By Aileen Rios 

Jessica and her group are having a great day with a good meal. 

Meet Jessica, a dedicated and compassionate 25 year old individual who has been making a positive impact at Azusa High school for over a year and a half. With her natural problem solving skills and passion for solving conflicts with others. She wants to create a more supportive environment at school, her mission is to empower high schoolers with effective and better communication skills, help them navigate challenges, and thrive. Jessica’s positivity and enthusiasm inspire those around her and she continues to try for meaningful change, she believes that “a positive attitude can overcome even the toughest obstacles”. 

What made you decide to go and be at Azusa High School most of the time and is it what you would have expected? 

Azusa High offers a unique blend of community and opportunity. The people here are amazing.  Working with my group at Azusa has been a great experience, “It’s like a perfect place”. Including that there is a need to help others. I initially did not expect anything in the beginning of working here. Lately it has been an amazing thing being here. There are beautiful days here and outside of school and so much beauty in the world. 

Has there been anything crazy that happened during Azusa High School that you watched or experienced? 

Yes, I have had many crazy experiences during the time I’ve been here. However during those crazy times I am just grateful to have the opportunity to help students through their problems. I know that no one’s life is perfect and we all need guidance. When I was younger I wished I had somebody to be there at my school to guide me through some things. 

Is there any advice that you would give anyone our age in high school or something that you wish someone would’ve told you?

“The advice that I would  give high schoolers is to focus on yourself and your own journey. Because it is easy to get caught up in what others think or say, but it’s crucial to drown out the noise and march to the beat of your own drum. Try to make happiness the center of your life. Take time to tune into your own goals and interests to see what you are interested in. Most importantly do not worry about what others are doing, achieving or saying”.