Just a year ago, Angela Portillo-Lopez was the student who barely showed up to class. She skipped most days, and when she did come, she walked the halls, indifferent to the assignments that were piling up. During her junior year, she transferred from Savanna High School to Gilbert High School, hoping to catch up on the credits she had missed. Graduation seemed like a distant dream, and even at Gilbert, her head wasn’t in the right place. She was dealing with personal struggles and found no motivation to attend school; except to see her friends, the only thing that still mattered to her.
It wasn’t until summer school that Angela had a wake-up call. Realizing it was her senior year and time was running out, she knew she had to start taking school seriously.
One day, Angela approached Mrs. Cam, a credit recovery teacher at Gilbert, asking if she could join her class. Gilbert Lab was unlike anything Angela had seen before—a safe, supportive, and flexible space for students who had once given up on school to regain their footing and remind themselves that it’s never too late to keep trying.
Mrs. Cam believed in Angela, fighting hard to get her into the Gilbert Lab. The class has a strong stigma because many students want to be a part of it, but the administration fears that some might intentionally fail their classes just to be accepted into this course. It’s seen as a privilege to be in such a warm and encouraging environment. After some convincing, Angela began her senior year in the Gilbert Lab. She knew it would be a hard transition from her old habits, but Mrs. Cam had faith in her, providing constant support and guidance to help her stay on track.
Now, two months into the school year, Angela’s mindset has completely changed due to her environment. She’s gone from not even imagining herself graduating to planning a future as a barber. After high school, she hopes to study cosmetology at Santa Ana college and turn her passion into a career. At Gilbert Lab, students are allowed to find success at their own pace, working as much as they need to reach their goals. It’s not just a class—it’s a community where classmates become like family.
“No matter what you go through, you’ll still find success at the end of the tunnel,” says Angela Ruby Portillo-Lopez.
