Gabriela Hernandez

Gabriela ‘’Gabby’’ Hernandez is an intelligent young lady who is a senior at Kelvyn Park High School. She is currently an A & B student who is moving to Indiana very soon to start college. She is such a hard worker that she rarely has free time to do the things normal high school students do. I guess that’s the price you pay for being very active in the community. At the age of eighteen, Gabby Hernandez has two great jobs which help our community in many ways.

Gabby Hernandez spends majority of her time giving back to the community. She works as a  leader in Voices Of Youth In Chicago Education (VOYCE). She had first got into VOYCE during her freshman year at Kelvyn Park. It started off as a service-learning project. Gabby still remembers her first day on the job. “One year on Martin Luther King day we had passed out pieces of chocolate as acts of kindness.” How many teens do you know that spend time out of their day being courteous to strangers. She is truly a kind hearted person. Gabby got in to LSNA by getting many recommendations from the school .Unfortunately VOYCE was discontinued in 2012 at Kelvyn Park. Gabby and her fellow members of VOYCE were devastated. They had tried their best to get in back in to Kelvyn Park, but sadly did not.

Even though they did not successfully get VOYCE back in Kelvyn Park, they managed to change some of the policies in the student code of conduct. Gabby and other youth members went to many working group meetings, which had some CPS officials and many other important people. From that they had received recommendations to put in the new Student Code of Conduct. For instance, students can't get suspended for 10 days out of school for minor infractions like tardies. It is currently in effect as of right now. Gabby stated, “They made it easier to use the Student Code Of Conduct. At first it was just a bunch of paragraphs so they put in charts so that you can see the consequences would be.” Even though Gabby and her friends lost the battle for bring VOYCE back, she didn't stop there. She also fought for schools. “I see it as we all deserve an equal education, we may not all have the same books and resources as other schools.” Gabby feels that the administrators at CPS fails to realize that we all deserve an equal education and no school should feel they’re better since they have more funding.

Gabby strongly feels that the elementary school closings is very harsh. She feels that way simply because the board of education will be taking away the safety and friendships of the kids. By safety she means the kids will have to travel long distances in order for them to attend school. Now some neighborhood elementary schools are convenient for some parents. But that will all change if the kids have to travel and maybe cross gang territory and other bad places. Closing down the schools will also destroy friendships that kids are starting to develop . Gabby thinks  that education is very important. “Education is something that will help us succeed throughout our life and get us one step closer to a better future.” Gabby has had a successful four years at Kelvyn Park and is looking forward to starting college in the fall.

When Gabby finishes high school in June. She will be going to college in Indiana. She still hasn't decided which career path she wants to go in. Either it will be in nursing or teaching. Educations affects us in many ways. It does not matter what school you go to, it’s all about the learning you do and the places you take the knowledge. Gabby has a solid view on teachers. Gabby has had her share of good motivational teachers and her share of teachers who could care less where students end up. Gabby wishes that their were more teachers to help the students who really need the help. Especially the students who get clouded by the distractions around them, meaning the students who have problems at home. Students who are gang affiliated and even the teen moms. I personally feel that Gabby Hernandez is one of the few people who really care about the injustices in the system and even the kids.There are not many students who are kind and good hearted like her left. I’m am glad to have had the chance to have meet her and got to know her.

In conclusion Gabby Hernandez is an amazing person . I personally feel that she is one of the few people who really care about the injustices in the system. She even cares about the well being of the kids.There are not many students who are as kind and good hearted like her left. I’m am glad to have had the chance to have meet her and gotten the opportunity to have spoke with her. I’m very grateful to to the fact that she was asset of the Kelvyn Park team.
- Aniyah Jones