Meet the big dreamer who’ll protect our country in the future

Esmeralda Nieto-Carvajal is currently attending East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy on the Torres Campus. Nieto-Carvajal played basketball for a year at a park named Wabash Park.

During her junior year, she joined volleyball at her school’s team playing the libero position. After the volleyball season, she joined club volleyball at East Los Angeles College.

She enjoys her free time reading books about anything like mysteries, romance and fiction. Being outdoors is her favorite place to be. Angeles National Forest is a spot where she likes to hike. In addition she loves a challenge; the feel of the adrenaline rush like jumping off high cliffs and hiking steep and high mountains.

Nieto-Carvajal will be the first in her family to go to college. As one who pushes herself for a brighter future, she has high expectations for herself.

Although she doesn’t only do it for herself but for her mother who plays both roles as a parent and gave up so much for her children. Her mother has been an inspiration and motivation to her because she is a hard-working independent woman.

In essence, she has always been intrigued with anything having to do with criminology or law. She is currently training at the East L.A. United States Marine Corps station where she does physical training pushing her past her limits. Her long-term goals are to serve four years in the United States Marine Corps but concurrently go to college the to get her AA degree in Administration of Justice. She wants to be able to help people and hope to one day make a difference.

After completing her four years in the Marines she plans to join the FBI. She hopes to one day put criminals behind bars to help families find peace.