Born with a unique name and a vibrant personality, senior Xochylt Montoya has faced adversity that shaped her into a resilient and compassionate individual. Through her passion for law, advocacy, and music, Montoya channels her experiences into a vision for change, hoping to leave a lasting impact on the world.
Montoya’s independent nature drives her to push through challenges and rely on her inner strength.
“So the only one that can understand myself physically is me. And I can only be my own motivation at times. I just gotta learn how to rely on no one but myself, you know?” Montoya said.
Her desire to pursue law stems from a deeply personal and life-changing experience. After surviving sexual assault by an individual with a history of offenses, Montoya lost faith in the justice system.
“I saw that person had done it before and was let go. So I was like, ‘What’s the point of going to tell the police if they’re not gonna do anything?’” Montoya said.
Despite her disillusionment, the experience strengthened Montoya’s resolve to address injustices and advocate for others.
“You gotta be able to go through things to be able to get stronger, mentally, emotionally, physically,” Montoya said.
Montoya is deeply attuned to the struggles of those around her, recognizing the impact of systemic issues on her peers. Whether it’s gang violence or school safety concerns, Montoya’s empathy motivates her to seek solutions.
“Here in school, I feel like it’s unfair for us to, at times, be put at risk,” Montoya said.
Her teachers and peers admire her thoughtful and resilient nature.
“She recognizes the skills that it takes both academically and behaviorally to meet the desired outcomes,” English Division Head Lauren Stewart said.
“She is very thoughtful and is willing to help others,” senior Alejandra Duran said.
While her future lies in law, Montoya also finds solace in music. Since 2023, she has been writing lyrics and creating music, expressing emotions that are often difficult to verbalize.
“I’m writing lyrics to express myself and ‘passionate’ my soul. It’s like something that not a lot of people know that I do,” Montoya said.
Her favorite artist, Ivan Cornejo, inspires her during difficult times, and she hopes to create songs that provide similar comfort to others.
“He’s a big motivation to me when I [am] down. His songs kind of pick me up,” Montoya said.
Through her advocacy and music, Montoya aspires to be a role model for the next generation, uniting people and fostering change.
“[I want to see] people getting more connected, more united. And then I feel like getting to the bottom of things, making changes in laws,” Montoya said.
