Debra Calderon

“Honestly, just being able to see all my friends and the people I’ve grown up with,” Calderon said when asked about her favorite part of attending Flour Bluff. “That’s probably been the best part.”

For Calderon, the close connections between students are what make the school feel unique.

“A lot of the kids here have grown up going to school together, so it’s a really close-knit community,” she said. “Everybody kind of knows each other, and it feels comfortable.”

Throughout middle school and high school, Calderon stayed heavily involved in extracurricular activities, balancing athletics with academics and campus involvement. She has participated in both cheer and track since seventh grade, committing years of dedication to both sports.

“I’ve been doing cheer and track since seventh grade, and I just continued through high school,” Calderon said.

Those activities became more than just hobbies. Over time, they taught her important lessons about responsibility, discipline, and perseverance.

“They really helped build my work ethic and my time management skills,” Calderon said. “I was also able to build strong bonds with new people.”

Being part of two demanding sports required Calderon to learn how to manage practices, competitions, schoolwork, and her personal life all at once. Through those experiences, she says she became more organized and learned how to push through challenges while maintaining a positive mindset.

Beyond the athletic field, Calderon has also found success in the classroom. Her favorite subject is economics because of its connection to real-life situations and decision-making.

“Honestly, it might be economics because it deals with a lot of real-world scenarios,” Calderon said. “And I have a really good teacher.”

Throughout her high school career, Calderon credits several mentors for helping her stay motivated and confident, especially during difficult moments. Among the most influential have been her track coaches, Coach Katie and Coach Julian.

The support from her coaches helped create an environment where she felt encouraged both as an athlete and as a person. Their guidance reinforced the importance of resilience and staying focused on long-term goals.

Looking toward the future, Calderon plans to continue her education at either Texas A&M University in College Station or the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she intends to major in business.

“Honestly, I just want to graduate college with my master’s degree and be able to find a good job that I think is really fun,” Calderon said.

While she has ambitious goals for the future, Calderon says one of the most important things she hopes to leave behind at Flour Bluff is positivity.

“Just never take anything for granted,” she said. “I want people to remember that it was always fun here and to always have a positive outlook on things.”