Pete Moye’
Arts Button

Dance major Areal Hughes, recipient of the 2011 Academic of Excellence Award, is the first African-American female as a student trustee on the Cerritos College Board of Trustees.

Before reaching this achievement, she went through an unexpected life-changing event.

During her middle school, Hughes had an accident in one of her kickboxing classes.

“I felt something pop in my leg, I sat there thinking it was nothing serious because I only sprained it,” Hughes said.

This was the point in her life that took her in the ultimate challenge that left her with the experience of the possibility of not walking ever again, using a wheel chair and crutches, and being left with a scar resembling her endurance.

Hughes’ mother came home one day and noticed the swelling on her knee wasn’t going down. The infection was coming out of the incision from surgery and she was rushed to the hospital.

“Had I come minutes or hours later, they would have had to amputate my leg,” Hughes said.

She was rushed to another hospital where she was given antibiotics.

Overcoming the pain of being picked with needles, physical therapy, and moments of screaming was not a pleasant time period for Hughes.

“My mom would hear me scream in the hospital and I was all the way on the top floor,” she said.

Having the capability to walk again prior to dance, this was beyond an accomplishment of what would never have been considered possible by fifteen to twenty doctors. She was given the option of a dreadful dilemma of amputating her knee, having her live a life with out a leg.

A hospital was a home for Areal for three months until she was able to go home.

“At first I was kept in my own room in the hospital because of the risk of my knee infection being contagious,” Hughes said, “I had visitors come in to visit me after my knee being proven not contagious.”

She then took in the emotional toll of having to be in a wheel chair for a short time period.

“I give a pat on the back to people in wheel chairs after going through that. They have to go through the whispering and pointing made by other people. It’s not funny at all.” Hughes said in disappointment.

A new doctor was given to Hughes who then saw the light and hope that she was able to walk again on her two feet. “I had to learn how to walk and run again, let alone dance,” Hughes said.

Set with nerves and struggles were inside her mind, Hughes stepped into her first dance class at Cerritos College.

“I haven’t danced in a long time and it was really emotional for me because I thought I wasn’t able to do this.”

She describes that this challenge was overcome by patience, discipline, perseverance, and with the full support of her instructors. “It’s a great feeling to have support from my parents but it’s different to have support by my instructors in believing in me that I can dance,” said Areal emotionally.

Hughes’ dance instructors showed her a different way of dancing if she had difficulty in learning the original form. “If it weren’t for my instructors, my knee and health would not be good as it is today. They believe in me so much that I can work my way into this,” she said.

Hughes said, “I was really nervous the first time I performed,” but that didn’t stop her.

Not only did Hughes perform, but served as an inspiration. “My instructors would tell a dancer if they were scared that if a girl with a knee replacement was going to go out and perform, then so can they,” Hughes said.

Areal has danced Latin and Ballet in a Quinceanera, and for Alchemy Dance Company.

As a dance major, not only does she manage her classes and her daily dance rehearsals, but she also attends every school event, helps clubs, and plays an active role on campus by offering her help to anyone without asking any questions.

Judicial Affairs worker Nikki Jones said, “Areal always lends a hand to anyone even if they don’t ask her.”

Continuing what Jones had to say, Student Activities Program Assistant Nancy Bonilla said, “It doesn’t matter what event is going on campus, she’s always there. We can always count on her.”

Hughes was given various academic awards such as a gold falcon, a silver falcon, and a bronze falcon for her leadership services in ASCC.

“I was given those awards because I was in every single event on campus. People usually get a certificate, I would have been fine with that, I didn’t expect to get a bronze falcon my first time than a certificate,” Hughes said with excitement.

Hughes then decided to run for student trustee. “I campaigned so much; I told students to vote for me because I can make a difference in being a voice for Cerritos College.”