Junior Reuben De Souza said that he sees value in people who think differently than him, and feels that if you use that to your advantage you can find even greater success than you would have found working alone. 

Whether that applies to a math problem or a play on the soccer field, De Souza said that he believes that the outcome of a situation will be better when you ask for help from the people around you.

For the time being, De Souza is focusing on finishing high school to prepare for what comes next, even though he doesn’t know exactly what that will be yet. De Souza is considering a career that is science or math-related. This focus can be attributed to his love for his AP Physics and AP Calculus classes.

“[AP Physics is] a really fun class, and we learn about a lot of interesting concepts in the real world,” De Souza said. He also enjoys math, and was awarded for his academic achievements in the subject when he was a freshman and a sophomore.

One of De Souza’s favorite activities is soccer, which he has been playing since he was a young kid. “I just really like playing the sport and the camaraderie with my teammates and stuff like that,” he said.

De Souza has been a member of La Salle’s soccer team since he was a freshman, and he also plays for a club soccer team outside of school.   

Aside from soccer, De Souza also enjoys mountain biking, which is a hobby he picked up during quarantine. Additionally, he found himself playing a lot more video games due to the abundance of time spent at home.

De Souza made the choice to come to La Salle after being encouraged by his parents and hearing good things about the school from others. “My parents were always interested in the school, and they really wanted me to come here,” he said. “Then when I visited, I saw that it was a great school so I decided to go here.”

While De Souza feels that he has found a group of good friends at La Salle now, his transition to the school did pose some challenges. “It was a bit hard because I’m not the most social person, but I think that overall it went pretty good,” he said.

Returning to a more normal social scene was something De Souza was really looking forward to as La Salle transitioned to in-person learning. “I feel like I enjoy the social interaction more, and I feel like it’s something I actually missed compared to previous years,” he said.

He also empathizes with his teachers, and has found himself taking note of all of the obstacles they have faced during the pandemic. “They had to overcome a lot of challenges,” he said. “[Them] trying to get all the students to learn the material and stuff, that’ll stick with me for a while.”

When De Souza is struggling with something, he reminds himself that giving up is not an option. 

“Whenever I’m going through a challenge, I just remember that it’s gonna end at some point,” he said. “So just keep fighting.”