San Jacinto Unified School District Board of Trustees member John Norman, who is also a longtime supporter of the program, served as emcee. Backpacks filled with gifts, a Student of the Month award, certificates of recognition and much more were donated by community sponsors to the award recipients.

Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past 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.

March’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Calvin Brown, Cayman Crayton, Emilio Francisco, Kevin Gomez and Sayra Navarro. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for March are Michael Barranco Rivas and Lea Hope Raven Edwards.

Hemet Unified School District

Calvin Brown

Hemet High School Activities Director Lindsay Brown said that although Calvin has faced many challenges, “He has chosen to remain kind, respectful and focused on his future and to take care of the people around him.” Calvin asked, “When you think of a parent, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?” He said while many think of love, trust and comfort, it is important to acknowledge that not every household is filled with those traits. “I happen to be the victim of a home filled with mental trauma,” Calvin said. From losing his mother to cancer at a young age, suffering from a life-threatening injury, dealing with an absent father figure, and being classified as a homeless student within the district, he admits to having his fair share of tribulations. Calvin has been a member of the AFJROTC program at Hemet High School since his freshman year and said he identifies it as his first real home. Through the program he has already earned 160 community service hours. “Helping others is what changed my perspective and I want to show others that through resilience and relentlessness, anything and everything is achievable,” he said.

Cayman Crayton

Western Center Academy chose to honor Cayman and English and Theatre teacher Joshua Brady shared that she has won first place in acting competitions against top Los Angeles area schools and was recognized statewide by the California Educational Theatre Association. “She’s also an amazing student,” he said. Cayman has attended the school since sixth grade. “An important lesson that I was taught about is independence but also the strength of reaching out when help is needed,” she said. Her mother immigrated to America from El Salvador and raised Cayman as a single parent. “Her independence inspired me to try to handle things on my own,” the outstanding senior said. When she found herself overwhelmed in high school her mother let her know that she didn’t have to do everything on her own and that helped Cayman learn to emotionally rely on others. “Independence allows me to take on challenges, but I also learned from my mother the ability to acknowledge my vulnerability and hardships and ask for help when needed,” she said.

Emilio Francisco

Tahquitz High School Principal Andrew Holmes introduced Emilio as a student who participates in many extracurricular activities and enjoys his digital media, AVID and English classes. English teacher Molly Otis said, “Even though Emilio has experienced tragic hardship, he has pressed on and learned skills to make his life as best as possible.” He said, “I believe my greatest contribution to everyone is being a drummer; the type of music I play is Mexican music and I love playing,” Emilio said. “Playing an instrument feels really good in my heart because I know people really enjoy it.” He plans to attend Cal Poly to major in business and eventually earn his real estate license so he can make people’s dreams of purchasing their own home come true. When he was nine, Emilio lost his father to cancer. This led to depression, but he said the rest of his family really helped him through that tough time. “You just have to learn to accept it and move forward,” he said. “The most significant life lesson I will take to college is patience; having patience is a key to all things.”

Kevin Gomez

Hamilton High School Principal Kari Sanchez said that Kevin arrived in his junior year as a newcomer English learner from Mexico and quickly became a shining star on campus. His English Language Development teacher Josh Martin said Kevin is always excited to talk about literature and even tackles Shakespeare. Kevin said, “There are obstacles everywhere in life. In my case, language was my biggest obstacle. I came to the United States speaking only Spanish but for me it was motivational.” He said he knew he wanted to go to college, so he enrolled in AP English in his first year at Hamilton to challenge himself and to prepare for college. “I think if you put your mind into it, anything is possible and I’m proof of that,” Kevin said. His aunt said she has been inspired by her nephew’s remarkable journey and as she reflects on his journey so far, she is overwhelmed with pride.

Sayra Navarro

West Valley High School Principal Gerardo Zavala introduced Sayra as a student who has been a motivational influence on her peers and her teachers. “She uses life’s challenges as her motivation to work harder and to achieve her personal and academic goals,” he said. “She tutors friends in math, she loves history and animals, and volunteers at a local animal shelter.” Sayra said, “I think my greatest contribution to my school/community and the thing I’ve been most proud of has been the club I co-founded called Student Resources.” The program created small cubbies inside the English classrooms, stocked with hygiene products, school supplies and snacks for students who need it. Sayra has already been accepted to UC, Irvine where she plans to major in psychology with a minor in American Sign Language that she can implement into her future career as a clinical social worker.

