November Alumni of the Month: Pilar Hurtado Gutierrez
DPSF’s November DPS Alumni of the Month is Pilar Hurtado Gutierrez! Pilar attended J.D. Clement Early College High School and is currently a sophomore at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC, where she is majoring in Business Administration and Accounting with a minor in Entrepreneurship.
In addition to her studies, Pilar is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community. She runs YouthVibra, an online program offering free skills, resources, and classes to students across North Carolina. Pilar is also working on her startup, Tasty Bites Durham, and serves as part of the entrepreneurial team at echoNC.
Pilar describes DPS as a “center of opportunities and hope” that prepared her for both college and career. She especially appreciates the chance to take college classes in high school and the guidance she received from DPS mentors and counselors.
Read our full interview with Pilar below!
DPSF: Tell us about you - what DPS schools did you attend? What are you doing now?
Pilar: My name is Pilar Hurtado Gutierrez. I graduated from J.D Clement Early College and I am currently a sophomore student at Guilford College located in Greensboro, NC. I am majoring in Business Administration and Accounting with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I am currently running my online program called YouthVibra where we share skills and resources and classes available to any students in NC for free. I am working on my startup and small business called ‘Tasty Bites Durham’ and I am currently working at an entrepreneurial organization called echoNC.
DPSF: What does DPS or your school community mean to you? How has it helped shape you into who you are today?
Pilar: For me, DPS has been the center of opportunities and hope. My experience in DPS was so great as I was given the opportunity to take college classes during my high school experience and just being able to volunteer in different events with the DPS Foundation. It really shaped me as an individual to be more organized and prepared for my college and future career as I really got a lot of support from counselors and DPS mentors. I was very glad when DPS included the Personal Finance Class during my Junior year as it really helped me understand real-world scenarios such as college tuition, taxes, current legal scenarios, and more. It really helped me understand a variety of perspectives through education and local experience.
DPSF: What’s your favorite memory from your time at DPS?
Pilar: My favorite memory from DPS is the DPS Fest event back in 2023. I think it was when I saw most of the schools across DPS work together and showcase beautiful performances from students and connect with different school communities. I also really enjoyed the clubs my high school had, especially the music club and Hispanic Heritage events. The delicious cultural food to taste was awesome and connecting with peers was also amazing!
DPSF: Is there a teacher who influenced you most along the way? What's their name and how did they make a difference?
Pilar: The Early College school treasurer Ms. Deborah Alston Pettiford was the one who truly influenced me along the way. When I received the DPS Foundation grant for my program, she taught me the financial aspects such as the budget and numbers. She taught me how to be more prepared every time financial plans or budgets needed to be discussed. In addition, she provided me with good feedback and a sense of understanding that although it isn’t easy to be financially organized, there is always a space to grow and learn how to keep records and everything virtually organized. I learned to build better communication and later on, I started to develop that skill and use it in other workplaces, so a huge thanks to Ms. Pettiford for the support and learning.
DPSF: What’s one piece of advice you would give to current DPS students?
Pilar: My advice for current DPS students is to not give up academically but also emotionally and physically. Back when I was a DPS student, I had to work multiple jobs plus the projects that I enjoyed doing but didn’t always have time for. My huge advice is to prioritize your mental health before anything else. I think that is one of the huge factors in being successful in school and in personal and work life.
My point is that if you are a DPS student, take time to rest because at some point the assignments and everything will hit and one just needs to relax their brain. One of my biggest regrets during high school was wanting to be a perfectionist and getting all A’s in all my classes with no breaks and never having the time to hang out with my friends or go out for a trip because of my obsession with being perfect in school and at work.
So, if you are a DPS senior student or once you are a DPS senior student, get good grades but also prioritize your time management to hang out and have fun with friends and family. Keep doing your best and don’t let others put you down. I started as a DPS student but I was also a lot of things: Entrepreneur, City Youth Ambassador, Volunteer, Camp Counselor, Marketing lead, Events Planner, Youth Advocate, Founder of a youth program, etc, but finally a girl who keeps chasing her dreams and goals. You got this!
Are you interested in becoming a DPS Alumni of the Month? Find more information here:https://www.bullcityschools.org/alumni