Salutatorian reflects on academics

By Isaac Herrera @yourlocalalbertsons

Senior Kennedy Fayton Guzman was named salutatorian for the Class of 2023, as perseverance and prioritizing herself propelled her to a gratifying finish at the end of her high school journey.

“I’m happy that all the hard work I’ve been putting in for the past four years has paid off,” Guzman said.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite shifting policies reminiscent of pre-pandemic school life, were significant in Guzman’s academics.

“I was slacking in a lot of my classes but I figured that I might as well get it done and over with,” Guzman said. “I just tried my best to keep up and keep my grades up because I didn’t want to be the student who ends up falling behind due to online learning.”

With a GPA of 4.2, Guzman managed school life with sports as she played for the Birmingham Community Charter High School girls basketball team since her freshman year as the point guard and extracurricular activities such as volunteering at animal shelters. Guzman will be attending the University of California, Davis in the fall, majoring in animal science.

“Make time for your mental health,” Guzman said. “Because mental health should come first before schoolwork. Try your best and if you need help, there’s always help available.”