A San Antonio high school graduate is charting an ambitious course that combines academic achievement with military service, exemplifying a new generation of multifaceted student leaders.

Adriana Orduno, who recently graduated among the top five students at Southwest Legacy High School, has already earned her associate degree in education and teaching from Palo Alto College while simultaneously completing her high school diploma.

“This is what I’ve been working for the last 12 years,” Orduno said. “I took the classes for the last four years, and now I have built up 60 college credit hours.”

Despite coming from a military family background, Orduno’s decision to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps stems from personal motivation rather than family tradition.

“I wanted the challenge that the M

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