Business & Entrepreneurship
Community Service
Education
Engineering
Healthcare & Science
Media & Entertainment
Public Service & Social Justice
Sports & Fitness
Sustainability (Green)
Technology
Business & Entrepreneurship
GOLD - Yesenia González
Hometown: Brandon, MS
GPA: 4.00
High School: Northwest Rankin High School
Heritage: Mexican
Yesenia is a student at Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood, Mississippi. She has been part of her school’s Business Academy since her freshman year. The Business Academy’s focus on the fundamentals of business, marketing, management, and business finance, has helped Yesenia develop her business savvy and grow as a leader. Beyond what she has learned in class, she has had the opportunity to practice and expand her knowledge and skills by helping run Paw Mart, a small convenience store within her high school, entirely run by students in the Business Academy. Since beginning high school, Yesenia has also been involved with her school’s DECA club and currently serves as its co-president. Through DECA, she has written extensive reports for major North American manufacturer and supplier of bar grating products, Nucor Grating, and developed a detailed business plan for a potential new international beauty business, J&D Beauty. Her exceptional work in the development of her business plan, garnered Yesenia first place at the state level in the International Business Plan category of the DECA high school competition in 2020 and placed her in the top 30% at the international level for the category that year. Yesenia is very involved in her school and community and manages her time with mastery, gracefully juggling academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, service, and work, not to mention family life, in her busy schedule. An exceptional student, she holds a 4.0 GPA through a demanding academic course load and is ranked sixth in her class of 402 students. In addition to her leadership role in DECA club, she also serves as executive reporter for her school’s Student Government, is drum major for its marching band, and is member of its BETA club. Serving her community plays a central role in Yesenia’s life. She helps struggling students as a peer tutor at her school and volunteers at the Salvation Army, the Mississippi Food Network, and Mississippi’s Children’s Museum, to name a few of the ways in which she makes an impact in her community. On top of everything, she also works to help her parents pay for school fees and her extracurricular activities. This remarkable young Latina inspires us through the compassion in her actions, ambition in her dreams, and dedication in all she does. She will pursue degrees in International Business and French at Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi, or the Rochester Institute of Technology.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Northwest Rankin High School
Heritage: Mexican
Yesenia is a student at Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood, Mississippi. She has been part of her school’s Business Academy since her freshman year. The Business Academy’s focus on the fundamentals of business, marketing, management, and business finance, has helped Yesenia develop her business savvy and grow as a leader. Beyond what she has learned in class, she has had the opportunity to practice and expand her knowledge and skills by helping run Paw Mart, a small convenience store within her high school, entirely run by students in the Business Academy. Since beginning high school, Yesenia has also been involved with her school’s DECA club and currently serves as its co-president. Through DECA, she has written extensive reports for major North American manufacturer and supplier of bar grating products, Nucor Grating, and developed a detailed business plan for a potential new international beauty business, J&D Beauty. Her exceptional work in the development of her business plan, garnered Yesenia first place at the state level in the International Business Plan category of the DECA high school competition in 2020 and placed her in the top 30% at the international level for the category that year. Yesenia is very involved in her school and community and manages her time with mastery, gracefully juggling academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, service, and work, not to mention family life, in her busy schedule. An exceptional student, she holds a 4.0 GPA through a demanding academic course load and is ranked sixth in her class of 402 students. In addition to her leadership role in DECA club, she also serves as executive reporter for her school’s Student Government, is drum major for its marching band, and is member of its BETA club. Serving her community plays a central role in Yesenia’s life. She helps struggling students as a peer tutor at her school and volunteers at the Salvation Army, the Mississippi Food Network, and Mississippi’s Children’s Museum, to name a few of the ways in which she makes an impact in her community. On top of everything, she also works to help her parents pay for school fees and her extracurricular activities. This remarkable young Latina inspires us through the compassion in her actions, ambition in her dreams, and dedication in all she does. She will pursue degrees in International Business and French at Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi, or the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Silver - Isaac Vélez-González
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Heritage: Colombian
First-generation Colombian American Isaac is the founder and CEO of Adapt Apparel LLC,a fashion and apparel brand with the “mission of outfitting the everyday hustlers and creating comfortable, quality pieces tailored to their functional, modern, and minimal necessities.” Isaac has dedicated months, working day and night, to ensure that his brand surpasses expectations and delivers quality products of which he can be proud. Set to open pre-orders and officially launch its first product line in the coming months, Adapt Apparel is more than a new venture for Isaac; it serves as a symbol and a reminder of his perseverance and courage. “[T]his brand means the world to me,” he says. “[It] reminds me that no matter how much I don’t understand or how inexperienced I am in something, I’m willing to give it everything I have, fail all the times it takes, until I experience success.” The words Isaac uses to describe the person he looks up to, that helped him grow his confidence and recognize his full potential, Honduran social media personality and businessman Jose Zuniga, are, in fact, words we would use to describe Isaac himself: “a young and ambitious Latino, [that] is an entrepreneur and innovator.” Isaac was motivated to start his own company as a way of “paying it forward” for all the opportunities he has had. The son of Colombian parents who fled the violence of Medellin in the early 1990s, he wants to build a legacy while helping immigrant Latinos and others that share backgrounds similar to his. He has been involved with nonprofit organizations that align with his vision and values, like FaithAction International House, which serves thousands of new immigrants to the Greensboro, North Carolina area while cultivating an equitable and inclusive community, and the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), organization that promotes social justice while fighting bias, bigotry, and racism. Such has been his commitment and the impact he has had in his community, that Yale’s Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration (RITM) awarded him the 2021 Yale Basset Award of Community in recognition of his “demonstrate a record of creative leadership and public service, academic distinction, interdisciplinary problem solving, and experience addressing societal issues.” The caliber of dedication that Isaac devotes to all his pursuits is not absent from his academics, as attested by his 4.0 GPA and record of challenging courses. He will continue with his entrepreneurial endeavors and trajectory of service as he attends Columbia University, Harvard University, or the University of Pennsylvania. He plans to major in Business Administration and minor in Entrepreneurship, Economics, or Finance.
GPA: 4.00
High School: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Heritage: Colombian
First-generation Colombian American Isaac is the founder and CEO of Adapt Apparel LLC,a fashion and apparel brand with the “mission of outfitting the everyday hustlers and creating comfortable, quality pieces tailored to their functional, modern, and minimal necessities.” Isaac has dedicated months, working day and night, to ensure that his brand surpasses expectations and delivers quality products of which he can be proud. Set to open pre-orders and officially launch its first product line in the coming months, Adapt Apparel is more than a new venture for Isaac; it serves as a symbol and a reminder of his perseverance and courage. “[T]his brand means the world to me,” he says. “[It] reminds me that no matter how much I don’t understand or how inexperienced I am in something, I’m willing to give it everything I have, fail all the times it takes, until I experience success.” The words Isaac uses to describe the person he looks up to, that helped him grow his confidence and recognize his full potential, Honduran social media personality and businessman Jose Zuniga, are, in fact, words we would use to describe Isaac himself: “a young and ambitious Latino, [that] is an entrepreneur and innovator.” Isaac was motivated to start his own company as a way of “paying it forward” for all the opportunities he has had. The son of Colombian parents who fled the violence of Medellin in the early 1990s, he wants to build a legacy while helping immigrant Latinos and others that share backgrounds similar to his. He has been involved with nonprofit organizations that align with his vision and values, like FaithAction International House, which serves thousands of new immigrants to the Greensboro, North Carolina area while cultivating an equitable and inclusive community, and the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), organization that promotes social justice while fighting bias, bigotry, and racism. Such has been his commitment and the impact he has had in his community, that Yale’s Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration (RITM) awarded him the 2021 Yale Basset Award of Community in recognition of his “demonstrate a record of creative leadership and public service, academic distinction, interdisciplinary problem solving, and experience addressing societal issues.” The caliber of dedication that Isaac devotes to all his pursuits is not absent from his academics, as attested by his 4.0 GPA and record of challenging courses. He will continue with his entrepreneurial endeavors and trajectory of service as he attends Columbia University, Harvard University, or the University of Pennsylvania. He plans to major in Business Administration and minor in Entrepreneurship, Economics, or Finance.
Bronze - Brithany Salazar
Hometown: Montevallo, AL
GPA: 4.00
High School: Montevallo High School
Heritage: Mexican
Brithany felt her entrepreneurial instincts at a young age. From humble beginnings, she was determined to help her parents pay for her expenses and help with their bills whichever way she could. “Our financial status motivated me to try out hobbies and make something out of them,” she remembers. Brithany is an exceptional student who loves cooking and baking and is creative and crafty with her hands. Putting her skills and interests to use, she provides tutoring services and makes homemade chicken sandwiches and mac and cheese, bakes brownies and cookies, and crafts bracelets and stickers to sell around town. Fearless in her approach, she started her one-person microbusiness armed with little more than her math skills, motivation, and love of cooking, crafting, and teaching, keeping three things in mind: “profit, support, and coming out of [her] shell.” She had never taken any entrepreneurship, business, or finance classes and knew nothing about being her own boss, but she learned along the way. She learned the hard way that starting a business often means persisting through setbacks, like only making $2 on particularly bad weeks. However, she also learned to use her setbacks as opportunities to adapt and grow her business. “It was scary in the beginning, but I learned it was part of the process,” remarks Brithany. Over time, she has made a name for herself and now counts on the overwhelming support of her community. Regularly, customers encourage her to open up an official storefront in her university town of Montevallo, Alabama. It is in Brithany’s plans to do just that. “It’s a dream, but an expensive one,” she says. First, she will attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of North Alabama, or Auburn University, where she plans to major in Mathematics in order to become an actuary. She intends to save money and, in due course, return to her hometown and open up the store of her dreams. What makes this young Latina exceptional is her determination to succeed, her admirable self-motivation, and a work ethic and focus not common for people her age—she has mapped out one-year, five-year, ten-year, and even twenty-year goal plans. She is a respected leader among her peers and keeps herself involved in her community through service-oriented projects as part of her participation in several organizations at her school and beyond. She has been part of the University of Montevallo TRIO Upward Bound Ambassador leadership program since the ninth grade and currently serves as president of its Student Government Association. She is part of her school’s chapters of the National Honor Society—where she serves as treasurer—Mu Alpha Theta, Future Business Leaders of America; Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America; Hispanic Mentoring Club, and Forensic Club. She does it all and still maintains a 4.0 GPA while taking her school’s maximum allowed number of AP classes. For her outstanding academic abilities, Brithany has been recognized as Questbridge College Prep Scholar. We have no doubt that Brithany will succeed in her future endeavors and forge ahead so that one day, a storefront to her name graces a Montevallo street.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Montevallo High School
Heritage: Mexican
Brithany felt her entrepreneurial instincts at a young age. From humble beginnings, she was determined to help her parents pay for her expenses and help with their bills whichever way she could. “Our financial status motivated me to try out hobbies and make something out of them,” she remembers. Brithany is an exceptional student who loves cooking and baking and is creative and crafty with her hands. Putting her skills and interests to use, she provides tutoring services and makes homemade chicken sandwiches and mac and cheese, bakes brownies and cookies, and crafts bracelets and stickers to sell around town. Fearless in her approach, she started her one-person microbusiness armed with little more than her math skills, motivation, and love of cooking, crafting, and teaching, keeping three things in mind: “profit, support, and coming out of [her] shell.” She had never taken any entrepreneurship, business, or finance classes and knew nothing about being her own boss, but she learned along the way. She learned the hard way that starting a business often means persisting through setbacks, like only making $2 on particularly bad weeks. However, she also learned to use her setbacks as opportunities to adapt and grow her business. “It was scary in the beginning, but I learned it was part of the process,” remarks Brithany. Over time, she has made a name for herself and now counts on the overwhelming support of her community. Regularly, customers encourage her to open up an official storefront in her university town of Montevallo, Alabama. It is in Brithany’s plans to do just that. “It’s a dream, but an expensive one,” she says. First, she will attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of North Alabama, or Auburn University, where she plans to major in Mathematics in order to become an actuary. She intends to save money and, in due course, return to her hometown and open up the store of her dreams. What makes this young Latina exceptional is her determination to succeed, her admirable self-motivation, and a work ethic and focus not common for people her age—she has mapped out one-year, five-year, ten-year, and even twenty-year goal plans. She is a respected leader among her peers and keeps herself involved in her community through service-oriented projects as part of her participation in several organizations at her school and beyond. She has been part of the University of Montevallo TRIO Upward Bound Ambassador leadership program since the ninth grade and currently serves as president of its Student Government Association. She is part of her school’s chapters of the National Honor Society—where she serves as treasurer—Mu Alpha Theta, Future Business Leaders of America; Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America; Hispanic Mentoring Club, and Forensic Club. She does it all and still maintains a 4.0 GPA while taking her school’s maximum allowed number of AP classes. For her outstanding academic abilities, Brithany has been recognized as Questbridge College Prep Scholar. We have no doubt that Brithany will succeed in her future endeavors and forge ahead so that one day, a storefront to her name graces a Montevallo street.
Community Service
GOLD - Verónica Cifuentes
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
GPA: 3.90
High School: Ardrey Kell High School
Heritage: Colombian
Serving her community of Charlotte, North Carolina, is almost second nature to Colombian American Veronica. Much of her work revolves around advocating for and empowering the Latino and immigrant community that surrounds her, guided by the belief that we have a duty to “work together to uplift the next generation of Latino students and support their leadership development.” She advocates that “[w]e should support all Latinos in achieving their goals and recognizing the value of their ideas and validity in an environment that can be hostile and oppressive.” Focused on the importance of overcoming the cultural and language barriers that obstruct access to educational and professional opportunities for many in her city, Veronica has been deeply involved with the ESL community in her town for the past five years. She has been part of her school’s ESL Ambassadors Club since her freshman year, currently serving as its vice president. Her sophomore year, she mentored and tutored K-12 ESL students and led tours and freshman orientation events. “As an ambassador, my goal was to increase access to college among ESL students,” explains Veronica. To achieve her goal, she developed presentations on financial aid, study skills, and college applications. Last year, she also volunteered as an interpreter and translator for the Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency. She has had the opportunity to help the Agency translate internal documents and educational materials and has interpreted for students in the Agency’s Cultural Orientation and Financial Literacy programs. Veronica also organized a successful donation drive that brought in more than 300 items for newly arrived refugee families. What inspires this extraordinary Latina to give back? Her mother and the sacrifices she made for Veronica to have the opportunities she has had. “I give back because others gave back to me,” she explains. “My privilege is what inspires me to serve others; because I know that what time I have in excess I can dedicate to improving the livelihood of others in my community, just as my mother did for me,” she adds. Correspondingly, her inspiration to give back is her motivation to work hard and commit herself to everything she does. She is member of her school’s chapters of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and National Spanish Honor Society. She also serves as editor in chief of The AK Chronicle, her school’s student newspaper. After graduation, she plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, or Harvard College. She will minor in Medical Anthropology and is considering a Biology or Nutrition Science and Research major. She plans to continue serving the Latino and immigrant community as a professional and advocate.
