Not many students can tell you what they want to pursue or what special talent they want to develop and transform into a long-lasting career. However junior Ali Pateros takes her passion of filming to the limit, entered a nationwide contest and came out on top.

Every year the National PTA holds a special arts contest called The Reflection Program. The program picks a different theme each year, and the theme is expressed through various mediums of art such as writing, painting, film or dance.

“This past year’s theme was ‘The world would be a better place if…,'” Pateros said. “So, I entered the film academy category and you could do basically anything, but your video had to be less than five minutes.”

Up against 55,000 other applicants, Pateros chose to do a documentary styled film where she would go around and talk to countless people about their views of the theme, giving her video a unique spin.

“I would go around and talk to people ‘selfie’ style and see what they thought would make a better world,” Pateros said.

Once she finished interviewing everyone she talked to, she then elaborated on her own perspective of what would make the world a better place.

“I just sat down in front of my phone and talked into it to reflect on the topic and said my own thoughts and insights,” Pateros said. “What I gathered from these responses is that the world needs to be tolerant of others, put our differences aside and to be open-minded.”

The applicants will have their art piece judged by their school district and then to a larger San Diego PTA, which then goes to the 9th District. The 9th District is composed of different counties within California, like San Joaquin, Contra Costa and Sacramento.

“Mine went to both of those and then the 9th district,” Pateros said. “Then it moved onto State because it received first place from the 9th district and somehow I placed first in State.”

Her sudden success came to a shock when she won top eight in the nation, all from a video she just entered because of her passion for film.

“I moved into Nationals and then I got an Award of Merit at the national competition and was really excited to know that I did so well for just having fun with what I love to do,” Pateros said.

Pateros dedicated her time to achieve something she never thought was possible. Through countless hours of editing and filming, she created one of her greatest films and knows she will continue to pursue what she loves.

“I never thought I would come this far but it gives me hope that I can really do this in the future, and that to me sounds really fun,” Pateros said.

Ally is love. Ally is life.