CHRISTIAN SANTIAGO

rings me,”

While most students at Hillsborough High School leave their classroom when the bell rings at 3:25 p.m., Christian Santiago has already le . Santiago was diagnosed with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, which is a genetic disorder that results in a shortened trunk, posture, and limbs. “Movement and sometimes breathing might be the hardest parts for me,” Santiago said. Due to his condition, he has trouble traveling from place to ects his breathing.

Physical activities can be the greatest challenge in Christian’s life, being stressful overall. However, he really likes sports and has joined the School’s Crew team as a Coxswain, which is someone who steers the boat place and his asthma a Physical be challenge overall. a and makes calls on directions. is a frustrating, what expect through a activity ortless advantage at nding good hiding spots, one of his favorite games to play is hide-and-seek. One of his favorite experiences was at Hooch, when Santiago and his friends played the game and he hid with the students’ backpacks, where no one found him. Another advantage Santiago gets from his di erent point of view is scaring people unexpectedly, since many times his friends do not notice him walking by.

“Especially when I try to do something like the simplest things as going to the kitchen to grab something or doing the dishes, I have to get a stool,” Santiago said. Having to get used to climbing things to reach when no alternative is available has also become a part of his everyday life. Another challenge Santiago is faced with and it may get frustrating, some people not understanding or not realizing what to expect when they rst meet him about what he can or cannot do.

Santiago overcomes this challenge mainly through his motivation to prove people wrong when his ability to do a certain activity or skill is doubted.

“Mainly no one looks down, so it is always fun watching people jump when they notice.” roughout her time in the program, Tran has learned several skills and has attended many pieces of training. Training includes how to handle tra c stops, domestic violence, and active shooters. Tran also has learned a series of codes and signals necessary for her future profession.

For Christian, he is happy with his condone, although it gives him limitations, he gets to see the world from a erent point of view. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Since August, Senior Ashley Tran can be found walking into classes every Monday, each with a di erent focus as she takes part in the Tampa Police Explorers program. But she hadn’t always planned to join the program. In fact, she hadn’t heard about it till her mom received a call over the summer asking if she would be interested in the police explorer’s youth program.

Tran decided to join the explorer’s program in hopes of gaining more information and skills that will translate to her future profession. While in the program she has made many connections with higher-ups and has received trainings that will go hand in hand with her goal of becoming a future cop and guaranteeing the safety of others as well as learning how to ensure her safety as well.

As part of the police explorers’ program, Tran takes part in a number of training and is required to volunteer around the community as part of service details in which she must have at least 10 hours a month of community service. As part of her required service hours, she has been able to volunteer at a number of community events such as the Memorial 5k run, fall festival, and Santa’s workshop, handing out toys to children in need.

“Getting to interact with my community and being able to help people is something I really enjoy and thanks to this program I can really get out and do things within my community,” Tran said.

While Tran mainly joined the program so that she could learn and utilize the skills required to become a cop, she has also taken part in many courses that have earned her certain certi cations such as one in CPR and she currently working on her gun safety and shooting certi cation.

Even though Tran has only been in the program for a few months, she had made a good impression and was even awarded Explorer of the month. is award is given to explorers who go above and beyond. Her superiors describe her as committed and say that she never hesitates to volunteer and exhibits a positive attitude and encourages those in her unit to do the same.