“When I pick up my lacrosse stick or go to the beach with my family, is when I feel most grateful in my life, ” says Claudia Ramirez, a student who’s dedicated to her family and friends and is driven by her love for lacrosse and learning. “When I can feel the sand in my toes, the wind in my hair, and can smell the salty ocean, only 10 feet away from me, I know I’ve reached my happy place.” Claudia is a fifteen-year-old girl in her freshman year at Windermere Preparatory School. At just four years old, Claudia left her home in Puerto Rico with her parents and sister in search of a better education. “The sacrifices and money my parents have put into my education keep me working hard and striving to make them proud.” She appreciates all her parents have done for her and has been chasing excellence ever since. She deeply values her family above all else and especially her younger sister, Gaby, who motivates her to be a kinder and stronger person. She reveals that going to the beach with family is one of her favorite things to do and sees them as the foundation of who she is. “My family is super important to me and the person I’ve become, and I don’t see myself here without them,” Claudia emphasizes.
Friends describe Claudia as a kind, funny, and empathetic person who’s really loyal and lovely to be around. Claudia emphasizes how much she appreciates the small things in life and quotes, “I understand how lucky and blessed I am to go to this school, and I hope that people know that one thing about me.” This quote reveals how appreciative Claudia is and could support the statement of how loyal and grateful she really is. She takes pride in challenging herself academically and in sports; she loves learning, especially about history. “I’m proud that I pushed myself to take the hardest classes and excel in them. Especially my AP classes like History.”
When asked about her daily life and what she does in her free time, she revealed that she even babysits her little cousin three times a week for free. This demonstrates her genuine and responsible nature. She also mentioned that she enjoys shooting lacrosse with her admired coaches at WPS and teammates. Claudia has overcome lots of hard challenges in her life, including losing friends and being hurt by people she trusts. Although Claudia misses her friends, she realizes they’re opportunities to learn from and grow from mistakes.
Claudia has a motto to remind herself to be true and authentic as well as leave people to be themself as well; she says “Let them be” is a motto she strives to live by. She also says she would compare herself to Harry Potter, who’s a natural leader who values loyalty and courage. They both share characteristics of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. She also obtains long-term goals like success, happiness, and building a strong future family. As we can see, Claudia is a mindful and caring person who values her family above all else. With her family’s sacrifices in mind and her lacrosse stick in hand, Claudia continues to lead with kindness, courage, and a heart full of gratitude.
