A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence – Victor’s Story

“Good, better, best- Never let it rest!” The Winning Philosophy of Victor Figueroa -- Student at TIA

If you look up synonyms for the word victor, you will find words like championconqueror and winner. Victor Figueroa was actually named after his father, but all of those words can be used to describe this young man. Seventeen-year-old Victor has just completed his junior year at the Midvale Campus of Tucson International Academy, a premier charter school in Tucson with a strong college preparatory program. A journey in the pursuit of excellence, fueled by a strong work ethic and balanced with his compassion for others, Victor has come to embody the mission and values of the Tucson International Academy.

Fluent in 3 Languages

Victor has earned excellent grades all the years he has been attending Tucson International Academy. He also has learned to speak Chinese along with being fluent in Spanish and English. He won First Place in a competition with his poem in Chinese and then performed a poem in Spanish at the Cinco de Mayo fiesta where he also sang. Yet Victor’s true passion is computers and technology. He’s actually the person many teachers and other students go to for tech support! Attending Tucson International Academy has allowed Victor to do his college prep at a school that not only has small classes and offers courses like Chinese, but also excels in supporting the technically advanced student. With all of those accomplishments, Victor remains humble and other-focused. If you ask him, Victor will give much of the credit for his successes to Mrs. Enriquez, the principal at the Midvale Campus of Tucson International Academy. Victor says Mrs. Enriquez was there for him from his very first day at Midvale seven years ago right up to today. According to Victor, her encouragement and support are part of what sets his school apart from others.

“Good, better, best- Never let it rest!”

He also gives credit to his teachers, including Mr. Basurto, who teaches English, economics and Victor’s most challenging subject, history. It was from Mr. Basurto that Victor first heard, “Good, better, best- Never let it rest!” That phrase has become Victor’s philosophy and is included as part of the salutation on all his correspondence. When asked what the phrase means to him, Victor explained that it is a motto of always striving for improvement, never being satisfied with mediocre effort, but always giving his all. The challenge he says is what to do after giving your best. “That’s when you have to start thinking outside of the box!” he says enthusiastically. Victor’s parents must be beyond proud of their eldest son. Having both been born in El Salvador, Eunice and Victor Figueroa Sr. have taught their three children the value and importance of hard work, integrity, faith and family. Because of these kinds of values, Mr. and Mrs. Figueroa made sure that Victor and his two younger siblings could attend the Midvale Campus of Tucson International Academy; where not only excellence in education is the standard, but also where a strong supportive environment is provided in which their children can thrive. A school where all students can become victors! Enroll Now!     Story by Betty Kruszka~TheJ3Effect
a journey in the pursuit of excellence Victor