Senior Stories: Amara Ramirez

“My dream job is to become a diabetes care and education specialist. I am interested in research/analysis and patient care, and this job contains aspects of both,” explained Amara Ramirez when talking about her future. “But any other career that involves food-related diseases is a dream job as well, because this topic has always been highly interesting to me.” Amara will be attending St. Catherine University this fall and majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Amara’s favorite thing about Richfield High School has been the variety of opportunities available to students, with both academics and extracurriculars. “There are so many activities students can get involved in, whether that’s through sports or clubs,” she said. “In addition, students can even get a head start on college by taking Advanced Placement or College in the Schools classes to get college credit. Students even have the opportunity to participate in PSEO, which is something I did this past year.”

While in RPS, Amara has participated in the Varsity Girls Swim and Dive Team for six years. “I had the opportunity to lead the team as a captain my senior year, which was super fun despite the challenges we encountered from the pandemic,” she said. During high school, she grew a lot as a person, which is what she is most proud of. “I have had some not-so-great experiences with people in the past that left me questioning myself, as well as my skills and capabilities. But, I have been able to use these past four years to really learn more about myself, and ultimately grow more confident in the things I do.”

Amara’s family is a constant source of inspiration and support for her. “My parents both immigrated to the United States from the Philippines and worked super hard to be able to give me the opportunities I have today,” she said. “They inspire me to work my hardest every single day, even if there are some days that are especially difficult. I also have a brother, who graduated from RHS last year. My entire family supports my endeavors both in and out of school, and I am so grateful to have them to motivate me to pursue what I enjoy.” If she could travel anywhere, it would be to the Philippines, where she still has family. “The last time I went I was only one year old, so I don’t exactly remember the experience. From what I’ve heard though, it’s a beautiful place!”

Her advice to freshmen: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help! I know that sometimes you may be hesitant to reach out for whatever reason, but know that your teachers want to see you succeed and that they are more than happy to help if you ask for it. Even for little things like clarifying a problem on the homework, ask for help sooner rather than later! Speaking from experience, you don’t want to get to the day of a big test and not know what’s going on.”