Joshua Chavez - Stanford Bound

As graduation approaches for seniors across Kern County, Mira Monte High School valedictorian Joshua Chavez is preparing for his next chapter — heading to Stanford University this fall.

Chavez is graduating as one of three valedictorians at Mira Monte High School with a 4.5 GPA — the highest possible GPA in the Kern High School District.

Throughout high school, Chavez stayed heavily involved on campus and in the community. He participated in track and field, served as president of College Bound, joined clubs including National Honor Society and Spanish Club, and even started his own leadership organization called “Uplift.”

Now, as graduation nears, Chavez hopes younger students understand that success is possible — even when self-doubt creeps in.

“If you want to achieve your goals, do it tired, do it scared, do it anyway,” Chavez said.

https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/gallery/mira-monte-high-school-senior-to-attend-stanford-in-the-fall-semester?photo=1 Source: Bakersfield Now - KBAK/KBFX

Joshua Chavez Stanford Bound

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Amira Monte High School senior is proving that sometimes all it takes is believing in yourself valedictorian Joshua Chavez says he never imagined he'd be accepted to schools like Yale or Stanford but now he's getting ready for his next chapter in the area iwitness news reporter Maria Celeste Alfaro has his story we're all like standing on the edge of our accomplishments we're all really proud of each other for Victorian Joshua Chavez graduation is both exciting and bittersweet you look back like oh shoot 4 years has passed um ordering my gown saying bye to all my friends he's 1 out of 3 valid victorians at Meda Monte High School he graduated with a 4.5 GPA the highest possible in the current School District Joshua says he wasn't even considering applying to private schools only uses and CSUS but in my siblings were like shoot your shot like try private encouraged by his siblings Chavis decided to shoot his not applying to private schools including Stanford Yale and Harvard I literally like I submitted some of the deadlines like 30 or submitted some of the application like 30 seconds before the deadline chop is received acceptance letters from both UCLA and UC Berkeley already thinking he was heading to UCLA then came the decision that changed everything this 1 I submitted 30 seconds before the deadline it was Yale and then I just open it black screen I just see like a video start playing I'm like oh my God it's like it actually happened and to his surprise I opened up Stanford accept it I'm like oh my God what am I going to do I got to make a choice now a choice he says was hard I ended up picking Stanford after visiting both and I just enjoyed the vibe I enjoyed the people I met and I feel like it will be the right school for me when it comes to applying to college Travis says it's important to show your passion they don't want to see a resident made they want to see a story Chavez was in many clubs love sports and Community organizations throughout High School even starting his own leadership program called to uplift after being rejected from another local program now as he prepares to walk across the stage Chavis hopes other students learned to take a chance on themselves if you want to achieve your goals um do a tired do it scared do it anyway I Witness News