Great Graduates 2020: Nicolas Rios

Rios plans to study neuroscience and become a doctor

SAN ANTONIO – Travis Early College High School graduating senior Nicolas Rios is looking forward to attending Johns Hopkins University in the fall.

He will be studying neuroscience and he said he wants to be a doctor.

“I always thought it was good helping people, especially, you know, if they have some type of ailments,” said Rios. “I always thought it was just fun to be able to be that person that offers that type of help, that light at the end of the tunnel.”

Rios is already helping people. He mentors his classmates and he also created a study guide for the San Antonio College Course, Pre-Calculus.

“Personally, I love math and I like to see people succeed in mathematics," said Rios. “So, that’s why I try to make it easier. I try to help people when they don’t understand. So, this study guide hopefully does that.”

“He wrote this incredible study guide to help students and it got published through our district,” said Frances Santos, dual credit AP teacher and English department chair at Travis Early College High School. "And, now it’s a booklet that students use.”

Rios is graduating from high school, but he will also be graduating with his associate’s degree from San Antonio College.

Santos said for Nicolas, it’s not about the grade; it’s about the learning.

"If there is some kind of area that's gray to him or unclear, he really takes the time to break it down to his own understanding," said Santos.

Rios has been busy this school year with the Academic Decathlon, the Model United Nations National Honor Society, the Student Council and the Math Honor Society, but he said he also really enjoyed being the technician manager for the haunted house at Travis Early College High School.

“I was in charge of all the lights and sound throughout the haunted house,” said Rios. “So, it’s definitely super fun. I dressed up like the Joker and it’s pretty fun to get to see the haunted house actually work and come to life.”


About the Author:

Stephanie Serna is a weekday anchor on Good Morning San Antonio and GMSA at 9 a.m. She joined the KSAT 12 News team in November 2009 as a general assignments reporter.