San Jacinto Unified School District

Michael Barranco Rivas

Mountain View High School Principal Ken Swanson said Michael has made a big impact at the school in the short time he has been there. His teacher Valorie Evans said he is one of her most diligent students. She said she often tells her students, “Your ‘I will’ has to be greater than your IQ.” She said Michael is very independent and forgiving. “I think my greatest contribution is always lending a helping hand to others, cleaning up the environment and assisting others on tasks that are difficult to do alone,” Michael said. He plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College with a goal to work in construction, landscaping or plumbing. “When my sister and I were young and lived with my mom we experienced many difficult challenges that no children should experience,” Michael shared. “I think the most significant life lesson that I would take to college is that if I fail, I can always try again and keep moving forward.”

Lea Hope Raven Edwards

San Jacinto High School’s Christine Thomas teaches AP Human Geography and is the National Honor Society advisor. She said of this month’s honoree Lea Hope Raven, “We call her Hope and it’s certainly a perfect name for this young lady because hope radiates from her. Through all her obstacles, she has always had hope.” Hope said the biggest obstacle she has faced is the loss of her father to Parkinson’s Disease in February of 2020. “Before his diagnosis, my dad was the most lively person I knew but the disease quickly reduced him to an immobile state and by the time I was in 7^th grade my family had become his full-time caregivers. Since his passing, I have become dedicated to applying the same loving energy I had for my dad into the betterment of my community.” She works as an Activities Assistant at a nursing home, and this has nurtured her passion to pursue pediatric nursing as a career. “I made a plan for myself, and I plan to carry it out,” Hope said.

This year’s Student of the Year scholarship dinner will be held May 16 at the Soboba Casino Resort Event Center.

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

The post San Jacinto Valley students honored in March appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

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. She noted that the all-volunteer committee ensures all money from the program is used on the monthly breakfasts, Student of the Year dinner and scholarships. Backpacks filled with gifts, a Student of the Month award, certificates of recognition and much more were donated by community sponsors to the award recipients.

Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past 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.

February’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Samuel Carranza, Noah Duarte, Alex Flores, Astrid Howard and Jocelyn Ochoa. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for February are Denton Capell and Desiree Hernandez.

Hemet Unified School District

Samuel Carranza

Hamilton High School Visual Arts teacher Rose Fickes nominated Samuel. She said since the first day of art class, he was open and friendly and let her know that he was challenging himself this school year. “He has an intrinsic desire to do and learn as much as he can during his senior year,” she said. “He juggles sports’ practices and games and CTE carpentry contests and competitions.” Samuel said family and friends are very important to him and adheres to the saying that alone you’ll be strong but together you’ll be stronger. Samuel holds active roles in clubs and sports on campus and helps his community by volunteering for church functions. “All these challenges help me improve myself,” he said. He plans to earn an engineering degree and become a general contractor. “One of the biggest lessons I’ll be taking with me to college and the rest of my life is that no one but yourself can make the change that needs to happen inside of you, and it doesn’t matter where you’ve come from or what you’ve done, you can change the future.”

Noah Duarte

Hemet High School English teacher Steven Brown is also the football and baseball coach, so he knows Noah in several capacities. He said when the young man had some injuries as an inside linebacker, he had to come back and learn a new position which he excelled at. “He took that challenge head on, and he uses that same determination and work ethic inside the classroom,” Brown said. Noah said that God has never given up on him. “At the start of my junior year, I was cut from the football team for a reason I deeply regretted,” Noah explained. “I remember asking God for two things. I wanted people to know my story and be able to be back on the field.” During this time, his family was evicted from their home, leaving Noah and his family homeless for most of his junior year. He said if he could give one word of advice to anybody going through a similar situation he would say, “Believe in yourself, never drop your head at one moment. I am a living testimony to that.” Noah said his greatest contribution to his community would be that he makes it his mission to befriend all people he encounters. He plans to attend MSJC for two years to study business before transferring to a four-year university after which he hopes to start his own trucking company.

