BOSTON -- Every two weeks, NewsCenter 5 presents a high school senior who has taken the lessons of the classroom and applied them to life.

This week's A Plus student is Math, Science and Technology High School's Luz Rosario.

NewsCenter 5's Shiba Russell reported that Luz could write a book on personal tragedy. She has suffered six losses in six years and emerged a courageous role model for the dozens of students who have lost loved ones.

"We have a joke in the class ... when I ask ... we're going to have a pop quiz ... everybody says, 'Luz knows it,' so everybody sort of gravitates toward her," said English Teacher Jineyda Tapia.

The Lawrence senior is a quiet leader and yet a self-described class clown.

"Stop laughing, you're going to make me laugh," said Luz.

She is ranked ninth in a class of more than 100 seniors. It is impressive when you consider the number of relatives she has lost over the years.

"I'm 12, my grandma dies, 13 my uncle and my other grandfather dies. I'm 15, my dad gets deported, 16, my mom gets diagnosed with cancer and .. my uncle ... dies, then 17, my mother dies," Luz said.

"I've had kids that have gone through tragedies, but I've never had a kid go through that many losses and still maintain excellent grades," said guidance counselor Nardy Vega.

Her first and middle name has helped Luz separate her school life from home. At school, friends call her Luz, but at home she goes by her middle name, Melissa.

"At home Melissa has to cook, clean, make sure her mom eats and then after I'm done with all that I go back into Luz mode and start doing all my homework," Luz said.

Luz has never participated in sports or extracurricular activities, like many of her peers. She chose to care for her cancer-stricken mother instead.

"When I had problems in school she would always be there. It was my turn to do something for her," said Luz.

Since her mother's death last spring, the thunderclouds have finally lifted and Luz has begun to blossom.

"She's come out of her shell; she speaks to more people, now she has more friends," said Tapia.

Luz recently joined the Student Council and applied to several colleges.

"I think it takes a certain amount of strength that not every student has, unfortunately, but she does," Tapia said.

If you know a special student who truly makes a difference in his or her classroom, e-mail us your nomination. Please include your phone number.