Jennifer Aguirre, a new face of the Hispanic community
Aguirre was born from the fusion of two Latin cultures. Her father is Mexican, a man that loves the culinary arts and owns a couple of restaurants in Tulsa. Her mother, from Guatemala, is a hard-working woman who plants the seeds of generosity in the family and makes life homier.
“I feel very proud of my Latin roots -- my parents have triumphed in America, and I want to follow in their footsteps,” said Jennifer with conviction.
“When I graduate from high school, I want to study gastronomy at Cordon Bleu in France, and then come back home and make the restaurants better. Someday I will have my own chain of restaurants here in the states and in other countries,” she stated, dreaming alive of her future.
When Aguirre is not studying, she works at her parents’ business, combining recipes and experimenting with new flavors in the kitchen. And precisely to be able to try more things she chose homeschooling, so that she could master her time to learn, focusing on what really counts.
“I felt [traditional] school wasn’t for me,” she explained. “There you must spend eight hours, studying things that I didn’t really like and with tons of homework. Online I manage my own time, and I’m able to work and learn more.”
And all her decisions have paid off, because she recently won an award by the National Honor society which has offered Jennifer a full scholarship to study at any university in the states.
“Unfortunately, that scholarship cannot be used abroad so I will have to donate it, and I cannot wait to find the right person,” she expressed.
Jennifer knows a lot about contributing to good causes, because in her short life she has already become an ambassador of the Children’s Hospital of Guatemala, where she donates work, time, toys, and money.
“My parents taught me many things, to be independent, to make my own decisions and to give back to the community. And in Guatemala every year we deliver toys, shoes and lots of other things for the children that need it the most,” she said humbly.
Jennifer´s generosity seems never-ending, and last year at her quinceañera party she made a very special request.
“I didn’t want any presents, instead I asked the guests to contribute to the Roosevelt children’s hospital, and we raised $55,000,” she said.
This girl is unique, she is not blinded by the expensive shoes, make-up, and cars every teenager wants, rather she just wants to change the world, to make it brighter and a place where people respect each other and communicate with words and not with guns.
“If I were a millionaire, I would create a new organization to help all the children in the world,” she stated, adding she would do everything in her power to help people cherish the world they live in.
There are those who believe Jennifer was born with a special mind, but she believes it is the product of the culture and the values she was raised with, along the support and unconditional love from her parents.
“I am like this because my parents have helped me and my little sisters, whom I must watch. I have two sisters who are tremendous, and I take them to school, out to eat, to play, whatever they need,” said Aguirre, happy with her responsibility.
Jennifer Aguirre is an example for our community, not only for her sense of responsibility and diligence, but also for the way in which she makes her future prevail by putting education and work first. She may be just another teenager, but she is one who happens to know life is about taking good care of others in other to give back, and leads her way accompanied by the love of her family and her Latin roots.
To all the teenagers out there inspired by her convictions, Aguirre advises: “You have to start from scratch and start working now if you want to triumph in life. You don’t have to wait until you finish college, the road must be carved today. Even if we are young we can achieve great things.” (La Semana)