Biography

I am the second of three brothers in a close and traditional Hispanic family. At a young age, it was my parents who, through example, encouraged and imposed their beliefs upon me. It was my parents who taught me about being honest, the important of my spiritual beliefs, to study and work hard to accomplish my goals and to be respectful to others. As I reflect upon who I am as a young adult, I realize that I have these plus many other attributes such as ambition, diligence, gregariousness, and dependability. I have come to realize that I uphold these family values not for my parents as I once did, but to make a difference for myself as well as others.

Inspiration to further my education comes from my Grandparents who emigrated from Mexico. They experienced many hardships including poverty. Their drive to succeed was and will always be education. To this day, my grandrather instills the belief that education can neither be taken away. Following this example, I work to excel my education knowing its beneficial results. I challenged myself throughout my high school years by enrolling in many AP courses including U.S. History, Government, Physics, English and Biology. I have taken over 35 credits when only 29 are needed to graduate. Thoughout my high school career, I have maintained a 3.847 GPA and scored a 28 on my ACT.

Participation in athletic programs has been another critical component in gaining personal experience in building character, teamwork, and personal development. Living by the proverb, "A strong mind is nothing without a healthy body," I have participated in Football, Cross Country, Track, Soccer, Weight Training, and Marching Band to maintain a healthy physical and mental balance. These programs have reinforced personal discipline and the avoidance of drinking, drugs, and other unhealthy social pressure. Win or lose, I learned to always perform at my best.

In addition to being dedicated to academics and athletics, I have learned greatly from helping others through community serviced and volunteering. Since my sophomore year, I have been a dedicated member of National Honor Society and currently hold the position as the Chapter's Vice President. I have organized and implemented canned food drives, clothes drives, and fundraised for the American Cancer Society. This year will be my third year participating in the Relay for Life Fundraiser, this is my second year as the Captain of the Track'n Down Cancer Relay for Life Team. As such, I am in charge of a teamof sicteen ready volunteers. We have sponsored car washes, passed donation cans around school, and spent many Saturdays outside Wal-Marts and K-Marts asking people for donations. I ave gone to many businesses, local and corporate, pursuing managers and business owners to sponsor our team. Last year, my team raised close to $2,000, which added to the event total of $15,000. This year our goal is to double the previous amount.

Our commitment and whole-hearted participation in this event has inspired many others to join. No longer are we the lone school in our community participating; we have the commitment of all other high schools in our community. In return, I have gained invaluable leadership skills and have become a strong public speaker. I have inpired others to join me and together we have made a difference in our community.

I plan to remain committed to higher education by obtaining a Ph.D. in Pharmacology. As a Pharmacist, I can make advancements in health and medical technologies while offering services to aid my community. I will strive to maintain academic excellence and graduate from college with honors. With my talents, attributes, and newly gained knowledge, I hope to inspire others the way my family and teachers have inspired me.