Cameron’s Story: Learning to Be a Leader

Cameron’s HTS education taught him how to learn and how to lead.

Cameron graduated from HTS in 2022 and is currently pursuing a degree in civil engineering from San Jose State. Cameron’s HTS experience not only prepared him for higher education, it also taught him to advocate for people who might otherwise be overlooked.

As he pursues a career in engineering, Cameron continues to serve his community. He is an active volunteer in inclusive sports programs and enjoys coaching basketball at a local middle school. 

Here’s what Cameron had to say about how his experiences at HTS have influenced his academic and social growth.

What year did you graduate, and what programs were you enrolled in at HTS?

I went to HTS for preschool, K-8, and graduated from the high school in 2022. I was also involved in their sports and after school programs.

What are you up to since your enrollment at HTS?

I am entering my junior year at San Jose State University, studying civil engineering and pursuing an engineering career. I’m looking forward to an internship next summer. After participating in the after school programs, I’ve had the opportunity to tutor students in my spare time.

After playing for the HTS Huskies basketball team, I’ve begun coaching basketball for a local middle school which is a ton of fun. 

How would you describe your academic experience at HTS? 

Attending HTS for most of my academic career prepared me well for college. I learned how to learn, not only for myself, but also how to help other people learn as well. 

What kinds of social skills did you learn at HTS? 

I’ve learned how to talk to people from completely different backgrounds and upbringings than me, becoming more inclusive in relationships due to my time at HTS. This has led me to embrace being myself, accepting my own differences and not feeling the need to fit in with the crowd. 

I was taught how to put others’ needs above myself not only in a learning environment, but in any human interaction. This helped me understand what it means to be a leader and a team player with everyone around me, and I have carried that with me in school, at home, and in my personal relationships.

I also developed friendships in my classes that I still maintain to this day. The fact that HTS emphasizes small classroom sizes makes it so much easier to connect with your classmates and form lifelong bonds.

What motivates you to volunteer and advocate for the inclusion of people of all abilities?

No one deserves to feel alone. Advocating for those with more specific needs makes sure no one gets pushed aside or left behind. Our society doesn’t focus enough on how to empower or lift up people with different needs, so advocacy is a powerful tool in making that happen. 

My time at HTS has inspired me to volunteer in inclusive sports programs that have given me so many opportunities to grow in my leadership skills, learn to empower other people, and network and develop relationships with people that I could never meet anywhere else. I get the chance to not just be part of a community, but actually make it better. Regardless of ability or limitation, everyone should have that kind of experience.