Alex Flores

Tahquitz High School Interim Principal Janice Jones only recently got to know Alex but was impressed to learn that he is on his way to earning the State Seal of Biliteracy, which is a rigorous process. He also went through the process of being reclassified as fluent English proficient while retaining his home language of Spanish. His AP English teacher Stacey Haar said Alex is studying to be a nurse which she feels is outstanding “because he has compassion, kindness, patience and the smarts to make sure that he can heal both the mind and the body of those that he is going to be taking care of.” Alex said that as the older brother of three siblings, he believes his biggest contribution is striving to be a good role model for them. “I aim to lead by example, sharing kindness, determination and integrity in everything that I do,” he said. “I hope to inspire them to reach for their dreams with the same passion and commitment that I have. If the recent years have taught me anything, it is that no matter the situations or settings you are in, it is always in your best interest to make the best of it. That is a lesson I will take with me for the rest of my life, and I hope to share this ideology with those around me because every day can always be a little bit better if you think that way.”

Astrid Howard

West Valley High School Principal Gerardo Zavala introduced Astrid as an amazing Mustang, a scholar athlete who has spent the last four years in theater and dance. She aspires to be a dance teacher in a private studio but also serve as a high school theater teacher because theater gave her a forum to express herself. Astrid’s AP U.S. History teacher Bridget Greely nominated her and praised Astrid for being captain of the dance team, a Thespian officer, leader on the varsity volleyball team and a volunteer at her community church while enrolled in multiple AP and IB courses. “I frequently tell my students that it does not matter how rich, how powerful, how smart or how funny you are if you don’t know how to treat your fellow human being well,” Greely said. “And that is why Astrid stands out. She is kind and caring and she has the character that I know will change any community she is in, just as she has done for West Valley High School. When Astrid was nine years old, her father retired from the United States Air Force and the family moved from Turkey, where they had lived for about four years, to Hemet, where they lived with her grandmother who had Alzheimer’s for more than seven years. Astrid said listening to her stories of her own childhood helped her adjust to the culture shock of moving to America. Astrid said, “She inspired me to continue my passion for sports and theater. When she was no longer able to form sentences or be alone for long period of time, I would remember the kindness and sincerity she demonstrated towards me back when she was not overcome with this terrible and unforgiving disease and in turn I would listen to her even if it was just gibberish. I grew to love this woman more than I realized even though she didn’t remember who I was. I felt she was a vital part of my life.”

Jocelyn Ochoa

Alessandro High School’s top choice this month is Jocelyn who enrolled as a senior, facing some academic adversity with only about 100 credits at the beginning of the year. Principal Matthew Centofranchi said she is currently on track for early graduation in March. “She immediately engaged in our CTE welding program,” he said. “Jocelyn is one of those students who fully embraced that pathway when she came to Alessandro. She was able to tap into some dormant abilities that she had within her that maybe she didn’t realize prior to being in the welding program. She is able to tap into this silent confidence she has to be a leader in a field that she is going to pursue. It’s been great to see that growth.” Instructor Josh O’Neal, who built the program, said, “Jocelyn is probably better than 90 percent of most male welders that I’ve ever seen. In the welding and auto mechanics world, she has emerged as a beacon of inspiration and a testament to the power of self-direction and motivation.” Jocelyn said Alessandro High School changed her life with the friendly and supportive teachers she found there. “Life gets hard at times,” she said. “Not everything is easy but over time everything gets put in its place.”

San Jacinto Unified School District

Denton Capell

San Jacinto High School’s honoree for February is Denton, who is described by Principal Kristi Coulter as a “phenomenal young man whose potential walks in the room before he does.” She continued, “He’s a young man who is not defined by the obstacles of his life but has a vision for his life and knows where he is going.” She also noted that he is one of the school’s top football players. English teacher Senait Tesfai said she nominated Denton because of his good character. “He is someone who always greets me with a smile at the door of my classroom,” she said. “He’s always polite and respectful and it’s the little things that mean the most at times, especially as teachers.” She said another reason she chose Denton was because through a nonfiction narrative assignment he revealed the adversity he has overcome in his life. “Judging from his positive attitude, it was clear to me that rather than give up, it only made him stronger and more determined to succeed,” Tesfai said. “Denton has shown himself to be a diligent and intelligent student who comes to class every day ready to learn and humbly asks for clarification when needed. His leadership skills are evident as he carries out academic discussions and leads in group projects. He’s also happy to share his ideas and express his thoughts with the class.”

