The 51���� women’s soccer team showed grit and determination, earning a hard-fought 2-2 draw against nationally ranked No. 8 Trinity Valley Community College.

Freshman standouts Vivian Vasquez and Alexis Olalde delivered highlight-reel goals from more than 30 yards out to power the Scorpions to the impressive result.

“I saw the ball coming my direction and I took the chance, and it was a goal,” said Vasquez after the match.

Olalde, who netted TSC’s second goal from a long-distance free kick, said scoring from free kicks has always been part of her game. “I’ve done it a couple of times in high school, but it feels good to do it my freshman season of college,” she said.

Head Coach Jesus��Villareal praised his players for their execution against one of the toughest teams in the NJCAA.
“The girls deserve all the credit — they implemented what we worked on in practice. There’s still room to improve, but overall we did what we needed to do,” Villareal said. “I’m very happy for them. They just tied one of the best teams in the nation. This goes to show that anything is possible if they work hard, and they do.”

The draw marks another statement performance for the Scorpions as they continue their third��season in NJCAA competition. TSC will now turn its focus to another top-10 opponent, facing the No. 4-ranked Navarro College Bulldogs this Saturday at home.

“We get back to work tomorrow, getting ready for another intense game against another ranked opponent in Navarro, where we are hoping for another positive result,” Villareal added.

With back-to-back games against nationally ranked competition, the Scorpions continue to prove they belong on the NJCAA stage, showing resilience and talent that promise an exciting season ahead.

Today, 51���� (TSC) in collaboration with the Texas Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) program hosted its annual Living History Day on the South Hall Lawn, offering attendees a journey through historical periods.

Living History Day is a hallmark event for TSC, celebrating global and local historical eras. This year’s festivities featured reenactments that took visitors to times ranging from Ancient Rome to the World Wars.
Attendees were treated to dynamic sword fights, authentic armor displays, and the resounding booms of cannon and musket firings.

A notable highlight was the participation of volunteers from the Palo Alto National Battlefield Historical Park. They conducted live cannon firings and shared insights into the region’s significant historical events, providing a deeper understanding of local history.

TSC instructors and various student clubs also contributed to the day’s success by setting up booths with history-themed games and informational displays. TSC instructors, many dressed in period costumes, engaged with these interactive exhibits, adding to the day’s educational and entertaining ambiance.

Dirk Yarker, a TSC history instructor and co-organizer of the event, emphasized the importance of such immersive experiences. “The driving forces behind organizing this event have been to expose our community to a variety of periods throughout history, providing a diversity of ideas and education in an interactive way,” Yarker stated.

 

As a comprehensive community college, 51����’s (TSC) mission is to help students improve their lives and create better opportunities through the power of higher education. One way this mission manifests itself is by giving students a platform to gain a valuable first step in earning their associate’s degree before deciding whether to continue pursuing their education elsewhere.

TSC Alumni Erica Esquivel and Abigail Hernandez, the mother-daughter duo, understood that their time at TSC was a crucial first step on their educational journeys. This journey led them to Texas A&M University Kingsville (TAMUK), where they recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work.

“My mother was adamant about the importance of education,” Esquivel remarked. “Coming from a working-class family with no other relatives living nearby, she worked tirelessly to take care of us from sunrise to sunset. She always emphasized that education was the key to a better life for us.”

Esquivel passed on this sentiment to her daughter, who enrolled at TSC shortly after earning her high school diploma. “I chose TSC because it was a school that I knew would ensure my success, as the professors care about each student,” shared Hernandez.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, creating an unexpected obstacle in Hernandez’s educational path. Her mother offered crucial support and encouragement. “I told her, ‘No, you don’t quit. We are all learning to live with uncertainty,'” Esquivel said. While she wasn’t surprised by her daughter’s determination to overcome the challenge, she was taken aback by her daughter’s condition – she would continue her studies only if her mother enrolled at TSC alongside her.

With both ladies now enrolled at TSC, they began studying hard to work toward their shared goal of earning their associate’s degrees in social work. As they progressed through semesters together, their plans were altered when representatives from TAMUK visited their class at TSC.

“I decided to continue my educational journey at Texas A&M Kingsville after two professors visited one of my senior social work classes to discuss their program,” recalled Hernandez. TAMUK representatives arranged for both women to visit their campus and attend a few social work classes.

While Hernandez prepared to transition to TAMUK full-time, Esquivel was hesitant, primarily due to transportation issues to Kingsville. Fortunately, their visit to TAMUK alleviated her concerns. “They explained the social work program’s flexibility, operating on a hybrid class model. It made it easier for me to attend as a commuter student, requiring in-person attendance only once a week.”

They made up their minds and decided to enroll with TAMUK upon completing their degrees at TSC.

“I relocated from San Benito to Kingsville and had to start from scratch, said Hernandez. “As a full-time worker and student, it was difficult to stay motivated as I was often pressed for time, but with family and faculty support, I could overcome these challenges.” Esquivel, who chose to stay in San Benito, found ways to navigate her unique challenges. “As a mother, full-time worker, and student, time management was difficult, but I managed by keeping a planner and relying on the support of my family,” she said.

After two more years of hard work and perseverance, both ladies reached the end of their associate degree journey, securing a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn their bachelor’s degrees simultaneously as mother and daughter. Even with this latest accomplishment, both ladies aren’t content to rest on their laurels – they are actively planning to check off the next box on their list of educational goals and earn their master’s degrees in social work from TAMUK.

In addition to gaining experience in their new social work careers, both ladies want to show struggling students that the sky is the limit as long as they’re willing to put in the time and effort.

“I tell students, ‘Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help because there are always resources available to you.’ I also urge them to establish a good rapport with their professors and administrators,” said Hernandez, with Esquivel encouragingly adding, “Never give up. The path is not easy, but it will all be worth it in the end.”

A group of exceptional students from La Feria Early College High School have made history by becoming the first group from that school to earn a degree from 51����, a remarkable achievement that sets them apart.

Marianna Cervin, Noah Lozano, Jazmin Guajardo, Midaly Cazares, Clarissa Beltran, Sebastian Flores, and Antonio Rodriguez now share the distinction of being the first students from La Feria Early College High School to earn an associate degree in General Studies from TSC just a few weeks before their high school graduation.

These students were part of TSC’s Dual Credit program, which gives high schools across the Rio Grande Valley the opportunity to offer concurrent classes that students can take in addition to their required classes.

Yolanda Chamberlain, Early College High School Director for La Feria ECHS, believes that these graduates have set a shining example for their peers. “These students have paved the way for others to follow,” Chamberlain said. “Their journey is a testament to the potential of our Dual Credit program, and I am confident that they will continue to inspire and achieve great things.”

For each dual credit class completed, students earn college credit hours before they have begun their first semester of college, allowing them to gain an incredible head-start on their studies in higher education.

The program is emblematic of one of TSC’s significant goals, which is to help local students pursue their educational goals more quickly and at a lower cost than other schools, assisting students to save time and money.

The seven La Feria students were among 490 additional TSC dual credit students from other local high schools to be awarded their associate’s degrees at the college’s most recent Spring Commencement Ceremony.