It’s a balancing act for most who want to be both, and students remember that the playing field doesn’t involve solving logarithms or equations for complex math equations.
Meet Eldred Sanchez. Sanchez, at a glance, looks like that obnoxious punk in class that runs his mouth off in class for the whole period. But the “punk” look can deceive you, for Sanchez is actually a powerhouse of a teen. He is currently an Advance Placement and honor student who ranks in the top 15 in his senior class percentile.
And when he’s not in the classroom, Sanchez focuses on honing his athletic abilities; although, he is relatively short, he brings plenty of game to the table whether he’s playing baseball for the Fielders or paddling to victory with the Marianas High School outrigger canoe team. With the extracurricular activities, you’d think he’d be swamped and cramped, but in fact, he is currently juggling school, sports and a job. “I’m saving lives as a lifeguard right now, “he said jokingly.
Sanchez may seem to be a “super-student” but in fact, he’s just like all of us. He explained that some of the things that most teens lack nowadays are willpower and planning. “Just do it,” says Sanchez, he went on and added, “there are a lot of people that can achieve so much and transcend beyond their limits. But they just don’t try, don’t be lazy, make time for the important things and just get your things done. There is no try in my dictionary, you do it or you don’t, you succeed, or you fail, simple as that.”
And while Eldred has no solid plans for his post-high school years, Eldred said, “Live life, you know? No regrets and just live it to the fullest.”
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