When seventh grader Aldo Flores picked up a bow for the first time last year, he had no idea how far archery would take him. He thought joining the program at William D. Slider Middle School would just be a fun new challenge. But Aldo quickly developed his skills, rising through the ranks and advancing to the Texas 4 H Shooting Sports State Competition, where he earned second place in the wand division—an impressive accomplishment for a first year archer.
“It caught my interest, so I decided to give it a try,” Aldo said. “And as I learned more about it, it was so much fun that I couldn't wait to hold the bow again. It feels great to hit the target with all my strength. But the best part would be last year when we made it to state, and I just feel so accomplished because I know that I earned it.”
In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments, Aldo was selected to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the Socorro ISD Board of Trustees regular meeting in March 2026.
But archery is only one of the many ways Aldo expresses himself. He is thriving in the school’s Gifted and Talented (GT) program. He likes how the program challenges him to be creative, explore new ideas and work hard to reach his academic goals.
“It's really awesome being there with different people. But the best part would be really understanding more because in normal classes, you just understand what you're learning. But if you're more interested in subjects, in GT you get to go more into depth in what you really want to find out about,” Aldo said.
He credits his teachers, including Omar Varela, for motivating him to try new things and always do his best. Varela is not only Aldo’s archery coach, but also the school’s GT coordinator. He continually encourages Aldo, an honor roll student, to try new things, such as competing in the Technology Student Association (TSA) Children’s Stories competition, giving him another opportunity to grow and explore his interests.
“Aldo is a real determined student,” Varela said. “He’s very creative and comes up with his ideas on his own time. When most kids leave at the end of the day, they stop working. Aldo takes his work home, and he’s real proud of what he does, and you can tell he puts in a lot of effort, and it’s quality work. I’ve seen a lot of good stuff from him,” Varela said.
As an avid writer, Aldo not only wrote a book for the TSA competition but also illustrated it himself. He titled the book “Why Have Good When You Can Have Great.” The book was inspired by his older brother, who constantly encourages Aldo to strive for more rather than settle for less.
Taking his brother’s advice to heart, Aldo wrote a heartfelt letter to his grandmother while she was ill. That letter went on to win first place in last year’s Literary Anthology, a collection of literary works created by SISD students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Aldo said that writing allows him to express his feelings on paper, and being recognized as a published author was a great experience.
“It's like seeing yourself on TV, I guess. You get to be like, ‘Oh, that's me!’ And you feel a lot of pride,” Aldo said.
Aldo is always seeking opportunities to express his creativity. Last spring, he and his team competed in TSA’s state competition with a catapult they designed, testing his engineering skills.
This September, he participated in the El Paso County Fair, showcasing his woodworking skills with a wooden bench. He also submitted a sculpture of a McDonald's Big Mac meal, created entirely out of clay, which earned first place.
However, his true passion lies in playing the trumpet in the school’s concert and jazz bands, where he can express himself through music.
“I love being in the band room with all my friends, just polishing and fixing my playing sound,” Aldo said. “But the best thing would probably be before a performance. I get really excited and pumped to play.”
Looking ahead, he is excited to compete with the school’s archery team this spring, aiming for another chance at the state competition. He plans to participate in the wand contest, which features a tall, very narrow wooden stake as the target, unlike the traditional targets used in archery.
“I learned a lot being on a team, especially teamwork and hard work,” Aldo said. “After going to state, I can see the competition out there. There's people who practice for hours, and you understand, ‘Oh, I'm not doing this for the free trip.’ I'm taking this serious and people rely on me.”
He emphasized that all the activities he has participated in have helped him understand his interests and what he might like to pursue in high school or as a future career. His advice to other students is to take advantage of as many opportunities as they can.
“I enjoy doing all these activities to see what I like most,” Aldo said. “I want as many people to go and get the opportunities that I did.