Boca Raton High co-valedictorian inspired by grandfather
When she was a sophomore at Boca Raton High School, Lauren Morejón co-founded and led an organization called Project Outreach with her twin sister, AnaMichele. They developed a team of volunteers to produce an inspiring, uplifting show of dancers and singers titled “I Rise,” dedicated to their late grandfather.
For Lauren, 17, the co-valedictorian for the Bobcats, Project Outreach was her greatest accomplishment in high school.
“During the dedication song, there wasn’t a dry eye in the auditorium as everyone stood together for the cause,” Morejón said. “We donated $8,000 to research at the Lynn Cancer Institute.”
The following year, Project Outreach joined forces with Teens of Pink Ribbon, and together, they donated more than $30,000 to the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation for various cancer causes.
It’s just one way Morejón made her mark on Boca Raton High.
In addition to her 4.0 GPA, she’ll finish high school with 17 AP courses and as a National Merit Finalist.
She was also a National AP Scholar, Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education Scholar Award recipient, National Hispanic Scholar and winner of several medals in the Science Olympiad. During four years with Key Club, she held various positions, including treasurer and editor.
All these experiences led to her goals in medicine.
“I plan to become a physician, helping all people, with a special focus on treating under-served Latino populations,” she said.
Morejón plans to major in biology and minor in Latino studies, taking a pre-medicine track. She’s considering several top schools.
“Given how expensive colleges are, I’m waiting to get a complete financial picture from scholarships and the schools,” she said.
Her advice to students?
“Find your passion and pursue it with all of your energy,” Morejón said. “Embrace the obstacles you face, because they will make you stronger and teach you to persevere. Be grateful for every opportunity and all the people who help you along the way.”
Outside of Boca High, Morejón has completed various courses in medicine, such as a contagious disease course, to prepare for her profession. She also took a Brown University course that included shadowing a pediatric neurologist and a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.
At the beginning of her sophomore year, she lost her grandfather, Ron Lasso.
“Inspired by his relentlessly positive attitude, my twin sister and I dedicated the ‘I Rise’ show to him,” Morejón said. “Throughout high school, I’ve looked at my grandfather’s life as an example of servant leadership, hard work and love of family.”