Twin valedictorian with cerebral palsy earns Stanford scholarship, plans to fight for cure – OCRegister

Asked if there will be anything special about high school graduation, Lizbeth Gomez glances down and shyly shares, Ill be valedictorian.

After chatting with this 17-year-old senior for nearly two hours, its an astonishing accomplishment to reveal so late in an interview. But when you get to know Gomez, you come to understand that being humbleis more than a value.

Humilityis part of who she is.

Lizbeth Gomez, left, and her twin sister, Elizabeth, both have cerebral palsy and are seniors at Century High School in Santa Ana on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. When the Nicholas Academic Center launched its third location at Century High School in Santa Ana, Lizbeth was one of the students to be accepted. With the mentorship and college admission guidance, Gomez applied for and was accepted to Stanford University and will be attending the school this fall. She wants to study to be a biomedical engineer and conduct research on cerebral palsy. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Rosa Diaz, executive director of the Nicholas Academic Centers, left, speaks with Lizbeth Gomez, a senior at Century High School in Santa Ana, in her office at the school in Santa Ana on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. Gomez and her twin sister, Elizabeth, both have cerebral palsy. With the mentorship and college admission guidance of Diaz, Gomez applied and was accepted to Stanford University and will be attending the school this fall. She wants to study to be a biomedical engineer and conduct research on cerebral palsy. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Rosa Diaz, executive director of the Nicholas Academic Centers, in her office at Century High School in Santa Ana, on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Rosa Diaz, executive director of the Nicholas Academic Centers, right, speaks with Lizbeth Gomez, a senior at Century High School in Santa Ana, in her office at the school in Santa Ana on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. Gomez and her twin sister, Elizabeth, both have cerebral palsy. With the mentorship and college admission guidance of Diaz, Gomez applied and was accepted to Stanford University and will be attending the school this fall. She wants to study to be a biomedical engineer and conduct research on cerebral palsy. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lizbeth Gomez, right, and her twin sister, Elizabeth, both have cerebral palsy and are seniors at Century High School in Santa Ana on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. When the Nicholas Academic Center launched its third location at Century High School in Santa Ana, Lizbeth was one of the students to be accepted. With the mentorship and college admission guidance, Gomez applied for and was accepted to Stanford University and will be attending the school this fall. She wants to study to be a biomedical engineer and conduct research on cerebral palsy. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lizbeth Gomez, a senior at Century High School in Santa Ana, applied for and was accepted to Stanford University. Gomez and her twin sister, Elizabeth, both have cerebral palsy. Gomez wants to study to be a biomedical engineer and conduct research on cerebral palsy. She holds her schools pennant at the Nicholas Academic Center at Century High School in Santa Ana on Wednesday, May 31, 2017. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Born with cerebral palsy, this Century High School senior smashes stereotypes. But she does it quietly.

Among the nuggets: The teenager welded a racing car that won a first-place presentation award at a recent competition. Shes on the schools varsity tennis team that went to the second tier of the playoffs.

On Saturday, June 3, Gomez will give a graduation speech before hundreds of Nicholas Academic Centers students and their families.

In a few months, shell become a freshman at Stanford University where shes been awarded a four-year, nearly full-ride scholarship that opens doors she barely knew existed until a year ago.

Born and raised in Santa Ana, Gomez plans to go on and earn a Ph.D. in bio-engineering. Why choose such a specific field at such a young age?

Gomez is on a mission to make life easier for people struggling with cerebral palsy.

You see, shehas relatively mild symptoms. But her twin, Elizabeth, has a very tough time.

Sure, its possible that Gomezs journey will take so long neither twin will benefit from her efforts. But Gomezs mission isnt inward.

This teenagers goal is nothing less than to reduce the impact of cerebral palsy on a global scale.

Impossible you say?

Consider this: Once a week, Gomez travels more than two hours by bus to write specialized code at UCI for quantum chemistry research.

