When I was in high school, I didn’t care about school and I didn’t care about my future. I got behind in grades and credits and found myself in a predicament the first two years of high school. Then, as a junior, I joined JAG.
JAG was exactly what I needed – I began changing for the better. I wanted to come to school, I wanted to make something of myself and I did not want to settle for less than what I was capable of accomplishing. In JAG, my grades increased and my drive for success was now my priority. On June 8, 2017 I graduated from high school!
In August of 2017 I left home to start the Diesel Program at Great Basin College in Elko. I enjoyed my classes and professors and quickly became a top student. Having support during JAG’s follow-up period really helped me because I knew even though I was far from home, that I wasn’t alone. Miss Perez was always there for me.
I completed the diesel program at GBC in the spring of 2018, and was offered a job at Boart Longyear, where we contract with Newmont and Barrick Gold. Once there, I quickly worked my way up to better opportunities.
In college, I encountered financial hardship and decided to do something about it to help other students by starting a $1,000 scholarship for a JAG student at West Wendover High School. I worked closely with Miss Perez to come up with scholarship criteria and a committee to help make this dream come true. I want nothing more than to be a positive role model to my community. I believe that it is important to give back and this is how I have chosen to do that. This positive story embodies the intent of the JAG model to take a young person full circle when they return to impact current JAG students.
P.S. You may notice 2 award recipients in the photo above. Favian could not make up his mind so in addition to the $1,000 scholarship, he also awarded a $300 scholarship.