Hu is widely recognized in the classical music world, having won the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in 2008. She also received the Golden Melody Award for Best Classical Album in 2012. A Steinway Artist, Hu currently serves as artist in residence and a member of the piano faculty at Temple University in Philadelphia.

In addition to her academic role, Hu maintains an active performance schedule, leading master classes and artist residencies at universities and music festivals around the globe.

The concert will take place at the Tahquitz High School Performing Arts Center, located at 4425 Titan Trail in Hemet.

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The team traveled to Florida in early February to compete in the National High School Cheerleading Championship, where hundreds of teams from across the United States gathered to showcase their routines. According to Hemet Unified School District officials, the event featured more than 1,200 teams representing 34 states and nearly 27,000 student-athletes.

Tahquitz entered the competition in the Large Varsity Coed Division I category, one of the most competitive divisions at the national event. After advancing through preliminary rounds, the team secured a place among the top five finalists.

During the final round, the squad delivered what school officials described as an exceptional routine that helped secure first place and the national championship.

Head coach Sarah Peterson credited the victory to the team’s dedication and commitment throughout the season.

“This group believed in what they could accomplish long before others recognized it,” Peterson said. “Their work ethic, teamwork and determination helped them reach this moment.”

The victory is a historic one for the program. Tahquitz High School is the first school from California to win the Large Varsity Coed Division I title since the national competition began in 1980.

The school has competed in the same division for the past eight years and previously earned two second-place finishes before finally reaching the top of the podium this season.

School officials said the championship represents years of hard work by the athletes and coaching staff and is a milestone achievement for the school and the Hemet community.

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The hour-long comedy centers on high school student Eleanor who uses a chatbot to write a paper on “The Great Gatsby” for her class assignment. That leads to the chatbot writing the best essay ever and having Eleanor sent to a special school for genius children. It turns out that every other student there used a chatbot to get into the school. The chatbots dictate their personal lives by guiding them in what they say based on the persona they want to present.

Monica Reichl, who has been the theater teacher at the high school since it opened in 2007, said she read the script about a year and a half ago and enjoyed it but decided to do a different play last year.

“And now it seems in our meetings and trainings, we have more and more conversations about A.I., I have more and more students using it, thinking we, as teachers, can’t spot the difference,” she said. “So, Eleanor delivers the message of the story, that it isn’t about turning in that perfect paper or achieving ‘success’ based on things created for us, but rather that we should fail and struggle and that is when the learning happens.”

Eleanor is played by Olivia Peña, a senior who has been in theater for the past seven years. She plans to pursue theater past high school and “maybe Broadway someday.” She said, “Eleanor is definitely a leader, a procrastinator and a little awkward.” She said she found the play very relatable since she herself had to turn to online research when she was assigned to read the classic novel in her English class and had no idea what she was reading about.

“I love theater because I’m able to express myself and be someone else and not myself which is the most socially anxious and awkward person you’d ever meet,” Olivia said. Of all the comedies, dramas and musicals she has appeared in, she said she prefers drama the most. “I joined choir just to improve my voice for theater.”

Ellie Ballard is a junior who has been cast in the role of Minerva, Eleanor’s chatbot. She has been acting her whole life and has been in theater and choir for the past two years. She is also in the school’s band and takes studio dance, focusing on tap, ballet and pointe. She wants to attend UC, Irvine for dance and prefers musical theater productions.

“I like that the role of Minerva is different in that she gets to control a person’s movements,” Ellie said. “Minerva is a very dramatic character, and she shows that. There are some plot twists in a show that is funny, dramatic and over the top at times. It is fun for us to perform, and I think it will be fun for others to see it.”

Reichl’s goal is to choose plays that she thinks the students will like and it appears this one accomplishes that.

“Casting is the biggest challenge and the most dreaded part of my job,” Reichl said. “A lot of times I look at the students I have and imagine them in different roles, but then the auditions come around and one I thought would be great in one role just didn’t quite nail it, but then surprises me in a different part. But every time I post a cast list, I know some students will be thrilled and others will be devastated.”

Julia Reyes spent her pre-high school career as a homeschooled charter school student who always took acting and improv classes. “I really enjoy theater and hopefully one day I can be in a production like a movie,” the sophomore said. Her character in this play is Joe-Bob, who she describes as a paranoid conspiracy theorist at the school for genius children. She likes the character development that takes place during the course of the play. Although she also played a male role in the school’s spring production, the talented actor said she can play different roles despite gender. Although Joe-Bob was her third choice when she auditioned, “I was happy with the role I got and still enjoy it to this day.”

Julia also likes how relatable the characters are and the jokes that come and go. “In this show, some of the minor roles are the funniest. I’m happy to be in this production with so many amazing people,” she said of the cast of about 20. She said the play has a nice balance of funny and serious, due to the subject matter at the center of it all. Julia sees artificial intelligence as a “solution but also our doom at the same time.”

