It’s a late June night and the wind is blowing through her hair as she sticks her head out of the car window.

Driving down a scenic route in Mexico, Spanish rock is blasting and Mariella Ulloa ‘21 is experiencing the happiest moment of her entire hectic life. 

Ulloa is a senior at La Quinta High School, where she serves as the ASB executive treasurer in which manages financial activities for every club and organization. In addition to ASB, she is the president of the California Scholarship Federation club, vice president of the art club, chair of publicity for MECha club, and has been a peer tutor since sophomore year.

On top of her large community involvement, she has maintained a 4.0-grade point average throughout her four years of high school.

Ulloa has faced many obstacles this semester, as have many students during these unprecedented times: studying until 2 a.m., working on homework, applying to colleges, and participating in her extracurriculars. 

Her plate is overflowing. 

While she surrenders time to relax, she says, in the long run, it will be worth it. 

For now, she knows this will all benefit her future. 

Ulloa’s biggest aspiration is to attend Columbia University in New York. It’s her dream, as she loves the city and what it offers is very attractive to her. 

What attracts her even more, however, is being successful. 

“I think I’ve worked really hard in my life and hope to work harder in the future and hope to become somebody in the technology industry,” she said. 

She hopes to enter the intelligence field because “there is so much you can do with it to benefit humans.” 

Her godfather inspires her to work hard, as she identifies with him: they have both grown up in a single-parent home.

Ulloa’s godfather, who works on Wall Street and helps companies go public, has worked hard in his life to get a good job. He pushes her to better herself, and to keep her goals in perspective.

With all these factors pushing Ulloa to be her best and most successful self, she has found the strength to do and become anything she wishes to be. With all challenges that rise her way, Ulloa takes what she needs to grow from them, and moves on.

Humans of La Quinta High School is an ongoing series featuring Blackhawk students and staff. Follow us on Instagram @humansoflqhs and Twitter @lqhawkview