Senior year. It went by so fast. I learned what it meant to go to college, how to apply, how to choose what college I want to attend. I was living in the future, but now that it is in my past, I can reflect on it, embrace it, think of it, and truly say that my Senior year was my favorite year. Without the incredible support system I had from friends, teachers, and parents, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish my goals. I applied to multiple colleges including SJSU, CSUMB, USF, UP, and a couple others. I got into all the schools I applied to, however, the one that stuck out the most, the only UC I applied to, my goal, was UC Santa Cruz. Visiting the school in the Spring of Junior year was, at the time a free day from classes, but now, with different lenses and a different scenery, it was life changing. My goal was UC Santa Cruz at the start of the year and I am so glad that I can write here that I will be attending the UCSC in the Fall with a major in Computer Science.

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My name is Miguel Angel Contreras, a graduating senior from the class of 2024. I am the president and founder of the MESA club, Vice President of the Young Scholars of Salinas, and involved in various other organizations. I have held a part-time job throughout my high school journey and participate often in community service. I was accepted into UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, Cal Poly Slo, and more. I will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall of 2024 studying Computer Science with a full ride provided by the SEED Scholarship at UC Berkeley. In addition to the SEED Scholarship, I will receive additional funding from outside scholarships such as the Amazon Future Engineers Scholarship, The Horatio Alger Association, The Elks Foundation, Burger King Regional Scholarship, Gary Williams and finally was a Questbridge Scholar.

My High School journey has been a roller coaster that has just gotten more and more intense as it went on! I've ad higher highs, and lower lows than the year before. If you know me then you know my passion always burns bright (I am the "Energizer Bunny" according to Ms Henry after all.) Over time there have been challenges, inside and outside of school that made always going 110% hard, and part of me wanted to go back to when times we easier, but doing so would force me to go back to a time where I didn't know some of my best friends; where I didn't know my true friends; where I didn't know as much in general. I can't say I'm the same person that I was at the start of this journey, but I can't say I am a totally different individual. Truthfully I have probably just been force dot mature in ways I never imagined---ways I am still tackling ot this day. But through it all, no matter how hard things get at times, I NEVER want to go back to a time where I don't know some of the best friends I have ever met and will ever meet. THey helped guide me through my Junior year, and their continued support and dedication from all the way at Santa Clara kept me going this year. Family is always there, that is true, but having people who choose to support you; choose to love you; choose to be there for you whenever you need them, THAT is truly special. Shoutout to you Ramon, Gab, and Pedro, I couldn't have done it without you, and you guys always pushed me to keep being the 110% Positively -Principled Energizer Bunny I am everyday, all day. I may be off to Cal Poly SLO, but I know we will see each other again, and whatever struggles I have faced in High School will be a distant memory. To anyone reading this, I choose ot be general with this reflection because 1) personal reasons, but also 2) some of the struggles we as people go through are so personal, that sometimes being general helps you reflect on your own struggles in a better way than being too specific. Find people who are truly there for you, and do your best to make sure you never loose contact with them. Don't be afraid to let go, because just because you let go of something doesn't mean its gone forever. You parents are going to have to let go of you, but you likely aren't going to abandon them---nor will they abandon you. Your Family and Friends will be there for you if they are real ones. They may not be there 24/7, but they will be there. They are a PART of your life, not your whole life, so use them to keep fighting and keep pushing forward, but don't forget to make sure to live YOUR life YOUR way and !@#$ anyone who says otherwise! This has been Marco Covarrubias speaking and guys, its time to TURN AND BURN!!! WHOOOOOOOOOO CAL POLY SLO HERE I COME!!!!!!

