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[{"id":1,"slug":"vanessa-voltz","school":"Adelson Educational Campus","student":"Vanessa Voltz","first_name":"Vanessa","last_name":"Voltz","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1621465937\/Vanessa_Voltz_SM_CLASS_OF_2021.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1621465938\/Vanessa_Voltz_01_LG_CLASS_OF_2021.jpg","ans_1":"For the past four years, I have been part of my high school's varsity swim club and an outside club swim team (LVSC). Also, I have been part of my high school's varsity cross-country team every year. I was captain and have been to the regional and state competitions for both sports. On top of this, I have been a member of several clubs for the past four years, including American Sign Language, Anti-Defamation League, National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society. A big part of my high school career has been Student Council, which allowed me to grow my leadership skills this year as student body president. I was a lifeguard during sophomore and junior year and this year I worked at Five Guys after school and on weekends. My favorite class through all four years was AP Biology, because the natural sciences are my favorite subject and my teacher was one of the best instructors I have ever had. I plan on attending the University of Michigan next year, and my major will be international affairs with a concentration in environmental science.","ans_2":"A memory that will stay with me for my entire life is a tradition my friends and I created this year called \"Sushi Wednesday.\" Every Wednesday, Sprouts has a sale on its sushi for $5, so we would buy some and have a picnic in the park. It really boosted our mental health during a difficult time and allowed all of us to get some exercise, since we would play volleyball and soccer after we were done eating.","ans_3":"Students always have huge hopes for their senior year of high school. It's the year we get new freedoms, apply to college and often go the farthest we have ever gone in sports. Having all of that cut short has taken a toll on all of us, but we have been able to come out the other side stronger and more hopeful than ever. We have come to realize what is truly important to us and that there are more important things than our achievements. Virtual learning has been a struggle. I appreciated the effort teachers put in and how understanding they were of the pandemic's effects on us. Virtual learning allowed me to spend more time doing the things I love, such as playing piano and learning languages, and it allowed me to have more time in the afternoon to play sports with my friends (socially distanced). Truly, the biggest effect of the pandemic on me was making me realize what I loved to do and who I really was. I suddenly had this abundance of time to do whatever I wanted. I was able to discover things about myself I didn't know and give myself time and room to grow. Instead of focusing on swim getting suspended or the lack of field trips, I focused on my friends and making sure I made my last year of high school count.","ans_4":"We'll remember it as one of the most unforgettable years of our lives. Nothing will ever be able to compare to the obstacles (both mental and physical) we have had to endure this year.","ans_5":""},{"id":2,"slug":"joanna-bieda","school":"Advanced Technologies Academy","student":"Joanna Bieda","first_name":"Joanna","last_name":"Bieda","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620962\/Joanna_Bieda_small-041721ev_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620969\/Joanna_Bieda_large-041721ev_001.jpg","ans_1":"The first few years of my high school career focused on finding interests and extracurriculars that I thought I would fit. It\u2019s evident these choices became markedly more important as the pandemic began. In my sophomore year, I was sworn in as a youth attorney with the Clark County Law Association and Trial by Peers. Through this, I have been able to work with the Clark County School District Police Department, Clark County's Department of Juvenile Justice Services and attorneys to defend accused teenagers in a courtroom setting and assist in assigning and providing rehabilitative services to them. One year later, I was appointed to represent tens of thousands of youths as the youth legislator for Senate District 5 in the Nevada Youth Legislature. That year, I also became the chair of the Nevada Youth Legislature. In these positions, I took a lot of the research and experiences I had as a youth attorney to sponsor a bill draft request to raise the age of adult certification for minors. Later, I co-sponsored another criminal justice bill draft request that eventually made its way into the Nevada Legislature. Criminal justice is also something I have written about in the nationally staffed student-run think tank I founded, Mission for American Resolve (missionforamericanresolve.com). Besides this, I have been a large advocate for progress. As Nevada chair for High School Democrats of America, I worked with local campaigns during the 2020 election and coordinated our high school chapters. I have taken a lot of the passion I have for speaking, researching and advocacy and extended it to other school activities. I am my Speech and Debate team\u2019s first female president, and our team is ranked No. 1 in both the district and state. I am also the president of my school\u2019s Future Business Leaders of America club and captain for the Academic World Quest club. I also dabbled in volunteering by managing public records requests for a research institute, tutoring students in a variety of subjects and helping organizations with similar goals as High School Democrats of America. I worked as an assistant secretary at a local doctor\u2019s office my sophomore and junior years. My favorite classes by far have been AP Economics, AP Research and Criminal Justice courses. Next year, I\u2019ll be a freshman in the Huntsman Program at the University of Pennsylvania, acquiring dual degrees in international studies and business. I am also fortunate to have been selected as a Coca-Cola Scholar and Nevada delegate to the U.S. Senate Youth Program.","ans_2":"When it was announced that Speech and Debate would be online for the duration of the school year, the devastation from my team was profound. We were slated to hold our highly anticipated state tournament on the weekend when lockdowns were instituted across Nevada, and the misinformation and confusion that teams across several schools felt exacerbated our sense of loss. Previous years had been highlighted by memory-rich, in-person events, rancorous team dinners and overall bonding. Since March, I\u2019ve worked to maintain accessible platforms for engagement in places where they previously had not existed. Through adapting and innovating team traditions \u2014 such as socials, practice tournaments, and more \u2014 our team was able to stay together this year at a time when many groups felt themselves torn apart.","ans_3":"The best part about virtual learning has definitely been how much more productive it allowed me to be. Whereas in a usual school year I would wake up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready to leave for my commute and get back home at 6:30 p.m. after staying at school to participate in extracurricular activities, this year has been different. I have been able to complete assignments and schedule important meetings with greater convenience. On days like these, I can attend school for the full day and complete homework on time yet still make it to three meetings I have scheduled without a problem. Of course, there have been downsides. For one, it can be a pain to look at my computer screen for longer than a few minutes at a time, not to mention the length of classes, assigned homework and other online responsibilities students like myself might have. Moreover, in lieu of going to school dances and events throughout my first three years of high school, I had hoped to catch up on years worth of traditional high school experiences during my senior year. While this has not been the case, I have still managed to enjoy myself by frequently checking up on friends and teachers, as well as attending to interests previously neglected.","ans_4":"Though this might sound crass, it\u2019s safe to say that, for many in the Class of 2021, including myself, one day it was there and the next day it was not. With our junior year clipped and our senior year almost entirely online, it\u2019s been difficult looking back on what feels like two distinct high school experiences, neither of which having fulfilled the full scope of potential we had initially expected during our freshman year. On a personal level, I will remember how important it was and continues to be to nurture the relationships with the individuals for whom you care. While the pandemic has displaced several clubs and friend groups of many high school students, I have been very pleased to be able to continue the conversations, laughs and learning moments with those whose presence in my life has meant the most \u2014 both in-person and online.","ans_5":"Between technological battles at home and the fight for safe pandemic precautions at school, I cannot imagine what teachers have had to go through this year. If nowhere else, I\u2019d like to thank all teachers and specifically A-TECH staff for having been particularly optimistic, enthusiastic and caring during this time. Truly, for every one student thanking a school staff member, dozens more mean it."},{"id":3,"slug":"ethan-walker","school":"American Heritage Academy","student":"Ethan Walker","first_name":"Ethan","last_name":"Walker","top_photo":"","large_photo":"","ans_1":"During my high school years, I have participated in every play we have put on, student government and went on a trip to Africa with my school after my sophomore year to serve families there. These were the major events of my high school career, but every day I went to a history class learning everything from the start of time to the political problems our nation faces today. These classes all had the same teacher, Mr. Bennion, who helped shape me and every student who attended American Heritage. His class was the best of the day. His class shaped me more than every other class I took and helped me see the whole world and the history in everything around us. For my senior year I have had a job since the beginning of the year. I have learned much from having a job and going to school as each have taught me important lessons, but being in school has taught me more than working. For the next two years, I am going on an LDS mission.","ans_2":"During my senior year, two friends and I remembered a goal we had of building a canoe by hand, from a tree. After talking to a few teachers about this, we were able to find a place in Utah that had a big enough tree to create a canoe out of. After driving it down to Las Vegas, we used hand tools to carve a canoe out of the giant log. Now, after six months, we have created a 10-foot-long canoe by hand from nothing but a tree. Every day we went out and carved the log down, dug a ditch into the middle, and gave it shape. Now after thousands of hours, we have a working canoe.","ans_3":"My junior year was cut off, and at the beginning I was very sad for the seniors who never had prom or graduation. After realizing that the coronavirus was not a little problem, and we had to do online school, we all were confused. I could not learn anything while online, and even without learning anything, all my grades went up, because if I gave anything to the teacher, they were happy with it and gave me a good score. This was fine with me, thinking that COVID would go away during the summer and I would have a better year than the class that couldn't even have a graduation ceremony. Sadly that did not happen for almost every student in Las Vegas. Luckily I go to a private school and have been in person since the beginning of my senior year. I have actually learned things this senior year and have been happy going in person. Talking to those doing online school, I have realized how much of a blessing in-person school has been. My senior year is not like the rest in the Las Vegas Valley, and I am glad that I have had this blessing.","ans_4":"As the worst year of high school.","ans_5":""},{"id":4,"slug":"alexandra-roberts","school":"Amplus Academy","student":"Alexandra Roberts","first_name":"Alexandra","last_name":"Roberts","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670354\/Alexandra_Roberts_small_042121cs_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670353\/Alexandra_Roberts_LARGE-042121cs_002.jpg","ans_1":"I am president of our school's Speech and Debate team, where I have been competing in International Extemporaneous Speech and have placed third in the state. I am also the student body treasurer and part of my school's National Honor Society and Key Club. Along with these clubs, I worked for Polyphony Lit, a literary magazine, as a genre editor and for the Nevada Republican Party as a field organizer fellow. I was part of my school's soccer team and was a member of the Literary League of Nevada. My favorite classes were AP English Language and Composition, AP European History and AP Environmental Science. Next year, I will be attending university to study environmental economics.","ans_2":"My first day back at school in person. Because of the pandemic, we were online until about a month ago. On that first day back, I was reunited with classmates I had not seen in over a year. It showed me the importance of appreciating those small moments in class, such as discussing the meanings behind societal standards or laughing about the book we are all currently reading. It felt like school was finally returning to the normality I had known for years, and I could not stop smiling all day.","ans_3":"The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the human connection part of my learning experience. The small laughs and classroom banter was lost, because of the mute button on our screens. Everything felt disconnected and disjointed. Nothing was predictable. Even through all of this, I managed to continue focusing on my studies, which focused on a lot of self-study. Overall, the parts of school that make it memorable were instead replaced with the gruesome nature of merely robotic studying. However, through this experience, I along with my fellow classmates have grown closer and appreciate those aspects of schooling that we lost. The upsides for virtual learning included comfortable clothes, waking up later and warm, homemade lunches. The downsides included not seeing friends and classmates, eye strain from the blue light of the computer, and the constancy of being on a computer all day.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a learning experience. Not only in the sense of schooling, but in the sense that it taught us the importance of appreciating the small things of human connection. Because of the sudden stop of our high school experience, we learned that life is fragile and is only what you make of it, so when the chances arise, make the most of it.","ans_5":"No"},{"id":5,"slug":"joshua-nissola","school":"Applied Scholastics Academy","student":"Joshua Nissola","first_name":"Joshua","last_name":"Nissola","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673367\/Joshua_Nissola_SMALL-042821cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673373\/Joshua_Nissola_LARGE-042821cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"My favorite classes were by far reading and art. Every year we would have a school play that I participated in (both acting and writing the script) that was always enjoyable. Next year, I will get a job and continue studying.","ans_2":"Finishing high school a year earlier than other students is definitely an accomplishment I am proud of and glad to see come to fruition.","ans_3":"The pandemic stunted my progress and I had to work harder to graduate, but it was nice to study in the comfort of my home. Soccer was canceled because of the COVID guidelines and I found myself exercising at home or going to the park with friends more often.","ans_4":"A place of change and growth.","ans_5":"Stay in school, you wont regret it."},{"id":6,"slug":"aysia-echols","school":"Arbor View High School","student":"Aysia Echols","first_name":"Aysia","last_name":"Echols","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614466\/Aysia_Echols_small-041021ev_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614467\/Aysia_Echols_large_005.jpg","ans_1":"I am a Girl Scout Ambassador and participated for 13 consecutive years. I had a blast my entire four years of high school, even with COVID affecting the last year and a half. I played volleyball and was in competitive cheerleading my freshman year, in addition to flag football all four years. I participated in Outdoors Club, HOSA, ASL and Environmental Science Club. My favorite classes were dance, history and English. Aside from school and Girl Scouts, I also work part time as a Starbucks barista. In the fall, I will attend Southern Utah University, pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing and will continue to improve my nonprofit.","ans_2":"I am extremely proud of completing over 120 volunteer hours to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award during my senior year. Despite COVID, I was able to start a nonprofit, and launch my website knowbeforecollege.org to help other students like myself prepare for college, stay safe when heading off to college and to easily access 24\/7 hotlines for mental health, suicide and more. I was also the winner of the senior chalk driveway decorating contest and the homecoming theme.","ans_3":"I love seeing and talking to my friends at school, so the pandemic was extremely hard at first. I was thankful that our exchange student from Spain stayed until June, so I was not completely isolated. I really hoped my senior year turned around with the pandemic as I had looked forward to my final year of varsity flag football, homecoming, prom, graduation and a mission trip (July 2021) with Girl Scouts to Dublin, London, France for a very long time. With football canceled most of the year, I was able to spend more time working and focusing on my Gold Award project. Virtual learning brought many challenges, especially with trying to grasp math over a computer screen. Ms. Rowles, my English teacher, truly made virtual learning fun\/engaging and was the highlight of homeschool for the first seven months of my senior year.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will be remembered as the class that overcame every obstacle.","ans_5":"Don't forget to checkout my website and brochure for my Girl Scout Gold Award project: www.knowbeforecollege.org."},{"id":7,"slug":"anthony-gonzalez-patino","school":"Basic Academy of International Studies","student":"Anthony Gonzalez-Patino","first_name":"Anthony","last_name":"Gonzalez-Patino","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614465\/Anthony_Gonzalez-Patino-small-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614467\/Anthony_Gonzalez-Patino-large-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_007.jpg","ans_1":"I was heavily involved in our choir program, National Honor Society, IB magnet program, Student Advisory Board, along with some honor and AP classes. With these activities, I also held leadership positions where I learned that a leader is someone who looks out for their community and pushes through the hardest walks of life. My favorite part of high school was choir. I was a part of our top group. Chamber Singers, for four years and pop choir for four years, three of them serving as a line captain. Choir was a safe place where you could just be yourself and there was no judgment, which is what Mr. Ryan Duff, our choir director, created. He prepared us to become better versions of ourselves, and I will be eternally grateful for this experience. Outside of the program, I really loved being in IB because it challenged me to be better in my academics and take risks. I\u2019m grateful for my IB teachers, who pushed me to reach my goals.","ans_2":"Even though senior year was a struggle for me, I managed to push through. For the first time I managed to keep straight A\u2019s for three quarters in a row and hope to complete a full year of straight A\u2019s. Along with that, I managed to keep in touch with some friends and hung out with them because these are our last moments of high school and I always want to treasure each memory. I will also not forget how some of the staff and administrators tried their best to keep this year alive and recognize us every month.","ans_3":"When COVID-19 struck during junior year, I felt unmotivated to do anything because we were preparing for our big choir shows and trips that would always be the highlight of my year. When senior year came around, it was hard to keep up with my work and get out of bed for class because of the workload thrown at us. However, for choir we managed to keep a sense of normal and created our own virtual winter choir concert and continued moving forward. To take part in the senior activities that were deprived from us, a couple of us managed to make up our own homecoming, Sadie\u2019s, senior sunrise, etc. I wanted to make the most of my senior year because I\u2019ve always looked forward to it since I was in elementary.","ans_4":"Even though many of us seniors feel forgotten, I feel like when we look back at our high school experience 10 years from now, we\u2019ll remember it as the best time of our adolescence and recognize that even though we faced many hardships, it made us be better people.","ans_5":"I would like to give a big thank-you to my principal, Gerald Bustamante, for this nomination. I wanted to say how grateful I am for having him as my principal during my time at Basic Academy. He\u2019s always looked out for his students and wished only the best for us. He\u2019s a great role model to the people around him and always seeks understanding, which is what I admire about him. I would also like to give a big shoutout to my father, Jose Antonio Gonz\u00e1lez Juarez. During his childhood in Mexico, he had to suffer in poverty and even drop out of elementary school to start working at a very young age for his family, and he dedicated his whole life to work to make sure the people around him are taken care of. He shows the strongest values of a leader and taught me how to exceed in life. When I walk across the stage to receive my diploma, I won\u2019t be walking just for me, but for him and his accomplishments, since he wasn\u2019t given the opportunity to finish school."},{"id":8,"slug":"davon-hood","school":"Beacon Academy Of Nevada","student":"Davon Hood","first_name":"Davon","last_name":"Hood","top_photo":"","large_photo":"","ans_1":"I participated in all the elective and main core subjects I needed in order to graduate early. While I went to school here, I worked at McDonald's in Boulder City. My favorite classes out of the whole school year would have to be science because the teachers made the class interesting and a fun experience altogether. After I graduate, I will be working steel construction with Span Construction & Engineering.","ans_2":"A great memory of my senior year would be when my counselor sent me an email telling me I will be a high school graduate. Being able to graduate early and receiving my diploma so that I can start my life is such a huge accomplishment for me, and this school made it all possible.","ans_3":"The school did a great job with virtual learning, and there was really not much of a downside.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will be remembered as a great year for all students despite the pandemic that tried to get in the way of our education.","ans_5":"This is an amazing, helpful school that I would recommend for everyone. All the teachers here are amazing and very understanding and do the best to help support their students to achieve success."},{"id":9,"slug":"aleea-rios-franzi","school":"Bishop Gorman High School","student":"Aleea Rios-Franzi","first_name":"Aleea","last_name":"Rios-Franzi","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614467\/Aleea_Rios-Franzi--small-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_014.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614468\/Aleea_Rios-Franzi-large-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_017_1.jpg","ans_1":"I have been a cheerleader for all four years, and on the varsity team for two of those years as a flyer. Cheerleading has been my primary sport and favorite activity because I\u2019ve watched myself improve dramatically. I\u2019ve been involved in Medical Society, Worship Choir, Link Leader and Future Business Leaders of America. I have also recently been in National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, National English Honor Society and National Science Honor Society. During my four years of high school, I have also completed over 100 hours of community service, primarily at my favorite organization, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. While I wouldn\u2019t say I have had an official job, I have babysat and tutored sporadically. My favorite classes in high school, by far, have been chemistry and calculus. Although I have not made any formal commitments yet, I have been accepted to UCLA\u2019s neuroscience program and intend to pursue further studies there.","ans_2":"I have been lucky enough to have the option to attend in-person school for the entire 2020-21 school year. For my senior year schedule, I chose AP Biology as my science course. It is a crucial class to succeed in when applying as a science major in college. The first day of school in August 2020 filled me with fear. Distance learning and shorter classes led me to fear that I may not be able to learn as well or connect with my teachers as I have before, especially in AP Biology. One memory I will never forget was, after months of my biology teacher saying how much easier explaining would be if he could let us perform labs or demonstrations, he finally got it approved by administration to have class outside. Outside, we could still easily follow COVID-19 restrictions but could also have a more lively classroom and even do some physical demonstrations. Despite the pandemic, I have fallen in love with learning biology and have been able to succeed in this subject. I feel extremely grateful for the teachers, supporters and school staff that I have had.","ans_3":"The COVID-19 pandemic changed life as I knew it. The transition from normal in-school learning to completely online school days at the end of junior year was extremely difficult. I did take up a lot of new hobbies during this lockdown, such as playing ukulele, sketching, and writing songs. Virtual learning gave me an abundance of free time to set goals for my future and better myself as a student and person without the stress and chaos of everyday school drama. As I was managing this drastic change, I also had to deal with ACT test cancellations and the new online version of AP exams. Finishing junior year and all of my AP exams was difficult, but I hoped the new school year would offer some good opportunities. Unfortunately, COVID-19 persisted, which allowed me to take only one ACT, canceled my cheerleading season and all school events, and restricted any opportunities for internships or even a normal social life. I have attempted to make up for these losses by taking occasional socially distanced dance classes, staying active at the gym, applying for tons of scholarships, and dedicating myself to my schoolwork and family responsibilities.","ans_4":"I think that the Class of 2021 will remember high school with gratefulness and appreciation. Although we didn\u2019t get the easiest or most exciting senior year, we have been blessed with opportunities that we have had despite the pandemic, and we get to experience a relatively normal freshman year of college.","ans_5":""},{"id":10,"slug":"nicole-gonzalez-storto","school":"Bonanza High School","student":"Nicole Gonzalez-Storto","first_name":"Nicole","last_name":"Gonzalez-Storto","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675438\/Nicole_Gonzalez-Storto_SMALL-042821cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675441\/Nicole_Gonzalez-Storto_LARGE-042821cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"I did not participate much in sports and clubs, except for cheer my sophomore year. