Not Your Average Joe: CCHS Senior Joe Torres Ascends to MIT and Beyond

BY KENDYL COUNTS

Under studio lights a curly-haired boy stands alert, his hand hovering above a buzzer.  As if by a feat of clairvoyance, his hand slams the buzzer and he answers correctly, even after receiving only a fragment of a hint. His knowledge is boundless and he knows it, smiling wryly as he casually responds to trivia that would, under normal circumstances, warrant a perusal of Google to answer.  Within minutes, Cooper City High School’s points have doubled, and when the siren sounds and confetti flies, Senior Joseph Torres has led his team to victory in the annual School Duel.

Though he’s made a name for himself here in Cooper City, Torres was born in California to a set of hard-working, academically inclined parents.  Educational games and books were integral parts of his childhood, and at about four years of age he was introduced to video games for the first time, igniting his fervid passion for computer science.

“One of my most defining activities is my long-term involvement in video games,” Torres said.  “My father, although he’s a social studies teacher, has always been interested in computers, and introduced my siblings and me to gaming. I grew up spending afternoons and evenings playing with my brother, and then eventually with friends.”

Following his family’s move to Florida in 2004, Torres’ tight-knit household of six people was reduced to a household of five when his oldest sister left to attend the University of Southern California after graduating in the top two percent of her high school class.  Her hard work and subsequent success set a precedent for Torres and his two other siblings, and he was inspired by her to set a goal of his own: attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a university characterized by academic prestige and scientific advancement.

“My dream school since elementary school has been MIT,” Torres said. “I [only] vaguely understood the idea of prestigious universities when I was that age, [but the] influence of my siblings made me want to aim for the top.”

However, not long after setting this staggering goal for his future, Torres faced a set of trials and tribulations in the form of gastroparesis, a condition in which stomach muscles do not function normally, consequently interfering with nutrition.   By his seventh grade year the condition had severely worsened, and as a “sickly young lad” enduring the life-threatening complications of this illness, he became aware that his goal of attending MIT was slipping increasingly out of reach.

Hoping to brighten up the dismal routine of their son’s extended visits to the hospital, Torres’ parents applied for a wish from the Make a Wish Foundation. Deemed eligible to receive compensation for his poor health, Torres was granted his wish: a two-thousand dollar shopping spree at Best Buy, a laptop, and other free electronic gadgets, fueling his pre-existing devotion to technology.

With lots of medical attention and hope, Torres survived the hospital, survived middle school, and ventured forth into high school, where he proceeded to succeed at his many academic endeavors.  During his freshman year he decided to take pre-calculus online and found himself in a threeway tie for first in his class. The next summer, he took three dual-enrollment classes, solidifying his place at the top.  In the years following, a combination of challenging courses and unbelievable test scores contributed to an ever-growing resume, and his college dreams seemed far more realistic with impressive numbers on his side.

“Although it wasn’t deliberate, I’ve been in the wakes of a path that has accomplished much, and merely took advantage of it to jump a gap that many first generation college students need to traverse on their own,” Torres said.  “Once I learned of how difficult getting into college [is], it just became another game, [and] as I’m sure [everyone] knows by now, I really enjoy games. So, I took it as a personal challenge to succeed, pursuing the prestige as a [challenge] while maintaining the notion that individual effort is the true indicator of success, and prestige is subjective to the individual rather than the school.”

There’s more to Torres, however, than just an SAT score or a GPA.  He has managed to prosper in other academic pursuits, including participating in the Science Olympiad, Mu Alpha Theta competitions, programming tournaments, Chemistry & Physics tournaments, Debate tournaments, and captaining Cooper City High School’s 2015 School Duel team.  A calm, calculating leader, he is President of Mu Alpha Theta (Math club), Vice President of Computer Science Club, and Treasurer of Science Club, happily representing his fellow intellectuals in office.  Just last year he began playing the piano, and he still enjoys playing video games just as much as he did fourteen years ago.

With graduation quickly approaching,  many usually find themselves holding their breath in anticipation of the announcement of the class valedictorian.  This year, it seems to go without saying that Torres’ unfathomably impeccable GPA has granted him that title without question, as it has granted him some other things as well.

Recently, Torres announced his achievement of becoming the first person in Cooper City High School history to be accepted to the California Institute of Technology, a school with below a ten percent acceptance rate.

“I define my perception of the college process as, it is for many individuals, subjective to my own upbringing and ideas.” Torres said.  “Both of my parents are immigrants, and have worked from histories far less forgiving than my own to be highly successful individuals.  As both of my parents are currently teachers, there has always been an emphasis on education and its importance, as well as the reality of ascending through society.”

Though a fantastic opportunity, Torres decided to decline Caltech’s offer in favor of pursuing a childhood dream.  He can proudly say that next fall he will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the most difficult schools to gain admittance to in the country.

“Once I got into [MIT], I was happy for weeks,” Torres said. “There was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and my days became much, much easier.  I don’t think I ever remember feeling happier, and sharing that happiness with my family and friends.”

At MIT, among some of the brightest students in the country, Torres will likely study electrical engineering and computer science, with hopes of being involved in technological research and development down the road. However, with broad goals and an open mind, Torres is prepared to work in any field that will allow him to contribute something to humanity.

“I’m not [completely] sure what I’ll be studying,” Torres said.  “In general though, I just want to succeed, have a stable future, and leave the world in [better shape] than [it was] when I came.”