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Sherlyn Galarza

Biography

Highlights of Young Scholar Experience:  Sherlyn Galarza took Jack Kent Cooke's words literally: "Destiny demands you do better than your supposed best." Those words resonated with Sherlyn throughout her high school career.  “When juggling academics, extracurriculars, and family responsibilities seemed to get tricky, that quote would pop into my head. The sense of responsibility, as conveyed by those words, combined with determination, mentorship, and a little God-given talent ultimately allowed me to accomplish my goals.”  Sherlyn is bound for a pre-medicine curriculum in college and the Foundation supported her in several programs to prep her for that future heavy course load. 

Profile: If one were to review Sherlyn’s resume, one word would come to mind, and that word would be: “Amazing!”  She was an honor student who packed numerous AP classes into her schedule and gave countless hours to community service projects on campus, through her church and in the Houston community. The young lady, who said she has dreamed of becoming a doctor since she was a child, was the heart and soul of the St. John’s School campus, a prestigious institution in Houston. 

Inspiration: The single most influential person in Sherlyn’s life has been her mother. Without a college degree and moderate English mastery, “my mom has had to work long work days with minimal pay as a both a Sous-Chef and a cook without a title, as well as a housekeeper.”  On the academic level, Sherlyn said all of her teachers have had a significant impact on her life. But Ms. Angela Flowers and Mr. Stephen Popp, two teachers at St. John’s, both stand out.  

Aspiration: Following a pre-medicine course of study in college, Sherlyn hopes to move on to medical school and then a career as a physician. 

Making a Difference:  As the oldest child in “both my nuclear and extended family,” Sherlyn is most proud of having set a good example for her three younger siblings and younger cousins. “I will be the first person in my family to attend college and I am happy that my hard work and determination has shown them that they too can strive to fulfill their dreams.” 

Accolades: Sherlyn was elected president of the Hispanic Affinity Group at her high school.  At the St. John’s School awards ceremony in 2010, Sherlyn was presented with the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award, which recognized her “achievement in the humanities and social sciences as well as her leadership addressing difficult social issues while improving her community.”  During her high school career she also received the English II Award, Biology Award, President’s Volunteer Service Award and was named both an AP Scholar and a National Hispanic Recognition Scholar.

Interesting Fact: As a native Spanish speaker, Sherlyn’s favorite method of communication is "Spanglish."

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