Grand Prairie High School senior Valentin Ruiz’s love for soccer started at a young age.
“Every day I kept falling in love with it,” said Ruiz. “It was a way for me to communicate with others and to make good friends.”
And that passion for the game translated into tremendous success while playing for the Gophers program, as a four-year player on varsity, and two-time captain. But it did not slow him down from succeeding in the classroom, with a 4.1 GPA, and in giving back, where Ruiz has often used his ability to speak both English and Spanish to help others in his community.
“I always understood, because my parents had a hard time talking to someone else when they spoke to someone in English, so I know how that feels,” said Ruiz. “I might as well help those who need help. I know how uncomfortable it is when someone is talking to you and you don’t know what they are saying. So, I wanted to give back, and I know it’s something little, but I know it’s helped.”
And now, Valentin is planning to continue giving back, while thriving in the classroom and playing soccer in college at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, and is the perfect candidate for Wingstop to partner with while he continues to pursue his dreams.
“We are just so happy to see the stories of these scholar athletes that we are helping continue their dreams and goals,” said Wingstop franchise owner Rex Heckelman. “It really is amazing what these kids are able to do.“
Congratulations to Valentin Ruiz on a $3000 scholarship, as our Wingstop Scholar athlete of the month.
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Do you know a senior at a local high school who plays a varsity sport, carries at least a 3.0 and gives back to the community? CLICK HERE to nominate them for a $3,000 Wingstop Scholar Athlete scholarship.
