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Monday, Sep. 07, 2009
Merced High grad assists at Southern California's Station Fire
A multi-tasking, self-motivated individual with a deep respect for others.
Those are words Diana Maravilla-Campos used to describe her daughter, 21-year-old Amada Maravilla, who graduated in May from the California Highway Patrol Academy in Sacramento.
Recently, Maravilla was assigned to work at the CHP's Culver City office, working graveyard shifts as a patrol officer.
Merced Sun-Star - CHP officer Amada G. Maravilla
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Southern California fires
Even though Maravilla's only been a full-time officer for a few months, she's already playing an active role with the department. In addition to her patrol duties, during the past few days Maravilla has played a security role in the Station Fire, working at road blocks and check points to assist residents, as firefighters battle the blaze, which has burned 157,220 acres.
But community service is nothing new to Maravilla, a 2005 Merced High School graduate who was recognized for her volunteer work with hospital patients.
Maravilla was one of four women, out of a class of 175 people, to graduate this year from the CHP academy. "It requires a lot. You always got to make sure that you're paying attention to everything," said Maravilla about the academy, which lasts 27 weeks.
Maravilla said she applied to the CHP after seeing a newspaper advertisement. She said serving the public in various parts of the state was attractive to her. "I appreciate the support of my family and my parents," Maravilla said. "They are the ones that got me through the academy to tough it out."
Her mother Diana Maravilla, stepfather Joe Campos and father Louis J. Maravilla all expressed pride in their "Mandi," a woman who was always "mature beyond her years. We taught our kids to be kind and respectful to others as well as themselves. And that's what got them through," Maravilla said.
Joe Campos said he can barely contain his enthusiasm for the latest chapter of his daughter's life. "We're just overjoyed," Campos said. "She set her goals high and she was able to accomplish them."
Maravilla said she plans to be with the CHP until she retires, and she hopes to eventually work with service dogs at the department.
Maravilla's brother Joseph Campos Jr., 27, works for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Her sister, Sharee Maravilla-Sock, 24, is an executive assistant at a local fabrication company.
Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.
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