Anton High School’s graduating class of 2026 will hear a firsthand account from a fellow alum from nearly 60 years ago who overcame great adversity to have a successful career in corporate America and as an author and photographer.
Eli Vega, a 1967 graduate of Anton High School, will serve as the commencement speaker for the school’s graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. May 21 at the school located at 100 E. Ellwood Boulevard.
Anton ISD Superintendent Freddie Tobias said he’s eager for his students and the Hockley County community to hear Vega’s inspiring story. About 13 students are expected to graduate in this spring class.
Vega, who went by Joe Vega during his younger days in Anton, will recount his story beginning with his premature birth in a railroad boxcar in 1947 in rural Wyoming.
The son of Mexican-American immigrants, Vega was a native Spanish speaker who initially struggled in school due in part to the language barrier. However, he would successfully graduate from Anton High School in 1967.
He credits a Catholic priest for encouraging him to attend college, where he earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in human resources management from the University of Utah, according to a provided biography.
He worked more than two decades in human resources management at companies in Texas, Utah and Colorado as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
He started his own photography business in 2010 and has authored several books. He now lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: ’67 Anton High grad to share inspiring message for school’s 2026 class
Reporting by Adam D. Young, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
