1,516 public school students recognized for academic excellence

By The Star Staff

The Department of Education recognized 1,516 students from public schools, partnerships, and Sustainable Student Support Centers who completed high school with a perfect 4.00 GPA during the 2025 Academic Excellence ceremony on Wednesday.

Each distinguished student received a $1,000 scholarship. The school with the largest number of award winners was Dr. Carlos González School in Aguada, with 51 students. Also recognized was University Gardens School in San Juan, which had the largest number of students with the highest College Board scores.

“Once again, I am involved in an activity that fills me with pride and hope,” Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés said in a written statement. “You are stories of success and commitment.”

During the ceremony, scholarships were awarded to 14 students with the highest results on the College Admission Tests, and a special recognition of $3,000 was awarded to student Erick Ramos Vargas for achieving outstanding scores in English and Spanish.

Fourteen young people from alternative education programs were also recognized for completing their high school education with a perfect average, despite having faced risks of dropping out of school.