Mariem Banales, a senior at South Texas ISD Science Academy, has been recognized as the Channel 5 News Student of the Week for her remarkable contributions to her community. She is the founder of the McAllen Little Free Pantry, which provides essential items like food, clothing, and hygiene products to those in need, serving hundreds each month. In addition to her community service, Mariem has excelled academically, taking 15 AP classes and setting a middle school record by solving 1,917 math problems consecutively.
Mariem’s passion for helping others is evident in her published book, Tricotilomanía, lo que tu hijo no sabe cómo explicar, which focuses on a hair-pulling disorder to provide resources, particularly in Spanish. She also created the Trico 360 app to foster an online community of over 3,000 Spanish speakers from more than 20 countries who share experiences related to this disorder.
Her accomplishments extend to participating in programs at MIT and Yale, and she plans to study biochemistry to further her goal of helping people through research. Her dedication and perseverance have left a lasting impact on those around her.
