Daniel Cabrera

The Voice of Encouragement

Finding power in words. 

As a three-sport varsity athlete, Daniel Cabrera most definitely has the physical endurance and drive to compete at the highest levels in cross country, baseball, and track and field. But in many ways, his most powerful asset is his voice. He has helped his high school choir qualify and place for state competition and has enjoyed his own time in the spotlight, placing in Teen Idol, Oregon’s version of American Idol. When he’s not singing, you can find him delivering a speech or debating a topic with the country’s best. He has qualified three times for the National Speech and Debate Competition and won multiple state championships. “Speech and debate have completely changed my life and I plan on continuing with speech and debate in college,” he says.

But Daniel doesn’t just speak for himself. As captain of his school’s speech and debate team, one of his proudest accomplishments is leading his team to a 1st place team championship title, something his school had not achieved since 2009. It was especially rewarding for Daniel because few thought the team could succeed. “No one—not even my teammates—believed in our team,” he says. “I saw the potential we had. It took some time to build within them the hunger and desire to win that I felt, but soon we all had one common goal: to make sure we gave everything we could into winning that championship.” While Daniel says his team was ecstatic about the win in the moment, the real victory is the confidence that the experience has instilled in his teammates, giving them newfound belief in themselves that will translate into all areas of life.

As powerful as words can be, Daniel knows that actions always speak louder. His own drive to succeed in athletics, academics, and as a leader in his school and community come from the example his parents set by immigrating from Mexico to the United States to afford their son the many opportunities that come with U.S. citizenship. It’s an opportunity he is not willing to squander and something he takes to heart in all his endeavors, putting in the hard work to continually improve his personal performance. “My parents have gone through some of the most difficult obstacles just so I could have a better chance at success,” he says. “I have to make their sacrifice mean something. Prove to not only my parents but also the world that it was all worth it.”