Senior Madison Tyra has been acting since she was in seventh grade. Her favorite genre is musicals because she loves singing. She describes her character Ali as “a peppy, talkative girl obsessed with getting into college.” She said her joyful and happy tendencies in real life carried over into her character. “This is a fun comedy about high schoolers struggling with A.I.,” she said. “I try to stay off A.I. for schoolwork but enjoy it for games and storytelling.” Her favorite part of being in this play is the fact she is joined onstage by her best friend, Milah, so they can share as characters what they have in real life.

While Madison has been exploring higher education opportunities for her eventual goal of becoming a math teacher, she will be going on a mission for her church after high school graduation.

Greydon Gudat is a sophomore who has been in theater since third grade, attending lots of camps and being involved in choir and dance. He said that although he really loves the performing arts, he doesn’t see it as a career path, stating that he will most likely enter the education field. His character is Rider but being that he wants to be considered the “cool” guy, he opts to spell it Ryder. Greydon said the role offers a great demonstration of range and shows off how much he can stretch as an actor. “I love complex roles; I love to stray from my own self and convince the audience that I am that character,” he said.

Drake Rodgers is a student at Renaissance Valley Academy-Springs Charter School who participates in theater classes at Tahquitz. He plays Minerva’s father in this play and said he was happy to get the part in the hilarious, family-friendly show. “I like the comedy of my role,” he said. “When I read the script, I liked the story. I do like the message it tells which is basically, don’t cheat your way through life.”

Working so closely with the actors in the play, Reichl said it led to a few discussions about students not getting away with using artificial intelligence as cleverly as they think they do.

“There are times when A.I. can be a great tool, but it ultimately does not replace their imagination, their curiosity, their skills,” she said.

The Tahquitz High School Performing Arts Center is at 4425 Titan Trail (off Cawston Ave.) in Hemet. Parking is free and doors open at 6 p.m. for the 6:30 p.m. shows on Nov. 14 and 15. Tickets are $5 each. For more information, mreichl@hemetusd.org.

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Emmale Americano, a recent graduate of Hemet High School, attributes her desire to be a teacher to HHS Ag teacher Cassidy Steenbock, who taught agricultural mechanics and animal science.  “I strive to be half the ag teacher Ms. Steenbock is.  I hope to be an influential ag teacher because they not only teach agricultural skills, but they also serve as mentors, guiding students in their personal growth and development,” Americano says.  She plans to attend Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, majoring in education with a minor in biology.  

Nuview Bridge Early College High School graduate Andrea Bonilla says, “becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine for many years because of the impact teachers can have on their students and the importance of education.”  Bonilla feels that she was very fortunate to have had teachers who had a positive impact on her life and says that “without them I simply would not be where I am today.  These educators allowed me to realize my potential and gave me the confidence to reach my goals.”  Bonilla plans to attend UC Riverside, major in studio art and become an art teacher.   

Miriam Gonzalez’s goal is to become an elementary school teacher and work with “little kids that are just like me, coming to a whole different country and learning English as their second language.”  A recent graduate of Alessandro High School, Miriam says that she “really likes helping little kids with things they don’t understand.”  She will attend Mt. San Jacinto College in the fall then eventually transfer to a university and complete her teaching credential.

Eugene Hernandez says, “my unwavering determination serves as a driving force in my pursuit of knowledge and personal development.”  A graduate of The Academy of Innovation in Hemet, Hernandez has a “deep-seated passion for education and a genuine desire to inspire and empower others.”  Hernandez plans to pursue a degree in English with a focus on literacy.  He will attend Mt. San Jacinto College in the fall and earn his associate’s degree, then transfer to a university and earn his bachelor’s degree and a secondary teaching credential.

Western Center Academy graduate Hannah Jindra says, I want to be a high school English and theater teacher and have wanted to be such for as long as I can remember.”  She says that she has been influenced by both her parents and teachers to pursue a teaching career and that both have shown her how to be an encouraging leader.  She hopes that her years in leadership roles will help her to appreciate different perspectives and extend the same encouragement she received as a student to others in her own future classroom.  Jindra plans to attend Brigham Young University, Idaho in the fall.

Kamryn Jorgensen, a recent graduate of West Valley High School, plans to attend Point Loma Nazarene University in the fall with a major in English literature.  Her goal is to become a middle or high school English teacher.  Jorgensen says, “My sophomore year of high school I had the privilege of being taught by an incredible English teacher.  Instead of the usual feedback I would get, he demanded more from me.  He saw me in a way that no teacher ever had before.  The end of that year, I decided that I wanted to be an English teacher.” 

Abigail Meza says that throughout her educational career, “I sought out mentors who believed in my potential and never lost sight of my dreams.”  A graduate of San Jacinto High School, Meza has overcome many challenges and emotional times but through it all has learned “the power of resilience and the human spirit.”  She says that “every setback became an opportunity for growth” and says that the wants to “be there for the kids who are going through what I had to go through.”  Meza plans to attend Riverside City College in the fall, purse an English major, and eventually become a middle or high school English teacher.

