When Daniel Reyes walks across the graduation stage this spring as valedictorian of the class of 2025 at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Maryland, the moment will represent more than academic achievement. It will mark the culmination of years of dedication, family support, and a commitment to hard work.
“I’ve been U Chicago-bound for seven months now,” Reyes said, reflecting on the day he learned he had been accepted to the University of Chicago through early decision. “That moment meant so much. All the years of hard work paid off.”
The 18-year-old senior plans to study business economics and hopes to one day start his own company. Inspired by his father, a contractor who immigrated to the United States from El Salvador at age 17, Reyes said growing up around a small business shaped his goals early on.
“My end goal has always been entrepreneurship — building something myself,” he said. “My dad is a contractor and has his own company. I think subconsciously that pushed me in that direction.”
Reyes credits his family with instilling a strong work ethic. “Hard work is something embedded in my family and my culture,” he said. “That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am now, even though it hasn’t been easy.”
Both of Reyes’s parents emigrated from El Salvador. His mother arrived as a teenager and graduated from high school in the United States. His father came without formal education. “He made it work,” Reyes said. “He’s been really successful, considering where he started.”
Though Reyes acknowledges the challenges immigrant families face today, including policy barriers and the rising cost of living, he remains hopeful.
“I don’t think the American dream is dead,” he said. “It’s just harder now than it was when my dad came. Still, I’m not from a wealthy family, and I feel like I’m living my version of the American dream.”
That dream has been shaped in part by his participation in the Corporate Work Study Program at Don Bosco Cristo Rey. Over four years, Reyes worked with the American Bankers Association, Ernst & Young, Nelson Mullins & Scarborough LLP, and even in the U.S. Senate.
“I work at the Chevy Chase Club too,” he said, noting that the club recruited at his school. “That job’s been a real blessing.”
This year, Reyes has worked at the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, where he continues to build experience and professional connections.
“I don’t see myself working for someone long term,” he said. “But it’s a great learning experience.”
Reyes said his teachers and classmates played a key role in his high school journey, especially teacher Nick Swanson, who taught him world history, AP Government, and AP Comparative Politics.
“He saw something in me and pushed me to leave my comfort zone,” Reyes said.
That encouragement shaped Reyes’s decision to apply to the University of Chicago. “Freshman year, I was scared and full of doubt,” he recalled. “I thought I’d be successful, but I had no idea it would lead to something like going to the University of Chicago.”
Don Bosco Cristo Rey is sponsored by The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Reyes, who served as a student ambassador at the school and played futsal, a variant of soccer, said his Catholic faith has helped him stay grounded. He is a parishioner at Our Lady of Sorrows in Takoma Park.
“I think faith transcends time,” he said. “There are always challenges, but I’ve seen faith in my life and in my family. Even if there’s a growing separation from the Church, I think people still find God, especially in unexpected ways.”
When asked what advice he would offer incoming freshmen, Reyes said, “Believe in yourself. Confidence and consistency go a long way.”
If he had to describe Don Bosco Cristo Rey in three words, Reyes offered, “Future investment, or maybe a grand blessing.”
And his personal soundtrack for graduation?
“One of my favorite songs since childhood has been ‘Get Lucky’ by Daft Punk,” he said. “It might not be my literal graduation song, but it’s a song I really love and always come back to.”
As he prepares to begin college this fall, Reyes reflects on the lessons he has learned through his family, his school, and his faith as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his journey.
