Nelson Barrios is changing his world for the better, and he’s leading his peers to do the same.
“It feels great, but it’s not about the recognition, it’s more about the awareness, because if I get recognized for one of the programs that I helped start, it helps spread the word out there,” said Barrios.
And word is spreading.
Barrios was once a shy kid at Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute, but now he’s grown into an outgoing young man, making a big difference in his city.
Along with a sky-high GPA, and his prowess on the football field, Nelson is president of his school’s “Skills U.S.A.” chapter, which focuses on community service projects in Lynn.
He organized a walk, and the group raised $15,000, and put together care packages for the local hungry and homeless.
Nelson also started a workshop at school on substance abuse. One of his proudest achievements, having his peers sign a pledge to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
Next year, Nelson will study engineering in college, and plans to build on all of his success at Lynn Voc Tech.
“I want to use my education to bring more awareness to the problems we all face in a daily basis. So what I thought about it, oh, if I become an engineer, I want to do something to change people’s lives in some way. You have to give it your all every day," said Barrios.
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