On December 1st, 2021, senior Vanessa Chiprez received a full ride scholarship which includes room and board to Stanford University. 

Chiprez could not believe she was offered a scholarship to such a top university. 

“I was thrilled and it was a dream come true, being accepted into the school that has been my dream school for 10 years,” said Chiprez.

When looking back on her four years in high school, she describes it as a “tumultuous journey” that has been a factor to her growth. 

Track and Field Coach Aaron Raya thinks Chiprez is exactly what you want in a senior leader.

“Not only is she a good leader, she is a great athlete. She is exactly what you need in the program,” said Raya.

Although Chiprez has experienced both positive and negative moments through her high school journey, she has mostly remembered the positive ones. 

Some memories in high school include cramming for her AP European History and AP Calculus tests as well as hanging out with her friends. 

One of her biggest challenges in high school was handling her home responsibilities and academic responsibilities. 

“I am the oldest sibling in my household and I would sometimes have to take care of my niece and nephew on weekends so that was a heavy duty on myself,” said Chiprez

Chiprez tries to plan out her day ahead of time so she can participate in extracurricular activities and still complete all of her homework. She thinks her essays made her standout when applying to Stanford because she was authentic and made sure her personality showed through her essay. 

Godinez Fundamental High School (GFHS) Counselor Matthew Hall describes Chiprez as one of the most hardworking working students at Godinez. He mentioned how Chiprez has always been ready to take the most challenging courses Godinez has to offer.

“She encapsulates exactly what being a Godinez Grizzly means, and we are proud of what she has accomplished, and what she will continue to achieve in the years to come,” said Hall. 

Chiprez started her college admissions process in early September when her QuestBridge National College application was due. QuestBridge is a program that seeks to help low income students attend and afford college. It took her a month to complete her essays. 

Chiprez stressed that, “I definitely didn’t really have much hope going through the application process and I really wish I had more confidence in myself.”

English teacher Lori Polydoros thinks Chiprez is definitely a leader in her AP English Literature class and is excited to watch Chiprez take on the opportunities ahead of her. 

“She is able to dive into a work of literature and analyze deep meaning. She can articulate this depth in a well-structured essay. Vanessa is a wonderful role model for others,” said Polydoros.

Chiprez has been involved in cross country and track and orchestra for the past four years, and has three positions in Key Club. Chiprez is vice president at the club level, division member recognition chair on the division level, and district media visual team members on the district level. 

Chiprez had a handful of responsibilities at home and would sometimes work with her dad on the weekends. She also volunteered almost every weekend at the Discovery Cube Museum in Santa Ana for three years .

“It was really hectic and a difficult obligation to manage,” said Chiprez

Math teacher John Ninofranco describes Chiprez as a passionate, strong, and hardworking student that wants to do her best in all that she does.

He added that in class, Chiprez shows passion for the subject, especially a difficult class like Calculus and strives to be one of the best in the class.

“Vanessa is an amazing student and I’m so glad and proud of her accomplishments. Balancing her academics, extracurricular activities, and athletics is tough but Vanessa is able to do that. Stanford University got a great student,” said Ninofranco.

Chiprez describes herself as an overachiever and optimistic person that had a positive outlook on life while she was in school. 

She wants to major in bio-mechanical engineering at Stanford. After college, she plans to conduct further research in regenerative medicine and organs on chip platforms.

To Chiprez, Godinez Fundamental High School enabled her to discover her passions and further evolve as a leader. 

When asked how she wishes to be remembered, Chiprez said, “I want to be remembered for being an optimistic spirit that overcame barriers to pursue my ambitious goals, all while continuing to serve as a kind mentor to others.”