Five Miller High School juniors will walk the stage at Del Mar College'scommencement ceremony, becoming the first Miller students to earnwelding certificates before graduating high school.Five Miller High School juniors are maki ng school history earningwelding certificates before they even graduate Five Miller High School students make history with welding certificates before graduation day.The five students will walk the stage at Del Mar College'scommencement ceremony, becoming the first Miller High Schoolstudents to receive welding certificates prior to graduating high school.Enrique Rodriguez, one of the five students, said the achievementcarries deep personal meaning."My parents are in Mexico. So I didn't think I would accomplish thisbecause, it's so bizarre to think that," Rodriguez said.When asked what he wished he could tell his parents right now,Rodriguez did not hesitate."I'm not wasting my time over here. I really am trying over here,"Rodriguez said.The five students spent the last year balancing school, sports and hoursof welding training through Del Mar College. There were early mornings,missed games and summers sacrificed to build their futures.For Rodriguez, some days started as early as 5 a.m."I ride my bike over here. With a bucket that's 30 pounds," Rodriguezsaid.Fellow student Rique Sandoval said the shared experience created abond among the group."I feel very proud of all of the guys that are making history here withme," Sandoval said.For some, the program was about finding a career. For others, it wasabout proving something to themselves. Student Benjamin Cantu saidsomeone once did that for him and now he wants to pay it forward."My uncle did that for me, and now I wanna help other people do that,"Cantu said.The students said that somewhere between the long days and the hardwork, they became brothers even holding the bus at times to makesure no one got left behind.Many of the students plan to take their skills into the refinery industryand travel across the country. Next year, they will return to Del MarCollege to earn their associate degrees.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been convertedto this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifiesall reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today! ...read more read less