Families filled the A&M-San Antonio auditorium recently for a first-of-its-kind celebration of academic achievement.
Nearly 80 high school students — some as young as 13 when they first set foot on campus — walked across the stage in a special ceremony to receive cords or a stole signifying a remarkable academic milestone: earning 42 or more college credit hours before graduating from high school.
The inaugural Dual Credit and Early College High School (ECHS) Recognition Ceremony honored students from Harlandale STEM Early College High School and Southwest Preparatory Early College High School who have been doing extraordinary work. While still completing their high school course loads, these students have been studying in college classrooms, learning from University faculty, and meeting the same expectations as traditional college students.
“These are high-achieving students who we wanted to recognize their hard work,” said Karla Frausto, executive director of Early College and Academic Partnerships at A&M–San Antonio. “But we also wanted to create a moment where their families could celebrate with us and truly see what their students have accomplished here on our campus.”
Dual credit allows eligible high school students to earn both high school and college credit at the same time through approved courses offered in partnership with a university. Early college high schools give students in grades 9–12 the chance to earn up to 60 college credit hours at no cost to their families. Students are bused to the A&M–San Antonio campus, where they are fully integrated into university life — taught by A&M–San Antonio faculty and supported by campus services just like any other Jaguar.
“You’re talking about 13- and 14-year-olds sitting in a college class like any other traditional student,” Frausto said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for students to get ahead and graduate with most, if not all, of their core coursework completed. If everything goes as planned, they come to college as juniors instead of freshmen.”
For Harlandale STEM Early College High School, this year’s senior class represents a particularly meaningful milestone. It is the first cohort of students who began the program as freshmen and completed their entire early college experience exclusively at A&M–San Antonio.
“They started here with us as freshmen,” Frausto said. “These students have only taken classes at Texas A&M–San Antonio. This is the first graduating class we’re officially recognizing from Harlandale, and that makes this ceremony even more special.”
During the ceremony, University leaders, faculty, counselors, and families gathered to honor not only academic achievement but also the determination and maturity required to succeed in a college environment at such a young age.
“Students, what you have accomplished through the Early College High School program is remarkable,” President Salvador Hector Ochoa said in his remarks. “While balancing the demands of high school, you committed yourselves to college-level coursework. You walked into A&M–San Antonio classrooms, learned from University faculty and met the same expectations as our college students. You did not wait for the future to begin; you built it.”
Ochoa also recognized the network of support surrounding each student — teachers, counselors, school leaders, university faculty and, most importantly, families.
“To the families and loved ones here today: this accomplishment belongs to you as well,” he said. “Your support, sacrifices and belief in these students made this day possible.”
The program is funded through government support, meaning students and their families pay nothing for the college courses. That access removes a significant financial barrier and opens the door for students to envision themselves in higher education earlier than they might have otherwise.
Beyond the credits earned, Frausto said the program gives students confidence and a sense of belonging.
“They gain experience navigating a university campus, interacting with faculty and managing the expectations of college coursework,” she said. “By the time they graduate high school, college doesn’t feel intimidating — it feels familiar.”
The ceremony also served as a celebration of partnership. Counselors and administrators from Harlandale STEM and Southwest Prep were recognized for identifying students ready for the challenge and walking alongside them throughout the journey. A&M–San Antonio faculty and staff were thanked for welcoming the students into their classrooms and holding them to high expectations.
“A&M–San Antonio was founded to uplift communities,” Ochoa said. “The Early College High School program is a powerful example of that mission in action. Whether you return here as future Jaguars or pursue your path elsewhere, you do so with a head start and with confidence.”
For Frausto, the ceremony marked more than a celebration — it marked the beginning of a new tradition.
“These students have been doing this work for years,” she said. “Now, we have a way to honor them and show the community what’s possible when high schools and universities work together.”