I would describe my high school journey as a learning experience. During my sophomore, junior, and senior year, I was very dedicated and involved with cheerleading. I also took multiple AP classes along with accelerated math, all while working a part-time job. I never envisioned myself applying to college because I always thought college was not for me, and I never understood the application process. My mindset completely shifted during my junior year in Ms.Henry's AP Language and Composition class. She opened my eyes and made me realize that college is where I belong. In AP Lang and Composition I learned about colleges, college opportunities, and scholarships. Ms.Henry also did an amazing job at preparing us for PIQs, she had us create a blog with college-related questions. The first semester of senior year Mr. Williams had us focus on submitting college applications and scholarships. I began submitting my college applications and was admitted to SJSU, UC Merced, UC Riverside, Chico State, and CSUMB. As for scholarships I applied to very few, but I was fortunate enough to receive the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva (Wonderwood Ranch) Scholarship. Not only did Mr.Williams help us during the application process but he also gave us financial advice and support in general when we needed it. I certainly could have not done it without amazing teachers by my side; thank you, Ms.Henry and Mr.Williams.

I was part of multiple clubs on campus including the Marching band for three years. The beginning of my high school journey was tough so my involvement in school activities stayed limited until my Junior year where I made that big shift in my goals and behaviors accordingly. Through this change I learned to appreciate the challenges that come with reaching towards something bigger than me. I also realized how deep of a support system I have built around me through the friends that I made here. I applied to 4 CSU's which I got accepted to (Chico, Cal Poly, Monterey Bay, San Francisco). My other acceptances came from University of San Francisco and Dominican University of California. I received a few waitlists including Davis who I will make the quick change to if I do get that opportunity. I am happy with my decision at Chico because the financial aid I received really took a weight off my shoulders as someone who will be navigating College by myself. I am joined at the school with my best friend and while I am still uncertain of where I will be a year from now, I know that it will be the place where I belong.

My high school journey was fast but meaningful and totally unexpected. I did a lot of things I didn't think I would ever do but wished I had explored other hobbies. I learned a good amount of myself and I am very blessed and privileged that I went to Rancho. I never thought I would join a sport and become president of some clubs. I am proud that I stayed consistent with my academics and put some effort into finding lifelong friendships. Now I am leaving to go to a good college and taking away the three best friends I could ever ask for.

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My freshmen year was over the computer, but I decided to make the best of it. I participated in FFA and have been involved throughout my whole highschool experience. This past year I was the President of RSJ FFA, and in previous years I have held the position of Vice President and Reporter. Because of my involvement in FFA I was not apart of sports. I did take honors math and seed science class; as well as AP Language and APUSH. This year I took AP Literature with Mr. Williams and I highly encourage others to take his class as well. Not only does he help prepare you for AP testing, but any college related information and tricks. Before I took AP Lang and Literature I did not see myself going to college, and I didn't want to. Afterwards, once I learned more about scholarships and college tricks I could finally see myself going to college. I was accepted into CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly Ponoma, UC Davis, and Chico State. Among these colleges I accepted admission to Chico State, where I will get my bachelors in Animal Science with a concentration in Food Animal Production. I did not apply to as many scholarships as I should've but I did get the Gary Mortensen Memorial Scholarship and the California Rodeo Salinas scholarship which will help pay for my attendence at Chico. On top of that I did recieve my Cal Grant. Now this fall I will be going to Chico State, something my freshmen self would not belived could have happened.

My high school journey was stressful and busy. I took a lot of AP classes and I had a lot of clubs and afterschool activities, but to say it was bad would be a lie. I had a balance between my academic and social life, and although I spent hours on homework and college applications, I spent time with my friends and doing the things I love. My highschool week was hard work on the weekdays, and beach trips and outings with my loved ones on the weekend. I think having a good balance on these two helped my mental health and made me enjoy my highschool years. I was accepted into UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara, CSULB, CSULA, and CSU Fullerton, as well as a few other private schools. I received the Lulac Maestro Chavez scholarship along with Occidental's presidential and LMU’s Arrupe scholarship. 

