Rocio Barragan is proud of a photo inside the library at Bob Hope School.

The photo, taken last fall, shows her and several other students alongside Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman. Guzman, who came from humble beginnings, is the first Hispanic woman to serve on the high court.

Barragan doesn’t compare herself to Guzman or call her a role model for other Hispanic people but she does make it a point to take advantage of opportunities given to her.

“Rocio is a young lady with outstanding ability and anything she is determined to do she has done in an exemplary manner,” counselor Virginia Roberts said.

Barragan will soon graduate as a distinguished scholar having had at least three years of foreign language and having made at least a 3.0 grade point average in four or more dual college credit courses. She is in the top of her class and earned more than 30 college credit hours. Most of the credits were earned from the University of Texas Permian Basin and some from Lamar State College Port Arthur.

When asked why she went above and beyond what was required of her she answered quickly.

“I had the chance and I took it,” Barragan said.

The soon-to-graduate senior plans to attend Lamar University in Beaumont where she will pursue a bachelor of science degree and is leaning toward a career in the medical field.

Roberts said Barragan has outstanding character and works well with fellow students as well as adults.

“She had had to overcome barriers but I’ve never seen her look at anything as a barrier,” Roberts said. “What might trip others up she only observed and found a way to overcome.”

Barrigan declines to speak of obstacles and instead talks of the present and the future.

A health conscience person, Barrigan enjoys going to the gym, plays basketball and soccer and works at Vitamin World in Central Mall.

One of her favorite courses is math but she didn’t take that this semester. Her favorite course this year, she said, is anatomy and physiology, which is dual college credit course.

She is also a founding member of Interact, a Rotary sponsored group for youth. Students in Interact display leadership skills and take part in community service projects.

“We had student volunteers who gave donations to the school for the victims of the Deweyville flood and we helped fix inside the school,” Barragan said. “We also gave the teaches a break so they could have a nice, decent lunch outside the school.”

Barragan is a member of the National Honor Society and said academics never gave her a problem.

“I always had help from teachers and those who were there for me,” she said.

“See there”” Roberts added. “No excuses from her. She made a plan and got where she wanted to go.”

Rocio Barragan is the daughter of Angelica and Fernando Barragan.

Mary Meaux: 721-2429

Twitter: @MayMeauxPANews