Lori Perez

@RomaISD Congratulations! She’s amazing and will accomplish great things!!

Roma High School Senior Emma G. Escobar Earns Prestigious $430,000 Johnson Scholarship at Washington and Lee University Roma High School Class of 2026 senior Emma G. Escobar has been named a Johnson Scholar at Washington and Lee University, earning one of the most prestigious and competitive merit scholarships in the nation. Emma received an award package valued at approximately $430,000. This includes over $100,000 per year covering tuition, housing, meals, and fees, along with an additional $5,000 to support books and other academic needs. The program also awards her with a $10,000 educational endowment that she may use at her discretion for research, summer programs, and study abroad. Along with this award, she is given the opportunity to apply each year for W&L’s Johnson Opportunity Grant of up to $6,000. Emma was recently 1 of only 4 students out of 17,000+ applicants nationwide to be a 2026 National Honor Society National Pillar Award Winner. Earning an additional $5,000. In total, the NHS awarded her with $10,635 in academic scholarships for her leadership, service, scholarship, and character. Additionally, she gained acceptance into the prestigious Baylor University Scholars Program alongside a $120,000 merit-based scholarship for pre-medical studies. She was also accepted to The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Northwestern University, Swarthmore College, and The University of Texas at Austin. The Johnson Scholarship Program at Washington and Lee University recognizes students with exceptional academic achievement, leadership, intellectual curiosity, and character. Johnson Scholars are selected through an extensive national competition and are provided with full merit scholarships as well as access to unique enrichment opportunities, mentorship, leadership development, and experiential learning programs throughout their college careers. Founded in 1749 and located in Lexington, Virginia, Washington and Lee University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious liberal arts universities. Known for its rigorous academics, close-knit community, strong honor system, and outstanding alumni network, the university consistently ranks among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. The university is also nationally recognized for its strong pre-medical advising and impressive medical school acceptance rates. “My plan is to be a reconstructive surgeon for cancer patients, and also to one day be a hospital CEO,” Emma explained. “After I was able to shadow several doctors and medical professionals at Houston Methodist Hospital last summer, I knew that being a surgeon would make me happy.” “When I started my college search journey, I was laser focused on trying to get my education completely funded,” she said. “I know that medical school will be expensive, and it was important to apply to schools with merit-based aid opportunities.” “After attending Washington and Lee’s PATH Fly-In, I realized that I was solely interested in pursuing a liberal arts education, rather than a typical undergraduate program," she explained. “W&L is small school, but jam-packed with opportunities and a wonderful alumni network ready to help students succeed. They have a 93% medical school acceptance rate, which boasts higher than almost every T20 school. They also have an amazing spring term that is very unique because students can study a wide variety of topics or geographic locations, and a strict student-enforced honor code.” “I already feel like a valued member of their community,” Emma added. “Where else can you go where students and staff 1,600 miles away already know your name and ask you about your recent accomplishments? It’s a place that is excited to have me in the student body, where I have already made friends, and where I know my contributions will be valued and supported.” “My advice to other students in Roma is to remember: what is the worst someone can tell you? No. Well, if you don’t try, you may never hear the yes you want to hear!” she said. “I pursued college fly-in opportunities the summer before my senior year, and I got to go to Chicago and Virginia for free. I met amazing people from across the world. They helped me realize that my future goals are just that, mine.” Roma ISD proudly congratulates Emma on these incredible accomplishments and looks forward to seeing all she will achieve in the future. Her story is a powerful example of how talent, determination, leadership, and hard work can open doors to life-changing opportunities across the nation

BRADEN MONTGOMERY GOES YARD FOR HIS FIRST TRIPLE-A HOME RUN!!!!!! 🤩🤩

Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian added extra padding to his batting helmet after getting hit in the face during the LSU series. He turned that painful moment into a chance to share his faith on national TV:

Happy Birthday, Schotty 🎂 #12thMan #GigEm

The Rio Grande City Rattlers will face the Harlingen South Hawks in the Area Round of the UIL Baseball Playoffs in a best-of-three series beginning Thursday. #RattlerPride #txhsbaseball

In honor of the class of ‘26 graduating this week, what is your favorite Aggie sports moment from the past 4 years? I’ll start: Kaeden Kent’s grand slam in the 2024 super regional

Congrats @NDettmer21 ‼️ #GigEm

Former Texas A&M baseball standout Braden Shewmake hit a solo home run off Shohei Ohtani tonight.

Class 5A DII Softball Bi-district One game Moody and Rio Grande City are scoreless. End 3 @CallerSports @TexCoastBend @MICSportsNetwrk

I had the privilege of working for his grandfather, Dr. Litz, in the Ag Eco Department as a student. I know he’s beaming down from heaven with pride. What an outstanding Aggie and representative of our school! 👍

This blew up way more than I thought it would. 50k+ people have seen the post. That makes me happy because 50k+ people have read about God working through players. Chris didnt know the camera was on him, but God used it as a way to reach people that wouldn't normally see it.

Our fellow Aggie will be playing in the UFL and is needing a new place to call home. Aggie network let’s get him in touch with the right people. Please share and help out. 🙏🏽

Chris Hacopian was hit in the face with a 93 mph fastball last night. He now highlights John 3:16 on the helmet that may have saved his career. Good bull👍❤️

Oh my

🎉 Huge congratulations to Roma High School Class of 2026 Senior Emma Escobar! This evening in Washington, DC, at the NASSP National Education Leadership Awards, Emma was named a winner of the National Honor Society National Pillar Award for Service! Out of more than 17,000 entries nationwide, Emma made school history as the first RHS student ever selected as one of only 25 national finalists for the program. As a finalist she earned a $5,600 scholarship, and tonight she received an additional $5,000 scholarship as a National Pillar Award winner! Emma’s outstanding commitment to serving her community, including logging over 500 hours tutoring students of all ages in music and helping her peers academically truly set her apart. The Gladiator Nation is incredibly proud of you Emma! Thank you for shining so brightly and representing Roma High School on the national stage, and making school history once again! We can’t wait to see all the great things you’ll continue to accomplish! #GladiatorProud #RomaHighSchool #NHS #ClassOf2026 #NationalPillarAward

This is MY story! So, to all the NFL GMs out there, and kids who are just like me — I wrote this to you. @PlayersTribune  theplayerstribune.com/kc-concepcion-…

Lead from the front baby ❤️

@RomaISD How wonderful! Congratulations on this well deserved recognition!!

🌧️ WEATHER UPDATE: No. 18 Texas A&M and No. 2 Texas is currently set to begin at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Ten years ago, Texas A&M miraculously beat UNI 92-88 in 2OT after being down 12 with 44 seconds left in regulation. Now the Aggies are back in OKC. Billy Kennedy remembers it well. "I saw Kurt Warner laughing and smiling, and I said, 'this isn't over yet.'"