What motivated you to start Letters to Hope at your high school?

As a member and leader of Letters to Hope at Sunnyside High School, I have seen the changes that Letters to Hope has brought to the lives of my community. The simple act of writing letters to those in need has motivated me to continue Letters to Hope at my high school. I, myself, have experienced the joy of this selfless act. With each letter I write, I realize the hardships that people face in their daily lives. Everyone is different. They handle these adversities in their own way. But with Letters to Hope, I can communicate to them that they are not alone, that I can see what they see and feel what they feel. As I continue to grow with this club, I hope that I can also motivate individuals to put themselves in others' shoes and give back to their community.

 

What drives you to help others?

I've been driven to help others for the reason that it creates happy connections. Many people feel sadness, anger, anxiety, and perhaps fear. But when I help others, I hope to become a positive part of their life. I trust that with their struggles will come beautiful solutions through my relationship with them. To help others, I keep in mind the happy connections that I have already made.

 

What are your future plans and goals?

 My ultimate future goal is to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, serving those who struggle with heart disease. As a growing human being, I've come to realize that my heart has given me so much life. With each breath I take, I remember the best things in life: love, forgiveness, laughter, kindness, and the list goes on. All of these things are priceless assets of life that don't require me to be a certain way. Instead, I can receive life's gifts through being myself in the truest form. With heart disease being a prominent issue in the US and everywhere in the world, I hope to relieve at least a few people's lives, so that they may all enjoy the best things of it. In the future, I plan to bring smiles to people's faces through my profession as a cardiothoracic surgeon.

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What are your goals for the Letters to Hope club?

My goal for Letters to Hope at Sunnyside High School is to provide a secure and happy place where people of my community can serve each other. I know that it is very important to have a support system and through Letters to Hope, I hope to support our community of Fresno. In order to achieve these goals and see positive changes, I will try my best to display leadership, so that my club members will have a good example to follow. As well as leadership, I will also encourage my club members to stay involved in the activities and ideas of our club, so that we may all be represented. Through our letters and projects, I aim to strengthen Letters to Hope and give the students at my school a happy place to belong to.

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