The Hemet/San Jacinto Student of the Month program held its most recent recognition breakfast at the Maze Stone at Soboba Springs Golf Course on Nov 7. Seven local high school seniors were recognized and honored for their character, love of learning and commitment to academics in addition to their involvement in school and community activities and their ability and resiliency in overcoming difficult life challenges. And they do this all in a setting that honors God, country, family, community and free enterprise. Students are nominated by teachers or other school personnel for making a difference in their homes, schools and communities.
Local program founder and Student of the Month Committee member Karena Zermeno, who also represents one of the sponsors Altura Credit Union, emceed the event. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.
November’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Drew Sene Amisone, Karelyn Blackmore, Nadia Henry, Damian Renteria and Christina Walker. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for November are Estrella Guzman Banuelos and Mariah Ruiz.
Hemet Unified School District
Drew Sene Amisone
West Valley High School singled out Drew this month. Coach Brent Perez composed a letter to Drew which he read as a way to introduce him. “In all my years of coaching, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone so talented, yet so humble,” he said. “I know this season has been tough for you. This was supposed to be your big year when you landed a Division 1 football scholarship but injuries have sidetracked that momentarily.” Drew said, “This has probably been the hardest year for me. I was restricted from doing the thing I love most and that was playing football. From a young age, football has been my world, it’s been my identity and it’s been more than a sport to me.” An injured ankle before the season’s first game cost him six out of 10 games, which put him in a dark place where he avoided his friends who were also his teammates. After a long six weeks of recovery he returned to the field with a fierce intention to show what he could still do. In the third quarter of his second game back, he broke his collarbone and that ended his senior regular season. Damian hopes to attend a college with strong animal science and biology classes where he can also play football. “One lesson I’ll carry with me to college is to never give up.” Drew’s mother, Sone Faasalele, directed her comments at her son, saying, “You have surpassed all of my expectations and have become the young man that your father and I have always dreamt you to be – a responsible young man who leads from the front, not only on the field but specifically with your siblings. I don’t need the accolades or trophies to tell me how incredible you are.”
Karelyn Blackmore
Hamilton High School Principal Kari Sanchez described Karelyn as a “Girl on Fire” who has her feet planted solidly on the ground but is truly on fire. She is known around campus as “Kare” and said it is very fitting. Teacher Diana Welty-Guerrero has known Karelyn since her freshman year and said she’s always been a stop student. She serves as ASB president and is always eager to help others. She plans to attend UCSD to major in computer science.
In 2022, Karelyn’s father died after losing his battle with alcoholism after being sober for 15 years. Because she had inherited her love for technology from him, the passion they had shared began to falter. “When I was told to leave my childhood home at 16, I supported myself with my father’s mindset and my determination to prove I could survive with no parental support,” she said. She shared a quote from poet and novelist Herman Hesse, “I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortine may come our way, we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.” Karelyn said, “I am now more passionate and dedicated to success than ever before.” She said she has dreamed of attending college since she could spell her name and hopes to bring more technology back to her community after she earns her degree.
Nadia Henry
Hemet High School calculus teacher Kristin DeWit introduced Nadia as an outstanding student with a 4.5 GPA, who is ranked first in her senior class and has passed eight AP exams. “Her passion for research recently led her to complete an impressive study on post-fire sapling regeneration. Her findings were shared with the San Jacinto Forestry Department which helped them to better understand the results of their past regeneration efforts,” DeWit said. “She wants to use her intelligence to better our world.” Nadia said her story begins in her mountain hometown of Idyllwild. “Growing up in a place surrounded by nature, you can guess I’m very passionate about the environment, which has evolved into a love for conservation,” she said. After her parents divorced and her father moved to Alaska, the family had to move in with friends and when they changed religions, the rest of the family cut ties with them. This caused a lot of despair, and her sister was driven to the point of attempting suicide. Nadia worked hard to overcome these challenges. Hoping to combine her love of nature with her strong physics and math skills, she hopes to attend Stanford to prepare for a career as a biomimicry engineer. “I’ve learned that perseverance is not just pushing through your obstacles but using those experiences to fuel your passions and create a positive change,” Nadia said. “My story is a testament to that.”