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. Though it wasn\u2019t for me, it helped me break out of my shell. It was difficult to do activities or even get a job because my mother would work all day and I had a grandfather at home who is ill and needed constant assistance. So, it became my responsibility while my mother was working. Though my favorite subject was chemistry, my favorite classes were the ones that made learning fun, like Ms. Thomsen's honors chemistry class. Those classes I cherished the most because, even though it was educational, the whole class was connected with the teacher and enjoyed learning. Next year, I will be attending college. I am weighing my options between UNR and USC for engineering.","ans_2":"It\u2019s hard to say my favorite memory of senior year because it felt like I didn\u2019t have a senior year. But this year I lost friendships and created new ones that made me develop as a person in every aspect. I made so many new memories that I will cherish forever. I am proud that I was able to finish strong despite everything going on. I would not have believed you if you told me freshman year I\u2019d be at the top of my class or getting into my dream college.","ans_3":"I was a junior when COVID hit, and I didn\u2019t realize the intensity of it all. I thought I\u2019d be back in school soon, but clearly that wasn\u2019t the case. Having to do virtual learning was not an easy task, not just for the students but also teachers. Finding motivation was difficult, because you would wake up and log in on the computer and stare at the same screen everyday. It\u2019s not the same experience as being in a classroom and surrounded by your friends or with your favorite teacher. It all just felt like a long task. I am grateful, though, that we do have the technology and ability to learn from home.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will look back and cherish the three in-person years we had. All the memories we shared, whether good or bad, were part of one big final chapter. We reminisced about the very first day of high school and how we should not have taken it for granted.","ans_5":"High school is about more than just education. It's about the lessons you learn from the risks you take and the mistakes you make. It\u2019s a learning experience from start to finish and is something you should take seriously but also have fun with. Balance is key."},{"id":11,"slug":"seth-woodbury","school":"Boulder City High School","student":"Seth Woodbury","first_name":"Seth","last_name":"Woodbury","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670357\/Seth_Woodbury_small_042121cs_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670357\/Seth_Woodbury_LARGE-042121cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"During high school, I have been a part of Boulder City High School's cross-country team, swim team, theater troupe, Student Council and National Honor Society. I also danced for Dance Etc. and sang with Zion's Youth Choir. My favorite class is Student Council (Principles of Leadership). The class comprises students from every grade and allowed me to use my creativity to make the school a better place for the student body. I love art, but Boulder City high school has no steady art program. Leadership allowed me to experiment with painting, whether it be gigantic assembly posters, float building or dance decorations. My plans for the next two years are to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.","ans_2":"As sophomore class president, I had the opportunity to be at the head of planning our school's Sadie's dance. It was my first big Student Council job, which made me nervous. It was especially challenging because there was a downward trend in dance attendance at our school, and some were suggesting that we not have Sadie's. I picked a theme and spent months creating massive posters at home, sometimes working all night. I made dance decorations and advertisement posters that would line the hallways. My friends created tickets, centerpieces and helped me talk up the dance to everyone we knew. The theme was Suessville Sadie's, and our gym was filled with Dr. Seuss characters and drawings. The hard work paid off. Afterward, we found out that it was the most successful Sadie's dance in 10 years at Boulder City High School! While we were taking down the decorations, I felt bad throwing away all the hours of art that I had created and I had the idea to donate it to the elementary school for Nevada Reading Week. They ended up leaving the posters lining their halls for the rest of the school year, and this led to them asking me to paint a 30-foot mural in the elementary school library. I spent the summer before my junior year painting the mural. I am now working on a second mural for a local business because of my work at the elementary school.","ans_3":"COVID-19 changed my world. I had just been elected student body president when school was shut down my junior year. I had a lead role in our local dance theater show, which was canceled, and a lead role in our school play, which would also never be performed. I had planned to represent our swim team at the state level, and those hopes were dashed. Also, I had raised money to spend three weeks in Ghana building an elementary school over the summer. Along with that, I would miss my trip to New York to see Broadway plays with my grandma (a trip she takes each of her grandkids on their senior year in high school). But when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Our school quickly went virtual and I realized that I enjoyed learning from home. I was able to focus on learning new art skills during the time that I had previously been making posters for the school. I used the money I had raised to go to Africa on a drafting table that would work as a large desk for my room, something that has come in handy for a year of home schooling. I made a goal of turning on my camera for every class and of waking up every morning and getting dressed for school, even though it was online, and that helped me focus. There are some things about online school that I actually like better than regular school. For example, in calculus I like being able to go back and relisten to a lesson. It allows me to figure out what I don't understand. Life slowed down because there were not so many events and activities to attend, and I was able to use the extra time to get better at some things like art and dance. I worked harder at dance, which was not canceled, so I improved more than I would have if I had to divide my time between dance and swim. I'm looking forward to my senior dance show. I'm looking forward to life returning to normal. But I hope we are able to keep the good that has come out of COVID-19, like online class instruction when needed.","ans_4":"The class of 2021 was able to experience typical high school and virtual. We will be known as the first class to experience the new era of learning in which Zoom and Google Meets are commonplace.","ans_5":""},{"id":12,"slug":"taliah-brown","school":"Calvary Chapel Christian School","student":"Taliah Brown","first_name":"Taliah","last_name":"Brown","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675436\/THALIA-MP_MATERIALS-MAY01-21-BH_029.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675441\/Taliah_Brown-LARGE-MP_MATERIALS-MAY01-21-BH_031.jpg","ans_1":"I have attended Calvary for five years. Since I had skipped first grade, I would have graduated high school at 16 years old, so I reclassified after my junior year for the sake of my parents' sanity. This resulted in me taking all of my senior courses during my second junior year and spending this fifth year of high school taking the only two courses available for me to take. Having a bit more free time, I started working at Dutch Bros Coffee about seven months ago and work about 27 hours a week. Throughout high school, I played varsity volleyball, basketball and track. Because of my reclassification, I was deemed ineligible for high school sports in this fifth and final year. I played club volleyball this year instead and traveled to play in Arizona and Louisville, Kentucky. I have also been a member of the National Honor Society for four years and have acted as president for two of those years. My other extracurricular activities included being an editor for the school newspaper, singing for the worship band, volunteering at church, elementary and middle school tutoring, and varsity quiz, where I was captain and a two-time all-star. My favorite classes were ninth and 10th grade English and Spanish I-III, both of which were taught by two of my biggest influences (shoutout to Mr. Brock and Mrs. Redford), as well as Calculus I and II and College Chemistry. Next year, I plan to attend UNLV, where I will be studying pre-med and majoring in biology with plans to become a surgeon.","ans_2":"Once things began to open up, our senior class planned a trip to Brian Head, Utah. We stayed for a night, snowboarded and skied, then drove home that day. It was such an unforgettable trip. With our class being smaller than normal with only 36 students, we all really bonded and became close. After such an odd and unprecedented year, the trip was a great time to really talk to each other and discuss our mental health. Our class was also very lucky to have a senior prom hosted at the top of The Strat. My friends made me ride the rides even though I never would have thought I'd be brave enough even to go out to the top of the tower.","ans_3":"Virtual learning definitely took a little time to get used to. It was much harder to stay motivated to do work at home, as well as stay honest when there isn't a teacher to ensure you don't cheat. My teachers realized this, too, and made most of our work and our final exams into projects, essays and opinion work. I enjoyed this style of work because I like the freedom of expressing what I've learned from the information rather than just a right or wrong answer. Being at home, I had a lot of time to really put effort into my finals and essays and I learned a lot. It definitely took awhile for it to set in that we were in the midst of a pandemic. For a while it just felt like a long spring break. It got really hard to keep hope and motivation in those uncertain times. Since I attend a smaller school, I was very fortunate to start and finish my senior year in person. I am able to run track this year, which is really a blessing, to make up for the canceled season last year. While the year looked a little different for sports, events and interactions, we were able to make the best of it and make unforgettable memories in these crazy times.","ans_4":"As a crazy roller coaster of events.","ans_5":""},{"id":13,"slug":"savannah-peterson","school":"Centennial High School","student":"Savannah Peterson","first_name":"Savannah","last_name":"Peterson","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670358\/Savannah_Peterson_small_041721ev_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670363\/Savannah_Peterson_LARGE-041721ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school, I have been a part of Student Council and served in leadership positions, including student body vice president this year. I have also been an active member of National Honor Society since my junior year. I swam competitively for Sandpipers from my freshman year through my junior year and participated in high school swimming. Some of my favorite classes were AP biology, English II Honors and Student Council. I love doing stuff to help out around the school. I currently have a job as a lifeguard at Red Rock Resort, and it is a struggle sometimes trying to juggle school and work. I plan to attend BYU next year. My intention is to go into nursing, but nothing is set in stone. That could change within the next year.","ans_2":"When homecoming week came around, Centennial's E-board was super disappointed that we weren't going to get the typical experience. We were determined to have a homecoming week to remember, regardless of the situation with remote learning. We worked extremely hard to think of engaging activities that all of the student body would want to participate in, and we did. Homecoming 2020 was one of the most memorable weeks of my senior year. I remember such the biggest feeling of relief and pride that it had gone so well. Of course, it wasn't the ideal way of doing things, but it was the first time I realized that regardless of the situation we were all in, we could make the most of what we had. We could still create memories with our friends.","ans_3":"Virtual learning was very hard on me. I am very much a hands-on learner, and being taught through a computer screen was difficult for me. I have never struggled more academically than I did this year. It took awhile for me to get into a routine where I eventually had to start teaching myself the material the best I could. That was one upside: I had to become more accountable and responsible for my learning. The distance learning was tough, but the social aspect of it was even worse. I am a very social person and love being around people. I look forward to school games, activities and dances. Because of COVID-19, all of that was canceled. My friends and I were especially looking forward to senior sunrise and other senior activities, but we soon found out that all of them were called off. We didn't let that stop us. We ended up planning our own senior sunrise and a couple other activities. We've done dances on our own, mini football games among our group, and we have even done online school together.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as four years of growth. At Centennial specifically, we have had a lot of tragedy just in the last four years. We have all had to take a step back from everything going on around us and take some time to grow together and to grow by ourselves.","ans_5":"It's true, this year was hard. There hasn't been a year anything like this. I know plenty of seniors that have felt neglected and forgotten, but at the end of the day, our senior year is what we made it. We could've chosen to make it memorable and fun or we could've chosen to sit at home and make things even harder for ourselves. COVID-19 has impacted us all in so many different ways. It is important for us all to remember everyone is fighting their own battles, so just be kind."},{"id":14,"slug":"alyssa-de-nieva","school":"Chaparral High School","student":"Alyssa De Nieva","first_name":"Alyssa","last_name":"De Nieva","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1621293699\/ALYSSA_DE_NIEVA_SM_051421EV_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1621293703\/ALYSSA_DE_NIEVA_LG_051421EV_002.jpg","ans_1":"I participated in Key Club, Student Organization of Latinos, Student Council, softball, basketball and tennis. I got a job this year, and it\u2019s been pretty easy to balance. My favorite classes were always Student Council and math. I will be attending UNLV in the fall to study pre-med.","ans_2":"One memory from senior year that will always be with me is the experience of coming back to school in person after such a crazy virtual year. Seeing people in person and getting to see my campus again was definitely surreal.","ans_3":"The downsides to distance learning were pretty vast. The lack of human interaction, immediate help with assignments and in-person instruction threw me for a loop. My grades dropped significantly. I had no motivation to do assignments. I would skip class all the time. My teachers would take days to email me back about a question. The workload tripled. I would easily forget deadlines. Nothing really seemed as important to me if I\u2019m being honest. I\u2019m just someone who thrives in an in-person environment, and this situation really wasn\u2019t for me. However, it\u2019s given me a bit more flexibility with my schedule. I have the liberty to do whatever I want while finishing assignments. I don\u2019t have to get ready in the morning. I\u2019ve spent a lot more time outside. I was given the responsibility to hold myself accountable for my academics, which really helped my sense of priorities and time management, plus I\u2019ve bonded with my family a lot in the past year. Something that was taken away from me was softball. I love it, and the season was canceled after only two games. To make up for it, luckily I have a net, a tee, a bat, a glove and some balls that I could use to practice in my backyard.","ans_4":"The class of 2021 will remember high school as historical, legendary and unforgettable.","ans_5":"N\/A"},{"id":15,"slug":"jackeline-hernandez-licea","school":"Cheyenne High School","student":"Jackeline Hernandez Licea","first_name":"Jackeline","last_name":"Hernandez Licea","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620671642\/Jackeline_Hernandez_Licea_SMALL-042121cs_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620671641\/Jackeline_Hernandez_Licea_LARGE-042121cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school, I unfortunately wasn\u2019t too involved in clubs or sports because I was always more focused on my schoolwork. I gave my all to every class. My favorite class was my advanced placement U.S. history class because the content was very engaging. The class helped me better understand how certain interactions made huge impacts and why. I\u2019ve also enjoyed the science classes I\u2019ve taken, specifically biology. My experience in biology is one of the main reasons I\u2019ll be going to college next year and studying to become a medical assistant and phlebotomist. I\u2019ve always been interested helping people and this career will allow me to do so.","ans_2":"This senior year has certainly been memorable, but to say that a certain memory stands out? I guess it would mainly be my accomplishments. I\u2019m proud of having gotten this far in my education. I\u2019m proud of having taken school seriously and being recognized for my efforts. I\u2019ll graduate with advanced honors and start college already having credits because of my good grades from AP and dual enrollment courses.","ans_3":"I wasn\u2019t expecting the pandemic to cut into the end of my junior year, let alone basically my entire senior year. I struggled without in-person education because it was easier to gain a better understanding in classrooms. With virtual learning, I had to be able to teach myself the content more fully. However, in being able to teach myself, I felt like I gained a much deeper understanding of the material, which I would consider the upside to my virtual learning.","ans_4":"Because of the drastic changes we had to go through, I think that the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a time when we had to create a strong connection as a community in order to move forward","ans_5":""},{"id":16,"slug":"will-zadrowski","school":"Cimarron-Memorial High School","student":"Will Zadrowski","first_name":"Will","last_name":"Zadrowski","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619467\/Will_Zadrowski_small-041021ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619476\/Will_Zadrowski_large-041021ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"I am a three-year letterman, starter and senior co-captain for Cimarron-Memorial\u2019s varsity baseball team. I am a three-year member of Cimarron\u2019s National Honor Society chapter, through which I have accumulated over 100 hours of community service. I am also an engineering intern at Ocutrx Vision Technologies, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Laguna Beach, California. While at Cimarron-Memorial, my favorite classes were chemistry and calculus. I have earned over $250,000 in direct scholarship offers to multiple schools, including the University of Colorado-Boulder, the University of Arizona and the University of Pittsburgh. Most notably, I have received congressional nominations and appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy (West Point) from Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Rep. Susie Lee. I have chosen to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Upon graduation I will be commissioned as an officer in the Air Force\/Space Force. I hope to attend pilot training after the academy to become an Air Force test pilot and, eventually, be selected for NASA\u2019s astronaut program.","ans_2":"A memory that will stick with me is my \"first\" day of senior year in March, when I met my teachers in person for the first time this year, after speaking with them virtually since August.","ans_3":"The biggest downside to the COVID-19 pandemic for me was the cancellation of my junior season for baseball and the shortened senior season. The only upside to virtual learning was being able to roll out of bed at 7:59 a.m. to log in to class at 8 a.m. without having to get ready or drive to school.","ans_4":"I think the class of 2021 will remember high school as a bittersweet experience. We had great memories before the pandemic, but our senior year was less than desirable when we went to distance learning.","ans_5":""},{"id":17,"slug":"giselle-strong","school":"Clark High School","student":"Giselle Strong","first_name":"Giselle","last_name":"Strong","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675439\/Giselle_Strong_SMALL-042821cs_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675435\/Giselle_Strong_LARGE-042821cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"I moved to Las Vegas my sophomore year of high school. I participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition as the programming captain my sophomore and junior year and was also awarded dean's list my junior year. I sang in Clark's jazz group, Shades of Soul. I participated in the National Association of Teachers of Singers competition and was awarded honorable mention in 2019 and won the musical theater division winner for my age group in 2020. I received superiors rating two years in a row for Nevada Music Educator Association's Solo and Ensemble. I was nominated into Clark's honors academy. I was the school's January student of the month recipient for the honors academy. I have participated in UNLV's Math and Science Upward Bound for three years and I am currently the 2020-21 student ambassador president. With Upward Bound, I have met with congressional leaders to advocate for funding of TRIO programs. I am a member of the National Honor Society. I received academic letter and bar for having over a 3.8 GPA for five consecutive semesters. I am a Questbridge finalist. I volunteered with the Orr Middle cheer team. I participated in theater as the principal role in \u201cMamma Mia.\u201d I was runner-up in the Distinguished Young Women Of Nevada pageant. I am a member of the Clark Dance Company. I worked as a tutor and now I am an employee at Build-A-Bear workshop.","ans_2":"My mom has an underlying health condition and we have to be careful when leaving and entering our home, so I couldn't meet up with friends and spend time with students my age. To make up for it, on the first day of school, my mom woke me up an hour or so before sunrise and decorated our backyard so we could have our own senior sunrise. The backyard was covered in streamers, glitter and other black and gold items to represent my school. She even went to Burger King and got a cardboard crown so I could decorate it like we would if we were on campus. I will never forget my mother trying to make the best of the situation and bring a smile to my face.","ans_3":"The pandemic changed everything about my junior year. We were getting ready to start our showings of \"Mamma Mia\" in theater and the FIRST Robotics Competition was around the second week of shows so I was extremely busy at all hours of the day. And then, everything stopped. No more shows, no more robotics ... nothing. I didn't know what to do. I went from being active morning, noon and night to sitting at home for days on end. I was heartbroken. Two projects I had worked so hard on would never see the light of day. I had an easier time adjusting to virtual learning because I was taking a language class at Nevada Learning Academy, but it was hard to watch my classmates and teachers struggle with this new learning model. I've been on group video chats with students explaining how to submit assignments online. But virtual learning hasn't been all bad. The new learning model has given me and other students more access to our teachers with virtual office hours and the opportunity for students to set their own pace and get their work done when they have the time.","ans_4":"I believe most people will see our senior year as a disappointment, because most of us didn't have the opportunity to attend prom or go to pep rallies. But I believe that we will remember high school as a test of resilience and we will remember, even though we did miss out on those opportunities, we still graduated and exceeded everyone's expectations of what this school year had to offer.","ans_5":"I would like to thank Mrs. Kerry Larnerd for nomination for this honor. She is an amazing principal, and I know she will do wonderful at Clark in the years to come."},{"id":18,"slug":"kyara-brown","school":"College of Southern Nevada High School East","student":"Kyara Brown","first_name":"Kyara","last_name":"Brown","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675442\/Kyara_Brown_SMALL-042821cs_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675441\/Kyara_Brown_LARGE-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"Freshman and sophomore year, I was a vocal major. I transferred to CSN High School my junior year to earn my associate's degree. I have been an active participant in National Honor Society all four years (I am currently co-vice president), and I joined Student Council last year. I was junior class president and am now student body president. Last year, before the pandemic I was involved in Black student union. I work at Savers part time, and in my free time I volunteer around the community. I am currently participating in debutantes. I also tutored sporadically through high school. During my first two years of high school, my favorite class was choir and vocal studies. When I transferred to CSN High School, my favorite class became Student Council. I've also thoroughly enjoyed the classes I took that dealt with human behavior (psychology, sociology and philosophy) Next year, I will be attending Northern Arizona University, where I will study philosophy and law. I plan join to student government and a variety of clubs, as well as getting more involved in political activism.","ans_2":"One experience that will stay with me forever happened during the holiday season. It taught me the lengths teachers will go to in order to make you feel special. My Student Council adviser, Mrs. Levy, drove through the entire city dropping off personalized stockings filled with goodies to the members of Student Council. There were about 30 kids in the class, and she took the time to make these stockings with our favorite candies, an animal that she thought represented us and a note. It wasn't the materialistic things that got me as much as the knowledge that she spent her free time assembling and delivering the packages to make sure we received them.","ans_3":"My distance education experience was harder than I anticipated. Every day was a new experience that I had to navigate. It was hard to adjust to the freedom of time, but this allowed me to begin planning and organizing assignments and tasks to stay responsible. As someone who enjoys face-to-face interaction, virtual learning was very difficult for me. I thrive on in-person interactions, and the separation from school was tough. But the silver lining was the deeper relationships I've gained. During this year and a half, I have grown a lot closer to my peers and friends. We thrive on a system of accountability and encouragement. I've learned how to accept all the punches that life will throw at you in a graceful manner. This lesson came in handy this year after a lot of senior events were canceled or postponed. But, as a member of Student Council, we worked hard to bolster school spirit and hold virtual events. A lot of our events had pretty good attendance from the rest of the student body. We even managed to hold successful socially distanced fundraisers. All in all, the experience of distance education made me grateful for the physical interaction that I experience, and it has taught me to appreciate every moment I get with people.","ans_4":"To put it into one word: Interesting. This year has been full of laughter, tears and so much more. But we learned things about ourselves and each other.","ans_5":"I just want to thank all the people who contributed to my success. My parents, teachers, friends and people who had faith in me. I wouldn't be in the position I'm in if it wasn't for the constant support and encouragement. This year was definitely difficult, but thank you for helping me through it."