PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — When asked to describe this first year of school at Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School, Palm Beach County's first new high school in about 20 years, principal Oscar Otero called it "fabulous."
Thursday marked the last day of school for The School District of Palm Beach County. For students and staff at Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School in western Lake Worth, it was a banner year.
"Anywhere you turn on campus, these clubs, student organizations, accomplishments continue to come in, exceeding expectations for a first-year high school," Otero said.
He said the year started with a lot of anticipation and anxiety, but he's proud of the way the school community came together, creating a sense of pride.
"I really feel we've exceeded expectations, just from choice applications we had 1,200. That's probably higher than any other high school, those are students who are not zoned here but want to come here," Otero said. "Making sure that the culture we've created of belonging continues to be there for everybody. The pride has really come as friendships are forged between faculty and staff, staff and faculty with students and students with themselves."
A lot of the culture is rooted in the school's namesake, Dr. Joaquin Garcia. Garcia was a longtime advocate for Hispanic students. He was a founding member of the Hispanic Education Coalition of Palm Beach County. He passed away in 2021.
"Just knowing we carry that pride of Dr. Garcia, whom I knew well as an individual," Otero said. "Knowing his work and his life and the way he did business continues to inspire generations of people is an important responsibility for me as principal, but it's also a real honor."
The school claimed a district title is both boys and girls volleyball in this inaugural year, and also earned a prestigious honor for its theater program, along with a strong academic performance, according to Otero. He said he feels he delivered on his promise to create a campus that has a place for everyone.
Kaia Castro served as junior class president and will also be senior class president next year. With no seniors on campus this first year, the student government leader gets to make her mark twice.
"It's just a cool experience and it's just a once in a lifetime opportunity really to be top dog two years in a row. I just want to start new traditions and build the culture that hopefully the new classes coming in will follow," she said. "Being united, inclusive, having school spirit and just being an overall good citizen. It sounds corny but that's what Garcia is."
Castro said as part of the first graduating class next year, she's been able to change the graduation cap and gown color from the more traditional navy blue to the school's Carolina blue, to help them stand out.
The school's Latinos In Action group has also flourished in this first year. Francisco Sandoval is a co-president of the group.
"It's a huge thing, because we get to carry a legacy from a Hispanic leader. So, just having a leadership class of Latinos, words can't even describe how good of an honor it is to do that," he said. "Latinos In Action gets more students involved and everyone has that inclusivity with everyone, that everyone is included."
The group spent time mentoring students at Discovery Key Elementary School and planning school-wide events and activities.
Daniela Garrido is the other co-president of Latinos In Action.
"Being a predominately Hispanic school, I think it was a really good aspect of the school," she said. "To me it means change and equality and diversity being a strength rather than a weakness."
Garrido is proud to be attending the first school in Palm Beach County named after a Hispanic leader.
"Thinking about that, it's honestly an honor knowing it's the first school and the first year," she said. "We are the first group of Latinos being introduced into a school named after a Hispanic, a Latino."
With an incoming freshman class of 600 to 700 students, the high school's enrollment will be around 2,400 students, which is right on par with some of the other major high schools in Palm Beach County.
The school will also bring on another 40 to 45 teachers for the new school year to accommodate the increase in students.