Norte Vista High School (NVHS) in Southern California is home to so many hardworking, disadvantaged kids. Despite the predicaments these students face, NVHS makes it a priority to provide resources to help students succeed. I know this because I’m a senior at Norte Vista, which is the best high school in the world. 

When I walk into the quad for lunch, it’s hard not to see the variety of opportunities available at NVHS’s Reach Higher fairs. Inspired by Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative, NVHS’s Reach Higher Club (RHC) provides every student in our school the opportunity to explore and get answers to their questions about post-secondary options by attending events like career fairs, discussions about college, and monthly meetings. From local to out-of-state college opportunities to the chance to talk with military representatives, the resources are plentiful. Students also attend panels like Reach Higher’s Beating the Odds Summit and our NVHS College Signing Day in collaboration with other school clubs like AVID.  

Before joining, I didn’t understand the importance of civic engagement. However, I now believe that our efforts on campus have spread because we’ve instilled the importance of ‘reaching higher’ throughout our school. I often see people posting and sharing about the importance of staying civically engaged, and it makes me happy to see more people talk about higher education as it relates to the importance of voting and being socially conscious. 

Thanks to RHC, I was able to better understand voter rights and to start my civic engagement project on voter outreach. We hosted political debates, birthday card giveaways, and class presentations to teach and encourage students to stay informed. We regularly reached out to our campus and community to register voters and inform people on the importance of government representation. Oftentimes, our events started as brainstorming ideas that would eventually be picked up with the help of the administration and staff members of the school. As we worked for the greater interest of spreading our ideals, our school supported us.

Sometimes it feels like RHC is an underrated club, yet we do so much despite our small size. I am very thankful not only for the opportunities to talk to college students and college representatives, but also for receiving one-on-one assistance from our club sponsor and school counselor, Ms. Grijalva, when we needed help. Ms. Grijalva always made time for us to help us fill out college and scholarship applications, from the first question down to the last. It may sound silly to have someone help you fill out simple questions like “What is your name?,” “What’s your GPA?,” or “What's your family's gross income?”. But when it’s your first time applying for something so important like college or FAFSA, it is incredibly nerve-wracking. 

And whether or not other students are aware, our club has a tremendous impact on campus. RHC will go above and beyond for anyone who reaches out to us. For instance, RHC provided every Norte Vista senior who filled out their FAFSA with a discount on their cap and gown. This helped alleviate the financial burden of purchasing the cap and gown for many low-income students at our school. Overall, it encouraged more students to file their FAFSA. This was all done thanks to the hard work of our club and Ms. Grijalva. 

I am very grateful to Reach Higher and the other clubs that helped me pursue higher education. I intend on going to a university to become a registered nurse. I began considering healthcare after my parents had some medical scares. I did some research for a potential career and found nursing. It will allow me to care for people, provide financially for my parents, and support animal causes through donations. Becoming a nurse satisfies all my needs and desires. Furthermore, not only will I continue my education academically with nursing, but I will most definitely take with me all that I’ve learned in Reach Higher Club and continue to stay civically informed and engaged. I will miss RHC, and I’m thankful I had this opportunity in high school.