Dozier-Libbey Senior Antonio Hernandez is Antioch Youth of the Year

2011 Antioch Youth of the Year Antonio Hernandez

Antonio Hernandez is currently a student at Dozier-Libbey Medical High School. In the past 4 years he has overcome many challenges to become a leader at Dozier-Libbey and Student President of California Health Occupations Students of America. Elected by 2,000 of his Cal-HOSA peers, he now presides over more than 3,500 members and also represents Cal-HOSA students at conferences and educational meetings around the state advocating for students to consider a career in health care.

He is on the tennis team at Antioch High School and assists with the girls’ tennis team as well. He participates in volunteer activities for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and is a member of the Young Entrepreneurs at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Everywhere Antonio goes, he exudes confidence and professionalism. Antonio joined HOSA his freshman year, became the HOSA chapter president as a sophomore and was elected State President as a junior. During his freshman year, he and two of his classmates competed in the Medical Reading event at the Cal-HOSA State Leadership Convention. As a freshmen (unheard of!), his team earned a spot in the Top 10 Winners and a trip to Nashville, Tennessee to compete at the National HOSA Convention. As sophomores, they competed in the same event and in California took home the gold medal at Nationals!

Antonio has always struggled with his weight. After learning about nutrition and exercise at Dozier-Libbey in his health science class, he took it upon himself to lose 70 pounds and has kept it off. He is an example to all students on how to take control of their life and shine as leaders.

Antonio is the first in his family to apply to a 4-year college. His goal is to become a surgeon. Antonio has overcome socio-economic odds, shyness and obesity to become an outstanding leader at Dozier-Libbey in the Antioch community and at the State level for Cal-HOSA. He is a shining example of a student who rose up, met challenges, and overcame those odds beyond everyone’s expectations. “Coming to this high school as a freshman I thought I would just take this opportunity and if I didn’t like it I would go back to regular high school.” Apparently, he liked it and as one newspaper headline read, “Senior thrives at Dozier-Libbey.”


No Comments so far.

Leave a Reply