Spring 2025 Reflections

Pioneer Reflections Spring 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS 01. POETRY 02. SHORT STORIES 03. TEACHER SPOTLIGHTS 04. ART 05. SENIOR REFLECTIONS

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS: We are bringing back Pioneer Reflections after a brief break. Many students submitted various creative works that they completed on their own or in classes.

2025 Editorial Team: Annabelle Myatt Anna Terry Dr. Meredith Hancks, faculty advisor

Poems POETRY IS A GREAT MEDIUM FOR EXPLORING AND CONVEYING A VARIETY OF FEELINGS. HIGH SCHOOL OFFERS A FANTASTIC ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPLORING THIS ASPECT OF THE WRITTEN WORD.

THE POEMS IN THIS SECTION WERE SUBMITTED BY STUDENTS FROM ANY GRADE, ON ANY TOPIC. SOME WERE WRITTEN FOR CLASS ASSIGNMENTS, OTHERS WERE JUST BECAUSE OF A PERSONAL INTEREST.

Poems

The Fourth-Floor Pool

by Helen Healy I wake up each morning and go to school.

I hear stories about the fourth-floor pool.

The seniors assure me that it's all true, I ask the juniors and they say so, too.

But the sophomores tell a different tale -That a quest for the pool is sure to fail.

I know I must find this secret place, (Even though on the roof, there isn't much space.)

In study hall, I ask to be excused.

I leave no classroom unperused.

I try to find a secret pathway, Searching the entire school day.

Finally, in defeat, I stop.

This school has no real pool on top.

Sure, it's sad, but at the end of the day, I never did like swimming anyway.

Poems

My Life

by Andrew Soberanis

My life is boring and average, I will say.

My life may seem like pure insanity.

Every day is the same, where I expect a different outcome each day.

Every day is like Sisyphus, no matter how hard I try, noting ever changes.

I play baseball, I do homework all the way until midnight.

Each night, I would pray that it would not stay the same.

In the morning, I get ready to head to the place where my classes may seem different each day.

My first period class makes me feel immense strain, I have to write code and write answers each and every single day.

My seventh period class, I wait and I wait, until I hear the bell ring, knowing I'll have to get ready for what's finally coming.

After school, I rush to the complex or any away game to play, however, I don't even get a single chance to play.

Even though I go to practice like I'm partaking in the games.

I get home from my game, where I slave away on homework until the end of the day.

Every day for me is like a train going through a railroad crossing, it takes forever until it finally passes, which would then be the end of each day.

To where in the morning I repeat all of this again To where every day I wish it was the start of summer break.

When it does become summer break.

I will have freedom, I can actually play ball with my friends, but that awaits me until the end of May.

Claim: Love can make your life better

by Chase Baird Love is a learned phenomenon If you have love, you are able to give and receive it A loving person must be one who recognizes responsibility A loving individual is a person who is spontaneous Love is also a learned response, a learned emotion Most of us spend our lives trying to find love.

Love is not exclusive Love is not a category of relationships Love unfolds between people Love is not a finite resource The more you experience love, the more it grows Love is not being disloyal Love hurts because it matters Love hurts when we want more, or when love is lacking Love is a potent messenger telling us what to pay attention to Love demands growth Love demands we become our best self Love is an activity not a passive effect Love isn’t a state of perfect caring To love someone I’d to strive and accept that person Love is like infinity, you can’t have more or less of it Listening is where love beings Love teaches you to expect less Love is not desperate The meaning of love doesn’t change Love can be peaceful and fulfilling Love doesn’t teach you to overlook Each person has the potential to love

Peace It starts with a Hi, And it ends with Goodbye We start with Smiles, And talk for over 1000 Miles We take a look in the Mirror, And we start to see tears Why is there so much hate?

Do we like to carry the weight?

Who still believes in fate?

Alone and Afraid, But scared to call for some Aid Time flying by, Too stressed and just letting out a sigh Tired of life, And sadly, I'm looking at a knife Why aren't others aware?

I'm stuck, gasping for air How long must this continue?

