Programmed for success: ‘Hardest working student’ seeks career in technology
BY CAYLEN GARIBAY
The Tower
A young man wakes up every day, grabs his books and bag, ready to work no matter how hard the challenge may be. Day in and day out, this young man lives life without much stress, regardless of what exams, tests or discussions might come his way.
A teacher’s voice echoes through his mind, as he takes in the information being given to him. The work and info — collectively representing more than seven hours of school — are as easy to take in as oxygen.
Every day, Manteca High’s Fouad Alhashwa is undefeated in his fight with school, and that’s in large part to his demeanor. He’s not afraid of showing up and rolling up his sleeves and he’s also learned to keep an even-keeled demeanor. He’s never too high or low.
Alhashwa does not ask for the most expensive car nor the highest authority.
He only wishes for what makes him happy.
“Whatever suits me, whatever can get me whatever I can pay rent with, whatever can feed me any my family, I don’t want to be some big successful guy, as long as I just meet ends then that’s all I really care about,” he said.
Alhashwa has plans of getting into college to work toward his passion. His ambition is a career in cybersecurity and a modest but meaningful life after he leaves Manteca Unified’s oldest campus. Alhashwa has a special love for what he is given in life and does everything he can to ensure his life is satisfactory.
Square one: Keep a strong work ethic.
“He’s one of the hardest working students in my class. He always has an answer, even if it’s a sarcastic one,” Manteca High history teacher Matthew Eavenson said. “You know he’s always thinking.”
Strong-willed and intelligent, Alhashwa wishes to work toward a career that revolves around technology. Inspired by his uncle George Alchaer, a video game connoisseur, Alhashwa is drawn to computers and video games. Through hundreds of YouTube videos, online tutorials, books, and his family, Alhashwa has learned to deconstruct and reassemble computers. He’s even built his own computer.
“I would say that a lot of things come naturally to him. … I don’t think he has to work too hard for it,” Eavenson said. “I think he is more of a smart worker than a hard worker.”
The Tower spoke with Alhashwa to learn more about his motives and passions.
The Tower: What does your past history in school look like?
Fouad Alhashwa: My parents always had a good motive for me to get good grades in school because if you get good grades then you get like presents on summer break or they will treat you with stuff, take you on vacation stuff like that so I was a straight A student most of the time.
TT: Does school seem hard to you in any form of way?
FA: Not really. Sometimes when I’m sick or just don’t really feel like waking up, sometimes it’s hard. But at the end of the day, it’s got to be done. You can’t just skip school because there’s stuff to be done in school.
TT: What is your primary interest for what you want to do in life?
FA: It would most likely be cybersecurity. I would work for just about anything with technology. I’m just a geek. I like working with computers.
TT: Why are you into cybersecurity?
FA: I was into it basically ever since I was like 3. I just got pulled into playing video games with my uncle. He’s the youngest in the family, so he was still playing video games and I would just hop on the controller. Ever since we would just play together. … I just got more into technology over time (and) eventually I got into watching YouTube tutorials and learned how to build computers and work with them.