A Midland student will be getting his high school diploma and associate degree at the same time.

MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - A Midland student will be getting his high school diploma and associate degree at the same time.

Bernardo Chuecos, originally from Venezuela, is the Valedictorian of Early College High School at Midland College.

After moving to Midland in 2012, Chuecos enrolled in the 8th grade at San Jacinto Junior High. He says the move was an adjustment, but it was all in search of better opportunities.

"It was definitely an adjustment," Chuecos said. "In Venezuela, I had been taking English classes since kindergarten, but I wasn't fluent. I learned a lot of English by watching American TV shows and listening to American music."

And it looks like it paid off in the end.

Not only is Chuecos graduating at the top of his class, he also has maintained a 4.0 GPA in his college courses.

As far as what comes next for him, Chuecos plans on following a similar path to that of his engineer parents.

He will attend the University of Texas at Austin in August and plans to get a bachelor's degree in computer programing.