},{"id":19,"slug":"adrian-lua-sanchez","school":"College of Southern Nevada High School South","student":"Adrian Lua Sanchez","first_name":"Adrian","last_name":"Lua Sanchez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673370\/Adrian_Lua_Sanchez-SMALL-_CLASS_OF_2021-BT02.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673372\/Adrian_Lua_Sanchez-LARGE-CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","ans_1":"Unfortunately, I was not that interested in the clubs offered at the high schools I attended, but I do regret not participating in any sports. I think I would've loved cross country. I did not have a job during my high school years. My favorite classes were definitely math and all sciences: biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy. I will most likely be attending UNLV next year and pursuing my bachelor's degree in physics.","ans_2":"Reaching out to an old friend from middle school who I had not talked to in a very long time. It has been great reconnecting with them as they helped make me who I am today.","ans_3":"When COVID first hit, the transition to virtual learning created a bit of a learning curve as students and teachers weren't used to such an environment. However, virtual learning gave me a lot more time, which I found very useful! I was able to learn how to be a better cook, started exercising more frequently, and practiced mindfulness. Even though I had more time to do things I wanted, I often found myself allocating less time to school and studying. But I made the most of it.","ans_4":"To be quite frank, I am not entirely sure we will remember much with the amount of sleep we average.","ans_5":""},{"id":20,"slug":"peverel-shipley","school":"College of Southern Nevada High School West","student":"Peverel Shipley","first_name":"Peverel","last_name":"Shipley","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619469\/Peverel_Shipley_small-041021ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619471\/Peverel_Shipley_large-041021ev_001.jpg","ans_1":"I participated in varsity quiz, chess and swimming. I have been working as a lifeguard since the summer of 2019. My favorite class is woodshop. I will be attending college next year, but I am not sure where yet.","ans_2":"I'll remember my academic accomplishments. It was very challenging to adjust to this new online learning environment, but I am proud of the ways that I have adapted.","ans_3":"The pandemic had a massive effect on me as a student. On the one hand, it was rather convenient to stay at home and not have to drive to school. I could also work more on my own schedule. On the other hand, it was more difficult to learn the material without in-person instruction, and everything felt much less personal. I was going to participate in high school swimming. But because of spring sports being suspended, I was forced to exercise on my own, so I took up weightlifting instead.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember the sudden change to virtual learning and the pandemic.","ans_5":"I would like to thank my teachers for all the hard work they put in during my high school years, especially having to adjust to the virtual classroom."},{"id":21,"slug":"leyla-akgedik","school":"Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas","student":"Leyla Akgedik","first_name":"Leyla","last_name":"Akgedik","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620671641\/Akgedik_SMALL-CLASS_OF_2021-BT04.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620671642\/Akgedik_LARGE-CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","ans_1":"I have attended Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas' Sandy Ridge campus for my entire high school career. I have a 5.4 GPA, and I like being an active member of the school\u2019s community. Coral has provided me the skills necessary to be successful. I have learned to be a resourceful student and always ask questions. I am proud to represent Coral Academy, and I feel very lucky to have attended such a prestigious school with teachers who have fostered an environment that encourages me to reach my goals, work hard and give 100 percent in everything I do. My favorite classes in high school were Introduction to Digital Art and AP 2-D Studio Art, because I felt like I found the greatest self-improvement in these courses. I had the creative liberty and the opportunity to explore artistic choices and pour them onto paper. Next year, I will be studying architecture as I have been accepted to the University of Southern California and the University of Notre Dame. I hope to make my decision on which school I will attend soon. I aspire to be a global citizen through the organizations and activities I get involved with. This year, I worked with a team of students and the Nevada Help Desk to put on a virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade to ensure that the tradition was not lost. I did not want the pandemic to keep us from celebrating such an important civil rights leader. Additionally, I am involved with the College Mentorship and Leadership Program. Through this program I have been awarded several accolades: \u25cf The Congressional Award Gold Medal (2020-21) \u25cf Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Rep. Steven Horsford, Rep. Susie Lee, and Sen. Jacky Rosen (2019) \u25cf Certificate of Commendation from Rep. Dina Titus and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (2019) In addition to my leadership roles, I am involved with the Nevada Help Desk and the After-School Technology Club and have a job as a website designer. I have participated in various art competitions and was published last year in the \u201cArt for Freedom: See Something, Draw Something\" book. I enjoy helping my community in any way I can. Currently, I volunteer as a student tutor and as a library helper at Henderson Libraries. I also like to volunteer my time to the Advocates of Silenced Turkey organization and the Silver Sage Foundation Teen Project.","ans_2":"A memory from my senior year that will always stay with me is the stark transition to how my close friends and I interacted. Zoom became our primary platform for working together, hanging out and talking about what has been going on in our lives. Being able to see them even though we were apart, made me smile during my classes. Zoom was an opportunity to catch-up with my friends and have some social interaction. During this time, I also contributed to my community by volunteering as an online tutor and helping other students learn a few times a week. This was a great way to stay active in the community, support my fellow peers and connect with other students.","ans_3":"When the pandemic started towards the end of our junior year, I felt as if an opportunity was provided to us. We could spend more time indoors with our family and with ourselves. I thought that I could finally fulfill the tasks that I normally did not have time to work on. The first few months were the golden months, but as time passed by, I realized that I missed opportunities to meet with my friends. Virtual learning during my senior year of high school had several upsides and downsides. The upsides included not having to walk or drive to school, using lunch and break times to complete assignments or talk to other family members. However, there were downsides too: not being able to have face-to-face interactions, adapting to the Zoom platform, learning how to navigate school life and applying for colleges, and dealing with the increased workload impacted by my experience as a student and as a senior. To compensate for the activities I could not attend during my senior year, I really made a point to spend quality time with my family. Enjoy some time outside and prioritize self-care through some of my favorite hobbies. This was really an opportunity to connect with myself and my family because prior to the pandemic I did not have much time for it.","ans_4":"This has been a challenging year filled with unexpected roadblocks for many students. Many will remember high school with silent breakout rooms, technical difficulties, and a desire to reunite with others. Despite all of this, students will have acquired a sense of appreciation and gratitude towards overcoming these tough times and making it to graduation. We were able to overcome so much uncertainty while still having to continue our daily routine of schoolwork and applying to colleges. Students had to transition from in-person learning to at home learning. While many will see this as the worst year, I think it has taught us that the Class of 2021 is resilient and strong. This will have a lasting impact in our lives as we did not get to experience some of the traditional school celebrations like school dances, but we still made it and will use this challenging experience in high school to savor the little moments in life as you never know when they might be taken away.","ans_5":""},{"id":22,"slug":"robert-sutton","school":"Coronado High School","student":"Robert Sutton","first_name":"Robert","last_name":"Sutton","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619471\/Robert_Sutton_small-042121cs_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619473\/Robert_Sutton_large_042121cs_003_1.jpg","ans_1":"I have attended Coronado all four years. I have been on the varsity football team for three years, the varsity wrestling program for four years and the track program for two years. I was the varsity football team captain for two years and the varsity wrestling captain for three years. I have been a member of the Coronado Madrigals and Chamber choirs the past four years, two of which I was the section leader. I was vice president last year and co-president this year. My favorite classes were science and choir. Science has always been a subject of interest for me, and choir was my home away from home. Mr. Fleisher is an excellent mentor and dear friend to me. Another big mentor my entire high school career was Coach Yack. He has taught me so much about not only being a man but being a good one, a sheep dog. There was never a year I didn't enjoy class. My teachers were the greatest, and I hold them in the highest regard. I have committed to Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, to play football and study biology. I want to pursue a career in fire and rescue.","ans_2":"My favorite memories of this year were getting to spend time with close friends and family. The pandemic really showed you who your closest friends are. My workout group stayed the entire time. My wonderful girlfriend and I got back together during the pandemic, and it really was a testament to who she is, and I am forever in her debt for the things we have learned together. I would love to name a single memory, but I have found throughout this COVID turmoil, it was the little moments that I will remember most. The date nights at home, the simple workouts I did every day, the breakfasts with my family. All of those little things amounted to something much greater than all the darkness going on. Those little memories are precious to me, because that's what pushed me through, and I'm sure I am not the only one.","ans_3":"Virtual learning has been a challenge because there is a lot more independence given to students. It was very easy for procrastination to set in, and that was big hurdle to overcome as far as time management. But the biggest mountain, I think we all can agree, was the loneliness. There is no way around this feeling as most days you sit in a room alone behind a screen. That feeling of togetherness dissipates, and it's a really hard thing to fight. This hit me hard in my choir classes. An art form like this needs sociability, that comfort of family I got everyday entering that classroom. Without it, you could sense a lot of the sadness everyone was feeling. This was also true for all of my sports programs. As a senior, not having one last run really hits you hard. Your time to shine got stolen away. I looked back on what I accomplished with everyone around me and really appreciated it. Those are the things that keep you going, even if one step at a time.","ans_4":"A triumph, and proof that this class is stronger than most.","ans_5":"Thank you to all the staff at Coronado. You have truly been a family to me. Hold on to the little things. They can pull you up the tallest of mountains. True courage isn't having the strength to go on. It's choosing to go on when you haven't the strength."},{"id":23,"slug":"nakala-nadeau","school":"Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts","student":"Nakala Nadeau","first_name":"Nakala","last_name":"Nadeau","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620962\/Nakala_Nadeau-small-CLASS_OF_2021-BT04.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620962\/Nakala_Nadeau-large-_CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","ans_1":"I played three sports: cross-country, basketball and track and field. My favorite classes were theater, chemistry and English. Next year, I will attend Elmhurst University in Illinois. I will be studying to become an athletic therapist and participating in track and field","ans_2":"After school everyday I would call my friend group and we would talk everyday because we couldn\u2019t see each other. They are the only friends I kept during this pandemic, and I wouldn\u2019t want anybody else.","ans_3":"There were definitely more ups and downs when it came to the pandemic. The upside is that for three years while I was going to school I would wake up at 4 a.m. every day, take three buses to make it to school on time and then do the same thing to go back home. Also, I really got to work on myself, and I adapt very quickly to any situation so virtual learning did not mess up my grades at all. The only downside to virtual learning was when I didn\u2019t get my junior year for track and field. If I would\u2019ve had my junior year I believe I would\u2019ve gotten more offers from colleges, but I don\u2019t regret the school I picked whatsoever. Another positive note is, because I didn\u2019t have track, I learned how to practice by myself. I was running every day, practicing hurdles and just working on myself.","ans_4":"This school year will probably go down in history as one of the worst as seniors were not able to have prom, senior week and many other activities that we would\u2019ve had. But at the same time, this prepared us for adulthood in a way because we learned time management, how to work on ourselves and do better independently.","ans_5":"I hope everyone found the good in our last year of high school. A new chapter is opening for us, and I can\u2019t wait to see where everyone goes in the future. We did it, Class of 2021. We finally made it."},{"id":24,"slug":"veronica-linan-martinez","school":"Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus","student":"Veronica Linan-Martinez","first_name":"Veronica","last_name":"Linan-Martinez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1621293699\/Veronica_Linah_SM_CLASS_OF_2021-bh_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1621293701\/Veronica_Linah_LG_CLASS_OF_2021-bh_002.jpg","ans_1":"I was a member of the softball and basketball teams. Along with these extracurricular activities, I got to be a part of international trips that included traveling to Italy and Ecuador. I got a job the summer before senior year at Party City, where I am currently a supervisor. My favorite classes were mostly in science and math: physics, Algebra II, etc. I will attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts next year.","ans_2":"Gaining a management position at my job. I was beyond proud of myself because I was still 17 and had not worked there very long before I got promoted. While this job may not seem like much in others' eyes, it has had a large effect on my persona. I was able to develop leadership and communication skills in the real world. A confidence that I did not even know existed blossomed from within me.","ans_3":"COVID-19 definitely took a toll on my mental health during my junior and senior years. There were moments when I found my grades slipping because of the lack of motivation that I had from not being in a classroom. I was responsible for keeping myself on track and limiting my procrastination. While virtual learning has been difficult, it has taught me more about self-accountability and being able to advocate for myself. I am in charge of my education and, therefore, had to teach myself to manage my time wisely and reach out to my teachers if I needed help. I was not able to play softball and basketball, but I used the time that would be devoted to them to do something productive.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will remember high school as an unforgettable experience, for better or worse. It is a period of our lives that we will always remember for the unique circumstances that we had to face. I believe that we will not let COVID-19 define our experience, but rather it will be defined by the relationships we built and the lessons we were taught.","ans_5":""},{"id":25,"slug":"jade-ogden","school":"Desert Oasis High School","student":"Jade Ogden","first_name":"Jade","last_name":"Ogden","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675435\/Ogden-SMALL-_CLASS_OF_2021-BT01_1.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675432\/Ogden_LARGE-CLASS_OF_2021-BT02.jpg","ans_1":"Going into high school, I was super-excited. My freshman year, my older brother was a junior and my dad worked at the school as an art teacher and women's soccer coach. I was lucky to go into high school with a great group of friends. I participated in soccer, track and Student Council all four years. Throughout high school, I have babysat and nannied for a few different families. Some of my favorite classes were art, Student Council and video production. I will be attending Snow College this fall to play soccer and further my education. I plan on getting into the nursing program in hopes of becoming a NICU nurse.","ans_2":"One memory from senior year that I will cherish forever is painting my senior parking spot. Although I didn't get to park in it for very long, it was fun to have some normalcy during a crazy year. This year I will finally accomplish a goal I set in sixth grade of having a 4.0 GPA from sixth to 12th grade.","ans_3":"I am not going to lie, this year was rough. It was hard for me socially because I excel in a hands-on environment. I love to be around others, so it was difficult to adapt to virtual learning, but I have finally got the hang of it. I was super-bummed when it was decided that fall sports couldn't take place. Through high school, soccer season was always my favorite. To not have soccer my senior year, I was devastated. I have looked forward to my senior night and having the opportunity to try to win regionals and state. Luckily I am able to participate in track. I am so glad that the world is starting to go back to normal and I am able to have at least that experience.","ans_4":"I think that the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a challenging time, but also a time of growth. I hope that my class will look back at this time and recognize the strength gained through facing the adversity of this pandemic and its challenges.","ans_5":""},{"id":26,"slug":"landon-miyoshi","school":"Doral Academy Red Rock","student":"Landon Miyoshi","first_name":"Landon","last_name":"Miyoshi","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675433\/Landon_Miyoshi_SMALL-042121cs_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675442\/Landon_Miyoshi_LARGE-042121cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"My high school years were filled with opportunities for self-growth and finding my own identity. My freshmen year was the time in which I needed to mature and learn how to grow out of my comfort zone. Before, I was an extremely quiet kid with not many friends. I also didn't realize how different high school was from middle school. In sophomore year, I had everything figured out, and I will always remember thinking that life was perfect. I absolutely loved my English class, I loved my geography class, and I had more friends than I've ever had before. In my junior year, I had a media productions class, which I think was the most fun I've had in an elective, and I joined Student Council and ran for senior class vice president. In my senior year, I was largely disconnected with any activities other than being in Student Council because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Next year, I plan to attend UNLV to major in architecture.","ans_2":"The day that online school began. Virtual learning looked like it was here to stay. COVID cases were through the roof. There was no vaccine yet. Most of Las Vegas was shut down. It seemed my last year of high school would be like for the rest of the year. I tried as much as I could to talk to my friends online through calling or texting and playing video games with them, which helped to keep my thinking optimistic.","ans_3":"Junior and senior year were perhaps the most difficult years of my life. Junior year seemed like any other year at first, and I would have never thought in my wildest imagination that there would be a pandemic like this. After junior year was over, I kept hoping that everything would blow over and the country would be able to recover from COVID. That hope swiftly dwindled during senior year. I developed issues with my mental health, and finding motivation and happiness was a challenge while doing school online. Not being able to see my friends in person for nearly eight months after seeing them almost everyday was jolting, and the thought of transitioning from high school to college life filled me with extreme anxiety. But even in my lowest times, I had to constantly remind myself that this pandemic will not last forever, that I need to do my part in keeping myself and my family healthy and hope for the best. Now my school is opened again for four days a week, the COVID count in Vegas has dropped, there are multiple vaccines, and we are planning our high school graduation!","ans_4":"I would hope that the members of the Class of 2021 learned to find themselves, and realized that high school is not all there is in life.","ans_5":"I encourage all kids who suffer from mental health issues such as depression or anxiety to please get help and know that you're not alone. Whether you've only felt it during, before or after quarantine, know that things will get better. Even a global pandemic will pass, but it's how you react when tough times come and what you learned after you've overcome it. Keep hope alive in your lives!"},{"id":27,"slug":"fayza-salah","school":"Durango High School","student":"Fayza Salah","first_name":"Fayza","last_name":"Salah","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670352\/Fayza_Salah-_small_CLASS_OF_2020-BH_024.