Okay, call me biased: Karina was the first friend I made when I moved back to Canyon Oaks in fourth grade, and I’ve loved her ever since. (We also tried to start a Rainbow Loom YouTube channel together. You can’t possibly have a friendship stronger than that.)
But to everyone, she has consistently been someone bright, kind, and hardworking—and that’s why I am so, so excited to be writing our first ever Senior Spotlight on the amazing Karina Esqueda.
Karina has dreamed of being a pediatrician since she was little, citing her own pediatricians throughout her childhood as her inspiration. However, after volunteering at Kaiser and shadowing several doctors, she’s developed an interest in dermatology. Regardless of where she ends up, Karina possesses a love for scientific research and a passion for caring for others.
Accordingly, you might find her on campus at a meeting for the Science National Honor Society (of which she’s the founder and president), or the Medical Club (where she now serves as Secretary). She’s been enrolled in several science and medical courses over her high school career—including Mrs. Vough’s Honors Anatomy & Physiology class last year, which taught her a lot about the daily impact of science on our lives. For one of her assignments, she wrote a research paper on diet and nervous system health—and now, the paper can be found published by the Social Science Research Network, a scientific journal. She worked with a college admissions officer from Georgetown, who suggested that she submit it for publication; now, you can read it yourself here!
Karina and her peers also recently established a nonprofit known as Health United LLC. With the help of her mom and ACHS biology teacher Mr. Ginnever, they decided to aim their mission towards educating youth on the importance of hygiene and how it impacts health, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. After completing paperwork via the Secretary of State, they became an official nonprofit ready to serve the community. While it’s been a little difficult to coordinate their efforts with local elementary students, they’re determined to not just establish a solid learning curriculum with Canyon Oaks Elementary this spring—but to continue expanding their work, even beyond high school and college.
But wait, there’s more! Karina is also an active member of Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, UNICEF Club, and We Charity Club here on campus, as well as being a third-year member of the varsity soccer team. (Not to mention that she’s also one of our 2021 valedictorians!) Outside of school, she works part-time and loves to bake. Over quarantine, she started a blog in which she shares some of her favorite recipes and the science—specifically chemistry—of baking. Though she hasn’t updated it recently given the demands of school and college applications, she plans to expand it as we enter the new year.
By this point, you may be wondering how in the world she balances all of this. (I know I was. I still am, to be honest, and I’m the one that interviewed her.)
Before working part-time, Karina would finish her assignments several days in advance—but now that she’s scheduled for four hour-shifts, four times a week (now say that four times fast), that goal has definitely become a little more ambitious. As she’s learned to adjust to her new schedule, she’s learned how to balance her work and school life in a way that works for her: she tries to prioritize the assignments that have an urgent due date or that she knows will take her a long time to complete. She also likes to work on and schedule her assignments on a daily basis, as opposed to planning earlier in the week—while looking at things as a whole might be preferable for others, she’s found that it can be overwhelming for her.
But it’s no secret that it can be really difficult to stay motivated—especially with so many tasks, and especially at a time like this—so Karina has discovered her own ways of coping with this, too. She told me, “Look to the past and future for inspiration.” Your past is a reminder of what you’ve already accomplished and how much you’ve overcome; your future is a reminder of what you hope to do and become. She also cites her support system—her close friends and family—for being there for her and cheering her on. She was sure to stress that it’s okay to not be motivated (we’re all human, after all), and to never forget that there will always be someone you can talk to.
And while this past year hasn’t been easy, Karina has used it as a chance to reflect on her health and personal growth. When we’re in school, it’s easy to forget how important mental health is: to place it on the bottom of our priorities and put our well-being on the backburner of our lives. She was all too familiar with this—but with COVID-19 abruptly changing life as we knew it, she learned that she (that we) have to put our health first before we can focus on anything else. We can’t possibly expect ourselves to perform at our best if we aren’t in a good mental state, and if we aren’t prioritizing who we are at our core. She’s taken the time to truly reflect on her life, her relationships, and the roots of her poor habits. As a result, she’s made new changes and cultivated new habits, steering away from any negativity inflicted upon her by others or even by herself—and it’s made a much bigger impact than she would have ever imagined.
Her best advice for current high school students? She has a few ideas.
First: Start early with the things that you’re passionate about. While everyone is different and your aspirations may still change (and that’s okay too), she personally feels that she waited too long to apply herself in meaningful ways throughout our community. It is never too early to step into what you want to do—so whether that’s starting a nonprofit, volunteering at the hospital, starting a club, or anything in between, you should definitely go for it. She also adds that you should try to stay committed to specific volunteer opportunities while you’re in high school—it shows that you’re consistent and dedicated.
Second: Ask for help! It can be scary and intimidating, and you might not think it’s that’s big of a deal, but you should always reach out because there always will be someone there for you.
Lastly: Remember that nothing is permanent. A bad test score might seem like the end of the world (and that’s reasonable, and we’ve all been there), but you probably won’t even remember it in the next two months. You can and you will overcome anything.
Karina Esqueda is, by and large, a role model for all of our students: a hardworking student, a talented leader, a passionate changemaker, and a loving friend. She has the mind and the heart to truly change the world, and there’s no doubt in my mind that she will.
We are so proud of you, Karina, and we’ll always be cheering you on. :)
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