San Benito High School senior Andrea Mosqueda earned recognition for her academic excellence through the U.S. Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector’s “Head of the Class” program.
Nominated for the honor by her journalism teacher, Maria Toscano, Mosqueda is the daughter of Albert and Rosalinda Mosqueda.
The U.S. Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector recognizes the academic excellence of high-achieving seniors at high schools throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Students are nominated by their respective schools and selected by an impartial committee. The program has been in existence for more than 18 years and brings together local businesses as partners to highlight and recognize the efforts of students who are role models for their peers.
As an extension of the “Head of the Class” program, RGV Sector will recognize three “Head of the Class” recipients as “Youth of the Year” in April. The students chosen as “Youth of the Year” will receive a $1,500 scholarship to help with the expenses of attending college.
Mosqueda expressed her sentiments about the recognition.
“To be recognized by the Border Patrol as a Head of the Class recipient is an honor that I can’t express. I finally feel like my hard work has paid off, and that alone, even without the scholarship, makes everything I’ve done or accomplished in my academic and extracurricular life worthwhile,” she said.
Mosqueda, a Superintendent’s High Five honoree, recently received the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Award, the Good Citizenship Medal, in recognition of their efforts in the field of American Citizenship.
Mosqueda, who joined eight other students from throughout the Valley in receiving the honor, has been enrolled in Toscano’s journalism class since her sophomore year.
Mosqueda is involved in several academic clubs and is active with several community organizations. She also writes and takes photographs for the local town newspaper, The San Benito News.
She has been accepted to several prestigious universities, including Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, Georgetown University, and Yale University.
“Andrea’s journey into the student publication program began her sophomore year when she joined the El Sendero Yearbook staff. In a class full of juniors and seniors, she was the only underclassman. She fit in quite well because Andrea is very mature for her age,” Toscano wrote in the nomination letter to Border Patrol’s Program. “On the first day of class, she asked to be an editor because “she loved words.” Andrea has been editing stories, headlines, and captions ever since that encounter!”
Toscano describes Mosqueda as “class motivator.”
“She is always checking on the other students to make sure deadlines are met. She also comes in at lunch to help tutor students when they need help with the feature stories required for the yearbook,” Toscano said.
Toscano explained that Mosqueda’s journalistic work is “superior.”
“This year, she has already written a very creative piece for the opening the yearbook that defines the theme: Looking Forward, To Looking Back. She is also writing other creative pieces for the different sections of the yearbook,” Toscano said.
Andrea Mosqueda, fourth from left, a San Benito High School senior, was selected as the Border Patrol’s Head of the Class Award Recipient. Shown at the reception are from left, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Marlene Castro, Journalism teacher Maria Toscano, Higher Education coordinator Sandra Ruiz, Principal Henry Sanchez, counselor Anna Garcia and Border Patrol Agent Gaspar Vera. Mosqueda was chosen along with eight other students from throughout the Valley.