AUSTIN–This fall Johnston High School valedictorian Wenceslao Fonseca and 18 other Johnston graduates will take advantage of an Austin Community College Scholarship that will provide automatic admission to ACC and the Honors Program. The scholarship, which was implemented in August 2001, will cover tuition and fees for up to 42 college credit hours, many of which may transfer to public higher education institutions in Texas.

“It’s an excellent example of ACC working with AISD to provide opportunities for our top students,” says Dr. Sal Cavazos, Johnston High School principal. “The students were very excited when they learned about the scholarships. Going to ACC on this scholarship is a smart thing to do.”

Wenceslao agrees with his principal. The native Texan, who graduated in May with a 3.78 grade point average, plans to join the Honors Program and study business at ACC for two years before transferring to The University of Texas-Austin.

“I didn’t think that I was going to be number one academically in the class at the start of the year,” Wenceslao says. “But all my friends said that I never gave up from the beginning. And I’m excited that I graduated at the top of my class.”His parents are too. “We’re so proud of him,” says his mother Anita Fonseca. “We thought he wasn’t going to be up there when school started, but he worked so hard all the time. He asked his teachers what he needed to do, and he did it.”

Wenceslao hopes to enter UT’s business management program and follow in his father’s footsteps by opening his own business. If he makes it big, he plans on staying close to home so he can help other youths stay on track and accomplish their goals.

“Everyone’s put here for a purpose,” Wenceslao says. I want to become somebody people respect and I want to help others. I want to be successful so I can help the community. Maybe I can build one of those centers where young kids come for free and can play games and get academic tutoring.”