Mount Pleasant High School junior, Abril Ramirez, was named a UIL State Finalist in the Latino History Essay Competition. Her essay, “A Walk Toward Equal Opportunities”, was chosen as one of the top 12 essays in the state out of 104 entries.

The Latino History Essay Competition has been an official UIL Academic category since the 2012-2013 school year. In its initial year, the competition was only open to students in the South Texas area. Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, entries have been accepted from students statewide.

The theme of the competition is “historical and cultural legacies of Latinos in Texas history” and entries were to focus on a prominent or relatively unknown Latino individual, organization, or movement in Texas history. Ramirez’s essay centered on the Chicano student walkouts in San Antonio in 1968. The student walkouts over subpar classes, lack of equipment, and an unequal education system led to San Antonio’s first Latino schools superintendent. “Because of my Chicano heritage, I wanted to delve into the rich history of Mexican Americans,” said Ramirez. “I believe that the past struggles of Chicanos in Texas should be acknowledged especially since the Chicano Civil Rights Movement heavily impacted my education today.”

Ramirez will return to MPHS as a senior in August. She is the daughter of Maria Estela Ramirez and Hector Manuel Ramirez.