There are fires with flames within you Peace, Peace, Peace Alive and feeling well Opening up to others went rather swell Time spent together Made me feel so much better Feeling wanted and filled with joy There were no emotions haunting the boy Life is wonderful When it's so colorful Peace, Peace, Peace

by David Villalobos

Poem

by Kiersten Stohl

In every classroom, in every hallway There are children fighting battles alone Mental health is not a topic to be feared It is as real as any subject being taught There are struggles we can't always see To teach mental health is to give them tools To show them how to heal, not hide away Teachers often teach students how to solve equations, How to read and write But do they teach them how to be kind To themselves when the world feels too heavy Or to teach them that it's okay To cry when the weight becomes too much To ask for help without shame or fear Mental health can affect your Physical health This is why it should be taught in schools Mental health issues can happen to Anyone at any given time The more we talk about it, the more Support systems can be built Schools are not just places for Academic learning they are environment Where young people grow emotionally, socially, and mentally Teaching mental health education in schools Gives students the tools to manage These pressures before they escalate Students from disadvantaged backgrounds May not have access to mental health resources at home So, having this education at schools provides a level of equity When students are educated about mental health It encourages greater tolerance and understanding This is why mental health should be incorporated into the curriculum

Where the Nature Flows by anonymous junior The wind blows strong makes all leaves fall from the trees that are tall when the ocean makes waves the come down with crash and thy make all kinds of splash In the air there is a nice calm breeze so all the ships can flow at ease the flowers grow deep from below so the beautiful colors will show the mountains are nature's buildings it helps others that are dealing with their feelings

Poem

by Joseline Olea waking up to the sun shine.

I know that's a sign making it outshine, good morning is how I like mine.

I know that's fine, but should I combine, oh wait I need nine, no don't decline that might define. how it's a rhyme.

Moon Night

by Alejandra Rios The moon shines bright blue with that my infatuation grew The leaves and trees break through animals burrow too the moon light an invite by the twilight led and lured by the starlight the light of where all my thoughts unite my thoughts caught by the beauty of the night A beauty that could never be found in profound daylight A beauty that makes you spite the sunlight A beauty that excites the free A beauty where we all unite.

Short Story & One-Act Play Selection IN SENIOR ENGLISH, STUDENTS STUDIED A PERSONAL PASSION TOPIC AND THEN PRESENTED THEIR RESEARCH TO THE CLASS. IN THIS SECTION, A STUDENT PRESENTS A SHORT STORY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND ANOTHER PRESENTS A ONE-ACT PLAY ABOUT MOTIVATION.

Doctor Burnout Story I walk home into our one-bedroom apartment to find my fiance Olivia running around, stressed. “Hey, I’m home! What’s wrong how can I help?” I ask. “Hi,” she says sounding defeated. “I’m late for work, I can't find my keys, and the other nurses will have my head on a platter if they have to pick up my slack.” She’s been searching for the keys this time and hasn't even looked up at me since I walked in. “They will understand. Everyone is late now and again and you haven't been late in years. Everyone loves you at work.” I say trying to calm her down a bit. “It dosen't matter if they love me. Everyone hates the person who is late, it's just more time that we have to spend working, more time that they are spending on other people and their problems instead of their families or their own.” She says so fast I can barely keep up with her.

I walk up to her and grab her by the shoulders and she finally actually sees me. “Take my car, my keys are right here so that your head can stay on your shoulders and not on a platter,” I say. She

by Brooke Nimrick sighs and rolls her eyes. We say goodbye and she walks out the door to head for her shift.

I knew Theo wasn't okay from the moment he walked through the door. He was more tired-looking than usual and the bags that have been growing underneath his eyes for the past couple of months were extra prominent today. He must have had a hard shift or a hard loss today in the emergency room. I wouldn't be as worried as I am if he didnt offer me his car. He might love that car more than he loves me and he also hates the way I drive. He never lets me drive his car unless it's the last resort and he wants me out of the house.

Normally I would have stopped to ask what was wrong so we could talk about it but I was running late and although I would love to shave 30 minutes off my shift that's 30 minutes someone would have to stay after their shift. Everyone is tired. Everyone is exhausted. So being late means you get put with the worst patients and the worst side tasks. So I left for work,

Doctor Burnout Story looking back I wish I would have just stayed.

Once Olivia left I could finally breathe. She has been worried about me lately and is always asking how she can help or what is wrong. Which is sweet in thought but talking about it with her won't change anything. There are still never going to be enough doctors and nurses, especially in the emergency room. There will always be patients coming in for a common cold while people who are sick and injured suffer and die in the waiting room. It won't change the fact that the job I worked so very hard to get and the job I used to love going to each day is now the place I dread going to the most.

