Meet Jada Caraballo, an outstanding student, athlete, and leader at Buford High School. Jada is the daughter of Stacey Warren and has been a spirited supporter of the Green and Gold since she moved to the district of Buford in 6th grade from New York City. Since her move, Jada has had no problem immersing herself into the Buford family and has prospered as an active member of her community.
Jada has excelled academically at Buford High School; with 12 AP classes and an unweighted 3.9 GPA, she knows how to work tirelessly and achieve her elevated goals and aspirations. Out of all the subjects, Jada enjoys math the most. “It is one of those subjects that is reliable and can be almost like a puzzle,” Jada says. “The facts and formulas do not change and it is something that will always be applicable.”
With such a rigorous course and high personal standard, it is clear that Jada enjoys and welcomes a challenge in the classroom. The teacher who has inspired her to embrace academic adversity and to thrive despite the difficulty is Ms. Lisa Cole, Jada’s AP Chemistry teacher. “AP Chemistry was the greatest character-building class I have ever endured,” Jada shares. “The reason why Ms. Cole is my favorite teacher is that she pushes beyond the envelope and ensures that a student receives the most in-depth understanding of the content possible.” From this class, Jada learned the important lesson that the most worthwhile things in life are meant to challenge you.
In addition to Jada’s academic success, she is also extremely involved in extracurricular activities; it is within these programs that Jada is able to exhibit her passions and strong leadership qualities. Jada has been a part of the Lady Wolves Soccer Program for all four years of high school and greatly enjoys the competition and team building that comes with the sport. She is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council, National Honor Society and the Vice President of the student-led Debate club. “My most recent membership in Debate club has allowed me to learn more about the way I see the world,” Jada remarks about her position. “By being able to explicitly articulate my point in a non-aggressive way while understanding the opposing side of the argument has proved to be a useful skill.”
Recently, Jada has acquired an impressive and unique position; she has become an advocate against vaping in the state of Georgia. After being approached by the two other co-founders of the anti-vaping initiative, Juan and Marco Borrego, Jada realized that she could not pass up the opportunity to inspire change within her community. When asked about the progress she and her co-founders are making, Jada responded with positive confidence. “Continuing the push for further regulation and policy, I am currently working with my partners to hopefully getting a bill passed in this upcoming Georgia General Assembly Session that discusses the limitations and age restrictions of vaping products.”
Jada doesn’t often find herself with free time, but when she does, she loves to hang out with her best friends. When they’re together, they are most likely watching movies, going shopping, having Starbucks dates, and simply enjoying life. Jada also loves spending time with her mom and little dog, Oscar.
Jada hopes that her activity within her school and her community will give her the experience and skill set she needs to pursue her goals after graduation from BHS. Her plan is to attend a university where she will be able to earn a degree in biomedical engineering. Jada also believes that her resilience will play a large role in her future as it has throughout high school. “No matter what challenge or defeat I face, I continue to get back up and try my best to achieve my goals,” Jada says. Ultimately, Buford is proud of Jada and her accomplishments as she is everything a true Wolf is meant to be.
— By Regan Saunders