Blanson CTE High School Senior Miguel Chacón Named Gates Scholar and Scholarship Recipient

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Blanson CTE High School senior Miguel Chacón has been named a Gates Scholar and a Gates Scholarship recipient.

Blanson CTE High School senior Miguel Chacón has been awarded a Gates Scholarship.

Miguel was one of 34,900 applicants for this prestigious honor.

Miguel is ranked No. 1 in his class.

Miguel has yet to make his final decision on where he will attend college. He is leaning towards MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), but he has also been accepted to Brown, Columbia, and Harvard — all Ivy League schools.

“It is simply a recognition of my hard work,” Miguel said when asked what it meant to him to be a Gates Scholarship recipient. “It’s as simple as that.”

He added being involved with EMERGE was a big assist in the process of applying for the scholarship.

“They helped me by providing the individual attention that helped me a lot in writing my essays and understanding a lot of the jargon used when talking about financial aid. They also helped my parents understand more about the college process.”

The Gates Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship awarded to outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to 300 of these student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential.

Gates Scholars receive funding for the full cost of attendance that is not already covered by other financial aid and the expected family contribution, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by the Scholar’s college or university.

To be eligible to apply, the student must be:

• A high school senior
• From at least one of the following ethnicities: African-American, Indian/Alaska Native, Asian and Pacific Islander American or Hispanic
• Pell-eligible
• A U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident
• In good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA (grade point average) of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale

Additionally, a student must plan to enroll full-time, in a four-year degree program, at a U.S.-accredited, not-for-profit, private, or public college or university.

Miguel, a computer enthusiast, said he would major in computer science in college. He credits Blanson teacher Leonel Rodriguez with piquing his interest in computers. “He got me interested in them,” he said.

Miguel is president of Blanson’s National Honor Society, a member of the school’s Technology Association (TSA), serves as one of Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney’s Student Ambassadors, and serves as a tutor for other Blanson students.

Miguel has been a student in Aldine ISD since the second grade when he attended Goodman Elementary School. He went to Hill Intermediate School (now Hill Elementary School), Stovall Middle School, and spent his freshman year at Aldine Ninth Grade School before enrolling in Blanson CTE High School when it opened in August of 2018.

He loves attending Blanson because of the school’s opportunities and because of the staff of dedicated administrators and teachers.

“I would not go to any other school,” he said. “I really feel supported here. I like the staff because they are so supportive.”