Maxino Wins For Culbertson JMG
Ysabela Janekins Maxino was selected to represent Culbertson High School at the Jobs For Montana Graduates National Student Leadership Academy during the Lead Montana conference Oct. 26 in Helena. According to Mary Machart, Maxino is just the third student from the school selected in the history of the program.
Maxino was selected to join a group of Montana representatives at the national leadership conference in Washington, D.C., this year. The trip has been canceled but honorees gathered to celebrate in Helena. Speakers at the conference included Governor Greg Gianforte, Redstone Project Development owner Major Robinson and past president of the Helena High Montana Career Association Madison Glass.
Maxino was selected for the honor after writing an essay titled “My Story of Future Success.” In the essay, she described her life growing up in the Philippines as the daughter of parents in the medical field. She described her parents as hard-working, leaving early in morning and working long hours. She said the experience helped her learn to be self-sufficient and motivated: “From a very young age I had to learn to do things on my own for myself and for them: cooking, cleaning, paying bills and all sorts of things not all the kids my age did. I learned to be more independent and mature.”
Maxino said she learned to empathize with the difficulties experienced by patients at the hospital where her parents worked, experiences that shaped her plans to enter the medical field.
“I often would go to the hospitals after school to wait for my parents shift to end. Being there almost everyday impacted my life so much. I learned to have sympathy and empathy for the people. I was there to witness people suffer and knowing their stories made me feel like I should really do something for them. Oftentimes they were not able to pay their hospital bills, buy medicine and they would starve themselves just to make sure the bills were paid. I was not able to do big things in the moment for them, but small deeds like smiling at them definitely made a big difference. Staring at their eyes and observing their actions, I could really feel their pain and worry. It wasn’t easy for me to just watch my people struggle. This was the beginning of my dream to become a doctor.” Maxino received a certificate on stage during the Oct. 26 event, marking her inclusion in the leadership team.