GPA: 3.90
High School: Ardrey Kell High School
Heritage: Colombian
Serving her community of Charlotte, North Carolina, is almost second nature to Colombian American Veronica. Much of her work revolves around advocating for and empowering the Latino and immigrant community that surrounds her, guided by the belief that we have a duty to “work together to uplift the next generation of Latino students and support their leadership development.” She advocates that “[w]e should support all Latinos in achieving their goals and recognizing the value of their ideas and validity in an environment that can be hostile and oppressive.” Focused on the importance of overcoming the cultural and language barriers that obstruct access to educational and professional opportunities for many in her city, Veronica has been deeply involved with the ESL community in her town for the past five years. She has been part of her school’s ESL Ambassadors Club since her freshman year, currently serving as its vice president. Her sophomore year, she mentored and tutored K-12 ESL students and led tours and freshman orientation events. “As an ambassador, my goal was to increase access to college among ESL students,” explains Veronica. To achieve her goal, she developed presentations on financial aid, study skills, and college applications. Last year, she also volunteered as an interpreter and translator for the Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency. She has had the opportunity to help the Agency translate internal documents and educational materials and has interpreted for students in the Agency’s Cultural Orientation and Financial Literacy programs. Veronica also organized a successful donation drive that brought in more than 300 items for newly arrived refugee families. What inspires this extraordinary Latina to give back? Her mother and the sacrifices she made for Veronica to have the opportunities she has had. “I give back because others gave back to me,” she explains. “My privilege is what inspires me to serve others; because I know that what time I have in excess I can dedicate to improving the livelihood of others in my community, just as my mother did for me,” she adds. Correspondingly, her inspiration to give back is her motivation to work hard and commit herself to everything she does. She is member of her school’s chapters of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and National Spanish Honor Society. She also serves as editor in chief of The AK Chronicle, her school’s student newspaper. After graduation, she plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, or Harvard College. She will minor in Medical Anthropology and is considering a Biology or Nutrition Science and Research major. She plans to continue serving the Latino and immigrant community as a professional and advocate.
Silver - Valeria González Bautista
Hometown: Hope Mills, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Gray's Creek High School
Heritage: Mexican
Soon after completing a six-week online course on everything she needed to know to prepare herself for the college application process—FAFSA, scholarships, the ACT, etc.—first-generation Mexican American Valeria had an idea. Applying for college can be overwhelming for anyone, but doing it as an immigrant or first-generation student can make the process even more stressful and scary. While many students know they should become involved and seek opportunities that will make them stand out in college applications, the details and intricacies of the application process can often be more difficult for students whose parents are not familiar with everything it entails. Frequently, this means that students are left to seek out information on their own, which adds another hurdle for them to overcome as they navigate through unknown territory. Conscious of the obstacles many of her peers face as they prepare for college, future businesswoman Valeria used her entrepreneurial vision to create a solution. Thus, she started her own nonprofit: Hispanics United Society (HUS). The mission of HUS is to “enhance the academic, social, and personal experience for Hispanic students and everyone by implementing initiatives geared towards post-secondary preparation, career development, and cultural awareness.” Valeria aimed to create an organization that would make the necessary information easily accessible to everyone, but that catered specifically to BIPOC students in her community. She spent countless hours perfecting the organization’s website for launch, designing templates, uploading informational pictures, preparing and conducting virtual information sessions, and more. HUS presents usually overwhelming information in simple, attractive, and easy-to-understand infographics. It offers study and organizational tips, inspiration, online study groups sessions, personalized ACT study plans, mentorship programs, and even Spanish classes. “Hispanics United Society isn’t just an organization,” says Valeria. “It’s helped those who share the same backgrounds, struggles, sweat, and tears. It’s given them the guidance we never had in the world of higher education,” she proudly adds. She has plans to start another nonprofit in the future, one that is focused on helping reduce hunger in communities across the globe. In the meantime, she distributes and packages over 215 plates of food every week, with the help of her ministry in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. Committed to her academic success, Valeria holds a 4.0 GPA and has a host of awards and recognitions to her name, including being selected as a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist. She will attend Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania, or the University of Southern California. She wants to major in Business and minor in Entrepreneurship. Valerian plans on continuing to empower her community by helping its members achieve success in college and beyond through HUS
GPA: 4.00
High School: Gray's Creek High School
Heritage: Mexican
Soon after completing a six-week online course on everything she needed to know to prepare herself for the college application process—FAFSA, scholarships, the ACT, etc.—first-generation Mexican American Valeria had an idea. Applying for college can be overwhelming for anyone, but doing it as an immigrant or first-generation student can make the process even more stressful and scary. While many students know they should become involved and seek opportunities that will make them stand out in college applications, the details and intricacies of the application process can often be more difficult for students whose parents are not familiar with everything it entails. Frequently, this means that students are left to seek out information on their own, which adds another hurdle for them to overcome as they navigate through unknown territory. Conscious of the obstacles many of her peers face as they prepare for college, future businesswoman Valeria used her entrepreneurial vision to create a solution. Thus, she started her own nonprofit: Hispanics United Society (HUS). The mission of HUS is to “enhance the academic, social, and personal experience for Hispanic students and everyone by implementing initiatives geared towards post-secondary preparation, career development, and cultural awareness.” Valeria aimed to create an organization that would make the necessary information easily accessible to everyone, but that catered specifically to BIPOC students in her community. She spent countless hours perfecting the organization’s website for launch, designing templates, uploading informational pictures, preparing and conducting virtual information sessions, and more. HUS presents usually overwhelming information in simple, attractive, and easy-to-understand infographics. It offers study and organizational tips, inspiration, online study groups sessions, personalized ACT study plans, mentorship programs, and even Spanish classes. “Hispanics United Society isn’t just an organization,” says Valeria. “It’s helped those who share the same backgrounds, struggles, sweat, and tears. It’s given them the guidance we never had in the world of higher education,” she proudly adds. She has plans to start another nonprofit in the future, one that is focused on helping reduce hunger in communities across the globe. In the meantime, she distributes and packages over 215 plates of food every week, with the help of her ministry in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. Committed to her academic success, Valeria holds a 4.0 GPA and has a host of awards and recognitions to her name, including being selected as a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist. She will attend Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania, or the University of Southern California. She wants to major in Business and minor in Entrepreneurship. Valerian plans on continuing to empower her community by helping its members achieve success in college and beyond through HUS
Bronze - Berenice Díaz-Acosta
Hometown: Siler City, NC
GPA: 3.79
High School: Jordan Matthews High School
Heritage: Mexican
Berenice believes in the power of giving back and being of service to her community; that practicing kindness and generosity creates a chain reaction that helps elevate our communities and ourselves. “A simple act of kindness, such as helping someone, encourages them to help others too,” she says. Community service has been central to Berenice’s high school experience since the ninth grade. She has volunteered her time and talents to numerous causes and activities around her city thanks to her involvement with different organizations, including her school’s HOSA and Beta clubs. She is most proud of the work she has done through her youth program, Orgullo Latinx Pride (OLP). OLP is a no-cost, year-round after-school program for high school students in Berenice’s hometown of Siler City in North Carolina. It is a program from El Vínculo Hispano/The Hispanic Liaison, a North Carolina-based nonprofit, with the mission “to foster intercultural understanding and empower Latinxs to overcome the challenges they face and make their voices heard in the community.” OLP focuses on developing its members as leaders, helping them reach academic success, and grow in their awareness and love of their culture. It also instills in its members the importance of giving back and making their voices heard through civic engagement. Some of the ways in which Berenice has served her community through OLP is by participating in mask and hand sanitizer distribution efforts, helping in fundraisers, volunteering at legal fairs aimed at supporting and educating the immigrant community in her town on legal matters, and promoting responsible vaccine education to encourage members of her town to get vaccinated. OLP has helped Berenice grow into the leader she is today. Within OLP, she serves as a program representative, which makes her the voice of the members in the group. She leads OLP meetings with courage and inspires her peers to continue learning and speaking up for their community, in particular for those that cannot do it on their own. A strong and bold advocate, she has presented to her county commissioners about issues that affect her life as a young Latina raised by a single undocumented mom. She is passionate about social justice and uplifting those around her. Throughout her high school career, she has demonstrated academic excellence, community leadership, and a resolve to succeed in life. Berenice will attend North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or East Carolina University, and plans to major in Art. She wants to continue making by using her art as a medium to start conversations about issues affecting the Latinx community.
GPA: 3.79
High School: Jordan Matthews High School
Heritage: Mexican
Berenice believes in the power of giving back and being of service to her community; that practicing kindness and generosity creates a chain reaction that helps elevate our communities and ourselves. “A simple act of kindness, such as helping someone, encourages them to help others too,” she says. Community service has been central to Berenice’s high school experience since the ninth grade. She has volunteered her time and talents to numerous causes and activities around her city thanks to her involvement with different organizations, including her school’s HOSA and Beta clubs. She is most proud of the work she has done through her youth program, Orgullo Latinx Pride (OLP). OLP is a no-cost, year-round after-school program for high school students in Berenice’s hometown of Siler City in North Carolina. It is a program from El Vínculo Hispano/The Hispanic Liaison, a North Carolina-based nonprofit, with the mission “to foster intercultural understanding and empower Latinxs to overcome the challenges they face and make their voices heard in the community.” OLP focuses on developing its members as leaders, helping them reach academic success, and grow in their awareness and love of their culture. It also instills in its members the importance of giving back and making their voices heard through civic engagement. Some of the ways in which Berenice has served her community through OLP is by participating in mask and hand sanitizer distribution efforts, helping in fundraisers, volunteering at legal fairs aimed at supporting and educating the immigrant community in her town on legal matters, and promoting responsible vaccine education to encourage members of her town to get vaccinated. OLP has helped Berenice grow into the leader she is today. Within OLP, she serves as a program representative, which makes her the voice of the members in the group. She leads OLP meetings with courage and inspires her peers to continue learning and speaking up for their community, in particular for those that cannot do it on their own. A strong and bold advocate, she has presented to her county commissioners about issues that affect her life as a young Latina raised by a single undocumented mom. She is passionate about social justice and uplifting those around her. Throughout her high school career, she has demonstrated academic excellence, community leadership, and a resolve to succeed in life. Berenice will attend North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or East Carolina University, and plans to major in Art. She wants to continue making by using her art as a medium to start conversations about issues affecting the Latinx community.
Education
GOLD - Anabella Guzmán
Hometown: Mooresville, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Mooresville Senior High School
Heritage: Puerto Rican & German
Anabella grew up in a family of educators. “My mother, grandmother, grandfather, and uncle are all teachers,” she shares. Her family and her own teachers have inspired Anabella to one day also work—like them—in the field of education. In the meantime, she does what is in her hands to support the teachers in her life and her community. She has organized projects for teacher support, provided classroom supplies to help out, and volunteered to assist in elementary school classrooms. She is an advocate for the RedForEd movement—the battle cry for national education reform, demanding more funding for students and schools, and committed to ensuring that students are granted the education they deserve. She believes that education needs to be a priority, and that proper funding and support must be provided to serve and prepare every student in the nation. “The next generation will determine the course of our world. They need the tools to make decisions that will benefit our future,” remarks Anabella. Upon encouragement from one of her teachers, after she expressed some of her interest in becoming a teacher, Anabella began volunteering as a teacher’s assistant at a local elementary school. She facilitated math stations and arts and crafts, helped with the school’s end-of-the-year awards, and helped relocate teachers’ classrooms. “Volunteering with teachers and students gave me a new appreciation for the developmental years of education,” she says. Anabella discovered a new sense of appreciation for primary school teachers and the level of patience and passion they exercise for what they do. Being able to alleviate some of their load during her time as an assistant teacher was a fulfilling experience for her, and witnessing the teachers’ impact on their students further instilled Anabella’s desire to teach. “I want to have an influence on the generations to come, and will work towards making the best version of myself to provide for their understanding of the world,” she says. At the beginning of Anabella’s sophomore year, she lost a dear friend. He was an exemplary servant leader committed to uplifting others. In his honor, and to celebrate his joy for life and the impact he had in his community, Annabella gives back. This is her motivation to dedicate herself to engaging her peers in service and leading service organizations within her school. Anabella is president of her school’s chapter of the National Honors Society. She is captain of her school’s sprint team and its percussion ensemble in its competition marching band. This hard-working Puerto Rican German American is a driving force of motivation at her school. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and is ranked fourth out of 462 students. There is an extensive list of academic accomplishments and recognitions to her name, including being invited to attend the North Carolina Governor’s School West. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the College of Charleston, or Wake Forest University. She plans to major in Human and Organizational Leadership and minor in Development.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Mooresville Senior High School
Heritage: Puerto Rican & German
Anabella grew up in a family of educators. “My mother, grandmother, grandfather, and uncle are all teachers,” she shares. Her family and her own teachers have inspired Anabella to one day also work—like them—in the field of education. In the meantime, she does what is in her hands to support the teachers in her life and her community. She has organized projects for teacher support, provided classroom supplies to help out, and volunteered to assist in elementary school classrooms. She is an advocate for the RedForEd movement—the battle cry for national education reform, demanding more funding for students and schools, and committed to ensuring that students are granted the education they deserve. She believes that education needs to be a priority, and that proper funding and support must be provided to serve and prepare every student in the nation. “The next generation will determine the course of our world. They need the tools to make decisions that will benefit our future,” remarks Anabella. Upon encouragement from one of her teachers, after she expressed some of her interest in becoming a teacher, Anabella began volunteering as a teacher’s assistant at a local elementary school. She facilitated math stations and arts and crafts, helped with the school’s end-of-the-year awards, and helped relocate teachers’ classrooms. “Volunteering with teachers and students gave me a new appreciation for the developmental years of education,” she says. Anabella discovered a new sense of appreciation for primary school teachers and the level of patience and passion they exercise for what they do. Being able to alleviate some of their load during her time as an assistant teacher was a fulfilling experience for her, and witnessing the teachers’ impact on their students further instilled Anabella’s desire to teach. “I want to have an influence on the generations to come, and will work towards making the best version of myself to provide for their understanding of the world,” she says. At the beginning of Anabella’s sophomore year, she lost a dear friend. He was an exemplary servant leader committed to uplifting others. In his honor, and to celebrate his joy for life and the impact he had in his community, Annabella gives back. This is her motivation to dedicate herself to engaging her peers in service and leading service organizations within her school. Anabella is president of her school’s chapter of the National Honors Society. She is captain of her school’s sprint team and its percussion ensemble in its competition marching band. This hard-working Puerto Rican German American is a driving force of motivation at her school. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and is ranked fourth out of 462 students. There is an extensive list of academic accomplishments and recognitions to her name, including being invited to attend the North Carolina Governor’s School West. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the College of Charleston, or Wake Forest University. She plans to major in Human and Organizational Leadership and minor in Development.
