May's student of the month is Ileana Melendez, a fantastic French student, beautician, and fashionista who comes to us from Puerto Rico. We sat down with Ileana to find out more about her, as well as grab a few tips for updating our wardrobe.
ICA: Describe yourself as a person.
Ileana Melendez: I am creative, like scrapbooking and making cards, and am sometimes a perfectionist when it comes to things like sewing clothes or baking a cake.
ICA: What grade are you in and what courses are you taking or will you take? Do you have a particular reason for selecting these courses?
Ileana: I am in tenth grade and enrolled in basic high school classes, which are English, history, biology, and geometry. Along with that, I am taking French as an elective.
ICA: How long have you been enrolled with ICA? What circumstances led to you being enrolled with ICA?
Ileana: I have been enrolled with ICA my entire academic life. The public school system does not seem to have the same academic quality as ICA.
ICA: What aspect of ICA do you enjoy the most?
Ileana: I enjoy the flexible schedule that ICA offers. It gives me more time to do the things I enjoy doing. Another good aspect of ICA is that I can take my school with me anywhere, which makes being able to travel during school months much easier.
ICA: Describe some of your hobbies and interests.
Ileana: I enjoy making homemade greeting cards, baking cakes, and baking pastries. I also enjoy designing and sewing my own clothes, styling hair, and using my creativity with makeup.
ICA: What are some of your favorite things? Favorite food? Movie? Bible verse? Music?
Ileana: I like many cuisines, but my favorites would be Puerto Rican and Japanese. There are many movies that I have seen that could be my favorite, but my top three would be The Hunger Games, The Dark Knight Rises, and Jurassic Park. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 23:4, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil." My favorite artists are Michael Bublé and Adele.
ICA: If you could use three words to describe yourself what would they be? Why is that?
Ileana: Creative, because one of my favorite things is making something with my hands. Determined, because when I set goals, I tend not to give up so easily. Humorous, because I like to make other people laugh.
ICA: What are your future plans or dreams?
Ileana: I plan on going to a university after I graduate from high school. I would like to someday establish my own beauty related business.
ICA: Who is the most significant role model in your life? Why?
Ileana: My dad, because he has taught me so much that I don't know how my brain has handled it so far.
ICA: What is your most treasured possession?
Ileana: I don't tend to treasure material things. However, I do treasure my family's photo albums. It's great to be able to help add more photos and make new memories with my family.
ICA: Is there anything you have always wanted to do but haven't done yet?
Ileana: I would really like to travel around the world, and the first place I want to visit would be Paris, France.
ICA: What would others be surprised to learn about you?
Ileana: A lot of times, people are surprised when I am wearing something that I made and it looks like it came from a store.
ICA: How do you want to be remembered when people look back on your life?
Ileana: I would like to be remembered as a person that made a difference in the world. Even if it was a small thing compared to others, it would be a good feeling knowing that I had a positive effect on someone.
ICA: Of what accomplishment in life are you most proud?
Ileana: Last summer, I took a French class at a local university and it was my first experience in a real classroom. Not only did it help me understand French more easily, but I made friends and was able to socialize with others. The class was a lot of fun and I am proud of myself for coming out of my shell.