SAN JOSE, CALIF. – Andrea Gutierrez, a sophomore attending Silver Creek high school has dreams of becoming a nurse, overcoming her struggles to ready herself for any obstacles ahead.

She found interest in a lot of things as a kid. Since age 12, she knew that she wanted to become a nurse. Due to her family having various medical problems, this drove her passion even more. If being a nurse meant that she could help people, she wanted to pursue it. After graduating from Silver Creek, she plans to attend medical school. She looks up to her dad as an inspiration, saying, “He is a very hard-working man and has worked hard for his family.”

Although it is a long road ahead, she has learned a lot on her journey so far. Gutierrez acknowledges that mistakes can help one learn to become better. One of her biggest regrets was that she wasn’t performing well in school due to mental health issues. Since then, she has grown stronger every day. With the power of determination, Gutierrez earned good grades in her freshman year. “Hard work pays off and I have noticed how much I have improved. I was proud of myself for overcoming my struggles,” she said.

One of the aspects of school that Gutierrez enjoys most is how she can continue to grow her capabilities. “For me, art is something that is created with imagination and patience. It makes me feel relaxed because I feel like I am free to draw whatever I want and express my feelings and makes me feel good when I’m feeling down.” In her art class is where she gets to express her work. Some of the things she enjoys drawing are illusionary art and anime characters. 

Aside from school, another one of Gutierrez’s hobbies is playing soccer. She began playing soccer when she was just 12 and it was something that she enjoyed doing with her family. They played soccer together frequently. Her hopes are to join the school soccer team one day. “Soccer is a passion of mine. It would be my dream to join since I have never been on a team. But if joining will help me improve my skills I would take the opportunity,” she said. During this time period, she has still been indecisive by the reason of balancing school and soccer.