Silver - Katherine Miller
Hometown: Mandeville, LA
GPA: 3.56
High School: Fontainebleau High School
Heritage: Honduran
Honduran American student Katherine, or as most people know her, Katie, has aspired to be a teacher since the seventh grade. “I had an amazing American History teacher [that] grade,” she shares. Her teacher was engaging and creative, which kept everyone in her class interested in the lesson. She was kind and always willing to help. She made learning exciting for Katie. The thought of growing up and one day doing the same for others, making learning fun for them, stuck with her over the years. “I have wanted to be a teacher ever since, to engage others in the way that she did,” Katie says. Katie plans to teach high school biology. She wants to use science to “help educate a future generation to discover, create, and inspire.” Almost fifty years ago, her grandmother moved from Honduras to the US in search of better opportunities for her family. She was immensely proud of her Honduran and Hispanic heritage and nurtured in Katie that same love and pride for her culture. The pride that Katie feels for her culture motivates her to work to empower her community through education. “It is one of the reasons I want to be a teacher,“ she remarks. Katie believes that higher levels of education in the Hispanic community will open doors for us and help narrow the leadership gap while simultaneously increasing diversity in all spaces. Katie’s grandmother also instilled in her a strong work ethic, a passion for learning, and an appreciation for all the opportunities she has been afforded. For Katie, there is no other way to honor her grandmother than by “paying it forward” and serving her community. She considers some of her most meaningful acts of service to have been through her volunteer work as camp counselor for her church’s Vacation Bible School summer camps over the years. Katie is a talented photographer and lends her skills to her school’s yearbook and student-run newspaper. As the current senior editor of her school’s yearbook, she photographs, interviews, designs, and digitally creates pages. She also assigns duties to her yearbook staff, organizes events, and assists the yearbook advisor in teaching photography, design, and copywriting. In addition, Katie is involved with her school’s film club, broadcast team, and creative writing club. She is also an active member of her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. Katie will attend Louisiana Technical University, Louisiana State University, or the University of New Orleans. She plans to major in Secondary Education and History.
GPA: 3.56
High School: Fontainebleau High School
Heritage: Honduran
Honduran American student Katherine, or as most people know her, Katie, has aspired to be a teacher since the seventh grade. “I had an amazing American History teacher [that] grade,” she shares. Her teacher was engaging and creative, which kept everyone in her class interested in the lesson. She was kind and always willing to help. She made learning exciting for Katie. The thought of growing up and one day doing the same for others, making learning fun for them, stuck with her over the years. “I have wanted to be a teacher ever since, to engage others in the way that she did,” Katie says. Katie plans to teach high school biology. She wants to use science to “help educate a future generation to discover, create, and inspire.” Almost fifty years ago, her grandmother moved from Honduras to the US in search of better opportunities for her family. She was immensely proud of her Honduran and Hispanic heritage and nurtured in Katie that same love and pride for her culture. The pride that Katie feels for her culture motivates her to work to empower her community through education. “It is one of the reasons I want to be a teacher,“ she remarks. Katie believes that higher levels of education in the Hispanic community will open doors for us and help narrow the leadership gap while simultaneously increasing diversity in all spaces. Katie’s grandmother also instilled in her a strong work ethic, a passion for learning, and an appreciation for all the opportunities she has been afforded. For Katie, there is no other way to honor her grandmother than by “paying it forward” and serving her community. She considers some of her most meaningful acts of service to have been through her volunteer work as camp counselor for her church’s Vacation Bible School summer camps over the years. Katie is a talented photographer and lends her skills to her school’s yearbook and student-run newspaper. As the current senior editor of her school’s yearbook, she photographs, interviews, designs, and digitally creates pages. She also assigns duties to her yearbook staff, organizes events, and assists the yearbook advisor in teaching photography, design, and copywriting. In addition, Katie is involved with her school’s film club, broadcast team, and creative writing club. She is also an active member of her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. Katie will attend Louisiana Technical University, Louisiana State University, or the University of New Orleans. She plans to major in Secondary Education and History.
Bronze - Isabella McCarthy
Hometown: Matthews, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Weddington High School
Heritage: Chilean & Irish
Chilean Irish American Isabella first started to teach after she and her parents founded a nonprofit tutoring program to serve children with learning disabilities in their community of Matthews, North Carolina. Although most activities in the tutorings sessions revolve around a similar structure and concept, each session is different from the other, and each activity is adjusted as necessary to fit the need and progress of each child. Sessions mainly consist of a reading activity where Isabella reads passages with the childrend and asks them guided questions so as to direct their thinking and aid in their comprehension. “Seeing the children piecing together the parts of the story [is] quite intriguing,” shares Isabella. Last year, she signed up for an AP Psychology class at her school. It did not take long for the class to become one of her all time favorites. In class, they explored the way the human brain works. First, they focused on studying its anatomy, learning about the function of each individual parts. Then, they combined everything to learn how all parts come together and work as a whole. Amazed at being able to see what she learned in her AP Psychology class as it applies to the children she tutors, Isabella opened her mind to pursuing a career in Education. For Isabella, knowing that she is helping children develop a functional skill they can use for the rest of their lives inspires her to help them in the best way she can. “I would rather give my time up [to do] something I know someone will use, than waste that time on myself,” she remarks. Isabella is an active member of her school community and a dedicated student. She holds a 4.0 GPA and ranks among the top 10% in her class. She is a member of her school’s chapters of the National English Honors Society and the Spanish Honors Society. She pursues her creativity by participating in her school’s photography club. She has also tutored and mentored students at a local elementary school through her involvement with the Walter Bickett Elementary After school program. Isabella will attend Appalachian State University, North Carolina State University, or the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She plans to major in Biology and minor in Education. When asked why she wants to teach, Isabella leads with kindness to a simple reply: “I want to help others.”
GPA: 4.00
High School: Weddington High School
Heritage: Chilean & Irish
Chilean Irish American Isabella first started to teach after she and her parents founded a nonprofit tutoring program to serve children with learning disabilities in their community of Matthews, North Carolina. Although most activities in the tutorings sessions revolve around a similar structure and concept, each session is different from the other, and each activity is adjusted as necessary to fit the need and progress of each child. Sessions mainly consist of a reading activity where Isabella reads passages with the childrend and asks them guided questions so as to direct their thinking and aid in their comprehension. “Seeing the children piecing together the parts of the story [is] quite intriguing,” shares Isabella. Last year, she signed up for an AP Psychology class at her school. It did not take long for the class to become one of her all time favorites. In class, they explored the way the human brain works. First, they focused on studying its anatomy, learning about the function of each individual parts. Then, they combined everything to learn how all parts come together and work as a whole. Amazed at being able to see what she learned in her AP Psychology class as it applies to the children she tutors, Isabella opened her mind to pursuing a career in Education. For Isabella, knowing that she is helping children develop a functional skill they can use for the rest of their lives inspires her to help them in the best way she can. “I would rather give my time up [to do] something I know someone will use, than waste that time on myself,” she remarks. Isabella is an active member of her school community and a dedicated student. She holds a 4.0 GPA and ranks among the top 10% in her class. She is a member of her school’s chapters of the National English Honors Society and the Spanish Honors Society. She pursues her creativity by participating in her school’s photography club. She has also tutored and mentored students at a local elementary school through her involvement with the Walter Bickett Elementary After school program. Isabella will attend Appalachian State University, North Carolina State University, or the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She plans to major in Biology and minor in Education. When asked why she wants to teach, Isabella leads with kindness to a simple reply: “I want to help others.”
Engineering
GOLD - Kaden OquelÍ-White
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
GPA: 3.95
High School: Jesuit High School
Heritage: Honduran
“The exact moment I resolved to pursue astrophysics is unknown,” says Honduran American student Kaden. Before there was Hawkins, or Hubble, or Schwarzchild stirring intrigue and awe in the mind of Kaden, there was Gigi guiding his eyes to the sky. Gigi, Kaden’s late great-grandmother, “would point out electric skybluepink sunsets, the enormous moon, or pinpricks of light in the night sky” for Kaden. And though the precise moment he decided to become an astrophysicist may be unknown, the sum of the moments he shared admiring the observable beauty of the firmament with Gigi ignited his sense of wonder and “bonded [him] forever to her and to the astral beauty that embraces us.” As Kaden grew, so did his fascination with the world beyond Earth, as he learned about black holes and stellar evolution. Reading put the universe in Kaden’s hands as he insatiably read and learned about “all things celestial.” And though the precise moment he decided to become an astrophysicist may be unknown, it would appear the limit to his pursuit of knowledge DNE. It is “[t]he whys and whats”—Kaden’s curiosity—that compel this brilliant young man’s quest to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge and our understanding of the cosmos. Kaden has conducted Astrophysics research on black holes, Hawking radiation, and quantum mechanics. Last year, he was selected for the NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science (SEES) Internship. He has shared his love for science while fostering interest in STEM as a volunteer for the Infinity Science Center’s Astro Camp and STEM Educational Ambassador program. As deep as his focus on astrophysics runs, back on Earth, Kaden’s interests run broad. He serves as managing editor for his school’s student-run newspaper, is poetry editor for its literary magazine, sings for its choir, is a member of its drama club, and is the current president of its fencing club. For Kaden, his mother has been another force of inspiration. He credits his mother for instilling in him the value of service. “She gave me ample opportunities to connect with diverse communities, develop my philanthropic passions, and encourage me to be a global citizen,” shares Kaden. He has developed a deep sense of community and grown as a Jesuit “man for others” by organizing service initiatives. During the prolific Louisiana storm season of 2020—Kaden lives right outside of New Orleans—he rallied his peers through school-wide drives to donate carloads of supplies to devastated families and filled community fridges with meals. Kaden also devised a plan to provide astronomy optics and beginner’s stargazing lessons to local assisted living facilities residents. These initiatives fostered connections among his community during times of social distance and pandemic solitude. “[This] reminded me that the human experience is vastly better when we all come together,” he says. Next fall, Kaden will attend Columbia University. This remarkable Latino will study Astrophysics and Engineering on a full-ride scholarship.
GPA: 3.95
High School: Jesuit High School
Heritage: Honduran
“The exact moment I resolved to pursue astrophysics is unknown,” says Honduran American student Kaden. Before there was Hawkins, or Hubble, or Schwarzchild stirring intrigue and awe in the mind of Kaden, there was Gigi guiding his eyes to the sky. Gigi, Kaden’s late great-grandmother, “would point out electric skybluepink sunsets, the enormous moon, or pinpricks of light in the night sky” for Kaden. And though the precise moment he decided to become an astrophysicist may be unknown, the sum of the moments he shared admiring the observable beauty of the firmament with Gigi ignited his sense of wonder and “bonded [him] forever to her and to the astral beauty that embraces us.” As Kaden grew, so did his fascination with the world beyond Earth, as he learned about black holes and stellar evolution. Reading put the universe in Kaden’s hands as he insatiably read and learned about “all things celestial.” And though the precise moment he decided to become an astrophysicist may be unknown, it would appear the limit to his pursuit of knowledge DNE. It is “[t]he whys and whats”—Kaden’s curiosity—that compel this brilliant young man’s quest to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge and our understanding of the cosmos. Kaden has conducted Astrophysics research on black holes, Hawking radiation, and quantum mechanics. Last year, he was selected for the NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science (SEES) Internship. He has shared his love for science while fostering interest in STEM as a volunteer for the Infinity Science Center’s Astro Camp and STEM Educational Ambassador program. As deep as his focus on astrophysics runs, back on Earth, Kaden’s interests run broad. He serves as managing editor for his school’s student-run newspaper, is poetry editor for its literary magazine, sings for its choir, is a member of its drama club, and is the current president of its fencing club. For Kaden, his mother has been another force of inspiration. He credits his mother for instilling in him the value of service. “She gave me ample opportunities to connect with diverse communities, develop my philanthropic passions, and encourage me to be a global citizen,” shares Kaden. He has developed a deep sense of community and grown as a Jesuit “man for others” by organizing service initiatives. During the prolific Louisiana storm season of 2020—Kaden lives right outside of New Orleans—he rallied his peers through school-wide drives to donate carloads of supplies to devastated families and filled community fridges with meals. Kaden also devised a plan to provide astronomy optics and beginner’s stargazing lessons to local assisted living facilities residents. These initiatives fostered connections among his community during times of social distance and pandemic solitude. “[This] reminded me that the human experience is vastly better when we all come together,” he says. Next fall, Kaden will attend Columbia University. This remarkable Latino will study Astrophysics and Engineering on a full-ride scholarship.
Silver - Kathryn Wood
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN
GPA: 3.90
High School: Chattanooga Christian School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Chattanooga, Tennessee resident Kathryn became interested in engineering after joining her middle school’s LEGO robotics club in its inaugural year. “I was fascinated by how simple machines worked together to create larger functions,” she remembers. In eighth grade, she advanced to a more challenging robotics team, her school’s VEX robotics competition league. Her new team introduced her to new engineering concepts, like the engineering design process, and built upon the skills she had begun developing prior to joining them. Robotics introduced Kathryn to a new way of thinking. Thanks to robotics, she developed her critical thinking skills and learned new problem-solving approaches and strategies. It also fostered Kathryn’s interest in computer programming. Over the years, she has honed and expanded her skills; going from a scared and overwhelmed team member, like she was when she first joined in eighth grade, to a confident leader that has helped her team achieve world-class level—they are currently ranked 24th in the world, out of more than 20,000 teams. Last year, her team opened up its membership to younger middle school students. Remembering what it had been like for her when she first joined, Kathryn took on the role of mentor to offer her support and guidance. “I felt a need to help these students as they adjusted to the program and give them the advice that I wish someone had shared with me,” remarks Kathryn. To help new team members through the transition, practice hours for high school members were kept separate from middle school practice hours. Rather than just attending regular high school practice hours, Kathryn also began participating in middle school practices as a high school mentor. Since becoming a mentor, she has enjoyed watching the younger members grow more sure of themselves and develop new skills. Mentoring has given her a new perspective. Noting that the younger students in the team would struggle to think critically and would often fail to use problem-solving methods, last year, alongside four other senior members of the team, Kathryn began to work with her school’s dean of academics to develop a much-needed class that would help address the issues she had noted. Starting this year—on Mondays and Wednesdays—she and the other contributing senior co-teach their class—Fundamentals of Robotics Design—to middle school students. Kathryn is a clear leader in her community. She cares about her peers and works to make an impact, identifying problems and actively working to solve them. She is a member of her school’s chapters of the Spanish National Honor Society and the National Honor Society. Top of her class, Kathryn will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Georgia Institute of Technology, or North Carolina State University. She plans to major in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Physics or Computer Science.
