Jimmy Ramirez’s summer becomes more memorable as each week passes. At the beginning of the month, he addressed his fellow Freedom High School graduates during a soggy ceremony and just last week, on a much sunnier day in Sacramento, Ramirez collected a $10,000 scholarship from Comcast.

“It all feels so surreal,” said Ramirez, Freedom’s valedictorian and class president. “I’m really excited about furthering my education, and being honored with the Comcast scholarship is amazing. When they called my name (at last week’s ceremony), I couldn’t believe it. I never expected that I would get this scholarship. The other person who was selected for the scholarship was so together and composed, but when I heard my name, I screamed. I couldn’t contain it.”

Good news has been following Ramirez a lot lately. This year, he picked up a full-ride to Georgetown University, where he plans to study political science. Winning the scholarship is a relief, he said, as the extra money will help pay for room and board so he’ll be able to focus more on his demanding schedule. He aspires to intern at the White House by the time he’s a sophomore and if all goes according to plan, one day he’ll reside at the White House as Commander in Chief.

Ramirez said he’s dreamed of being president of the United States since he was a little boy and plans to pursue a career in public service as a way to give back to the community. Upon graduation from college, he plans to begin in the local arena and see where his career takes him.

“I want to give back and make a difference,” said Ramirez. “I want to make the world a better place. That sounds cheesy, but I really want to. I’ve been through a lot of struggles – like many, my family has been affected by the country’s current economic situation – and I want to find a way so that future generations don’t have to go through that.”

Ramirez credits his family for his success. His parents and sister have been a source of unconditional love and never-ending support. He’s also grateful for the mentoring he received from Freedom Leadership Coordinator Dana Johnson and economics teacher Fidel Garcia.

“So many people have helped me reach my goals, and I’m so lucky to have such supportive people in my life,” Ramirez said. “I hope I can keep making everyone proud.”

Comcast honored 190 California high school seniors last week, awarding $210,000 in grants and scholarships. While all the honorees received $1,000 awards, Ramirez and Axia Vang of Madera received an additional $10,000 as winners of the Comcast Founders Scholarship, an award given to students who exemplify leadership skills, a positive attitude, academic achievement and dedication to the community.

During his four years at Freedom, Ramirez logged more than 900 hours of community service and participated in Leadership, Link Crew and the Aloha Club. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. The varsity volleyball player graduated with a 4.23 grade point average and has already been accepted into a Georgetown leadership program.