Record-setting Texas CWS program prepares students at University of St. Thomas

The University of St. Thomas in Houston played host to the largest-ever Texas Collegiate World Series (CWS) program this past July 24 to 28, when 144 aspiring college applicants converged on Space City for the intensive five-day program to better their prospects.

The CWS, considered NHI’s capstone program, brings rising seniors together for a two-part endeavor. While the first part focuses on applying to higher education institutions, led by representatives from notable universities and liberal arts colleges from across the U.S., the second part focuses on life beyond college, introducing students to the inquiry-based learning method.

Angela Masciale, co-educational director for this year’s Texas CWS, said, “Each year I’m reminded of why I come back to serve as educational director for this wonderful program. The students share their deepest goals, thoughts, and worries with a room of more than 140 of their peers without fear or judgement. That is the power and magic of NHI. When you enter a program, the weight of the outside world seems to feel lighter. What may seem like an impossible challenge feels achievable. The magic that occurs over the four days of the Collegiate World Series program is one that is empowering and demystifying.”

She added, “The active engagement with university admissions officers directly with participants always makes me proud of this program. The advice shared from these professionals with our participants is invaluable. The introduction to Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) always rattles the students, but they step away with a new methodology to wrangle life’s biggest questions. This program was also very special, given that Arianna Yarritu and I met 14 years ago at our 2010 Texas LDZ. It was the first time NHI gave two women the ability to be Educational Directors together, instead of the usual man and woman format. I’m very proud of the work we accomplished and the impact we’ve made on the next generation of NHI alumni.”

At the commencement ceremony that traditionally ends the CWS, Dan Garcia, Director of the Rising Stars Program at the University of St. Thomas, praised the students for their participation, acknowledging the many parents who came to Houston to see their children “graduate” from NHI. He noted, “Programs like these are important to the growth of the students, but also to help parents have that confidence that their students can go off and be a part of an institution.”

Lucas Castillo-West, from Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas, said, “I think it helped a lot with the college process. It’s helpful to be thrown into doing the things that we needed to do. Like I think especially for the essay writing, being forced to write an essay in like 45 minutes, I found super helpful and it helped me grow.” He added, regarding the IBL phase of the program, “I learned a lot more about how IBL can help in the decision-making process, and how this different way of thinking can teach you a lot about yourself.”

Yaya Gonzalez, from El Paso High School in El Paso, Texas, believed she’d be able to use the IBL process in her application process. “IBL’s probably going to help me writing my college essays,” she offered. “It’s going to let me think better I think about the prompt that I want, and actually make it like something real and not just like superficial.”

Samantha Perez, from Patriot High School in Jurupa Valley, California, observed, “The Great Debate taught me how to challenge myself, the LDZ taught me how to coexist with other people and be morally strong, and the CWS taught me how to use it in the real world.”

Award winners for the event included:

Valedictorians

• Isabela Matamoros, Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Austin, Texas
• Daniel Goebel Guzman, Windermere Preparatory School, Orlando, Florida

League Series MVPs

• Sajeel Atif, All Hallows High School, Bronx, New York
• Isa Bainbridge, Incarnate Word High School, San Antonio, Texas
• Andres Alejandro Bravo, Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Leonardo Cantu, Rouse High School, Leander, Texas
• Deven Galvez, University Laboratory High School, Urbana, Illinois
• Yaya Gonzalez, El Paso High School, El Paso, Texas
• Dylan Martinez, Saint Thomas High School, Houston, Texas
• Anthony Moina, All Hallows High School, Bronx, New York
• Fedra Najera, Science Academy of South Texas, Mercedes, Texas
• Sebastian Montenegro, Eco School Q’anill, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
• Valerie Sanchez, Instituto de Ciencias, Jalisco, Mexico
• Sonrisa Zetuche, New Braunfels High School, New Braunfels, Texas

Major Leaguers

• Sofia Aboul-Enein, St. John’s School, Houston, Texas
• Catarina Alzati-Saldan, Saint Francis High School, Mountain View, California
• Gustavo Bosques, Boston College High School, Boston, Massachusetts
• Lucas Castillo-West, Liberal Arts and Science Academy, Austin, Texas
• Pablo Chavez, Instituto de Ciencias, Jalisco, Mexico
• Rianna Davila, Brandeis High School, San Antonio, Texas
• Andres Farray, Science Academy of South Texas, Mercedes, Texas
• Kayla Foytek, Idea Weslaco Pike College Prep, Weslaco, Texas
• Victoria Galindo, Coronado High School, El Paso, Texas
• Kai Gomez, St. John’s School, Houston, Texas
• Marissa Lopez, St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School, Austin, Texas
• Lorenzo Milk, International School of The Americas, San Antonio, Texas
• Kaylie Morales, Del Rio High School, Del Rio, Texas
• Victoria Morena, iSchool High at University Park, Houston, Texas
• Jennifer Morfa, Colegio Cristiano Victor Manuel, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Samantha Perez, Patriot High School, Jurupa Valley, California
• Maria Riojas, St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School, Austin, Texas
• Giselle Rodriguez, The Wardlaw+Hartridge School, Edison, New Jersey
• Mephisto Rodriguez, YES Prep North Central, Houston, Texas
• David Villarreal, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, Texas

Hall of Fame Award

• Mia Aguinaga, Marshalltown High School, Marshalltown, Iowa