When Joselyne Cimpaye helped care for her ailing grandmother, with the knowledge that it wouldn’t be long before her loved one would pass away, it occasionally made her sad.

But as she cooked, did household chores, and kept her grandmother company, she felt the sadness being replaced by an entirely different feeling.

“I really enjoyed taking care of her,” said Cimpaye, a senior at Harrison High School. “Cooking for her, cleaning, and just being with her toward the end, was a comfort to both of us. So I decided I would try to find a career in that field.”

When Cimpaye took a job at Sunny Vista, an assisted-living facility in Colorado Springs, she became even more convinced that she had

found her life’s work in the geriatrics field.

“Being able to help people in their last moments is a blessing,” she said. “It gives me a sense that I’m doing something impactful.”

Born in Tanzania to a Rwandan mother and Burundian father, Cimpaye and her family emigrated to the U.S. when she was 4. The family’s pursuit of the “American dream” soon suffered a setback when her parents divorced, leaving Cimpaye with increased responsibilities.

Because her mother speaks no English, Cimpaye often has had to serve as the family’s translator. She briefly considered a career as a language interpreter before finding her calling.

Despite her added responsibilities, Cimpaye has blossomed into an outstanding student. She has maintained a grade point average of more than 4.0, is a member of the National Honor Society. Because she obtained all the necessary credits by the end of her junior year, she has been getting a jump on college; she will finish her high school career with an honors high school diploma and an associate’s degree from Pikes Peak Community College.

“I thought it was important to get a lot of the prerequisites out of the way so I can go straight into a nursing program,” she said.

In addition to handling a course load filled with challenging classes and holding down her job at Sunny Vista, Cimpaye has served in her school’s Leadership Class and Student Council.

Cimpaye admits to having an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. In her quest to learn as much as she can about the health care profession, she has obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant certification and has shadowed doctors and nurses at Memorial Hospital.

“I learned a lot there,” she said. “But in hospitals, they do mostly short-term care; you don’t really build a connection with the patients, which is what I prefer.”

Cimpaye’s drive and determination has not gone unnoticed.

“Joselyne’s level of commitment and work ethic is far beyond what I have witnessed in other high school students,” said Angela Wright, Cimpaye’s mentor at the Elevated college prep program. “Joselyne fully embodies the spirit of scholar and leader in her school and her community.”

Cimpaye is weighing her college options; she has been accepted to Regis University, University of Denver the and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Wherever she decides to attend, she is confident that her work ethic will help her succeed.

“No matter what your background is, with hard work, goals and aspirations, anything is achievable,” she said.