Jorge Santiago
Age: 19 GPA: 2.29 Parents: Delores Sanchez and Lucas
Santiago
For some students, graduating from high school is achieving a milestone they never thought possible.
As a freshman, Jorge Santiago expected he eventually would drop out of GHS.
“I was kind of involved in gangs, but I had a lot of counselors, this and that, and I turned things around,” he said.
The “this and that” was a combination of encouragement and support from his academic counselors and family that helped him find the right path during his sophomore year. Where he used to earn Ds and Fs, Santiago now receives As, Bs and Cs. On Friday, the would-be drop-out will graduate with a 2.29 GPA and will be the first in his family to continue his education, attending Gavilan College and, later, San Jose State.
A native of Ensenada, Mexico, Santiago has lived in Gilroy for 10 years.
He puts his dual language skills to use with GHS’ award-winning student newspaper, The Free Press. Santiago not only translates news stories for each edition’s Spanish language page, he writes his own editorial in both Spanish and English.
Santiago said he enjoys being a voice for the school’s English language learners.
“I have a chance to write anything I want, and to be heard,” he said.
