At just 11 years old, Lucas Romero is already balancing school, sports and his own small business.
A sixth grader at Alta Vista Intermediate School and the son of Brittany and Esequiel “Kelly” Romero, Lucas raises chickens, goats, ducks, horses and cows on his family’s farm. From that work, he created his own venture, Romero’s Huevos, selling farm-fresh eggs with help from his two younger sisters every other weekend at the Questa Farmers Market.
“My sisters get bored, so I have to keep the stand going,” Lucas said with a grin.

He also plays soccer and basketball, with plans to join football as he gets older. His family and neighbors often say he has an “old soul” in an 11-year-old’s body, reminding them of his grandfathers Miguel Romero and Kelly Mascarenas.
Lucas already knows what he wants to do when he grows up: become an attorney. He said his goal is to make sure “all the bad people who commit crimes are put away.”

He credits his parents and grandparents for teaching him about discipline, hard work and perseverance.
“They have taught me the importance of working hard in life and never giving up,” Lucas said. “You have to keep going even when it’s hard.”

That work ethic is clear in the way he cares for his animals. Lucas wakes up at 6 a.m. every day to feed them before school, making sure to keep to a strict schedule. He is also always up bright and early on weekends ensuring his animals are fed.
“We have coyotes, so you can’t go when it’s too early or they might eat the food,” he explained. “You can’t go too late either because the animals get impatient. You need to go right on time every day because they get used to a schedule.”
When asked what advice he’d share with younger kids, Lucas kept it simple: “Work hard, be good, do your work and be respectful, and you will go far.”