Mariana truly embodies the inspiration of L.I.F.T., as school and learning has always been the world she blanketed herself in

when the world seemed a place where she was seen as an underdog, not meant to succeed.  “… Heroes and fictional worlds within the pages of my favorite books have provoked me to be the hero of my own adventures…”She is a strong, independent young woman who seeks out answers to questions and never accepts one cannot as the answer.

When she dreamt of an exceptional high school education and knew her local school would not provide her with the education necessary to be competitive in college, she set her sites on Granada Hills Charter High School.  Convincing her parents this was the best decision for her, and knowing she would be a role model for her younger siblings to pursue their own dreams, she applied.  Upon acceptance she spent hours on a bus each day because the benefits outweighed everything else.  When it was time for her younger brothers to go to high school, Mariana led the charge for them as well.  Again, there is not an “I cannot” in her vocabulary for her or for those she loves!

Whether she is pursuing academic dreams, teaching herself to play the piano simply because she wants to learn, exploring new friendships, embracing a new job, or sharing her quirky love for music Mariana embraces the world as “… her personal duty to make her dreams a reality.”