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High school has been an enlightening experience. I have been dedicated to making an impact on the people around me, and to help others, and focusing on my studies and developing my skills over time. I am grateful for the opportunities I received throughout my high school career. Speaking with Representative Zoe Lofgren and the staff of Senator Alex Padilla to spread awareness about the inaccessibility to federal recognition of Native American tribes, studying abroad in Spain, building the music program (making speeches at the school board), planning a majority of the Poetry and VAPA events on my own, and being a the Co-Captain of the first performing Color Guard, will always have a special place in my heart. While I was accepted into numerous schools, the ones that stood out to me were USC, Wellesley (almost full-ride), UC Berkeley (full-ride), and Santa Clara (full-ride). I do not regret choosing Berkeley, as I believe in the end, it is where I was meant to be, and I am a Regents’ and Chancellor's Scholar, as well as a Yardi Scholar. I received a couple of school scholarships, as well as the LULAC scholarship and the Knights of Columbus scholarship, but I was also an unmatched Questbridge finalist, and I am an HSF finalist. I am sad to leave all of the amazing educators and friends I have met and learned from, but I am excited to go out into the world and create change.

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My HS journey has been a crazy one. Starting my freshman year online because of COVID, I didn’t really pay attention to my classes but I had to lock in during my 10th grade year which was boring. In my junior year of HS, I was hella drowning in work with my AP classes but I think I did okay. Nothing much happened that year compared to my senior year. During 12th grade, I met someone new, I got into a couple schools but committed to SJSU (my top school), and did my best to make my parents proud any way I could. Graduating HS is something my parents have only dreamed of and now that I’m actually gonna graduate, it’s such an unreal feeling.

High school was really interesting for me and a lot of other people as transitioning into a really important chapter in our lives was through computers, google meets, zoom calls and distanced learning. Club rush was actually really weird online too haha, you just kinda joined whatever club through the class codes and jumped straight into a meeting where you could be put straight up on the spot. I joined the Filipino Club and have now been president for it as a senior, something I‘m so happy I was able to achieve. Something I’m also very happy to achieve was getting accepted to Sacramento State, California State University Monterey Bay and UC Davis. They are all great schools but what overshadowed them all was being awarded the Sara Hernandez Memorial Scholarship as she was my coach for my first ever year playing volleyball.

My name is Stephanie Fernandez-Lopez

I am graduating from Rancho San Juan HS, ℅ 2024. I come from a family who came to America to live the American dream. I come from a family who had to sacrifice a lot for me to be here today. I come from a field working family. I am also a first gen. My academic journey has been very eventful. My freshman year was behind a screen. It was very hard for me trying to maintain my grades the second semester. My sophomore year had to be my most challenging year because I transferred schools and trying to adapt to new teachers and their different ways of teaching. My junior year was when I started getting everything together with my grades, focusing more on school, and also started getting my community service hours done. My senior year was very difficult when it came to my FAFSA and I was ready to give up and join the air force but Mr.Williams never gave up on me. This Fall, I will be attending Hartnell Community college. You are looking at a future ER Nurse.

My high school journey… It was a huge roller coaster. From taking classes online to coming into a brand new school. It was a fun experience. I got to meet new people and make new connections with people I have never met before. I can say that my freshmen year had to be the worst because it was through a screen. Not knowing how life changing COVID - 19 would be. My sophomore year it was super fun coming into a brand new campus meeting more people through ASB. Coming out from my shy bubble my junior year. I can say that my junior year was where I created the most memories with people and made incredible bonds with classmates and teachers. Coming into senior year was a huge rollercoaster. I can say that it was a good and bad year. I came in with a lot of friends and ended the year with only 2. I can say that I experienced every part of life. Beginning with the college process, that was an intense time. All though I did get accepted to Sacramento State, Fullerton, CSUMB, I also got rejected to my dream school SDSU, it was a very heartbreaking moment; where I wanted to give up on the school system. But Willams taught me not to give up. That is when I started looking into Fullerton, don't get me wrong it's a nice school, good environment, huge diversity. I just couldn't see myself there. I had something deep inside me saying not to go to a community college because in my mind I felt the urge to get out of Salinas. In the Fall 2024 I will be attending Hartnell Community College with the hopes to transfer to SDSU. I learned the hard way that it is okay to start at a community college. There's nothing wrong with that! It was very much overwhelming; deciding where to go, where to apply. It was hard, I did have an amazing support system but it was a process of tears and laughter. I can say that overall it was actually a decent year. I am beyond grateful for everyone in my life that helped me achieve my education goals. If one of your teachers gives you advice about college, how to take notes, your FAFSA process, reading , take that advice, they are not wrong. Mr. Williams always had the best advice about school, college and about life, listen to him when it comes to advice. Overall I loved my high school experience. It is definitely a core memory! Enjoy all your years of high school because you will never get to experience it again. Enjoy being with friends and don't let the drama get in the little of it!!!

