Two Rivers student heading to bright future at St. Thomas
Alessandra Valadez-Ochoa, 18, a senior at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights and three-year participant in DCTC’s Upward Bound program, is heading to the University of St. Thomas after being awarded the competitive Dease Scholarship.
Alessandra Valadez-Ochoa
“I was genuinely so frazzled when I received the news, but I was so insanely proud of myself and my family. Because without them and our hard work, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this accomplishment,” Alessandra said.
For now, Alessandra has not decided on a major. She is excited for her educational journey continuing at St. Thomas.
“St. Thomas is known for its encouragement of leadership and that is a value I have always followed throughout my whole life,” she said.
“I have had many great experiences with many great leaders in my life, so being able to be that for someone else is something I hope to achieve at St. Thomas.”
Following her sisters into Upward Bound
Alessandra was inspired to participate in TRIO Upward Bound after watching her older sisters succeed through the program. She credits Upward Bound for giving her many opportunities to learn and grow.
“Through Upward Bound, I have been able to travel to Missouri and Colorado, attend a valuable business camp, and have access to college resources and guidance, all free of charge and easily accessible,” Alessandra said. “Without the program and its staff, I would not be where I am today.”
She said Upward Bound is very helpful with college tours, understanding the financial side of college, and career preparation.
Keia Chapman, TRIO Upward Bound advisor, says Alessandra is on of the most committed students in the program. “She comes to all the events, is always active and engaged during afterschool programming,” Keia said. “She has become someone the students look to for guidance and advice and is always willing to help underclassmen. She has also gone above and beyond and taken it upon herself to create a video for our end of year celebration and also working as the Upward Bound social media manager.”
In addition to Upward Bound, Alessandra participates in orchestra and is involved in her high school’s theater program. She wrote an original one act play that she directed and produced. “I was in charge of overseeing all lighting design, set design, costume and makeup, as well as directing my actors, to make my play come to life. Opening night is definitely something I will never be able to forget. All the nerves and excitement, and especially when I could hear the crowd laughing and gasping. Hearing the audiences reactions is something I will always keep with me.”
Alessandra’s school and life gallery
Alessandra Valadez-Ochoa • Q & A
What person has influenced your life the most and why?
My family has always been a major influence in my life when it comes to hard-work and my strive for greatness. For years, I’ve seen how hard my parents have worked to give me and my sisters the American dream, so now I try to work just as hard to hopefully pay it forward to them in the future.
If you could make one thing happen on Earth right now, what would it be?
In situations like the one we are currently in, where so much is happening all over the world, not a single thing can happen for the world to instantly become a better place. Yet one way to start making a change would be for people to have more empathy for others. From world leaders to everyday civilians, if everyone had more empathy, so many world issues would be solved so much more easily.
Best book or movie you’ve read or seen lately?
I watch a lot of movies but some recent ones I’ve really enjoyed were House (1977), a Japanese film that follows a high-school girl going to visit her Aunt’s house in the countryside with her friends, only to later be fighting to escape through absurdist visuals and wacky editing. I also really enjoyed Problemista (2023), which follows a toy designer from El Salvador struggling to secure a job before his visa runs out through magical realism motifs of patience and hope.
Three words that describe you as an Upward Bound student,
from her Upward Bound advisor:
LEADERSHIP. A JOY. COMMITMENT.
One thing you would most want to accomplish in life?
I would love to be able to write and direct an original full length motion-picture. Since I’ve started writing, this has always been a long term goal of mine. My dream occupation would be a screenwriter and film director.
Skill you would most like to learn and master?
I am bilingual, but I have always wanted to learn more languages. I am currently working on learning Japanese and Portuguese.
One thing you most want to accomplish?
I would love to be able to write and direct an original full length motion-picture. Since I’ve started writing, this has always been a long term goal of mine. My dream occupation would be a screenwriter and film director.
Place you would most like to visit?
I just recently took a school trip to New York City and now all I want is to go back with my friends. Walking all over the city trying to see everything in just a few days is a difficult feat, so being able to go back with more time to see even more of the city is something I hope to be able to do sooner than later.
One word that best describes your experience in TRIO/Upward Bound:
OPPORTUNITY
Learn more about TRIO/Upward Bound at DCTC by contacting:
Caitlin Siefkes
Director of TRIO/Upward Bound
Dakota County Technical College
caitlin.siefkes@dctc.edu
651-423-8463
More about TRIO/Upward Bound, from advisor Keia Chapman.
DCTC Upward Bound works with students at Two Rivers High School, South St. Paul High School and Burnsville High School.
TRIO programs provide academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other supports necessary for educational access and retention, Keia explained. TRIO helps students get to and through college. Nearly 900,000 students receive college access and retention services each year to help them prepare for, enter college, and graduate.
“Upward Bound provides academic & personal advising, help with financial aid, college guidance and travel & leadership opportunities. What makes Upward Bound so successful in my opinion, is that it provides a community for students who are maybe struggling to find community in their schools. It also provides students with individualized support that is hard for them to get in their high schools.”
When asked if she had anything to add, Keia wrote, “#TRIOworks and Alessandra is proof of that!”
