- Scholar:
- Ivanna Gonzalez
- High School:
- Coral Reef Senior High School
- Home Town:
- Miami, Florida
- Area of Study:
- Political Science/Journalism
Ivanna grew up in Miami, FL where people like to joke that the city is the last stop in South America before entering the United States. It is a city where speaking Spanish is a survival skill and Castro's rise to power is an unofficial required course from kindergarten to senior year. This tale that might have otherwise seemed foreign, resonated in the sympathetic heart of this displaced Venezuelan girl. But it was not until 1999, when Hugo Chavez came to power in her native country that she came to realize why this story, the core of every corner store chat, burned so fervently in the hearts of so many. Ten years later, fury over of the pain of so many in the community that helped raise her has pushed her to take a closer look at the politics that shape daily life in her native country, Venezuela, and the country she now calls home, the United States.
Having seen what can happen in a place where people accept things at face value, stop inquiring, and reject the very real power of any government, Ivanna was moved to question everything and demand answers. To this end, Ivanna became involved with her school's debate team as a freshman to engage in the kind of profound discussions essential to the survival of any healthy democracy. Then, in her junior year, she realized that, while knowledge is power, without action it is empty. Thus Ivanna founded "Shock.Rock.", an organization that connects young Americans to opportunities for service and advocacy and helps motivate them to strive for change and justice in the world. Through "Shock.Rock.", she organized a benefit rock show with local bands that served as a voter registration drive and fundraiser for Mercy Corps' Global Food Crisis Program. While the potential of government to improve has often been written off, Ivanna believes that the courage to hope and act for this change is justified and wants to share this with others.
Other activities and awards: President of the Speech & Debate Team; member of Special Distinction National Forensics League; National Honor Society; English Student of the Year (2007); Honorable Mention for The Miami Herald's Silver Knight in Speech; National Merit Commended Scholar; National Merit Hispanic Scholar; AP Scholar with Distinction; member of Hispanic folkloric choir "Coral Cantar de los Cantares"; International Baccalaureate Program
