Costa Mesa High School:

Melissa Centeno

Melissa Centeno learned how to run a business, make a marriage work and balance a budget in three years, and that was in just one class.

The 17-year-old was part of Costa Mesa High School’s Business Academy where she learned real-life business and financial skills and even created with her classmates a business model for an alternative fuel company that made gasoline from algae.

“It was treated like a real business,” she said. “It helped me develop skills that I’ll need in the future and I know a little more, so I’m not clueless when I get out there.”

Melissa joined the class sophomore year and stuck with it to learn computer skills, how to do taxes, how to create a budget and how to make an employee handbook for her alternative fuel company.

After learning the basic business skills in school and doing an internship with Victoria’s Secret, Melissa said she wants to own her own business — specifically a plus-sized lingerie store.

“I always liked the business atmosphere, but I like fashion,” she said. “I feel like everyone should feel sexy. Just because we are bigger doesn’t mean we don’t want to feel sexy.”

Melissa said she has always loved fashion, but doesn’t like the negative body image the media portray, which even affects young kids with healthy bodies.

“You see kids in elementary school say they are fat,” she said. “[The fashion industry’s] healthy is not healthy.”

Melissa said everyone should feel beautiful and hopes to help change the status quo with her shop and later down the line start her own lingerie line.

Melissa plans to attend Cal State Long Beach to major in business.

— Britney Barnes