GPA: 3.90
High School: Chattanooga Christian School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Chattanooga, Tennessee resident Kathryn became interested in engineering after joining her middle school’s LEGO robotics club in its inaugural year. “I was fascinated by how simple machines worked together to create larger functions,” she remembers. In eighth grade, she advanced to a more challenging robotics team, her school’s VEX robotics competition league. Her new team introduced her to new engineering concepts, like the engineering design process, and built upon the skills she had begun developing prior to joining them. Robotics introduced Kathryn to a new way of thinking. Thanks to robotics, she developed her critical thinking skills and learned new problem-solving approaches and strategies. It also fostered Kathryn’s interest in computer programming. Over the years, she has honed and expanded her skills; going from a scared and overwhelmed team member, like she was when she first joined in eighth grade, to a confident leader that has helped her team achieve world-class level—they are currently ranked 24th in the world, out of more than 20,000 teams. Last year, her team opened up its membership to younger middle school students. Remembering what it had been like for her when she first joined, Kathryn took on the role of mentor to offer her support and guidance. “I felt a need to help these students as they adjusted to the program and give them the advice that I wish someone had shared with me,” remarks Kathryn. To help new team members through the transition, practice hours for high school members were kept separate from middle school practice hours. Rather than just attending regular high school practice hours, Kathryn also began participating in middle school practices as a high school mentor. Since becoming a mentor, she has enjoyed watching the younger members grow more sure of themselves and develop new skills. Mentoring has given her a new perspective. Noting that the younger students in the team would struggle to think critically and would often fail to use problem-solving methods, last year, alongside four other senior members of the team, Kathryn began to work with her school’s dean of academics to develop a much-needed class that would help address the issues she had noted. Starting this year—on Mondays and Wednesdays—she and the other contributing senior co-teach their class—Fundamentals of Robotics Design—to middle school students. Kathryn is a clear leader in her community. She cares about her peers and works to make an impact, identifying problems and actively working to solve them. She is a member of her school’s chapters of the Spanish National Honor Society and the National Honor Society. Top of her class, Kathryn will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Georgia Institute of Technology, or North Carolina State University. She plans to major in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Physics or Computer Science.
Bronze - Alexander Soto
Hometown: Springdale, AR
GPA: 4.00
High School: Springdale High School
Heritage: Mexican
For Springdale, Arkansas resident Alexander, Engineering is as much of an art as it is a science. What he refers to as the “artistic nature” of engineering is what has kept alive his fascination o\w the subject since he was younger. Problem-solving is an inherently creative process, and for Alexander, the process of solving problems is a creative outlet. According to him, “[e]ngineering differs from traditional art only in its purpose: not for adoration but innovation.” The possibility of being able to merge his knowledge and his creativity–through engineering–to solve some of the most pressing needs in our communities and make a difference excites and motivates Alexander. He has been part of his school’s Engineering Academy since his sophomore year. Through the Academy, he has taken diverse courses in Engineering, like Digital Electronics and Computer Integrated Manufacturing. For his senior year capstone project, Alexander has been working on creating a prosthetic arm with the objective of making prosthetics affordable to amputees across all demographics. “[P]rosthetics can cost tens of thousands of dollars,” he says. This leaves “people of low socioeconomic status disproportionately affected.” The fight against health inequality is a cause dear to Alexander’s heart. “The world desperately needs inexpensive medical innovations that are accessible to everyone,” he remarks. It is that thought that motivates him to pursue a career in bioengineering. He advocates for the implementation of innovation that is driven by creativity and compassion to help us in the fight against global inequalities. When asked about what inspires him to give back, Alexander looks at how far he has come thanks to the work of others. “These people and many more from my community have put me in [a] prime position to succeed. It will be my life’s work to pass it forward and contribute to the advancement of Northwest Arkansas,” he affirms. Throughout his high school career, Alexander has regularly participated in volunteer work. Every morning before school, he holds ACT tutoring sessions. His state consistently ranks low on standardized testing. His school also has many first-generation and low-income students who face additional challenges. By providing ACT tutoring, he hopes he can help his peers gain more scholarships and further their education. This compassionate and courageous Latino leader maintains a 4.0 GPA while challenging herself with demanding classes and a rigorous schedule. He is a member of his school’s chapters of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. Alexander will attend Stanford University, Duke University, or Harvard University. He plans to major in Bioengineering. He will continue making an impact in his community and making his family proud as he becomes the first in his family to attend college.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Springdale High School
Heritage: Mexican
For Springdale, Arkansas resident Alexander, Engineering is as much of an art as it is a science. What he refers to as the “artistic nature” of engineering is what has kept alive his fascination o\w the subject since he was younger. Problem-solving is an inherently creative process, and for Alexander, the process of solving problems is a creative outlet. According to him, “[e]ngineering differs from traditional art only in its purpose: not for adoration but innovation.” The possibility of being able to merge his knowledge and his creativity–through engineering–to solve some of the most pressing needs in our communities and make a difference excites and motivates Alexander. He has been part of his school’s Engineering Academy since his sophomore year. Through the Academy, he has taken diverse courses in Engineering, like Digital Electronics and Computer Integrated Manufacturing. For his senior year capstone project, Alexander has been working on creating a prosthetic arm with the objective of making prosthetics affordable to amputees across all demographics. “[P]rosthetics can cost tens of thousands of dollars,” he says. This leaves “people of low socioeconomic status disproportionately affected.” The fight against health inequality is a cause dear to Alexander’s heart. “The world desperately needs inexpensive medical innovations that are accessible to everyone,” he remarks. It is that thought that motivates him to pursue a career in bioengineering. He advocates for the implementation of innovation that is driven by creativity and compassion to help us in the fight against global inequalities. When asked about what inspires him to give back, Alexander looks at how far he has come thanks to the work of others. “These people and many more from my community have put me in [a] prime position to succeed. It will be my life’s work to pass it forward and contribute to the advancement of Northwest Arkansas,” he affirms. Throughout his high school career, Alexander has regularly participated in volunteer work. Every morning before school, he holds ACT tutoring sessions. His state consistently ranks low on standardized testing. His school also has many first-generation and low-income students who face additional challenges. By providing ACT tutoring, he hopes he can help his peers gain more scholarships and further their education. This compassionate and courageous Latino leader maintains a 4.0 GPA while challenging herself with demanding classes and a rigorous schedule. He is a member of his school’s chapters of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. Alexander will attend Stanford University, Duke University, or Harvard University. He plans to major in Bioengineering. He will continue making an impact in his community and making his family proud as he becomes the first in his family to attend college.
Healthcare & Science
GOLD - Levi Cruz
Hometown: Clinton, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Heritage: Mexican
Healthcare and science are the areas of study that intrigue Levi the most. His interest in these fields, he explains, arises from a curiosity to understand the smaller moving parts that work together in order for a mechanism to run, like gears in a clock. However, this curiosity, or as Levi calls it, this “mindset,” is not limited to these two fields of study; it works on all scales, regardless of field. Levi is a student at the prestigious North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM). As part of his Research in Biology class, he has been conducting in-depth independent research on the process of regeneration in planaria—a type of flatworm that exhibits a remarkable ability for stem cell-driven regeneration that allows it to regenerate lost or damaged body parts. Because of the demands and rigor of his Research in Biology, the level of independence it requires, and its long-term nature—two semesters and one summer term—to be considered for admission into the class, Levi had to complete an application and interview process his junior year. He was one of only six students admitted out of over 70 applicants. “Being a student in the NCSSM’s Research in Biology program has encouraged me to find my particular passion in biology,” says Levi. What attracts him to biology, he says, is the potential power of a perfect question; the potential that exists for scientific advancement in a simple, perfectly formulated question; the potential to make an impact through the conclusions drawn from research conducted in the process of answering the specific question that triggered the investigation. “Having the ability to find a specific question that would leave an impact when solved demonstrates why I’m passionate about biology,” he says. According to Levi, the study of any scientific field could allow him the ability to “improve human health” by starting from a question, tracing it to the abovementioned “smaller moving parts” from where the question arises, “and work [his] way up for a solution.” This extraordinary Latino is the proud son of two Mexican immigrants. Home for Levi is Clinton, North Carolina, in “a rural area—with a thriving Hispanic community.” He feels a close bond to his hometown, for the sacrifices his community has made and the support they have provided him as he has worked towards his goals. They are his inspiration to give back. He wants to influence progress and strives to improve their environment to ensure others do not have to face the same struggles he did. Levi has taken measures to educate his community to help combat its low levels of health literacy. His impressive accomplishments only tell part of his story. A leader for his community, Levi is a QuestBridge Match Scholarship recipient. He will study Biology at Yale University while attending on a full-ride scholarship.
GPA: 4.00
High School: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Heritage: Mexican
Healthcare and science are the areas of study that intrigue Levi the most. His interest in these fields, he explains, arises from a curiosity to understand the smaller moving parts that work together in order for a mechanism to run, like gears in a clock. However, this curiosity, or as Levi calls it, this “mindset,” is not limited to these two fields of study; it works on all scales, regardless of field. Levi is a student at the prestigious North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM). As part of his Research in Biology class, he has been conducting in-depth independent research on the process of regeneration in planaria—a type of flatworm that exhibits a remarkable ability for stem cell-driven regeneration that allows it to regenerate lost or damaged body parts. Because of the demands and rigor of his Research in Biology, the level of independence it requires, and its long-term nature—two semesters and one summer term—to be considered for admission into the class, Levi had to complete an application and interview process his junior year. He was one of only six students admitted out of over 70 applicants. “Being a student in the NCSSM’s Research in Biology program has encouraged me to find my particular passion in biology,” says Levi. What attracts him to biology, he says, is the potential power of a perfect question; the potential that exists for scientific advancement in a simple, perfectly formulated question; the potential to make an impact through the conclusions drawn from research conducted in the process of answering the specific question that triggered the investigation. “Having the ability to find a specific question that would leave an impact when solved demonstrates why I’m passionate about biology,” he says. According to Levi, the study of any scientific field could allow him the ability to “improve human health” by starting from a question, tracing it to the abovementioned “smaller moving parts” from where the question arises, “and work [his] way up for a solution.” This extraordinary Latino is the proud son of two Mexican immigrants. Home for Levi is Clinton, North Carolina, in “a rural area—with a thriving Hispanic community.” He feels a close bond to his hometown, for the sacrifices his community has made and the support they have provided him as he has worked towards his goals. They are his inspiration to give back. He wants to influence progress and strives to improve their environment to ensure others do not have to face the same struggles he did. Levi has taken measures to educate his community to help combat its low levels of health literacy. His impressive accomplishments only tell part of his story. A leader for his community, Levi is a QuestBridge Match Scholarship recipient. He will study Biology at Yale University while attending on a full-ride scholarship.
Silver - Racheal Oladimeji
Hometown: Goose Creek, SC
GPA: 3.91
High School: Stratford High School
Heritage: Venezuelan, Trinidadian, & Nigerian
Racheal has worked out all the details of what it will take to become the surgeon she aspires to be. First on her list, after graduating high school, or course, is pursuing a degree in Psychology. “I enjoy learning about human interaction and the science behind real-world relations,” she says. Racheal has looked for opportunities to prepare herself for her future career throughout high school. Equally as important for her has been seeking opportunities to grow as a servant leader in her community. “Volunteering means everything to me,” says Racheal. For this Latina of Venezuelan, Trinidadian, and Nigerian descent, service is a way for her to help others in her community and show them her appreciation. “It allows me to give back to the heroes who sacrifice so much for our country,” remarks Racheal. She has been volunteering at her local Veteran Affairs Hospital since before the pandemic. When lockdown measures went into effect in 2020, her experience as a volunteer changed. People and businesses across the globe were innovating and adapting to new circumstances, and Racheal’s hospital was no different. Rather than interacting with patients in person, consultations began to be conducted strictly online. She worked with the hospital’s IT department in efforts to bridge the digital divide that affected many veterans in her community. Racheal worked with her mentor to consolidate video chat platform—Zoom, Skype, Webex, etc.—tutorials on a SharePoint site and created a tutorial showing how to access mental health apps through the Apple App Store. Another way in which Racheal helped alleviate some of the quarantine uncertainty and kept herself active earlier in the pandemic was by recording virtual read-alouds of herself reading children’s books and submitting them to a virtual library, so K-2 children could distract themselves with her entertaining retellings. As a woman of faith, giving back for Racheal is a way for her to show others that they are loved, and “more importantly, show God’s love through [her] actions.” “My high school experience has reflected my values,” says Racheal. At school, some of her favorite extracurricular activities have included service components. She is a member of her school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes and its chapter of the National Honor Society. She is also a member of its varsity tennis team. Racheal has challenged herself academically all through high school. She is ranked among the top in her class and has received various awards for her academic performance, including recognition as an AP Scholar with Honor and a National Merit Commended Scholar. She will attend Harvard University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, or Duke University and major in Psychology.
GPA: 3.91
High School: Stratford High School
Heritage: Venezuelan, Trinidadian, & Nigerian
Racheal has worked out all the details of what it will take to become the surgeon she aspires to be. First on her list, after graduating high school, or course, is pursuing a degree in Psychology. “I enjoy learning about human interaction and the science behind real-world relations,” she says. Racheal has looked for opportunities to prepare herself for her future career throughout high school. Equally as important for her has been seeking opportunities to grow as a servant leader in her community. “Volunteering means everything to me,” says Racheal. For this Latina of Venezuelan, Trinidadian, and Nigerian descent, service is a way for her to help others in her community and show them her appreciation. “It allows me to give back to the heroes who sacrifice so much for our country,” remarks Racheal. She has been volunteering at her local Veteran Affairs Hospital since before the pandemic. When lockdown measures went into effect in 2020, her experience as a volunteer changed. People and businesses across the globe were innovating and adapting to new circumstances, and Racheal’s hospital was no different. Rather than interacting with patients in person, consultations began to be conducted strictly online. She worked with the hospital’s IT department in efforts to bridge the digital divide that affected many veterans in her community. Racheal worked with her mentor to consolidate video chat platform—Zoom, Skype, Webex, etc.—tutorials on a SharePoint site and created a tutorial showing how to access mental health apps through the Apple App Store. Another way in which Racheal helped alleviate some of the quarantine uncertainty and kept herself active earlier in the pandemic was by recording virtual read-alouds of herself reading children’s books and submitting them to a virtual library, so K-2 children could distract themselves with her entertaining retellings. As a woman of faith, giving back for Racheal is a way for her to show others that they are loved, and “more importantly, show God’s love through [her] actions.” “My high school experience has reflected my values,” says Racheal. At school, some of her favorite extracurricular activities have included service components. She is a member of her school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes and its chapter of the National Honor Society. She is also a member of its varsity tennis team. Racheal has challenged herself academically all through high school. She is ranked among the top in her class and has received various awards for her academic performance, including recognition as an AP Scholar with Honor and a National Merit Commended Scholar. She will attend Harvard University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, or Duke University and major in Psychology.
