Grace, an Irvine high school senior, launched two community projects during the pandemic: a COVID-19 relief initiative and Aspire to Inspire, which supports foster youth. She scored a 36 on the ACT, maintains a 4.0 GPA, and joined UC Irvine's Hearing and Speech Lab to conduct research while still in high school.
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I'm so excited to speak with you, Grace. Can you help us understand what are you doing right now to thrive during COVID when most students are just trying to survive?
Yeah, so when COVID started, I really realized that now I have extra time to make a difference. So with that, I started a couple passion projects, and that's really been what's fueling me. So the COVID-19 Relief Passion Project, we've really been focusing on providing relief during COVID-19 for anyone locally, nationally, internationally who could use our support. And I also was able to work with foster youth and students who are facing financial difficulties through this other program I started, Aspire to Inspire. And it's been really fun being able to connect with these other students, even if it is just online or if we have to be really distanced from each other. It's still been a great way to really meet people and stay connected and also make a difference during this time.
So somebody who's just surviving may be feeling like, I don't even know how to get started with one of these passion projects. And, you know, we've had these discussions before, like, here's a great idea, but it's just an idea until you do something. What would you tell these students who are feeling frustrated by what they can't do versus what you're doing?
Yeah, so when we started Aspire to Inspire, we really did not know what we wanted to do with it, and that is totally fine. To find. So we just got going with one idea. We started building a website. It's really easy online. You just go online and start free options as well. And then from there, we started, started branching out into other stuff. And that's kind of how it started picking up. So I think you don't need to have everything sorted as long as you have a focus on what you want to help. If you can find a couple of students as well who may be interested, you can work with them and just see where it goes from there.
Excellent. So in other words, you're saying you don't need to have every plan in place before you get started.
Yeah, exactly.
So the other thing that I have found by working with you so amazing is your connection to UCI and research. Many students get very frustrated right now that they can't do anything. Can you speak to maybe that project that you've worked on and, and how that has been inspiring for you?
Yeah, so, um, I realized that I wanted to do research during my sophomore year, and so I just emailed a bunch of UCI professors and said, I would love to join your lab, I would love to get some experience here. And I did get a reply from a couple of them, and so I got involved with UCI's Hearing and Speech Lab. And over the last year, we've been starting to build my own project and it was supposed to be completed during the summer and then I was going to try and get it published this fall. But, um, that got set back because of COVID But even still, I've been able to connect with them and they have weekly journal clubs where I'm able to listen to the latest research and even present my own presentations on them. And going to the lab has started building up again. So I've been able to still do my own research there. It's been limited with how many people we can bring in, but I'm still able to get involved and get some really good lab experience that I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise.
That's phenomenal. I mean, what an amazing testament to just going and doing it. So prior to COVID, um, you were a competitive athlete, a great student, super busy, and now you had all of this gift of time So what I'm hearing you say is you look at this gift of time as a way for you to actually get other things accomplished, and that's what's helping you thrive.
Yes, absolutely.
So for those students who may be feeling lonely or overwhelmed or just not liking this online school, what advice could you give them to thrive versus just getting by?
I would say instead of focusing on what you can't do, see what you can do. So see if you can make a difference somewhere. If there's something that you're passionate about or something that you haven't been able to try just because you've never had the time before, just go for it. And there are so many online options right now, like different schools opening up online programs and different things that you can get involved in. And honestly, there are honestly even more opportunities than there have been before just because everything's being transitioned to online. So just Look for those opportunities and see what you would be able to do. Even if it's just a group of people that you want to impact, just start there and go for it.
I love that. So you're a senior this year and you are part of the Irvine School District, which is insanely competitive. If you were going to tell your freshman self any advice, what would you tell yourself?
Yes, I was really nervous going in my freshman year because I had never been in the Irvine District before and I didn't know anyone at the school. So I was kind of tentative to go for any of the activities or start trying to branch my own projects out and get anything started when I didn't know anybody. But I realized that it's really just taking advantage of those opportunities. So just joining as many clubs as possible, getting involved with as many teachers, getting— letting them get to know you and getting to know them, and really building those relationships and building the projects just by going and getting it and trying it out. And if you don't like it, you can always drop it and move on. It's just trying things out while you can.
I love it. So Grace, what is your GPA?
Um, I have my unweighted GPA is a 4.0. And then last year, if you look at the 10th and 11th grade, it's around a 4.8 or 9.
You're very humble. Yes. It's quite amazing. And what is your test score?
I got a 36 on my ACT.
Yes, you did. I want students to know that it is possible. So many times they give up and they get frustrated, and you're a great testament. So last question is, how has College Ready been able to help you through this process?
I really, really could not have done this without College Ready, um, from finding my passions to just getting encouragement to go get it and starting what I'm interested in while being able to build these passion projects. It's really been an encouragement to go find out what I'm passionate about and be able to build on that and really build something that I'm passionate about. And also just taking classes that I never would have considered, just being pushed to try it out. And it really has worked out for the better.
Awesome. I am so excited for you. Where, where is your dream college? I know you have many and you hate to commit, but if you had to pick one, where would it be?
Um, I am still looking around, but I really like to go out of state, and so right now I'm really looking at, um, the University of Notre Dame and Washington University in St. Louis.
You're amazing. Well, we wish you all the best, and thank you so much for your time.
