Class of 2016: Senior Voices

What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?

“My future plan is to get my master’s degree and come back to the community. I want to become a math teacher at CI.”
— Flor Quinones

“I see myself starting my career as a musician, whether it be with a band, theater, film, etc.”
— Jhessenia Swingler

“I see myself either in the medical field or law enforcement field.”
— Sarai Gomez

“I will be a nurse and planning to have a family and earning money to build my own home.”-
— Kristine Quilao

“I see myself with someone special by my side and trying to get a house.”
— Eduardo Gaytan

“Working in the photography studio of my dreams or traveling the world taking pictures for my own company.”
— Regol Ramirez

“Drowning in debt.”
— Samantha Laupola

“Getting my own home, working as a dentist, raising my kids, happily married.”
— Teresa Lazaro

“I see myself working on planes, becoming a nurse, or in the Navy.”
— Larry Jun Cambe

“Being a New York bestselling author.”
— Stephanie Diaz

“I see myself as a video game designer or a computer engineer.”
— Ernie Nombrano

“I see myself as a kindergarten teacher.”
— Charyzel Dulay

“Being a physical therapist or working in law enforcement with a nice car and crib.”
— Juan Castro

Who was your favorite teacher and why?

“Mr. Lucas because even though his class was one of the hardest he put in tons of effort to help his students.”
— Marvin Del Castillo

“Mr. Grennan because he made me fall in love with English and inspired me to become a English teacher. He always believed in me and knew I was capable of greatness.”
— Jessica Prado

“Corona, the physics master, fire-spitter, meme overlord.”
— Shintaro Natsukawa

“Mr. Lucas, Mr. Hill, and Mr. Gonzalez because they called me on my b/s.”
— Delia Thai
“Mr. Rada because he tells funny stories about his past.”
— Miguel Ayala

“Mr. Prum because he feeds me.”
— Charlyee Amos

“Mr. Garcia because he treats everyone like family and the way he teaches is better and more understanding than other teachers.”
— Crystal Mendez

“Ms. Blanc really helped me a lot in school.”
— Ruben Silva

“Kochel because he’s one rad teacher.”
— Andrea O’Campo

“Corona because he connects well with students.”
— Esmeralda Estrada

“Mr. Neos because I went to his church.”
— Miguel Roinan

“Mr. Garcia because he wasn’t just a coach but a friend.”
— Antonio Santana

What are your plans after high school?

“Attending UCLA as a psychobiology major and then going off to graduate school or medical school.”
— Carmela Gonzales

“My plans are to go to Georgetown University and take over D.C.”
— Mayte Alonso

“Go where the wind takes me.”
— Christopher Bernardino

“Work, go to V.C., audition in L.A. for dancing and modeling.”
— Claudia Adame

“My plans are to visit my grandparents in Mexico.”
— Angelica Toledano

“I will be attending Concordia University in Irvine. There I will be pursuing my sport and majoring in mathematics.”
— Serenity Valoaga

“I will go to college and study to become a veterinarian for small and big animals.”
— Salvador Nares

“I plan on attending a 4-year university, majoring in biology.”
— Paola Villegas

“Going to community college for two years while working as a pharmacy tech.”
— Evette Ng

“Have a part time job to help my mother and continue with education.”
— James Magaña
“Get myself together and start the career I want.”
— Martin Aguila

“Attending UCSB and to graduate from there to pursue a career in nursing.”
— Yesenia Melendez

“My plans are to attend community college and transfer to a four year university.”
— Yesenia Moran

What was your most embarrassing moment during high school?

“My first tennis practice. I had missed the ball and it hit me square in the face.”
— Joseph Wong
“Getting pooped on by a seagull while walking to class.”
— Luz Garcia

“When I tripped during the performance.”
— Iris Gibson

“It happened when I got down and the girl pulled my shirt off.”
— Cynthia Linares

“I fell down the stairs face first when it was raining and this guy asked me, ‘Are you OK?’ while I was lying crippled on the floor.”
— Denise Avila

“I had pizza in one hand and my phone in the other and I didn’t want my pizza anymore so I threw it away to later find out my phone was gone and the pizza was still in my hand.”
— Vanessa Tejeda

“Golden ticket drawing while wearing a  blue suit.”
— Diego Machain

“I accidentally dropped my iPod from the second floor of C building during freshman year.”
— Dianne Arenas

“Having ashy legs freshman year.”
— Aaron Rios

“During a Christmas parade while in front of band, I messed up my solo like three times and almost died.”
— Frank Russell

“One time I walked into the wrong class.”
— Joshua Arrieta

“My chancla ripped while coming down the stairs.”
— Julia Sanchez

“I dropped my backpack under the bleachers. I was so embarrassed to go get it.”
— Maurilio Martinez

“Sophomore year there was a hole in the grass that I didn’t see and so I fell.”
— Mariela Garcia

“During sophomore year I went to go sit in my seat and instead I fell because some kid took my seat away.”
— Juliana Mendoza

What advice would you like to leave to underclassmen?