Desiree Hernandez

Mountain Heights Academy chose to honor Desiree as their Student of the Month. Her independent study teacher Gabrielle Henderson said this type of learning requires a lot of self-motivation and Desiree was always self-motivated since enrolling two and a half years ago. “I was even more impressed when I found out she has started her own business, www.loversofliterature.com and it’s based on her love of reading,” she said. Desiree said she believes one of her biggest contributions is to her family. “I’m the eldest of three daughters,” she said. “I am forever trying to better myself for them. I have made it my goal to be someone they can look up to, confide in and come to when in need.” Desiree is currently attending Mt. San Jacinto College studying business administration. While continuing her job as a small business owner, she wants to transfer to a four-year university, launch a second business, finish writing her first book and hopes to create a course to help others learn how to start and grow their own business.”

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

The post San Jacinto Valley students honored in February appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Local program founder and event facilitator Karena Zermeno also represents one of the sponsors, Altura Credit Union. Backpacks filled with gifts, a Student of the Month award, certificates of recognition and much more were donated by community sponsors to the award recipients. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past 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.

December’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District schools are Do’Jonni “DJ” Bryant, Natalie Perez Flores, Jasmine Moralez and Loren Sullivan. San Jacinto Unified’s honorees for December are Donald Downs and Trinity Jones.

Hemet Unified School District

Do’Jonni “DJ” Bryant

Tahquitz High School recognized DJ in December for standing out in many different ways – his athleticism, in the classroom, and in his acting but most notably for being positive and optimistic. He has become one of the best football players at Tahquitz l after transferring to the school at the start of his junior year. Teacher Monique Knibb said DJ, “immediately became a game changer and undoubtedly will paint this world with his passions, tenacity, humility, humor and above all, his love for others and his family.” She said when he is not carrying his team on the football field or blazing a trail on the track, DJ spends his time building up others around him. “DJ also has an innate ability to lead others in acts of kindness,” Knibb said. “He is truly a remarkable young man who excels in academics, athletics and is just a good human, pure and simple.” DJ said his greatest contribution is his ability to uplift others around him. He plans to attend college where he can continue to play football, hoping to get a full ride to a Division 1 school. “I’m excited to see what my future holds. I’ve had many blessings in my life but I have had challenges that have forced me to see life differently,” DJ said. “Most recently, my granddad (William Bryant Jr.) passed away. He was the man who taught me to have respect and good manners. He always believed in me and never let me forget who I am. He was one of the smartest people that I’ve known; his wisdom was communicated through all his life lessons and talents.”

Natalie Perez Flores

West Valley High School Principal Gerardo Zavala said Natalie was chosen to be recognized for her ability to unify peers and staff. She is the current ASB president, has a 4.3 GPA, is on the soccer and track teams and serves as Varsity Cheer captain while taking rigorous AP and IB classes. In her spare time, she loves to attend leadership conferences, learn new things, and is active with her church’s youth group and homeless outreach programs. Her teacher William Valenzuela said, “What stands out to me for Natalie isn’t this list of accomplishments; it’s the values she carries with her on a daily basis. She’s genuine, authentic, hopeful and optimistic. Every day that Natalie is on our campus, she makes it a great day to be a Mustang. Natalie said her parents taught her to give back to her community through her local church after moving to Hemet about four years ago. “Being involved with extracurricular activities has brought me great joy but it never failed to get in the way of the importance of my academics,” Natalie said. “School has always been my top priority and I have been fortunate enough to obtain awards such as the one today but also for being top five in my class for both my sophomore and junior years. My education has been the most important thing in my life and ever since I was a little girl, I have dreamt of becoming a pediatrician.” She plans to attend the University of Redlands or UC, San Diego to major in biology. “My values and morals that my parents have instilled in me is what I will take with me on my journey to college,” Natalie said.

