Miss Homecoming: After the crowns, an engineering major

Mariel Martinez describes herself as a shy girl growing up, but she did not let that stop her from pursuing excellence in her academic career and helping her community.

Today she is proud to say that she is a Cibola High School graduate with a grade-point average of 4.51. She graduated sixth in her class, and this fall she will attend the University of Arizona, where she will work toward a master's degree in engineering.

Martinez was born in Yuma and is a first-generation Filipino-American. Her parents, Olivia and Rolando Martinez, immigrated to the United States after her father joined the U.S. Navy. He was eventually stationed in Yuma, where both Martinez and her brother were raised.

At the age of 10, Martinez became interested in dancing and attended Dancemakers.

"I love dancing. I used to be very shy, so dancing was the way that I was able to express myself, (and) get really close to the girls that were there, also. ... I love the whole behind-the-scenes aspect of ... a dance production, because nobody sees how intense it is back there, like we have to fix the lighting and the music. It's not just the dances, so it was really cool being a part of that."

But then a few years ago, Martinez developed scoliosis, which made it difficult to continue dancing. She had to stop.

Martinez decided to fill this extra time by becoming president of her student council, which she says has been her biggest challenge to date.

"I think it was a big step for me to actually run for the position of president of student council ... because I was always kind of introverted. But (I) always wanted to put my mark and help some of the other kids out. And so it really took a lot of my time, a lot of my gas, but I really don't regret anything about it."

As president, Martinez said, she helped organize events such as homecoming, and she attended committees and classes during school. She also went to meetings every Tuesday and Thursday during the school year.

Martinez said it was a great learning experience.

"You are always in front of the class (and) you (had) to be sort of a role model that the student council members can look up to, and you always have to be there."

Adding to her accomplishments, Martinez was chosen homecoming queen at Cibola in September. She was contacted by Miss America's Homecoming Queen organization and asked to if she would like to compete in the Miss Arizona's Homecoming Queen pageant. She accepted the invitation and won the title.

"I never thought I would be part of a pageant. I never planned on it, but it is a good scholarship opportunity."

This week, Martinez will be at Disneyland in California, where she will compete in the national pageant to become Miss Homecoming Queen America and win a scholarship.

Martinez said the competition will be based on the evening gown, a speech, a video that the competitors had to make and an interview.

"I'm excited. I think the most nerve-racking part is the question on stage. You don't have time to prepare, so it is pretty spontaneous. ... The (most exciting) part, I think, is being in the hotel with the other girls, they're a lot of fun."

When not concentrating on school or pageants, Martinez participates in the Philippine-American Association in Yuma, which promotes Filipino culture with cultural shows and activities.

"We have different activities that bring Philippines together for specific holidays or Filipino Independence Day (which) we celebrate here," said Martinez. "And also I've danced every year. Like we do cultural dances - folk dances - and I also make Filipino food."

It is also an organization that gave Martinez a $500 scholarship for college.

Later this month, Martinez will leave her home for the first time and spend the next five years learning to become an engineer.

"I'm not sure what type yet. If I go into biomedical engineering, I obviously want to improve the health care, I want to make it cheaper. ... Or if I got into chemical, I would probably do environmental engineering, try to find alternative fuels ..."

Martinez said that her chosen career makes her feel optimistic about the future. "You know that things can get better, and that people can always be helped."