Scholarship Winner
College: Phoenix College
Career goal: Nurse/healthcare law
About Natalia: Throughout her life, Natalia Pizarro has embraced a variety of roles that have shaped her resilience and commitment to the community. She learned the importance of hard work, adaptability, and excellent customer service from working at McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and several Mexican restaurants. Her passion for participating in sports—including basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball—instilled teamwork and perseverance in Natalia. While off the field, volunteering in church deeply enriched her understanding of compassion and community service.
Natalia credits two things as the driving forces behind her determination and clear understanding of her goals: external encouragement and internal clarity. She says her family, especially her mother, as well as her personal ambitions, keep her motivated to overcome challenges.
Her support system extends beyond her immediate family. During her time at eLearn Academy, two staff members deeply impacted her life. Cyndi Mello, her favorite teacher, and Olga Lopez, her counselor, both made her feel welcomed, valued, and important.
“I truly appreciate them and will remember their impact for years to come, as they’ve shown me the profound difference caring educators can make in a student’s life,” she said.
Natalia wants to be a nurse, and then transition into the legal field. She plans to champion patient rights and drive meaningful reforms in healthcare legislation.
In Natalia’s words: “Knowing exactly what I want and having a deep, genuine desire to achieve it, pushes me to work tirelessly.”
“Natalie has grit. She has overcome many obstacles to graduate. She struggled during the pandemic, like so many of our students. But she fought back, made up the credits she needed, and stayed the course. She did all this while holding a job. keeping up with her studies and helping her mom manage the household. I am beyond proud of this young lady.”
– Cyndi Mello, teacher at eLearn Academy
