The youngest athlete on the 2024 U.S. Olympics team shares her thoughts on perfectionism, work-life balance and equitable career exploration for her generation.
Gen Zer Hezly Rivera is just 16 years old—but she’s already built a golden career in women’s gymnastics. Earlier this year, she competed at the Olympic Games as the youngest athlete not only on her team, but also on the entire U.S. Olympics delegation.
Amid her impressive gymnastics journey, Rivera is also a student—and now she’s inspiring other students to strive for excellence in their own way. Rivera recently visited Austin Middle School in Irving, TX, to speak with students about her Olympic experience and join them in the school’s Verizon Innovative Learning Lab.
“What makes Verizon Innovative Learning Lab so cool is that it’s really focused on empowering students with new ways of learning through a completely free program!” says Rivera. “It provides students with the free technology, internet access and innovative learning programs to help transform the learning experience.”
Not content with inspiring only the next generation of female gymnasts, Rivera is also passionate about inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders. I connected with Rivera to discuss the difference she wants to make for fellow students, as well as how she balances the demands of being a professional athlete and a high school student. Here’s what she had to share.
STEM careers for Gen Z
Gen Z wants better career exploration as part of their education. Equitable opportunities to explore STEM careers are invaluable to students, and middle school is the perfect time to introduce these options as students consider what they need to get from their education. According to the World Economic Forum, the top 25 college degrees by pay and demand are all in STEM subjects—yet Harvard found that equitable access to such careers needs to be significantly expanded.
The Verizon Innovative Learning Lab at Austin Middle School is all about exploring STEM careers, with an emphasis on developing additional skills like public speaking and self discovery. Rivera enjoyed her recent visit there, learning as much from the students there she shared with them. “I was lucky enough to see student-led demos and hear about their dream careers such as becoming a developer or engineer!” she says.
The leadership, career exploration and growth that these students are experiencing at an early age will expand their horizons when it comes time to choose a postsecondary training pathway. “Verizon Innovative Learning Lab provides students just like me with the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and capabilities for future success,” says Rivera.
Work-life balance: student version
Balancing a professional gymnastics career with homework isn’t always easy, but Rivera shares a simple strategy that can help other students strike a healthy balance between (school)work and life. “I take it one day at a time and make sure I stay focused on my priorities,” she says.
A strong support network helps, of course. “I stick to both my training and school schedule and make sure to always communicate with my coaches, teacher and family,” says Rivera. “They all help me balance everything going on.”
A key skill for Rivera in navigating her busy schedule is the ability to communicate effectively. “Communication is a soft skill that has been important for me to succeed in both the gym and classroom,” she says. “Being able to communicate what is on my mind, how I feel, what I am struggling with or need help with is essential in my day-to-day.
“Whether it’s on the floor, in school or in my personal life, communication with those around me such as coaches, teachers and family gives me the confidence and support to keep pushing forward.”
Escaping the perfectionism trap
As I travel the country speaking to parents, educators, communities and students themselves, I see a pattern of perfectionism that is holding many young people back. It shows up in the counselor’s office, in the classroom and at home as young people fear the fallout of a false move. Many are so afraid of making a mistake that they stand still on their journey and can’t move forward.
As a professional gymnast, Rivera has had her share of tough failures alongside tremendous success. When I asked her how she deals with perfectionism and failure, she said, “I always tell myself that if I never had hard days, I would never get better.
“I learn from every mistake and every tough day. It’s part of the journey of becoming a better me!”
It’s a powerful lesson for students to learn now—and one that those of us in older generations can also use.
‘Keep pushing forward’
Despite the challenges today’s students face in gaining equitable access to career exploration, dealing with perfectionism and creating a healthy work-life balance, Rivera is confident that her generation can succeed. “Go after your dreams,” she says. “Never doubt yourself and always keep pushing forward.
“Hard work and dedication always pay off.”