2023 Hamilton Scholar Miriam Monreal is a persevering and creative student at Irma Rangel YWLS in Dallas, Texas. She appreciates the weird and unconventional, and is always looking for ways to grow. But, no matter how far she goes, Miriam always comes home to her family and her community.
Miriam’s proudest achievement is being elected as Art Club President for her senior year. The club provides students a place to recharge after a rigorous day while exploring new creative paths. Miriam is proud to organize fundraisers with the club, especially the annual Art Spring Market, providing young artists a platform for their work, all while enabling access to quality art for the public. Furthermore, Miriam co-founder of her school’s National Art Honor Society, allowing students to earn recognition in the art field.
Beyond school, Miriam has taken her art to the competitive level. Earning her first publication, Miriam recently won the Express Yourself! Cover Art Contest and received a scholarship; her art will serve as the cover of a published collection of poems written by students. Furthermore, Miriam was one of three in her school to compete in film at the state level, creating a short animated film exploring her own identity.
Beyond school and art, Miriam involves herself in many extracurriculars. As Secretary of Robotics Club, she worked hard designing t-shirts, organizing team members, and advertising a schoolwide recycling initiative. Miriam also loves research and history; recently she worked as a research intern at the Southern Methodist University, aiding her mentor, Dr. Ashlyn Hand, in writing her book about religious freedom and U.S. relationships in foreign policy. Miriam loves contributing to the local conservation scene, regularly volunteering with the Trinity River Audubon Center and the Texas Conservation Alliance. Her goal is to identify 100 different Texas bird species by the end of the year!
In the future, motivated by issues like climate change, habitat loss, and the impacts of environmental damage on POC communities, Miriam hopes to study Environmental Science and join the conservation movement. One day, Miriam hopes to come back and support her younger siblings so that they have the opportunity to study too.
