A Scholar’s Path to Lehigh: From the Mission to a Mission

(Summer 2025) – Pedro, a graduating senior from San Francisco University High School, has always charted his own path with resilience, pride, and passion. As a trilingual student fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and English—and someone whose first word was “tortilla”—Pedro brings humor and heart to everything he does. This year, guests had the distinct honor of listening to him as SMART’s keynote speaker at our annual fundraising event, sharing his inspiring journey with our community.

Pedro’s educational path began at Buena Vista Horace Mann Elementary in the Mission District, a vibrant Latine neighborhood that shaped his cultural identity. It was there, in fourth grade, that his teacher recognized Pedro’s potential and introduced his family to SMART. Soon, Pedro was attending SMART’s summer program, where learning became joyful, creativity thrived, and his academic journey took flight.

“I vividly remember my art project that was dedicated to the biography and life of Albert Einstein. I learned to use iMovie, and I directed my very own short film,” Pedro recalled. “I gained the new perspective that learning in an academic environment can be incredibly fun and rewarding.”

With SMART’s support, Pedro transferred to Town School for Boys in Pacific Heights, becoming the only Latino student at school. Though intimidating at first, the experience ignited his desire to lead—and to lead authentically.

In 8th grade, he was elected Student Body President. “I didn’t try to ‘fit in’ or assimilate,” he shared. “I proudly stood out.” Pedro embraced his identity and used his platform to celebrate cultural diversity, advocate for inclusion, and encourage his peers to do the same. 

That commitment to representation followed him to San Francisco University High School. But his journey wasn’t without hardship. Sophomore year brought profound personal loss, as Pedro faced the deaths of multiple close family members. His grades suffered, but his resolve did not. With support from teachers and SMART advisors, he built resilience, developed better habits, and kept striving toward his goals.

During his senior year, he was again elected Student Body President. As President, Pedro launched his school’s first-ever Hispanic Heritage Month celebration and collaborated with other student groups to amplify voices across the school community.

He also helped lead events like National Coming Out Day, creating spaces for empathy, pride, and belonging.

“My family, my Brazilian mother and Mexican father, have always instilled in me the values of passion, perseverance, and service,” Pedro said. “They taught me that no matter the challenges we face, we must always remain grounded in our values.”

Pedro also cites SMART’s unwavering support and diverse, driven community of students as a major source of motivation to pursue a college degree. “The environments that SMART built by celebrating and embracing the diversity of their community have made me realize that I can truly thrive in spaces like this. Not only were there students from countless beautiful and inspiring cultures and backgrounds, but they all shared a trait, a drive, and an ambition to seek and thrive in higher education. I was not alone.” 

Pedro now looks toward the future with bold aspirations. This fall, he will attend Lehigh University—becoming the first in his family to go to college. He plans to study civil engineering, driven by a vision of building resilient cities that honor and protect the natural environment.

“I know that many students who share my background are told that college is out of their reach, that the doors of higher education are closed to them. But I’m living proof that this isn’t true. I’ve made it this far, and I will continue to break barriers, not just for myself, but for those who come after me.”