Pasadena Independent School District

  While some students caught up on a little r&r this summer, Sam Rayburn High School graduate Carlos Sotero spent his summer giving back to the community during his internship at the Houston Food Bank.
  The young up-and-comer was 1 of only 5 Houstonians out of 225 students across the nation selected for the Bank of America’s Student Leaders program, which provides youth with leadership skills training through a prestigious paid eight-week summer internship at Houston’s non-profit organizations.
  While in D.C., Sotero had the opportunity to be amongst the nation’s leaders, attend Capitol Hill meetings, leadership workshops, visit monuments and museums and learn from influential leaders and speakers including former first lady Barbara Bush.
  Sotero plans to take these experiences and put them to good use.
  “Being a leader doesn't mean having the biggest voice but voicing the biggest impact,” he said.
  As the creator of the Summer College Seminars at Sam Rayburn High, it is safe to say he has already made a huge impact in his community. The organization works closely with school leadership to boost its academic offerings and provide underclassmen with preparatory programs, school course guidance and college admissions assistance.
  Sotero said he hopes the program will bring positive results for the future graduating class and that teachers, peers and parents will be able to confidently say they are the next generation of leaders in Houston.
  This fall, he will begin his first semester at Princeton University.