News

(Winter 2022) – Daniel Montejano, a SMART Scholar and current eighth grader at Covent and Stuart Hall, is making huge strides along his journey to college. In August, Daniel was one of only 60 students across the United States to be accepted into the selective Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program.

The scholarship program provides comprehensive academic and college advising, as well as financial support for school, Cooke-sponsored summer programs, internships, and other learning enrichment opportunities. “Now that I have this scholarship, I have a lot more freedom to explore all my interests. It’s really another stepping stone for me to get to college,” Daniel reflects.

His parents, Yessy and José, learned about the Jack Kent Cook scholarship opportunity from a SMART staff member and encouraged Daniel to apply. With SMART’s guidance and encouragement, Daniel and his parents made it through the multiple rounds of interviews with success. “I don’t have the words to describe how thrilled I am,” Yessy shares. “It fills us with great pride that he was able to earn this scholarship,” José adds.

Yessy and José are extremely proud of Daniel’s growth and persistence. Their biggest aspiration for Daniel is to graduate college and become a well-rounded person. The two have advocated for his learning and laid the foundation for his educational journey early on.

Daniel loves learning. His favorite subjects include art, music, math science, and foreign languages. Currently, Daniel is learning French as his fourth language, after English, Spanish, and Chinese. Outside of school, he loves to play chess, enjoys swimming, takes ice skating lessons, and plays the violin in an orchestra. In between, Daniel prioritizes spending time with his family and helping out around his home.

In the 6th grade, Daniel had one of his most memorable experiences when he participated in the “I Have a Dream” speech contest at his school. That day, he delivered a speech on immigration rights and policies in front of the entire student body. While it was nerve-wracking at first, a wave of energy washed over him as he captivated the audience. In the end, he won first place, receiving a standing ovation from the audience! “It was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life,” Daniel proudly says. One day, he hopes to impact his community in the ways that Martin Luther King Jr. did.

Daniel looks up to his parents as his biggest role models and expresses gratitude for their unconditional love and support. Nearly 25 years ago, they had both immigrated to the United States, where they eventually met each other in San Francisco. Together, they have built a life for their tight-knit family of five, with Daniel being the eldest of three children. “Whatever goal he sets, he accomplishes. He makes us proud and sets a great example for his younger sisters,” shares his dad. His younger sister, Dayana, is in fifth grade, and the youngest, Alina, is just turning five.

Caring, togetherness, and supportive – these are the three words Daniel uses to describe his family. While he has many goals for his future, like starting his own business and pursuing a career in science, he ultimately aims to live a life of simplicity with his family around him. “Family is the most important thing to me,” he affirms, “supporting each other is what holds family together.”

In the fall, he will begin the next chapter of his education journey at Stuart Hall High School.