Bronze - Luzelena Morales
Hometown: Lowell, AR
GPA: 3.90
High School: Don Tyson School of Innovation
Heritage: Mexican
Although Luzelena may be unsure about what she wants to study in college, one thing is for certain: she has embraced every opportunity to explore a career in healthcare that has been presented to her throughout her high school career. Luzelena has exhausted, and aced, all the health and medical courses offered at her school, including Medical Terminology, Foundations of Healthcare, and Anatomy and Physiology. Interested in continuing to learn but wanting a more hands-on approach, Luzelena signed up for the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Program at her local community college. By the end of the Program, she had completed a total of 96+ clinical hours—conducted at a local assisted living facility. During this time, she provided care for more than twelve residents and established individualized care plans for them by working closely with the nursing staff. Working first-hand with the residents, providing care for them, and assisting them with their activities of daily living was rewarding beyond expectations for Luzelena. Although she is not officially a licensed CNA due to age restrictions, Luzenela has continued to provide hands-on care through an internship at the same assisted living facility. This has become her favorite way to serve her community. When she is providing care, she makes it a mission for herself to ensure that her residents feel loved and appreciated. Luzelena’s main inspiration for getting involved in her community and giving back is her parents. “They are the main reason I work hard towards my goals and dreams. They have not only shown me to never give up, but have also shown me that in order to be successful, I have to work hard and put my heart towards my dreams,” she shares. Luzelena is a leader among the members of her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She helps create a better school and community through her work and volunteering. She plans to attend Northwest Arkansas Community College, the University of Arkansas, or Arkansas Tech University.
GPA: 3.90
High School: Don Tyson School of Innovation
Heritage: Mexican
Although Luzelena may be unsure about what she wants to study in college, one thing is for certain: she has embraced every opportunity to explore a career in healthcare that has been presented to her throughout her high school career. Luzelena has exhausted, and aced, all the health and medical courses offered at her school, including Medical Terminology, Foundations of Healthcare, and Anatomy and Physiology. Interested in continuing to learn but wanting a more hands-on approach, Luzelena signed up for the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Program at her local community college. By the end of the Program, she had completed a total of 96+ clinical hours—conducted at a local assisted living facility. During this time, she provided care for more than twelve residents and established individualized care plans for them by working closely with the nursing staff. Working first-hand with the residents, providing care for them, and assisting them with their activities of daily living was rewarding beyond expectations for Luzelena. Although she is not officially a licensed CNA due to age restrictions, Luzenela has continued to provide hands-on care through an internship at the same assisted living facility. This has become her favorite way to serve her community. When she is providing care, she makes it a mission for herself to ensure that her residents feel loved and appreciated. Luzelena’s main inspiration for getting involved in her community and giving back is her parents. “They are the main reason I work hard towards my goals and dreams. They have not only shown me to never give up, but have also shown me that in order to be successful, I have to work hard and put my heart towards my dreams,” she shares. Luzelena is a leader among the members of her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She helps create a better school and community through her work and volunteering. She plans to attend Northwest Arkansas Community College, the University of Arkansas, or Arkansas Tech University.
Media & Entertainment
GOLD - Carmen Alcocer
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
GPA: 3.81
High School: Bearden High School
Heritage: Mexican
Between Carmen’s love of painting and the creative arts, her time spent as a devoted thespian, or the nearly five years she has spent involved with the student-run news programs at her middle school and high school, participating in activities that serve to entertain her community has always come instinctually to this Latina resident of Knoxville, Tennessee. Artists such as Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, and Justin Vernon have inspired and motivated Carmen as she has grown as an artist and developed her own style and perspective. More important than the influence of these great artists in Carmen’s life, has been the impact of her family’s support. “I am [indebted] to the endless support of my family, who ha[s] long influenced me to be the best artist I can,” she shares. Throughout much of her childhood, Carmen’s grandmother served as her guiding creative force. She would allow Carmen the opportunity to freely explore her imagination and work on her skills as an entertainer for as long as Carmen’s heart desired. With her grandmother, Carmen would go on expedition walks, searching for objects she could find in nature—dried bamboo shoots, flat river rocks, and a variety of malleable natural objects—that she could use as painting implements in her artistic explorations. “Knowing, even at six or seven years old, that she trusted me enough to let me use the paints and brushes she had carefully taken care of for more than three decades, helped me develop a sense of self-confidence that has helped me proudly identify as an artist for the majority of my life,” says Carmen. For this young Latina artist, giving back to the community that supported and enriched her life has been a crucial component in her path to developing a sense of purpose. Whether it be by volunteering at her local community theatre, helping out through church-based ministries, performing community outreach with a nation-wide peer-education program, or acting as president of her school’s chapter of the National Art Honors Society, she has always looked for ways to serve her community in meaningful ways. Carmen has a long list of awards and recognitions in celebration of her artistic abilities, including earning the award as “Best In Show” from the National Art Honors Society and being admitted into the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. Carmen will continue with her artistic endeavors as a student at the University of Miami, Tusculum University, or The New School. She plans to major in Architecture and Art History.
GPA: 3.81
High School: Bearden High School
Heritage: Mexican
Between Carmen’s love of painting and the creative arts, her time spent as a devoted thespian, or the nearly five years she has spent involved with the student-run news programs at her middle school and high school, participating in activities that serve to entertain her community has always come instinctually to this Latina resident of Knoxville, Tennessee. Artists such as Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, and Justin Vernon have inspired and motivated Carmen as she has grown as an artist and developed her own style and perspective. More important than the influence of these great artists in Carmen’s life, has been the impact of her family’s support. “I am [indebted] to the endless support of my family, who ha[s] long influenced me to be the best artist I can,” she shares. Throughout much of her childhood, Carmen’s grandmother served as her guiding creative force. She would allow Carmen the opportunity to freely explore her imagination and work on her skills as an entertainer for as long as Carmen’s heart desired. With her grandmother, Carmen would go on expedition walks, searching for objects she could find in nature—dried bamboo shoots, flat river rocks, and a variety of malleable natural objects—that she could use as painting implements in her artistic explorations. “Knowing, even at six or seven years old, that she trusted me enough to let me use the paints and brushes she had carefully taken care of for more than three decades, helped me develop a sense of self-confidence that has helped me proudly identify as an artist for the majority of my life,” says Carmen. For this young Latina artist, giving back to the community that supported and enriched her life has been a crucial component in her path to developing a sense of purpose. Whether it be by volunteering at her local community theatre, helping out through church-based ministries, performing community outreach with a nation-wide peer-education program, or acting as president of her school’s chapter of the National Art Honors Society, she has always looked for ways to serve her community in meaningful ways. Carmen has a long list of awards and recognitions in celebration of her artistic abilities, including earning the award as “Best In Show” from the National Art Honors Society and being admitted into the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. Carmen will continue with her artistic endeavors as a student at the University of Miami, Tusculum University, or The New School. She plans to major in Architecture and Art History.
Silver - Madison Cuevas
Hometown: Franklin, TN
GPA: 4.0
High School: Centennial High School
Heritage: Filipino
“Music is my love language,” declares Centennial High School student Madison. She has been honing her skills as a singer since childhood and found a home in musical theater. “Musical theater showed me I had raw talent and passion,” she says. In high school, singing went from a hobby to a craft for Madison. She started taking formal voice lessons and meeting weekly with a vocal performance coach. Working on her technique, Madison learned to blend her voice, sing with more control, and combine her chest and head voice rather than rely too much on belting. She has been singing as a member of her school choir throughout her high school career. Madison can read—and sing—in several languages. She has taken lessons in Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. She feels privileged to be able to learn about and share other cultures through songs, and for, in turn, having the opportunity to share her talent with people from other cultures. Over the years, Madison has performed in several musicals, including Legally Blonde and In the Heights, putting her singing voice and acting chops on display. Her favorite part of a musical theater performance is the incredible teamwork that putting on a show entails; all the moving pieces coming together, resulting in the final product: a well-performed show. Madison understands the importance of giving back to her community. She has done this by volunteering at local food banks. Most recently, she has been an advocate for vaccination and mask usage in her town, and has done her part to try to dispel some of the myths that revolve around the topics. Working for her mother’s rheumatology clinic has also allowed Madison to help people in her community. Being a polyglot has come in particularly handy for her, as she can communicate with patients who may otherwise not have had someone to help them that understood their language. When it comes to her academics, Madison is a model student. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and has sought to continuously challenge herself by pursuing a demanding academic curriculum. She will attend Macalester College, the University of Missouri, or Florida State University, and is considering majors in Music, Japanese, and Biology. She wants to continue refining her voice and is looking forward to the opportunities college will bring her. Growing up, there were no Filipino Americans like Madison for her to look up to in the music industry. She aspires to help change that.
GPA: 4.0
High School: Centennial High School
Heritage: Filipino
“Music is my love language,” declares Centennial High School student Madison. She has been honing her skills as a singer since childhood and found a home in musical theater. “Musical theater showed me I had raw talent and passion,” she says. In high school, singing went from a hobby to a craft for Madison. She started taking formal voice lessons and meeting weekly with a vocal performance coach. Working on her technique, Madison learned to blend her voice, sing with more control, and combine her chest and head voice rather than rely too much on belting. She has been singing as a member of her school choir throughout her high school career. Madison can read—and sing—in several languages. She has taken lessons in Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. She feels privileged to be able to learn about and share other cultures through songs, and for, in turn, having the opportunity to share her talent with people from other cultures. Over the years, Madison has performed in several musicals, including Legally Blonde and In the Heights, putting her singing voice and acting chops on display. Her favorite part of a musical theater performance is the incredible teamwork that putting on a show entails; all the moving pieces coming together, resulting in the final product: a well-performed show. Madison understands the importance of giving back to her community. She has done this by volunteering at local food banks. Most recently, she has been an advocate for vaccination and mask usage in her town, and has done her part to try to dispel some of the myths that revolve around the topics. Working for her mother’s rheumatology clinic has also allowed Madison to help people in her community. Being a polyglot has come in particularly handy for her, as she can communicate with patients who may otherwise not have had someone to help them that understood their language. When it comes to her academics, Madison is a model student. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and has sought to continuously challenge herself by pursuing a demanding academic curriculum. She will attend Macalester College, the University of Missouri, or Florida State University, and is considering majors in Music, Japanese, and Biology. She wants to continue refining her voice and is looking forward to the opportunities college will bring her. Growing up, there were no Filipino Americans like Madison for her to look up to in the music industry. She aspires to help change that.
Bronze - Gabriella Rodríguez-LeBron
Hometown: Cary, NC
GPA: 3.78
High School: Cary High School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican American Gabriella has a passion for writing, journalism, and media. She is a staff writer for The Page, her school’s student-run newspaper, and an intern for WRAL. WRAL is the North Carolina-based Capitol Broadcasting Company’s flagship station and the state’s most-watched local news channel. As an intern for WRAL, Gabriella has the opportunity to learn and work on various aspects of television broadcasting. She is involved in all stages of the production process. She writes and edits scripts during pre-production, films segments, and edits her videos in post-production. What had attracted Gabriella to apply for the internship was her love for writing and journalism. What she had not expected, was that her work with WRAL would help her discover a newfound passion and talent for video editing. This dynamic Latina is an active member of her community. “Community service is a major part of my life,” she says. Gabriella serves as an ambassador for the Girl Scouts. She has been involved with the organization for the past twelve years. Throughout these years, she has led several service initiatives with her troop. Some of these initiatives have been building gardens around a local church, sewing dog beds for local animal shelters, and weeding invasive plant species in parks across her community. What inspires her the most about giving back is “being able to see the change[s] that [she] ma[kes].” Working with a local animal shelter, Gabriella and her family temporarily foster dogs. Frequently, these dogs are labeled “troubled,” which means they either have an illness or have behavioral problems. “Being able to see them grow and learn to trust a family once again is the most rewarding experience,” remarks Gabriella. For her, helping rehabilitate these dogs is a mutually beneficial exchange. Spending time with each of them reduces her levels of anxiety, helps her concentrate, and overall makes her feel good for the time she spends with an animal in need. Gabriella is equally involved in her community at school. She is a section lead for her school’s concert chorus, has been involved with a number of its theater productions, is a member of its chapter of the National Honor Society, and works as a teacher’s assistant helping her ninth-grade English teacher. As she moves on to college, she plans to continue exploring her passions, old and new, to determine if she should pursue written or video, or perhaps even multimedia, journalism. Gabriella will attend Meredith College. She plans to major in Communications—with a concentration in Public Relations—and minor in Journalism.
GPA: 3.78
High School: Cary High School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican American Gabriella has a passion for writing, journalism, and media. She is a staff writer for The Page, her school’s student-run newspaper, and an intern for WRAL. WRAL is the North Carolina-based Capitol Broadcasting Company’s flagship station and the state’s most-watched local news channel. As an intern for WRAL, Gabriella has the opportunity to learn and work on various aspects of television broadcasting. She is involved in all stages of the production process. She writes and edits scripts during pre-production, films segments, and edits her videos in post-production. What had attracted Gabriella to apply for the internship was her love for writing and journalism. What she had not expected, was that her work with WRAL would help her discover a newfound passion and talent for video editing. This dynamic Latina is an active member of her community. “Community service is a major part of my life,” she says. Gabriella serves as an ambassador for the Girl Scouts. She has been involved with the organization for the past twelve years. Throughout these years, she has led several service initiatives with her troop. Some of these initiatives have been building gardens around a local church, sewing dog beds for local animal shelters, and weeding invasive plant species in parks across her community. What inspires her the most about giving back is “being able to see the change[s] that [she] ma[kes].” Working with a local animal shelter, Gabriella and her family temporarily foster dogs. Frequently, these dogs are labeled “troubled,” which means they either have an illness or have behavioral problems. “Being able to see them grow and learn to trust a family once again is the most rewarding experience,” remarks Gabriella. For her, helping rehabilitate these dogs is a mutually beneficial exchange. Spending time with each of them reduces her levels of anxiety, helps her concentrate, and overall makes her feel good for the time she spends with an animal in need. Gabriella is equally involved in her community at school. She is a section lead for her school’s concert chorus, has been involved with a number of its theater productions, is a member of its chapter of the National Honor Society, and works as a teacher’s assistant helping her ninth-grade English teacher. As she moves on to college, she plans to continue exploring her passions, old and new, to determine if she should pursue written or video, or perhaps even multimedia, journalism. Gabriella will attend Meredith College. She plans to major in Communications—with a concentration in Public Relations—and minor in Journalism.