I met Olivia in the ER. With the amount of time that doctors and nurses spend at work, it's the only place you can meet new people. It was my first day on the job and she was yelling at me to move out of her way. The funny part is that I caught her on a good day according to her when I went to apologize to her later that day.

by Brooke Nimrick Two years later I proposed. We’ve been engaged for almost three years now, we can't find the time to get married. We never have enough days off and I can't remember when we had a day off together. The last time we did we just slept all day long, it was the best day off. But as much as I love Olivia I am very glad to see her go this night. I need to be alone.

Work was too much today. I didn't sit, eat, or have a moment to breathe for 12 hours. I need a few hours where no one needs me for anything, no one bleeding or in pain or crying or screaming or complaining.

I sit on the couch to relieve my screaming feet, knees, and back.

Turning on the TV seems like too much. Everything seems like too much work at this moment. So I sit on the couch staring off into space thinking about how better my life would be if I were an accountant. I would have stable hours, no one would die on my watch, I would be able to sit and eat at my job, and I would have a lot fewer student loans. I could change career paths

Doctor Burnout Story it would be easy. I could quit tomorrow don't even have to put in my two weeks. That’s what Dr. Smith did a few months ago. He just left on his lunch break and never came back, he works at a school now teaching high school honors biology. He seems happy or at least he does on his Facebook. He seems well-rested and relaxed now. God how I miss a regular sleep schedule. Olivia would be upset with me if I quit.

She loves helping people even if it means destroying herself for it.

She wouldn't understand why I would want to give up this job.

That’s part of the reason I dont tell her any of this, that, and she's going through it too sometimes even worse. I mean when I have a hard day at least my patients respect me, she has a hard day and they don’t. Because being a nurse is easy or something. But if I tell her it's just telling her things that she already knows and just adding to her load of things. I do need to talk to someone I know, but it’s hard to get into a therapist especially one that takes your insurance. I start to get enough

by Brooke Nimrick energy to get into bed and let sleep take over. When I lay into bed instead of sleeping everything seems to hit me at once and I break down.

I had a bad feeling while driving. I couldn’t put my finger on it but knew I needed to go home. The nurses at work will just have to be mad. When I called them to say I had an emergency and wouldn’t know when I’d be in I just got a sigh and “Okay.” And then they hung up on me. Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I race back home though I don’t know why I’m racing. When I open the door to the apartment and I hear sobs my heart drops. I’ve never heard him sound like that before I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him shed more than a few tears. This sounded like sobbing that a parent would cry after their child would die from the depths of the soul sobbing. I found him in our bed curled up uncontrollably crying. I tried to comfort him for hours but for hours he cried. I was he finally fell asleep around dinner time. He hadn't said a word, ate or drank

Doctor Burnout Story any all day. I don't think he even knew that I was there. I talked to my friend who is a nurse in psych and she told me to take him to get help somewhere. So I did. I took him to the emergency room in another city because I didn't want his co-workers to see him like this.

He didn't speak the whole way there and barely even looked at me when I visited that week let alone talked.

When he got out after a week he seemed better. We talked and decided that he needed to quit his job. After that, we both got a therapist. I didn't think I needed to until I went but I'm glad that he made me. Theo now works at a high school teaching classes.

He seems to like it he says that he sees similarities between a classroom and the ER sometimes how crazy things get with the things the kids say. Our wedding is in a few months and I am beyond excited. Over I think things are better he seems happier and more relaxed or at least that is what he is telling me.

I’m doing better now. I don't

by Brooke Nimrick remember much from that day I remember Hearing Olivia getting home and then driving to the hospital with her and her visiting me. I quit my job and I believe it is for the better. Although I miss it a lot I don't think I can ever go back I was losing myself more than I realized. Teaching is also very draining but the stress of no one dying on me helps a lot. I love helping the kids through their problems and chatting with them in class. They do say some wild things but they are all good kids and will go on to do great things. I made me and Olivia get therapists.

I go once every two weeks, Olivia can only go once a month with her schedule but she seems to be doing a lot better than she was.

Crazy what talking about things can do for people. We set a date for our wedding in a few months and I cannot wait to be married to her. I owe her my life. Who knows what would have happened if she didn't turn around that day?

