Record details
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Sarai: I started out in kindergarten in Lindale and all of my school years have been great, but high school was, by far, the best four years I could ever imagine. Part of that great high school experience was being a college student at TJC.
Many of my high school teachers have the credentials to teach in college, so I have been able to get credit toward both high school and college graduation for my advanced courses. Through Lindale’s partnership with TJC, I already have 29 college credit hours in history, government, economics, English and biology.
This summer, I’m taking algebra at TJC Lindale, so I’ll be entering college in the fall as a sophomore. I like the smaller classes because they allow for more interaction. The smaller class size makes even the hardest college classes seem easier.
Paying for college is a struggle for everyone, so the Lindale/TJC partnership has been a godsend. No one in my family has ever gotten a college degree and I want to be the first. My mom is so proud! She has always said “A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.” (God most helps those that work the hardest.) I have already completed a year of college while in high school and TJC is so affordable that now I know a college degree is within reach.
Last year I got to job-shadow a pharmacist, Mrs. Coyne at Brookshire’s Pharmacy in Lindale. She offered me a summer job and has been a great mentor. I helped my best friend Meagan get a job there too. In a few weeks, we will both be at TJC where I will start in pre-pharmacy and she plans to start taking the courses to become a physical therapist or sports training assistant.
Meagan: Sarai and I have been friends since grade school and I’m excited that we’ll both be at TJC with many of our other friends. I have completed 33 college hours, so both of us are sophomores already.
I plan to go to Texas Tech after TJC and major in health exercise and sports sciences. Athletics are a big part of my life. As a kid, I ran everywhere and my nickname at school was “white lightning.” I participated in volleyball, basketball and track. Injuries during my sophomore and senior years required physical therapy. Last year, after I broke my back, the physical therapy I received was life-changing. It allowed me to be active again and have my best year ever. I’ve decided I’d love to someday do that for others.
Lindale offers more college credit than any other high school but I focused on those pertaining to medical fields. My favorite this year was the TJC dual credit biology class. Sarai and I dissected dead cats, and even though I was a bit scared at first, it was great to see what was inside the cat and to also know what is inside me. I knew which muscles and which parts of the body the physical therapists were talking about as I went through my own rehab exercises.
My mom is convinced I’m genetically programmed for TJC. Both her parents went to TJC. My grandfather played football for Coach Wagstaff and my grandmother played in the band for Dr. Eddie Fowler. My mom earned a full president’s scholarship to TJC and my dad went there, too.
In high school, I was very involved with activities so I especially like TJC’s three promises: A Quality Education, A Vibrant Student Life and Community Service. I can’t wait for school to start!
- Biography
- Best friends Sarai Cornejo and Meagan Hardy are 2009 honor students and top 10% graduates of Lindale High School who will start at TJC this fall as sophomores. They were co-captains of the volleyball team and both were active in academics, athletics and service clubs throughout high school. Sarai was Vice President of the Student Council and an active member of the national Honor Society, Key Club and SADD Club. She was also manager for the basketball and the baseball teams. Meagan Hardy was chosen “Student of the Year” and excelled both in sports and academically. Meagan was Homecoming Duchess and Volleyball Coronation Duchess. She was a starter on the volleyball, basketball and track teams, and earned all-district honors in each sport. Meagan made the 2009 All District, All Region, and All State Academic Track Team. In addition to all their other honors, both students were selected for President’s Circle scholarships at TJC.