CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For six years, Veterans Memorial High School has continued to honor veterans and the military.
Before this campus became what it is present-day, Corpus Christi ISD hadn't opened a new high school in over 45 years.
In August 2015, that all changed when Veterans Memorial High School opened its doors to students.
"The Veterans Memorial High School is named after the rich tradition in our community of military presence here,” said principal Scott Walker. “So, we take great pride as a campus in honoring our military both current, past and present."
During it's development, CCISD asked the community to help name the campus. And, since opening, it's lived up to its name.
“We try to anything and everything that we can to say thank you to our veterans,” Walker said.
From the school's eagle mascot to the Starline Dancers and their colors of red, white and blue, Veterans Memorial oozes military pride.
“We have a wall that we honor all of our veterans that are employees at Veterans Memorial High School,” Walker said. “Just really try to find any opportunity that we can to involve our veterans in any events that we put on."
Veterans Memorial attendance officer Jose Hernandez, who served 22 years in the U.S. Navy, started working at the school in September.
"In my short time here I've noticed that they really appreciate Veterans,” he said. “They do a lot not just for the veterans, but also the children that come here that are sons and daughters of veterans.”
D.J. Jimenes is a senior and a military-connected student at Veterans Memorial. He moved to Corpus Christi from Virginia Beach when his parents were stationed here. He said before attending Vets, it felt like home.
"My parents were in love with this school,” Jimenes said. “We had a tour given by Mr. Auzenne, our assistant principal. He was very outspoken, easy to talk to. He made us feel like this was like home, we were already going here.”
In 2021, Veterans Memorial was given a Purple Star designation by the Texas Education Agency. It's because of the school's collaboration with The Corpus Christi Army Depot, and its outreach for military connected families.
The school also has Purple Heart parking spots and, at every varsity football game, a veteran is featured as he or she runs out with the team.
"It's a great feeling,” Hernandez said. “It just makes us realize that everything we do is not going unnoticed.”
