Jorge “George” Mendoza

We meet him as George at the beginning of the story and learn a little bit about his background. For instance, his given name is Jorge, but that he went by the English version of that name, George. We’ll refer to him as Jorge from here on out.

Like Mikaela, a move also shaped Jorge’s persona when he was young. His parents, immigrants from Mexico, started their family in a neighborhood that was primarily Latino. That’s where Jorge began his school, made his first friends, and his identity formed. While still in elementary school, his parents moved to the house where we meet him. The new neighborhood has few Spanish speakers and no one plays in a mariachi band, like his dad. Dealing with the insecurity and stress of finding new friends and going to a new school, Jorge does what comes naturally. He tries to fit in to his new society and culture. He doesn’t want to feel “different.” Along with the other Legends, Jorge will learn that it’s our differences that give us not only our identity, but our strength as both individuals and a society.

Jorge loves mechanical things. An interest he picked up from his dad who, in his mind, “can fix anything”. He loves to come up with gadgets using spare parts and the tools in his father’s well stocked and meticulously organized garage. Math comes easily to Jorge, as does music. He sees the similarity in the logical patterns presented in both pursuits.
One thing he loves is sailing. It combines his abilities in math with his fascination with physics and mechanics. For example, when he navigates his way to Anu-he, he uses a concept of geometry called triangulation. Jorge has found that science and math are much more interesting when you can put them to work in the real world.