Meet Jocelyn Maldonado, a sixth-grader at Buford Middle Academy. Jocelyn is the daughter of Leticia and Javier Alvarado. She was born in Atlanta but grew up in the city of Buford. Jocelyn has been enrolled in the Buford City School System since kindergarten at Buford Elementary School. She has three older siblings, Diego Valencia, 25, William Valencia, 22, and Andrea Valencia, 19. Her two older brothers, William and Diego, grew up in El Salvador, where they are currently living, and her older sister, Andrea, was a Buford graduate in the class of 2019.
Jocelyn is a stellar student at Buford Middle School. She is able to maintain amazing grades all while juggling life outside of school. Math is Jocelyn’s favorite subject.
“Math is my favorite subject because it’s easy and it’s fun to solve problems, also, you learn new things every day,” she said. “Sometimes the math problems are challenging, but I manage to work the problems out and I never give up. In fact, one of my highest grades is in math!”
In addition to working hard at school, Jocelyn dedicates her free time every week to be part of her church’s dance program. Jocelyn has been involved in the dance program for four years now. Jocelyn said she loves dance because although she’s shy, it is a way to express herself and it makes her very happy.
“Dance has taught me to never be afraid of other people’s thoughts or opinions,” she said. “It has taught me to always follow my dream!”
When asked about her favorite teacher and who has had the biggest influence on her so far at Buford, Jocelyn confidently answered Mrs. West.
“Mrs. West is very funny; she always knows how to make my day better, even when I’m having a bad day,” Jocelyn said.
Mrs. Laurabeth Shorts speaks on Jocelyn’s joyful personality and kindness within the classroom.
“Jocelyn is an amazing young lady who has attended Buford City Schools since kindergarten. She goes above and beyond helping one of her peers every day, every class and every class change,” Mrs. Shorts said. “She is there assisting him with his books and helping him to each class. She is always the first to volunteer if something needs to be done in class for another student.”
When she is not busy with dance and school, Jocelyn can often be found watching movies, eating snacks, hanging out and catching up with friends, and going out on little dates with her older sister, Andrea.
Being a Buford Wolf isn’t always easy, however, Jocelyn Maldonado makes it seem as easy as a piece of cake! She is an amazingly well-rounded student with great work ethic, personality and most importantly, a giving heart. No doubt she will continue to accomplish great things in life. Surely, Jocelyn will find a way to inspire and change the world into a better place, and as a Buford Wolf, we proudly claim her.
