Marcy Martinez
Marcy Martinez is an anchor and reporter for Action 4 News.
Read more: Local, Andres Zermeno, South Texas ISD Science Academy, Mercedes, Brownsville's Cameron Park, Fallen Soldier, Janet Schofield, Belinda Simons, Freedom, Hidalgo County, Rio Grande Valley
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Andres Zermeno was the stand out in his classes at South Texas ISD Science Academy.
He was a friendly boy who made the commute to the school in Mercedes all the way from his humble home in Brownsville's Cameron Park.
His teacher had high hopes for Andres.
"He was energetic and hardworking. He was there to get the maximum benefit out of the curriculum," said Janet Schofield, AP Calculus teacher.
Andres' counselor followed his progress throughout high school and was sure he would amount to great things after he graduated.
"He was a great student and wanted to become an engineer," said Science Academy Counselor Belinda Simons. "He was very talented in that area."
After college, Andres didn't pursue engineering or psychology which he had majored in, instead he joined the military and was a first lieutenant serving with the Army in his first tour in Afghanistan preparing to head back home in just a few weeks.
His former educators had no idea he had chosen that route and learned about it in the most dreadful way.
"It's devastating," said Schofield.
As Lt. Zermeno's family awaits word on when his remains will be flown back to the valley for burial, his school family in Mercedes is holding on to those special years they spent with the studious boy and are proud that he had decided to defend his country, even if it was the last thing he would ever accomplish.
"Andres will be missed by all of us. We lost the opportunity to get to know how else he was going to touch lives in the future," said Simons.
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