Matthew Paoletta is currently a Junior at Shadow Hills High School in Indio. Matthew is eager to attend college and hopes to attend a university in the UC system. Matthew has been encouraged to attend college by both family and teachers, many of which have shared with Matthew that they believe he is smart and more than capable. While Matthew’s main goal is to attend UC Berkeley (and not stay in the Coachella Valley), Matthew recognizes that having a local 4-year university in the Coachella Valley would help a lot of residents. Specifically, Matthew knows that not everyone has the financial option to attend a university far from home—remaining close to home can help with expenses for room and board, as well as food. Additionally, Matthew believes a 4-year university would be great for local sports enthusiasts as residents would have a local sports team to support and cheer on.