Budding Business Leader
April 23, 2014
After realizing his true potential, Diamond Bar High School junior Gregory Gunadi was motivated to achieve anything he could think of. His determination resulted in six AP classes, countless memberships in clubs, multiple officer positions, and a seat in the highest level orchestra in DBHS, all in the short span of three years.
Throughout his high school career, Gunadi has been involved with so many clubs that he has lost count. That number has gone down to only a few, but his main focus continues to be the Future Business Leaders of America, in which he serves as the California State Secretary, and World Vision MOVE, where he is the Southern California State Secretary.
It was in his first year of FBLA that he found the motivation to become so involved. As a freshman, Gunadi joined the organization and found a role model in the 2012 president of FBLA, Lavanya Jawaharlal, who encouraged him to be more than average.
“[She] gave me a chance that no one else had. She gave me the chance to be more than the average nerdy Asian kid, and I took the chance and ran with it.” Gunadi said via email about Jawaharlal.
Gunadi’s commitment does not only extend to his clubs, but also to everything he involves himself in. He tries to keep a balance, although with four AP classes, his involvement with DBHS’ Grammy winning Symphony Orchestra, Mock Trial, and a social life, it can be challenging. With the support of his parents, Gunadi works hard to maintain his activities, while still saving time for a much-rewarded time of playing video games every now and then.
“I realized that I could actually achieve what I put my mind to. My parents also have been great inspirations, always supporting me in my decisions.” Gunadi said about how he manages his workload.
Multiple extracurricular activities and high-level classes take up most of Gunadi’s schedule, but according to him, his full schedule isn’t his most challenging task.
“I’d say the most time-consuming activity is probably taking care of my girlfriend.” Gunadi joked.
Underneath the persistency and determination, Gunadi is still a junior in high school, who, just like any other student, feels overwhelmed at times. Holding officer positions where others constantly depend on him is stressful, but Gunadi’s responsibilities motivate him to stay persistent.
“I just remind myself there are people counting on me to do my job and that’s what keeps me going.” Gunadi said about his positions.
By pushing himself to manage his heavy workload, Gunadi is also pushing himself toward his future. After graduating from DBHS, he plans to major in financial consulting in college and hopes to start a major firm of his own one day, a goal he has clearly been preparing himself for even in high school.
The amount of time and commitment that Gunadi has given to DBHS is definitely what makes him stand out, and it is his dedication that has turned him into a role model, just like the person who motivated him to be more than just “average” his first year on campus. Three years later, he has come a long way and is now an inspiration to his fellow students.