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670365\/Fayza_Salah-LARGE-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_027.jpg","ans_1":"At Durango, I have demonstrated my service through a variety of clubs and organizations. I\u2019ve been a member of Student Council since my freshman year and currently serve as the student body president. I've always valued my position as a leader and representative of my school, and I've worked hard to better Durango and the surrounding community. I'm also a member of Durango's chamber choir. I've had the privilege of singing as a Soprano I in the CCSD Honor Choir, Nevada All-State Choir and American Choral Directors Association's Western Regional Choir. National Honor Society, Math Club, video production and student ambassadors are a few other prominent activities and organizations in which I've participated in over the years. In addition to my studies and extracurricular activities, I've also held employment since I was 16. I currently work at FlipNOut Xtreme. I plan to attend the University of Nevada, Reno to pursue a degree in neuroscience. I\u2019ve always been intrigued by the mystery and complexity of the brain and am so excited to continue my academic pursuits at a college level.","ans_2":"It's been a senior year unlike any other. With that being said, I truly think I\u2019ve made the most of my final moments in high school. Isolation from my peers has been one of the most difficult aspects of online learning for me. However, via video calls, I have been able to keep in contact and connect with my friends and classmates. In addition, given the change from in-person classes to online learning, I'm proud that I persevered through the year.","ans_3":"The transition to distance learning was difficult in the beginning. The cancellation of trips, performances and events was disappointing. Additionally, as a hands-on learner, it\u2019s been daunting to spend countless hours in front of a screen. However, despite all of the downsides that have come with online learning, there are some highlights. As the year progressed, I was able to get into a good routine and adapt to the changing circumstances. I\u2019m grateful to have teachers who have done an outstanding job of modifying their classes to be online-friendly and still engaging.","ans_4":"Overall, this year has been difficult, but the Class of 2021 will take pride in the fact that we were able to forge ahead through an unmatched experience.","ans_5":""},{"id":28,"slug":"laisha-diaz","school":"Eldorado High School","student":"Laisha Diaz","first_name":"Laisha","last_name":"Diaz","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675435\/LAISHA-SMALLCLASS_OF_2020-BH_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675435\/Laisha_Diaz-LARGE-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_005.jpg","ans_1":"I have attended Eldorado High School since the ninth grade. I have participated in various clubs, including the National Honor Society, Student Organization of Latinos, Student Council and the Outdoors Club. I hold a title within all of these extracurriculars: secretary and historian in SOL, president in the Outdoors Club, treasurer in National Honor Society and student body vice president in Student Council. I had two jobs in high school. My first was at Baskin-Robbins during the summer of my junior year. I had an amazing time engaging with customers and making memories, including trying the various flavors of ice cream. I currently work at In-N-Out Burger, which has provided me such an amazing atmosphere for growth. I have loved every second of working for the company. My favorite class is AP Psychology, taught by Ms. Cattanach. I have developed an amazing connection with my teacher, which makes the class enjoyable. Next year, I am looking forward to receiving a college education at UNLV.","ans_2":"A memory that I will never forget is the Discord lunch calls with my friends during virtual learning. The Discord app allowed us to talk over voice, video and text to stay connected. Using this platform, we set up a virtual lunch in which we all ate and talked about anything. It was a bright memory in dark times and a reminder that we were all still close. It became an everyday tradition.","ans_3":"My life quickly changed with the spread of COVID-19. CCSD moved to virtual classes, and my school campus closed. We all became separated out of caution over this unknown virus. With so much change, it was important to stay positive. I am still adjusting to virtual learning, but I have become more accustomed to it. It was hard to focus on school with so much going on. I needed to take a deep breath and remind myself daily that eventually everything would be OK. There were no senior traditions, but that is OK. There was no normal year, but that is OK. It became noticeable to me that we all must do our part and remember everything will be OK.","ans_4":"Probably the masks, the social distancing and virtual learning as our most recent memories. Although I hope the Class of 2021 will remember the good times before COVID-19. We lived through a historic event, but that doesn't define us. We came out strong, and I hope the Class of 2021 will remember that about high school.","ans_5":""},{"id":29,"slug":"felix-abraham-sierra-talavera","school":"Equipo Academy","student":"Felix Abraham Sierra-Talavera","first_name":"Felix","last_name":"Abraham Sierra-Talavera","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673366\/Felix_Abraham_Sierra-Talavera_SMALL-042821cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673371\/Felix_Abraham_Sierra-Talavera_LARGE-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"In August 2017, I made the impactive transition into high school. I felt anxiety, stress and even unhealthy thoughts because of the personal experiences I faced with bullying in previous school years. So, starting high school felt like the right time to change myself, whether it was losing weight or changing my style, it was a significant step toward healing. I was also reclaiming my voice with a newfound passion for activism. At the end of my freshman year, I was offered the wonderful opportunity to join my school\u2019s associated student body, which is the student government and leadership class that represents the student body. Three years later, I would become the student body president of Equipo Academy, along with having a strong involvement in extracurricular activities both inside and outside of school. I now have also started my own social justice club, which focuses on taking action to make change happen. After all the obstacles I faced, today I\u2019m excited to announce that I will be following in my principal\u2019s footsteps and attending Middlebury College in Vermont starting in the fall.","ans_2":"Inspired to make a difference in my community and increase my leadership skills, I created my own club at school that revolves around social justice issues. Having a family history of struggling with mental health empowered me to raise awareness for suicide prevention, which led me to create a school marathon. Attendants brought white shirts to press on turquoise and purple paint handprints. Today, I treasure my handprinted shirt that recalls one of the times I promoted empowerment and advocacy to the entire student body, and it provides me with consistent positive thinking during my lowest points.","ans_3":"Being part of the associated student body at my school has definitely had its challenges, especially when the unthinkable happens. As junior class vice president last year, I was tasked to plan, promote and execute the senior prom. Through constant meeting updates, fundraising opportunities and promotions, my committee and I were preparing to make the Class of 2020\u2019s prom a night to remember.The COVID-19 pandemic would prevent the event from being executed, but it didn\u2019t stop us from celebrating the Class of 2020. Eventually, I created The EA CO\/2020 Project on Instagram. It commended all the hard work of the Class of 2020. From posting daily stories of seniors to making graduation yard signs, it brought some entertainment and levity during a surreal time. I created a similar project this year for my class since we also know what it feels like to have our senior year taken away.","ans_4":"Attending a sixth-12th grade charter school has helped us build long-lasting relationships with students, teachers and everybody in between. I know that in our post-high school life, we will never forget those who helped us since ninth grade, maybe even earlier. We have been given unforgettable memories and advice from those who came before us.","ans_5":""},{"id":30,"slug":"raeann-gonzalez","school":"Explore Knowledge Academy","student":"Raeann Gonzalez","first_name":"Raeann","last_name":"Gonzalez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614463\/Raeann_Gonzalez_-small-CLASS_OF_2021-BT03.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614467\/Raeann_Gonzalez-large-_CLASS_OF_2021-BT05.jpg","ans_1":"I consider my high school years to be momentous. The last four years presented me with many opportunities to showcase my talents. I am well known in school for playing the piano and melodica. I performed in my school\u2019s talent shows and pep rallies. I was also a contestant for multiple local competitions. I earned third place for both the \u201cSpark! Poetry Competition\u201d and the \u201cFossil Day Art \u2014 Las Vegas Natural History Museum.\u201d Unfortunately, I never applied for a part-time job while in high school. Although I wish I had, because I wanted to gain some work experience. My parents wanted me to concentrate more on my studies, and they believed that being employed part time may interfere with achieving high grades. My favorite classes were Spanish and Personal Finance because I enjoyed the variety of projects. I enjoy creating projects and presenting them to my class. Next year, I plan to attend the College of Southern Nevada, then transfer to UNLV to pursue a career in nursing.","ans_2":"One of my favorite memories of senior year was when my classmates and I went kayaking at Lake Las Vegas. I didn\u2019t even know how to kayak before that. A classmate partnered with me in a tandem kayak and we struggled. I started laughing when we accidentally steered our kayak toward the tall reeds. But I enjoyed the experience because I was able to make new memories with my classmates. I was delighted to reunite with them.","ans_3":"The pandemic affected my junior and senior years immensely. Multiple events had to be canceled and classes had to be modified. I was disappointed, but I'm glad that virtual learning made up for it. I tried to stay motivated even though it was a challenge. Being at home posed many distractions, and I had to make an effort to stay focused. I also recall that during my junior year my class was supposed to attend a gardening community service field trip. I was looking forward to that, but it never happened because of the pandemic. I wish that there were more memories that my friends and I could have made during my senior year. But we have to look at things positively and try to create alternative ways to make up for these events, like sharing our fun experiences, even if it was just through Zoom meetings.","ans_4":"","ans_5":""},{"id":31,"slug":"kanalu-shimizu","school":"Faith Lutheran High School","student":"Kanalu Shimizu","first_name":"Kanalu","last_name":"Shimizu","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611895\/Kanalu_Shimizu_small_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611899\/Kanalu_Shimizu_large_001.jpg","ans_1":"I started my Faith Lutheran career in 2018 as a sophomore moving to Las Vegas from Hawaii. My football journey began the day (May 30) I got off the plane, as I attended practice that afternoon. I have been a varsity football player all four years and am recognized as a two-time all-conference player and team captain. I also competed in track and field as a varsity shot put thrower. In my first meet I had qualified for state. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit. I will attend Idaho State University next year on scholarship to pursue my athletic and academic aspirations. My favorite class would be Guitar II, taught by Johnny Rivera. While many other subjects talk to the mind, music speaks to the soul. The most important part of my years in high school would be the ministry aspect offered by Faith Lutheran. I was blessed with the opportunity to be a ministry leader in a program called Echo Leadership. This program provided a time for me to preach and encourage high school students. A group of freshmen through seniors converses about trials and tribulations experienced throughout their lives as teenagers.","ans_2":"I will always remember the heavy snowfall just hours before our season opener versus Moapa Valley. It was a game that we weren't sure was possible in the midst of a pandemic, yet our administration and coaching staff came through. We would go on to beat the Pirates 41-20 in the 30-degree weather. This would mark the beginning of the end for my high school football career.","ans_3":"The pandemic caught me completely off guard. One day I was enjoying a sociology class full of students. The next was spent at home in my room as a result of the shutdown. At first it seemed to be a relief, I viewed it as a \"mini vacation\" from classroom responsibilities. But, as time went on and the restrictions got worse, it was clear to me that I would not have an ordinary senior year. Although this pandemic gave me the opportunity to spend valuable time with my family, I had lost many senior privileges. The fall sports season was postponed till the spring. Everything was canceled, from dances to assemblies. Ultimately, a hybrid system of online and in-person learning was implemented. Virtual learning taught me how to manage time well and showed me the importance of self-discipline. In a world full of distractions, one must be focused and intent on finishing high school on your terms. Fast-forward to second semester, students at Faith Lutheran are able to attend in-person class full time. Football and other fall sports are having a season as the return to normalcy begins.","ans_4":"The class of 2021 will forever remember high school as the biggest emotional roller coaster in the history of high school.","ans_5":"The pandemic has affected everyone in different ways. Whether it be financial struggles, mental health or the loss of a loved one. In a time of tremendous uncertainty, one thing remains true: The love of Christ. \"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.\" \u2014 Psalm 23:4"},{"id":32,"slug":"brooklyn-wiedenheft","school":"Foothill High School","student":"Brooklyn Wiedenheft","first_name":"Brooklyn","last_name":"Wiedenheft","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673371\/Brooklyn_Wiedenheft_SMALL-042121cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673371\/Brooklyn_Wiedenheft_LARGE-042121cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"During my years at Foothill High I participated in several clubs and activities. My freshman year, I played varsity volleyball as a setter, and loved every second of it. On the side, I played club volleyball as well, traveling from state to state participating in qualifying tournaments. After my freshman year, I decided to play club beach volleyball full time. During that time I competed in tournaments in Las Vegas and California. Outside of that, I participated in clubs such as National Honor Society, Link Crew, and Sign Language Club. My favorite classes included precalculus, health science and AP Spanish. In each of those classes I had amazing teachers and I loved the material that was covered. My senior year, I was hired at American Eagle as a sales ambassador. Next year, I plan to attend the University of Connecticut to play volleyball as a DI athlete and pursue dreams of working in health care with a major in biology.","ans_2":"My favorite memory was last year's homecoming game right before the COVID shutdown. Being in the student section with all of my closest friends, while cheering on our Falcon football team was so fun. I remember singing \"Sweet Caroline\" during halftime with my peers and I ate junk food we had bought from the snack shack. After the game, all of us went to the homecoming bash. There we got to eat more food, dance and enjoy the night. Being around such great people really made that night one to remember. The biggest accomplishment for me in high school was to graduate top in my class. Ever since middle school it has always been my goal to get all A's in every course, so since sixth grade I have done just that and I hope to finish strong.","ans_3":"Being a senior during the shutdown was definitely very difficult. Not being able to experience the full luxuries of my senior year has been hard. Things such as prom, graduating class walk, senior sunrise, sports, field day, all of those events were stripped away from us. But as a class, I think we adjusted to those setbacks. One example was making a socially distanced senior sunrise at the park. Secondly, our Student Council class worked very hard to distribute senior shirts and senior signs to students in a safe manner. I think everyone tried their hardest to make senior year feel more normal. I struggled with the transition to virtual learning. Throughout high school, I had always taken AP and honors courses. Taking those rigorous courses online was definitely a struggle, but the amazing teachers and staff were really helpful and understanding.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as one for the books. I believe our graduating class will go down as one of the toughest, most persevering classes in the last decade. Our years were filled with lots of fun, but we also encountered many obstacles in 2020-21. In the end, we adapted and found a way to make things work even in the roughest times.","ans_5":""},{"id":33,"slug":"daniel-kane","school":"Founders Classical Academy of Las Vegas","student":"Daniel Kane","first_name":"Daniel","last_name":"Kane","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673367\/Daniel_Kane_SMALL-042121cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673370\/Daniel_Kane_LARGE-042121cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"As an extracurricular activity, I sang in a Latin choir (which was greatly helped by my Latin classes at Founders). I do not have a job yet, but I plan on finding one soon. I would say my favorite classes were math classes (as I'm quite good at math problems) and history classes (because I got to learn a great many things in the different eras of history). Next year, I will be attending a college in North Dakota as a computer science major.","ans_2":"I stayed in touch with my friends by having them over at my house and through a group messaging system that we all share. The best part of my senior year was having a small group of close friends hang out to eat pizza, play games and have a good time. In addition, I was excited to receive a partial scholarship from the college I will be attending, and I'm looking forward to visiting the campus soon.","ans_3":"The upsides of virtual learning were that I did not have to be driven to school every day and could simply attend classes in the comfort of my own home. However, the downside would be that I was easily distracted at home, and homework often took a lot longer than I would have liked.","ans_4":"I think that we students will look back upon our time as high schoolers with nostalgia later in life yet also be deeply saddened that this epoch of our lives was marred by the difficulties that came with the pandemic.","ans_5":"I am quite saddened to be leaving my teachers, because I enjoyed the time I spent in their classes. Thanks to their guidance, I feel that my high school education was greatly enriched. My history teacher was my favorite. He had a good sense of humor and always knew how to make class fun and interesting."},{"id":34,"slug":"abelardo-guerrero","school":"Global Community High School","student":"Abelardo Guerrero","first_name":"Abelardo","last_name":"Guerrero","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611896\/Guerrero-square-CLASS_OF_2021-BT04.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611894\/Guerrero-large-CLASS_OF_2021-BT03.jpg","ans_1":"Global is a very small school. Classes were small. This gives the teacher the time to get to know every single student. I think that is my favorite thing about Global. It doesn't feel like a school. It feels more like a family. Even if Global doesn't have a lot of clubs, I got to participate in Latinos in Action during my junior year, and this year I participated in the executive board. One of my favorite classes was Latinos in Action because we help the community and also our own school. My next step will probably be going to college and accomplishing my dreams.","ans_2":"Everything in my senior year will be memorable, but if I have to choose I will say the day when the government told us that school will be canceled for the next week (I was a junior at that time), and now, look at me a year after, I am about to graduate and survive the online school.","ans_3":"School wasn't easy before COVID, and it got even harder when COVID started to take hold in Las Vegas. But we have to adapt and survive. My back hurts, I had insomnia and it was hard to concentrate. But I told myself, \"You need to do the impossible. You are not only going to pass school. You will get straight A's every single quarter.\" The key to survive online school is to be brave and believe in yourself. Of course I sacrificed things that were important for me, but what was most important was my goal of getting straight A's.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember this high school year as stressful, hard and sometimes annoying.","ans_5":"Global is not only a school. It is also a family. They were more than happy to help me every single time I asked. Without them I couldn't have done it."},{"id":35,"slug":"katie-kucik","school":"Green Valley High School","student":"Katie Kucik","first_name":"Katie","last_name":"Kucik","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1621876903\/Kucik_CLASS_OF_2021-BT03_sm.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1621876909\/Kucik_CLASS_OF_2021-BT01_lg.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout all four years of high school, I have been a member of the Boulder City Henderson national team as well as the Green Valley High swim team. As a freshman, I played the french horn in band and competed in Speech and Debate. In April of my freshman year, I joined National Charity League, and I have been a member ever since. During my sophomore year, I was chosen as an athlete representative for BCH, a position I still hold. I am a representative to the: \u2022 Southern California Swimming Governance Committee and the Desert Committee council of coaches, officials and athletes. \u2022 Athlete Representative to the Southern California Swimming Officials Committee. \u2022 Southern California Swimming Service Project Task Force. During the summer between my junior and senior year of high school, I was hired as a lifeguard for the City of Henderson. I have always enjoyed learning and have loved most of the classes I have taken. However, the subjects that really stood out to me were those that I learned in my physics and history classes. Next year, I will be attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. I will also be a recruited member of its swim team. Because the Air Force Academy is in the Mountain West Conference, I am excited to be able to return home and compete at UNLV.","ans_2":"A memory from my senior year that will stay with me is the last club swim meet I participated in. The swimmers really came together as a team, supporting each other throughout the good and the bad races. We all had such a fun time cheering each other on at the end of the lanes. The enthusiasm and positivity stayed high throughout the meet, and our team ended up winning the high-point award. It was a great meet to have as a last club meet.","ans_3":"The end of my junior year and the entirety of my senior year were greatly affected by the pandemic. Having everything shut down without warning created a lot of uncertainty about things like completing the school year and AP tests. Because of the abruptness of the shutdown last year, we were unable to learn the last of the curriculum in my junior classes. Throughout the summer between junior and senior year, the school district went back and forth between attending school in person and attending virtually. CCSD ended up starting the school year with everyone virtual, which definitely made for the most unique first day of school I had ever had. It was difficult to put myself back on a schedule, as it felt like I was still in the spring-summer limbo of time seeming to stay in place. I used an agenda for the first time to make sure I was staying on top of my responsibilities. Partaking in virtual learning for the majority of my senior year gave me a lot more time in my day than I would have had otherwise. I was not required to drive to and from school, nor did I have to walk in between classes. It was shocking to me to see just how much of my day would have been taken up just by traveling to and from places that I could now use to do work, relax, or \u2014 and this one I did often \u2014 snack. As nice as it was to have some extra time in my day, I missed the social aspect of school. I ended up calling friends over the phone on some days, joining group Facetimes, or setting up Google Meets to catch up with people and hang out. It was the best feeling to return to school and interact with people face to face again fourth quarter, despite the half in-person, half virtual schedule.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will remember high school as a steep learning curve for life. The end of our junior year to the end of our senior year was filled with so much uncertainty. So many times we were told that something was going to happen, but then it was canceled, and then it was back on again, and then it was changed, and then changed again. We truly understood what \"nothing is set in stone\" meant. We'll remember it as the year that taught us to make the most of the moment, because things can change in the blink of an eye.","ans_5":"While the past year has had its ups and downs, it has been great to see a semi-return to normalcy as senior year wraps up. I have been able to attend school in person as well as have one last (shortened) high school swim season. I am excited to represent GVHS at the regional championships this month, and I'm looking forward to graduating with my friends."},{"id":36,"slug":"chad-carlson","school":"GV Christian School","student":"Chad Carlson","first_name":"Chad","last_name":"Carlson","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619467\/Chad_Carlson_small-041021ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619476\/Chad_Carlson_large-041021ev_001.jpg","ans_1":"During high school I participated in JV and varsity basketball, varsity baseball, and I did some recreational volleyball. I have been a part of National Honor Society for three years, and I am student body vice president this year. My favorite classes have been math and history. Next year I hope to attend the Naval Academy or the Air Force Academy.","ans_2":"Taking my fitness test for my military academies applications. I had trained all fall to try to get to the level where I wanted to be. When it finally came time to take the test, I exceeded my expectations and was very proud of myself. Since then, I have continued to get stronger, allowing myself to summarize my senior year as the year I got physically fit.","ans_3":"COVID has extremely affected my junior and senior years. During my junior year, my baseball season was canceled after only one game, which we were extremely disappointed about as we were looking forward to that season. The online learning last year was bearable as it meant more free time but much less social interaction. During my senior year, my school was able to begin in-person learning right from the beginning in August, which I have liked very much. Senior year sports have been hit the hardest as I wasn't able to have a basketball season or go to any football games in the fall. Luckily, our baseball season will be starting in April, and it will be a full season.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a time of uncertainty. The first two years of it were spent being uncertain about college and what we wanted to do after school. Then, we spent the second two uncertain about our daily lives, questioning what would and wouldn't happen as we neared graduation.","ans_5":""},{"id":37,"slug":"brianna-tertrou","school":"Innovations International Charter School of Nevada","student":"Brianna Tertrou","first_name":"Brianna","last_name":"Tertrou","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620671641\/Brianna_Tertrou_SMALL-042121cs_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620671643\/Brianna_Tertrou_LARGE-042121cs_002.jpg","ans_1":"My years of high school were great. I participated in the yearbook and photography clubs. I do not have a job, but I am looking. My favorite subjects in school were science and technology. Next year I am either going to go to college or just work and make money.","ans_2":"The main memory that is going to stay with me is having to go to school online. I will also remember how I have accomplished getting really good grades and being valedictorian.","ans_3":"When COVID-19 affected school in my junior year, it was hard having to do school online. After a while it got easier, and now I always get my work done yearly. The good thing about virtual learning for me is that I was able to do most things on my own time. The bad thing about virtual learning is that I started to miss getting up early and getting ready to go to school.","ans_4":"The one thing that the Class of 2021 will remember from high school is the pandemic and having to go to school virtually.","ans_5":"I have been going to this school since kindergarten. I\u2019ve never been to any other school. It is a great school. I am also very proud to be graduating as valedictorian."},{"id":38,"slug":"josiah-sohus","school":"Lake Mead Christian Academy","student":"Josiah Sohus","first_name":"Josiah","last_name":"Sohus","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673372\/Josiah_Sohus_SMALL-041721ev_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673369\/Josiah_Sohus_LARGE-041721ev_003.jpg","ans_1":"Freshman through senior year, I was a part of the cross-country and track teams. I joined my school's student leadership council my freshman year and have been on it ever since. I currently serve as president of the student body. I joined the National Honor Society my sophomore year and currently serve as treasurer. My favorite classes were Worldview and English. Next year, I will be attending George Fox University. I have committed to run cross-country and track. I plan on studying engineering.","ans_2":"Seniors at Lake Mead Christian Academy must complete in a senior project. Mine was to show teachers and staff appreciation through acts of service (such as washing their cars and cleaning their rooms) and delivering small gifts and notes to show thanks. I will always remember the smiles on the teachers' faces and how grateful they were.","ans_3":"My junior year I experienced virtual learning toward the end of the school year. I enjoyed having a more flexible schedule and a more casual learning format. I did not enjoy being unable to interact and socialize with my classmates. My track season was canceled in 2020, however, I did not stop training and I continued to look forward to the next sports season. I was able to do on-site learning for my senior year. Even though it was different, with social distancing, masks and smaller class sizes, I was very grateful to be able to attend class in person. I was also able to compete in sports later in the year, but at a smaller scale with a shorter season. When restrictions started to lift, we were able to put on some events such as homecoming, and we will have prom in May.