Student: Adriana Padilla Betancourt
Year in School: Senior
Plans After High School: Adriana wants to stay close to home and attend CSUB to obtain a degree in psychology and eventually practice psychiatry.
GPS Focus: PRIDE & SERVICE
What Makes Adriana #BulldogSTRONG: Performing arts on a high school campus are essential entities because they allow for students to have a safe space where they can creatively express themselves. WIthout a creative voice, a society may become all but dead inside, and a social group without any creativity is likely to be repressive and tyrannical rather than a force for good. Biologists have argued that the formation of creativity and expressive performance was the most important step in human development and that society cannot move forward without creative people. For Golden Valley High School Senior Adriana Padilla Betancourt, her ability to creatively express herself through participation in Folklorico and Choir has been vital in her development as a Bulldog student. Folklorico has been part of Adriana’s life, starting at a young age dancing with her mother at school events and dances. After having skipped dancing Folklorico in middle school, Adriana came to high school, excited to see a stable and robust program at GVHS and to join because she missed being able to express her gratitude towards her Mexican culture. As one of the more veteran dancers on the team, Adriana has immense PRIDE every time that she performs. “The thing I enjoy the most about dancing Folklorico is that I represent my culture and country in a wonderful manner,” humbly comments Adriana, “I feel like I get to show people Mexico’s beauty in one dance.” In addition to the creative elegance that she displays as a dancer in Folklorico, Adriana also takes PRIDE as a vocalist and president of the GVHS Choir. Before high school, Adriana had never performed in a school choir, but with her love of singing and some encouragement from her mother, she decided to join as a Freshman and as a result of her talent, and for four years now, she was quickly elevated to sing in the advanced Chamber Choir. Adriana has had the luxury of singing at the graduation for the Class of 2022 and has developed some of her best friendships in the process because they are all bonded together through the creative expression of singing. “Choir is incredibly rewarding in multiple ways,” states Adriana with gratitude, “You get to meet amazing people and learn very fun things about music and how to be a better performer.”
Beyond her ability to dazzle audiences through dance or singing, what makes Adriana a truly remarkable performer is her commitment to the SERVICE of her peers off stage. During distance learning in her Sophomore year, Adriana heard about THRIVE, GVHS’s premiere peer support group, and how a group on campus, led by students, was providing mental health support virtually to students who were struggling with isolation due to the closures caused by the pandemic. After receiving support from some of the THRIVE Leaders, Adriana was excited to become a leader herself and provide opportunities for students to connect with GVHS. As a three year member of THRIVE, Adriana hopes that she can continue to help students be more involved in their communities and with school activities. With her consistent commitment to THRIVE, this year Adrian was recruited by Mrs. Waldrop to start the first ever Student Advocacy Center at GVHS where students work with students to improve their academics, resolve conflict more appropriately, and find better communication strategies. Called the PARC (Peer Advocacy and Restoration Center) Adriana and other students hope to support their peers to foster a more positive campus experience, becoming the best versions of themselves. “To me, it’s important to provide support to others because of my own background,” humbly states Adriana, “I know it’s easy to feel irrelevant and lost, so I want to help other people understand that there is always someone who cares about them, their opinions, and who they are.” For the incredible talent and PRIDE she has as a performer in Folklorico and the Chamber Choir and for her benevolent SERVICE to her peers as a leader in THRIVE and the PARC, Adriana Padilla Betancourt is #BulldogSTRONG.
What #BulldogSTRONG Means to Adriana: "To me, #BulldogSTRONG means to be kind, responsible, and determined to be a better person every day. ”
What Teachers and Staff Think of Adriana:
"Adriana is a sweet and talented young lady. She dedicates many hours to our Folklorico group, she is always willing to help her teammates and likes to brainstorm new ideas to add to our dances. Adriana is a leader, and her team looks up to her. She is proud of her culture and in every presentation, she dances with pride, elegance and respect.” Gaby Ruvalcaba, Library Technician and Folklorico Advisor, Golden Valley High School
“Adriana is amazing at everything she does! When taking on any task, she always goes above and beyond what is expected of her. She defines what it means to be #BulldogSTRONG the way she lives her life. In the past few years she has shown growth in her mental well-being and self confidence. She has shown pride in her culture through being a part of Folklorico and shows service on campus and our community through being a part of THRIVE and The PARC. She is also in the school choir and has an absolutely beautiful voice. I am so proud to see her as this week’s Student Spotlight.” Melissa Waldrop, Peer Advocacy and Restoration Center (PARC) Teacher, Golden Valley High School
"Adri is the ultimate example of growth, pride, and service. In her four years in the Golden Valley choir program, she has worked relentlessly to improve herself both musical.ly and academically. Her pride is evident by how hard she works on her music, always knowing her parts on time and inspiring others to do the same. Her service has included two years as the Social Chair for the choir, and she is currently leading the GV Singers as President." Samantha Williams, Choir Director, Golden Valley High School
“Creative and inspired, Adriana is a perfect example of what you want in a motivated student. She has shown poise and composure with her duties as a THRIVE Leader, Folklorico dancer, choir singer and honor roll student. She is very involved and that’s what keeps her going, she wants to help others before she can help herself. She demonstrates Pride and Service everyday in school and that is why she is #BulldogSTRONG!” Marshall Garcia, Social Studies Teacher, Soccer Coach, LISTOS Coordinator, and THRIVE Guide, Golden Valley High School
“Adriana Padilla Betancourt is a student who shines in class and sets the standard for being #BulldogSTRONG. In class she shows Growth by being a devoted learner who is inquisitive and engaged in learning. Adriana also shows tremendous Pride as a student by making positive choices in the classroom and the community and by representing our school through our Folklorico team and the We the People team as well. Furthermore, Adriana shines in showing Service to her peers, her teachers, and the community by being a good citizen, making positive contributions, and treating her teachers and peers with kindness. I know Adriana will continue to demonstrate these positive attributes as a person beyond high school and having her in class is truly an honor and a pleasure.” John Hansen, We The People Coach and Government Teacher, Golden Valley High School