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Student Spotlight: WHS Senior Valentin Garcia

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A young man in a suit stands with his arms crossed in front of the U.S. Capitol building.
Student Spotlight: WHS Senior Valentin Garcia
J.D. Peak
Westmoore High School senior Valentin Garcia is a young man of many talents. When he's not fulfilling his duties as president of WHS's Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), vice president of Sociedad Hispana Latina, or taking an active role in the Youth Council of Oklahoma City, he likes to spend time outdoors and post vlogs on his YouTube channel about his life as a high school senior.
 
He is participating in the MPS CareerTech Intership program and is has a marketing internship with J.R.'s BBQ Supply Company. His focus for them is to generate leads for the business through social media. His plan after high school is to attend Georgetown Law School and practice personal injury law. Last summer, he even visited Harvard University to attend a pre-law program. Eventually, he wants to open his own firm, already named Garcia and Associates. 
 
Garcia has accomplished many things during his time as a WHS Jaguar and the last few months have presented many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that he's taken great advantage of.
 
Over the summer, he secured a spot and spent a week with Youth Leadership Oklahoma. This program selects high school students entering their senior year from across the state and teaches them the skills necessary to be successful future leaders. They also had the chance to meet several state leaders. 
 
Garcia's time with YLOK ended with a stop at the Oklahoma State Capitol, where he had the honor of serving as speaker of the house during a mock bill process.
 
Garcia said the most memorable part of the week was the long-lasting connections he made with other students and the places he visited. 
I think opportunities like YLOK are about the people you meet, the connections you build and the resources you get out of it. I otherwise wouldn't know Oklahoma is growing as much as it is right now if it weren’t for these programs.
 
- Valentin Garcia, WHS senior
Even though it was brief, Garcia saw great benefit from the time he spent at YLOK. 
 
"With Youth Leadership Oklahoma, I learned that it’s okay to have failures. ...you don’t have to be first or the best at everything to do great things," said Garcia. 
 
Another unique experience he added to his list was a stint as a junior page at the Oklahoma State Capitol for Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval. 
 
A group of young people in formal attire stand on steps in front of the U.S. Capitol building.
During his time as a page, he had the opportunity to meet Gov. Kevin Stitt, participated in a mock session, presented and passed a mock Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) bill and learned many lessons about work from Alonso-Sandoval. 
 
"Something I learned from him is that you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room. Before paging, I wanted to be the first one to step up or the first one to speak up.
 
"I learned that sometimes, it’s better to listen and be a quiet leader," said Garcia.
 
After that experience, he said one of his new goals is to page for U.S. Rep. Tom Cole.   
 
One piece of advice Garcia gives his fellow students is to get involved in the community and stay informed about what's going on around them, regardless of any position they hold.
 
"Before, I thought I needed a title to be a leader. I thought I needed to be the president of every club. Now that I've gone through these programs, I've realized I don’t have to be president of everything or the loudest in the room. 
 
"Everything is good as long as you're growing, if you’re having fun and you have peace of mind," said Garcia. 
 
Learn more about the OK House Page Program. 
A young man in a suit sits behind a desk with a %22Speaker of the House%22 sign, holding a gavel, with the %22Youth Leadership Oklahoma%22 logo displayed prominently in the background.
A young man in a red shirt holds a light blue flag with the %22Youth Leadership Oklahoma%22 logo in front of a large building and a pond.
Two men in suits shake hands in the foreground, with a painting on the wall and a doorway visible in the background.
Two young men in suits stand smiling in the foreground, with a man at a podium in the background of a formal room.
Five young people in suits stand on a balcony in front of the U.S. Capitol building.
A group of young people in formal attire stand on steps in front of the U.S. Capitol building.
A young man in a suit speaks into a microphone in the foreground, while rows of empty seats and ornate architecture fill the background.
In the foreground, a group of young men in white t-shirts and jeans gather around a whiteboard with writing on it, while the background shows a classroom setting with computers and more whiteboards.
A group of teenagers poses for a photo in front of the seated Lincoln Memorial statue.
A young man in a suit stands with his arms crossed in front of the U.S. Capitol building.
A man in a white t-shirt and jeans speaks into a microphone in the foreground, while a laptop and a blurred audience are visible in the background.
A group of young men in white t-shirts and jeans stand in a grassy area with trees in the background.
A group of young people and a man in a suit stand in front of American flags and ornate architecture.
A large group of formally dressed young people and a few adults pose on a grand marble staircase with ornate architectural details in the background.
A proud family poses for a photo in a bright, open atrium with other graduates and attendees in the background.
A man in a suit and a young man in a green polo shirt stand together in front of American and other flags.