Jedesa Alatorre, a student with a 4.65 grade point average, the highest at Saint Mary's Academy in Inglewood, a city in southwest Los Angeles County, was accepted to 15 universities but decided on Stanford University to study human biology.

“It took me a few weeks to truly believe that I had accomplished something as amazing as getting into Stanford, and it was definitely a proud moment to see the fruits of my labor.”

Her dream is to attend Stanford Medical School to one day become a doctor in sports medicine.

“I grew up in a very urban community in Los Angeles, eating fast food, and fitness wasn’t something that was emphasized. Seeing the impact it had on my family, I decided to become a doctor and help people going through the same struggles,” said Jedesa, who graduated on June 3.

She said minorities in Los Angeles are struggling to take care of their bodies and physical health.

“That’s why I want to be a doctor.”

The 17-year-old says that in addition to giving back to the community, she would like to work with baseball teams like the Dodgers.

“In my family, we pull a lot of all-nighters sitting together watching the Dodgers play, and that brought us so much happiness; I really want to be able to bring that joy to the field with the players, to work with them and help them overcome their injuries.”

What does it mean for a Latina who grew up in Los Angeles to go to Stanford University?

“It’s an opportunity to rewrite the Latina narrative and show people that we are capable and you can achieve anything you dream of if you work hard.”

She said that Saint Mary’s Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school, instilled in her a strong work ethic and to not give up in the face of challenges along the way; but rather, to use them as points of motivation and growth.

Meanwhile, it was her parents, Denise and Sergio Alatorre, who taught her to believe in herself.

“They motivated me to not let other people’s opinions stop me from achieving what I need to do.”

She says she wants to be an example for her younger sister, because she is a person who brings a lot of joy to her life.

“It’s important to be aware of the people around you and the influence we have.”

Jedesa says she is aware of the long road ahead of her to graduate with a degree in sports medicine.

“I am ready to take on the challenge, to push myself, and Stanford will push me to be my best.”

She believes that her work in the community was something that helped her a lot in getting accepted to Stanford, which, by the way, has offered her a good financial aid package.

“I showed Stanford that I can apply my talents and abilities to help others. Serving others has become an important part of my identity and who I am.”

Jedesa volunteers at an orthopedic hospital in downtown Los Angeles and has been working with them for three years.

“I’m also an intern at a physical therapy clinic, where I help high school students experiencing financial hardship with rehabilitation sessions.”

She also said she’s part of the Youth Council, where she helps build healthy relationships in the community.

“I offer resources, and we also launched a podcast where we talk about setting boundaries and everything necessary to create healthy relationships.”

Both Jedesa and her parents were born in Los Angeles, but her paternal grandparents came from Guadalajara, Mexico, while her maternal grandparents are from Guatemala. Both parents are college graduates.

Her mother, Denise, majored in Spanish and Ethnic Studies; and her father, Sergio, majored in Communications.

“We instilled in our daughter the need to work hard so she could go to a prestigious university like Stanford,” says her father. Her mother shares that she was always advised to study hard and always be herself.

“My husband has also been a big encourager of her over the years.”

She describes her strong-willed daughter as very intelligent, kind, and humble.

“She’s the last person who tells you about her accomplishments. She just does what she has to do and accomplishes it. She’s very self-responsible and very independent.”

Jedesa has volunteered over 300 hours at the Luskin Orthopedic Institute for Children, supporting underprivileged children.

She is class president, vice president of the Girl Talk Club, and serves on the Jenesse Center Youth Council, where she advocates for mental health, leadership, and social equity among minority youth.

She is an alumna of Immaculate Conception School in Los Angeles.

She is also a beneficiary of the Onward Scholars program, which provides scholarships to high-achieving students throughout high school.