Oswaldo Avila is a senior at Morton East High school. Avila was born on April 29, 2006, in Saint Anthony Hospital, Chicago, Ill. Outside of school Avila loves to play and watch football. His favorite football team is FC Barcelona, and his favorite player is Lionel Messi.  

 Avila believes he had a memorable childhood. He said, “I have 5 siblings and it was all up and down growing up with them but at the same time mostly fun.” 

 “One of my best memories has to be going out to play football with my friends in the field,” Avila said. 

 When Avila was a child, he wanted to become someone other than a footballer. 

 “I wanted to be a police officer when I was little but now that changed,” he said. 

 Avila says Morton East is a good school and he dreams about playing at a professional level in football.  

 “Morton East is an alright school, it’s not bad as long as you just have your small circle. It’s decent,” Avila said. “My goal is to keep playing football and get a stable, good earning job.” 

 Avila is grateful for having a dad who is supportive and wants his son to do his absolute best.  

 “My dad is my biggest inspiration. Because of him he taught me how not to depend on others and to never give up on what you are doing,” Avila said. 

 Avila believes things happen for a purpose and gives advice to his younger self. 

 “I don’t have any regrets I feel like everything happens for a reason, and I would tell my younger self to keep what he’s doing and that everything he does will be for something amazing,” Avila said. 

 Sebastian Mora is a Marketing and Entrepreneurship teacher at Morton East. Mora has known Avila for two months; however, he thinks Avila has a future in sports.  

 “I have known Oswaldo since the beginning of the semester. My first impression of him was that he was very shy, but he definitely opens up when he is comfortable. He is highly creative and genuinely nice, he is just very shy and reserved at first, but once he is comfortable with someone, he starts to open up more. He is very interested in sports so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as a pro athlete, but I have not seen him actually participate in sports, what I have seen from him is his creativity, I would not be surprised to see Oswaldo run or promote some kind of sports store and/or products,” Mora said.  

 Aron Flores is a sophomore at Morton East, he is a friend of Avila and used to play football with him.  

 “I met Oswaldo when I was eight or seven and he is a year older, so he was around nine. We played for five years in Clyde for a team called Valencia. I see Oswaldo playing football or running as a pro. This is because he is an incredibly good and fast player; he can also run for a long distance,” Flores said. 

 Oswaldo Avila has potential to make it as a professional footballer and athlete. Teachers and friends who have gotten to know Avila believe that he can have a good career in sports. He loves football and watches professional games every time he gets. Avila’s lifetime goal is to play professional football in a big European club.