One-Act Play

by Matt King

Character background…

Dave is a 21-year-old college student. Out of shape, and comes from a rough background. Dave is extremely pessimistic. Not a lot going for him.

Phil is a 35-year-old psychologist. He does part-time weight lifting, and is extremely optimistic. Has a wife and kids. Strives to be an influencer.

The play begins with Dave sitting at a bench press in a bustling gym.

His head is stuck between his hands, slouched over, with the look of defeat wavering over him¨ -Enters Phil, Smiling and optimistic, walking over to Dave to address him Phil–(pats Dave on shoulder)- What's going on bud?

Dave– (slightly alarmed)- Nothing, I´m just trying to get a workout in.

Trouble is I can't find the drive to do it. I'm always giving up halfway through a set and it's depressing.- (Stands up and circles the other side of the bench press) Phil–-Don't sweat it. Not everything comes naturally. What you need is a push in the right direction. (Takes a spot on the bench press, reading himself to lift the barbell) Dave– Well I've tried to ¨go in the right direction¨. I constantly go to the gym, I do the right diets, I even fixed my sleep schedule so I'm not going to bed at 2:00 AM. None of this seems to have any progress. At the end of the day none of this matters, since I can't lift a lousy barbell.

One-Act Play

by Matt King

Phil– Is this really how you think? Have all your efforts been for nothing? (Lifts the barbell up, and begins to go down and up, counting every rep in between). You have made such great accomplishments that many wish to perform, you need to acknowledge that.

Dave– (Spots Phil while he re-racks the barbell, looking frustrated ) I don't understand what you mean. Anyways, it's easier for you to say, look at how flawlessly you moved that weight.

Phil– (stands up to face Dave) Never compare yourself to others. Let me tell you a quote from a very successful man, ¨Where would your confidence come from if the only measure to success was becoming a doctor? If you tried as hard as you could and did not become a doctor, would that mean your life was a failure/ of course not!¨ Do you know who said this quote Dave–Don't have a clue. Amelia Earhart?

Phil– Close but no, it was Michael Jordan.

Dave– Okay what's the point you're trying to get at?

Phil– When you set a goal and don't achieve it, that doesn't make you a failure. You need to remember all the small steps you took leading up to the goals. Every step you took in the right direction is an achievement in its own.

Dave–Well, I´ve never viewed it like that, but nonetheless, this doesn't help me at all. I'm still too unmotivated to even work. Additionally, I´ve heard that all motivation is hereditary and genetic. I´ve seen studies on mice showing that the ones who are active will have offspring similar in nature. Likewise for the lazy mice, the ones that lay

One-Act Play

by Matt King

lay around and do nothing will have offspring similar in nature. You see it's all in my DNA and I can't change it.

Phil– While I can agree with you on one thing, that motivation does derive from your parents, that doesn't mean you can´t change.

Somebody in your family tree has to break the strand of laziness, why can't it be you?

Dave– But here's the thing, I'm already set at a disadvantage, I've been born lazy. Breaking that strand is going to take more work than anybody else, and it's unfair.

Phil– When have you ever heard somebody say life is ¨fair¨. The process of developing good motivation is long and grueling for anybody of any background. For you I´d say you need to set up smaller, more manageable goals. Goals are some of the most effective ways of getting your life on track. They help you get through life without wandering aimlessly.

Dave– Okay, but how do I set goals for myself ? I've never done it.

Phil– When you set goals for yourself, remember this, it's called the SMART rule. Keep your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. When you think over, try to brainstorm, visualize, and break down your values to truly understand what YOU want for YOURSELF. Dave– (Takes out notepad and begins writing down, looking up periodically) Well that is a lot of helpful information, but I have one more question. Why should I want to be motivated?

Phil– That's actually a great question that many people have probably

One-Act Play

by Matt King

thought about before. You should want to be motivated because it influences every aspect of your life. What wakes you up in the morning, makes you go to work every day, and prepares dinner every night all comes from motivation. Without motivated people, the world wouldn't be where we are today.

Dave– (Looking more optimistic than before) So what you're saying is motivated people make a big impact in society.

Phil– Exactly yes, we should all strive to be that person who discovers something new, or does the impossible. We need Men and Women who want more out of life.

