Scholar Athlete: Marliz Valenzuela, Harlan High School

SAN ANTONIO – Meet Instant Replay’s newest Scholar Athlete of the Week, Marliz Valenzuela of Harlan High School.

Marliz is a four-year starter on the varsity soccer team. She also plays for the San Antonio Surf Soccer club and is a youth coach. Marliz has been named First-Team Academic All-District three years in a row and was named Academic All-State. She’s the secretary of the National Honor Society, the Student Council and is a member of the Spanish Honor Society, Random Acts of Kindness Club, Technical Theatre and is an AP Scholar. She also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and the San Antonio Food Bank. She maintains a 102.12 GPA and is ranked ninth in her class. Marliz plans to attend college, major in Psychology and become a therapist.

WHAT MEMORIES DO YOU TAKE AWAY WITH YOU AS YOU LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL?

“I think my fondest memories of high school are definitely the goal celebrations on the field with my friends. In soccer, getting a goal is a team effort so, when it all culminates as one big moment, to be able to celebrate it with your best friends on the field is an unreal feeling.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL DURING THE PANDEMIC?

“I learned I’m a lot stronger than I originally thought and I can handle a lot more especially having gone through the pandemic. I think I found new strength to handle unforeseen circumstances.”

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS?

“Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is a big part of life and its how you grow and get the most growth. You get new opportunities from it and that’s how you learn.”

Daniel P. Villanueva has worked with KSAT 12 for over 18 years and is an award-winning producer. To submit story ideas, email dvillanueva@ksat.com