Alan Chacko is a sophomore in the nursing program. Interestingly enough, he didn’t start high school planning to be a nurse. He was actually in the tech program at first, but he switched because of his family. His whole family is in nursing; his parents and both of his older siblings, so he figured he might as well keep the tradition going.
While his family has had a big influence on him, there’s someone else who really helped him along the way: Mr. Lee. Alan hasn’t always gone to public schools. He was actually in a charter school until last year, his freshmen year. The switch wasn’t easy, but Alan claims that Mr. Lee made it easier. He helped Alan feel more comfortable and taught him that no question is a dumb question, which made him feel more confident and accepted.
When it comes to school, Alan’s favorite class is Anatomy. Anyone who’s taken Anatomy with Dr. Bradley knows it’s not an easy class. It’s tough, but Alan has learned a lot, both about the human body and about himself. He had a rough start to a six weeks grading period but worked hard to turn things around and bring his grades up. That experience showed him just how determined he can be.
Outside of class, Alan is involved in a couple of clubs, including Asian Cultural Committee, Interact Club, and Tech Force. He’s especially proud of his work in Tech Force, where he and his fellow club members help students and teachers with tech problems. One of the coolest things he’s done was working on a video that made it all the way to Samsung. He even got to act in it.
When he’s not at school, Alan likes hanging out with friends and playing sports, especially basketball. However, one of his biggest accomplishments this year was being named Student of the Month. He says it “came out of nowhere”, but clearly, this has served as a reminder that his hard work is being noticed by his teachers and other students. He remains committed to maintaining his grades and is excited to see where his journey in the medical field takes him.
When asked to describe himself in three words, Alan said that he is determined, kind, and loyal. And honestly, those sound like the perfect traits for a future nurse.
