TOWAMENCIN – Throughout the chaos of North Penn, it can be difficult for a student to become comfortable with the almost 3,000 students seen in the halls on a daily basis. However, junior Jefrin De Jesus has been radiating energy and smiles through the halls since his move here from Guatemala three years ago.

Since he spent his childhood in Guatemala, he only spoke Spanish when he arrived in the United States.

“I learned [English] here,” explained De Jesus. “It was hard making friends because I didn’t understand anyone.”

However, the language barrier did not stop him from getting involved. De Jesus has been involved in track and field and the SALSA club since his sophomore year, and has decided to join the wrestling team this school year. Most recently, De Jesus  stepped out of his comfort zone and joined the Marching Knights without having prior music experience.

“My friend told me, like a month ago, that we needed a mellophone player, so [the next] Friday morning I talked to Mr. Heller and he told me to go to Monday rehearsal. Marching band [has been my best high school experience]; it’s really fun,” stated De Jesus.

During the first week of October, the Marching Knights took a trip to Boston, Massachusetts, which he attended.

“The Boston trip was amazing. My favorite part of it was spending the weekend with my friends. Quincy Market was really fun, too,” said De Jesus. “The day before we left, I went to the pool at 6 am.”

So far, De Jesus has had nothing but a positive experience socially and academically at North Penn.

“I used to like science a lot, but then when I got to chemistry I didn’t like math. I really like Spanish class; I think it’s really fun. English class is really fun too,” explained De Jesus.

In the future, he wants to pursue a career as a Spanish teacher and hopes to attend Penn State.

Outside of school, De Jesus plays defense for the UFC soccer team. He began playing soccer when he was just four years old. When De Jesus gets a break from his ongoing schedule, he enjoys spending his free time with his mother, father, and ten-year-old brother.

“We have fun playing baseball together in the spring and summer. We also go on very long bike rides,” recalled De Jesus. “Christmas is a big tradition. We cook and do gifts. We also celebrate Three Kings Day with gifts.”

Throughout the hardships and changes that have happened in De Jesus’s life, he has been able to establish a reputation for himself as a happy and energetic person at North Penn.

“Everything changes from one moment to another, so it’s not always consistent. Change sometimes is really good or really bad, but most of the time it’s really good. Moving here was good because I met new people,” said De Jesus.

De Jesus credits the quote “always smile because you don’t know who you are going to make feel better” to his friendly attitude, and hopes to continue to carry this legacy through his years at North Penn.