Members walk into Y-322 and take their seats as senior Katelyn Castro welcomes students and begins the Science National Honor Society (SNHS) meeting. Castro became president of SNHS in her sophomore year.
“I won’t lie and say that being this involved isn’t time-consuming; it definitely is, and it can be difficult to balance everything,” Castro said. “However, I have gotten to teach myself some incredible time management skills and gained a sense of purpose I wouldn’t otherwise have. I’m so grateful for all the connections I’ve been able to make across the school through different clubs and organizations.”
Mr. Nicolas Bautista, SNHS sponsor, watches Castro lead meetings, help plan and organize events and keep communication flowing between members.
“Kate sets a positive tone for the organization and makes sure everyone stays involved,” Mr. Bautista said. “Since August, Kate has grown more confident and organized. She’s become comfortable taking initiative and motivating others, which has strengthened her leadership presence. I hope Kate continues to build her confidence and collaboration skills while leading meaningful service projects that reflect the values of SNHS.”
Castro became a member of the Mansfield Youth Council the summer after her freshman year. Mansfield Youth Council selects different youth-oriented campaign topics each year to fundraise, plan events and organize projects to support that cause. Last year, Castro served as a committee co-chair to lead the annual campaign and now serves as one of two “Navigators”, who lead the Youth Council’s campaign projects and goals during the year.
“Being part of the youth council makes me feel more connected to Mansfield and proud to contribute to the betterment of the city,” Castro said. “It’s a great way to gain leadership experience outside of school and connect with students from across the school district. Everyone involved truly cares about the community and is eager to make a difference, which makes it an inspiring environment to be part of.”
During the summer, Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas selected Castro for a two-month research internship under the Science Teacher Access to Research at Southwestern (STARS) program. As an aspiring natural sciences major, Castro’s experience doing real research gave her a new perspective and passion for the field.
“My internship taught me how to fail and, more importantly, how to learn from failure. I learned patience and persistence, especially in research where progress comes slowly,” Castro said. “I think that experience will help me a lot in college when I join labs and have to communicate my work with people I am unfamiliar with.”
Senior Emily Nguyen said Castro grew in her leadership skills each year of high school through her interactions with others.
“She often tries to interact with a plethora of people, which has benefited her, as she learned to adapt to different personalities in order to help them feel included in the community,” Nguyen said. “She makes people feel seen, not only in the clubs she directly leads but also in any setting she steps into.”
Nguyen sees Castro pushing herself and others to higher expectations and helping them reach their goals through loving discipline.
“She helps inspire and motivate others to be their best,” Nguyen said. “In whatever she is involved in, she does everything she can to help the success of herself and others. Specifically, her calm facade helps anyone get through a stressful situation. No matter what is going on, she is able to be this calm structure within a storm of events and planning. As a leader, she is able to provide that comfort in times of panic, which can be very impactful during certain moments.”
Castro encourages all students to connect with different organizations and stay involved throughout high school.
“What changed my perspective was realizing that no one ever feels fully prepared at the start. Even the upperclassmen who seem confident in their roles are often still figuring things out,” Castro said. “When you realize that the best way to learn is simply to throw yourself into it, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you grow into the role and mature.”
Castro said freshmen shouldn’t get wrapped up in the social time of high school, but they should think ahead for their future endeavors.
“While you should definitely be present and enjoy it, don’t forget about the next few years. College applications may feel far away, but the time goes by quickly. Get yourself ahead by keeping up your GPA, learning good study habits and skills and joining any organizations you are interested in or that might help you with any future aspirations,” Castro said. “It doesn’t matter if you know what you want to do in college or in life; your high school activities don’t have to align with your career. Getting involved in anything will introduce you to perspectives you wouldn’t otherwise have and to things you didn’t know you enjoy or are interested in.”
