There are always going to be more struggles than there will be achievements. This may sound pessimistic, but “I’ve learned that the path we take up the mountain is always gonna be longer or more difficult than our smooth way down,” says Vanessa, a junior at Silver Creek High School. For her, “even with a small audience, where only a small sum of people” could hear her voice, she hopes to make a difference where it affects “at least one individual.” Because anything is better than nothing.

For the most part of her life, she is a busy person who loves to use her time in a productive manner because time isn’t the main thing for her – it is the only thing. She wants to pursue a future in the medical field and wants to “take part in refugees or other programs that really help others who can’t afford healthcare,” remarked Vanessa. Furthermore, she explained, “I take part in a pre-med club!” She was also an officer for the Animal Allies club in her sophomore year when she conducted events for vaccine clinics, adoption centers, animal shelters, etc. And from this, she said, “I learned I really like helping others. Something as simple as helping an owner of three dogs get a low-cost vaccine so that her pets, who she treats as her children, can have a healthier life – just makes my day.”

Small things like helping a pet owner get their vaccines makes her day and brings a smile on not only her face but others who she have helped. She is the Treasurer for the LSU club, or Latino Student Union Club and she says, “LSU showed me what leadership is all about. It’s a club that embraces Latinx culture,” which she really admires. That’s why she did a Cesar Chavez competition which gave her an opportunity to voice her opinion about the negative sentiments some hold against other cultures. She implied, “I wrote a poem that actually went to the district which I’m really proud of.” Furthermore, she gives a reason, “Why my culture is so important to me is that many, especially this generation hold a negative stigma about people of color – whether it’d be Native Americans, Mexicans, African Americans, etc.” She wants to change that mentality by presenting her thoughts in a poem. She says, “Even though my poem did not really make a big difference in the world. But, it showed me that I could. That it’s possible.” Anything is possible in life no matter how big or small of a difference it would make. You should never lose hope in something you didn’t lose.