My parents have had marital problems since I was 8 years old. Every time they would separate, I would pack up my life into a couple of suitcases and move to wherever my mother could afford. My father and I were never close, partly because I was not born a boy and partly because we had nothing in common. During the times of separation, my father would abandon me both financially and supportively. Eventually, my parents would reconcile their differences and I would pack up my life again and move back in with my father and we'd become a family again. Continuously moving was hard at times, and my grades suffered. Moving constantly weighed me down, but I always did my best to get through things to the best of my abilities.
I attended Bishop O' Dowd High School in my freshman year. It was a new experience for me because it was the first time I attended a small and private religious school. At O' Dowd, I had to rise to the occasion because they expected more out of me than a public school. O' Dowd presented great opportunities for me to give back to the community through a variety of community service projects. I also had great opportunities to expand my knowledge through religious classes and rigorous curriculum. I loved the challenge and expectations that the teachers set for me and felt that I was being more challenged than a public school. My freshman class became my family. I was a member of the freshman council as a homeroom representative and that gave me the opportunity to meet new people and become more involved in making a difference for my class. I also had the opportunity to be an active member of the California Scholarship Federation, Key Club, the Filipino Club, and the athletics program. Bishop O' Dowd is known for having highly competitive teams and playing basketball for the O'Dowd Dragons, I knew I was bound to succeed athletically. At the end of my freshman year, my parents decided it would be best to separate again. I abruptly packed my life up again and moved to my grandmother's house because my mom couldn't afford my tuition and an apartment of our own. Attending Bishop O' Dowd eventually became a financial burden for my mother and we decided it would be best to attend my local public school instead and the next year, I transferred to Castro Valley High School. The move was hard for me because I had to leave all the opportunities that Bishop O' Dowd presented me behind. I missed my friends, team, council, club members, and all the familiarities that I had attending Bishop O' Dowd. It was a challenge adjusting to the new curriculum and atmosphere. I had to take an Algebra 2 class at Laney College during the summer to put me on the appropriate math track. I was accustomed to a small private school and was not ready to be submerged into a school that had three times as many students. I was forced to make new friendships and adjust to the large campus. It was hard finding my place at Castro Valley High School because everyone had already settled into their friendships, clubs, teams, and roles at school. The first week of school I had lunch by myself and was shy towards my peers. It was horrible; I felt isolated and lost. I didn't know how I would survive in a school completely opposite from the one I came from. It felt like no matter what I did to try to fit in, I couldn't. It was a feeling that I've never felt before because I usually was able to fit in so easily. On top of that, I was still trying to settle into my new home and constantly moving back and forth between my parent's houses.
I knew that isolating myself wasn't going to solve my problems. I needed to make the best of my situation and take action if I wanted to succeed. The solution for me was staying positive. I looked at my move as an opportunity to start fresh and make new friends. I made a turnaround in my attitude and I began putting in an effort to introduce myself to others, join clubs, try out for the basketball team, and adjust to the new curriculum. In just a couple of months I began to find my niche at my new school. I was able to continue playing basketball at the junior varsity level and that ultimately helped me keep afloat. I was able to rekindle the friendships that I made in middle school and joined the California Scholarship Federation and DECA. I also felt like I had an advantage over the other students because of the higher expectations that Bishop O' Dowd set for me. I appreciated the diversity and the tremendous school spirit that Castro Valley presented to me.
Attending Castro Valley High School helped me realize the good in change. Change brings with it new opportunities and the chance to make new things happen. I never gave up during the transition and continued to stay positive and maintain my grades at Castro Valley High School. The move between schools was challenging, but I was determined to be resilient and make my experience at Castro Valley High School memorable and successful. I know life will always bring me challenges to get over, whether its family, transferring school, or jobs. Through this experience I have learned that I can get through any situation that life throws at me by staying optimistic and resilient.
