SAt Omaha South High, there are more than 2,000 students who roam the halls and attend classes. Of these thousands of students, there are some who stand on top in terms of academic success. These are just some of those students in the class of 2026. 

Abel Diaz, one of South’s top students, shares how he has managed to thrive in school. 

Participating in activities after school and hanging out with friends can be fun but juggling that with assignments from school can be difficult. Diaz said he likes to prioritize getting work done before hanging out with friends or going to the gym.  

“I like getting it done in one day unless I don’t have enough time,” he said. 

Overall Diaz tells students struggling with schoolwork to try to start off the year strong with As in all classes to get into a rhythm. 

Another top student, Diana Garcia-Vega, finds ways to keep track of her work and stay organized. 

“I stay on top of turning in work by monitoring myself and my grades,” said Garcia Vega. “I also use a planner to keep track of my work and homework,” she added. 

Garcia Vega said she uses her phone to help her stay organized with all of her schoolwork because it helps her remember when she has something important to do. Another reason Garcia Vega must stay organized is because she manages schoolwork while also going to the many different activities she has after school.  

“After school I have show choir, P4k and the Thespian Club, but I always make sure to keep track of my activities, and when I have downtime after or in between, I make sure to complete my work,” said Garcia Vega. 

Student athlete and Luvabull Ava Yang provided some of her own helpful tips on how she manages her time.   

“I suggest you learn how to manage your time; if you’re not doing anything, then do your work. Keep this mindset no matter how you feel,” she said.  

Yang stressed the importance of not procrastinating because there’s only so much time one can use on schoolwork. “But if you procrastinate, then you will rush your work. Instead of leaving your homework until the last second, you should force yourself to do your work even if you don’t want to do it.”  

Student athlete Juan Moreno Anacleto also makes sure to turn in his work on time, prioritizing work over after-school sports.  

“Whenever I have free time, I always try to get all my work done, or I find time at home, usually after cross country practice,” he said. 

Junior year can be more difficult than other years because it’s the year in which more students start taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and most colleges look at junior year grades, but these students don’t let the pressure get to them 

“So far this year, I’ve had the most challenging work and had more work that I needed to get done than the other years, but I’m not giving up,” said Moreno Anacleto.  

Some of the top students in the class of 2026 maintain their leading positions by having great time management, discipline and a genuine passion for learning. These students have set goals for their future and continue to ask for help when needed to improve their skills.