Her delicate hands holding her violin, her ears and eyes waiting for her cue on the stage after preparing weeks to perform at her best potential. Those same hands performing CPR on a mannequin ready to get certified. Multi-talented senior Jovana Flores has dove into a handful of things during her high school career. 

Academically, Flores has been pushing herself since middle school. Getting straight A’s to build that determination and motivation for high school. She says a big part of that motivation and striving for success stems from her mom. She says she sets high expectations for her that she feels she has to follow but they have pushed her to achieve great things. She knows she expects so much for her because she knows she can achieve them and because she wants the best for her. “Regardless of her hardships, she is still around and fighting for us[her brothers and her] to get the best education we can,” Flores said.

This passion for science comes from a memory in middle school. She says in her seventh grade year she started being more interested in science and that same year her science teacher awarded her with an excellence award in science. “I was crying and shaking, I couldn’t believe it,” after that moment she knew that’s what she wanted to do in the future. Alongside  the sciences she was already taking, she was interested in the healthcare pathway. Her junior year she took AP biology and Honors anatomy while also taking sports Medicine. In that class she learned she wanted to apply her love for science with health care and wants to become some type of doctor. 

Another reason why she wants to become a doctor and is interested in more biological sciences is because she wants to help others. She starts this in school by trying to be very positive towards others even if they’re not so positive towards her.

A peer of hers, senior Sofia Cortes says she has a very kind soul with anyone she meets. Cortes met her in their sophomore year. Her first interaction with Flores “was very friendly because I transferred classes and got to sit in her table group and she was very welcoming and we started becoming partners for group projects”. Cortes says that she has a very fun personality and is always enthusiastic but is also very persistent. She always gets her work done and always asks questions when she needs help with something. 

Flores also has been in MEChA, ACT club, and interact club while she was in high school. A big reason why is because she sees a lack of representation and though there have been some changes, more can be done. “I’ve noticed that there’s not much equality in our school and I’ve also realized that if nobody steps up to do it then it’s not going to be done and if a group of people do stand up for something than it’ll happen and I want to be a parfait of that to not only help me but other minorities in this school.” 

Flores has also always had a passion for running. She loves the way it makes her feel and is one of her favorite pastimes. She started cross country and Track in Field in the sixth grade and continued in high school. She did track and field her freshman and sophomore year but had to stop. Although she still runs outside of a team, she got an internship thanks to the healthcare pathway she was following and couldn’t join track since the internship was after school four days a week. That internship let her gain job experience which she is very grateful for, she got to make appointments and answer calls where she often had to translate to those who were not as comfortable speaking English, and she enjoyed that. Her everyday would look like school, then the internship right after school, then coming home running, doing homework and going to sleep. With all that stress, Flores admits ist very difficult and sometimes she cries but she pulls herself together and talks to someone that can help her get through it. 

Aside from her focus in science, clubs, honors and A, and an internship, Flores also continued her skill and was in our school marching band and jazz. She started playing violin in sixth grade becuase her parents suggested it. She went off to high school and followed that. She played violin for an additional 2 years at our high school and got into the Honors Band. Her junior year she decided to try a completely different Instrument. “I chose to pick up the trumpet because I’ve been playing violin for a while and wanted to challenge myself,” she said. She joined Jazz adding a seventh period to her schedule. 

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