Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

After Dis By Dentist, Stanford-Bound Student Hosting College Q&A

By Stephanie Lulay | July 30, 2016 8:12am | Updated on August 1, 2016 8:44am
 Stanford-bound Little Village student Guillermo Camarillo Jr. will host a college application workshop at the Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen Monday.
Stanford-bound Little Village student Guillermo Camarillo Jr. will host a college application workshop at the Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen Monday.
View Full Caption
Provided/Facebook

PILSEN — A Stanford-bound Little Village student who's story went viral earlier this month will host a college workshop Monday aimed at helping other Latino students reach their dreams. 

Guillermo Camarillo Jr. will host the college Q&A from 6-8 p.m. Monday at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., in Pilsen.

At the event, Camarillo will share tips he's learned from applying to elite colleges, scholarship information and other resources that can help other Latino students. 

"He's trying to collect as much information as possible on resources, programs and scholarships, to make youth from underrepresented communities aware of them," said Jorge Valdivia, who is helping organize the event.  

Camarillo will be the first person in his family to attend college when he begins classes at Stanford University next month on a full scholarship. Earlier this month, he made the news after he posted an open letter about a "frustrating" and "belittling" experience at his dentist office. 

Within days, his Facebook post was shared by thousands, and he received hundreds of messages of support and internship offers. 

The teen said he went in for a routine cleaning this month only to have his dentist grill him about his ACT score and explain that it was "easier" for minority students from low-income neighborhoods to get into top-ranked universities. The dentist called Camarillo "lucky," the teen said, and likened his admission to Stanford University to competing on "The Voice."

The teen grew up poor, raised by two undocumented immigrants who only spoke Spanish. He said he transferred schools a number of times, and took 11 AP courses when he attended George Westinghouse College Prep. Camarillo worked hard, he said, and felt "belittled" when his dentist called his path in life easy.

"A lot of people sympathized with me," Camarillo said, "or told me they've gone through what I did. ... In a way, it's a relief because it shows me I'm not the only one experiencing this."

Camarillo aims to host another workshop in about a month, Valdivia said. 

Stanford-bound Little Village student Guillermo Camarillo Jr. will host a college application workshop at the Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen Monday. [Provided]

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: