DALLAS -
Originally a Dallas ISD student, Sunny E. transferred to Moises E. Molina High School sophomore year, intending to leave behind a legacy.

Now a senior, she is determined to make her family proud and inspire others in her community by pursuing post-secondary education as a first-generation college student.

"It was hard moving from one whole city to another," Sunny said. "But I made a promise to myself and my mom that if I move back to Dallas, I'm going to leave some sort of legacy and bring new opportunities for the students and myself."

She first turned to what she knew best, running track, but with the support of Kerrie Pegues, her coach and student council sponsor, Sunny quickly found her footing in both athletics and leadership.

"Sunny and I would talk at track meets about how much she enjoyed Molina, but how it was really lacking in school spirit," Pegues said. "I told her that that was the whole focus of my leadership class. Sunny applied and has never looked back. On the track, I was impressed by her commitment to her sport."

This year, Sunny serves as senior class vice president, captain of the speech and debate team, and lead officer of the school's leadership program.

She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the League of United Latin American Citizens Upward Bound, the Academic Success Program Ambassadors, and the Journey Forward Program, all while taking AP and dual-credit courses.

"She remembers where she is from and who came before her," Pegues said. "She wants to make her parents, her family, and her community proud. This is what drives her as she leads. She moves with a spirit of excellence, holding herself to a higher standard in everything she does."

Sunny leads school spirit initiatives, donation drives, and events such as homecoming and prom. Her favorite project: spreading positivity throughout the school by creating Valentine's hearts for every student and staff member.

"Sunny had a lot of great ideas about how we could foster school spirit on campus," Pegues said. "Last year, she spearheaded a project where we put the hearts all over the school. When you found your heart, you could bring the heart to me for a treat. It was fun for everyone involved."

In everything she does, Sunny channels generosity and purpose to guide her actions and inspire change. Her next step after graduation is studying political science at the University of Texas at Austin and continuing her journey in law at Southern Methodist University.

"Growing up, I always had law in the back of my mind," she said. "Speech and debate helped me realize I loved the arguing side, learning from legal panels and lawyers. It motivated me to help others achieve what they deserve-whether in immigration or criminal law."

Sunny's ambition is deeply rooted in her first-generation experience, and she hopes to use her education as a tool to break stereotypes and show her community they can do anything they set their mind to.

Spanish story:

"Sunny tuvo muchas buenas ideas para acrecentar el espíritu escolar", dijo Pegues. "El año pasado dirigió un proyecto para el que pusimos corazones en toda la escuela. Cuando alguien encontraba su corazón, me lo traía y le daba un premio. Fue divertido para todos".

En todo lo que hace, Sunny canaliza la generosidad y el propósito para guiar sus acciones e inspirar cambios. Su próximo paso después de la graduación es estudiar Politología en la Universidad de Texas en Austin, seguido por Derecho en Southern Methodist University.