Getting into Harvard? TDHS Senior calls it behind the back, blindfolded, full-court shot
Yahir Santillan-Guzman has had an interesting month.
By Tom Peterson
Yahir Santillan-Guzman sat at his computer two weeks ago.
He set his iPhone to video and set it at the base of the screen.
The 18-year-old senior at The Dalles High School was awaiting a message.
From Harvard.
He had applied to the college at the suggestion of his ASPIRE Mentor Bill Noonan.
ASPIRE Mentor Bill Noonan inspired Yahir to apply to Harvard College.
Of the 40,000 applicants Harvard receives annually, 2000 or less than 5 percent make it in.
“I didn’t think I had a chance,” Yahir said. “It was a shoot-my-shot-from-full-court, blindfolded, behind-the-back, kind-of-thing.”
April 6th was the day he would find out. Yahir, his sister Yamari and his Mom Elida were with him. His father Jose was still at work driving truck.
Yahir could not concentrate on anything else that afternoon.
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The Valedictorian had already been accepted as a merit scholar at the University of Southern California. Boston College, Northeastern University, University of Oregon, Gonzaga had all asked him to join their freshman class.
But Harvard?
He was fully expecting a rejection.
Seconds were slowly ticking off the clock.
At 4 p.m., all he had to do was click the update status button.
He would not wait for his Dad to get home. No reason to.
“I was expecting a no, so why drag it out.”
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Yahir came from humble beginnings - both his parents immigrated from Mexico. His dad worked in cherries, apples, pears, peaches, blueberries, mint and wheat. He now drives a truck for a living.
His Mom worked in fruit packing plants such as Diamond Fruit Growers in Parkdale and then Oregon Cherry Growers near Sunshine Mill in The Dalles. She recently transitioned to Goodwill after she was displaced by automation.
Money was tight at times. He remembers the family receiving help through the Women Infant and Children program.
He and his family have lived in Eagle Caves Estates just east of Hostetler Street since he was a young boy, and they have traveled to Mexico to see family at Christmas for years.
Yahir attended preschool at the Oregon Child Development Coalition.
“I am a proud resident of the Westside,” Yahir said, noting he attended Chenowith Elementary. “It’s the self-proclaimed ghetto school,” he said. “And we’re proud of it... The rules were more relaxed. It was a lot of fun.”
It’s inspiring listening to Yahir speak. He’s bilingual, articulate, and understands what it took for him to get to this point in his life.
But Harvard?
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Yahir can name the people and times that helped him pivot into the role of scholar.
Juntos Program Coordinator Andrea Flores
His mother Elida and father Jose saw great things in their son and supported him. They enrolled him in the Juntos Program through the Oregon State University Extension Office during eighth grade.
Coordinator of the program Andrea Flores helped guide Yahir and his parents through college requirements.
“She introduced me to the value of AP,” Yahir said. He learned grade point average, community service, sports and clubs all played into building a good resume for college.
“I came into high school with all that knowledge. It gave me a huge advantage,” he said. “I came out running.”
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Yahir played soccer and tennis his freshman year, took AP US Government with Jim Taylor.
And he met upperclassmen Gheraldy Bobadilla, now a freshman at Western Oregon University.
“He took me under his wing,” Yahir said. “I was pretty shy, and he pushed me to do more things on my own. He told me to do more stuff for myself and don’t care about what others think. I owe a lot to him.”
Yahir said the advice pushed him to become a sister city delegate for Myoshi, Japan as well as apply for and win a trip to Washington D.C. He met Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Greg Walden.
Yahir said he joined Key Club, became a Leo with the Lion’s Club and stayed involved with Juntos.
He was so busy the fall of his Junior year with soccer, three clubs, three AP classes, pre-calculus, he could hardly see straight.
If you had 5 minutes to yourself, what would you do?
“Sleep,” he said. “Take a long nap.”
He actually embraced the pandemic, noting it gave him and his family a lot more time to talk and bond. He also filled out a few college applications.
He said AP teacher Colby Tonn really connected with him. He taught Yahir AP World History his sophomore year. “I was able to have really good conversations with him,” he said.
Mary Jo Cummerford pushed Yahir in AP English and European History.
Mary Jo Commerford
“She’s my number one fan,” he said. She mentored, guided and motivated him. “She’s the unofficial president of the Yahir fan club.”
A village has helped Yahir in his education including AP teachers Jim Taylor and Jill Pearson.
Near the culmination of his high school career on April 6th, Yahir sat until 4 p.m. awaiting the electrons to deliver a definitive answer from the nation’s oldest - 1636 - and most coveted learning institution.
He clicked update and changed his life forever.
“Congratulations, I am delighted to inform you that the Committee on Admissions has admitted you into the class of 2025,” the acceptance letter read.
Yes, Harvard.
“I jumped up and bumped my phone and all you can hear is yelling,” he said. “I had a burst of energy, and I just started running around the living room. My sister got scared because of my reaction. My mom started yelling and teared up…”
“I didn’t think I had a chance.”
On Friday Yahir received his financial aid package and found out Harvard will pay a good portion of his tuition and fees.
Yahir plans to pursue Economics and or Engineering once he starts in September. “I love math. Numbers, that’s my thing.”
He is still in a state of shock and coming to grips with the fact that he has made it into arguably the most prestigious school in the US. He has yet to accept the offer. He said he wants to get the right Harvard t-shirt on before he presses the button and accepts.
It also gave him hope for others who are pushing themselves in The Dalles.
“My goal is to inspire the next generation,” he said. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I live in the same house. It’s not like I went to incredible schools in Chicago. I went to school in The Dalles. My parents are immigrants and worked in the fields. I never expected to make it to the level I did. If I can make it, you can too.”