Damian Renteria
Western Center Academy selected Damian as their Student of the Month for November. Counselor Sandy Arave said that throughout his time at the school, Damian has exemplified kindness, consideration and unwavering support for everyone around him, all while excelling academically. “His commitment to improving our school culture as a member of ASB is evident in every initiative he champions,” she said. Damian said, “Growing up in a Mexican family it became apparent to me at a young age that I was different from those around me. The household I grew up in was my safe place and up until elementary school I never had any issues with my identity or more specifically my sexuality.” In middle school he would overhear snarky comments about how he talked and questioning if he was gay. “At this point I never considered myself gay because to be honest I didn’t know what it meant,” Damian said. “My sister had already come out as gay, but I couldn’t fully understand what orientation was.” He began to express himself through eyeliner, mascara and feminine clothing and in his sophomore year some senior boys called him a “fag” as he was walking to his biotechnology class. “I had no other emotion but sadness; it waved over me like fire,” he said. However, those words eventually turned into motivation for Damian, leading him to join ASB, LINK Crew and UNICEF and allowing him to become the leader and mentor he never felt like he could ever be. “My actions spoke louder than my words and I’ve become someone to look up to,” he said. “So always remember, words may have power, but your actions will always be stronger.”
Christina Walker
Tahquitz High School Principal Andrew Holmes introduced Christina as a “talented scholar that loves to dance and her favorite class is English because she finds it inspirational to write about her passions.” College and Career Counselor and Pacific Islander Club advisor LaVerne Williams Schoonover said Christina has embraced the art of storytelling through Polynesian dance culture. “But most of all, she has embodied the aloha spirit through her daily actions,” she said. As a token of love, she presented Christina with a special lei that symbolizes enlightenment, protection, peace and guidance. “I believe my greatest contribution at school is helping my peers in class and getting more students involved by joining clubs,” Christina said. “I believe as a captain of the Polynesian dance team I try to encourage and teach other students to do their best in school and outside of school.” On Aug. 8, 2023, when wildfires destroyed Hawaiian towns on the island of Maui, Christina reached out with her teammates and singlehandedly organized a fundraiser. One hundred percent of the proceeds went to provide basic back-to-school items for school children through Maui Strong. Christina plans to pursue a career in radiology.
San Jacinto Unified School District
Estrella Guzman Banuelos
San Jacinto High School teacher John Norman Jr. has known Estrella since her freshman year. He said that in his 20-plus years of teaching, she is the toughest student he has ever known, adding, “She’s probably impacted me more than I have impacted her. This year she has really blossomed; it’s amazing to see when somebody is given a chance to have some structure in their lives what they can become.” Due to unfortunate circumstances, her family lived in a one-room hotel room all of last year. Estrella said that she had always planned to become a pediatric doctor until she realized that children need mental and emotional help and not just physical help. This shifted her career plans to the area of child and family social work. “Growing up I had to deal with a language barrier until I was able to speak proper English,” Estrella said. She said there were added family responsibilities that often brought her down as she was seen as the one who needed to set an example for her younger siblings. “One of the most important things I’ve learned is that you may not be able to control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide to not be defined by them,” she said. Estrella spent two years on the cross-country team and four years on the track team. She’s been an AVID and MEChA club member all four years as well.
Mariah Ruiz
Mountain Heights Academy teacher Gabrielle Henderson described Mariah as an “incredibly driven” student who seeks a future career in the healthcare field as a registered nurse “where her compassion and commitment will undoubtedly make a difference.” Mariah said her greatest contribution is and always will be supporting her mother. “I am the second oldest of seven girls and my mom works 10 hours every day to have the things that we have,” she said. “Although I know my mom is a strong, independent woman, I still try my hardest to make her day easier. Whether it’s having the house clean, dinner made or even just helping to get my sisters ready for bed, it is always worth it to help my mom get a moment of rest because I know how much she needs it. Being there for my mom has taught me empathy, responsibility and resilience and these are qualities I will take with me for the rest of my life.”
Her goals are to attend college, earn her degree in science and become a registered nurse, hopefully in the neonatal field. “Nursing isn’t just a career for me, but a way to make a difference in people’s lives,” Mariah said. “I have learned self-love and how to be resilient despite others’ opinions of me. I learned to speak up and set boundaries. A significant life lesson I’ll take with me is to not let others’ opinions bring you down or define who you are.”
For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.