Public Service & Social Justice
GOLD - Isaac Carreño
Hometown: Goldsboro, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Wayne School of Engineering
Heritage: Mexican
Growing up in his hometown of Goldsboro, North Carolina, Isaac remembers he always had a fascination for politics and the mechanisms of government. Though these concepts may have once been abstract ideas that inspired intrigue in a young Isaac, as he has grown and matured, he has gained a deeper understanding of politics and the way it affects us. Isaac’s worldview is impacted by his experiences growing up as a first-generation American in the heart of eastern North Carolina. “[M]y family could not afford some basic necessities, and we were always in a difficult financial situation,” he recalls. These experiences have shaped Isaac into the leader he is today and motivate his drive to serve and be a voice for his community. He is “passionate about social justice and ensuring that everyone has an equal and equitable outlook on life.” Serving his community to address and alleviate its disparities and needs is a duty he feels at his core. “When I see members in my community suffering from food insecurity, inadequate healthcare, housing, and clothing inaccessibility, among other issues, I know that I must take action to create change,” remarks Isaac. Through his role as president of his school’s Key Club, he leads his club through the implementation of service projects that address some of the most pressing issues affecting his community. Isaac constantly seeks to get involved in public service. Last year, he served in the North Carolina Governor’s Page Program and is currently working on implementing a tutoring program for Hispanic students in his county on behalf of the North Carolina Office of the Governor. Last summer, he also had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from Latino political leaders in Washington, DC. Most recently, he was one of two North Carolina students to be selected to represent his state in the 2022 United States Senate Youth Program and Scholarship. The Senate Youth Program will grant him the opportunity to “experience the national government in action” and participate in a week-long government and leadership education program. This remarkable and gifted Latino leader is ranked first in his class. He is a dual-enrollment student at Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne Community College. He is an associate in arts major and participates in his community college’s honors program. He will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, or North Carolina State University. He plans to major in Political Science and minor in Public Policy. His goal is to become a criminal defense attorney and to one day serve his country as a US legislator.and minor in Public Policy. His goal is to become a criminal defense attorney and to one day serve his country as a US legislator.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Wayne School of Engineering
Heritage: Mexican
Growing up in his hometown of Goldsboro, North Carolina, Isaac remembers he always had a fascination for politics and the mechanisms of government. Though these concepts may have once been abstract ideas that inspired intrigue in a young Isaac, as he has grown and matured, he has gained a deeper understanding of politics and the way it affects us. Isaac’s worldview is impacted by his experiences growing up as a first-generation American in the heart of eastern North Carolina. “[M]y family could not afford some basic necessities, and we were always in a difficult financial situation,” he recalls. These experiences have shaped Isaac into the leader he is today and motivate his drive to serve and be a voice for his community. He is “passionate about social justice and ensuring that everyone has an equal and equitable outlook on life.” Serving his community to address and alleviate its disparities and needs is a duty he feels at his core. “When I see members in my community suffering from food insecurity, inadequate healthcare, housing, and clothing inaccessibility, among other issues, I know that I must take action to create change,” remarks Isaac. Through his role as president of his school’s Key Club, he leads his club through the implementation of service projects that address some of the most pressing issues affecting his community. Isaac constantly seeks to get involved in public service. Last year, he served in the North Carolina Governor’s Page Program and is currently working on implementing a tutoring program for Hispanic students in his county on behalf of the North Carolina Office of the Governor. Last summer, he also had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from Latino political leaders in Washington, DC. Most recently, he was one of two North Carolina students to be selected to represent his state in the 2022 United States Senate Youth Program and Scholarship. The Senate Youth Program will grant him the opportunity to “experience the national government in action” and participate in a week-long government and leadership education program. This remarkable and gifted Latino leader is ranked first in his class. He is a dual-enrollment student at Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne Community College. He is an associate in arts major and participates in his community college’s honors program. He will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, or North Carolina State University. He plans to major in Political Science and minor in Public Policy. His goal is to become a criminal defense attorney and to one day serve his country as a US legislator.and minor in Public Policy. His goal is to become a criminal defense attorney and to one day serve his country as a US legislator.
Silver - Nancy García Villa
Hometown: Dobson, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Surry Early College High School of Design
Heritage: Mexican
Nancy is the proud daughter of two Mexican immigrants and a Latina leader in her community of Dobson, North Carolina. She is a fierce advocate for immigrant rights and for providing a pathway for undocumented students to further their education. Despite the diversity within the Latinx community, facing xenophobia and racism is a common thread uniting the experience of many Latinxs in her community. Nancy has not been immune to being on the receiving end of disparaging slurs and discrimination. Rather than feeling defeated or responding with anger, she turned the hate she received into fuel for her activism with the help of her mother. “She understood my anger, but she taught me that more hate shouldn’t be used to combat hate. Thanks to her, I was able to turn my anger into activism,” remembers Nancy. To grow as an activist and a leader—and learn how to combat hate—she participated in the University of North Carolina Catalyst Conference. The mission of the Catalyst Conference is “to empower North Carolina’s next generation of catalysts for positive change.” The Conference empowered Nancy to begin her advocacy work and taught her how she could help effect change in her community. She has applied what she learned to promote conversation at her school about issues affecting Latinx students and to be the voice of her community by representing them and providing input for how her school can become more inclusive for students like her, as a representative of her school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. As a founding member of her school’s Hispanic Student Association, Nancy has helped Hispanic and Latinx students find a place on campus where they feel welcome. One of her proudest achievements is spearheading an initiative to organize a DACA information session. Focused on post-secondary education paths and how to finance those goals for undocumented students at her school, this information session has become an annual event. Earlier this year, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper appointed Nancy as a member-at-large of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs. This phenomenal Latina is ranked among the top students in her class. She is a dual-enrolled student at Surry Early College High School and Surry Community College. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, or Duke University. She plans to major in Political Science and Public Policy and minor in Latin American Studies or Cultural Studies. Nancy’s biggest inspiration to fight for change and push herself to succeed every day is her family. “When I reflect on how far I have come in life in terms of success, I can’t help but think about how far my father walked under the blazing heat so I could walk across the stage at my graduation,” she shares.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Surry Early College High School of Design
Heritage: Mexican
Nancy is the proud daughter of two Mexican immigrants and a Latina leader in her community of Dobson, North Carolina. She is a fierce advocate for immigrant rights and for providing a pathway for undocumented students to further their education. Despite the diversity within the Latinx community, facing xenophobia and racism is a common thread uniting the experience of many Latinxs in her community. Nancy has not been immune to being on the receiving end of disparaging slurs and discrimination. Rather than feeling defeated or responding with anger, she turned the hate she received into fuel for her activism with the help of her mother. “She understood my anger, but she taught me that more hate shouldn’t be used to combat hate. Thanks to her, I was able to turn my anger into activism,” remembers Nancy. To grow as an activist and a leader—and learn how to combat hate—she participated in the University of North Carolina Catalyst Conference. The mission of the Catalyst Conference is “to empower North Carolina’s next generation of catalysts for positive change.” The Conference empowered Nancy to begin her advocacy work and taught her how she could help effect change in her community. She has applied what she learned to promote conversation at her school about issues affecting Latinx students and to be the voice of her community by representing them and providing input for how her school can become more inclusive for students like her, as a representative of her school’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. As a founding member of her school’s Hispanic Student Association, Nancy has helped Hispanic and Latinx students find a place on campus where they feel welcome. One of her proudest achievements is spearheading an initiative to organize a DACA information session. Focused on post-secondary education paths and how to finance those goals for undocumented students at her school, this information session has become an annual event. Earlier this year, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper appointed Nancy as a member-at-large of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs. This phenomenal Latina is ranked among the top students in her class. She is a dual-enrolled student at Surry Early College High School and Surry Community College. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, or Duke University. She plans to major in Political Science and Public Policy and minor in Latin American Studies or Cultural Studies. Nancy’s biggest inspiration to fight for change and push herself to succeed every day is her family. “When I reflect on how far I have come in life in terms of success, I can’t help but think about how far my father walked under the blazing heat so I could walk across the stage at my graduation,” she shares.
Bronze - Andrea Chávez
Hometown: Graham, NC
GPA: 3.90
High School: Graham High School
Heritage: Mexican
To fight for the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers, keep families together, and help undocumented people in her community find a path toward citizenship, Graham, North Carolina resident Andrea, wants to become an immigration lawyer. As part of her school’s dual-enrollment Pre-Collegiate Academy, which will allow her to earn an associate degree by the time she graduates high school, she attends Graham High School and Alamance Community College. Andrea has taken advantage of the opportunity to take college classes by signing up for courses that have helped her prepare for her future career, including American Government and Intro to Criminal Justice. Andrea knows the value of community service and has found ways to keep herself involved throughout her high school career. She regularly commits her free time to helping at local food pantries and clothing closets. There was a time when her family relied on these resources and the kindness of their volunteers to get by. To show her appreciation to the community that helped her family when they were struggling, she gives back with the hopes that her efforts help families like hers, also get through their time of difficulty. Andrea is involved with Latinx political advocacy organization Mijente—the “j” stands for justice. Mijente is a “movement, an organizing hub, and political home for Latinx people who seek racial, economic, gender and climate justice.” For the 2020 US elections, Andrea helped Mijente’s Latinx voter mobilization efforts by canvassing Latinx homes. She engaged eligible voters by sharing education about the importance of voting in the then-upcoming elections and providing them with information to facilitate their voting process. She felt she made the most impact when she spoke to newly naturalized citizens in her community, particularly those uncertain about the process and unfamiliar with the candidates. Andrea guided them step-by-step and gave them a brief summary of each candidate’s platform. It was a rewarding experience for her. “I was able to turn their feelings of uncertainty into confidence,” she remarks. This future Latina attorney stands among the top five students in her class. She has served as president of her school’s student body, is a current co-leader of its International Club, and is a member of its varsity tennis team. Andrea will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Elon University, or Guilford College. She plans to major in Political Science.
GPA: 3.90
High School: Graham High School
Heritage: Mexican
To fight for the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers, keep families together, and help undocumented people in her community find a path toward citizenship, Graham, North Carolina resident Andrea, wants to become an immigration lawyer. As part of her school’s dual-enrollment Pre-Collegiate Academy, which will allow her to earn an associate degree by the time she graduates high school, she attends Graham High School and Alamance Community College. Andrea has taken advantage of the opportunity to take college classes by signing up for courses that have helped her prepare for her future career, including American Government and Intro to Criminal Justice. Andrea knows the value of community service and has found ways to keep herself involved throughout her high school career. She regularly commits her free time to helping at local food pantries and clothing closets. There was a time when her family relied on these resources and the kindness of their volunteers to get by. To show her appreciation to the community that helped her family when they were struggling, she gives back with the hopes that her efforts help families like hers, also get through their time of difficulty. Andrea is involved with Latinx political advocacy organization Mijente—the “j” stands for justice. Mijente is a “movement, an organizing hub, and political home for Latinx people who seek racial, economic, gender and climate justice.” For the 2020 US elections, Andrea helped Mijente’s Latinx voter mobilization efforts by canvassing Latinx homes. She engaged eligible voters by sharing education about the importance of voting in the then-upcoming elections and providing them with information to facilitate their voting process. She felt she made the most impact when she spoke to newly naturalized citizens in her community, particularly those uncertain about the process and unfamiliar with the candidates. Andrea guided them step-by-step and gave them a brief summary of each candidate’s platform. It was a rewarding experience for her. “I was able to turn their feelings of uncertainty into confidence,” she remarks. This future Latina attorney stands among the top five students in her class. She has served as president of her school’s student body, is a current co-leader of its International Club, and is a member of its varsity tennis team. Andrea will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Elon University, or Guilford College. She plans to major in Political Science.
Sports & Fitness
GOLD - Adriana Thompson
Hometown: Fort Mill, SC
GPA: 3.80
High School: Charlotte County Day School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Adriana Thompson has always been a phenomenal student-athlete. She started playing soccer at the age of four, and has been playing competitively ever since. She plays goalkeeper for her high school team - where she has been varsity all four years - as well as her local club league, the Charlotte Soccer Academy. Adriana’s success on the soccer field was widely recognized early in her high school career. She was named 2nd Team All-Conference during her sophomore year of high school, and her club league won the regional championship in 2021, and the North Carolina State Championship in both 2019 and 2021. Her leadership abilities and hard work were highlighted when Adriana was named the captain for her high school team her junior year and was voted as Most Valuable Player for her senior year soccer season. Her coach praises her ability to lead, and specifically to her status as a mentor and positive role model to the younger goal keepers. She was even nominated for the Charlotte Football Club’s Captain Academy, a leadership academy to empower local high school students. Adriana is also part of her schools Amigos Club, Black Student Union, and Super Women’s Affinity Group. And despite playing on multiple leagues and participating in numerous clubs, Adriana still finds the time to referee soccer matches and act as a youth soccer coach. Adriana’s dedication to her community is also seen in the hours that she has put in volunteering to serve breakfast to those experiencing homelessness, volunteering at her church, and running a donation drive for the Humane Society. In addition to being a leader in both her club and varsity teams, Adriana’s schedule is also filled with IB courses ranging from higher level chemistry to IB History of the Americas. Adriana, who is of Puerto Rican descent, has an impressive 3.8 unweighted GPA. and plans to combine her passions for sports and law when she goes to the University of Mary Washington on the pre-law track with the goal of becoming a sports attorney.
GPA: 3.80
High School: Charlotte County Day School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Adriana Thompson has always been a phenomenal student-athlete. She started playing soccer at the age of four, and has been playing competitively ever since. She plays goalkeeper for her high school team - where she has been varsity all four years - as well as her local club league, the Charlotte Soccer Academy. Adriana’s success on the soccer field was widely recognized early in her high school career. She was named 2nd Team All-Conference during her sophomore year of high school, and her club league won the regional championship in 2021, and the North Carolina State Championship in both 2019 and 2021. Her leadership abilities and hard work were highlighted when Adriana was named the captain for her high school team her junior year and was voted as Most Valuable Player for her senior year soccer season. Her coach praises her ability to lead, and specifically to her status as a mentor and positive role model to the younger goal keepers. She was even nominated for the Charlotte Football Club’s Captain Academy, a leadership academy to empower local high school students. Adriana is also part of her schools Amigos Club, Black Student Union, and Super Women’s Affinity Group. And despite playing on multiple leagues and participating in numerous clubs, Adriana still finds the time to referee soccer matches and act as a youth soccer coach. Adriana’s dedication to her community is also seen in the hours that she has put in volunteering to serve breakfast to those experiencing homelessness, volunteering at her church, and running a donation drive for the Humane Society. In addition to being a leader in both her club and varsity teams, Adriana’s schedule is also filled with IB courses ranging from higher level chemistry to IB History of the Americas. Adriana, who is of Puerto Rican descent, has an impressive 3.8 unweighted GPA. and plans to combine her passions for sports and law when she goes to the University of Mary Washington on the pre-law track with the goal of becoming a sports attorney.
