For Ronaldo Gomez Martinez, or “Rony” as his friends and teachers affectionately call him, high school has been a place of growth, discovery and quiet determination. This spring, he celebrates not only graduation but a powerful milestone—becoming the first person in his family to go to college.

罗尼计划今年秋天进入明尼苏达大学德卢斯分校，主修机械工程。 Though he’s still exploring which branch of engineering he’ll pursue, his motivation is clear: “I want to solve problems the world is facing and know that what I’ve worked hard on was able to help others.”

从小，罗尼就被数学和科学所吸引。 然而，他的好奇心从未局限于课堂。 他最喜欢的爱好之一是烘焙，他从小就开始和他的姐妹们混合食材。 现在，他自己烘焙，为他爱的人制作点心。 “What I love most about baking is how I can share what I’ve made with others. It makes me feel good knowing that what I’ve made can be enjoyed by the people I love.”

When Rony reflects on what makes him proudest, it’s not the test scores or awards—it’s the simple, profound reality that he made it to college. “I always knew that I would go to college because it was what my whole family told me I could do… but actually seeing that I did it makes me so unbelievably happy because I was able to prove my family right.”

Throughout high school, Rony’s warmth, intellect and willingness to try new things have left a lasting impression on those around him. 其中一个是斯蒂尔夫人，他的法语老师，她说：

“When Rony first arrived in 10th grade, I was immediately impressed with how quickly he understood our French work and how bravely he practiced speaking aloud. 随着我们在一起的时间越来越长，罗尼做了足够多的功课，跳过了一个级别的法语，仍然是我们班的领导者。 在法国，罗尼一直勇敢地说话，是同龄人中的佼佼者。 I am so proud of his hard work and hope he’ll continue with his French.”

罗尼认为斯蒂尔夫人改变了他的高中生活。 “When I first met her, I immediately felt free to be myself around her with no fear of judgment. Because of her, I have met so many people who have made my life so much better.”

If given the chance, Rony says he’d love to travel to Italy to explore the architecture and culture and maybe even pick up the language just by listening. 如果可以进行时间旅行呢？ He’d head to the year 3025 to see what the future holds.

Rony offers incoming students this simple but powerful advice: “Be ready to try new things. Going out and doing something you’ve never done before can lead to a passion or friendship you never would’ve found otherwise.”

当罗尼为下一个篇章做准备时，他带着对学习的热爱，一颗服务的心和整个家庭的梦想。 The future may be uncertain—but one thing is clear: Rony is ready to shape it.

# RPS_SeniorStories