As Gomez walks the long corridors at her high school in Santa Ana, she rolls her left hip and gives her stride about as much attention as she gave doctors who told her not to climb trees when she was a little girl.

Yes, Gomez used to drive her mother a little crazy scampering up trees and ignoring her moms warnings about asthma. But by middle school, everyone wasused to the adolescents drive.

When mom suggested Gomez could be a nurse, her daughter said she would be a doctor.

We arrive at engineering teacher Tom Nusbickels classroom and look down at a black Formula One-style, solar-powered racing kart topped off witha red 1959 Cadillac taillight.

Nusbickel, a former architect, points to the silver-painted steel frame and offers, I was amazed how precise her welds were.

Gomez grins, says thank you and offers little else. Yet theres something more in the air.

Finally, Nusbickel shares what Gomez is too modest to mention that on Sunday, June 4, Gomez will be driving the schools carbon fiber car in a Newport Beach parade.

Sheclasps her hands behind her and beams. Its a moment of joy and pride. But its also a moment about family.

Gomez is keenly aware that her circumstances could be different. The twins were born two months premature and there was a lack of oxygen. Gomez was the first born. Both grew up with therapy. Gomez learned to walk when she was 1-year old. Today, her sister still uses a wheelchair.

Gomez learned to read when she was 4. Her sister started learning to read at age 7.

Yet the twins are never far apart. Instead of outdoor games, Gomez played board games with her sister when they were younger. Instead of running, they played walk tag. Today, they catch-up in the hallway.

Some might dwell on the difficulties of the past. But Gomez looks to the future and finds hope.

Every one of my birthday wishes, she wrote in a draft of her speech for the Nicholas Centers graduation, has been that my sister regain the ability to walk and share with me the wonders of life.

However, over the years my one wish has not come true and as a result, Ive become determined to better understand cerebral palsy, and to do something about it.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand about the Gomezes is that they embrace two of the most powerful forces in the galaxy family and education.

Her parents left a village in Jaliscofor a better life. Today, mom is a full-time homemaker and dad works as a machinist.

The couples youngest child is 14.Their oldest three are community college students. In thefall, Gomezs sister, Elizabeth, will join them.

The eight-member family used to share a one-bedroom apartment. Today, its just six people in the cozy unit.

Yet in some respects, Gomez has added two new families while traveling through high school.

There is her Century High School family which includes students, teachers and Century Principal Jonathan Swanson. And there is her Nicholas Academic Centers family.

When a friend told Gomez last year about the new center at Century, she had no idea how to apply for college. She signed up that day.

Sitting in a room at the center, Gomez smiles and thanks Director Rosa Diaz for the support that allowed Gomez to enter an academic world she never dreamed possible.

Gomez explains that Diaz and others at the center did not allow me to limit my possibilities. They pushed me to be less afraid of rejection. They reminded me that by not applying, I was essentially rejecting myself.

The high school senioralso credits NAC founders Henry Nicholas and retired Judge Jack Mandel for building more than a learning center. You created a family, she writes in her speech, filled with kind, loving members who support each other through tough times.

The first center started nearly a decade ago. Today, the program includes three campuses and mentors some 640 students.

Diaz says that at first the Century program wasnt going to include seniors. She explains they usually only admit students who start in their sophomore year so there is time to ramp up skills before applying to college.

But Diaz and her staff realized that admitting seniors would help inspire younger studentsto succeed. We have three goals,she offers. To get them into the college of their choice, to help them graduate college, to help them lead successful lives.

The director points out scholarships play a critical role since most Nicholas students cant afford college. To fill the gap for Gomez to attend Stanford, the Nicholas Center granted the teenager a $5,000 annual scholarship.

When you get into Stanford, Diaz explains, $5,000 should not be the reason someone doesnt go.

Of high school graduation, Diazadds, This is not an ending, but a beginning.

Gomez nods in agreement and then she is off. She has much to accomplish.

See more here:
Twin valedictorian with cerebral palsy earns Stanford scholarship, plans to fight for cure - OCRegister