My name is Laura Jimenez and I was born and raised in Lindsay. I am the fifth of six girls born to Maria and Pedro Jimenez. I graduated from Lindsay High School in the class of 2004.

During my 4 years at Lindsay High School I worked hard to prepare myself for college. I participated in many AP courses, sports and other extra curricular activities. I have always believed that education and hard work are the keys to achieving your highest potential.

Growing up in Lindsay allowed me to develop several valuable qualities like being independent, motivated and willing to take on big challenges. These attributes have proven indispensable as they have helped me become a strong focused student while maintaining a clear sense of self. It was during my senior year at LHS that all of my hard work paid off and I was awarded the Michael and Susan Dell Scholarship. It was this scholarship that truly opened the door to endless opportunities by enabling me to pursue a college education.

Gratefully, I am currently attending the University of California, Santa Cruz where I am pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in Molecular and Cellular Developmental Biology. As an undergraduate student at UCSC I have been involved in the Academic Excellence Program. This program provides students with necessary academic skills by working with a community of peer mentors.

This past summer I was also fortunate to participate in the IMSD program. This research based program allows biology students the opportunity to receive hands-on laboratory-training during the summer and laboratory research projects during the academic year. Currently, I enjoy working in a lab on campus getting first hand research experience. I hope to continue my research full time in the summer and present the results in the fall at a national science conference.

My recent exposure to laboratory research has enabled me to see opportunities in the biomedical field that I never knew were possible. For this reason I am considering going to graduate school and pursuing a career in clinical research.

One of my greatest hopes is to one day have the opportunity come back to the community of Lindsay to motivate students and encourage them to continue their education and achieve their goals. I want to share with them all the different opportunities I have been exposed to and show them that with hard work and determination anything is possible.

- Orange Blossom Festival will be held April 12-19 in Lindsay. The week-long festival culminates on Saturday, April 19 with a pancake breakfast, parade and all day food, music and fun at Sweet Brier Plaza. In the evening, Country star Mark Wills will perform live in concert at 7 p.m. the McDermont Field House. For more information about Orange Blossom Festival, visit the website at www.lindsayobf.com.

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