The Murrieta students and their families attended a breakfast sponsored by numerous local businesses. At the monthly event students share personal stories of their most important life lesson, how they plan to ‘pay it forward’ when they return from college and stories of victory through challenging life circumstances. Students received numerous gift certificates from community businesses along with certificates of recognition, congratulations and encouragement from local, county, state and federal dignitaries.
Shown standing from left to right are: Sally A. Myers (Founder); Pat Kelley (Superintendent, Murrieta Valley Unified School District) Rick Gibbs (City of Murrieta Mayor); Margaret Jones (Chair); Jennifer Mejares Pham (Coordinator); Donald Murray (Murrieta Chamber of Commerce Chairman). Shown in the front row left to right are Kathia Gonzalez Gallo (Murrieta Mesa); David Riser (Calvary Murrieta Christian High); Karen Wolf (Murrieta Valley) and Dominic Parisi (Vista Murrieta.) (Courtesy photo)
Murrieta Mesa High School Senior Kathia Gonzalez-Gallo is an outstanding student who has a 4.5 GPA. Kathia, who is also known as Ali, has applied to 11 colleges and universities. She hopes to go to an Ivy League college on the East Coast. Ali plans to become a neurosurgeon and she wants to work with wounded soldiers. She has followed Murrieta Mesa’s health careers pathway, taking classes in sports medicine, athlete training and emergency medicine. Watching her father work in the health field for 20 years also influenced her career goals. When she worked with football players sidelined by injuries during the varsity football games, Ali says knew she wanted to become a surgeon so she could use her skills to help people.
Calvary Murrieta Christian High School Senior David Riser is an incredible student athlete. Although his school does not have a swim team, David continued to pursue the sport by swimming for Pacific Swim in Poway. He was named Cal Varsity Temecula Valley Scholar Athlete in 2010, 2011 and 2012. David also competed in the CIF Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2012. David plans to attend the University of Idaho and he wants to go on to law school. Being a distance swimmer has taught David self-discipline and the importance of knowing how to persevere through trials. David is self-disciplined and is a quiet leader on campus. He spends a great deal of his time being a mentor and role model to other students on campus.
Murrieta Valley High School Senior Karen Wolf regularly maintains a 14-hour day schedule. She has been a four-year band member and is Captain this year. As a four-year letterman in basketball, Karen is a fierce competitor. An Honors student with a 4.0 GPA, Karen is currently taking four Advanced Placement classes. She has applied to the Air Force Academy, UCLA, UCSD, UC DAVIS and UCR and she plans to major in pre-med. Karen plans to join the military because she is committed to protect our country and to working with injured soldiers. Karen is goal-oriented and determined on and off the court. As the basketball team’s center power forward, Karen will leave a legacy of basketball titles.
Vista Murrieta High School Senior Dominic Parisi has spent four years in JROTC. He is a natural leader who sees the strength and potential in others and he has had a positive influence on the 260 students in his JROTC unit. Dominic hopes to attend the University of Northern Colorado on a JROTC scholarship as a business major. He would like to someday own his own business. Dominic values service before self and commits himself to excellence in all he does. Dominic has helped his single father raise his younger brother. He is humble, caring, compassionate and has earned the respect of his siblings, his peers and his teachers.
If you would like to learn more about the Student of the Month Program, contact Sally A. Myers, Founder at 951-506-8024.
*Contributed by Murrieta Valley Unified School District
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