- Jozelyn B Garcia

Throughout highschool, i've always lived up to make my mom proud and do the most I can ever do. My mom has always been my inspiration to take advantage and do the many things my mom wished she'd done. I started to discover the passion for math and Ag mechanics, then looked into maybe becoming an engineer. I started applying to CSU’s such as Sacramento state, Fresno state, San Diego state, and Cal Poly Pomona. Fortunately, I did get accepted to Fresno state, Sac. state, and Cal Poly Pomona. I ended up choosing Fresno State where I will further my education in Construction Management in engineering. I love the atmosphere and peers around me, lots of activities and diversity. I'm super excited to meet new people and friends!

My high school years have prepared me more and more to go to college. Important contributions to my pathway have been college readiness programs such as AVID and TRIO. Both my upperclassmen English courses have been significant as well since they offered college advice that improved my knowledge of the college journey. During the last two years of high school, I also worked at a McDonald’s to pay for my tuition cost. I committed to Santa Clara University because of its strong business school and connections with Silicon Valley. I will be studying Accounting & Information Systems; my goal is to get my CPA license right after.  

My high school experience was fun and interesting. Missing one year due to COVID and now graduating and going to college. I had a lot of fun with my friends and classes. I went from being a quiet person to getting out of my shell and talking more. I took classes I thought I would never do, like art, guitar, and engineering, and found my major through them(marine bio). Even did the marching band as color guard in my last year. (Even going to a competition in Gilroy, which was very fun) I was accepted to Hartnell, UC Davis Irvine, CSUMB, and SFSU. I also received the Middle-Class Scholarships. I am very glad that I also found my besties and continuing my college life with them.

My High School journey was a roller coaster. I thought my senior year was going to be full of excitement but it was actually full of mixed emotions. I took three AP classes in my senior year for the first time and let me tell you it was not easy. I was in AVID. AVID is helpful with college applications and it is like a family supporting each others dreams and goals. I was in the RSJ Girls Varsity Soccer Team for all my four years in High School. I chosen as captain my senior year. The girls soccer team is my second family. The coaches and my teammates are very supportive and amazing. Girls soccer team are the best memories throughout my four years in High School and I will forever cherish those memories. One of the hardest things during your senior year are college applications. The UCs are the hardest ones because you have to write PIQs but don't do them last minute and don't submit your UC application last minute too. I got accepted to UC Merced, Fresno State, Chico State, Grand Canyon University, and Stanislaus State. Your senior year is going to be stressful with college applications and FAFSA but you will get through it! Don't forget to have fun and create memories! Also, don't be afraid to reach out to Mr. Williams. He is very supportive and helpful with anything! I will be attending to Chico State for fall 2024 and be majoring in animal science!

Hey, my name is Camila Garcia Perez and I am a senior at Rancho San Juan High School Class of 2024. My High school experience had its ups and downs; to start my Freshman year started behind a screen of online classes. The things I have been involved in school are FFA for 4 years, the French club, and the trio. Taking Ap English has been the greatest decision I made in school led me to get accepted into my dream school UC Davis which I will be attending this Fall. During high school, I have also been working at Cinabon for the last two years to help pay for my college expenses. I am Camila Garcia Perez and this was my high school experience at RSJ. 

