LFHS 2018 Salutatorian Spotlight: Khrista Trovela

by Ronnie Zamora/LFCISD

Class Rank: Salutatorian

Parents: Lourdes Balotro and Nicanor Clyde Trovela.

Previous Schools Attended: Palmer-Laakso Elementary, Resaca Middle School, Los Cuates Middle School.

College: The University of Texas at Austin.

Major: Medical Laboratory Science because I have taken an interest in biomedical studies and research. Biology and psychology are the two fields of science that I am most interested in, so I expect this major to allow me to continually feed my curiosity and enthusiasm. I also plan to be a part of the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) at UT which provides undergraduate research opportunities for incoming freshman.

Inspiration for academic success: In the eighth grade, the older youth in my local church group were the people who inspired me to become a more dedicated student. I remember seeing several awards on their shelves and how they would always receive honorable recognition. I saw how they struggled and invested so much time and effort — constantly maintaining high academic performance. Their diligence encouraged me to work harder and take difficult courses. They continue to motivate me to be confident and successful inside and outside of school.

Study habits: I tend to study late at night, but I also wake up early in the morning to study when I feel like I have not sufficiently grasped the content. I write a lot of notes to review information and go over practice problems. Sometimes, I enjoy changing the location of where I work because it helps me concentrate better. My regular station is at my desk at home, but some days I move to the dining table or even a top bunk. I also drive to the public library and study in the Quiet Room facility.

Plans after college: I hope to earn a master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science and further my training in career-based research. I plan to take advantage of UT Austin’s distinguished research groups for graduate students such as those that explore molecular mechanisms of cancer and other diseases. I am particularly interested in being a part of Columbia University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center one day because of their careful study on AD and similar disorders.

Career plans: I plan to become a full-time biomedical researcher. I aspire to be a part of a university research group that works toward finding cures for currently incurable diseases. In this way, I expect to increase my professional knowledge and training. I am particularly interested in cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease research groups because a few of my family members have suffered from these illnesses. Therefore, the kind of impact that I hope to make is to give a significant contribution to the advancement of modern day research.

Advice to younger students to succeed academically: Try not to be intimidated by your peers who may be incredibly intelligent, high performers. Instead, see them as your inspiration for self-improvement and concentrate on developing your own abilities. Success can take on different forms between people, so do not be discouraged if it seems like the magnitude of your success does not resemble those of others. Always be proud of both your most simple and grand achievements.