“Stay focused on your goals and be humble.”
— Jasmin Sanchez

“The work you put into your education is what you get out of it.”
— Ivan Castillo

“Friends drop just as quick as your grades.”
— Karissa Serrato

“Don’t ditch too much until senior year.”
— Caridad Juarez

“Don’t procrastinate, work hard, and enjoy high school years because they go by so fast.”
— Elizabeth Nino
“Hugs not drugs.”
— Brooke Hess

“Don’t mess up and wait until your last year to catch up.”
— Juan Chavez

“Just keep going! Sacrifice friendships and just enjoy high school.”
— Van Dulay
“Don’t have idiot friends.”
— Lorena Ayala

“Do all your school work, don’t fall behind, and show up to class because you’ll regret it senior year.”
— Harlem Tapia

“Bring $1 every day.”
— Melinda De la Rosa

“Make the best of your time because it goes by really fast, trust.”
— Alma Macias

“Always look on the bright side to any situation and learn to accept things as they are.”
— Evelyn Alfaro

“I can’t tell you the key of success, but the key of failure is trying to please everyone. Be yourself. Be unique. Be different.”
— Gerardo Armenta

What would you have done differently the past four years?

“I wish I knew what my priorities were.”
— Reigna Rondares
“I would have played more sports.”
— Abel Jimenez

“I wish I could have slept more.”
— Mariel Nario

“Not let my life revolve around one thing.”
— Jeannelle Palomino

“Focused more on school and soccer.”
— Ian Hernandez
“I would have tried harder to get better grades.”
— Yesenia Tapia

“I would have turned in most of the things in on time and joined a squad.”
— Lesley Cahuantzi

“Honestly I wouldn’t change anything. Love the way it was.”
— Angelina Chavez

“Do all of my work and go to school more often.”
— Athena Guerra

“I would have tried harder to get A’s throughout my four years.”
— Alexis Morales

“I wouldn’t be on airplane mode.”
— Jesus Chavez

“Be the best student to ever walk this campus.”
— Gabriel Nares

“Asked more questions.”
— Olivia Ortiz

“Take school more seriously to be a valedictorian.”
— Tito Aloese

“Take football more seriously.”
— Luisangel Tapia

“I would’ve tried to form better habits and focus more in school and homework.”
— Levi Lopez

What was your most memorable moment during high school?

“Meeting certain people that have left their mark on my memory.”
— Damian Salas

“When Mauryce threw up during the ASVAB.”
— Kristine Baluyot

“Beating Pacifica in memory of Coach Juarez.”
— Jacky Lopez

“When I got hit with a Powerade bottle.”
— Emmanuel Rodriguez

“Winning Mr. CI, twice.”
— Mauryce Brumfield

“My four years in water polo.”
— Karina Zavala

“Standing up for a kid during lunch and shaving my hair completely off.”
— Leticia Rodriguez

“Going undefeated in league for boys volleyball.”
— Gerard Carin

“Staying late at ASB freshman year and painting like there was no tomorrow.”
— Araxy Camarena

“Meeting my best friend.”
— Esperanza Ramirez

“First goal in water polo.”
— Nicolous Ramirez

“The football games; those were the best.”
— Matthew Garcia

“My first base hit during baseball.”
— Noah Gutierrez

“When I won homecoming queen.”
— Leslie Ramirez

What are you going to miss most about CI?

“That I didn’t have to pay for it.”
— Liliana Galvan

“The seagulls.”
— Jafet Rincon

“The cool teachers.”
— Leslie Madrigal

“I will miss the wonderful family-like community.”
— Kate Anne Garcia

“The bond of the squads.”
— Patricia Manansala

“I’ll mostly miss going to the football games.”
— Sandy Calderon

“Winning the Tom Pariso Award football and playing under the lights.”
— Fern Romero

“Corona yelling at me ‘fix your attitude!’”
— Cynthia Rodriguez
“3:04 p.m.”
— Luis Aguilera

“Wi-fi. It was slow, but it was still wi-fi.”
— Mike Soto

“I’m going to miss all the great rallies.”
— Cristal Marquez

“I’m going to miss most being a teen and not caring about responsibilities.”
— Melissa Rosete

“Not the food.”
— Fernando Uriarte

“I’m going to miss being in ASB and all of my friends.”
— Crystal Ramirez

Whom would you like to give a shout-out to and why?

“To the guy who saw me fall down the stairs and didn’t even try to help me up. Thanks for not laughing at me.”
— Manuela Flores

“Shout out to the other Ernesto because we have the same name.”
— Ernesto Escusa

“To Kristine — my grades wouldn’t be the same without you.”
— Ernesto Alcantar

“The mystical Mr. Cole; he made history fun.”
— Daniel Menjivar

“Mr. Bowman, for being banners’ favorite!”
— April Mejia

“To the ladies in the daycare because they take really good care of the babies there.”
— Stephany Infante

“Everybody for being themselves and showing me this is a better place than the east side of the country.”
— Diego Chavez

“Mrs. Rogers — she’s the cure for senioritis.”
— Selene Martner

“To my mom for putting up with my shenanigans and supporting me. I love that woman with all my heart.”
— Martin Venegas

“Everyone who let me borrow pencils and paper.”
— Christian Lopez

“To my sister because she’s the best little sister ever.”
— Karla Salcedo

Summarize high school in one word.

“Done!” — Jovany Quiroz

“Worthwhile.” — Jessica Barrera

“Opportunity.” — Arleth Gutierrez

“Tragic.” — Nikki Cabrales

“Quick.” — Andrea Flores

“Unpredictable.” — David Zamora

“Bittersweet.” — Jessica Ambriz

“What?” — Jose Quiroz

“History.” — Stephanie Gonzalezsenior-art