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will remember high school as a time when we experienced unprecedented change but were able to overcome the challenges to make the best of a very difficult situation.","ans_5":""},{"id":39,"slug":"martha-gomez","school":"Las Vegas Academy of the Arts","student":"Martha Gomez","first_name":"Martha","last_name":"Gomez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670358\/Martha_Gomez_small_041721ev_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670363\/Martha_Gomez_LARGE_041721ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"Going to a performing arts school, I have had the privilege to perform with phenomenal students, conductors, composers and teachers. I have participated in the district choir and the state choir for three years. Each year I performed with incredible guest conductors and composers through the American Choral Directors Association program. I have also participated in the district and state level solo and ensemble for all four years of high school, which includes memorizing an art or classical song, performing it and being judged on the performance. I have placed highly and was nominated for the command level, which encompasses the top 10 percent of students who placed in solo and ensemble. I have had a job for almost two years now and have made friends and had amazing experiences working there. I have found fun in every course I have taken, but my favorites have been Spanish, statistics, physics, economics, opera workshop and English. Next year, I plan to go to college (I'm still deciding which one). I am very interested in international affairs, language, philosophy and math.","ans_2":"My senior year English teacher had us do an assignment that entailed creating a community service proposal. Though I did not realize it at first, the day I presented my project would change my life. My teacher invited an executive of a community service foundation for high school students to speak to us virtually. She told us about the foundation's mission to help high schoolers enact community service projects with its financial support. I decided to apply with an idea I had and was delighted a few weeks later to learn my project had been chosen. I am a part of a fellowship under the foundation, learning business and leadership skills. I was allowed to include someone else in this project, so I chose my younger sister, Julia, because we have done community service many times together. Our project is Partners Through the Pandemic, and it entails helping those in our town of Boulder City who have been negatively affected by the pandemic. We will create care packages and involve community members in helping one another. I am very privileged to have been given this opportunity.","ans_3":"I would call myself a relatively autodidactic learner, so I found that I was excelling in virtual school. In my free time, I have taken to studying extra areas of interest I always had and never had the time to indulge in. Some of these include constitutional law, psychology, paleontology and meteorology. Also, I have spent more time with my family. I see my grandparents several times a week, my cousins at least once a week and have more time to spend with my younger sister, Julia. Going to a performing arts school has been difficult during this trying time for performers and not having the opportunity to perform has been saddening. But I have tried to think of the positives.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember that we came out of this year stronger by working together.","ans_5":"Thank you for this opportunity!"},{"id":40,"slug":"maferima-diaby","school":"Las Vegas High School","student":"Maferima Diaby","first_name":"Maferima","last_name":"Diaby","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675438\/Maferima_Diaby_SMALL-042121cs_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675439\/Maferima_Diaby_LARGE-042121cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"I have competed in track and field since freshman year. (Though the season of my junior year was cut short by the pandemic.) I ran cross-country in 10th and 11th grade. (I couldn't run my senior year, again because of the pandemic.) I played flag football my sophomore year. I joined Key Club in ninth grade and National Honor Society in 10th grade, though I decided not to continue so I could focus more on sports. I don't have a job yet, though I did volunteer work through Key Club and NHS. My favorite classes would have to be ceramics, AP U.S. History, AP Literature, AP Environmental Science, and AP Government. I plan to attend UNLV and its Honors College and would like to continue running cross-country and track.","ans_2":"One memory that has been stuck in my mind is the return of in-person instruction and track. Since I hadn't been in a school environment for the longest time and had barely even left my house, I was afraid that I had forgotten how to interact with my peers. Not to mention, I have grown and matured quite a bit throughout the closure, so I knew I was not the same person I was when things shut down. So much has changed, and now I was apprehensive to face another big change. But when I went to that first track practice and that first day back in the school building, it honestly felt like not much had changed. Don't get me wrong, a lot of things were obviously different. But as I was conversing with teammates and classmates I had not seen for over a year, I realized that I thankfully had not forgotten how to socialize. It was as if we all picked up right where we left off.","ans_3":"From the start, I tried to be as optimistic as possible, but there were definitely periods when all hope felt lost. Although I never fully got used to learning from home, I quickly adjusted to the routine and was able to have it work for me for a while. Actually, I was able to manage my time well and get more of my work done in the beginning. However, the positive seemed to last only the first semester. After winter break, my motivation battery was on low power mode. I never realized how much just physically going to school encouraged and drove me, and without that, a lot of things started to feel rather pointless. This has been the first time I have absolutely dreaded doing schoolwork, and this feeling was common among my peers. This is the harsh reality. Any positives at this point are few and far between, but I am still pushing through and not allowed to give up.","ans_4":"I think most of us will cherish and reminisce over our first three years, before COVID hit. As for our senior year, it is fair to expect negative memories to persist. It's safe to say that our high school experience was nothing like we thought it would be. But it will endure as one of the most important and crazy times of our lives, and regardless of everything that has happened, we are surely going to miss it.","ans_5":"I could honestly write a whole novel on my senior year experience, but I'll end with this: Despite so much having been taken away from us, the Class of 2021 will adapt, find alternatives and do whatever it takes to succeed and achieve our goals. That is why I am so proud to be a part of this amazing class of students and would not want it to be any other way."},{"id":41,"slug":"safa-khan","school":"Leadership Academy of Nevada","student":"Safa Khan","first_name":"Safa","last_name":"Khan","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619474\/Safa_Khan_samll-041721ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619468\/Safa_Khan_large-041721ev_001.jpg","ans_1":"My high school years have been challenging yet simple. The challenges helped me grow, and the simplicity was a way for me to retain consistency. My school experiences alongside other activities have helped me develop and expand the way I think. The class I enjoyed the most was creative writing because it taught me how to express myself in a way that I love. Aside from school, I spent much of my time volunteering at the hospital (pre-COVID) and occasionally babysitting. I will be going on to college to pursue a bachelor's degree and will resume volunteering at the hospital once I am able to.","ans_2":"One of the greatest challenges this year has been meeting new people. Because of this, my most treasured memory from my senior year is being put in a group project in which I had great interactions with my peers.","ans_3":"Luckily, I had already been in an online public charter school for years, so my education was not affected. As for other suspended activities, my main way of working around that was through physical activity. I frequented the park and gym and made sure to keep in touch with friends through online communication and phone calls.","ans_4":"I believe that we will look back on this year with mixed feelings. It will be remembered for its unique struggles and how each of us overcame those struggles in our own way.","ans_5":"This year has shown me the importance of having a support system. That has been very beneficial during these times and really makes a difference. Reaching out to family, friends and teachers is a great way of showing and receiving support."},{"id":42,"slug":"destiny-velasco","school":"Legacy High School","student":"Destiny Velasco","first_name":"Destiny","last_name":"Velasco","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1621293699\/Destiny_Velasco_SM_CLASS_OF_2021-bh_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1621293702\/Destiny_Velasco_LG_CLASS_OF_2021-bh_001.jpg","ans_1":"I'm in my fourth year in Guitar Ensemble at Legacy High School. I am very passionate about music as it's a way to relieve stress and express my feelings through the melodies. I also was in the Bible club my freshman year. The club had only four members and I was happy to be part of such a special and intimate group. My favorite class has been English since I love analyzing inspiring books. I am going to UNLV next year to begin my journey to becoming a dermatologist.","ans_2":"A classroom experience I will remember forever was when the teacher applauded me in front of everybody for being the only student who had done the homework correctly.","ans_3":"Virtual learning was definitely new to me because I had to get used to the Canvas website. Having my mother going to my room every 10 minutes and interrupting my classroom time did not make things any easier. But I soon adjusted to the new environment.","ans_4":"I believe that the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a personal growth experience throughout these past four years.","ans_5":"The Class of 2021 has not only survived its last year of high school but thrived. Through the Google Meets, the assignments due at 11:59 p.m. and the canceled in-person school, we came out stronger than ever."},{"id":43,"slug":"zyrus-fiaseu","school":"Liberty High School","student":"Zyrus Fiaseu","first_name":"Zyrus","last_name":"Fiaseu","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1621293698\/Zyrus_Fiaseu_SM_CLASS_OF_2021-bh_009.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1621293703\/Zyrus_Fiaseu_LG_CLASS_OF_2021-bh_011.jpg","ans_1":"I played football all three years of high school and played freshman basketball and junior varsity volleyball my freshman year. I had a job once, my sophomore year, mediating youth football games. I did not have a favorite class because I actually enjoyed every class. I will be playing football at San Diego State University next year.","ans_2":"The memory of my friends and I on national signing day. Since COVID-19 hit the world and we were unable to have a season with each other, signing day was a day where all of our families and friends finally came together to celebrate our high school football careers and us signing our letters of intent to the colleges we were going to.","ans_3":"COVID-19 took away in-person learning from everyone, which affected every kid differently. In my case, it was something I did and did not like. I had imagined my senior year to be like how everyone before had their senior year, enjoying every minute of the day from walking class to class to playing my last football games. Not seeing everyone at school, not having those laughs with teachers, and not having those short conversations with the janitors were downsides. The positive side to all this was that I got to spend much more time with my parents before I left for college. Also, the safety of everyone is very important as well. So knowing virtual learning helped prevent many people from getting sick was a big positive as well. Football was suspended so I decided to enroll at San Diego State University in the spring to get a head start on my future.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as some of the best moments of their lives and a time that will go down in the history books. Even though there were struggles along the way, I have seen everyone make the best of the circumstances.","ans_5":"I would like to thank Mr. Bellow and the rest of the faculty and staff of Liberty High School and CCSD for trying to do the very best they can for all students. I would also like to shout out Coach Muraco and the rest of the Liberty coaches for making high school football something to cherish forever. I would also like to mention my new coach, Brady Hoke of SDSU, for bringing me in to join the Aztecs family."},{"id":44,"slug":"finn-tystad","school":"Mission High School","student":"Finn Tystad","first_name":"Finn","last_name":"Tystad","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673366\/Finn_Tystad_SMALL-042821cs_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673369\/Finn_Tystad_LARGE-042821cs_002.jpg","ans_1":"I struggled for the first two years of high school. Thankfully with the help of my family, good treatment, and Mission High School, my last two years have gotten me on a good path. I work a 12-step program, keep up with classes and for the last year have worked for the City of Henderson in its rec program. My favorite classes are English classes. After graduating, I hope to continue working and explore the Addiction Specialist program at the College of Southern Nevada.","ans_2":"The best part of senior year was returning to campus. Being able to see teachers in person and get assistance was so important.","ans_3":"Online learning was difficult. My teachers and counselors were amazing. They went out of their way to help all of us. My English teacher delivered guitars when we first went online and arranged for us to take online guitar lessons. My principal, Ms. Collins, and my student advocate, Mrs. Strosser, deliver rewards to keep our morale up. Feeling connected and knowing people had my back was so important.","ans_4":"As my school and graduating class are small, I think we will remember the support we were given. We will look back and it might seem normal to have been online.","ans_5":""},{"id":45,"slug":"kyra-larsen","school":"Moapa Valley High School","student":"Kyra Larsen","first_name":"Kyra","last_name":"Larsen","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670356\/Kyra_Larsen__small_042821cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670363\/Kyra_Larsen_LARGE-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"I participated in Student Council, MVTV and soccer. My favorite class was broadcast journalism. I will attend Dixie Tech in St. George Utah to study digital media.","ans_2":"I think we will always remember our senior year as everyone had masks, your classes weren't packed with students, we had to stay 6 feet away from each other, and rules on safety were changed from day to day. I'm glad when we got go back face to face five days a week, and play sports again.","ans_3":"Junior and senior years are supposed to be the last carefree moments of our life. We couldn't do anything normal. All our activities were canceled. We couldn't go anywhere. Everything was closed. The only good thing is that I live in a rural area so we took advantage of being able to be outdoors by hiking. Also, we had virtual dress-up days to try to keep our Pirate pride school spirit.","ans_4":"Masks, hybrid learning, nontraditional.","ans_5":"We have had to adapt, and we can do hard things!"},{"id":46,"slug":"alycelle-anne-nunez","school":"Mojave High School","student":"Alycelle Anne Nunez","first_name":"Alycelle","last_name":"Anne Nunez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670359\/Alycelle_Anne_Nunez_small_CLASS_OF_2020-BH_030.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670362\/Alycelle_Anne_Nunez-LARGE-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_032.jpg","ans_1":"For all four years of high school, I was involved with my school's Student Council, holding multiple officer positions and engaging in a variety of schoolwide events. As most of my energy was exerted on Student Council, I did not have a job. However, I did enjoy many science and math classes, especially AP Biology and Calculus. I will be going to university next year to obtain a bachelor's degree in science.","ans_2":"To bring good luck for my senior year, I folded 2,000 cranes. As this project took almost two months to complete, it is my proudest accomplishment. In Japanese culture, cranes symbolize good energy and good luck. A thousand cranes even grants one a wish, and I wished for my own success and happiness for the year.","ans_3":"At first, the pandemic did not have a large impact on me as I was fairly numb to the situation. As time progressed, I realized that virtual learning and the pandemic were having an increasingly negative effect on me because of a lack of socialization and the usual classroom setting. However, many teachers and adults around me were incredibly understanding, which allowed me to continue learning. Overall, virtual learning allowed me to see different sides of people, both negative and positive. While I learned how caring and understanding others can be, I also saw the opposite.","ans_4":"Depending on one's experience, some members of the Class of 2021 may forget high school. However, these years are significantly different from previous one, making the Class of 2021 slightly more special or different. If one were to remember one thing from high school, then it would be how virtual learning was implemented into school systems, and the opportunities that has opened for an isolated society.","ans_5":"No, thank you"},{"id":47,"slug":"tamara-madrigal","school":"Mountain View Christian Schools","student":"Tamara Madrigal","first_name":"Tamara","last_name":"Madrigal","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619476\/Tamara_Madrigal-small-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_042.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619473\/Tamara_Madrigal-large-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_043.jpg","ans_1":"My high school years at Mountain View brought me so many memories and different experiences. Over the years, I gave new opportunities a chance. For example, my junior year I got a job with Mountain View in the afterschool care program. Although at first I thought it was just another part-time job, I quickly realized it was teaching me a lot of patience and was even improving my communication skills. It was definitely not what I was used to, but thanks to my school giving me an opportunity, I made so many fun memories with the kids. Even now, as a senior looking back on those memories, I am glad I took the chance on the job because the communication, responsibility and maturity that I gained gave me insight into the adult world that is heading my way next year when I attend college.","ans_2":"A memory that will definitely stay with me from my senior year: when I heard my name being called as I was awarded an honor roll certificate. Although this may not seem like a big deal, for me it was such a special moment because it represented so much time and dedication on my part. This was a goal of mine for so long, to push myself and make those around me proud.","ans_3":"My senior year was really interesting and different, a year that will definitely not be forgotten. Mountain View was actually able to hold in-person classes. Looking back on this, I am so grateful for this. Because last year, when we did have to do online school, it was so hard to stay focused. COVID-19 surely caught everyone off guard and changed our lives. This was so hard for me at first just because I had been looking forward to my senior year for so long and all the events such as homecoming and prom, things that unfortunately didn't happen. Now my perspective is different and I'm grateful just to have the chance to still be in class with teachers and able to ask questions and talk to my classmates.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a year of change. A year in which change brought a lot of hardships, and the loss of opportunities to take part in school activities and sports and attend special events like prom. For many of us, those things are all we looked forward to and worked so hard for. It's definitely a frustrating experience for the Class of 2021. But we will be able to look back on this and say we overcame the pandemic. And we will definitely have many stories to tell to the generations after us.","ans_5":"I appreciate you guys for taking the time to hear the perspective of the Class of 2021."},{"id":48,"slug":"riley-rose","school":"Nevada Connections Academy","student":"Riley Rose","first_name":"Riley","last_name":"Rose","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620966\/RileyRose_small-042821cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620967\/RileyRose_large-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"I have attended Nevada Connections Academy throughout high school. My favorite classes are English and history, however, all of my teachers make my classes enjoyable. I have been competing in gymnastics for 12 years and currently hold the Nevada state title. I have received a letter of appointment to West Point and the Naval Academy, but I have yet to make my final decision.","ans_2":"After a grueling practice on a Friday night, my teammates and I were informed by our coach that we would have a mock competition the following day. That was definitely the last thing we wanted to hear that night. The following morning, we slowly made our way into the gym with no intention of pushing ourselves any further than before. We huddled together for warmup and decided that champions did not make excuses to be lazy but instead gave it their all despite difficulties. As the day went on, we pushed each other and cheered louder. When practice came to a end, we couldn't help but realize the vast improvement each of us achieved. This day was so significant to me, not because of the improvements we made, but the bonds we forged.","ans_3":"It is not an understatement to say that the COVID-19 pandemic changed each of our lives. I felt fortunate to have already been involved in virtual learning for quite awhile. Academically, I felt beyond blessed because of this. But athletically, it seemed that everything had been flipped upside down. We were told that our gym was to be shut down immediately. This came as an unbelievable shock to me. We were heartbroken because we might never again take part in the sport we love so dearly. After months of isolation from my teammates and peers, I decided it was time for us to take action. We set up Zoom classes to take part in strength and flexibility training led by my coaches. This completely changed my attitude. It gave us a way to connect with each other like we had not before.","ans_4":"It might be easy for us to remember high school as a total failure, but I believe it will be remembered as one of the most significant parts of our lives.","ans_5":"I feel so blessed for my counselors and teachers at Connections Academy. The countless times they gave up a portion of their free time for me and the many late-night questions I had regarding an assignment. Also, my coaches and teammates at Go for It USA have never failed to guide me through in gymnastics. From an absolute low to an all-time high, these significant people made me who I am today."},{"id":49,"slug":"nicholas-bonaldi","school":"Nevada Learning Academy","student":"Nicholas Bonaldi","first_name":"Nicholas","last_name":"Bonaldi","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673373\/Nick_Bonaldi_SMALL-042821cs_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673369\/Nick_Bonaldi_LARGE-042821cs_002.jpg","ans_1":"I've played hockey throughout my life. Freshman through junior years, I played AAA hockey in Arizona, and as a senior I came back to Las Vegas to play for the Thunderbirds junior hockey team. Next year I plan to continue playing junior hockey.","ans_2":"I will always remember making the playoffs with my team and losing in the very last game of the season. Even though we did not win the championship, it was one of the best years of my life and I made friends I will have forever.","ans_3":"Since I have been doing online learning since eighth grade, it was not a big shock for me as a student when COVID hit last year. But for my personal life it was a giant change. I remember when everything first shut down, I couldn\u2019t play hockey, go to the gym, play tennis or play golf for almost four months. That was hard for someone who is very active.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will not remember school for the academics but for the outside activities. All of us had to completely change our lifestyles as we no longer attended school in person. I know we will remember the challenge this has been for us and our families, and I will remember how much better of a person this has made me.","ans_5":"Thank you to NVLA and CCSD for a great four years of online learning. I am where I am today in hockey because I was able to work on my game while also getting to take on school at my own pace."},{"id":50,"slug":"rafaella-lim","school":"Nevada State High School, downtown campus","student":"Rafaella Lim","first_name":"Rafaella","last_name":"Lim","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611898\/Rafaella_Lim_square_002-class.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611897\/Rafaella_Lim_large_004.jpg","ans_1":"Everyone told me that high school would be one of the most unforgettable moments of my life, and I think I can say with confidence that was true. I moved to Las Vegas from the Philippines in 2019 to finish my last two years of high school. I was 5 years old the last time I was in Vegas, so I was basically starting a new life here. I found it difficult to adjust because the environment was really different, especially because Nevada State High School is a dual-credit school. However, everyone was so welcoming and kind at NSHS. On the first day of our Introduction to College course, I knew that this was going to be a great experience for me. While at NSHS, I joined a ton of school activities like small celebrations for Halloween and Christmas. We also had a Zion trip in 2019, and I got to make new friends and enjoy hiking through nature. I got to volunteer at the downtown campus, helping with office work and assisting other students who had difficulty with their classes. Out of all the classes I took, my favorite would probably be an English literature class I took my junior year. My professor was great, and she brought back my love for reading and writing. Next year, I will attend college, another new chapter in my life, though I have not yet decided which school I will go to.","ans_2":"I think some memories that would always stay with me are the visits I\u2019ve had to our downtown campus. I always enjoy visiting the campus, especially now, because it\u2019s just nice to see my friends and some people I haven\u2019t seen since the pandemic started. Even though the visits are short and not that frequent, I enjoy catching up a bit with everyone who\u2019s there.","ans_3":"The pandemic began in the middle of the spring semester during my junior year. When my friends and I found out that our classes were moved online, it was a mix of emotions. I was happy that I would have more freedom to do activities I enjoyed, like reading, because all my classes would be online. However, I also felt sad because I knew it would be a long time until I would get to see my friends again in person. Adjusting to that new environment was challenging. Because I had more freedom and time, I had difficulty planning out my days to accomplish my schoolwork. I was able to solve this issue by buying a planner and scheduling out my week. This way, I could separate the homework and studying I had to do while still having time for myself. The upside to virtual learning was the extra time I had. None of my classes had synchronous learning\/meetings, so I had the freedom to plan out my days. I had more time to read, I learned how to paint and how to cook a few recipes. Now, as a senior, my focus is on my schoolwork. However, I always try to make time to enjoy my days \u2014 something I wouldn\u2019t be able to do with in-person learning. The pandemic made social interaction with friends and classmates harder to accomplish. However, I try to make up for it by reaching out to my friends (both here and in the Philippines) when I\u2019m not busy.","ans_4":"","ans_5":"No, thank you"},{"id":51,"slug":"logan-yang","school":"Nevada State High School, downtown Henderson campus","student":"Logan Yang","first_name":"Logan","last_name":"Yang","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611894\/Logan_Yang-square-019.