North East ISD is proud of the men and women who graduate from our District and go on to make a positive impact on the world.
Way to go, Champ! Josh Jung is the third baseman for the World Series Champion Texas Rangers. But just seven years ago, he was a senior at MacArthur High School. His baseball coach, Tom Alfieri, has followed him this whole time, maintains a friendship and remembers him with great admiration. “When he was young, you could tell his ceiling was so high, and he was going to get to that ceiling, and the best part was that his fundamentals were just so sound, so he had the best base to build off of,” recalls Alfieri. His professional career shot off like a rocket. Josh was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year when he went off to play baseball at Texas Tech University. Josh was drafted in the first round by the Texas Rangers in 2019, and he hit a home run in his first at-bat in the major leagues. But ask any coach and they will tell you that athletics is about more than accolades and World Series rings. It’s about being a leader off the field, too. Alfieri says Josh was always that. He isn’t just a standout baseball player, he’s a stand up guy. “This couldn’t have happened to a better person. Nothing was beneath him. He’s very down to earth.
He’s really, really humble. He’s just a really good person. And that comes from his family.” There’s another special connection that Josh has to North East ISD. His mom works here. Mary Jung is the PE teacher at Redland Oaks Elementary School and has spent the past 27 years teaching in the District. Josh’s dad Jeff spent more than 20 years coaching baseball and football in our District as well. “North East has been our family all along the way, too,” said Mary. “My co-workers and my students have been so excited during this whole journey.” Congratulations to the Jung family for demonstrating that with hard work, a strong support system and dedication, you can make your dreams come true. And the world can be your stage.
We always want to hear from our amazing graduates, so if you are a North East ISD graduate or know of one you want to tell us about, reach out so we can tell your story! Drop us a line at neisd.net/tellyourstory
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