Dave– (Dave now ecstatic) This is exactly what I needed to hear, thank you so much. I've never viewed life from this perspective. You're a blessing in disguise. (Sticks hand out, offering a handshake) Phil– No problem, bud (Shakes hand) You and everybody else in this world can be destined for greatness.

(Phil turns his back, and exits) (Dave then goes home that night to begin writing his goals. With those goals he found a new sense of motivation. With that motivation, his life changed for the better, being more active in the gym and achieving goals he thought were impossible. Dave is now a world-class weight lifting champion. All of this was only possible because of his goals and motivation.)

–The End

Art Our students here at Alleman love to show off their artistic abilities in more than just literature. Here are some inspiring artworks created by our dedicated students.

"Crown of Thorns" painting by Kate Walsh A painting that depicts Jesus on Good Friday.

For this project, I was inspired by my future major. As someone who wants to go into architecture, I wanted to create something similar.

Recreating my house out of clay seemed like the best fit. This project took a lot of time, but it was worth it.

-Sofia Sanchez

Nautilus by Elliott Stear This piece is composed of Papier mache, hot glue, acrylic paint, and cardboard.

For this project, I created a colored pencil drawing of my horse, Rey. I have owned her since the beginning of freshman year, and I wanted to commemorate her in my senior year, as she has helped me a lot through these past four years. The drawing was a new medium for me, and I had a lot of fun working on it.

Brooke Nimrick

For this project, I created a wire sculpture of a person kneeling down. Personally, this shows the emotion behind prayer. I've grown up in catholic schooling my whole life, and I always find beautiful emotion through prayer.

Delaney Orendorff

Teacher Spotlights The faculty and staff at Alleman put in the work to make student lives easier every day. Our spotlights shine on the ones who go above and beyond, teachers that put in extra hours to help students improve in all aspects of the Catholic life and education. We select teachers to spotlight to show our appreciation for the effort that they put in throughout the entire schoolyear, and for each thing that they do to make Alleman the school that it is. Thank you, 2024-25 Teachers!

2024-25 Spotlights: MRS. THOMPSON Anna Terry - credits to Annabelle Myatt

MR. FERNANDEZ Annabelle Myatt - credits to Anna Terry

MRS. MCGRAW Annabelle Myatt and Anna Terry

Mrs. Thompson

Mrs. Thompson has served as an English and literature teacher at Alleman for 22 years. Besides teaching, she is a faculty advisor for STUCO, NHS, prom, and book club. Mrs. Thompson is an Alleman alum, and she enjoyed her time as a cheerleader during her high school career. Mrs. Thompson promotes the act of engaging directly with students and actively involving them in the academic process. She values Catholic education because it allows her to incorporate religious ideologies in her teachings of literature. Mrs. Thompson enjoys teaching at a Catholic school because our student population is very respectful, appreciative, and motivated to succeed. She finds that our students are motivated to succeed with goals for their lives beyond a high school diploma. She says that all of this is conveyed through student interactions with faculty and interactions with parents of students. Mrs. Thompson is an avid gardener and you can find her enjoying volleyball games, the fall musical, baseball games, and chaperoning nearly every school dance.

Mr. Fernandez

Mr. Fernandez is in his second year at Alleman, teaching Geometry to underclassmen. He also serves as a Dance Marathon Faculty Advisor, the Head of JV Baseball, and an assistant Coach for JV Basketball. Mr. Fernandez chose to teach at AHS not only because he is an Alum, but also because he values the Catholic education, which he finds brings our like-minded students together. Mr. Fernandez aims to keep his classroom energetic and exciting as his way of engaging his students in difficult areas of Math. He aims to be a mature and positive role model to all of his students and athletes. Despite having a background in Business, when he was reached out to with the job opening at Alleman, he was excited to give back to a school that had provided him with so many memories. Next year, he will be moving to Chicago to experience a more urban lifestyle, and hasn't decided on a future path, but will likely be more business focused. He will miss attending XC, school dances, football games, tennis matches, and the fall musical, but will more miss the opportunity to watch his students grow and be able to support them in and out of school. Alleman will always hold a special place in his heart, and current students will treasure his impact on Alleman in his time here.

Mrs. McGraw

"Sparkle and shine like the stars that you are."

Mrs. McGraw, an Alleman Alumni who graduated in '66, retired this year from the role of director in our theatre program, a role she occupied for 27 years.

