Hawkeye
Kerensa Suzara
LIFESTYLE
JUNE 2022 | 7
FROM A GIRL IN STEM TO A WOMAN IN DESIGN By Phuong Lam
as the president of the class of 2022 Kerensa Suzara, who describes herself as during her sophomore year. The fol“charismatic, sentimental and driven,” was lowing year, she served as the Big 6 not only MTHS’s Big 6 president her senior treasurer, and finally worked up to year, but also a member of the Technology her most recent and final position at Student Association, or TSA, and played MTHS, Big 6 president. on the women’s tennis team for the last four While Suzara went through tough years. Her role at MTHS the entire time classes, extracurricular responsibilities she’s been here has impacted many students, and had her fair share of challenges in friends, staff, teachers and anyone that has her senior year, the place it got her was met Suzara. worth it. The Associated Student Body (ASB) has “I’d compare senior year to a waterplayed just as big of a role in Suzara’s high school journey as she has to Terrace just by being a part of the organization. She served as the MTHS Big 6 president her senior year, and has been a part of ASB for the past three years. “ASB helped me grow as a person,” Suzara said. “I was definitely more closed off and shy as a sophomore than I am now. I believe that ASB has helped me grow more confident in a leadership position and has helped me be more open to speak my mind.” When she wasn’t busy preparing for assemblies or planning dances, Suzara was hard at work being a woman in STEM. Her TSA journey all started in middle school, and through restless nights, countless hours spent on projects, and the hardships that presented themselves at every turn, she has stuck through it till her senior year. This year, Suzara and her team went to place With soft aesthetics and pretty vibes, Kerensa third in the categories of both sci- Suzara dedicates her time and effort to make entific visualization and children’s everything around her look its best. CONTRIBUTED BY KERENSA SUZARA stories in the Washington TSA competition. In previous years of competing in TSA, Suzara has placed fourth in video production and fourth slide. You climb all these stairs, you in scientific visualization. sit down, go down the slide, and From the years of competing, Suzara has there’s a fun little splash at the end,” learned valuable lessons. she said. “It was all hard in the begin“I learned to have more faith in myself, to ning, and it’s kind of tiring while stop invalidating my progress as a person you’re figuring out future plans and and the importance of time management,” how to understand stuff like calculus. she said. It was also hard to move forward this Along with being a part of the STEM, year because of getting used to going TSA and ASB programs at Terrace, art has back to school again, reviving work ethic and also driven Suzara to pursue her passion on COVID restrictions.” the next level. However, after she’d gotten through the To achieve her dreams, Suzara is continuchallenge of climbing the ladder, Suzara ing her education next fall, studying design could take in the view of everything she’d at Western Washington University. accomplished, and enjoy the rest of the way “I want to work with a company as a down. graphic designer and later on work inde“When you start settling down and getting pendently,” she said. “I also want to do a all the work over with AP tests, projects and lot of art projects, including another mural, grad requirements, then you have all your especially after having so much fun doing fun stuff. There’s spring break, spirit weeks, one for Terrace. I want to inspire others and assemblies, prom, and suddenly you’re done!” help bring a little light into the world, even Suzara said. “Overall, it was a very exciting if it’s small. I like to make a good impact on year.” people.” Still, senior year wasn’t easy for many. At When Suzara started ASB, she first served times the stress was overwhelming, with colGENERAL MANAGER
lege applications, challenging classes and the unpredictable future looming ahead. “Everything was overwhelming and took a toll on my mentality,” Suzara said. “I was stressed about settling my future plans, because it felt like the expectation was to already know what you want to do and which college or career you want to go into.” Although COVID and the hardships that came with learning in person again posed a challenge for Suzara, she still found moments to cherish, no matter how big or small. “Senior year gave me a lot of self-growth, memories and people I love,” she said. “These are the greatest rewards, as I feel a lot more support and readiness for the future. Now
I’m able to look back on it to motivate myself as I look forward to my future endeavors.” One of Suzara’s favorite memories from her senior year was when she and her friends went on the light rail to the University of Washington and ate at Din Tai Fung. “We had to walk in the rain with our ice cream, which ended up being watered down by the rain,” she said. “It was hilarious, and we ended the day with blankets in my car.” Throughout her time at Terrace, Suzara’s favorite class was French. “I was never bored in French, especially with having fun video and skit projects, and Ms. Monrad always had funny stories to tell,” Suzara said. “She was a wonderful teacher and someone I could talk to for hours. She cares a lot for students and has confidence in all of them.” While in her class, French teacher Heidi Monrad made sure Suzara and the rest of her students felt cared for, and created a fun classroom environment. “She had interest in all of her students’ lives and checked in with all of us, and [I liked] how she felt comfortable being open to us about her life as well. I respect her efforts as a teacher and her as a person overall!” Suzara said. Much of Suzara’s time at Terrace was spent painting an “Avatar: the Last Airbender” mural, planning spirit assemblies, stressing over college applications, drinking matcha lattes from Urban City Coffee and working hard to finish up her high school career. Wherever she goes in life, she’s sure to make a bright impression on those around her. While she was active and integral in the Terrace community for years, Suzara learned lessons that she’ll keep close to her, and that others should as well. “The biggest life lessons I learned, although fairly basic, were to believe in myself and enjoy the little things. I spent a lot of my high school career trying to be more like other people and stressing out instead of enjoying myself and enjoying my time with others,” Suzara said. “So, I advise any seniors to really, really live in the moment and enjoy your senior year. H
