Isaac Olvera is a 2-time Carson Scholar who continues to excel year after year. Isaac, an exceptional student from Riverside, California, is fascinated with the way the heart works and aspires to become a cardiothoracic surgeon one day to help society by preventing and treating heart disease. While only in 10^th grade, his stellar abilities to remember and recite facts, problem-solve and approach challenges have him well on his way to achieving his goal of a career in medicine. Isaac’s high achievement has been evident since he was young as he earned countless awards including a Bilingualism and Biliteracy Award in sixth grade, a Riverside County Science and Engineering Award and a President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence. He can even solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than a minute!

Isaac regularly volunteers around his community, serving his high school peers as well as elementary schoolers. Through the Key Club, he assisted with a campaign to create inspirational cards for high school students and helped to plan, set up and clean up school events. He was also selected by his counselors to mentor freshmen to help them transition to high school, using his bilingual skills to assist Spanish-speaking students and families. Isaac’s eagerness to volunteer does not take a vacation. Over the summer, he volunteered at his church’s Summer Splash program as a youth leader where he facilitated safety and fun for the elementary school participants. He also had the honor of shadowing a local ENT/Plastic Surgeon where he gained experience in his dream job setting. As Isaac continues to learn and achieve, it is clear that his journey and his impact on the world is just beginning.