By Cheryl Schenk, Director of Enrollment Management

This past winter, I connected with Danny Brambila-Diaz, Class of 2023 alumnus, during his semester break from college. Danny was among the first students to join EPS through the Rainier Scholars program. In my conversation with him, he reflected on his pathway from Rainier Scholars to Eastside Prep, the academic and community support he received, and his preparation at EPS for his college and career—and how he’s discovered a personal mission through each aspect of the journey.

HOW DID YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FIND EASTSIDE PREP?

Rainier Scholars is a community-based organization focused on academic enrichment for students of color in the Seattle area, particularly first generation and low-income families. The program spans the course of eleven years, starting with fourteen months of academic enrichment in the summer and school year. After that, you work with Rainier Scholars to be placed into either honors programs in public school or into private or independent schools in the greater Seattle area. Then, they help you out with college counseling and make sure that you complete four years of university.

I remember they told me to go to these different school tours, learn a little bit about them, and then apply. I knew I wanted to go somewhere in the Bellevue area since my mom works nearby, so we needed a place that would be convenient for both of us. And so for me, Eastside Prep was a really great choice. I remember when I visited and was like, “This is super cool. I really want to go to the school. They’ve got 3D printers. They’ve got a super cool gym. They’ve got a great school space that I think that I could really see myself in.” I could see the different culture that EPS had compared to my public school. And so, when I applied to Eastside Prep and was accepted, I was really excited.

HOW DID RAINIER SCHOLARS PREPARE YOU FOR EPS?

Part of the Rainier Scholars academic enrichment program is being given quite a lot of assignments compared to what you’re used to for a typical Middle School experience. So not only did I go to classes Monday through Friday at my public school, I also went to courses after school on Wednesday and on Saturdays. I would learn things like math, science, and English. We would do a lot of work in terms of our identities as well. Through Rainier Scholars, I was really prepared to have the same academic rigor that I would at an independent school.

YOU MENTIONED THE DIFFERENT CULTURE YOU FOUND AT EASTSIDE PREP—TELL US MORE.

What I didn’t know at the time when I was applying was how tight-knit the community is here. I have, to this day, great relationships with my teachers. I still see them now that I’ve graduated, and I get the chance to talk and engage with them. And I think that Eastside Prep really fosters this community of students and faculty to work together. My teachers really cared about me. Everyone was really welcoming. Everyone really wanted to see you here. Everyone wanted you to be excited about the things you were excited about.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FIRST EPS MEMORIES?

On my first day, it was a BBQ-style lunch, and I remember thinking, “Who do I talk to? What do I do?” I sat alone until Ms. Balcomb, the art teacher, joined me, followed by Profe Ruiz. They chatted with me—asked how I was doing, where my family was from, what I liked to do. It meant a lot to have adults reach out when there were only three new students that year. It made me feel like I had people to go to if I needed anything. Profe Ruiz was my Spanish 3 teacher that year, and became an anchor point for me on campus—someone I could always turn to outside the classroom.

BEYOND THOSE INITIAL CONNECTIONS WITH EPS TEACHERS, WHO ELSE HAD A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE?

I connected with all my teachers, but the most support came in high school. In ninth grade I took intro Biology, then Chemistry and Advanced Biology in tenth—where I realized I loved human health. Dr. Duffy was a constant for four years: Algebra 2, intro and Advanced Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and even my senior Independent Study. She inspired me to pursue medicine and biochemistry. EPS teachers went beyond academics—they understood my circumstances, offered flexibility when I worked a part-time job, and cared for me after my dad passed away in 2022. This was during the time I was doing college applications; Mr. Gummere and Profe Violette answered every question, wrote last-minute recommendations, and kept me calm. At Eastside Prep, what feels above and beyond is just normal.

In addition to academics, I dove into theater—plays and musicals from seventh grade through senior year—with support from Ms. Frystak, Mr. Duncan, and Ms. Ellingson, who even coached me one-on-one for auditions. I also served on Student Leadership Council for three years, worked with Ms. Sayles and Ms. Harris, and learned how to adapt to different leadership styles. Through Allies for Equity Path and affinity groups, including leading the Latinx Affinity Group with Dr. Castro, Profe Botero, and Profe Sánchez, I found spaces to celebrate identity and equity. At EPS, any interest I had—whether theatre, leadership, or furthering equity—there was always someone ready to help me take the next step.

Sara Daniel—now Eastside Prep’s Rainier Scholars Coordinator and Learning Support Specialist—was my academic advisor for Rainier Scholars. She knew Eastside Prep inside and out: my teachers, grading, assignments. Having her as a bridge between EPS and Rainier Scholars ensured I kept practicing the academic preparedness skills I learned through the program.

WHAT WAS YOUR COLLEGE COUNSELING PROCESS LIKE?