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611899\/Logan_Yang-large-018.jpg","ans_1":"I attended Foothill for my first two years of high school. I participated in indoor drumline, volleyball and National Honor Society. As a junior, I transitioned to Nevada State High School, where my main focus was graduating with an Associate of Science degree. I remained active in indoor drumline while teaching piano and math. My favorite course was calculus-based physics because it taught me to truly appreciate the beauty of calculus. Next year, I plan on serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.","ans_2":"During the pandemic lockdown, I was at a low point in my life when I listened to \"Clair De Lune,\" a delicately gentle piano piece. With newfound determination, I pledged to learn it within a month. I've taken piano lessons since I was 9 years old and I only started to appreciate it when I was 13 years old. After hours of practice, I was able to play the piece and connect with it on an emotional level. It healed me and fueled my passion to continue music past high school.","ans_3":"Coincidentally, I took several online classes before COVID-19, which may have prepared me for all-online schooling. I thrived under these conditions because I was able to learn at my own pace. The only true downside to virtual learning is the loss of social communication, an important aspect of school for most students. Indoor drumline was suspended, but that didn't stop Foothill from enabling students to play music at home.","ans_4":"Quarantine, virtual, social distance, mask up, the new normal \u2014 these things have come to define the Class of 2021. But we cherish and hold on to the memories made before the pandemic and look to a bright future.","ans_5":""},{"id":52,"slug":"dalaya-spain","school":"Nevada State High School, Henderson campus","student":"Dalaya Spain","first_name":"Dalaya","last_name":"Spain","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611898\/Dalaya_Spain_small_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611895\/Dalaya_Spain_large_003.jpg","ans_1":"In the beginning of my high school career I ran track and did a few field events. I stopped to focus on my college credits. I have a job at Party City and love it. It is kind of hard to balance a job and school. Once you find your path you balance it well. My favorite classes are definitely all the math classes and the study skills class at Nevada State High School. The college math classes were a bit of a challenge, and I believe that\u2019s why they are my favorite. I had to fight so hard to pass them, which left me with a lot of grit. The study skills class is another one of my favorites because the staff helps you with anything you have trouble with. Next year I plan on attending a four-year university to attain my bachelor's degree in biology.","ans_2":"During the first semester of senior year I was in study skills, where I set goals to accomplish my second semester. My top goal was to become less stressed and if I had any trouble with classes to take a break and then come back to it. I have accomplished that goal along with setting up a schedule on my own for each class and sticking to it. As most college courses allow you to go at your own pace, you are introduced to an enemy called procrastination. Once you figure out how to balance everything it goes away. So getting rid of my procrastination and staying away from stress is my biggest accomplishment.","ans_3":"COVID-19 had more of an impact on my junior because I was used to going in and getting the help I needed right away. I am a hands-on learner so learning over Zoom was a little difficult. This struggle in the beginning actually helped me during senior year. I already knew what to expect, so it made everything easier. Prom is another big senior year event. Although I did not attend for safety reasons, I did take some pictures in my dress and had a mini prom with my family. COVID-19 was a major hit for senior year, but I took it all in and made the best out of it.","ans_4":"We will remember high school as the time when we were all stuck inside and learned so much about ourselves. School was difficult to learn over Zoom because of internet problems, as well as the different ways of learning. We will remember this as the time we had to adapt quickly and make the best out of what we had.","ans_5":"No matter how hard it got, we fought to graduate and to keep ourselves happy. It was hard as we were stuck inside most of the time, but we made the best of it."},{"id":53,"slug":"arsalaan-khan","school":"Nevada State High School, northwest campus","student":"Arsalaan Khan","first_name":"Arsalaan","last_name":"Khan","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611898\/Arsalaan_Khan_square_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611898\/Arsalaan_Khan_large_001.jpg","ans_1":"I spent half of my high school years home-schooled while living in the United Arab Emirates. While there I took part in a lot of memorable activities. Some of those included the creation and implementation of an artificial coral reef, patrolling beaches searching for the eggs of endangered turtles, and preparing presentations to give to Dr. Jane Goodall about my group's environmental efforts. I also participated in model United Nations conferences and debate tournaments, and I played rugby my sophomore year. When I moved back to Las Vegas, I joined my school's Student Council, where I worked on the yearbook, and headed the prom planning this year. My favorite classes throughout high school have always been English and math, and I quite enjoyed taking History 101 and 102 at the College of Southern Nevada last year. I'm unsure about next year, but I'll either jump into college or take a gap year to do some volunteering.","ans_2":"I think my favorite memory was from around August, when we had our senior sunrise event. I had worked with my campus' Student Council to make a backdrop for pictures, and it was pretty much the first time I had seen my friends since March. It was a great experience, since I had helped set up the event, and I was able to have fun with it while safely seeing my friends and peers.","ans_3":"I was really lucky with the pandemic, since my family has been able to avoid financial struggles. For me, the only problems came with the sudden downturn in my social life. I got through it though by calling my friends and doing my best to interact with them on a daily basis, same as how I would before the pandemic hit. I had been taking some online classes for a few years, so I was able to adapt to an exclusively online environment pretty quickly.","ans_4":"I think we'll remember the struggles we had to overcome as a collective society, but the year will be highlighted by the positives we have already begun to see.","ans_5":""},{"id":54,"slug":"haley-hesselgesser","school":"Nevada State High School, southwest campus","student":"Haley Hesselgesser","first_name":"Haley","last_name":"Hesselgesser","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619475\/Haley_Hesselgesser_small-041021ev_005.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619474\/Haley_Hesselgesser_large-041021ev_003.jpg","ans_1":"For my first two years of high school, I attended Calvary Chapel Christian School. During my freshman year, I participated in varsity track and field, and during my sophomore year, I played varsity basketball. Throughout my high school career, I have played club soccer for Heat FC. After my first two years, I began to want more out of my high school experience. I chose to transfer to Nevada State High School to jump-start my college education. By graduating from Nevada State, I will be receiving two years of college credit as well as my high school diploma in four years rather than six. I thought such a prospect was an amazing opportunity and I am so glad I made the choice to transfer because I will now be graduating with my associate degree from the College of Southern Nevada in May. My favorite classes were always the math and science courses. I especially loved my astronomy, physics and calculus classes. Next year, I will attend Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, to play women\u2019s soccer and obtain my master\u2019s degree in business administration.","ans_2":"One memory that I will cherish forever is surprising my younger brother every day by picking him up wearing a different mask. I would wear an Ant-Man mask one day, a clown mask the next, a skull mask the day after that. I had so much fun bringing joy to his school experience as he, too, was unable to see many of his friends because of social distancing. I was so excited to pick him up and bring a little fun into our day.","ans_3":"At Nevada State High School, students have the option of taking classes online or in person. Throughout the first semester of my junior year, I took a few online classes and one class in person. In my second semester, I took three classes in person and two online, so I was mostly prepared for the switch to remote learning at the end of March. I am glad that Nevada State High School prepared me for that transition, especially because some of my friends had a difficult time transitioning online. There were no downsides to my online learning. My soccer club activities got canceled last March, but I continued practicing by myself and with my brother in the local parks that remained open. Fortunately, my soccer team was able to restart practice in June and we haven\u2019t stopped since.","ans_4":"I think that the Class of 2021 will remember high school as an amazing ride. There were laughs, cries and good times. I will always cherish these moments and memories as some of the best times of my life!","ans_5":""},{"id":55,"slug":"ellie-warner","school":"Nevada State High School, Summerlin campus","student":"Ellie Warner","first_name":"Ellie","last_name":"Warner","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614467\/Ellie_Warner_small-_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614601\/Ellie_Warner_large-041021ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"I enjoyed my first two years of high school at Palo Verde. Since running has been a hobby of mine since well before I began high school, it was an easy decision to join the cross-country and track teams. I made many great friends and enjoyed the sport so much that I continued running for Palo through my senior year. Many of my high school experiences and friendships were shaped by being on the varsity cross-country team. The out-of-state trips to California and Arizona were the highlights each year, and we had so much fun. After my sophomore year, I transferred to Nevada State High School to fully prepare for college and to get a head start on my bachelor's degree. That decision has proven to be the best I could have made for my education and my future. I have met new friends and teachers\/professors who truly seem to care about my life goals. My favorite class would certainly be the study skills class. It taught me how to better prepare and succeed in college. Additionally, the instructor for that class recommended that I apply to be a student worker, and just a few months later, I began working for the school. I've enjoyed the opportunity and will continue to work at Nevada State High School until I go to a university next year. I am leaning toward attending Southern Utah University to study exercise science. My career goal is to become a physical therapist.","ans_2":"The achievement I am most proud of will be earning my Associate of Arts. Before attending Nevada State High School, I would not have imagined earning both a high school and associate's degree at the same time. It has been a great opportunity. My favorite memory during my senior year was attending prom. My friends and I had a wonderful time. It had been a couple of months since we had seen each other in person, so it made the experience that much more significant.","ans_3":"While attending classes through community colleges, I had already taken some online courses. So, when all in-person classes were suspended, the transition to online-only classes was quite smooth for me. However, the pandemic did suspend track and cross country and eventually led to the season being canceled. I continued training with my fellow runners, making the best of a bad situation. Since I had more free time, I started to work more hours at Nevada State High School during my senior year. My job at school has been an excellent way to gain additional skills for my future endeavors. I am thankful for the experiences I have had during my last two years of high school and haven't allowed the pandemic to discourage me.","ans_4":"I believe the graduates of 2021 will remember the unique challenges they faced during their high school years and how to persevere in times of adversity.","ans_5":"I am extremely thankful for the strong support I have received from my family, friends, coaches and teachers. They have provided encouragement all along the way. With the obstacles we all faced, I was glad to have so many caring and loving people I could rely on when I needed it most."},{"id":56,"slug":"melissa-flores","school":"Nevada State High School, Sunrise campus","student":"Melissa Flores","first_name":"Melissa","last_name":"Flores","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614463\/Melissa_Flores_-small-OF_2021-BT02.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614463\/Melissa_Flores-large-_OF_2021-BT03.jpg","ans_1":"My freshman and sophomore years, I attended Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy (a first responder school) because I wanted to go into law enforcement. During my time there I attended clubs such as Southern Nevada Police Explorers, Color Guard, Key Club and National Honor Society. After my sophomore year, I decided to attend Nevada State High School because you could earn free college credits. Halfway through my junior year I decided to participate in the North Las Vegas Police Explorers. Today I have been ranked as one of the highest positions, and this program and Nevada State High School have made me further understand what I want to do. My favorite classes are my criminal justice ones. Next year, I plan to attend college to gain my bachelor's in criminal justice and have an internship with the FBI.","ans_2":"Earning the 60 college credits that I need to graduate with an associate degree while still in high school. This is an accomplishment I am proud of because I will be able to finish my bachelor's degree in two years of college rather than four.","ans_3":"I never thought anything would cause society to have to social distance. The upsides of virtual learning were that I had more time to study for tests, made my own schedule, and was able to have more breaks so that I wasn\u2019t tired. The downsides included not being able to have friends to talk to, ask for help in person, and not being able to join sports. Being in Police Explorers and not able to attend made me feel awful. To make up for this, I exercised and practiced my law enforcement codes to be better prepared.","ans_4":"The pandemic will be just one of the many tests we face in the life. Despite distance learning and the many obstacles we had, we achieved our goal of graduating.","ans_5":""},{"id":57,"slug":"michelle-sandoval","school":"Nevada Virtual Academy","student":"Michelle Sandoval","first_name":"Michelle","last_name":"Sandoval","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673369\/Michelle_Ariana_Sandoval_SMALL-041721ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673369\/Michelle_Ariana_Sandoval_LARGE-041721ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"During my high school years, I wasn't working. I played a lot of video games and looked to make profit in that. My favorite classes would have to be psychology with Ms. Isbell. I never took part in clubs or activities, but I can recall loving Spanish class because being bilingual gave me an opportunity to help other students out.","ans_2":"The accomplishment I'm most proud of is during the roughest points of my life still being able to get back up on my feet.","ans_3":"COVID generally didn't affect me as a student, if anything it gave me more time to focus on my schoolwork.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will look back at high school and remember it as a turning point where they began their life. We took our dreams and finally made them realities thanks to this school.","ans_5":"Nevada Virtual Academy was my saving grace. I'm thankful I had an opportunity to go here and to be able to meet such kind people. I'm thankful that I had a chance to be hopeful about the future again through this school. More importantly, I'm excited about my goals and future."},{"id":58,"slug":"elayna-ebanks","school":"New Horizons Academy","student":"Elayna Ebanks","first_name":"Elayna","last_name":"Ebanks","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670352\/Ebanks_small_CLASS_OF_2021-BT02.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670364\/Ebanks_LARGE-CLASS_OF_2021-BT03.jpg","ans_1":"My high school years were always a bright and fun adventure each day. But when COVID first came in my junior year, it was a very hard challenge for me to complete. My mom has cancer so it was hard for me to focus on my schoolwork and not to worry about my mom. Geometry was very hard for me that year. Before COVID hit, I was doing well with all the help I received in school. But after my first week at home, I started to fail. But towards the end of the year a miracle happened. I got 8\/10 on my quiz after studying the night before and my passing grade was back. My favorite class was graphic design during my junior year. It was also how I met one of my best friends, Sam Shuper.","ans_2":"Starting quarantine was a really tough challenge. And seeing all of my friends back at school without me made me feel really sad. It felt like I was left out from everything, and it was even my senior year at last. It was horrible staying at home. Yes, I love my family, but I really missed my friends, including my best friends at the academy, Chloe Stedeford and Sam Shuper, along with Lily Hobbs and Alexandra Edwards. Well, Alexandra was also stuck at home so as a good friend I tried my best to help her in case she needed it, and we worked together on Zoom to get our homework done. When my mom told me I would be at school again, I could not wait to see everyone. I could not hardly wait to be able to have play dates and go to parties with them just like I always wanted. It was like opening a surprise gift on Christmas morning.","ans_3":"My junior year really affected me the most when COVID hit me as a student. It was hard not to go out again. It was hard not to hug my friends like I've been used to doing. It was also hard to follow social distancing measures, but don't worry, I listened to instructions like I have been told. And I was responsible with masks.","ans_4":"I think I will remember this class as a hard challenge to take, and then being very successful at the end, with some encouragement from family members and support from my sister, Elizabeth, whom I love and adore.","ans_5":"I would like to thank all of my teachers for making me successful and for expanding my new horizons while I stayed at the academy. I would also like to acknowledge the following teachers who worked hard while COVID was still here, and I thank them for all they do. Miss Bidell, who would always be there for me whenever something is wrong. Mr. Rush, for giving me art advice while I was still a student in his class. Miss Julie, for helping me catch up in marine biology. Miss Mccluney, my favorite teacher, who has always been there for me when I have been home since my junior year and who always made sure I was a bright and happy girl. I will never forget our lunch days. Miss Altman, who gave me lots of help when I was struggling with geometry when I was stuck at home. Miss Gannon, another one of my favorite teachers, for tutoring me after school, and for allowing me to be her aide in my senior year. Mr. B, a favorite as well, who has always helped me cope with my feelings whenever I would get stressed out. Last but not least, I would like to thank Coach Scott, who always taught me to try my best in whatever situation I might face."},{"id":59,"slug":"vailin-tagaloa","school":"Odyssey Charter High School","student":"VaiLin Tagaloa","first_name":"VaiLin","last_name":"Tagaloa","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620614463\/VaiLin_Tagaloa-small-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_007.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620614464\/VaiLin_Tagaloa-large-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_007.jpg","ans_1":"I played varsity volleyball at Shadow Ridge High School, and I was a member of the Poly Club. I worked at 7-Eleven for a few months in Virginia when I went to visit my brother at college when the pandemic hit. My favorite class was personal finance. I will be playing volleyball at UNLV.","ans_2":"I was able to take a few separate trips to California with my sister and with friends.","ans_3":"An upside of virtual learning was learning how to be more responsible. Although I didn't get to play my senior year with my sister who is a junior, we were able to have an extended club season where our teams practiced together.","ans_4":"As a blessing in disguise, because a lot of experiences wouldn't have happened if the pandemic didn't hit.","ans_5":"No."},{"id":60,"slug":"marley-steinline","school":"Palo Verde High School","student":"Marley Steinline","first_name":"Marley","last_name":"Steinline","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620611899\/Steinline-small-CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620611897\/Steinline-large-CLASS_OF_2021-BT02.jpg","ans_1":"During my high school years, I spent most of my time in the theater. I was a performer, a techie, a costumer and a thespian council member. Though I have to say, my favorite extracurricular was improv. Jesters Improv is so much fun, and it is definitely an experience I'll never forget. Even though math isn't my favorite subject, I've been lucky enough to have many amazing math teachers at Palo (Hi Mrs. Richmond!) and I'd always look forward to class. I also really loved costuming \u2014 it was such a creative class, and I discovered how much I love to sew. Next year, I plan to pursue screenwriting at university.","ans_2":"I don't think I'll ever forget my dance class from this year. My dance teacher, Miss Kim, always has me tell a joke at the end of class \u2014 however cheesy it may be \u2014 and I think it's such a nice pick-me-up during these rough times. My friends Molly, Bailey and I have also kept in touch via this dance class, which is something I'm very thankful for. Quarantine would've been much harder without them.","ans_3":"As a seasoned theater kid, I was super-excited for senior year. Not only would these shows be the last of my high school career, but I was also chosen to be Thespian Council president. Along with prom, Grad Nite and senior sunrise, this year was looking very promising. So, when all of that was taken away, I was certainly more than a little miffed. While a lot of the special in-person experiences weren't able to happen, I was pleasantly surprised with what our school did to make up for that. Virtual homecoming and Mr. Panther were so much fun to participate in, Jesters adjusted to doing online shows, and theater still went strong. While the year wasn't perfect like \"High School Musical\" told me it was gonna be, it still wasn't a completely rotten year!","ans_4":"While I think this last year will certainly leave a sour taste in everyone's mouth, I hope everyone will look back on high school fondly. I certainly will! Go Panthers!","ans_5":"I want to wish everyone in the Class of 2021 well-wishes. This year has certainly been a tough one, and I'm so proud that we all made it through. Also, I'd like to thank my friends and family for helping my through all of this \u2014 you guys are the greatest!"},{"id":61,"slug":"john-cooke","school":"Rancho High School","student":"John Cooke","first_name":"John","last_name":"Cooke","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619469\/Cooke-small-CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619469\/Cooke-large-CLASS_OF_2021-BT05.jpg","ans_1":"In high school, I am the president of my school's National Honor Society chapter and president of my school's Magnet Ambassadors club. I also participated in junior ROTC, band, Civil Air Patrol and Varsity Quiz. I ran varsity track for three years and will be playing tennis this spring. My favorite classes were definitely my social studies classes. This is because I find learning about our world and its history to be very captivating, and they were taught by incredible teachers (shoutout to Mr. Siekerman and Mr. Ruttan). In the fall, I will be attending Harvard University to study government and law and to eventually pursue a career as a public servant.","ans_2":"Seeing my acceptance to Harvard is definitely my favorite memory from senior year. I remember an initial feeling of pure disbelief, followed by a few minutes of pure elation. I experienced an even greater pride upon sharing the news with my family members, who were all overjoyed that I had gotten into one of my dream schools. I feel like it was the culmination of every sleepless night writing essays or doing homework for all of high school. I was immensely proud that my hard work had paid off in such a rewarding way, and I am eagerly looking forward to learning at such a prestigious institution.","ans_3":"I see the pandemic as both a blessing and a curse. Obviously, the negative aspects were losing many of the fundamental memories of high school, such as prom, homecoming or senior assemblies. Also, not being able to see my friends as much took a toll on my attitude toward school in general. However, the pandemic did make it much easier to stay caught up in both school and the lengthy college admission process. In addition, I had lots of time on my hands to start new hobbies and interests. I rekindled my love for playing tennis, which is something I haven't done since I was very little. I am fortunate that I will be attending college as most of the country returns to normal, so that I may study and learn in an in-person setting with my few friends and colleagues at Harvard. All in all, I believe the entire past year has served as a testament to the tumultuousness of life, and will serve as a reminder to live each day as if it is my last.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as a building block in the construction of their own individual dreams.","ans_5":"The road to get here was hard, but it's our time now. Congratulations to the entire Class of 2021!"