San Francisco STEM Experience - Destiny Castellaños
My experience being a part of FHLA has changed quite literally my life. Fortunately, for me I have had two years of amazing experience working with Hispanic leaders, students, teachers, and the community. This summer I had the opportunity to attend an educational trip to San Francisco. Eight of us got onto a plane and spent a week of adventure in the most beautiful place. Spending a night in Santa Clara was a great educational opportunity to discover some new colleges and universities. We toured Stanford the night we arrived and the next day Santa Clara University. The staff treated our team with such hospitality and gave each of us some networking opportunities. By then it was time to take the Santa Clara train to San Francisco.
After a long day of traveling we checked in to the most stunning hotel. By far my most memorable experience of the trip was the San Francisco giants game, which we attended later that night. Not only was the experience amazing but so was the food. The next morning we made our way to Fisherman's Wharf. We arrived at the Blue and Gold Bay cruise that took us around The Island of Alcatraz and under the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge. Moments like this seemed so surreal, and definitely a memory I will keep forever. Later that day we enjoyed the Aquarium and a walk through Chinatown and Little Italy. This activity specifically introduced me to new cultures and people. Chinatown and Little Italy are strong communities within San Francisco that give tourists and local residents an opportunity to experience an area that feels like it’s outside of the United States. When I passed by the market of shrimp and starfish in Chinatown it took me by surprise. This really showed me that culture should always be represented wherever you are, even if it is in the smallest forms.
The next morning was full of excitement when we arrived at the California Academy of Sciences. It was a great experience, it introduced animals, planets, and plants. Right after we were able to ride a ferris wheel in the middle of Golden Gate Park and enjoy the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden before arriving at the San Francisco zoo. Later that day we took a small detour to the beautiful San Francisco beach and ate food back at the Pier. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful trip.
Ultimately, I learned so much during this trip it was by far the best experience I have ever accomplished for myself. A quick month of fundraising and collaborating with a group of amazing people led to a week of adventure in San Francisco. It took time, work, connection and money, but we all contributed in some way to make the most of this opportunity. I learned skills that can be very valuable in my future as an adult such as, how to use Uber, how to check into a hotel and flight, how to get a train and bus ticket, how to navigate my way through a new place and networking.
My experience working with FHLA and the Hispanic Healthcare Technology Career Conference has helped me not only be an advocate for the Hispanic community but an educated hard working leader. I have been able to network with other adults that have helped me achieve scholarships, job opportunities, and valuable skills. I believe the most memorable part of this trip for me was spending time with amazing young leaders like myself and making strong mentorships, friendships, and connection with my peers. Now I have the connections and resources to make such a strong difference in my community and to the Hispanic community.
I hope future FHLA students get an opportunity to travel and explore like I did. It goes to show that it does not matter where you started or where you come from, if you wanted to you would. This trip has been my proudest accomplishment and I can not wait to see other students feel as rewarded as I did. Thank you to all the amazing support the community has shown through the fundraising of this trip. It has truly become a life changing experience.