Student: Jose Ortiz Michel
Year in School: Senior
Plans After High School: Jose wants to attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) and study construction management.
GPS Focus: SERVICE
What Makes Jose #BulldogSTRONG: In a day in age where Instagram, Tik Tok, and Snapchat seem to dominate the lives of teenagers, many adolescents on social media spend much of their time observing the lives and images of their peers leading to constant comparisons and self-centered thoughts. However, for Golden Valley High School Senior Jose Ortiz Michel, he chooses to spend his time with a benevolent attitude, being helpful and of SERVICE to others in his role as Co-President of the Interact Club. As a leader of the Interact Club, Jose has authentically adopted the club’s motto of “Service Above Self,” in his four years as a Bulldog as evident in the numerous community service based projects he has been part of. In each of his four years at GVHS, Jose has been part of the perpetual highway cleanup where students walk from the campus parking lot to H street simply cleaning up the garbage in the gutters and along the sidewalk. This year, Jose and 47 other students spent a few hours on a Saturday morning cleaning up trash along the roads surrounding GVHS, all with the mindset of beautifying the community. Jose and the Interact Club have served breakfast to the homeless, inspiring hope and enthusiasm to the center they worked with about the commitment to SERVICE that many students at GVHS possess. “The Interact Club exists to create community service for opportunities for GVHS students,” states Jose, “Students can meet new people and develop leadership skills through many of these projects. It means a lot to me to be part of a club that brings so many people together and allows them to be of service to the community.” In addition to the highway cleanup, Jose and the Interact Club plan to have more opportunities for Bulldogs to serve: a collaborative service project with THRIVE, making tamales for GVHS families, baking cookies for soldier, participation in the Kern Youth Empowerment Series (Kern YES) and many more events in service of others. “It’s important that all students understand that it is definitely not too late to join Interact club as we have many more opportunities for students to serve others.” The Interact Club meets on Tuesday after school in Mrs. Yamuachi’s room in 1605.
With a lot of his energy and focus directed towards the service of others, it should be noted that Jose has seen his share of individual success as a Bulldog at GVHS. In his four years, Jose has earned a 4.125 GPA while being enrolled primarily in GATE, Honors, and Advanced Placement classes. Jose has also been part of the AVID Club, which further promotes academic excellence through individual determination and grit. However, with the success that he has experienced in the classroom, Jose, just like he has demonstrated with the Interact Club, chooses to focus on others rather than on himself. “I have been able to learn a lot of things about myself at Golden Valley,” Jose humbly states, “My teachers and club advisers have challenged me to be more comfortable talking in front of people and it has allowed me to advance and grow academically. The teachers here at Golden Valley have been instrumental in helping me be successful after high school.” One of the teachers that Jose credits for being a major influence on him as a Bulldog student is his AP Calculus teacher, Mr. Luis Jauregui. “Mr. Jauregui has been one of my most influential teachers,” graciously comments Jose, “Not only is he great at teaching, but he always finds ways to push me when I feel less motivated. He makes me want to do great things in and outside of school.” For the genuine commitment and care that he has towards the SERVICE of his classmates, teachers, and the community of Bakersfield as Co-President of the Interact Club and through his academic pursuits, Jose Ortiz Michel is #BulldogSTRONG.
What #BulldogSTRONG Means to Jose: "Being #BulldogSTRONG means being the best version of yourself. Whether you are on-campus or off-campus, you should try to optimize all areas of your life to encourage growth.”
What Teachers and Staff Think of Jose:
"Jose is an outstanding student and has been an exceptional co-president to the Interact club. His leadership skills have benefited the club to do many events. More importantly, his sincere care for the community, shows how he is demonstrating #Service for GVHS, which is part of the Interact Clubs motto, “Service above self.” Jose is also a first-class student as demonstrated during his GATE Biology class. He continues to show #pride in his classes by taking the most elevated courses GVHS offers and works hard to obtain excellent grades. I am excited to see where Jose attends after high school, and I am confident he will be successful in his goals. Jose is a great example of a #BulldogSTRONG student!” Jennifer Yamauchi, Science Department Chair and Interact Club Adviser, Golden Valley High School
“José is a student that exemplifies our values of Growth, Pride, and Service. Not only is José super respectful and always on time, but he has the right attitude to learn and excel every day. Mr. Ortiz is a leader when it comes to character and academic performance!” Luis Jauregui, Calculus Teacher, Golden Valley High School
"Great Kid. Has a real brain for Social Science issues and topics. Love the Libertarian strain of thought that he produces. Brings good discussion and sharing to the classroom." Aaron Wright, AP Government Teacher, Golden Valley High School
“Jose is one of the hardest working students in my class. Jose is dedicated to being successful, even when he is absent. I can count on him to work on his own and help out others when they need it. He is truly #BulldogSTRONG!” David Gago, Math Teacher, Golden Valley High School
“Jose is a hard worker, and he puts a lot of thought into each assignment. He will easily accomplish his goal of becoming an architect because of his grit and determination. He is #BulldogSTRONG.” Rebecca Bledsoe Santaella, English Teacher, Golden Valley High School