San Marcos Unified has three new Rising Stars for September.

Not the Hollywood kind.

No red carpet.

No awkward acceptance speech where someone forgets to thank their algebra teacher.

These are the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce Rising Stars — high school seniors recognized for character, leadership and accomplishments across San Marcos Unified School District.

SMUSD announced its September 2026 honorees this week: Eduardo Alarcon Solis of San Marcos High School, River Muzquiz of Twin Oaks High School and Sady Ortiz of Mission Hills High School.

That is one student from each of the district’s three high schools.

Clean sweep.

The September Honorees

According to SMUSD’s announcement, Eduardo Alarcon Solis was recognized from San Marcos High School, where Christina Wilde is listed as principal.

River Muzquiz was recognized from Twin Oaks High School, with Nathan Baker listed as principal.

Sady Ortiz was recognized from Mission Hills High School, where Gary Pope is listed as principal.

The district said the students were recognized by the San Marcos Chamber for their character, leadership and accomplishments.

That is a tidy phrase.

It also covers a lot of real student life: showing up, taking responsibility, helping other people, doing the work when nobody is handing out applause, and finding a way forward even when school is not exactly operating on easy mode.

What Rising Stars Is Actually About

The San Marcos Chamber describes the Rising Stars Program as a way to honor San Marcos high school seniors who demonstrate character, integrity, love of learning, involvement in school and community activities, or the ability to overcome challenging life circumstances without compromising their education.

In other words, this is not just a “who has the highest GPA?” exercise.

Grades matter, of course.

But the program’s own mission points to something wider: the kind of students who make a difference at home, at school and in the community.

That is the part that makes this recognition feel less like a plaque and more like a spotlight.

Because some of the best student stories are not loud.

They are built quietly, one responsible choice at a time.

A Chamber Award With a Local Purpose

The Chamber and SMUSD have made Rising Stars a monthly recognition program, which is useful because student achievement does not happen only at graduation.

By spring, everyone expects ceremonies, scholarships, caps, cords and approximately four hundred photos in direct sunlight.

But September recognition does something different.

It says the year has barely started, and these students are already worth noticing.

That matters in a city where schools, families, employers and community groups are all part of the same future-workforce soup.

Today’s Rising Star may become tomorrow’s intern, employee, college student, volunteer, small-business owner, teacher, nurse, engineer, artist or city commissioner who asks one surprisingly detailed question at a public meeting.

San Marcos should encourage that last one too.

Democracy needs people who read the packet.

Why Naming Students Matters

Local recognition can be small.

But small is not the same as unimportant.

For a student, seeing your name publicly tied to leadership and character can land differently than another grade in a portal or another “good job” in passing.

It says adults outside your immediate school bubble are paying attention.

It says your effort is visible.

And for the rest of us, it is a reminder that public education is not just about test scores, bell schedules and whether anyone has successfully solved school parking.

It is also about helping young people become the kind of people a community is happy to claim.

This month, San Marcos gets to claim three more.

Questions You May Have 

Who are SMUSD’s September 2026 Rising Stars?

They are Eduardo Alarcon Solis of San Marcos High School, River Muzquiz of Twin Oaks High School and Sady Ortiz of Mission Hills High School.

Who recognizes the Rising Stars?

The program is run by the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce in partnership with San Marcos Unified School District.

What does the program recognize?

The Chamber says Rising Stars honors seniors for qualities including character, integrity, love of learning, school and community involvement, and overcoming challenging circumstances without compromising education.

Which schools were represented this month?

San Marcos High School, Twin Oaks High School and Mission Hills High School each had one September honoree.