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Anastasia Gonzalez

805

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

Bio

I am a rising senior at Clear Creek High School. In the past, I have contributed to immunology research projects at Houston Methodist, which I presented at the hospital’s research symposium and granted me co-authorship in two of the laboratory's publications. I also conducted a personal passion project in microbiology, which was presented at the UH Student Research Symposium, and I interned for the NSF BRAIN program, where I presented research at two symposiums. Additionally, I was previously a William P. Lauder Intern for USC's SHOAH Foundation, where we assisted in the digital education of genocide and its implications. I am vice president of my school's Science University Interscholastic League Team, our Chemistry Olympiad team, and I also participate in an after-school organic chemistry learning club. I am currently an executive officer for an independent group, CCISD Student Advocates, where we frequently meet with district board members as representatives of each high school's student body. I am also president of the National English Honor Society, the National Science Honor Society, and the National Spanish Honor Society. As a hobby and small business, I have been commissioning pieces of artwork for 5 years, as well as providing live painting services for weddings and other events. I frequently submit artwork to creative competitions and have received awards like 4 Scholastic Art and Writing Regional Gold keys and 2 silver keys, a 3x Finalist in the Houston Rodeo Art Competition, and even the opportunity to illustrate a novel now sold on Amazon and Audible!

Education

Clear Creek High School

High School
2021 - 2024
  • GPA:
    4

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Majors of interest:

    • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
  • Planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Medicine

    • Dream career goals:

      Alongside with obtaining a medical degree, I hope to establish a healthcare aid programs for indigenous and rural Mexican communities. I plan to make it accessible to both US and Mexico medical students.

    • Illustrator of Novel "Before the Stories are Lost"

      Independent Artist
      2020 – 20211 year
    • Compensated Intern

      Houston Methodist
      2023 – 2023
    • Compensated Intern

      University of Houston
      2024 – Present10 months

    Research

    • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology

      Clear Creek High School — Capstone Researcher
      2023 – 2024
    • Biomedical/Medical Engineering

      University of Houston — Research Intern
      2024 – Present
    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other

      Houston Methodist — Research Intern
      2022 – 2023

    Arts

    • Independent Services and Commissions

      Painting
      2020 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Clear Creek High School — Marketing, examining registrants for eligibility, and helping unload/clean up event equipment.
      2023 – Present

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Rompe Las Fronteras Scholarship
    “Échale ganas mija” A saying that suddenly makes my dad and I the same age. Except the words come from the soul of a boy who had to leave the sixth grade because his family couldn’t afford school anymore. It is a three-word phrase buried in the hearts of Hispanic students around the world, that carries the pride and sacrifice of our mothers and fathers. As a first-generation Mexican American student, the accessibility and privilege of higher education bears significant meaning, not only for myself, but for the community I represent. The past four years in high school have furnished my immense love for science. Everything in it is meaningful. Even if your results contradict prior hypotheses or if they come out insignificant, everything is a small contribution to a bigger picture. My passion for it can be expressed through the John F. Kennedy quote: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things—not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Despite the intimidating truth of its immense domain, with every lesson and opportunity granted to me, I excitedly imagine myself carving a bit deeper into the massive mountain of knowledge there is to learn. The surreal feeling of walking the steps that past and current scientists have paved is a privilege to be living. The aspiration to catch up and pave my own is something that motivates me to pursue an education in medicine. While interning at the Houston Methodist Hospital, the emotional resilience of patients and their loved ones struck my heart and made me comprehend the heavy need for Hispanic representation and Spanish speakers in healthcare. Effective support from caregivers often distinguishes a positive experience from an agonizing one during vulnerable times, especially for Hispanic patients struggling with language barriers, insurance, and citizenship status. A familiar face in scrubs or a white coat matters to patients struggling to navigate medical services. Going back to my mother’s small, rural village in Queretaro, Mexico was also a reminder of a painful truth. The shortage of healthcare workers and infrastructure in Mexico is hurting medical accessibility for its most sensitive patients. I witnessed the isolation from critical healthcare that indigenous communities face in Latin America. For instance, my blind 76-year-old granduncle, Lidio, must hitchhike alone to Jalpan, the nearest city, every 15 days for a replacement of his CGM sensor. Pursuing a career as a physician would grant me the power to contribute to marginalized populations in both nations. All the while, it would allow me to transform my current passion for biology and chemistry into efforts in treatment, research and innovation, public health, and patient advocacy. I aspire to one day create initiatives for medical students in both Mexico and the US to travel to isolated Latin-American communities to offer medical aid, something I also plan to do myself in upcoming years. However, my goals would remain dreams without sufficient funding for an undergraduate degree and, eventually, medical school. I fight for my education because I walk alongside the little girl my mother once was—because I carry the culture, hope, trauma, and support of generations before me. My dad’s motivating words have driven me to extraordinary opportunities. I hope that someday they can help me elevate his community in return.