March Students of the Month Named

Five Murrieta high school seniors were honored Monday as part of the Murrieta Valley Chamber of Commerce High School Student of the Month Recognition Program.

The students and their families attended a breakfast sponsored by numerous local businesses. Students received gift certificates from community businesses along with certificates of recognition, congratulations and accolades from local, county, state and federal dignitaries.  

At the monthly event students shared personal stories of their most significant life lesson, stories of victory over challenging life circumstances, where they plan to attend college and how they plan to "pay it forward" when they return from college, said Karen Parris, publicity coordinator. 

Parris shared highlights of the students' accomplishments and goals:

Murrieta Valley High School Senior Alex Gallegos is known for his love of learning, his integrity and outstanding character. Alex is a member of National Honor Society and he is always willing to help others students by tutoring in math and science. He has been on the varsity cross-country, track and soccer teams. Alex maintains a 4.2 GPA and he has taken six AP classes, earning the highest possible score on his AP physics and AP chemistry exams. Alex plans to attend the UCR College of Engineering and major in bioengineering.

Calvary Murrieta Christian High School Senior David Espinoza is an exceptionally gifted student who began taking college classes at the age of 13. Between his high school and college classes, he will graduate from high school at the age of 16 with 30 college credits. David has been accepted by five of the 23 universities he has applied to. David’s desire to graduate early started with his competitive nature. Following his mother's diagnosis with Stage 2 breast cancer, David was further motivated to make sure his mother would be able to see him graduate from high school. His mother’s illness has also motivated him to pursue a career in the medical field. David is described as a student who has a thirst for knowledge and who displays a maturity beyond his years.

Creekside High School Senior Evelyn Vasquez will be the first person in her family to graduate from high school. She said after attending two other high schools, she was doubtful that she would graduate. Over the last two years, she has made changes in her life and she is now planning to attend college and become a registered nurse. Evelyn is motivated to help other people and she said that her experience at Creekside High School has helped her realize that anything is possible for her.

Murrieta Mesa High School Senior Marki Hammers is involved in drama, is a member of California Scholarship Federation and is in AVID. She is also on a UC San Diego SMART research team. Marki hopes to attend UC Berkeley and major in neurobiology or neurochemistry and study neurological disorders. Marki would like to someday serve with Doctors without Borders. Marki has dedicated herself to achieving a quality education and she said her greatest lesson has been learning to believe in herself. Her integrity, creativity and intelligence have had a profound impact on her teachers.

Vista Murrieta High School Senior Erica Reddish is a fierce competitor who is extremely humble and modest about her accomplishments. Although Erica was the CIF-SS Division 1 girls cross country champion this year and she helped the Broncos to a second-place finish at the state championships, her athletic achievements don't define her. Along with her involvement in cross country and track, Erica has maintained a 4.1 GPA. She also plays piano for her church and is known for being committed to her family and her teammates and for being a great friend who tutors other students. Erica has received a scholarship to run for BYU. After overcoming several health challenges she is interested in becoming a physician’s assistant.

To learn more about the Student of the Month Program, contact founder Sally Myers at 951-506-8024. To become a sponsor, contact Margaret Jones at 951-677-4856. 

Additional questions can be directed to Karen Parris, Murrieta SOM publicity coordinator, at 951-696-1600 ext. 1022.  

"The Student of the Month Program greatly appreciates the community's support and interest in the lives of our young people," Parris said.