Silver - Isabel Santana
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Rolesville High School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Raleigh, North Carolina resident Isabel is honored to represent her community as the only Latinx player on her school’s varsity tennis team. But, she is not just the only Latinx player on the team; she is the number one singles and doubles, Latina captain of the Rolesville High School Varsity Tennis Team. Some of Isabel’s duties as team captain include mentoring her teammates on matters related to their sport, setting up courts for games, and organizing and leading team-building efforts. “Leading a team is one of the highest responsibilities I have achieved,” she proudly says. It is a duty for which she is genuinely grateful, for it has given her the opportunity to “lead [her] team with love, laughter, and respect.” Isabel has been part of her school’s varsity tennis team since her freshman year, and has pushed herself over the years to grow as both a player and a person. As she has grown in her confidence and skills, she has become better able to pass on her athletic knowledge to her teammates. Now—let’s talk about commitment, perseverance, and will: Isabel went from being fifth her first year, to climbing her way to the number one spot and remaining there since her sophomore year. When she is on the court, she does not think of her victories as her own. She works hard for her wins to bring success to her team. She is dedicated to her craft, practicing at least two hours every day and playing games that often last up to five hours. On top of this, she maintains herself very active in her community, holds a perfect 4.0 GPA, and runs her own online business. She started Madebyisabel, her online handmade jewelry company, in January of last year and has already made close to a thousand sales, shipping her jewelry to customers all over the globe. In addition to her role as captain, she serves as president of her school’s chapter of the National Science Honor Society, vice president of its Rolesville Coalition for Equity, and is in her second year as secretary of its Eco Club. She gives back to her community by working with various organizations, including Feeding the Carolinas—North and South Carolina’s network of food banks—and El Pueblo—a nonprofit organization that works to empower the Latinx community in Raleigh. This intelligent young Boricua leader with an entrepreneurial spirit will attend North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or Duke University. She plans to continue playing tennis at the college level.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Rolesville High School
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Raleigh, North Carolina resident Isabel is honored to represent her community as the only Latinx player on her school’s varsity tennis team. But, she is not just the only Latinx player on the team; she is the number one singles and doubles, Latina captain of the Rolesville High School Varsity Tennis Team. Some of Isabel’s duties as team captain include mentoring her teammates on matters related to their sport, setting up courts for games, and organizing and leading team-building efforts. “Leading a team is one of the highest responsibilities I have achieved,” she proudly says. It is a duty for which she is genuinely grateful, for it has given her the opportunity to “lead [her] team with love, laughter, and respect.” Isabel has been part of her school’s varsity tennis team since her freshman year, and has pushed herself over the years to grow as both a player and a person. As she has grown in her confidence and skills, she has become better able to pass on her athletic knowledge to her teammates. Now—let’s talk about commitment, perseverance, and will: Isabel went from being fifth her first year, to climbing her way to the number one spot and remaining there since her sophomore year. When she is on the court, she does not think of her victories as her own. She works hard for her wins to bring success to her team. She is dedicated to her craft, practicing at least two hours every day and playing games that often last up to five hours. On top of this, she maintains herself very active in her community, holds a perfect 4.0 GPA, and runs her own online business. She started Madebyisabel, her online handmade jewelry company, in January of last year and has already made close to a thousand sales, shipping her jewelry to customers all over the globe. In addition to her role as captain, she serves as president of her school’s chapter of the National Science Honor Society, vice president of its Rolesville Coalition for Equity, and is in her second year as secretary of its Eco Club. She gives back to her community by working with various organizations, including Feeding the Carolinas—North and South Carolina’s network of food banks—and El Pueblo—a nonprofit organization that works to empower the Latinx community in Raleigh. This intelligent young Boricua leader with an entrepreneurial spirit will attend North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or Duke University. She plans to continue playing tennis at the college level.
Bronze - Adrián Archer
Hometown: Pinehurst, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Pinecrest High School
Heritage: Colombian
By the time he reached sixth grade, Colombian American Adrian had tried his hand at multiple sports. Some had lasted longer than others. Like his “one-month stint as a golfer” and his “seven-year streak of playing soccer.” Then, there was running. There is a race that left its mark on sixth grade Adrian. He had given his all—“[a]rms flailing, lungs bursting, adrenaline pumping”—and come out 60th in his county’s middle school co-ed race. He had not shown promise in any sport he had tried before, but running was different. “[I]n running I found hope,” recalls Adrian. “[A]n idea that I could be as good as I wanted to be as long as I worked for it.” And work he did. He joined a running club and trained daily. In winter, we would wake up at five in the morning and go out for a run in sub-30 degree weather. Initially, his sole focus had been training with the objective of one day being great, but he soon learned that other worthy rewards also accompanied his new pursuit. “Most notably, the bonds I created with others would be relationships that have lasted years and only grown stronger,” he remarks. Adrian has grown tremendously since that race almost seven years ago. In the seventh, he became a top name in his sport statewide. He went on to earn All-American honors in the 1500m by eighth grade, and placed fifth in the Outdoor Nationals Freshman Two-Mile in ninth grade. “Even in the hard times, I’ve found a love for the sport that pushes me to be the best version of myself every day,” says Adrian. Community service is a verb for this extraordinary Latino athlete. It is not about just putting in time; “[i]t is an active effort to invest in not only your community but yourself, to become better people in the process of bettering society as a whole,” he explains. Through his service work, he has helped uplift and empower his community through education. The summer of his sophomore year, for example, he taught math to third graders while volunteering at a church-run remedial studies program. He has also helped with children's literacy initiatives as an intern with his county’s literacy council. As an intern with the council, he focused on making reading materials more available to children across socioeconomic backgrounds. At school, Adrian excels not only as an athlete; he is also a dedicated and gifted student. He holds a 4.0 GPA, has a long list of AP credits to his name, and an array of awards and recognitions in his honor, including being the recipient of a National Merit Scholar Letter of Commendation and being admitted into the Governor’s School of North Carolina. Adrian wants to major in Computer Science and Mathematics. The same Latino that got 60th place back in sixth grade, will be running cross country and track and field as an accomplished athlete at Johns Hopkins University.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Pinecrest High School
Heritage: Colombian
By the time he reached sixth grade, Colombian American Adrian had tried his hand at multiple sports. Some had lasted longer than others. Like his “one-month stint as a golfer” and his “seven-year streak of playing soccer.” Then, there was running. There is a race that left its mark on sixth grade Adrian. He had given his all—“[a]rms flailing, lungs bursting, adrenaline pumping”—and come out 60th in his county’s middle school co-ed race. He had not shown promise in any sport he had tried before, but running was different. “[I]n running I found hope,” recalls Adrian. “[A]n idea that I could be as good as I wanted to be as long as I worked for it.” And work he did. He joined a running club and trained daily. In winter, we would wake up at five in the morning and go out for a run in sub-30 degree weather. Initially, his sole focus had been training with the objective of one day being great, but he soon learned that other worthy rewards also accompanied his new pursuit. “Most notably, the bonds I created with others would be relationships that have lasted years and only grown stronger,” he remarks. Adrian has grown tremendously since that race almost seven years ago. In the seventh, he became a top name in his sport statewide. He went on to earn All-American honors in the 1500m by eighth grade, and placed fifth in the Outdoor Nationals Freshman Two-Mile in ninth grade. “Even in the hard times, I’ve found a love for the sport that pushes me to be the best version of myself every day,” says Adrian. Community service is a verb for this extraordinary Latino athlete. It is not about just putting in time; “[i]t is an active effort to invest in not only your community but yourself, to become better people in the process of bettering society as a whole,” he explains. Through his service work, he has helped uplift and empower his community through education. The summer of his sophomore year, for example, he taught math to third graders while volunteering at a church-run remedial studies program. He has also helped with children's literacy initiatives as an intern with his county’s literacy council. As an intern with the council, he focused on making reading materials more available to children across socioeconomic backgrounds. At school, Adrian excels not only as an athlete; he is also a dedicated and gifted student. He holds a 4.0 GPA, has a long list of AP credits to his name, and an array of awards and recognitions in his honor, including being the recipient of a National Merit Scholar Letter of Commendation and being admitted into the Governor’s School of North Carolina. Adrian wants to major in Computer Science and Mathematics. The same Latino that got 60th place back in sixth grade, will be running cross country and track and field as an accomplished athlete at Johns Hopkins University.
Sustainability (Green)
GOLD - Emely Hernández Urbina
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: South Mecklenburg High School
Heritage: Guatemalan
For the past few years, South Mecklenburg High School student Emely has been working to make her community of Charlotte, North Carolina, more sustainable and eco-friendly. One of the ways in which she has done this is by creating presentations, spreadsheets, and visual models on carbon emissions and public transportation while interning with her city’s Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. Using the information she gathered, Emely devised a mobile app prototype to assist people in finding sustainable modes of transportation while simultaneously tracking their carbon footprint. Building on what she learned on this project and incorporating her interests in environmental justice, Emely examined the relationship between cognitive health and air pollution while conducting research at East Carolina University. Continuing with her mission to make her city more sustainable, Emely interned for 100 Gardens, an educational nonprofit that promotes sustainability by implementing aquaponics and STEM curriculums in schools. “Aquaponics is unique as it combine[s] aquaculture and hydroponics and produce[s] no waste,” explains Emely. As an intern, she raised hundreds of tilapia fish and grew vegetables—lettuce, tomatoes, sorrel, chives, and the like—which she later harvested and packaged to prepare for donation to local churches and refuges. Emely currently leads an initiative to implement an aquaponics greenhouse at her school. She is also researching how aquaponics programs can encourage high school students to pursue careers in STEM as part of her AP Research class. She plans to present her findings to her school district board to motivate them to implement aquaponics programs in high schools throughout her district. Serving her community has played an important role in Emely’s high school experience. In addition to the work she does while promoting sustainability in her city, Emely also leads children’s programs and events as the lead volunteer for the volunTEEN program at her local library. Having continuously challenged herself as a student, she maintains a 4.0 GPA and ranks among the top in her class. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, or Northeastern University. She plans on majoring in Environmental Health Science or Environmental Engineering and minoring in Engineering for Environmental Change, Climate, and Health. She wants to conduct research and create sustainable innovations to decrease total carbon emissions and air pollutants.
GPA: 4.00
High School: South Mecklenburg High School
Heritage: Guatemalan
For the past few years, South Mecklenburg High School student Emely has been working to make her community of Charlotte, North Carolina, more sustainable and eco-friendly. One of the ways in which she has done this is by creating presentations, spreadsheets, and visual models on carbon emissions and public transportation while interning with her city’s Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. Using the information she gathered, Emely devised a mobile app prototype to assist people in finding sustainable modes of transportation while simultaneously tracking their carbon footprint. Building on what she learned on this project and incorporating her interests in environmental justice, Emely examined the relationship between cognitive health and air pollution while conducting research at East Carolina University. Continuing with her mission to make her city more sustainable, Emely interned for 100 Gardens, an educational nonprofit that promotes sustainability by implementing aquaponics and STEM curriculums in schools. “Aquaponics is unique as it combine[s] aquaculture and hydroponics and produce[s] no waste,” explains Emely. As an intern, she raised hundreds of tilapia fish and grew vegetables—lettuce, tomatoes, sorrel, chives, and the like—which she later harvested and packaged to prepare for donation to local churches and refuges. Emely currently leads an initiative to implement an aquaponics greenhouse at her school. She is also researching how aquaponics programs can encourage high school students to pursue careers in STEM as part of her AP Research class. She plans to present her findings to her school district board to motivate them to implement aquaponics programs in high schools throughout her district. Serving her community has played an important role in Emely’s high school experience. In addition to the work she does while promoting sustainability in her city, Emely also leads children’s programs and events as the lead volunteer for the volunTEEN program at her local library. Having continuously challenged herself as a student, she maintains a 4.0 GPA and ranks among the top in her class. She will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, or Northeastern University. She plans on majoring in Environmental Health Science or Environmental Engineering and minoring in Engineering for Environmental Change, Climate, and Health. She wants to conduct research and create sustainable innovations to decrease total carbon emissions and air pollutants.
Silver - Holden GuiBao
Hometown: Memphis, TN
GPA: 3.93
High School: Crosstown High School
Heritage: Brazilian
Memphis, Tennesee resident Holden serves as vice president of his school’s garden club. Through this role, this Crosstown High School student helps lead the members of his club in maintaining the gardens at his school. They plant and grow produce and fight the good—food—fight by helping combat food insecurity in their community by donating their harvest for distribution at their local YMCA. “The garden club helped me find an enjoyable hobby that also supports my community in a manner that is truly fulfilling,” shared Holden. The largely project-based learning curriculum offered by his school has allowed Holden to use ideas in STEM to explore his interest in environmental engineering. He has designed an eco-friendly house for his geometry class, for example, has designed a city—complete with a plan on how it will be powered—as a project for his geography class, and analyzed the bodies of water in Memphis while looking for evidence of potential environmental racism in his community as part of a biology assignment. Projects like these have inspired Holden to continue learning about how he can use his knowledge from across the STEM fields to help the environment and look for ways that would allow us to lead more sustainable lives. “By exploring how engineering can help our environment, I can build upon my knowledge and later apply it to help the world around me,” he remarks. Even before he had the opportunity to dive into his scientific interests through school assignments, Holden was inspired to pursue a career in STEM by his mother. “She is an immigrant from Brazil who embodies diligence and perseverance,” he says proudly. After moving to the US, she obtained her high school diploma, was the first in her family to go to college, and now conducts structural biology research as a scientist for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Holden keeps himself active in his community. He gives back because he believes that “if you care about your community, you need to show how much you appreciate it and help it prosper.” He asks: “why not give back to the place that helped you become who you are?” At school, he helps students struggling with math by volunteering as a tutor. He serves as honor council co-chair for his school’s student government association, and is a charter member of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. Holden will attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Georgia Institute of Technology, or the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He plans to major in Environmental Engineering. “I want to follow in my mother’s footsteps and earn a STEM degree in environmental engineering and use that degree to help the world as she does,” he proclaims.
GPA: 3.93
High School: Crosstown High School
Heritage: Brazilian
Memphis, Tennesee resident Holden serves as vice president of his school’s garden club. Through this role, this Crosstown High School student helps lead the members of his club in maintaining the gardens at his school. They plant and grow produce and fight the good—food—fight by helping combat food insecurity in their community by donating their harvest for distribution at their local YMCA. “The garden club helped me find an enjoyable hobby that also supports my community in a manner that is truly fulfilling,” shared Holden. The largely project-based learning curriculum offered by his school has allowed Holden to use ideas in STEM to explore his interest in environmental engineering. He has designed an eco-friendly house for his geometry class, for example, has designed a city—complete with a plan on how it will be powered—as a project for his geography class, and analyzed the bodies of water in Memphis while looking for evidence of potential environmental racism in his community as part of a biology assignment. Projects like these have inspired Holden to continue learning about how he can use his knowledge from across the STEM fields to help the environment and look for ways that would allow us to lead more sustainable lives. “By exploring how engineering can help our environment, I can build upon my knowledge and later apply it to help the world around me,” he remarks. Even before he had the opportunity to dive into his scientific interests through school assignments, Holden was inspired to pursue a career in STEM by his mother. “She is an immigrant from Brazil who embodies diligence and perseverance,” he says proudly. After moving to the US, she obtained her high school diploma, was the first in her family to go to college, and now conducts structural biology research as a scientist for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Holden keeps himself active in his community. He gives back because he believes that “if you care about your community, you need to show how much you appreciate it and help it prosper.” He asks: “why not give back to the place that helped you become who you are?” At school, he helps students struggling with math by volunteering as a tutor. He serves as honor council co-chair for his school’s student government association, and is a charter member of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. Holden will attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Georgia Institute of Technology, or the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He plans to major in Environmental Engineering. “I want to follow in my mother’s footsteps and earn a STEM degree in environmental engineering and use that degree to help the world as she does,” he proclaims.
