As she prepared to graduate from Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, Gissell Bringas-Martinez said her education there has “shaped my life in the most positive way.”

“Entering high school, I was a very enclosed person, an introvert. As time progressed, I felt truly accepted and I felt as I belonged, which then allowed me to become more open, make friendships and become involved,” she said in an email interview. 

The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Bringas-Martinez is ranked #3 in her class at Don Bosco Cristo Rey, and this fall she will attend the University of Maryland at College Park, becoming part of the first generation of her family to attend college.

“If I were to take anything from DBCR into college, it’s definitely to be involved, give back to the community, and remain professional,” she said. “DBCR has many clubs and sports teams as well as volunteering opportunities that encourage us students to join them and grow within them.”

Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, which is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and the Salesians of Don Bosco, is part of the Cristo Rey Network of Schools providing a college preparatory education to students from low-income families. The Takoma Park school offers an innovative Corporate Work Study Program, where students gain professional work experience at leading area businesses, corporations and institutions, and help pay for a significant part of their education.

Through the Corporate Work Study Program at Cristo Rey, Bringas-Martinez worked at Deloitte, which provides consulting and financial services to corporations and government agencies. She did data organization on Excel and Word, which helped her sharpen her Microsoft skills, and she also helped set up meetings.

“Because of work study, I learned professionalism, which is something I’m definitely taking with me into the working world,” she said, adding that in her years working with Deloitte as a Cristo Rey student, “I made lots of friendships with my coworkers who were really great and gave me amazing advice for the future.”

At Don Bosco Cristo Rey, Bringas-Martinez noted how a teacher made learning history enjoyable and also helped her when she was going through difficult times in her life. She also especially enjoyed a math class, where the teacher had students do challenging projects, and helped her “come out of little shy bubble and encouraged me to speak publicly, nominated me for house rep and supported me throughout it all.”

That encouragement helped her become very active in student government there, where she helped plan major school events like homecoming and Don Bosco Week. Through serving in Cristo Rey’s Student Government Association, Bringas-Martinez said she felt connected with her fellow students, listening to their concerns and ideas and bringing them to the discussions she had with other student leaders.

She also played on Don Bosco Cristo Rey’s soccer team and was part of its track and field team, participated in its Latin Dance Club, and was a member of the National Honor Society there.

“I’d have to say my favorite part of all of the extracurricular activities had to be being able to create relationships and unforgettable moments with my peers,” she said. “…All of those activities are group activities which also meant that we had to work as a team, and I also enjoyed that. I enjoy working in teams because I am exposed to different perspectives and approaches rather than just my own.”

Taking her classes online this past year during the coronavirus shutdown took some getting used to, Bringas-Martinez said.

“I actually enjoyed my classes this year even though they were online. I’m a visual learner so it was somewhat hard to learn online, but eventually it all worked out,” she said. “…Initially it was a struggle to balance everything out at once, but everything eventually fit into place. I learned to take mental breaks and distract myself from my laptop here and there, but most importantly I learned to manage my time and schedule all my tasks accordingly.”

Like other students graduating in the class of 2021, Bringas-Martinez said she missed some of the activities the seniors would have enjoyed.

“I wish that for this year, we would have been together and able to celebrate all of our events,” she said, adding that as she goes on to college, she will miss her high school friends and hopes to stay in touch with them. “…I also know that I’m going to miss so many teachers that have impacted me in the most amazing ways… I’m glad that I’m not going out of state (for college), that way, I can come back and visit.”

Bringas-Martinez said she’s glad to be close to home and her parents while attending the University of Maryland, where she plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in general biology. Then she hopes to enter medical school and study to become either a cardiovascular or a pediatric surgeon.

“During my years of practice (as a doctor), I’d like to travel to Third World countries that hardly receive the medical attention that they need. My dream is to become a surgeon and help those who need it the most, the poor,” she said.

In addition to the education Bringas-Martinez received in the classroom and through the Corporate Work Study Program at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, she also learned a lot from the example of her parents, Mario Niño-Bringas and Martha Martinez. Her father works in landscaping and maintaining gardens, and her mother is a housekeeper at Georgetown University Law Center. The family has attended Mass at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church in Riverdale Park over the years, and during the pandemic, they stayed connected to the parish by watching its livestream Masses.

“What I most admire about both my parents is how hard they have worked for me to have so many resources and opportunities in life. They’ve taught me how to always be humble, helpful and kind,” Bringas-Martinez said. “If I’ve learned anything from them, it’s to always treat people diligently and with respect. I’ve also learned that if I have goals, I have to truly work for them and push for them to be possible and accomplish them.” 

The Cristo Rey senior said she’s happy to be part of the first generation in her family to attend college “and make them proud.”