Del Mar High School's Isis Ramirez is Setting an Example

The senior walks into the room in the Student Services Center and sits down next to me.

Her hair is pulled back into a pony tail, black eyeliner tracing the top eye lid and a Monroe piercing above her lip. She looks like any other 18-year-old getting ready to finish up school, but as she begins to tell her story, there's determination in her words and a look in her eyes—wisdom.

Her voice is steady the whole time we chat, until we begin to talk about her father, Sergio Ramirez, her inspiration. Her voice quivers halfway through, and she takes small, almost unnoticeable breaths and continues on.

This is the first in a series of high school graduation stories that will run throughout the week, highlighting high school seniors at the various school sites and their stories.

All the schools within the district are holding their graduation ceremonies on Thursday, June 9.

This is Isis Ramirez's story.

Campbell Patch: How are you feeling right now?

Isis Ramirez: I’m happy, excited but kind of scared. It’s a whole new part of my life. It will be scary knowing that I won’t have people take so much of their time to help me. That it’s more on me.

Patch: What will you miss most?

Ramirez: My friends and teachers. They’ve all been very good to me, and my counselor, Mr. Mendoza.

Patch: What will you miss least?

Ramirez: Just like, having to do homework. I mean, I know I will still be doing homework in college, but in high school, the feeling that I need to graduate from high school. That everything that I do could affect whether I graduate or not.

Patch: What are you looking forward to?

Ramirez: Meeting new people and being in a new environment.

Patch: Who inspires you?

Ramirez: My dad, Sergio Ramirez. He’s a great dad. Always supported us, even though there were issues at home. He never left us. He was always there. He was a big support. I mean, my mom is, too, but he was always there. I have to do good to show that all his hard work paid off.

He died Dec. 24, 2008. I was 15. It was unexpected. It was hard. We used to all live together, my parents, my uncle, my sister, little brother and two half-brothers every other weekend.

My sister moved out with her boyfriend; my uncle, my dad’s brother, wouldn’t show up. We lost track of him almost three years ago. It was a big change. And now we only see my two half-brothers once a month, sometimes.

My mom used to stay at home and spend time with my little brother. Now she works to support us.

Patch: What teacher made an impact in your life?

Ramirez: There are two: Mr. Mendoza and Mrs. Guerrero.

I’ve known Mr. Mendoza since freshman year. I think I was assigned to another counselor, but I always went to him. He would make sure I was doing well, and I could always walk into his office and talk about anything. He also helped me with the whole university thing, finding a school, applications.

I’ve known Mrs. Guerrero since freshman year, too. I had a history class with her and now have leadership with her. If the class was getting rowdy or out of control, she would always give these speeches, and they really got to me.

She’s been like a second mom to me. Since I come really early, sometimes I’d have to bring my little brother with me, and she wouldn’t mind. She would sometimes help me get him to school in the morning, too. She was the other person that I could walk into her office and talk about anything and she’d help me out.

Patch: What college are you planning on attending?

Ramirez: I applied to Santa Clara University but got wait-listed. Will probably go to De Anza and then transfer.

Patch: Are you the first to go to college in your family?

Ramirez: Yes. My 19-year-old sister, Jessica, was the first to graduate high school. She’s also attending college in the fall.

Patch: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Ramirez: Either a social worker or probation officer.

A social worker, because I really like kids. I thought about child development, but then the idea of working with teenagers was better.

A probation officer, because I would be helping the ones that get in a lot of trouble and may feel like there’s no one else that cares about them.

Patch: What was your favorite high school memory?

Ramirez: I think everything, in general. I have good high school memories, my friends, all the great times we’ve had.

Patch: What was your most difficult high school challenge?

Ramirez: The death of my dad. It affected everything except for my school life. Made me feel a bigger reason to push myself. He always told us to study, finish school. It helps me to motivate myself.

I also work 30 hours a week at Subway to keep myself busy. To help my mother. I'd rather do that than be at home with all of that.

Patch: What was your favorite class?

Ramirez: ASB leadership. We would all get together and set up for rallies and other things. It’s like a big family type of thing.

Patch: What was your least favorite class?

Ramirez: Anything related to history. I was bad at remembering dates, especially with U.S. History.

Patch: Any plans after graduation?

Ramirez: We’re doing a little thing at my home, maybe a barbecue.

Patch: Why is it important, for you, to go to college?

Ramirez: It’s a good way for me to do something else. To set an example for my little brother and cousins. Show him that even though we’ve been through so many things, we can still do it.