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I started off high school hating English. Hating it because I had a teacher who told me “Mexicans never knew how to write” and that my writing skills were never going to be  good enough to get me to college. When I took AP Lang with Henry, my curiosity for English grew, and only grew stronger when taking AP Lit with Williams. At Rancho, I was mainly in TRIO, CSF, and MESA. I got most of my hours tutoring in the library and I also had to spend time at home taking care of my little brother. I received 3 scholarships (at the time I’m writing this at least lol), one $5,000 and two $1,000 scholarships. I got accepted to CSUDH, CSUMB, Sac State, Cal Poly SLO, UCSC, UCSD, and UC Berkeley! 

My high school journey was exciting, I was accepted to Sac State, Fresno State CSUB. CSUF, San Jose State, San Francisco state, USF, University of the Pacific and Hawaii Pacific. I was in ASB and participated in the football team, baseball team, and track team. I was a part of the second 4-year graduating class at Rancho San Juan. I am attending CSU Fullerton and will be majoring in Public Health. I didn’t do the most hours partly because sports and ASB took up a lot of time but I ended up doing a good amount of hours

I applied to four UCs, four CSUs and 12 private schools. Out of 18 schools I was accepted into twelve; 3 UCs (Merced, Davis, Santa Cruz), 4 CSUs (SJSU, SLO, Pomona, Sac) and 5 private schools (Drexel, Clarkson, Hartford, Bradley, WentWorth Tech). All of my applications were free. Throughout all four years I participated in Poets of the Ranch, with leading positions. As well as spending days after school, coaching fencing to middle school students. I was a member of the Chess club, Fencing club, Calculus club, and the ADAPT club at Rancho. I participated in tennis, shot put, discus and fencing. In my sophomore year I joined Hartnell’s Trio Upward Bound program, which further supported me. During my time at Rancho, I looked forward to taking AP courses; English Lit., English Lang., Spanish Lang., Art and Calc AB. Beyond that I pursued Chicano and construction courses at Hartnell. I received a Big Future Scholarship and a Trio Upward Bound scholarship. I chose Cal Poly Pomona because of its long-term resources, its weather obviously, and in general the atmosphere of the college was the most comforting. Catch me in a few years being a certified civil engineer!

I am graduating from Rancho San Juan High School, class of 2024. My high school journey has been extremely eventful! I was involved in sports and programs throughout my past 4 years at RSJ. I had to find a way to balance my extracurricular activities with my academics. It took a while for me to find time to manage everything but I eventually got the hang of it. As for my involvement, I played basketball and was part of the PUENTE Program. I also dedicated a lot of my time to community service hours. My goal since sophomore year was to major in nursing and I gained my hours by volunteering at my local hospital to receive experience. I also started a club called Medical Explorers which helped introduce medical professions to students interested in the medical field. Colleges I was accepted to are UC Irvine, UC Davis, Chico State, Fresno State, CSU Fullerton, and San Marcos. I would have not been able to get accepted into these schools without my hard work and dedication throughout high school. I had to work hard and maintain a 4.0+ GPA. Taking AP Lit with Mr. Williams senior year got me familiar with the college application process and I am fortunate to have been given that guidance. My goal is still to become a Registered Nurse!

High school was extraordinary. It’s truly an opportunity that only lasts once, and I know I will always reminisce about it in the future. From starting online to distancing and returning to normal, it’s something not everyone can experience. Despite the crazed transitions, I became very involved with the school. I joined ASB, became president of my class, was part of the creation of the Boys’ Volleyball Program, was part of the leading entertainment at Rancho, Filipino Club, and so much more. I was constantly busy; making it challenging to balance my social and academic life. But all these efforts have shaped me into who I am today. A student who made their family proud; a student who became the first in his family tree to make it into a University; a student who never knew they would be here today. I thank Mr. Williams and Ms. Henry for showing me the path toward my academic goals. Out of 8 schools I applied to, I was accepted to SAC State, Cal Poly SLO, SF State, UC Davis, and UC San Diego. I will attend UC Davis to study Data Science, and my tuition will be fully covered. I enjoyed my time at Rancho San Juan and don’t regret a single moment. I only hope to look forward and continue my academic journey, for my Abuelita.

