Despite the obstacles and challenges she’s faced in life, Sonia Heredia is determined to keep fighting.
Growing up in an verbally abusive household with a father who was less than encouraging of her success left the North Atlanta High School senior feeling worthless, anxious and hopeless.
Worried about her future, Sonia often found it difficult to cope with the trauma and negative emotions.
“A couple of years ago, I went to my counselor’s office crying because I didn’t think I’d be able to go to college,” said Sonia, who was born in Acapulco, Mexico, and came to the United States as an infant. “Everybody would say that I would end up like my father, that I would become another statistic and stereotype. But after I spoke with my counselor and other school advisers, it only fueled my motivation to continue my education and make sure that everything I was told I wouldn’t be, I would be better than that.”
Thanks to that motivation, Sonia is headed to Delaware State University this fall on a full academic scholarship. She plans to major in journalism in hopes of becoming a news anchor.
“I want to bring my culture and Mexican heritage together,” she said of her future career.
Sonia remains focused on reclaiming her life. Her family is now in a better place emotionally and she looks forward to a brighter future.
“This has definitely motivated me because I’ve seen my mother’s sacrifices,” said Sonia, who will graduate with a 3.5 GPA. “I’ve taken it upon myself to not become a statistic or a stereotype. I know that I’m better than the situation I grew up in. It’s only made me stronger.”
| College/University | Delaware State University |
| Career Goal | News anchor |
| Intended Major | Journalism |
| Awards & Recognition | President of the North Atlanta High School Hispanic Organization Promoting Education; member of the North Atlanta Dance Team; Audio Visual Technology Club; Future Business Leaders of America; and SkillsUSA. |
Atlanta Public Schools will host high school commencement exercises Saturday, May 18 – Friday, May 24, 2019. All ceremonies — except Atlanta Classical Academy and Charles R. Drew Charter School — will be held at Georgia Institute of Technology, McCamish Pavilion,965 Fowler Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. For more information on commencement exercises, go to http://www.atlantapublicschools.us/gradnation.
We Are APS highlights APS visionaries (parents, students, teachers, principals, support staff, community members, partners, etc.), who exemplify our vision of a high-performing school district where students love to learn, educators inspire, families engage, and the community trusts the system. To recommend an APS visionary for a We Are APS feature, contact your communications liaison or email apscommunicationsoffice@gmail.com.
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