Trevor DeMartini graduated from Bowie High School and plans to attend the University of Texas, where he will study chemical engineering while also fulfilling his premed requirements. In addition to achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and serving as student body president, Trevor is also an accomplished clarinet player. Trevor’s interest in chemical engineering stems from a “fascination with the perfect design of the human body and its chemical processes,” and he plans to approach the medical field from an engineering perspective.
Jonathan Garcia graduated from Crockett High School and plans to become a physical therapy assistant, studying at Austin Community College. Jonathan plays the piano and violin is learning guitar this summer. As a member of HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America), Jonathan competed in a physical therapy assistant skills event. Jonathan’s desire to become a physical therapy assistant stems from a serious spinal injury he suffered in middle school and the physical therapist who helped him through the healing process.
Vincent Jonathon Hernandez graduated from Akins High School and will attend Texas Lutheran University, studying pre-medicine with a microbiology minor. At Akins, Vincent was president of the HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) chapter, a member of the varsity tennis team, and recently received the Akins Soaring Eagle award. Vincent wants to become a doctor so he can “help give back patients the life they deserve, disease free.”
Laura Gonzalez, a graduate of Austin High School, will attend the University of Texas, where she will pursue a double major in biochemistry and Plan II, a liberal arts honors major. Outside of the classroom, she has been involved in basketball, track and music, where she served as band president and was also part of the Austin Youth Symphony. Laura is primarily interested in scientific research and "would love to work in a lab studying diseases."
Amanda Moreno, a graduate of Akins High School, will study Pre-Med at the University of Texas. An athlete and a community-minded student, Amanda was captain of the softball team and volunteered many hours of her time through HOSA, Key Club, and the youth group of St. Paul's Catholic Church. The knowledge that many people suffer from illnesses without diagnoses or cures propels Amanda to pursue a career as a doctor.
Maribel Sandoval, a graduate of McCallum High School, will attend Austin Community College in the fall, where she will study nursing. Maribel has an aptitude for languages, participating in Spanish and French Clubs as well as the National French Honor Society. She also volunteers as a facilitator with GENaustin and helped start McCallum’s LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) organization. Maribel has observed a lack of Hispanic individuals in the nursing field, which has motivated her to help those in need through a career in nursing.
Iris Sustaita, who graduated from Crockett High School, will attend the University of Texas at San Antonio and study pre-med. She served as president of HOSA, volunteers as a peer educator for Planned Parenthood, and is an alter server and lector at St. Julia Catholic Church. Iris wants to become an emergency room doctor because of a clinical rotation she experienced in the ER of South Austin Hospital, where she was attracted by the opportunity to “help others in a fast-paced environment, always being prepared for anything.”
