532 Spring 2015.pdf

Student Profile
Juhee Patel ’16
Junior Leads by Giving Back
Juhee Patel ’16 could probably beat you up. She has been
practicing Tae Kwon Do for the past thirteen years, and says that
the martial art has taught her about discipline, self-control, and
respect for others. These virtues have instilled within her a high
level of maturity, and have empowered her to want to tackle
societal problems outside the dojang, driving her towards a degree
in medicine and a career in helping people. So yes, Juhee Patel
could probably beat you up, but she’d be far more interested in
fixing you afterwards.
A junior who has attended Sandia Prep since 6th grade, Patel,
a Unicorn, cites the beginning years of her education at Sandia
Prep as some of her most transformative. Before she came to Prep,
Patel says, she was less organized and used to larger institutions
where students become lost in the crowd.
Now in 11th grade and looking into colleges, Patel recognizes the
immense effect that her Sandia Prep family has had on her life
path, which she currently charts in the direction of medicine.
Her immediate plan post-Sandia Prep is to apply to the University
of New Mexico and obtain her bachelor's degree, followed by
her Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the UNM School of
Medicine, which would allow her to stay in New Mexico.
“I really want to stay in New Mexico. I know that’s a little bit weird
coming from a junior […] but I love New Mexico.”
Patel, who grew up in Gallup (two hours west of Albuquerque),
sees the problems that New Mexicans face, and is eager to
help. She is highly involved with community service, including
Sandia Prep’s Helping Hands, National Honor Society, and
Student Government Association, and was recently appointed to
Albuquerque Mayor Berry’s Youth Advisory Council.
“Before high school I thought, ‘I need to get out of here—when
I go to college, I’m going to go far away.’ But then as I got older, I
became familiar with all the challenges in New Mexico… There are
so many problems that can easily be helped, and this is my state,
and I want to give back to it.”
For Patel, the inspiration to go into medicine comes from
several factors: her cousin’s diagnosis with a brain tumor at the
young age of two; her grandparents’ shortage of specialized care
professionals nearby to their rural homes; and a lifelong desire to
help others.
As part of the University of New Mexico's Research Experience
for High School Students (REHSS) Patel assisted in research at
UNM's Department of Internal Medicine. Patel also volunteers at
the University of New Mexico Hospital. She states she has a clear
preference for the kind of work that places her in direct contact
with people in need of assistance.
“I love patient interaction, I love talking to people; I’m more
of a ‘people-person’ than the kind of person who’s behind the
computer all day.”
Patel’s passion shows when she talks about the time she spends
volunteering at Casa Angelica, a home for the mentally and
physically disabled in the South Valley. There, Patel cares for a
young woman who rarely gets the chance to interact with other
people her age.
Patel’s openhanded attitude toward others is inspired by her
interactions with the faculty and staff at Sandia Prep. She recalls
an experience during her freshman year when she felt lost,
stressed, and out of place during her P.E. class. The instructor, Mr.
Wettin, pulled her aside and took the time to reassure her and
show his concern.
“And I think that is so important because—well, yes, it’s
important to learn in class—but it’s also important for teachers to
let the students know, ‘Hey I’m here for you. I care about you. I’m
not here to just give you the C and leave; I’m here to really get to
know you.’”
The closeness of the faculty and students at Sandia Prep is one
of the reasons Patel is confident and is able to explore so many
things. Like those of her fellow students, her experiences — both
in and outside of school — would simply not be possible without
the care and commitment of Sandia Prep’s teachers. Ultimately,
Sandia Prep is a learning institution. But for Patel and all the
other students who will move on from SPS to do great things, it is
so much more.
“Because what do you think of when you hear ‘school?’ You think,
learning and notes, and you want to cry… But here it’s not like
that […] I think it’s a great environment, a perfect environment for
me.”
- Justin Brough
13 532 • Spring 2015