Bronze - Jaqueline Pozos
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Charlotte Engineering Early College
Heritage: Mexican
Jaqueline is a student at the Charlotte Engineering Early College, a high school with a focus on engineering, energy, and sustainability located on the University of North Carolina Charlotte campus. All classes offered at her school are Honors, Advanced Placement, and/or college-level courses, meaning that Jaqueline’s academic record is replete with challenging classes from beginning to end. She works every day with a plan in mind: to become an engineer. Among her reasons for wanting to be an engineer, besides her passion for engineering, is a deep desire to show that women of color “belong anywhere they choose to be.” After taking engineering class after engineering class for the past five years, and exploring different branches of engineering and career options through internships and outreach activities from local engineering firms, Jaqueline has pinpointed what she wants to do in her future. She wants to lead the way to a cleaner and safer future by helping design and develop systems that will harness renewable energy as a renewable energy engineer. She was inspired to go into the field after participating in an internship with Siemens Energy through her city’s Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. Through the internship, Jaqueline learned about Charlotte’s carbon footprint and contributed to finding solutions that would help reduce her city’s carbon emissions. This young Latina of Mexican descent is driven by her commitment to succeed and an eagerness to help other people like her do the same. Growing up, whenever she heard stories of friends or family in need, her mother would always lend a helping hand. “My mom was always the first person to help,” says Jaqueline. “As she was helping, so were we, because there wasn’t anywhere my mom would go without [my sisters and I],” she remembers. When the time came that her family needed help, her community was there to help. It is the teachings from her mother and the appreciation she has for the support her family received that guide her desire to serve. She commits her free time to work as a middle school alumni director assistant for UrbanPromise Charlotte, a nonprofit organization that works to develop Charlotte children into youth leaders. As an alumni director assistant, she works with middle school students in the program by monitoring their progress while offering encouragement, support, and mentorship. Jaqueline will attend North Carolina State University, the Oregon Institute of Technology, or the University of California, Berkeley. She will major in Electrical Engineering—with a concentration in Energy—and will minor in Mathematics. No stranger to hard work, Jaqueline will be a first-generation college student. She pushes herself daily with the mission of becoming the first engineer in her family.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Charlotte Engineering Early College
Heritage: Mexican
Jaqueline is a student at the Charlotte Engineering Early College, a high school with a focus on engineering, energy, and sustainability located on the University of North Carolina Charlotte campus. All classes offered at her school are Honors, Advanced Placement, and/or college-level courses, meaning that Jaqueline’s academic record is replete with challenging classes from beginning to end. She works every day with a plan in mind: to become an engineer. Among her reasons for wanting to be an engineer, besides her passion for engineering, is a deep desire to show that women of color “belong anywhere they choose to be.” After taking engineering class after engineering class for the past five years, and exploring different branches of engineering and career options through internships and outreach activities from local engineering firms, Jaqueline has pinpointed what she wants to do in her future. She wants to lead the way to a cleaner and safer future by helping design and develop systems that will harness renewable energy as a renewable energy engineer. She was inspired to go into the field after participating in an internship with Siemens Energy through her city’s Mayor’s Youth Employment Program. Through the internship, Jaqueline learned about Charlotte’s carbon footprint and contributed to finding solutions that would help reduce her city’s carbon emissions. This young Latina of Mexican descent is driven by her commitment to succeed and an eagerness to help other people like her do the same. Growing up, whenever she heard stories of friends or family in need, her mother would always lend a helping hand. “My mom was always the first person to help,” says Jaqueline. “As she was helping, so were we, because there wasn’t anywhere my mom would go without [my sisters and I],” she remembers. When the time came that her family needed help, her community was there to help. It is the teachings from her mother and the appreciation she has for the support her family received that guide her desire to serve. She commits her free time to work as a middle school alumni director assistant for UrbanPromise Charlotte, a nonprofit organization that works to develop Charlotte children into youth leaders. As an alumni director assistant, she works with middle school students in the program by monitoring their progress while offering encouragement, support, and mentorship. Jaqueline will attend North Carolina State University, the Oregon Institute of Technology, or the University of California, Berkeley. She will major in Electrical Engineering—with a concentration in Energy—and will minor in Mathematics. No stranger to hard work, Jaqueline will be a first-generation college student. She pushes herself daily with the mission of becoming the first engineer in her family.
Technology
GOLD - Felipe García Cruz
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
GPA: 3.90
High School: Harding University High School
Heritage: Mexican
Expanding his skills as a computer programmer and a software developer has been one of Felipe’s main focuses as a student at Harding University High School. This has been both a team and an individual effort for him. If he is not using IDEs to work on a new program or trying to become more fluent in another programming language on his own, he may be working on programs with his friends. He is committed to becoming a polyglot programmer, investing his time in learning and practicing new languages. “I know that it takes a lot of practice to learn many coding languages,” says Felipe. “[B]ut it all pays off once you can start creating programs or websites from what you have learned.” Felipe has also taken AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A. These classes have granted him another perspective into computing and have given him new strategies to approach programming problems. Most of his programming and software development growth has come from a pure love of learning and a drive that pushes Felipe to continuously get better. This gifted young Latino has been at the top of his class throughout his high school career, and in this final year of high school, he is ranked second out of the 257 seniors in his class. He has been able to maintain himself at the top of his class thanks to his ability to understand complex concepts and solve problems quicker than most people. At school, Felipe lends a hand to students struggling with their work. Out in his community, he helps his neighbors by translatingg for them and tutoring their children. Being able to see the difference he makes in the lives of these kids when he notices improvement in their abilities has made him feel like his work serving his community matters; like he can really make a difference. Felipe is brilliant in the way in which he processes and understands the world around him. Yet, what is most remarkable about him is the way in which he carries himself and interacts with the world around him: “without an air of arrogance or superiority towards his peers.” Felipe will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, or North Carolina State University. He plans to study Computer Science.
GPA: 3.90
High School: Harding University High School
Heritage: Mexican
Expanding his skills as a computer programmer and a software developer has been one of Felipe’s main focuses as a student at Harding University High School. This has been both a team and an individual effort for him. If he is not using IDEs to work on a new program or trying to become more fluent in another programming language on his own, he may be working on programs with his friends. He is committed to becoming a polyglot programmer, investing his time in learning and practicing new languages. “I know that it takes a lot of practice to learn many coding languages,” says Felipe. “[B]ut it all pays off once you can start creating programs or websites from what you have learned.” Felipe has also taken AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A. These classes have granted him another perspective into computing and have given him new strategies to approach programming problems. Most of his programming and software development growth has come from a pure love of learning and a drive that pushes Felipe to continuously get better. This gifted young Latino has been at the top of his class throughout his high school career, and in this final year of high school, he is ranked second out of the 257 seniors in his class. He has been able to maintain himself at the top of his class thanks to his ability to understand complex concepts and solve problems quicker than most people. At school, Felipe lends a hand to students struggling with their work. Out in his community, he helps his neighbors by translatingg for them and tutoring their children. Being able to see the difference he makes in the lives of these kids when he notices improvement in their abilities has made him feel like his work serving his community matters; like he can really make a difference. Felipe is brilliant in the way in which he processes and understands the world around him. Yet, what is most remarkable about him is the way in which he carries himself and interacts with the world around him: “without an air of arrogance or superiority towards his peers.” Felipe will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, or North Carolina State University. He plans to study Computer Science.
Silver - Isabella GallitTo
Hometown: Conway, SC
GPA: 4.00
High School: Scholars Academy
Heritage: Colombian & Italian
Scholars Academy student Isabella is accustomed to going beyond what is expected of many students her age. Opting for pursuing the most rigorous academic path available to her has been a choice born out of Isabella’s desire to be challenged and her self-awareness regarding her academic abilities. “I kn[o]w I [am] capable as a student and enjoy[ ] challenges,” she says. The summers after her eighth and ninth-grade years, she attended intensive residential summer programs—enrolled in the area of visual arts—at the South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities. These programs exposed her to traditional techniques and modern advances in drawing, printmaking, sculpting, and graphic design. They also influenced her perspective. “[M]y understanding changed,” shares Isabella. She now understood that art existed “not only [to] decorate[ ] the world, but [to] provide[ ] [a] connection to it.” Motivated by this idea, Isabella continued her artistic exploration. Without straying from her habit of embracing academic challenges, she enrolled in a computer-aided Drafting and Design art class at Coastal Carolina University, which works in partnership with her school and provides the option for dual enrollment. She signed up for the course without having fulfilled its prerequisite and despite having no experience with computer design software at the time. “This risk turned out to be one of my greatest decisions,” remarks Isabella. Every day, Isabella walked into class expecting to encounter new challenges. As an inexperienced high-schooler in a university classroom, she felt far from her area of comfort. However, in a situation where other students may have had to come to terms with having over-estimated their abilities, Isabella thrived. She became fascinated with architectural concepts involved in drafting and blueprinting. Her newfound interest led her to spend almost all of her Sundays working in the university’s computer lab. But her Sundays did not feel lost, and neither did the late hours of work. “[F]or the first time, I felt like I was pointing myself in the right direction; one that I chose myself,” remarks Isabella. Inspired by the thought that serving her community can help prevent others from facing unnecessary challenges, Isabella began engaging in community service projects in middle school. She conducted fundraising for charities through her school and participated in community events like Relay for Life. In high school, she began to engage in community service more directly by becoming a literacy tutor for Freedom Readers—a nonprofit organization that helps children in low-income communities improve their reading skills—and frequently lending a hand to help with Habitat for Humanity’s house-building efforts. Of Colombian and Italian descent, Isabella holds a 4.0 GPA and is ranked tenth out of 598 seniors in her class. She will attend Cornell University, Brown University, or the University of South Carolina and plans to study Architecture.
GPA: 4.00
High School: Scholars Academy
Heritage: Colombian & Italian
Scholars Academy student Isabella is accustomed to going beyond what is expected of many students her age. Opting for pursuing the most rigorous academic path available to her has been a choice born out of Isabella’s desire to be challenged and her self-awareness regarding her academic abilities. “I kn[o]w I [am] capable as a student and enjoy[ ] challenges,” she says. The summers after her eighth and ninth-grade years, she attended intensive residential summer programs—enrolled in the area of visual arts—at the South Carolina Governor’s School of Arts and Humanities. These programs exposed her to traditional techniques and modern advances in drawing, printmaking, sculpting, and graphic design. They also influenced her perspective. “[M]y understanding changed,” shares Isabella. She now understood that art existed “not only [to] decorate[ ] the world, but [to] provide[ ] [a] connection to it.” Motivated by this idea, Isabella continued her artistic exploration. Without straying from her habit of embracing academic challenges, she enrolled in a computer-aided Drafting and Design art class at Coastal Carolina University, which works in partnership with her school and provides the option for dual enrollment. She signed up for the course without having fulfilled its prerequisite and despite having no experience with computer design software at the time. “This risk turned out to be one of my greatest decisions,” remarks Isabella. Every day, Isabella walked into class expecting to encounter new challenges. As an inexperienced high-schooler in a university classroom, she felt far from her area of comfort. However, in a situation where other students may have had to come to terms with having over-estimated their abilities, Isabella thrived. She became fascinated with architectural concepts involved in drafting and blueprinting. Her newfound interest led her to spend almost all of her Sundays working in the university’s computer lab. But her Sundays did not feel lost, and neither did the late hours of work. “[F]or the first time, I felt like I was pointing myself in the right direction; one that I chose myself,” remarks Isabella. Inspired by the thought that serving her community can help prevent others from facing unnecessary challenges, Isabella began engaging in community service projects in middle school. She conducted fundraising for charities through her school and participated in community events like Relay for Life. In high school, she began to engage in community service more directly by becoming a literacy tutor for Freedom Readers—a nonprofit organization that helps children in low-income communities improve their reading skills—and frequently lending a hand to help with Habitat for Humanity’s house-building efforts. Of Colombian and Italian descent, Isabella holds a 4.0 GPA and is ranked tenth out of 598 seniors in her class. She will attend Cornell University, Brown University, or the University of South Carolina and plans to study Architecture.
Bronze - Marvin De La Cruz Serrano
Hometown: Russellville, AL
GPA: 3.75
High School: Russellville High School
Heritage: Mexican
“While I’m no Elon Musk or Tony Stark,” jokes Marvin, “I do have a passion and a fondness for building and working with computers and machinery.” For this Russellville, Alabama resident, it all started a few years back when he went on a mission: solving the mystery of what was wrong with his brother’s PS4. Sometimes, not even our most beloved devices are immune to life’s little foibles. Such was the case with Marvin’s brother’s PS4. Something was causing the hardware to malfunction, prompting Marvin to take it apart and perform an inspection. This was not exactly new territory for him. He had always been interested in this kind of project and had spent countless hours watching engineers on YouTube work on machines and computers. But this would be a different experience for him. Determined to figure out what was wrong, through cycles of fighting off frustration and the pesky desire to quit it brings along—three days later—Marvin found the source of the problem and the fix: the thermal paste on the CPU had degraded and needed to be replaced. It was a simple fix, for someone hardware-oriented, but the expedition it had taken Marvin through to get there led him to decide—that day—that he wanted to be an engineer. He has since been learning as much as he can to prepare for his future career. He has taken a number of Computer Science classes, including Exploring Computer Science and Foundations of Informational Security, and is currently enrolled in AP Computer Science Principles. Marvin is president of his school’s Technology Student Association and is a member of its chapters of the National Technical Honor Society, the National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. His teacher tells us that “[Marvin] is a leader and is always the first to volunteer to help others.” His grandmother instilled in him the value of serving others. “She would always tell me to help out anyone in need or, if I had the chance to, to give back,” shares Marvin. He plans to study Computer Science at the University of North Alabama, Auburn University, or the University of Alabama in Huntsville. This hard-working Mexican American Latino will continue making his family proud as he becomes the first in his family to go to college.
GPA: 3.75
High School: Russellville High School
Heritage: Mexican
“While I’m no Elon Musk or Tony Stark,” jokes Marvin, “I do have a passion and a fondness for building and working with computers and machinery.” For this Russellville, Alabama resident, it all started a few years back when he went on a mission: solving the mystery of what was wrong with his brother’s PS4. Sometimes, not even our most beloved devices are immune to life’s little foibles. Such was the case with Marvin’s brother’s PS4. Something was causing the hardware to malfunction, prompting Marvin to take it apart and perform an inspection. This was not exactly new territory for him. He had always been interested in this kind of project and had spent countless hours watching engineers on YouTube work on machines and computers. But this would be a different experience for him. Determined to figure out what was wrong, through cycles of fighting off frustration and the pesky desire to quit it brings along—three days later—Marvin found the source of the problem and the fix: the thermal paste on the CPU had degraded and needed to be replaced. It was a simple fix, for someone hardware-oriented, but the expedition it had taken Marvin through to get there led him to decide—that day—that he wanted to be an engineer. He has since been learning as much as he can to prepare for his future career. He has taken a number of Computer Science classes, including Exploring Computer Science and Foundations of Informational Security, and is currently enrolled in AP Computer Science Principles. Marvin is president of his school’s Technology Student Association and is a member of its chapters of the National Technical Honor Society, the National Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. His teacher tells us that “[Marvin] is a leader and is always the first to volunteer to help others.” His grandmother instilled in him the value of serving others. “She would always tell me to help out anyone in need or, if I had the chance to, to give back,” shares Marvin. He plans to study Computer Science at the University of North Alabama, Auburn University, or the University of Alabama in Huntsville. This hard-working Mexican American Latino will continue making his family proud as he becomes the first in his family to go to college.
