Alex Armas exudes confidence. Maybe it’s the rumble of his Camaro, sleek black, finished with a red interior. Maybe it’s the strum of his electric guitar. Alex Armas is someone you notice for the multitude of activities he participates in. Whether it’s balancing school clubs, creating music, or playing sports, Armas definitely makes an impression, but his confidence and involvement didn’t come easy at first.
“I didn’t find any interest in clubs,” Armas said about his freshman year. “The transition from middle school to high school was hard.”
He remembers the feeling of not knowing where he fit in, and that feeling kept him from getting involved in school at first. During his sophomore year, that all changed. Armas started spending more time with his older brother, Dustin, who was very active both in and out of school. Following his brother, Armas was able to see the variety of opportunities that came along with being involved, which led Armas to start thinking differently about clubs.
“He made me want to be not just hanging out with him, but hanging out with his friends, and just seeing the opportunities that being in all the clubs brought to me,” said Armas. “That made me want to get involved and stay involved.”
The gradual shift in mentality opened many doors to experiences he hadn’t expected. Since then, Armas has joined multiple clubs and even became the president of the National Honor Society. He says getting that position wasn’t about being the best or just standing out; it was about consistency and showing up.
“It was just making connections, being active in the club,” he said. “Since it’s a student vote, that was a big part of it.”
Outside of school, Armas has a long-term interest in music. Inspired by the deep emotional music of Junior H, he picked up the guitar. What started out as a hobby quickly became a passion, and he has never put the guitar down since.
“8th grade summer going into my freshman year, I really started getting into a bunch of artists like Junior H, Eslabon Armado, just those types of music” said Armas “I think just listening to them it really inspired me to want to learn.”
During this time, college wasn’t an idea he had really settled on or even really thought about. As time inched closer to commitment day, Armas decided to commit to Swarthmore College on a full academic scholarship. Armas wasn’t the only one who got into Swarthmore since his brother got in two years prior, also on a full-ride scholarship.
“My brother tells me the people are amazing, all the students and professors, and being a liberal arts college, it opens your mind to a lot of things,” he said. “I visited the campus a good couple of times since we go over to visit my brother every once in a while, so I’d say I really enjoy it. It is such a beautiful school.”
Admiring the sacrifices of his parents and seeing how much success his brother was having at Swarthmore College changed his perspective.
“Seeing my parents and the hard work and dedication they put in for me to have the opportunity to go to school and have a better future and to be able to live the life they’ve always dreamed of really pushed me further.”
You might hear the Camaro before you see him, whether it’s the engine roaring or the red interior catching your eye. But Armas himself isn’t loud. He’s grown from being quiet and an unsure individual into someone who’s found his place and put himself out there without changing who he is. His confidence lingers.