},{"id":62,"slug":"chayst-aranaydo","school":"Sandy Valley High School","student":"Chayst Aranaydo","first_name":"Chayst","last_name":"Aranaydo","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620671642\/Chayst_Aranaydo_SMALL-042121cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620671643\/Chayst_Aranaydo_LARGE-042121cs_003.jpg","ans_1":"High School has been such a growing experience for me. I participated in Student Council, FFA and sports, basketball and baseball. Living in a rural area, jobs are rare for a young adult, and therefore I travel to Primm to work at McDonald's on weekends. My favorite classes are sociology and government. My teacher Mr. Kahre has the knowledge and patience in these subjects to make it fun to learn. My plan for next year is to attend the College of Southern Nevada. My goal is to obtain a position as a firefighter\/paramedic in Clark County.","ans_2":"My personal finance class includes all seniors. I believe that this class prepares us for all the expenses in life, needs for debt management and to financially achieve our future financial goals as young adults.","ans_3":"During the pandemic, the upsides of virtual learning were staying at home and not having to get dressed up for school. Downsides of virtual learning were not meeting face to face with your friends, not playing sports against other schools, not attending Student Council and FFA functions and other school functions (school assemblies, dances, Halloween parties).","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will remember high school as a time to reflect on how life is valued during a pandemic. The pandemic can affect anyone. The things we will remember are the store supply shortage and masks being worn at all times in public, but the most important is spending time with family in person and not virtually.","ans_5":"All lives are important no matter where you live in the world."},{"id":63,"slug":"zanta-nwuli","school":"Shadow Ridge High School","student":"Zanta Nwuli","first_name":"Zanta","last_name":"Nwuli","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673367\/Zanta_Nwuli_SMALL-042821cs_003_1.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673370\/Zanta_Nwuli_LARGE-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"It feels like it was just yesterday when I took my first step on campus, and now I'm already graduating. I always tried to keep myself occupied with activities, clubs and sports. I participated in basketball for four years and track and field for three years, earning a varsity letter and becoming a team captain for each sport. Toward the tail end of my junior year, I got a job at Popeyes, where I now work as a shift leader. Some of my favorite classes weren't centered around the content, but the teacher who taught it and the level of connection and understanding that they had with their students: freshman Algebra II, AP Language & Composition, and Anatomy are some of those classes that made school an overall more exciting experience. A year from now I'll be in college chasing after a master's degree in business administration and psychology and working on becoming the best possible young man I can.","ans_2":"With how everything has happened this year in relation to COVID-19, the cancellation of sports, and the virtual learning environment, it is hard to try to find a memory that will always stay with me besides that. I will always remember not being able to finish off high school the way I would like or be around the people I would have liked to because of the pandemic. With that being said, I will always be able to remember those peers and friends that I was able to keep in touch with and create a tight bond with during this year.","ans_3":"The pandemic had a drastic effect on me as a student and a person. The best year of high school (my junior year) was cut short and then my senior year never really got started. I'll never be able to say that my senior year was enjoyable because it just wasn't. Both ups and downs came with virtual learning. The positives involved having a more flexible schedule and being able to have a learning environment even though it couldn't be face to face. Unfortunately, the whole virtual learning environment involved minimal participation in classes, constant \"busy\" work, and not a whole lot of learning. I've seen so many of my friends have zero motivation to complete work in this virtual learning environment. It's truly been a draining year for the class of 2021. To top it off, my sports were canceled. Sports were something that I took pride in. However, I was able to begin working lots of hours and immediately began saving and investing.","ans_4":"It hurts me to say this, but the Class of 2021 will remember high school for two things: online school and lost opportunity. Every one of us will remember having to log in on our computer and stare at it for multiple hours a day. We will remember everything we lost out on in our final year of high school. But we should also remember the type of strength and courage we had to display as young adults in a world that seems to be on fire.","ans_5":"I would just like to say how much of an honor it is for me to be a part of something like this. I'm glad that my accomplishments as a high school student are able to be displayed and appreciated by others."},{"id":64,"slug":"la-precious-shannon","school":"Sierra Vista High School","student":"La Precious Shannon","first_name":"La Precious","last_name":"Shannon","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620966\/La_Precious_Shannon_small-042121cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620967\/La_Precious_Shannon_large-042121cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school I have grown and have learned from many experiences. A constant in the past four years have been my participation in the Black student union. BSU has become my safe place at school; it is somewhere that I feel comfortable to be myself. Now I am the president of BSU. It is a club that will always be a part of who I am. I joined the National Honor Society during my junior year of high school. It has been a great opportunity to volunteer and give to the community. It is an honor to be a part of the NHS. I had a job for one month last year at the Sonic drive-in. I had to quit because quarantine had just started and I did not want to risk my family\u2019s health. I plan to go to college nex year and to major in computer science and engineering.","ans_2":"I think the most significant memory from this year would be hosting a potluck for Black student union. I was proud that I could make other students happy about a school-related event outside of a classroom. I saw some of my friends for the first time in months. We played games and ate food. I bonded with fellow members of BSU. It was a really happy day for me.","ans_3":"COVID-19 has greatly affected my education. When this all began, I had a bit of trouble adjusting to the new ways of learning. My greatest issue was difficulty maintaining my desire and passion to learn. It is hard to feel that when I am in my bedroom wearing pajamas and my dog is pestering me. But I have to make the best of any situation, so I pushed myself to adjust. I tried to be involved with the school as much as possible by becoming the president of BSU and joining the Student Equity Cohort. I have participated in some of the yearbook surveys (something I never would have done before, since I can be pretty shy). I decided to go into hybrid learning and I have again been feeling that passion to learn when I am physically in a classroom.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school the same way past classes remember it. The only difference is the intense dramatic ending that changed our last year of high school. Since we have a unique ending, I think we will look back at normal high school events with more fondness. The school dances, sporting events and clubs will be even greater treasures since it was taken away from us so abruptly. We will remember every life lesson taught in classrooms and the ones taught when classrooms were taken away. The pandemic has forced us to notice all of the little things we took for granted. So, I believe the Class of 2021 will reminisce about high school with fondness and gratitude.","ans_5":"I want to add that my senior year is probably my greatest accomplishment throughout high school. I have gained a lot more self-confidence and independence. Before this year, I would have never wanted to have the spotlight on me. This year I was in the school news channel, the newspaper and preside over a club. I have been forced to create my own schedule and to rely on myself for my education. My senior year has opened me up to new opportunities and goals."},{"id":65,"slug":"erin-martin","school":"Silverado High School","student":"Erin Martin","first_name":"Erin","last_name":"Martin","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620970\/Erin_Martin_small-042821cs_005_1.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620966\/Erin_Martin_large-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school I was a member of Student Council and had the opportunity to serve as Silverado\u2019s student body president this past school year. I have also participated in the Silverado Madrigals choir for all four years of high school. I was the soprano section leader for three years as well as vice president. I am a four-year member of the CCSD Honor Choir and Nevada All-State Choir and was selected as the Honor Choir Soprano I section leader in 2019 and the All-State Soprano I section leader in 2021. I starred in two school musicals, playing Sandra Bloom in \"Big Fish\" and Glinda in \"The Wizard of Oz.\" In addition to this, I devoted much of my time to community service, helping out in little ways as well as through Three Square, St. Jude\u2019s Ranch, Relay for Life, St. Timothy\u2019s Episcopal Church and Empty Bowls. I played varsity golf for two years and varsity tennis for one year. I also attended a religious seminary class daily before school. I did all of this while maintaining a rigorous course load of honors and advanced placement classes with a high grade-point average. During the pandemic, I worked as a nanny and had an amazing experience. While I have loved many classes and have had phenomenal teachers, my favorites have been my student government, choir, chemistry and history classes. Next year I will be attending Brigham Young University to study nursing for a semester before taking a short leave to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.","ans_2":"Being selected as Soprano I section leader for the Nevada All-State Choir. I had auditioned and participated in this choir during my freshman and sophomore years and was heartbroken when it was canceled my junior and possibly senior year. I had the opportunity to participate in an online version of All-State this year and was ecstatic as my previous experiences had been some of my best high school memories. After my audition, the results had come out, and as I had tied for the highest Soprano I score throughout auditions, I was selected as the Soprano I section leader. This was a huge accomplishment for me, one I am very proud of and will never forget.","ans_3":"The pandemic made it very difficult to be a student. With virtual learning comes many challenges \u2014 the biggest of which was finding the motivation to do work. It took a lot of self-discipline to wake up every morning and complete my work, and there are many times I was not successful. But through my struggle I was able to gain a skill that will help me immensely in my future. For me, the biggest upside to virtual learning was being able to be at home with my two nieces all day. My mom takes care of my nieces during the week, and because of that, I was able to be with them as well. I will forever cherish the memories of holding a baby while I listened to lectures, or having a toddler run into my room eager to say hi to all of my teachers and join me in class. I struggled for a long time with activities being canceled. There were definitely nights I couldn\u2019t sleep and just cried about all of the things I wished I could do. Especially as student body president, I had so many plans I wanted to accomplish, and in one day all of those dreams were gone. I finally realized that although this year was nothing like I\u2019d always planned, it was great in its own way. I was able to make many new friendships, be with my family more, and pick up many new hobbies. I came to realize that true joy and happiness is found in the little things.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school differently than any class before us, and any class after us. While the Class of 2021 didn\u2019t have the traditional high school experience of football games, senior sunrise, homecoming, prom, or even being able to go to school, this year has given us a unique opportunity to prepare for life in other, more meaningful, ways. We had to learn to motivate ourselves, make the best of bad situations, overcome disappointments and were able to make valuable connections with our loved ones and were given the opportunity to learn a lesson we will never forget: to never take anyone or anything for granted.","ans_5":""},{"id":66,"slug":"dacia-frehner","school":"Somerset Academy Losee Campus","student":"Dacia Frehner","first_name":"Dacia","last_name":"Frehner","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675433\/Dacia_Frehner_SMALL-041721ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675438\/Dacia_Frehner_LARGE-041721ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school, I played varsity basketball and volleyball, and was lucky enough to be a team captain and make outstanding friends. Starting my sophomore year, I joined my school's Student Council, where I fell in love with organizing events and interacting with the student body. I've moved up the command chain and currently am student body president. My all-time favorite class is psychology. I took an Intro to Psychology class my freshman year and immediately developed a passion for the subject. As a senior, I am completing the AP Psychology course, still riding the high of obtaining new knowledge for the brain. In the fall, I'll be starting at Southern Utah University, working feverishly toward becoming a therapist.","ans_2":"Senior ditch day. My friends and I went to brunch, and caught up, because most of us go to different schools. We went back to my house to play pool, darts and video games. It was really nice to experience one of the few senior traditions I can this year!","ans_3":"The pandemic and its effect on my junior and senior year was a whirlwind. I still feel disappointed for missing out on some of the traditional events that happen during one's years as an upperclassman. Prom was something I've been looking forward to forever, and the opportunity for having one is slim to none. I miss being able to play sports, and building companionship with my teammates. Virtual learning wasn't my cup of tea. I'm a people person and so staying home gave me cabin fever. I had written my close friends letters to keep busy and stay distracted. Even though it was nice to wear pajamas all day, I would've definitely preferred to see my peers. I'm lucky that my school had given us the choice to come back on campus. Although we only stay for a few hours at a time, my temperament has improved greatly.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school in a bittersweet kind of way. I know I'll be encouraging those younger than me to take every opportunity they get. You never know what the future has in store.","ans_5":""},{"id":67,"slug":"nevaeh-holland","school":"Somerset Academy Sky Pointe Campus","student":"Nevaeh Holland","first_name":"Nevaeh","last_name":"Holland","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670364\/Nevaeh_Holland_small_CLASS_OF_2020-BH_038.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670363\/Nevaeh_Holland-LARGE-CLASS_OF_2020-BH_033.jpg","ans_1":"I participated in my school's volleyball and basketball teams, both my sophomore and junior year. In addition, I have a job outside of school that I work at 20-plus hours a week. My favorite classes this year have to be anatomy with Mrs. Verzoni and civics with Mr. Miles. Both of these teachers have been amazing educators and even friends since my freshman year of high school. These two people positively represent Somerset Skypointe and the amazing faculty. My junior year, I became a part of the dual-credit program with the College of Southern Nevada. I'm proud to say that I have earned half of my credits toward my associate degree in biological sciences. If Somerset never presented me with an opportunity to get a jump start, I would not be able to say I'm a step ahead of the game. Next year, I plan on finishing my associate degree at CSN and eventually transferring to UNLV to earn my bachelor's. My goal is a career as a pediatrician.","ans_2":"I'll never forget the first day back of in-person instruction. It was, without a doubt, different than what we all were used to. Despite the fact that it was such a big adjustment, the school did a good job keeping every classroom clean and every student safe. We weren't able to have a typical senior year, but Skypointe made it so we were able to at least have something. It was nice to see my friends and teachers again, even if it was in a new way.","ans_3":"There's no doubt that COVID dramatically changed both my junior and senior year. For my junior year, we went virtual in March. However, all second-semester sports were canceled. We also missed out on prom and school field trips. Senior year was virtual until second semester, when we switched to a hybrid schedule. We didn't have any sports this year or homecoming or field trips. We missed out on socializing of any kind the first part of the year, and when we came back to in-person hybrid, it was still so different than normal. Seeing everyone is fantastic, but with face masks and social distancing restrictions, it just isn't the same. Somerset has done a great job of creating a senior year with memories; they are just different than in years past. The upsides of virtual learning include more time spent on homework and studying versus figuring out what to wear or what hairstyle to do for school. Plus, there was less commuting time, so there was more focus on the schoolwork. The biggest downside to me was missing out on my senior year of sports or experiencing the joy of senior night.","ans_4":"This will go down as the year we overcame the unexpected. Although in hybrid learning, we still gathered as a school community and united in the fight against COVID, but also against social injustice.","ans_5":"I would like to thank Somerset Academy SkyPointe for giving us the opportunity to make memories for our senior year \u2014 they have managed to maintain a clean and safe environment for my friends and myself to attend school in person."},{"id":68,"slug":"shaunta-palmer","school":"Southeast Career and Technical Academy","student":"Shaunta Palmer","first_name":"Shaunta","last_name":"Palmer","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620968\/Shaunta_Palmer_small-041021ev_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620963\/Shaunta_Palmer_large-041021ev_004.jpg","ans_1":"In high school, I participated in Distributive Education Clubs of America, Skills USA and the Nevada Youth Legislature, among other groups and acitivities. My favorite classes where my Career Technical Education classes. These are my marketing and culinary classes. The knowledge I have gained in these classes is not only going to help me in college but also in the real world. These classes are what I look forward to no matter how hard of a day I have had. After high school, I will be attending the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, majoring in political science and philosophy.","ans_2":"I think the first day of hybrid learning will stick with me forever. Stepping in the building felt like coming home. It was amazing. Talking to teachers and having face-to- face interactions was wonderful. Speaking with students in person was better than I ever thought it was. I felt like school wasn't a tedious task that I was forced to do. Attending in person made senior year feel a little more worth it.","ans_3":"I genuinely think virtual school, learning-wise, was a big upside, but socially as seniors and juniors we lost all support for college applications and ACT testing. I qualified to compete at two national conferences (Skills USA and DECA) and did not get to go to either my junior year. I qualified for a national conference with DECA as a senior and it is going to be virtual this year.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school as moments of learning, activism and growth.","ans_5":"Without the pandemic, I don't know if I would have been able to get through the college process and get to talk to as many colleges as I did this year."},{"id":69,"slug":"kylie-mao","school":"Southwest Career and Technical Academy","student":"Kylie Mao","first_name":"Kylie","last_name":"Mao","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620963\/Kylie_Mao_small-041721ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620970\/Kylie_Mao_large-041721ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"My high school years were academically focused. I spent a lot of time studying during the weekdays and would volunteer or hang out with friends on the weekends. In the past four years, I was active in several clubs: president of HOSA (future health professionals), a tutor for National Honor Society, and a member and participant of Key Club, We the People, and chess club. Outside of school, I participated in becoming a volunteer for Humanity Forward. As for classes, I have always been fond of STEM subjects but found a new love and interest for social studies through courses such as AP Government and CH203 in my senior year. I hope to attend UNLV as a pre-professional biology major and then attend medical school at the University of California, San Francisco with an obstetric focus.","ans_2":"I started a small-business project that allowed me to fund and donate to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. In the beginning of senior year, I produced handmade beanies that I sold online. For every beanie that I sold, I donated one to the charity. With the support and sales to friends and peers at my school, I was able to donate a significant amount of beanies to a local homeless shelter. I was extremely thankful for the support and proud that I was able to give back to the community and provide charity during this time.","ans_3":"As the pandemic turned our entire educational experience upside down, getting into the groove of things was quite rough at the beginning. But eventually everything fell into place. Although I did miss the in-person learning environment and being able to interact personally with my peers, I was able to find solace in virtual learning. I attribute a lot of the flexibility to my teachers and counselor, who always made the effort to ensure I was getting as much out of my education as possible, despite the unfavorable circumstances. Whether it be from taking time out of their day to coach my group for school competitions or staying after school to advise the clubs I participated in, my teachers were able to make my learning experience rich and interactive. To make up for the missed-out senior year experiences, I was able to fill my time by attending several insightful Zoom conferences. Since everything and everyone was online, it made it much more accessible to reach out to particular people or be able to attend certain online seminars to hear and be able to interact with peers in real time. For instance, in my government class, we were able to hold weekly Zoom meetings with alumni to help aid us in our We the People competition. From being able to talk to Assemblywoman Serena Torres about potential bills being passed in Nevada or participating in civic discourse with author Eddie Glaude about the reconstruction of racial equality, I am glad that going virtual gave me these opportunities.","ans_4":"Although we were put in unfortunate circumstances, I think the Class of 2021 will have a greater sense of gratitude for the memories we were able to make during our shortened time at high school. When looking back, I think we will be able to remember high school as a time of growth. From learning persistence when first getting adjusted to high school and trying to excel in our academics to patience and empathy when trying to adapt to an online learning environment. Most importantly, I think we learned about being resilient. Even in the worst of times, we all pulled through and accomplished our goals.","ans_5":"I am very grateful for all of my teachers for their care and determination to help us succeed. I am also thankful to my friends, peers and family who provided a supportive environment that kept me motivated and optimistic. Being able to go through the pandemic has taught me valuable skills of patience, empathy and determination."},{"id":70,"slug":"mateo-bautista","school":"Sports Leadership and Management Academy","student":"Mateo Bautista","first_name":"Mateo","last_name":"Bautista","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620673371\/Mateo_Bautista_SMALL-042821cs_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620673370\/Mateo_Bautista_LARGE-042821cs_004.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school I was all about wrestling and my grades. The great thing about SLAM was that all the students had a common goal: to be a better version of themselves every day. I pushed myself by taking numerous AP classes. All the students would uplift one another, while the teachers would support you every step of the way. For example in one of my favorite classes, AP U.S. History, our teachers would give us motivational speeches before tough quizzes, letting us know we were capable of doing great. These little talks would build confidence in myself and my learning capabilities. A huge portion of my high school experience was wrestling. I was a varsity wrestler for three years. I loved being on the mat with my teammates and my amazing coaches. The experiences I got while wrestling in tournaments were some of the best in my life. Even though my senior wrestling season was nonexistent, I will never forget how close my teammates and I were. I will definitely miss the incredible coaching staff and will be forever grateful for working with them. At SLAM, I was able to find the perfect balance of athletics and education to be the most sufficient student-athlete I could be.","ans_2":"The first day I physically went to school, I was filled with joy seeing some of my favorite teachers, as well as a few of my peers. It was refreshing to sit at a desk in front of whiteboard rather than be in bed in front of my laptop. I remember after the school day ended, I went to visit my coaches after months of not seeing them. These coaches were like family to me. They helped me become the person I am today. Seeing these guys again made me miss being on the mat so much.","ans_3":"Virtual learning has taught me a lot of responsibilities. I no longer had a teacher to constantly tell the class when an assignment was due or to demonstrate a particular lesson in class. It was all up to me how I managed my time and how much work was put into each assignment. It was now up to me and my drive to learn to make my virtual learning a success.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will cherish their short-lived high school years forever. We will now live without regret and continue to seek every opportunity that is put in front of us.","ans_5":"The Class of 2021 should not let one spoiled year ruin the countless memories we have made in high school."