By Gabriella Escobar
Westbury High School
For Yasmin Bardales, it’s the who in a story that catches her interest and imagination. Certainly there is a place for what, when, where, why and how, but it’s the individual who sparks her attention.
“I enjoy talking to people and getting to know their story,” she said, “and I think writing a piece about them is a meaningful way to honor them and their life experiences.”
A rising senior at Hempstead High School, Yasmin, 17, said she was interested in attending the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists because her career aspiration is to become a journalist. Once she graduates with a journalism degree, she said she hopes to get a job where she can go out and interview people.
She said being organized is important for all her projects. Occasionally people think that she has no time to help out with activities, Yasmin said, but the secret about being organized is that “I am always available to do certain tasks.”
A high school friend, Keiry Gonzalez, sees her organization and flexibility as a plus. “She will go as far as needed to not let someone she cares about or herself down,” Keiry said.
In her spare time, Yasmin, the youngest of five siblings, said she is into true-crime videos and shows where the focus is on individuals and their motives. She also enjoys commentary videos on topics that interest her, such as books and watching gameplay on YouTube. She said she finds it interesting to see the players’ comments and watch their struggle to solve a puzzle in games like Minecraft and the Resident Evil horror series.
About her leisure activities, Yasmin said, “I do enjoy my personal space, but that won’t stop me from interacting with others when the time calls for it.”
Yasmin said of her hometown, “Hempstead feels very familiar. It feels like everyone is interconnected in some way.”
“I do believe in seizing any opportunities accessible to you because I believe that to achieve anything in life, one needs to be audacious enough to take advantage of their circumstances,” she said.