2022 SENIORS Crossroads School CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS

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They always said they wanted the best version of myself.” administrator, said Mendez worked even harder after the pandemic hit.

His older brother, who attends the University of Colorado at Boulder, helped him apply to colleges and for scholarships, he said. His younger brother, who will be a freshman in the fall, also is following in his footsteps by enrolling in the P-TECH program.

He took a mix of in-person and online classes, with most of the Front Range classes taught by certified Skyline teachers. He also took some of his classes at the district’s Innovation Center.

“He really dug in and did more,” Stephens said.

Mendez said the support of his parents, teachers, counselors and classmates all helped him through the rigorous program.

“You work together and succeed together in the program,” he said. “They have really brought out the things they see in us. We had a lot of support.”

He added P-TECH classmates became like a second family

“We go through Front Range finals and IBM internships together,” he said. “We help each other.”

Along with earning an associate’s degree, he said, the P-TECH program helped him make connections with business leaders and mentors.

“I’ll already have the IBM connections and then the Amazon connection,” he said

While much of his high school experience was spent in a pandemic, he said, he remembers his freshman year “like it was yesterday” and cherishes “all the friends who turned into family.” He also played soccer and baseball at Skyline and is hoping to continue playing soccer for the School of Mines.

“I definitely see high school moving on fast,” he said.