San Jacinto High School graduate Valeria Perez Carrera loves art. “My only passion, one that I consider dedicating my whole life to, is art.”  Perez Carrera plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College in the fall and follow the art pathway to become an art teacher.  Eventually, she will transfer to a university to complete her bachelor’s degree and earn her secondary teaching credential. Perez Carrera says, “I want to make my parents proud.  Being the first child in my family to attend college, I am aware of their hopes and the sacrifices they have made.”

Tahquitz High School tri-sport athlete Avery Ros says she always wanted to be a teacher but didn’t know what kind.  She says her years in ASB, however, “taught me that in the future I want to be an activities director.”  Combining her love of athletics with her goal of becoming a teacher, Ros will attend Cal State Fullerton and pursue a degree in kinesiology to become a high school P.E. teacher and ASB director.  “I will use my degree to help people and better the next generation.”

CalRTA Division 33 offers 11 $1000 scholarships each year to qualifying seniors in Hemet and San Jacinto school districts.  Students must have plans to become a K-12 public school teacher, have a 3.0+ GPA for their junior and senior years, have good citizenship at school and in the community, and be involved in extra-curricular activities at school and in the community.  For more information about the California Retired Teachers Association, go to calrta.org or div33.calrta.org.

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I recently sat down with him in a one-on-one conversation. He is an astonishing young man with more courage than anyone I have ever met. Here is how it went.

Q. “Being fully aware that you are terminal and have pretty much a general for your departure from planet earth, how do you feel? I know how your family and friends feel, but has anyone ever asked how you feel?”

A. “No. I’ve been waiting for that question for some time. Thank you for asking. I have been dealing with this cancer since I was very young when first diagnosed. I kind of had to get into the mindset of it. So I already knew it is not if, but when, I die – much sooner than later – there are only two things you can do, really. I can accept it and try to live the best life I can with the time you have left, or I can mope about and be angry at the world for no reason. I try to accept the technology and maybe something will happen to help me beat the odds. Not likely. To me, it is all so simple.”

Q. “I understand they don’t do much research on youth cancer.”

A. “Not really. For children and teenagers, it is only 4% of the investment towards research. The other 96% goes to adults and infants. Patients like myself are caught in the middle. I often wonder how they concluded to focus more on adults, even though they have already lived more of a life. It is like, “What!’ We are the next generation into the future. Why are they not concentrating more on the future than the past? Why isn’t there a better balance? I have a very rare type of cancer and they don’t focus as much on that as they do the more common types. When people think of cancer, they almost immediately bring up breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. The more common cancers, if you will. There is nothing I can do about it, so I don’t let it stress me out.”

Q. “How do you feel about the hereafter?”

A. “That kind of worries me, if anything does. You don’t know what and what not to believe. Also, whenever you’re gone, what happens? I guess I’m going to find out soon what it is all about. You’re not going to be dealing with family or the world anymore. I wonder what kind of new movies or transportation will develop that I could be missing if cancer didn’t end my life so soon. Of course, you think about it. Adios. Goodbye. That part bothers me the most. I’d like to live to see something really cool.”

Q. “For instance, do you ever think you might be worried that after you are gone there will be something memorable with your family. Do you ever think you might be worried that after you are gone there will be something memorable that you will miss, with your family, for instance?”

A. “Yeah. Sure. I’m preparing for that. I’m busy writing cards and letters into the future – like to my sister; my brother and my family. So they will still be hearing from me, as though I am just out of town. Also to my friends, but especially my young sister. A card for her sixteenth birthday. Let her know I didn’t forget, and when she becomes an adult at eighteen. I want her to have that. Kind of like I’m there wishing it to her in person, not just in spirit.”

Q. “Do you actually “worry” about anything?”

A. “My friends. My family.”

Q “I worry about my cats.”

A. “Yeah, my two cats. My mom will take care of them (we both have cats). Thanks to my family, especially my mom, I don’t have much responsibility.”

Q. “Lap of luxury?”

A. “Pretty much. Gourmet meals. The condemned man had the best treatment in the world. I sure will be sent off with lots of love. That’s for sure. Sometimes I get a little too much. Don’t ever let the last words you say to someone be mean or nasty, because they may actually be your last words. You never know.”

Q. “How does it feel when people talk about you and your future, but not to you?”

A. “Yeah. Hey, I’m not gone yet. I’m here. I’m not just part of the furniture. Preston Christianson is ten feet tall to me and I will be checking in with him regularly. He gives me courage. He inspires. He is ‘the’ example of examples, and I’m glad I can call him a friend. Just sayin’.

rustystrait@gmail.com

Rusty Strait | Senior Reporter

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