BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — In hockey, when a single player scores three goals in a game, it’s called a “hat trick.” When a student picks up three diplomas in a single graduation season, it’s called amazing.

That was the case for Bakersfield teenager, Denise Lopez Castillo.

Just two weeks ago, she graduated from Bakersfield College with a criminal justice and liberal arts degree. And in the next week, she’ll have graduated from North High School and Cosmetology School at the Regional Occupational Center.

“Overall I just wanted my mom to be proud of me and not worry about what life path I’m going to take and I just also wanted to have multiple opportunities in different paths, not just stick to one thing,” Castillo said.

Castillo was born in Delano and raised in Bakersfield.

Her mother, Mia Castillo said her daughter is a hard worker and calls her “Ms. Overachiever.”

“I’m very proud of her. I even wonder, how, like how can you do this,” Mia said.

It definitely has not been an easy journey for Denise, who said, “I’m going to admit there’s times I wanted to quit where I would just go to her and be like you know what I can’t do this anymore I’m just going to be done, but I just always reminded myself, ‘I’m almost done, I’m almost done.'”

Denise has several career paths in mind, such as becoming a speech therapist, teacher or cosmetologist. While they’re all very different, they all have one core similarity: they all give back to the community.

“Even with cosmetology, even if I wanted to turn to that path I could still do that because as cosmetologists we’re almost like therapists because people sit in our chairs and talk to us about their problems and we build a connection with them.”