She started performing at Music Guild right after she graduated college, and has always loved performing in front of people as a cheerleader, dancer, actor, and teacher. When she went to Alleman, we didn't have much of a theatre program, but we had "spectacular" variety shows. She is a large contributor to making the Alleman Theatre Program what it is now, and is sad to leave but excited to keep watching the shows.

Mrs. McGraw hopes that the Alleman theatre department continues doing shows for many years to come. She is inspired when she sees underclassmen come in and do their first shows and she sees their confidence on stage grows. She admires the relationships between upperclassmen and under- classmen formed by the end of shows.

Mrs. McGraw admires the common goal of actors and actresses to create a whole cohesive show. She never really imagined herself directing her "last show," but she is so grateful that she had this experience.

Mrs. McGraw will always miss her position as director, but she is happy to see Mrs. Orr flourish.

Senior Reflections

I am thankful that I could learn from successes and failures throughout my time at Alleman. Embracing community and friendships, I was able to learn so many lasting lessons that will assist me in the future. I will forever cherish the foundation built and the memories we experienced.

Gretchen Ellis

When I think of my high school experience, I want to think of the memories that I made. I want to remember the football games with my friends, the ice cream after games, and the bonfires. High School is hard, but it has only made me grow as a person.

While I reflect on my past 4 years here, I remember who I was as a freshman, and how drastically that has changed now that I'm leaving. This has been a great experience for me to have in my growing and changing as a person, and even through the hardships, I would choose to do it all over again.

Leaving high school is the most bittersweet feeling.

Julia Ellis

Senior Reflections Tavo Terronez

When I think about Alleman, I think of an amazing and caring school that wants to help you get to college and cares about your future. I want to remember my football career because it helped me so much with my mindset, and I made so many memories and friends. I also want to remember how the school helped me get out of my comfort zone and let me have fun throughout all the years. I hope nothing but the best for the school and that it keeps growing and the football team remains dominant as always. My dreams for the school are for football and all the other sports teams to go to state and win it all. The majority of the memories I have made at Alleman come from making friends, teammates, and having amazing teachers and coaches to help me get through some tough times, and going to all the dances, especially Dance Marathon. Some of the most challenging memories I have had come from football, trying to learn all the plays, to wondering if I even belong on the team but my teammates and coaches helped me push through all the odds and doubts and they pushed me to be the greatest I can be and I hope that I made an impact on them with self-discipline and to never give up on their dreams. I also feel like some of my growing experiences come from making friends and playing football, everything I have learned and grown from comes from them. They’ve helped me grow from a non-talkative person to always wanting to help out others and talk to others. Football is the greatest thing I think I’ve grown from because it helped me become a competitive, caring, funny, and respectful person. There’s nothing that can beat being a pioneer because once you're a pioneer, you’ll always be a pioneer. Another memory I’ll always have is knowing that Alleman is a second home for me and everyone else. Alleman always made me happy knowing that I got friends, teammates, and teachers that care about me and want to make sure you have an amazing time being at Alleman.

Senior Reflections

It feels like just yesterday that I was a confused freshman, struggling to find where my first-period English class was. However, that was four years ago. I sit now in my last year of high school, looking back. Over four years, I have found my path, lost it, and found it again for my future. Since freshman year, I learned what it means to be prepared for life through scouts, what it means to be a leader across many band classes, and the struggles of being a father (of four reptiles). If I could say anything to my freshman me, I'd tell him, "Get ready, because things are changing fast."

Alleman will always be in my mind, but now I have to leave it in the rearview for a bit.

Jacob Dehm

It felt like yesterday when I went to freshman orientation with my mask and uniform, nervous about starting high school and meeting other people from the other partner schools. It felt like yesterday when I got my license and could finally drive on my own without needing to ask my parents for a ride. It felt like yesterday when I took my ACT and dreaded every second of it. It felt like yesterday when it was Senior Sunrise and we got to write notes to our future selves. High school was fun but challenging, with the memories of studying my butt off for difficult quizzes, or the memories of being with my friends at the football games and the school dances. Now that high school is almost done, I’m hoping that everyone has a promising future. We’ve all been with each other since elementary school, and we won’t see each other as often. I wish good luck to everyone and hope that life treats everyone equally good. ~ Lily Rodriguez

