6 Questions with Chloe Hernandez ‘21, Student-Athlete Leadership Council President
The Student-Athlete Leadership Council (SALC) serves as a liaison between the Gulliver Prep Athletic Department and its athletic teams, providing a voice for student-athletes and giving them opportunities to assist with special events and service initiatives. Varsity swim team captain Chloe Hernandez ‘21, currently serves as SALC President, as the club wraps up the first half of its second year. Read on to learn more about Chloe, her role as a leader, the Council’s goals for the year, and more.
Q: How do you feel SALC has enhanced the student-athlete experience at Gulliver?
A: I think that SALC has been able to transform school spirit over the last two years in a way that we’ve never seen before at Gulliver. Student-athletes now have a more tight knit community where ideas can be created and action can be taken. Overall the student-athlete experience at Gulliver has improved due to SALC.
Q: Why were you interested in leading SALC?
A: I became interested in becoming SALC President after representing the Florida Gold Coast and USA Swimming. Being an athlete representative for my local swim community is really what made me want to continue on the path of athlete inclusion.
Q: This year is truly unlike any other. With all its challenges, how does SALC plan to continue its events and service initiatives?
A: SALC plans to continue to enrich the Gulliver community and create a sense of unity as the year continues. Because some things are virtual and hard to plan, we are really focusing on unifying the community. We have already completed a few things including raising money for families in need this Thanksgiving, and starting a new SALC Instagram account to keep people updated.
Q: To what or whom do you attribute your success as a competitor in the pool, as well as a leader?
A: I definitely attribute my success in the pool to my teammates. Whether or not they know it, all of them have definitely helped me get to where I am today. My teammates make practice better each day and push me to be better in and out of the pool.
Q: You recently announced that you’ll be attending George Washington University in the fall to continue your academic and athletic career. What attracted you to GW?
A: I was really interested in George Washington University because of the academics (specifically their marketing program and art school), location, and swim team. GW checked all the boxes for me! My teammates who had already been recruited and who were in college prepared me for the recruiting process. They all guided me and taught me everything I needed to know.
Q: What is your advice for athletes who are striving to attend a great academic school, as well as compete at the collegiate level?
A: My advice for athletes who are striving to attend a great academic school and compete at the collegiate level would be to start early. There’s no harm in doing college research before you’re a junior or a senior. The closer you are to knowing what you want the easier the process is, and the clearer your goals can be.
About Chloe: Chloe began swimming at Gulliver in eighth grade, advancing to the state championships. Since then, she has been part of three state championship teams and six state title-winning relay teams, and was state champion in the 50 free. She has been selected to the All Miami-Dade County First Team all four years of her career, and was selected as the 2020 All-Dade County Swimmer of the Year while also receiving nominations for the All-Dade County Athlete of the Year award. Chloe is a member of the National Honor Society, Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and Science National Honor Society, serves as President of the Life Skills Program, has been part of the Gulliver Link Crew and freshman class mentoring program, and is the lead athlete representative for Florida Gold Coast LSC and USA Swimming. She will continue her swimming career at George Washington University, where she plans to major in marketing and graphic design.
