Lexi Rodriguez-Padilla, a senior at Sedro-Woolley High School, is seen as an exceptionally outstanding student. As students arrive their classrooms they are greeted by a familiar voice on the announcements. Nearly every day, Rodriguez-Padilla is there stating another quote from a different influential figure that introduces her peers to a part of their society.
“I really thought we were and still are lacking diversity and representation at our school, and that’s why I wanted to start the awareness quotes,” said Rodriguez-Padilla. “I really think they bring a sense of unity and representation to our school and our community.”
A number of other students, appreciated her passion for the awareness months- a few including mental health awareness month and Indigenous people awareness month.
Aside from that, her life has been extremely busy. Rodriguez-Padilla started out by doing Girl Scouts when she was in first grade and her passion for being involved only grew. She has been a part of countless clubs and sports all four years of her high school career, is academically gifted, and is admired by many.
To state every club she has been apart of and her responsibility in it within her entire high school career would be nearly impossible to list. But in her senior year of high school she was the secretary in FCCLA (Family Consumer and Community Leaders of America), the vice president in both FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and VIV (Varsity in Volunteerism), the activities coordinator for Latinos Unidos and is apart of ASB as a School Board Representative. If that doesn’t seem nearly impossible to manage, there’s more. “I helped start a prevention club called We Inspire Safe Habits,” said Rodriguez-Padilla.
Rodriguez is truly remarkable and an icon for SWHS. She has also been on the Varsity soccer team since 2015 and the Varsity tennis team since 2018.
“I have always been really driven, but what really drives me is my mom because she has always showed me that with hard work and determination you can always achieve your goals,” said Rodriguez-Padilla.
Her inspiration to be the best she can be comes from her parents, friends, as well as influential individuals like MLK and Cesar Chavez. This inspiration has led her to not only be apart of multiple activities with Sedro-Woolley High School, but also have the capabilities to be in many AP classes, have a 4.0 GPA and be on honor roll her entire high school career.
Rodriguez-Padilla plans to attend University of Washington after graduation to major in Biochemical Engineering and possibly minor in Political Science. Afterwards she plans to go to medical school and become a Trauma Surgeon. To help fund her schooling, she received thousands of dollars in scholarships from many different organizations and colleges including the Skagit Rotary Scholarship, a full ride to Seattle Pacific University, the Soroptimist Scholarship, and an Academic Merit Scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University just to name a few.
“She’s really sweet, hard working, caring, and always knows how to put a smile on your face,” said Helena Brase, senior at SWHS.
Overall, Rodriguez-Padilla enjoyed making connections within the high school through peers, sports and clubs she was involved in, as well as friends and says, “I love being able to see everyone at school and seeing everyone grow as people as we grew older.”
Out of everything she has been apart of, when asked what her most monumental experience was in high school she answered with, “being able to go to Washington DC to experience politics and law making that happens in DC and all the passion and progress that happens in out country just on Capitol Hill.”
The staff of SWHS wish her luck in her future endeavors. “I hope that she keeps striving for excellence and that she reaches all her dreams-I have faith,” said Kelly Hawkins, the ASB leader and Digital Communications teacher at SWSD.
Lexi will leave the same impact on the people she meets just like she did here at Sedro-Woolley High School.