It is hard to look at Steve Navarrete and not smile. Just the way he carries himself seems to exude a warm, welcoming personality and one cannot miss the constantly-lingering grin on his face. Navarrete is the type who would eagerly help somebody with a problem or strike a conversation with a new student. Navarrete is the definition of a Beckman Patriot. Navarrete is January’s Young Man of the Month.
He revealed, “It was awesome to hear the news. I was really surprised!” As the honoree, Navarrete will be having breakfast with members of the Kiwanis Club of Tustin on January 20 alongside outstanding men from neighboring schools.
It was a no-brainer as to how or why Navarrete was chosen. His leadership and genuine passion is easy to see. “I really want to include other people in school activities. I try to recruit anybody I can so that school can be more fun for everybody,” Navarrete explained. Aside from Associated Student Body, Navarrete also stays involved through Link Cru. He added, “I take part in Link Cru to help bring the freshmen into the school. I remember my freshman year and that the transition was difficult.” Now as the Senior Vice President, Navarrete works to improve the daily school experience. But he credits Junior Class President Amy Huang for his introduction to ASB. He explained, “I had always been in Class Council, but it was Amy who really got me to go deeper.”
Another of Navarrete’s passions is volleyball. Coming from a family of volleyball athletes (father and two sisters), Navarrete is no surprise addition to the Beckman team throughout all of his four years. “I really love the sport because of the teamwork. You really need to depend on your teammates to win the game. Not only that, but volleyball can be played indoors and outdoors so you can play almost anywhere,” Navarrete divulged.
But out of all of Navarrete’s talents and pursuits, it is photography that captures his attention the most. His love for photography first began when he started looking at professional pictures and becoming intrigued by the quality of the work. “Once I started getting involved, I really loved the fact that I could capture all these moments and then I was able to look back upon them when I looked at the pictures,” Navarette explained. And it was also through the help of a friend – senior Krystal Dionio – who introduced him to Yearbook, where he can enjoy the opportunity to snap pictures.
As exciting and pleasant as Navarrete’s life may seem, it was not without its own set of difficult challenges. Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, Navarrete had to leave everything behind once his parents decided to move to the States. “When I first moved, it was pretty hard to realize that I would be leaving my home and friends in Ecuador,” Navarrete admitted. Not only did he have to get accustomed to a new setting, but he also had to learn an entirely new language. Luckily, he picked up English quickly and anybody who meets him today wouldn't be able to tell what difficulties Navarrete had to face in coming to a different country. “One of the biggest difficulties I faced was the way teenagers got along here. The American customs are somewhat different from what I had been used to, so it was really hard for me to "fit in”. When I was first asked to hang out with people from here, it was a really exciting moment for me,” Navarette admitted.
Navarrete remains extremely motivated for his future. He tries to avoid senioritis and is planning several of the much-anticipated senior activities near the end of the year. He aspires to attend the University of Pennsylvania to become a surgeon because of his conviction in the power of saving lives.
January’s Young Man of the Month challenges everyone to rise from their own challenges and to become leaders on and off campus. “No matter how hard things get, always think of how you are or could be making a difference,” he advised. All one has to do is look at his smile to see that Navarrete does just that every day.