MAGNET GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT
Dulce Valencia
Canyon Springs '14

What is your name?

Dulce Valencia

What CCSD Magnet School(s) did you attend and what year did you graduate?

 

Canyon Springs High School Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy, class of 2014.

What college/university did/do you attend?

 

College of Southern Nevada

What is your current occupation?

 

Community Organizer for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN).

 What was your favorite thing about attending a Magnet School?

My favorite thing were the classes. It was really cool to be able to take classes that were in a specific field, so they were classes that were interesting to me, but also gave me a taste of what college would be like. They were also taught by really amazing teachers so that was a plus.

What’s your proudest achievement since graduating from High School?

 

I have two. The first is the job I currently have. It's a job I love with an organization I love and believe in. I look forward to coming to work every day, and I get to learn and grow with some of the most amazing people in the state of Nevada. On a side note, in High School, I was required to do an internship in order to complete the Magnet program. I did my internship with PLAN and now I'm part of their staff. That was possible because of the Magnet program at Canyon Springs.

The second was speaking before the audience at the first Democratic presidential debate here in Las Vegas this past October. I was given the chance to share my story as an undocumented immigrant before the audience and it was an exciting moment for me to have such a big platform to share my story. It taught me that our stories matter; I started sharing my story with just my best friend so to go from that to being in front of hundreds of people at a presidential debate was a bit surreal. After my speech I was taken to sit in the front row next to my Congresswoman Dina Titus and Senator Harry Reid as the candidates debated. It was all an exciting experience I won't forget.

How did attending a Magnet School help prepare you for college and/or your current profession?

 

It's because of the Magnet program at Canyon Springs that I have the job I have and why I was able to get involved in the world of community organizing. It all started with a required internship. But more than just connecting me to the right people, the Magnet program taught me the value of hard work and professionalism. To work hard every day and give it my all.

In regards to school, I actually find a lot of my classes to be easier than those I took in High School. I feel that way because the workload isn't as intense as that of all the A.P. classes and magnet classes I had to take.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and how could you use it?

Teleportation. I love traveling and I want to see as much of the world as possible. It would be cool to just be able to pop in and out of places without having to go through the TSA line at the airport. 

What teacher inspired you most? How? 

Ms. Kelly Loignon, my theatre director. I came to her as a shy freshman who didn't know anything about acting, spoke too fast, and didn't enunciate well. She put me in shows and helped me find my voice, for which I'm eternally grateful to her. To this day, before I have to speak at a big event I hear her saying "Breath in through the nose, out through the mouth and serenity." It's what she used to tell us on stage, and it's become my motto to calm my nerves.

What advice do you have for students today?

Find something you love to do, and stick to it. If you ever need help, ask a teacher. They'll be happy to help and genuinely want you to succeed! Appreciate all the opportunities you'll be given and say yes to as many as you can! Work hard, it'll all be worth it in the end. Also, the classic one: don't procrastinate! You'll only be hurting yourself in the end.