- Wood River High School
- Homepage
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Marisol Marquez
Marisol Marquez Founded Hispanic Club At Wood River
By JoEllen Collins for The Weekly Sun
Marisol Marquez, a senior at Wood River High School, has taken difficult but stimulating courses and has been the impetus behind a popular new club at school.
“While I have often had some problems achieving the best grades, due to home and language problems,” Marquez said, “I have taken AP classes in Spanish Literature and Language, and a core Interpreting class, improving my language skills. I was fortunate to be a speaker at the January 20 Women’s March in Ketchum.”
Marquez credits the Blaine County School District’s dual-immersion program for her adjustment to living and studying in the Wood River Valley.
“Born at the old Moritz Hospital and now living in Bellevue, I’ve always been around English speakers, but my mother never had the chance to finish school, and it was hard for her to help me with homework,” Marquez said. “My mother has worked so hard to give me a better chance than she had, and I want to honor that.”
Marquez aims to pursue business and teaching.
“I want to help people like my mother and my friends through making higher education more accessible,” she said.
Marquez’s extracurricular activities reflect her interest in others. She is a member of the Business Professionals of America organization, Key Club, Amnesty International and Nosotros United, a club that evolved after an experience Marquez had last summer while attending the Hispanic Youth Symposium in Caldwell.
“There were only about five of us from Wood River, but I noticed hundreds of students from all over Idaho talking about clubs and support groups at their schools,” she said. “I thought about our needs as Hispanics in Idaho and knew we needed a similar gathering where we could speak freely in a safe environment, increase cultural awareness, and be proud of our own heritage, so I started Nosotros United and intend to have a diversity of students. We now have 42 members.”
The new club raised more than $9,000 toward a scholarship fund for graduating seniors.
“An anonymous donor gave $5,000, and the organization, the Little Black Dress Club, raised $4,000, plus we have some money from our own fundraiser,” Marquez said. “We are thrilled about the donations, but I am personally grateful for realizing how it felt good to help others, like the younger Nosotros members who struggle with English composition, reinforcing my desire to teach.”
Marquez created a poster for a recent kids event sponsored by Nosotros United.
“I like creating my own material with the computer, designing and knowing the Internet and other media—useful skills in business,” Marquez said.
After graduation, she will attend Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Calif.
“For many reasons, most of the Hispanic kids here stick together,” she said. “I have a small, close circle of friends, and I will miss them, including my younger cousin, Emanuel Guzman, who has a band, Requinto Espectr, and has motivated me. I love my life here, but I am happily anticipating a more diverse environment and gaining a broader cultural awareness.”
Each week, JoEllen Collins will be profiling a local high-school student. If you know someone you'd like to see featured, e-mail joellencollins1@gmail.com.