Laurel High School celebrates 1st Hispanic valedictorian

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) - Leslie Santiago is the first Hispanic and former English-Learner program valedictorian at Laurel High School.

Santiago will not only be graduating with a high school diploma but an associates degree from Jones College.

Santiago took part of Laurel High School’s inaugural year of the Middle College program.

The program is based on a partnership between the Laurel School District and Jones College that allows students to earn hours/credits toward both a high school diploma and a two-year associate’s degree.

.“I graduated Jones last Friday, and it was honestly memorable,” Santiago said. “I get to say I graduated college before high school.”

A native of Mexico, Santiago moved to Laurel as a child not knowing English.

“Coming from a family that doesn’t speak English, nor myself, and coming into a country that that’s the language that’s spoke, we couldn’t get around, we couldn’t go to grocery stores, we needed translators for everything,” Santiago said.

Santiago began learning the language through Laurel School District’s English Learner program in kindergarten.

Laurel English Learner Coordinator Carolina Reeves-Garcia taught Santiago and is proud of her pupil’s achievements.

“Leslie, and I’m gonna say this, she was one of my favorite students because she was always a hard worker,” Reeves-Garcia said. “She has a gift. We have to say that, to be number one in all those areas, you have to have a gift and she does.”

Laurel High School Principal Eric Boone said Santiago persevered through a lot to make it this far.

“Through her perseverance, through the hard work of teachers, through our district EL coordinator, Leslie has become a huge success and we are very proud of her,” Boone said.

Santiago said she’s not finished with her educational journey.

“I like helping the people in my community and something that I feel is something that interests me is the dental field, so, I’m planning to pursue something as a dental hygienist and see where that takes me,” Santiago said.

Santiago also graduated with a certificate in construction from Laurel High School’s Career Technical Center at the top of her class.

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