},{"id":71,"slug":"aja-melo-powell","school":"Spring Valley High School","student":"Aja Melo-Powell","first_name":"Aja","last_name":"Melo-Powell","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675438\/Aja_Melo-Powell_SMALL-042821cs_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675432\/Aja_Melo-Powell_LARGE-042821cs_004_1.jpg","ans_1":"I participated in varsity track and Black student union all four years. I did JV basketball during freshman and sophomore year, and I've also participated in Best Buddies since my sophomore year. As of summer 2020, I became a facilitator for an organization called Freedom Lifted, which provides educational classes and seminars about social justice. My favorite classes would have to be 11th and 12th grade IB Psychology and 10th grade Algebra II. Next year, I plan on attending university, studying nutrition and dietetics, and hopefully having the opportunity to continue my track career.","ans_2":"For Christmas, my best friend and I did a gift exchange. She's a very talented artist, so for my birthday and Christmas every year, she makes me these amazing art pieces. This year, I wanted to return the favor, even if I wasn't a super talented artist. So I made a portrait from a picture I had taken of her on a Google Meet. Though it wasn't the best, I tried to get every detail I could. Her reaction was priceless because she said, \"No one ever makes art for me because I'm usually the one making it for other people.\" Even though this was something small, I'll always remember it because it made both of us very happy. On top of that, this exchange was our first time seeing each other in months since the pandemic hit.","ans_3":"I remember feeling crushed after CCSD announced that spring sports for 2020 would be canceled. I had spent the entire year training for track, and my season came to a halt after two competitions. There was a period of time where I honestly didn't know what to do or what would come next. I continued training, however, with the end goal in mind: a track scholarship. On the academic side, I found pros and cons to virtual learning. I enjoyed working at my own pace and having the freedom to move around in my own space while I was working and in between lessons and assignments. It did get to a point where it was harder to manage all of the free time and less strict due dates. The lack of social interaction also took a large toll on me. But I do believe this was a learning experience and that this year will change the way education is conducted.","ans_4":"Overall, I feel like the Class of 2021 will remember this year as a trial run. We'll be the first seniors to graduate after completing most of our final year online, so it will definitely be interesting, to say the least.","ans_5":"I'm very grateful for all of the opportunities I've received as far as academics and athletics go. I especially want to thank my parents and \u00d1a\u00f1a and Papa because they've been nothing but supportive since day one. Now I'm excited to move onto the next chapter in my life :)."},{"id":72,"slug":"alondra-chavarin-meza","school":"Sunrise Mountain High School","student":"Alondra Chavarin Meza","first_name":"Alondra","last_name":"Chavarin Meza","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620969\/Alondra_Chavarin_Meza_small-041721ev_003.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620962\/Alondra_Chavarin_Meza_large-041721ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"All my high school years, I was highly involved with the theater department. I worked on plays, was cast in some and did technical and backstage work. My freshman year, I got an award for best new female artist. Sophomore year, I was nominated to be part of the Thespian Honor Society. Now as a senior, I am president of the Thespian Honor Society. I got accepted to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles and will be developing my craft with this opportunity.","ans_2":"I grew as a person a lot. My mindset is different and the way I do things is different. Many of my goals out of school I was able to accomplish and I was able to improve my mental health. For me that's a huge accomplishment.","ans_3":"At first, virtual learning was confusing. I didn't like it. I was lost, just like the teachers. I struggled and had really bad grades. I simply couldn't do it. It took some time to get the hang of it and understand what was going on.","ans_4":"Virtual. They will remember it for not being able to experience senior year like previous classes. Many will remember it for not having much to do because COVID closed everything down.","ans_5":""},{"id":73,"slug":"kam-ren-walls","school":"The Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy at Canyon Springs High School","student":"Kam\u2019Ren Walls","first_name":"Kam\u2019Ren","last_name":"Walls","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620620966\/KamRen_Walls_small_041021ev_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620620971\/KamRen_Walls_large-041021ev_001.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout my four years in high school, I\u2019ve been an extremely active member of our Air Force Junior ROTC Program, attaining various leadership positions and participating in countless community service events. I have been the National Honor Society chapter president since my junior year and was vice president of the Advanced Placement Club in 2019-20. Sophomore year, I competed in volleyball, and as a junior, I played tennis and joined the swim team. Regarding academics, I absolutely love government and English. Poring over historical texts and indulging in the words of acclaimed authors and orators have and will continue to be my favorite pastime. Gratefully, I will be attending Rice University to begin my path to becoming a constitutional lawyer and hopefully a judge.","ans_2":"Upon finding out that I had received a full-ride scholarship to Rice University, I\u2019ve been in a constant state of euphoria. All of my hard work, tears and late nights paid off, and the continuous support from those closest to me has made the journey a bit easier.","ans_3":"It goes without saying that virtual learning is far from what any of us had expected our senior year to be. The dreadful uncertainty and lack of face-to-face communication have begun to take their toll. However, thanks to technology, I can constantly check on friends and family, making this unfortunate situation a little easier. My teachers and the school administration have almost been ubiquitous, anywhere and everywhere to help students through this strenuous and mentally taxing experience.","ans_4":"As a roller coaster. One with no lack of twists and turns, unexpected plummets, and mountain peak highs, but nonetheless exhilarating and worthwhile.","ans_5":""},{"id":74,"slug":"calista-bordador","school":"The Meadows School","student":"Calista Bordador","first_name":"Calista","last_name":"Bordador","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670354\/Calista_Bordador_small_042121cs_002_1.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670354\/Calista_Bordador_LARGE-042121cs_004_1.jpg","ans_1":"During high school, I\u2019ve been involved in activities that focus on The Meadows and Las Vegas community. Since freshman year, I\u2019ve participated in Key Club, a club that focuses on community service and leadership, and I was club secretary as a junior and club president as a senior. I was nominated to be a member of The Meadows Honor Code Committee as a rising sophomore, and I\u2019ve been serving on the committee since then. This year I\u2019m co-president of the committee, and we make sure to listen to the other members\u2019 opinions and give fair consequences to students. Also, during my sophomore year, I joined Mustang Mentors and wanted to make Meadows a safe and welcoming community for all new students, and I\u2019m glad to have been part of this program and to have become a Lead Mentor. I also was a member of National Honor Society since my sophomore year and National Latin Honor Society since my freshman year, and I became president of National Spanish Honor Society as a rising junior. I involved myself in volleyball throughout high school, and I\u2019m really glad that I had the opportunity to participate in this fast-paced sport. During the summer, I worked at my father\u2019s orthodontic practice as an orthodontic assistant, disinfecting instruments and fixing patients\u2019 broken brackets. My favorite classes were all of my language classes, from Spanish to Latin to Ancient Greek, this year. I hope to continue learning more about languages and culture at the college level, and I\u2019m excited to continue my academic journey.","ans_2":"I will never forget being on the yearbook staff. I\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity to capture what The Meadows has done this year even with COVID-19. I remember when we submitted our last pages on March 15th, and we were so happy that we completed it and worked super hard to make a wonderful yearbook for everyone to see soon. While it was my first and last year designing a yearbook, I enjoyed every single minute of it, and I\u2019m so honored to have been part of the yearbook staff as a senior.","ans_3":"The pandemic made me realize how much I appreciate in-person classes. While virtual learning seemed easier with simply logging in on the computer instead of going to a classroom, it was hard for me to really connect with my classmates and teachers. It definitely was nice to not have a lot of assignments due each day as a junior, but it was difficult for me to stare at my screen for most of the day and not become easily distracted. I\u2019m really fortunate that The Meadows offered in-person and hybrid classes for my senior year, and I took advantage of attending classes in person to make the most of my senior year. While my volleyball season was delayed until the spring, I\u2019m glad that I still was able to have a season and play with my teammates one last time.","ans_4":"The Class of 2021 will remember high school as a ride of unexpected ups and downs, but the Class of 2021 should be proud of making it through the crazy ride. Also, every senior will remember and appreciate the friends and family that support them through everything even with social distancing and mask-wearing.","ans_5":""},{"id":75,"slug":"khanh-linh-vo","school":"Trinity High School","student":"Khanh Linh Vo","first_name":"Khanh","last_name":"Linh Vo","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620675432\/Khanh_Linh_Vo_SMALL-042821cs_001.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620675434\/Khanh_Linh_Vo_LARGE-042821cs_003_1.jpg","ans_1":"I came to America in 2019 and enrolled in Trinity High School. I have been involved in high school cheerleading, National Honor Society, Student Council, choir and the early college program at my school. I am a regular participant in school activities and community service. I will be graduating with high honors and going into college as a sophomore. I plan to attend the College of Southern Nevada in the fall and major in nursing.","ans_2":"As a senior, I helped organize a virtual college fair with the senior class president for my fellow high school students at Trinity. In this project, I had a chance to work with many students from UCLA, University of San Diego, Johns Hopkins and other high-ranking schools across America. We received advice and heard about their college experiences. This is one of the biggest events I had been a part of planning. Through this experience, I improved my communication and teamwork skills.","ans_3":"Virtual learning was difficult not only on students but also the teachers. Regardless, I know everyone has tried their best to work with these hard circumstances. Because of COVID-19, I cannot have lunch with my friends, which is my favorite time of the day. I cannot talk to my friends, laugh with them or share food with them. Luckily, my school created clubs that help make up for this. During club meetings, I can have lunch with my friends while social distancing, share my stories and receive presents from our club teacher. This year might not have been the best, but everyone did their best to make up for it.","ans_4":"2021 will be remembered as the Class with the Mask.","ans_5":"I hope all seniors across America made it to graduation and get accepted into their dream college. I hope all students in the Class of 2021 and even 2022 survive like we did."},{"id":76,"slug":"julianna-melendez","school":"Valley High School","student":"Julianna Melendez","first_name":"Julianna","last_name":"Melendez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670354\/Melendez_small_CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670354\/Melendez_LARGE-CLASS_OF_2021-BT03.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout high school I have done Student Council (currently student body president), marching band, volleyball, softball, Nevada Youth Legislature, held the position of SOT Chair, and been in the International Baccalaureate program for all four years. I have had two jobs. I currently am working. My favorite classes have always been history and English. Next year I plan on attending college and majoring in international relations at the University of Southern California.","ans_2":"A memory from senior year that will stay with me forever is how resilient my peers and I have been. Personally, being student body president and juggling a virtual senior year was surprisingly difficult. I wasn't able to plan events that seniors normally get to enjoy, but I was able to create new virtual events that I hope will continue to be utilized in the coming years. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and rising social awareness, as a Nevada Youth Legislator I created a bill that would make cultural competency and racial bias trainings mandatory for all workers of the juvenile justice system here in Nevada, and it was actually chosen as the official NYL bill, which has the potential to be passed into law. I've had to learn how to be ever more independent, and I know my peers share similar experiences. We've had to grow up really fast amid the chaos of the pandemic, and I think that's something we'll never be able to forget.","ans_3":"My junior and senior years were largely shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic in ways I never imagined. The upsides were that I actually was able to maintain\/improve my grades because of the newfound time I had to dedicate to my studies. I was able to discover more of myself, my passions, my goals. I got to know myself better as an individual overall. The downsides were that because of virtual learning, I have been very deprived of social interaction. Going back out into the world seems a bit daunting, especially as an emerging adult. I wasn't able to support my peers and overall student body to the extent I could have if we had in-person learning.","ans_4":"As an experience that ended in a completely unexpected way. A journey that tested our class greatly. We're so relieved to have made it this far.","ans_5":"I currently have a 5.0 GPA and am the only 18-year-old with three bills in the Nevada Legislature: one which I created and am the original sponsor of, another which I also created and am co-sponsor of, and the last one I actually inspired. All are related to racial justice within the context of the criminal\/juvenile justice system."},{"id":77,"slug":"trishelle-vasquez","school":"Virgin Valley High School","student":"Trishelle Vasquez","first_name":"Trishelle","last_name":"Vasquez","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670353\/VasquezTrishelle_Vasquez_CLASS_OF_2021-BT04.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670353\/Vasquez-LARGE-CLASS_OF_2021-BT02.jpg","ans_1":"As far as clubs, I did yearbook, Student Council and Club Sol. I have also been a part of the \u201cSaving Senior Year\u201d Committee and have helped with sports concessions and tournaments. The sports I did were golf, cheer, softball and volleyball. I also have two jobs currently. Some of my favorite classes were math and my electives. Math just came easy for me, and my electives kept me involved with the school and other events. I will be attending Snow College next year to achieve my associate degree in pre-dental, on my way to becoming an orthodontist.","ans_2":"I will forever remember how we were the first senior class to go online! It was an OK experience, but it definitely showed me that not everything goes as planned. I\u2019m totally grateful for this community, though, for helping to still give us that senior year we all hoped for.","ans_3":"My junior we were able to do all of the amazing things, such as pep assemblies, sports and dances. It was an incredible year until COVID hit. We were all disappointed about the consequences it brought, but we managed to get through it and we\u2019re still working on it. This year has been tough without the big games. Our school lives for the Friday night lights football game, and it\u2019s always been my favorite times of the year. I\u2019ve always imagined my senior year to be the absolute best, but it's brought a new direction for all of us, and I have no problem with that. Change can be hard, but it can also be good for us.","ans_4":"We\u2019ll remember it as the the last year of our high school experience that has been the most different and out of the ordinary.","ans_5":"I\u2019d like to say that being a high school senior is the last thing you\u2019ll get to experience until you\u2019ve reached adulthood. so make it count! Celebrate each moment, don\u2019t hold back and get involved. Be with your class and enjoy what you have. It\u2019s crazy how many changes you\u2019ll have to go through, and remember you won\u2019t be all together like this again. Live every moment like it\u2019s your last!"},{"id":78,"slug":"anique-clark","school":"West Career and Technical Academy","student":"Anique Clark","first_name":"Anique","last_name":"Clark","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670353\/Anique_small_Clark-Clark_CLASS_OF_2021-BT01.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670363\/Anique_LARGE-Clark-Clark_CLASS_OF_2021-BT04.jpg","ans_1":"Throughout my four years of high school, I have consistently been involved in several extracurricular activities that have enhanced my high school experience. I was a member of Thirst Project, Black Student Union, Student Ambassadors and National Honor Society while also interning for the Public Education Foundation and working all four years consistently. As part of the digital media program at WCTA, I took three graphic design and photography classes. Because digital media was my main focus throughout school, I would have to say that those classes were my favorite. I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn in a creative environment surrounded by students and teachers who were uplifting and always offered constructive criticism to make me become a better artist. Next year I am planning on attending college to major in business. I have yet to decide where exactly I am going, but I am excited to embark on a new journey to further my education.","ans_2":"I was able to make new friends and get closer to ones I already had despite spending most of my time at home practicing social distancing. My friends and I spent a lot of our time on group Facetime calls or going for walks at the park. I think we were able to strengthen our friendships during the pandemic because we all had to adjust to new ways of spending time together to comply with social distancing and remain safe.","ans_3":"The pandemic negatively impacted my life as a student in both my junior and senior years. Throughout this year of doing school online, I found myself lacking motivation and struggling to focus while in class and while attempting to complete homework. However, I adopted new routines that helped me combat the downsides of learning virtually. I began to take advantage of having shorter school days and used that extra time to be productive in other aspects of my life, like going to the gym, seeing friends, or working. Having more time to do other tasks helped me stop concentrating on the negative things seniors are experiencing and instead focus on the fact that everything happens for a reason and that there are positive things that have come out of this whole experience.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021's high school memories will sadly be shrouded by the pandemic. I have always looked forward to my senior year, and my excitement built up more and more as I got closer to graduating. Unfortunately, my expectations for senior year, like prom and senior sunrise\/Sunset, did not come to fruition. Overall, I would say that I will remember high school as a time where I grew more into myself and created some really solid friendships with people who ultimately made my high school experience fun and memorable.","ans_5":""},{"id":79,"slug":"jaymie-segura","school":"West Prep Academy","student":"Jaymie Segura","first_name":"Jaymie","last_name":"Segura","top_photo":"","large_photo":"","ans_1":"I actively participated in Student Council and Interact Club throughout high school. I had a total of three jobs over these years. My favorite classes included AP Language and AP Chemistry. Next year, I\u2019m going to attend the College of Southern Nevada to continue my education.","ans_2":"One memory from my senior year that will stay with me would be the start of a group chat between my close friends and myself. On our very first day of school, I created a group chat during our lunch break and jokingly texted my friends, \u201cWhat\u2019s for lunch guys?\u201d Ever since, we all kept in contact, and to this day we text each other daily.","ans_3":"Virtual learning was very hard to adjust to. It was hard to wake up and push myself to do what I\u2019m supposed to do. It made school feel optional, and it made motivation hard to find. I have been in Student Council since my freshman year, and I always looked forward to becoming student body president my senior year. I was able to acquire that position this year, but I wasn\u2019t able to fulfill my duty because of the pandemic. I made up for that limitation by meeting with my council online and improvising. Even though it wasn\u2019t the same, we still made the best of it.","ans_4":"I think the Class of 2021 will remember high school through all of the social interactions we had. It\u2019s something we missed out on for a year, so I think we will value all the connections we made these four years.","ans_5":""},{"id":80,"slug":"gadi-hernandez-corado","school":"Western High School","student":"Gadi Hernandez-Corado","first_name":"Gadi","last_name":"Hernandez-Corado","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620619467\/Gadi_Hernandez_Corado_small-041721ev_002.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620619468\/Gadi_Hernandez_Corado_large-041721ev_001.jpg","ans_1":"My high school years have been great. These four years, although filled with events, have simply gone by in the blink of an eye. I have participated in engaging clubs such as the National Honor Society, I have had fun in projects such as being part of the student store at my school, and I have been taught many lessons of maturity, responsibility and independence. I have greatly enjoyed learning so much throughout these four years, both life lessons and academic lessons. Every single class that I have had, I have learned something, and that has made every single class worthwhile and enjoyable. I can hardly believe that I will graduate soon. I am planning to go to college. That's a whole new journey that I cannot wait to begin and experience.","ans_2":"A memory of my senior year that will stay with me is the recent reopening of my high school and the application of the hybrid learning system within the Clark County School District. Although I was not personally able to attend my high school, seeing the changes and being able to see my teachers in their classrooms was an emotional moment. Seeing how happy my teachers were and how the tide is turning and life seems to be facing a new and brighter horizon gave me plenty of hope and joy.","ans_3":"My senior year of high school, compared with my previous three years, was like playing in a whole new ballpark. Transitioning from a certain schedule, a certain lifestyle, a certain form of education to suddenly sitting at home in front of a camera and having to adapt to a whole new life is quite an experience. There were many positives, in my case, with virtual learning. I was able to feel more at ease, since I knew that I was safer at home and less likely to become sick. Even so, learning in person will always be, in my opinion, the better option for an education. Virtual learning just can't compare to having a teacher in front of you to help you or explain topics more thoroughly. Being suddenly made to adapt to a new educational system was difficult, but eventually I was able to make up for these learning obstacles by simply being hopeful and seeing some of the positives with every day that passed. School, in a way, helped me be able to cope with the world turning upside down suddenly. It helped me have a sense of normality within the chaos. Virtual school became a form of safe social interaction.","ans_4":"I believe that the Class of 2021 will remember high school as proof of what it is capable of. It had to work for its graduation through difficult times. Many devastating events occurred throughout 2020 and 2021, but the Class of 2021 managed to keep its journey going. I believe that the class will view this year as inspiration and proof that it is greater than any obstacle it may face. Members of the Class of 2021 may look back at their high school experience and see the great strength that they all have within themselves.","ans_5":"No, thank you."},{"id":81,"slug":"jaida-marshall","school":"Word of Life Christian Academy","student":"Jaida Marshall","first_name":"Jaida","last_name":"Marshall","top_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_400\/v1620670362\/Jaida_Marshall_small_041021ev_004.jpg","large_photo":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/review-journal\/image\/upload\/f_auto,q_auto,c_scale,w_800\/v1620670353\/Jaida_Marshall_LARGE-041021ev_002.jpg","ans_1":"I made it my mission to have an amazing high school experience both academically and extracurricularly. This led me to participate in clubs, activities and sports such as National Honor Society, student government, Booster Club, varsity girls volleyball, varsity basketball and varsity boys volleyball. I served in many positions in these clubs, such as secretary, president, vice president, captain and manager. While participating in all of these activities, I also managed to excel academically, and my favorite class was English. I enjoyed expressing my creativity through writing and learning about the world through literature. Next year, I plan to attend college with a major in graphic design and a minor in marketing.","ans_2":"A memory from my senior year that will stick with me forever is my last varsity volleyball game. Having a volleyball season was a struggle from the start because of COVID-19 restrictions and a lack of people willing to play. After only weeks of practice, my team played four games in which we struggled to figure out rotations and how to play together. In our final game, on senior night, all of the pieces finally came together. My team played with tremendous effort, which I will forever be proud of.","ans_3":"During my junior year, I struggled doing school online when the pandemic first hit. Online school was very difficult for me because of the difficulty of the classes I was taking. I felt as if I was teaching myself the lessons. I was not a fan of this method of learning, so when I had the opportunity to come back to school in person my senior year, I knew it was what I wanted to do. There were also challenges with the return to in-person learning. For example, my school no longer provided physical books because of COVID-19. I had to develop new study habits to ensure that I was still a successful student. But the biggest change that came with both online and in-person learning was the lack of interaction with my friends. I have been able to make up for this by doing fun activities virtually instead of in person.","ans_4":"","ans_5":""}]