Cristal Cortez

Cristal Cortez, an El Modena High School senior, is a dedicated scholar and passionate leader committed to academic excellence and community service. A member of the National Honor Society and AVID, Cristal has maintained a weighted GPA above 4.1 throughout high school, earning her a place on the Honor Roll every semester.
Cristal’s extracurricular involvement includes working as Treasurer and class representative for AVID, where she contributed to fundraising efforts and senior event planning. She also excelled in the arts, earning first in her junior and second place her senior year in the PTSA Reflections: Visual Arts competition.
Cristal’s leadership extends to her family, where she takes on significant responsibilities, such as tutoring her younger brother and assisting with her grandmother’s daily care. Her commitment to sustainability was enriched by her participation in the Orange Home Grown Youth Food Literacy Program and a fully funded study abroad opportunity in Tuscany, Italy. There, she explored sustainable food systems, local farming, and regenerative practices while deepening her global perspective.
With aspirations to pursue civil engineering focused on sustainable urban infrastructure, Cristal combines her love for math, art, and problem-solving to create a better future for her community and beyond.