Jumping for joy are, from left, Port Aransas High School seniors Caitlyn Boyer, Tyler Hofhiens, Brooke Jones and Cohen Guevara. They are among 51 seniors who will take part in graduation ceremonies on Thursday, May 21. Staff photo by Dan Parker
Fifty-one seniors are set to graduate from Port Aransas High School on Thursday, May 21.
The ceremony, which will be the inaugural graduation at the new Jim and Judy Cole Performing Arts Center, is set to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Achievements
According to PAHS Principal David Swartwout, 40 students will wear gold honor graduate cords for maintaining a GPA of 90% or above throughout high school, while 21 students earned the double gold cord and white stole as members of the National Honor Society, recognizing excellence in scholarship, leadership, service and character.
Port Aransas High School officials also said that 43 students will wear orange and white UT OnRamps cords for successfully completing college-level coursework through the University of Texas OnRamps program, and 21 students will wear white Marlins in Action cords for outstanding community service and involvement in campus and local initiatives.
Twenty-two students earned red blood donor cords through repeated blood donations supporting the Coastal Bend blood supply and community health efforts.
Rodrigo Camarena
Eight students will don rainbow Natural Helpers cords for serving as peer leaders and trusted student support members through the Natural Helpers program, Swartwout explained.
Still more achievements
Eight students also earned purple Marlin Mentoring cords for their leadership and service as mentors to younger students, and one student earned a green and silver cord for completing a Career and Technical Education (CTE) industry-based certification, demonstrating workforce readiness and specialized career skills.
Swartwout also said that one student will wear a green and white cord for outstanding achievement and leadership in 4-H, recognizing dedication to service, leadership and agricultural education and that four students will don a silver commemorative pin for their service and leadership through the Mayor’s Youth Council.
Sybil Gilmore
Swartwout explained how he encouraged the PAHS Class of 2026 to remain curious, continue learning and stay open to new ideas and experiences as they move into the next stage of life.
“I…emphasized the importance of kindness, leadership, humility and making others feel valued, reminding graduates that the way they treat people will leave a lasting impact long after high school,” Swartwout said.
Sharon McKinney, Port Aransas ISD superintendent, emphasized her pride and excitement for this year’s graduating seniors, and for what lies ahead for them.
“The PAHS Class of 2026 has accomplished a great deal academically, athletically, artistically and through service to our school and community,” McKinney said. “They have continued the proud tradition and legacy of excellence at Port Aransas ISD.”
Golf cart parade
A yearly tradition continues following the ceremonies, as graduates will take part in a golf cart parade, which will depart from Port Aransas High School and head south on Station Street before turning left on Avenue G and ending on the beach at Beach Street.
The parade will commence approximately 15 minutes after graduation.
Valedictorian
Rodrigo Camarena is the 2025-26 valedictorian, with a grade-point average of 108.657.
Attending Texas A&M University College Station in the fall, Camarena plans to study mechanical engineering.
“In high school, I took this engineering course, and it was something that really interested me,” Camarena said. “I also really love math and science, I honestly think it’s what I do best.”
Camarena added that his brother is also studying mechanical engineering, so he’s excited about the prospect of them being able to work together in the future.
For Rodrigo, taking the time to help others is what he’ll hold onto most from his time at Port Aransas High School, as he moves on to the next chapter of his life.
Specifically, Camarena said he is particularly proud of his role in the Mentoring Marlins program.
“(The program) taught me that I should not only push myself, but help push others to do their best,” Camarena said.
Camarena wrapped up the school year competing in the UIL State Academics meet in Austin for the third time since his sophomore year. As team captain, he used the lessons he learned as a Mentoring Marlin to help is fellow teammates along the way.
Through all his successes, Rodrigo pointed to the pride of being a first-generation graduate in the Camarena family.
“My parents didn’t graduate high school before they came from Mexico,” Camarena said. “So, this experience in the United States is something completely different, something that my brother and I had to learn to navigate through on our own.”
Camarena explained that this experience gave him the strength to face new obstacles and new opportunities head on, and that’s the same message he’d like to pass on to the next generation of high school students.
“Don’t be afraid to try something new,” Camarena said. “This school does a great job of offering a whole bunch of college courses and OnRamps; we didn’t know what these were for or how they would help us, but we made the choice to take the risk and here we are, getting ahead in college.”
Salutatorian
With a grade-point average of 106.805, this year’s salutatorian is Sybil Gilmore.
Gilmore will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the fall, majoring in civil engineering and minoring in English, with a focus in theology.
“I like the way things work and solving problems to make them work better,” Gilmore said of why she’s chosen civil engineering as her major.
As far as her interest in English and theology, Gilmore explained, “I’ve loved every English class I’ve taken since elementary school, and I like the way that language works.”
She added, “I also think that religion is very interesting, and if I’m going somewhere that’s so rich in history, I’d like to learn more about it.”
Gilmore fondly remembers beginning her high school athletic career on the sidelines of a Lady Marlins playoff basketball game her sophomore year and running at the state cross country meet earlier this year.
For her, that evolution all comes down to hard work.
“The hard work you put into it pays off, because it helps you find a community, to have people on your side and to enjoy where you’re at,” Gilmore said.
Gilmore explained that having the community on her side was never more in focus than on the night of the annual scholarship ceremony on Thursday, May 14 – a night she will remember always.
“It wasn’t because of any sum of money or anything like that,” Gilmore said. “It was because of how we as a class were brought together, and it showcased just how much our community backs us.”
Next Chapter
The community and the Port Aransas ISD will show their support for every graduating senior Thursday night, with each family and faculty member sending well wishes and hopes to these students as they move on to that next chapter.
“My hope for each graduate is that they leave PAISD with confidence in themselves, a strong sense of character and the understanding that success is not only measured by accomplishments, but also by how they treat others and contribute to their communities,” McKinney said. “I hope they continue to be lifelong learners, embrace new opportunities, and approach challenges with resilience and determination.”