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Joseph
Phillips:
This Crazy Mixed Up World
Compton Student Headed to Oxford, Cambridge Universities After Winning International Essay Contest
From
staff reports
Sixteen-year-old
Laura Villafana has lived in Compton for most her life, but this summer
that’s all changing.
The junior from Dominguez High School is heading to England this summer,
where she’ll study at Oxford and Cambridge universities, all
expenses paid.
Villafana recently won first place in the Calaspia International Story
Competition. The contest is co-sponsored by four organizations: Nivedit
Good Books Distributors Pvt. Ltd., Sought After Media LLC, Starbloom
Ltd. and South Asian Resources.
“I was ecstatic when I found out,” said Villafana. “I
worked so hard on this, and I’m proud of what I accomplished.
It goes to show that hard work really pays off. I can’t wait
for summer to begin!”
The worldwide competition did not intimidate young Villafana. As part
of the challenge, Villafana had to read the 600-page bestseller, “Conspiracy
of Calaspia,” by Jyoti and Suresh Guptara, and then write a 1000-word
essay describing her own imaginary adventure for the two main characters
of the book. Villafana was able to pull it off in three weeks, requesting
special permission to stay late in the school library to write.
Villafana is one of 10 international winners including seven from the
U.S., two from India and one from New Zealand. As her prize, Villafana
will enjoy a 10-day, all-expenses paid trip to England this July. But
that’s not all. Her prize also includes a 50 percent scholarship
to attend the C.S. Lewis Foundation’s Triennial Summer Institute
at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
The tenacious teenager and her three younger sisters have been raised
in Compton by their mother, who juggles multiple jobs as a custodian
and factory worker to make ends meet.
“I’ve never even left California. This will definitely
be a first for me,” said Villafana.
Capturing milestones is nothing new for this student. She was the only
student to pass the Advanced Placement (AP) World History exam during
her sophomore year. The ambitious junior, who has a 4.5 grade point
average, plans to do the same on the AP Spanish Language, AP U.S. History
and AP English Composition exams, all of which she recently took. Currently,
she is awaiting results, which will be released in July.
“I remember Laura coming into my office and confidently telling
me that she was going to win,” said Charles Watkins, interim
principal at Dominguez High School. “Because of her determination
and dedication, I had no doubt in my mind that she was telling the
truth. We’re
so proud of her, and I know that she’s going to represent Dominguez
High School and Compton well.”
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