Perla Michelle Chavez is a Junior from Battle Mountain High School who has been such a committed and amazing part of our Mountain Youth program by sharing her knowledge with our Communities that Care team. Her willingness, perseverance, and acting as a role model are some of the characteristics that make a leader. Michelle possesses every single one of those characteristics.
Being active in her community is something that Michelle is very passionate about. Before being part of the Mountain Youth Program, she would volunteer with United Way Eagle River Valley, and at her local Catholic Church of Santa Clara de Asis. Working with the community has shown her that you can never judge a book by its cover. We never know what support people need until you work so closely in finding the needs in the community. For Michelle, having kindness is the best way to go no matter what the situation is!
In addition to helping her community and being a student, Michelle has a passion for always being busy and active in her personal life. She is a member of the Soccer and Softball teams at BMHS and she is also part of many of our local soccer clubs. Michelle also participates in speech and debate, as well as being an employee at Subway. She enjoys spending time at the gym, playing basketball with friends and spending time with her family. But, she also expresses her love for reading and how she enjoys spending her quiet time with a good book.
Michelle is part of CTC groups and expresses how being part of the Data Team is her favorite project so far. She finds that being able to look at the data that is shown during these meetings has become an eye-opening experience. Learning that there are youth that struggle with substance abuse or members of their families struggle has been of interest to her. Knowing that there are many families that struggle to put food on their table and may need other assistance has motivated her to help. She has learned that community service is something that can be so impactful for the individual but also the organizations in need of help. She believes that self-improvement and learning new things on both ends are part of the process for a better community.
Michelle describes very strongly her view on what needs to happen in order for someone to make a change in the community. Anyone that would like to make a change should first work on being the best version of themselves, as well as showing respect in every way possible. This is important and something that we should all keep in mind when wanting to work on making a change. She hopes that by being a part of Mountain Youth she is able to have students reach out and know that there will always be a way to fix a situation, regardless of what it could be. She hopes that adults are able to realize the importance of connecting with their children and learn a way to separate work from home.
Michelle states, “Thanks to being part of Mountain Youth, I have learned so much and made so much progress in my life and goals."
Michelle is such an inspiration and a role model for other youth and adults in our community. She brings kindness, joy and wisdom to every meeting that she is part of. She is filled with desire for a better tomorrow for all and expects nothing in return but the fulfillment of others having joy.
Written by Judith Rojas, Mountain Youth Community Liaison, jrojas@mountainyouth.org
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