Abigail Duran is a First Gen model student at Hoover High School who is paving the way for her success to shine.

She has attended all four years here at Hoover as a part of the AHHC academy and has qualified as one of the top 15 best academic students. Although getting there was a challenge with a rigorous schedule filled with AP and Honors courses, her commitment to succeed helped her exceed any challenges.

Over her time here she has been a part of FACES for the future, AFS, and Upward Bound. These programs have tremendously helped shape her outlook for the future.  In FACES she was able to intern in Rady Children’s Hospital and shadow a variety of MDs in many different fields. In Upward Bound she was one of 10 students picked to go on an all expense pay for trip to San Francisco where she experienced a new culture filled with education opportunities including going to Chinatown and exploring new universities like San Jose State.

As for her future, she is currently working on deciding which college she would like to attend in the fall, although the path to apply was difficult, she’s excited for what the outcome may be and is open to attending any university for the new experiences.

Her goal is to major in neuroscience/psychology and become a psychiatrist or a neurosurgeon, and hopes to become a doctor who specializes with kids. She finds mental health extremely vital for children and hopes to be an advocate for young voices. Her interest for psychology was sparked by her psychology course with Mrs. Hohenstein, and her AP psych course with Mrs. Yamfang.

Although academics aren’t her only priority she is currently advocating for Mexican/immigrant rights by protesting and staging a walkout here at Hoover High.

¨You can do anything you set your mind too¨ – Abigail Duran