Senior Reflections John Reyes

When I think of school already ending, I think of all of the memories that have happened to me throughout my 4 years in high school. Like I still remember my first ever detention, an accusation of who broke a towel dispenser in the restroom, but of course I didn’t say anything, so I had to deal with it. And through the years of my being at school, I remember being a troublemaker in the beginning, but now I am not really like that anymore, because there is no point in doing dumb things anymore. After all, it brings nothing out of it. And I also remember that the majority of the time I was at school, I would play so many video games right after school, and then push everything off because it usually brought me comfort back then, and it was nice to interact with people as well on the internet. Then Sophomore year came around and I wasn’t the biggest fan of this year but it was my first ever girlfriend and of course that didn’t lead to no good, but I would say that I did learn from it and it helped me, by me understanding who I am and what I want to do the next time. But I would say that the best thing during sophomore year would have to be when we had a church project by Ms. Dunbar because we had an original group, but everyone split up except for me and Carlos, because no one was putting effort into it at all. And me and carlos grabbed people to help which was nice, and those who joined us were David, Avril, and Mia Jacobs, but I would say that it was kind of awkward because someone's ex was there and that of course didn’t leave to no good but I didn’t care because we needed the most help that we can get from everyone that helped us. And it took me and Carlos and David mainly to finish it in 2 days and we found so many random things to add to it, like I went to a shelter with Carlos and we grabbed a shirt and a book and we straight up drilled it on our church to show what we’ve been through during these days, and at the end of our project we brought it to school and she wasn’t the biggest fan of it but thankfully we received a C for it, so its better than anything in my opinion.

Senior Reflections John Reyes

And the rest of that school year went well, and then that summer, David and I became pretty close friends, and we did so much in the summer and would also talk about life and what we wanted, etc. And then Junior year came, and it wasn’t the best year I would have to say because during this time I made mistakes, and if I could, I would go back and fix them, but I learned from what I did and now I'm so much better. And of course, during this time, I was in a severe car wreck, and thankfully, Anthony and Carlos survived because we were so close to hitting the electrical box, but thankfully, we drove in a ditch instead because it saved our lives. And there’s not much for me to say this year because i spent majority of my school year at home and regaining to walk little by little and I also had this person that I kept in contact with because they would always check up on me every day and it's a sophomore but were no longer in contact because of me and David did something dumb and we lost someone that we both cared about, but it's okay because we learn from mistakes and we don’t ever repeat the same thing. But Junior year felt so fast to me because I barely even did anything and I did not learn as much because I was just at the house learning by myself with no one there which sucked but it was okay. And my last year Senior I wouldn’t say that it's my worst but my best one yet because I have changed so much since last year and met my Girlfriend and her name is Piper and she has helped me so much in my life, and I don’t know how I can repay her, like we’ve been through a lot and I'm so blessed that I met her at my first ever job and now we're doing so much better, but a memory that I will never forget from her is that she's no longer in school so she can come over whenever she’d like, but back in November I wasn’t at school anymore and it was because my nerves in my back started to kill me and the doctors said that it may have been caused by the car crash because it was pain in my lower back and I still have scars on my back as well from the wreck. But pretty much I want to say that I couldn’t walk for a good month and a half because how painful it was and

Senior Reflections John Reyes

Piper would come over each day and help me the best that she could and I am so blessed to have her in my life because she fed me and helped me in the restroom and showering as well, it was pretty severe on my condition but I did take some steroids to help with the pain, and that truly did help me because I am no longer in that type of pain and I will always say that I would much rather prefer another car crash, than to experience this again because it was so painful and I couldn’t do anything about it at all and it was horrible because I was sleep deprived from it as well. But this memory will stick with me forever because I love her so much, and what she did for me was beyond loving and caring, and I wouldn’t ever want anything to happen to her because of this, and how much she cared about me.

But this year went by so fast and I am considering to sticking with car detailing and a side hustle is just working at Chick-Fil-A because we’re starting to save money for our future together and it's going well and I am so happy that she helps me with my budgeting because it's never too late to start at a very young age. But I will miss everyone at school, because I have been with them for years now and for them to disappear and to fully live like an adult now is crazy, but I know it's going to be okay because I have my life now as well and I already know that everyone else does as well. But If I could go back just right now, I would forgive so many people because I did hurt them by my actions some Juniors and some Seniors, but it's okay because I learned from my mistakes and now I am a better person even if my friends miss the old me, its for the better that I have changed because I wouldn’t want to be awful till this day.

