By Staff Writer, Colleen Park  

 His college acceptances are the latest gossip, but while his high school career of academic excellence is no secret, Daniel Diaz (’07) is no stereotypical anti-social genius.
            Associated Student Body (ASB) Adviser Nareg Keshishian cites Diaz as “not really [different]” from any other student.
            “He is a combination of intelligence, diligence [and] he’s goal-oriented,” Keshishian said. “[But] he’s got the same wants, desires and flaws as anybody else. He was just able to put it all together in the right way.”
            As a self-starter, Diaz has reached goals some people only dream of; acceptance to all eight of the universities he has applied to including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California Berkeley, University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California (USC), Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania. From these eight prestigious schools, three of which are distinguished private Ivy League universities, Diaz narrowed his choices down. It eventually came to a decision between Harvard and USC.
            Before people could question his judgment for not instantly jumping at the chance to go to Harvard, Diaz would comment USC as a good overall college with an outstanding business school, athletics program, and social scene.
            “I understand that schools like Harvard are great because of the caliber of the students there, so it is a hard decision,” Diaz said.
            The truth is, the decision between Harvard, a dream school for most, and USC was a dilemma between venturing out to try something different for the “sake of opportunity” and studying close to home.
            On the first day of May, the deadline for his decision, Diaz settled contently with Harvard without any regret.
            “I felt it was the opportunity of a lifetime,” Diaz said. “I only see an upside.”
            He plans to major in Economics and Applied Math in Harvard.
            In addition to near full scholarships with his acceptances, including Harvard, Diaz has also applied for and received the Coca-Cola and the Bill Gates Millennium scholarships.
            In the Coca-Cola scholarship, he was one of the 12 regional finalists in California, and one of 200 in the country to receive $10,000. Diaz plans to use the Coca-Cola scholarship to buy a new computer this year and use the remainder on graduate school. The Gates Millennium scholarship will cover Diaz’s undergraduate expenses at Harvard.
            The design for a big future was not an epiphany in the midst of junior year. It has been a part of his mentality since youth.
            “Living in East Los Angeles, my oldest brother was able to rise up from his [situation] and graduate from Columbia University,” Diaz said. “[Even from] an early age, it was instilled in me.”
            It is also under his brother’s influence that he plans to major in economics, having grown up with “the television on with the stock market.”
            While Diaz scored well on the Scholastic Aptitude Test with a 2210, he attributes his college acceptances more towards being a well-rounded person maintaining academics, athletics, community service, sociability, and adaptability.
            On a side note, “it doesn’t hurt that I’m Hispanic,” Diaz said.
            In his sophomore year Diaz took three Advanced Placement (AP) classes, five in his junior year, and four this year as a senior, and earned high scores of either fours or fives on all the AP tests he has taken so far. In the length of his high school career to this point, Diaz has maintained straight A’s so it came as no surprise that he is to graduate as valedictorian.
            This past year he was the captain of the football team, acting as safety and receiver. Especially given his positions in the football team, being involved in athletics has taught him “determination, to stick through things from the start and work hard to get where you want to be.”
Football Offensive Coach Steve Lassiter has become a source of inspiration for him as “even when struggling, [Lassiter] taught me to keep my hopes up.”
            On top of academics and athletics, Diaz has displayed leadership through his high school years as a member of the ASB. President of his class in his freshmen and sophomore years, he is currently the Vice President of Sports in the ASB cabinet.
            He is also a member of the Latino Student Initiative which organized orientation for incoming Latino eighth graders.
            The youngest of four children, neither of Diaz’s parents speak English, but the “struggles they went through to fulfill their aspirations” continually fuel his motivation.
            Maintaining good grades while being involved in so many activities definitely presented a predicament of time management for Diaz. During football season, he would come back home late and study deep into the night and accepted those sacrifices easily.
            “Friends keep me relaxed and always relieve my anxieties,” Diaz said. For him, friends have been “positive factors” in life and “the most enjoyable part of high school.” They are also a part of the reason why he does not want to leave.
            Diaz credits Ray Beginyan (’07), whom he met in his sophomore year on the basketball team, for introducing him into the social network of Hoover which Diaz has enjoyed.
            “Danny is one of the greatest guys I know,” Beginyan said. “He’s never let me down and has always been positive.”
            Unlike valedictorians who carried themselves above others, there is no ugly ego to hide.
            “[Diaz] carries himself with humility,” Keshishian said. “I wish I could buy stock in Danny Diaz.”
            Working hard seems to be Diaz’s personal motto as he advises to “put in the time and effort. If you find the resources to help you, your [dreams] are definitely a possibility.”
            As for the future after graduating from college, he plans to work for two years before returning to Harvard for a Master of Business Administration.