Discovers her motivation to ‘do better’
By Emilee Mae Struss
Xiomara Hinojo understands transition beyond her years.
Hinojo is a Wood River High School senior who was born in Peru. She first visited the Wood River Valley when she was seven years old. When she turned nine, her family moved back to Peru and then returned once again when she was 15.
“The two schools are so different,” Hinojo said. “Over there, they give us our classes and we have to wear uniforms. Here, we can make our own choices.”
Hinojo’s transition wasn’t an easy one. Challenge number one: She had to learn English. She says her elementary school teacher, Edith Lopez, helped her immensely in that regard.
“Sometimes I get frustrated because I feel like I can’t say what I want to,” Hinojo said. “I just don’t know how to say it in English.”
She refers to Wood River High School as her “second home,” where the teachers are like her “second parents” because they have been so helpful in guiding Hinojo through school. The lessons she had to learn were many, and not only in school subjects, but also in life choices.
“My freshman year was rough,” Hinojo said. “I had a 1.7 grade point average and I was making bad choices.”
Hinojo says she suddenly came to a realization, which transformed her 1.7 GPA as a freshman to a 3.5 GPA her junior year and a 3.7 GPA her senior year.
“I realized this isn’t what my parents worked so hard for,” Hinojo said. “They worked hard to give me a better life and I knew I could do better.”
Hinojo immersed herself in WRHS clubs and started taking more difficult courses. She joined the Business Professionals of America her junior year and qualified for state last year in the Basic Office and Procedures category. She joined the Health Occupations Students of America last year and joined W.A.T.E.R., a club about sustainable living, this year.
“Last year, in W.A.T.E.R club, we hosted a fashion show with recycled items and that was a lot of fun,” Hinojo said.
She joined Key Club her junior year, which encourages leadership through volunteerism. Hinojo is the event coordinator this year. She also joined Bluebirds this year, which is a club promoting mental health awareness.
“I really like Bluebirds because it’s nice to know that others are willing to help me,” Hinojo said. “And I also understand that I can help others, too.”
Besides joining five different WRHS clubs, and enrolling in three Advanced Placement courses to raise her GPA, Hinojo says what changed her life is prayer.
“During the hardest times, I decided to pray to the Lord for my life and my family,” Hinojo said. “And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has completely changed how I view life.”
She says her newfound faith is the thing that pushes her to defend what she thinks is right. She has seen how difficult life can be and believes that people should be treated with fairness and respect. Images of stories told by her mother about growing up in Peru have been the catalyst for Hinojo to decide on a career path.
“My mother told me that my grandmother once had a swollen mouth because she had cavities and infections in her teeth,” Hinojo said. “They had to ride an hour on a bus to a hospital, where there was no dentistry, and they told her she had to leave because they couldn’t do anything.”
Hinojo says that her grandmother returned on the same bus she came on with tears in her eyes from the intense pain. Because of this, Hinojo has decided she wants to be an orthodontist.
“I think about all of those people who don’t have access to stop the pain,” Hinojo said. “And I want to help them.”
Hinojo is attending Brigham Young University in Rexburg next year.
“It doesn’t matter where exactly I end up,” Hinojo said, “as long as I’m helping people.”
Editor’s Note: Anyone who would like to recommend a Blaine County School District student for The Weekly Sun’s “Student Spotlight” feature should contact Emilee Struss at emilee.struss@gmail.com.