Cool Kid Samantha Gomez mentors elementary and middle school students in LA

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Sixteen-year-old Samantha Gomez spends her time after school mentoring elementary and middle school students, while participating in the LA County Sheriff's Department's Youth Activities League.

"It's a pretty fun program because I like working with kids and being with them, so mentoring the kids is pretty fun," Gomez said.

The sophomore at Montebello's Schurr High School says she's grown up around gangs and violence, and first learned about this program while looking for a place to perform community service her freshman year.

"We tell them (students) about gangs and what not to do, but we also tell them about things that they should be doing instead," Gomez said. "I feel like I'm actually making a change. It might not be big right now, but something so small like a lecture, maybe in the future they'll remember 'Samantha told me not do this' and they'll stay away from that."

Gomez is also a dedicated student, receiving a "High Honors Student" award, and the "President's Award for Educational Excellence." On top of that, she's competitive wrestler, finishing first place during the first league finals for girls wrestling.

This Cool Kid and youth advocate says it's all helped her focus on the future.

"I want to be a pediatrician because I love kids." Gomez said. "I love being with them, being surrounded by them, and I have this goal in life. I just want to travel around the world."