Senior year, college applications were overwhelming—I didn’t realize how many options there were or how much the feel of a school mattered. I thought it was just grades and test scores. At first, I told my counselor I wanted public school; private seemed too expensive. She urged me to apply anyway. Financial aid stressed me out most. My unique situation had me panicking about debt and scholarships. I remember sobbing in meetings, convinced I wouldn’t go to college. My college team reassured me, answered every question, and guided me step by step. That support eased the pressure of being a first-generation college student alongside peers who had parents that had gone to Ivy League schools. They made sure that I was on the exact same level as everybody else, that I was prepared with everything—the documentation, all the application materials, the letters of recommendation. They took me step by step through everything for each of the fifteen applications to different schools.

I didn’t start out thinking about Brown University. My process coach suggested it, and I thought, “I don’t know what she sees in this school, but I’ll try.” While filling out the application, I noticed a tiny box for PLME—had no idea what it meant—clicked it, and suddenly had more essays to write. I applied regular decision and was admitted to Brown and the Program in Liberal Medical Education, an eight-year path: four years undergrad, then straight into Brown’s medical school without taking the MCAT exam or submitting a typical application.

Brown turned out to be the perfect fit. Its open curriculum lets me dive deep into what interests me and skip what doesn’t. I never imagined myself on the East Coast, but with strong financial aid and guidance from EPS teachers who knew Brown, I felt prepared. PLME gave me early assurance for medical school, and now I’m building on everything I learned at Eastside Prep.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN MEDICINE?

When I got to EPS, I thought, “I’m gonna use those 3D printers every day. I’m gonna spend all my time in the maker space” because at the time I did want to do something with design and with computer science and engineering. Ms. Hollingshead taught me how to use them and how to gain the skills from the MAKE technology class. And then in Upper School, I realized that is not for me.

I realized I wanted to study medicine, not just at Eastside Prep. I loved Advanced Biology and Chemistry classes—everything focused on physiology and human health. It wasn’t just theory, either. For example, we had case studies and even a debate in Organic Chemistry about an ’80s diet pill. That kind of activity let me explore medicine from scientific and cultural perspectives.

Outside school, caring for my dad during high school shaped my view of medicine. It’s not just about cells and science—it’s about people, resources, and equity. That experience showed me medicine is a social issue as much as a scientific one, and it called to what I stand for and what I’ve lived.

BETWEEN UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES, MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND RESIDENCY, YOU’VE GOT A LOT OF HARD WORK AHEAD OF YOU. WHAT’S NEXT?

In the future, I want to get my EMT license and work as an emergency medical technician. After medical school, I hope to do a residency in emergency medicine—helping people in their most critical moments. What I love about emergency medicine is that it’s never the same: you see everything from mild headaches to car accidents. It’s not just science; it’s about making connections with people. I’ve explored medicine through research, shadowing, and patient care, and I hope one day to teach as well.

Ultimately, I want to address healthcare equity. Many immigrant communities fear hospitals—worried about bills or not being understood. As someone from a first-gen, low-income background and a person of color, I hope patients can see themselves in me and feel trust. That impact matters most.

For me, Eastside Prep was the place where I discovered what my personal mission is and what I want to do with my future. In terms of how we can inspire people to make a better world, honestly, I think that the answer is just in building trust. I think right now we live in a society that is very divided, that has quite a lot of issues with people knowing the difference between information and misinformation, like who you can trust, what you can trust them with. And I think that right now if there’s anything that I hope to see in the future to better the world, it’s to allow people to trust the healthcare system just a little bit more.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR RAINIER SCHOLARS APPLYING TO AND ENROLLING AT EPS?

What I know about a Rainier Scholar is that they are someone who is very excited to learn, regardless of what it is. And when you come to a school like Eastside Prep, where your teachers and your classmates are just so excited to learn about everything, to dive really deep into specific topics or go really broad, you will find that here you unlock potential that you wouldn’t anywhere else. I know that I’m very grateful to have had that experience. So for any scholars who are considering coming to Eastside Prep, I would highly recommend it as a place where the academic rigor is similar to Rainier Scholars. You’re going to be doing a lot of work. It’s going to feel, at times, very exhausting. At the end of the day, it’ll be so rewarding and you’re going to be so happy.

FOR ANY STUDENT CONSIDERING EPS, WHAT SHOULD THEY KNOW?

You can get a great education everywhere, but you won’t find the community that you find at Eastside Prep anywhere. Eastside Prep was not just good academically; you get to meet all these awesome people, but you also get skills that teach you how to be a good person—how to do well once you’ve graduated, once you go on to college. And I’m just genuinely very grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve had. I feel like had it not been for Rainier Scholars or Eastside Prep, I would not be in the place that I am today. And that really comes down to these organizations empowering me to go and do the thing that I want to do. Not to just have it as an idea, but to actually realize all of my dreams.