Jasmine Moralez

Hamilton High School singled out Jasmine for being a student who has taken advantage of all the opportunities a small school offers and has stepped up as a leader. She was selected for this honor by her College/Career Counselor Amy Allen who shared that Jasmine was one of only six students from California invited to Washington DC last summer to represent the Anza Electric Cooperative at a national convention. “What I appreciate most about Jasmine is her resilience and unwavering belief in herself,” Allen said. Jasmine feels her greatest contribution to her community is her willingness to be a leader, whether it is volunteering for community events or helping out with school functions. “I plan to use this quality in my future career as a political scientist,” she said. “I’ve chosen to spend my life in the world of politics after growing up in a home that was shattered by jealousy, lies and the confusion between the words love and control.” At the age of 14 Jasmine had to choose to continue living with her father or go with her mother and sister to live in a shelter for domestic abuse victims. She said that after a year of watching her father be consumed by drugs and anger, she left. “The whole situation forced me to grow up and be the bigger person in a room full of adults,” Jasmine said. “It taught me what I would say is the most significant life lesson I have learned which is that you can’t be living for someone who won’t live for themselves. She thanked her grandmother, who she said, “gave me an out to a very bad situation.”

Loren Sullivan

Hemet High School’s top choice this month is Loren and principal Jeff Franks described her as a “Jill of all trades with a unique skillset” and a cheerleader who is involved in the school’s AG program and a leader in its automotive program. She was nominated by teacher by Joshua Thomson because she “goes out of her way to make sure all of her peers are included.” Loren was born and raised in Hemet. “Being a student-athlete and a member of the HH Cheer team, I have developed skills such as team building, leadership, hard work ethic and integrity,” she said. “Apart from cheerleading, I’m also an equestrian.” Animals have always been a big part of her life that keeps her busy but she also works part time at a hair salon. Loren plans to continue her education at Cal State San Marcos to major in psychology, a complete 180 degrees from earlier goals of a future career involving animals. “Since the COVID pandemic, I have struggled with mental health issues, falling into a deep depression and losing interest in school,” Loren said. “Bouncing back from that has been a hard struggle but through cheer and automotive I was able to regain a sense of community and passion to learn again. I would not possibly be who I am today without my family, friends and teachers who have never stopped pushing me and believing in me. I only ever wish to be that (support) for someone else.”

San Jacinto Unified School District

Donald Downs

Mountain View High School’s honoree for December is Donald who began his high school career in independent study at Mountain Heights Academy, mastering the program and responsibilities that come with that mode of learning. His favorite teacher, Ramona Ford, said Donald soared to new heights as a member of the eSports team after transitioning to Mountain View High School in the middle of his sophomore year. He became a student of the first AP computer science program offered at any alternative school in the state of California. “This year, he was awarded the first ever Mountain View letterman’s jacket for completing the first AP computer science class offered, passing the AP exam and receiving college credit,” Ford said. Donald serves as secretary of the school’s student council and is a one-time school board representative. “A life lesson that I’ve learned and that I’ll be taking with me to college is that it’s okay to be scared or have fear, but don’t let it control you,” Donald said. “What helped my confidence with my public speaking was Mountain View and its small classes with friendly and supportive teachers.” After earning a citizenship award from the Riverside County Bar Association, he was given an opportunity to attend the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awakening) camp in the summer of 2022. “RYLA helped me with a lot by teaching me lessons to overcome my fears and challenges and how to become a leader,” Donald said. “The skills I have acquired at Mountain View will help me in college and life with facing my fears and problems. My greatest contribution to my school is that I helped jumpstart an AP computer science class. Through this class, I found my passion and plan to go onto college with a major in computer science.

Trinity Jones

San Jacinto High School chose to honor Trinity for making a significant impact on campus, especially in the science department working with the newly acquired 3D printers. Teacher Joe Torres said, “Trinity’s contributions to our school cannot be overstated. One aspect that makes Trinity’s achievements even more remarkable is the unique set of challenges she’s had to overcome as a young black woman pursuing a path in STEM. She has faced and triumphed over obstacles that many may not fully comprehend. Trinity’s presence and accomplishments serve as an inspiration to all, especially to those who may have felt discouraged or under-represented in these fields.” Torres said Trinity has not only demonstrated outstanding technical skills but has also become a source of inspiration and motivation for her peers and educators alike. “As chief editor of San Jacinto High School’s yearbook, my greatest contribution has been capturing the spirit of my school,” Trinity said. “Through this role, I’ve had the privilege of showcasing my school’s talents and diversity within our student body and creating a lasting legacy.” Trinity aspires to attend UC Berkeley to major in computer science and minor in political science with the goal of pursuing a career in technology, legal consulting or in the field of tech journalism. Her mother said Trinity has always been kind and empathetic and has been able to maintain her inner light through commitment and dedication.

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

The post San Jacinto Valley students honored in December appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.