Raphael- The Fast Lane to Success

My name is Raphael, and I come from a family of five – a younger and an older sister – who support me in my studies and extracurricular activities.  I currently have a 4.07 UC weighted GPA and am involved in Track & Field and Cross Country. I do not focus on the negatives of my situation because I am blessed with what I have to work with. My dream would be to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in hopes of pursuing a major in Architecture. I am a first-generation American who has been conditioned to believe that succeeding is predetermined by your race.My family underwent trials involving trust and as a result it affected me at a young age. My mother was deemed legally disabled since the year 2007, and has not been able to work due to her condition. My father lost his job due to the recession and has battled to find a stable one, losing our home as a result. I did not want to commit to anything in life mostly because I believed it was easier that way. My relatives told me that the best a Mexican can aspire for is to finish High school (not one member of my family has ever gone to study in college). I met the wrong type of people, and in consequence I had bad grades and detention for a very long time. Entering High School, I was blessed to have an uncle who cared about my family. He introduced us to the church I currently attend, which began the slow progress of recovery. I was a chubby kid who joined a sport because I did not have a group of friends to rely on fully.  Fortunately, from the start I was a decent runner even though my weight was a huge factor.  I use athletics as a means of relaxing myself and reaching self-placed goals that require determination to meet. Entering sophomore year, I had huge ambitions in my athletic and educational life. I achieved a sub 17-minute 5k time – which only 15 sophomores accomplished in all of San Diego – and maintained good grades. My team and I have won our league Championships every year in both sports since I have attended my high school -2012, 2013, 2014. In a sport where it is almost mandatory to practice every day if you want to get better at, necessities such as shoes get worn out quickly. The way that I would utilize this window to success would be by buying shoes to be able to continue running and vitamins to maintain myself healthy. I would also join a sports club to be noticed by coaches to have the opportunity of running in college. For school, I would also use it to pay for an SAT exam and applications for colleges. So that I may be able to build my own future using my own two hands, or in this case feet.What I lacked to comprehend before high school was that everything can be achieved with a set mind. I am determined to succeed in reaching the goals I have set with the mediums I am given to work with.Make a difference in life of a young person…sponsor Raphael today!