Alessandra Jara
By Joan Frances –
George Ranch High School (GRHS) in Lamar Consolidated Independent School District is a recognized leader in academic excellence. Sports, arts and extracurricular activities play a big part in providing life lessons for students. Seniors graduate ready to take the next step in their education for a successful future. One senior who has excelled in academics, sports and the arts is Alessandra Jara.
Alessandra currently ranks second in her class and has taken Advanced Placement (AP) courses throughout her high school career. She was awarded High School Math Student of the Year at GRHS her freshman and sophomore year. She also received the Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Science, Fine Arts and Language Other Than English as a freshman and sophomore. This past year, Alessandra was awarded the AP Scholar with Honor Award in recognition of exemplary college level achievement on AP examinations. Alessandra is also a member of the National Honor Society and a National Merit candidate.
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When asked what value is important to her, Alessandra said, “Dedication. There is no feeling I dislike more than the one which hounds me after leaving a piece of work haphazardly patched up or sloppily done. Because of this, I always push myself to the best of my abilities and instill my utmost effort into everything I do.”
Alessandra is a champion varsity tennis player. Since her freshman year, her team has continually placed in the top three ranks at their all-district tournaments. This past year, Alessandra’s team placed first at the regional qualifier and second at the state qualifier.
Alessandra’s leadership skills are admirable. “Being a leader in tennis is fulfilling in the way that it keeps me motivated to get better. It reminds me that there is always room for improvement and allows me to show others that they don’t need private
lessons every week to gain success. All they need is a determination to improve and a will to practice.”
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Alessandra speaks French fluently
and is a member of the French Symposium. Her favorite teacher is Dr. Carol LeBoeuf, her French instructor. “Apart from being an amazing teacher, she has such a fun and amiable personality that coming to class every day is something to look forward to.”
Alessandra is a talented artist. As a freshman, she was a state finalist and gold medalist at the Visual Arts Scholastic Event. She won the Award for Excellence and the gold medal at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and she continues to receive recognition for her work in oil painting at GRHS.
When asked what she treasures most about her high school experience, Alessandra said, “All of the wonderful time I’ve spent with my friends. Knowing we only have one more year to spend together makes me incredibly sad but at the same time hopeful for all of the new people we’ll meet and things we’ll experience.”
Alessandra plans to attend The University of Texas at Austin and major in journalism. While math and science truly interest her, writing is her passion, so her field of interest also includes creative writing and screenwriting. Congratulations Alessandra on your amazing talent and drive, and good luck as you look to your future endeavors.