Rustic Spirit Spotlights: Taddeo, Sofia and Jose

Taddeo Simon
Age 14
International Studies Charter High School
Florida, United States

Taddeo is kind, genuine and caring to those around him. He brightens others’ days by holding the door for students and staff at school, greeting everyone and wishing them a great day, all with a smile. Taddeo also takes time to help his former Algebra teacher every week through volunteering.

In his free time, Taddeo enjoys creating art and talking with his friends on Discord. Music relaxes him after a long day and helps with studying. As a high school freshman, Taddeo isn’t sure what he wants to major in yet, but he has aspirations in fields related to science, such as biology and chemistry.

Impact advice: Treat others the way they wish to be treated, even in ways that might seem small and insignificant. The fact of the matter is, showing kindness and respect to everyone, even if most people do not notice it, can make a difference. One small act can really brighten someone’s day or give them comfort through a hard time in their life.

Sofia Cravero
Age 18
College Park High School
California, United States

Sofia is president of her school’s Latino Club where she uses her outstanding communication skills, and ability to organize and assess the needs of others. In this role, she recruits and interacts with other students with hispanic backgrounds and builds a safe space for anyone who needs it. She is currently leading a project where bilingual Spanish-speaking students help members of the community sign up for covid vaccination appointments, and act as translators for local restaurant workers who need assistance as they complete their food handler certification course.

Sofia plays both club and high school soccer and believes the sport is her favorite thing to do in her free time. Her parents are from Argentina and a love for soccer runs in her blood! Sofia plans to major in business in college as the major can be applied to many areas of life. She aspires to be a lawyer in the future, fighting for what she believes is right and defending those who truly need it.

Impact advice: Find friends or classmates who have the same aspirations and goals as you do. When you have more people to help you and collaborate with it is much easier to get things done! In addition, working with people who want to make a positive impact also will allow for the creation of so many ideas that maybe you would not have thought of by yourself.

Jose Campos
Age 18
Lovington High School
New Mexico, United States

Jose is a goal-oriented student who has taken on various responsibilities within his community, volunteering to help out any time he is needed. He is a youth member at St. Thomas Aquinas Youth Group, but he serves as much more than just a member. Jose enjoys reading as a lector during mass and uses his extra time to serve the youth in his community as assistant and teacher.

Jose enjoys playing basketball with friends. As a high school senior, he will be headed to college next year and is currently deciding what to major in.

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At Rustic Pathways, our goal is to make positive contributions to the communities we visit through responsible travel operations and community service projects that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.