Introducing our Better Make Room Student Advisory Board Member — Bethania Perez!
By: Bethania Perez, Senior at El Rancho High School
I had the opportunity to step foot into one of our nation’s most historically significant buildings and witness Michelle Obama’s final speech as FLOTUS, and it was the most influential and memorable moment of my life. I hope to serve as a catalyst for students with similar backgrounds to mine. I want them to know, and believe, that they too can do great things. By attending the School Counselor of the Year Ceremony (SCOY), I hope to show students of all ages that no matter how large or how distant their dreams may feel, their dreams are attainable. For me, attending the SCOY meant representing my community, my nation, my Mexican heritage; it meant being an inspiration for students who doubt their potential and are restricted from achieving their educational aspirations. This trip meant representing my views and beliefs, and is the start of my fight to help make education available to all.
“No matter how many setbacks one has; one can still achieve greatness.”
The SCOY opened my eyes to the power that my generation has in creating change; it reassured me that if we all work together, as a nation, we can once again lead in college completion. Throughout the event, I learned about the massive progress that has occurred in education, especially given that the national graduation rate has skyrocketed to 83%. With all the powerful and influential stories shared at the event, I realized that no matter how many setbacks one has, one can still achieve greatness. The event made me realize that we all have the potential to leave our footprint in this world, that if we go out and let our voice be heard, we can be the change that the world needs to see.
“I hope to inspire younger students to envision and aspire to get a higher education.”
The national platform that Better Make Room provides will allow me to continue to spread the message of reaching higher but on a larger scale. It will allow me to emphasize the importance of obtaining a college degree, especially in a community such as mine, where the college graduation rate remains low. I hope to inspire younger students to envision and aspire to get a higher education. Within the next couple of years, I hope to raise the college graduation rate in my community to the highest percentage that it has ever been. My main goal as a member of the Better Make Room Student Advisory Board is to ensure that students from all backgrounds have equal access to educational opportunities, and feel as if they are not alone throughout their journey to college. I want to inspire students to dream big and continue their educational endeavors.
It is a massive honor to serve as a member of the Better Make Room Student Advisory Board, and I know for a fact that my generation is the change that is desperately needed.
Bethania Perez is a senior at El Rancho High School, which is located in her hometown of Pico Rivera, California. She is the President of her school’s California Scholarship Federation organization, which promotes scholarship and service and raises funds for scholarships and field trips. She is also a Link Crew member, a peer advisor, the captain of her school’s girls’ varsity soccer team, and a member of her school’s Athletic Council. Bethania is a first-generation Latina student from a low-income household who aspires to become a biomedical engineer and strives to make a positive impact for females in the STEM field. She is passionate about everything ranging from academics to athletics. She is a also a compassionate and goal-oriented dreamer who lives a very active and adventurous life filled with extracurriculars and rigorous courses.
