A glimpse into an ambitious, curly-haired teenager’s life

Melissa Barales-Lopez is a senior at Garfield High School who aspires to pursue a career in journalism and public policy. Indeed, her interest in writing has inspired her to become involved with a variety of online newspaper publications including HS Insider and News for Young Advocates (NYA Today).

When she’s not reading, writing, or unhappily doing the homework she was assigned, Melissa spends her time watching an inordinate amount of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” When the mood strikes, she enjoys taking photos of East Los Angeles and documenting the daily activity that takes place in her neighborhood.

Additionally, you can often find Barales-Lopez inches away from a television screen unremittingly rooting for her favorite NFL football team: the New England Patriots.

Possessing a very peculiar and distinctive taste in music, she is an avid fan of bands like Two Door Cinema Club and The xx.

As of now, her plans for the future are unknown yet she hopes to attend college in the East further improving her writing skills and sipping endless amounts of hot chocolate during the rainy weather.