The first in her family to go to college, Giselle Curiel, 18, of South Central Los Angeles, and a senior at Huntington Park Institute of Applied Medicine (HPIAM), was accepted to Dartmouth College with the help of AltaMed's Foundation Youth Champions Program.
When she was six years old, her mother suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed. During this time, Giselle found herself fascinated by the medical equipment in the hospital. Giselle plans to study neuroscience with the goal of becoming a doctor.
During her senior year of high school, Giselle joined Youth Champions, a mentoring program from the AltaMed Foundation, which empowers youth in underserved communities to learn skills in leadership, communication, financial literacy, goal-setting, problem-solving and grit.
The AltaMed Youth Champions program is free and gives students an opportunity to earn as through project-based learning. The Youth Champions after-school workshops introduced Giselle to a multitude of professionals in education, engineering, science, medicine, and more. It gave her unique opportunities to network with professionals who grew up in the communities the program serves.
Ultimately after completing her education, Giselle aims to return to Los Angeles as a physician and researcher to provide care to underserved communities.
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