I will say what I learned throughout the years is just to never give up each and everyday, and don’t ever lie to someone that you truly do care about because it leads to no good always,and lastly I want to say that you shouldn’t drink and smoke by any influences its not good for you and I am so thankful that I didn’t fall for any temptations, it leads to no good and you can have a good time with friends without it, always remember that.

Senior Reflections I will always remember Mr. B’s class and how much fun I had in that class.

Whether it was playing silent ball at the end of class or re-enacting wars in room 220, I would’ve had fun either way.

Rose Sottos

With only a few days left, it’s crazy to think how fast these four years at Alleman flew by. Looking back, it’s the little things I’ll remember most, laughing with friends in the halls, school events, and the everyday moments that made high school special. There were tough times too, but they taught me a lot and helped me grow. I’m thankful for the people who supported me along the way and the memories that made these years unforgettable. I’m excited for what’s next, but I’ll always carry a part of Alleman with me.

Kiersten Stohl

I mean, in all honesty, I’m glad that the time flew by so fast I had a lot of fun.

Gabe Aguilera

Senior Reflections I would like to remember all the friends I have made over the years here.

At first, I had the same friends from my middle school in Jordan. But as I went through high school, I started to make friends from other schools in my grade and grades below me. They are connections I will have for the rest of my life. And I had some growing up to do when my dad sadly passed at the end of my junior year. It was tough, but over time I learned to keep up the work he was doing.

Chase Baird I just liked hanging out with my friends in general, and we would have good memories that we can share with each other in the future. Alot of these friendships will last a lifetime.

Ayden Anderson

People and things come and go, but memories are forever. High school is only four short years of your life. It makes up only around 4% of your life, so don’t let it pass you by. It will fly by before you know it. Live it to the fullest. Play sports, spend time with friends and family, and do things you never thought you would. Just live, stop worrying about little things. Do what you love and make memories. High school is only bad if you make it bad. Enjoy it before it's gone.

Caleb Kale

Senior Reflections With only a few days left at Alleman, I’ve been thinking about how much has changed since I transferred here junior year. It wasn’t easy at first, but I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve made and the support I’ve received.

Some of my best memories are just the everyday moments—laughing with friends, going to games, and being part of something bigger. Alleman has helped me grow, and I’m excited to see what comes next.

Lilli Lempke My favorite classes were listening to Mr. Adams ramble on in Psychology and Sociology. Even though we may have gotten him off topic sometimes, he would teach us some of the most memorable things, and I would never get tired of listening to his stories.

Brooke Nimrick

Senior Reflections It was nice being at Alleman. The opportunities to be a better person are abundant whether it be career, academic, personal, athletic, or virtuous growth. I think the most important lesson I learned from going to Alleman that I definitely would not have learned anywhere else is to STOP COUNTING. Stop counting every win or loss; friend or enemy; accomplishment or failure; good day or bad day; stop counting them.

People always feel the need to compare themselves to each other, so they start counting every experience they’ve had to make themselves feel different. I don’t know if it was a conclusion that I came to by myself, or if it was God Himself talking to me, but STOP COUNTING. Be thankful for every experience you’ve been through, but don’t dwell on them. The person you are now would not exist without even the bad days; the enemies; the failures, so keep moving forward with yourself. Create new experiences for yourself knowing that you won’t feel the need to count them.

Romeo Rosas

Senior Reflections The kind of reflection that I would have on my time here at Alleman would be that I would say that the time at Alleman has treated me well will have spent most of my time here I think that some of the time that I have spent with my friends that I would say is something that I would reflect and the time that I got to make a connection with people at the school here. Some memories that I would want to remember from my time at Alleman is that I would want to remember about all the fun that I had playing football and playing basketball and baseball with all of my friends and learning to grow with them as friends off of the respected playing surfaces and also learning how to be teammates with them that Would help me with the time that I had with teammates here at Alleman. Another thing that I would want to remember is all of the fun times that I had at Dance marathons over the years from my first DM as a freshman to My last DM as a Senior and also remember the first homecoming dance that I went to as a Senior here at Alleman. Something else I would want to remember is all of the fun that we had here during the school year.

Brandon Zeman