ESS Region 19: Julia Melendez-Hiriart
August 10, 2020
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Region 19 Every Student Succeeding Julia Melendez-Hiriart.
Editor’s note: ACSA’s video series profiling the winners of the Every Student Succeeding awards program was impacted by COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions. Each week, EdCal will feature Q&A interviews with all 19 winners from each ACSA region. In addition, there will be video stories of the students whose footage was completed before the pandemic. Watch for these videos to premiere on ACSA’s
YouTube channel
and ACSA’s
Facebook page
this fall. 
Grade: 12 School: Ramona High School  District: Riverside USD ACSA region: 19 Julia Melendez-Hiriart has never let her status as an undocumented student define her. She came to the U.S. with her family at the age of 9, facing the overwhelming challenges of learning English, financial hardships, housing insecurities, and finding transportation to school, all while being supported by her single mother. By the time she graduated from Ramona High School with a weighted 4.43 GPA and AP Honors distinction, Julia had proven her dedication to excellence and her commitment to civic causes. Her leadership activities have included serving as president of Ramona Habitat for Humanity and participating in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C. Julia was accepted at UCLA and will be starting school in the fall.  What are your hobbies and interests? I have always been interested in social studies, particularly in history. In high school, I participated in various academic, cultural, and service clubs and organizations. I plan to join similar programs in college because I enjoy the sense of community that emanates from them. Reading is my favorite hobby, so that is mainly how I have been occupying my time recently. I am currently learning how to knit and I frequently bake to pass time. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome to get where you are today? I am originally from Torreón, Mexico, but my family and I relocated to Riverside the summer before I began fourth grade. Adapting to this foreign country was difficult for me, as I was not familiar with the English language. Though I struggled with acclimating to my new environment, I knew that advancing my education was pivotal. My mother is a hard-working single parent, she has sacrificed a lot for me to be able to receive a proper education in the United States and I refuse for her sacrifices to have been in vain. With the help of my peers and my teachers, I was able to learn English and excel academically. My education is my priority because I know it will enable me to have a better life in the future.  What educator helped you along the way and how did they help you? Throughout my education in America, I have been incredibly fortunate to have been instructed by compassionate and knowledgeable mentors. My counselor, Mark Lim, is one of these individuals. Mr. Lim is an exceptional counselor who has indubitably shaped my life. The fact that I am undocumented has never deterred Mr. Lim from helping me; on the contrary, it has driven him to find new programs and scholarships for me to apply to. I distinctly recall that even before college application season had rolled around, Mr. Lim already had a list of universities for me to apply to that he considered to be the right fit for me. His unwavering encouragement instilled in me a belief that I am capable of much more than I imagine. What advice would you have for students facing similar situations? I would encourage students who are facing similar situations to never remain passive. There have been times when I have felt helpless, but the worse thing to do is to let opportunities pass you by. It was beneficial for me to step out of my comfort zone and become involved in clubs and organizations that interested me because, through these experiences, I learned that this begets more opportunities for growth. As an immigrant, navigating varying aspects of life in America has been strenuous; however, constantly asking questions and seeking guidance may have positive results.  What does it mean to win this award?  It is such an honor to have been selected as the recipient of the Association of California School Administrators Region 19 Every Student Succeeding Award. I have watched the stories of other award recipients and they are truly inspiring. In the event that another low-income immigrant comes across my story, I hope that they feel hopeful and optimistic about their own future. 
Every Student Succeeding winners overcome the odds
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