SAN ANTONIO – Senior Tristino Ali said he used to be super shy, but it was choir that truly broke him out of his shell.
“I was really shy, like really shy,” Ali said. “Like someone walked past me... it wouldn’t happen.”
After achieving several awards through honors choir over four years at Clemens High School, Ali said making all-state choir this year was the most rewarding.
“Definitely making all-state choir, that was the biggest thing ever for me,” Ali said. “That made this year, this year.”
It’s what he said inspired him to continue his education in music. This fall, he plans on attending the University of North Texas to study musical education.
Ali said he’s extremely proud to get into the program, saying it’s one of the top 15 programs in the country.
But, it wasn’t just music that helped him land that spot, but also his grades.
Ali is graduating in the top 10% of his class from the International Baccalaureate program.
One of his school counselors, Vicki Williams, said his accomplishments are impressive and she is extremely proud of his hard work.
“He is one of the very small handfuls of students that have been extremely successful in our International Baccalaureate program,” Willaims said. “He is just a phenomenal young man.”
Ali said he just wants to use his music degree to one day be a high school choir teacher.
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