals all four years, being an AP Scholar with Distinction, College Board National Hispanic Recognition, and being named a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar, which allowed Garcia to attend five all-expenses paid elite college fly-ins and then being named a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist and Match Scholar.
“Being Valedictorian for me means breaking cycles. As a first generation student, I didn't have an idea of what it meant to do "good" in school. I struggled in school early on in my educational career, but I eventually found I had intrinsic motivation to learn. I saw learning as a way to escape the negativity around me and find optimism for the future. Because of this, I was motivated to take course work that would challenge me and help me grow. Achieving this highest honor proved to me that you can end better than you started.”
Garcia will attend Dartmouth College on a QuestBridge scholarship to major in mathematics. He plans to get a PhD in math so he can do research and work as a math professor. Congratulations to Francisco Garcia on becoming Saginaw High School’s 2024 Valedictorian.
Saginaw High School
Salutatorian | Gabrielle Reed
Gabrielle Reed is an EMS Original, attending school in EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç from Kindergarten through 12th grade at High Country Elementary School, Highland Middle School and Saginaw High School. During her time at Saginaw, she was a member of the National Honor Society, AVID, Varsity Softball and Student Council.
The EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç educator that had the greatest impact on her was Saginaw High School teacher and assistant softball coach Frank Arthurs.
"Coach Arthurs was the first one to give me a chance my freshman year in softball and the last one to continue to believe in me this year. He never doubted me. He was also my teacher freshman year and talked to me every day. This year he has been even more supportive and understanding."
Recognitions while at Saginaw include being named an AP Scholar with Distinction, THSCA Academic All-State First Team, College Board National Hispanic Recognition, Academic All-District in Softball 2022–2024, Softball Team MVP in 2022 and 2024, Softball First Team All-Distirct in 2022, Softball Second Team All-District in 2021 and 2023 and Pitcher of the Year in 2022.
“Holding the title of Salutatorian feels like my accomplishments are finally notable, and all of my hard work has finally paid off. Being Salutatorian, I feel like everyone thinks that I have always had everything together and that is not the case. Most of my days were spent stressing and worrying if my work was good enough to keep me at number two, and I can finally relish in the feeling of success and relief. This title also gives me a chance to use my voice at graduation to hopefully leave an impact on my senior class.”
Reed will attend the University of North Texas and major in psychology. Congratulations to Gabrielle Reed on becoming Saginaw High School’s 2024 Salutatorian.
Chisholm Trail High School
Valedictorian | Frank Mitchell
Frank Mitchell is an EMS Original, attending school in EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç from Kindergarten through 12th grade at Parkview Elementary School (K-4), Dozier Elementary School (5), Ed Willkie Middle School and Chisholm Trail High School. During his time at Chisholm Trail, he was a member of the Golf team.
The educator that had the greatest impact on him is Chisholm Trail social studies teacher Amy Stiles.
"Mrs. Stiles has always been there for me. The second half of junior year was not the easiest for me with all my health complications, but she always made sure I had everything I needed to be comfortable and succeed. She taught her class with so much care, dedication and detail that I never felt more confident than when I sat down for an AP test. On top of the great support in the classroom, she was always there supporting us at golf tournaments and even this year as a senior her door was always open for me whenever I needed to talk about something or ask her an important question."
Recognitions while at Chisholm Trail include being named an AP Scholar with Distinction, the Chisholm Trail Trailblazer Award, Academic Top 10, UIL Scholar Award, the Outstanding Student Award in Social Studies and the Outstanding Student Award in English.
“Being Valedictorian makes me feel like all my hard work was worth it. I always put so much effort into my education and stuck with it even through the tough times. This title of Valedictorian has brought with it some of the most rewarding feelings I have ever had. Being Valedictorian means that I passed the finish line first in the marathon that was my education. I trained and worked hard for this and it paid off.”
Mitchell will attend Texas Tech University in the fall and major in business. Congratulations to Frank Mitchell on becoming Chisholm Trail High School’s 2024 Valedictorian.
Chisholm Trail High School
Salutatorian | Tearoha Peeni
Tearoha Peeni has attended EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç for the past four years at Chisholm Trail High School. During her time at Chisholm Trail, she was involved in varsity soccer, track and cross country.
The EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç educator that had the greatest impact on Peeni is Chisholm Trail math teacher Jody Turner.
"As my AP Calculus teacher, Mrs. Turner's attitude towards mistakes, grades and life have really helped me to look at my life in a more positive light."
Recognitions while at Chisholm Trail include being named an AP Scholar with Distinction, THSCA All-State First Team, Academic Top Ten, 2023 Cross Country Outstanding Female Runner, 2023 Track and Field Outstanding Distance Runner, Academic All-District in Soccer 2022 and 2023, District Honorable Mention in Soccer in 2023, and the Ranger Award of Excellence for OnRamps College Algebra.
On achieving the rank of Salutatorian, Peeni said, "I really appreciate being recognized for my hard work."
Peeni will attend Brigham Young University in the fall and major in biophysics. She plans to earn a PhD and become a biomedical researcher. Congratulations to Tearoha Peeni on becoming Chisholm Trail High School's 2024 Salutatorian.
Boswell High School
Valedictorian | Edie Flunker
Edie Flunker is an EMS Original, attending school in EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç from Kindergarten through 12th grade at Eagle Mountain Elementary School, Wayside Middle School and Boswell High School. During her time at Boswell, she was a member of the Principal's Cabinet, National Honor Society, Gold Standard, Chemistry Club and the Boswell Band of Gold marching band, the wind ensemble and the Boswell Jazz Orchestra.
“My favorite memories of my time in EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç were with my friends in the Boswell Band. Performing at Bass Hall, having fun at football games and playing concerts for the community are experiences I will forever cherish and never forget.”
Recognitions while at Boswell include being a United States Presidential Scholar Nominee, winning "Most Studious" and "Most Talented" at the annual Boswell "Give My Regards" awards, winning the Pioneer Pride Award, receiving the AP Scholar Award and AP Scholar of Distinction, winning the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Outstanding Soloist Award, receiving the Boswell Band of Gold Outstanding Musician Award 2021–2024 and the Boswell Band of Gold Outstanding Soloist Award 2021–2024.
“Being the Valedictorian represents always embracing the challenge of maintaining discipline, putting effort into everything one does, and always pushing oneself to improve and be the best version of oneself.”
Flunker will attend Oberlin College and Conservatory to major in clarinet performance. She plans to pursue a career playing clarinet in a professional orchestra and teaching clarinet at the collegiate level.
Boswell High School
Salutatorian | William Dunson
William Dunson has attended EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç for 12 of the last 13 years at Bryson Elementary School, Wayside Middle School and Boswell High School. At Boswell, Dunson was in the National Honor Society, competed in calculator and math UIL, and he was on the varsity tennis team for four years.
“The educator who had the greatest impact on me is Boswell Tennis Coach and math teacher Nathan Wester. He was my varsity tennis coach for the past four years; athletics is unique in that you have the same coach from year to year. This allowed such a strong relationship to be formed with Coach Wester. Just the sheer amount of time that we spent together at tennis practice, at tournaments, going to Galveston, Abilene and Regionals led to a friendship that I have made for life.”
Dunson received several recognitions while at Boswell High School, including being named an AP Scholar with Distinction, a National Merit Commended Scholar, the Boswell High School "Who's Who" award, the Boswell "Golden Heart" award, and being named First Team All-District Singles and Doubles in tennis in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
About earning the distinction of salutatorian, Dunson said, "It's funny because at the end of 8th grade I questioned my ability to succeed in high school. My middle school teachers encouraged me to keep working hard because they believed I could potentially be a high-ranking student. I appreciated the sentiment, but I never even thought of myself as being a high-achieving student and wasn't even sure if I should take AP classes. Now at the end of this journey, it's weird to think that I was close to not even taking advanced classes. Being the salutatorian is the sum of thousands of decisions I wasn't even sure I was making. So it is not by my own ability that I have achieved this. I know it is because God was with me throughout the entire time and I was willing to put in the effort that was required of me. I am thankful, but I know I can't stop working now."
Dunson will attend Texas A&M University and major in engineering with a focus on Industrial and Systems Engineering. Congratulations to William Dunson for becoming Boswell High Schools 2024 Salutatorian.