Hello my name is Celina Haro and I am a senior at Rancho San Juan High school. My high school experience was very rocky and motivating. I was able to join PUENTE which motivated me to take advanced classes and honors. I struggled with balancing my personal life and academic life which caused my grades to fall. Despite the endless resources offered to me, I did not take the time and effort to push myself as a student throughout my junior year. However, I knew that as a first generation I had an obligation and with the help of my teachers I was able to continue my journey to higher education. I was accepted into CSUN, CSUF, and UC Merced. I will be attending CSU Northridge this upcoming fall. My senior year couldn’t have been any better, I am immensely grateful for the help and time that was offered to me by all of my teachers. Having the opportunity to attend a four year program has only motivated me more. Thank you Mr. Williams! 

My time in high school was a life-changing and unforgettable event that influenced my current self. I challenged myself academically to do well in a variety of subjects, but I was especially passionate about history and English. My solid GPA was maintained, which made college opportunities more accessible to me. Additionally, high school was a time of tremendous personal development. My resilience was put to the test by obstacles I had to overcome, like juggling a demanding school schedule with and a personal life. These experiences taught me how to prioritize my well-being and use my time wisely.

I come from a large family known for their diligence and determination. With these qualities, I was able to go through my years of high school confident in my decisions due to the amount of support I carried with me. At the beginning of the year, I was unsure of what I wanted to do after I graduated but joining Mr. Williams's class helped me soon realize that college was a path I wanted to take. I began looking into colleges for reasonable tuition, an almost impossible task given my academic goals, in order to study animal science. After weeks of searching, I began to lose hope that I would be getting to fulfill my dreams of going to college because I couldn't afford a UC or CSU and Hartnell just didn't have a program that aligned with my goals. Roughly one month before applications were due I found out about Feather River Community College from a friend. However, I felt bad about asking Mr. Williams for help because I didn’t want to take away time from other students trying to get into bigger schools. That being said, he made sure I knew that my goals were just as important as anyone else. So I began researching the school and saw that it offered a bachelor program in Equine Science and Ranch management which was right up my alley. It took a lot of convincing for my father to let me go, mostly because it made him nervous about me being so far away from home. Well, soon enough I submitted my application along with the rest of my class. After a month of waiting to hear back, I finally got my acceptance letter. Shortly after I committed to Feather River, went to their open house, and registered for my classes. I can not wait for the journey ahead but will continue to admire the experiences I had to endure on the path that led me here.

My high school journey was eye opening, inspiring, and welcoming. I was accepted to 18 universities and received an acceptance letter to all of the UC’s I applied to. I was accepted to UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, WashU, and many more. I received the UCLA alumni scholarship and was one of the recipients of the LULAC scholarship. Throughout high school, I participated in clubs such as MESA, cancer awareness club, environmentally conscious club, physics club, rancho review, and national honors society. I have also been a part of the Puente program all four years of high school. I have earned more than 789 hours of community service while tutoring, and also participating in extracurricular activities outside of school. My junior year was the most important year for my academic journey and my personal growth. I became vice president of the hospital's program known as Health Explorers and throughout summer, I participated in Summer Health Institute, a five week internship at Salinas Valley Health. In addition to volunteering weekly at the hospital's front desk, I also became a counselor for Medical Adventure Camp. My hard work and dedication has allowed me to earn awards consecutively like top 25 GPA, community service awards, and the RSJ’s science department award. In the future, I hope to attend medical school and become a pediatrician!

My high school journey has definitely been thrilling. Sports were mainly the highlight of my high school career because I was able to meet new people and make so many new friends. I was involved in Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country, and Track and Field, so I had to learn how to balance my extracurriculars with academics. However, during the start of high school, I was super involved in community service, but once we returned from quarantine, I honestly just felt unmotivated to do community service. Looking back at it now, I wish I could’ve been more involved in my community to stand out more to college admissions. Fortunately, I got Into UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State University, CSU Monterey Bay, and Arizona State University. I received a middle-class scholarship from CSU Monterey Bay, but I will attend Hartnell College instead because the universities I got accepted to didn’t suit my financial needs. My goal is to eventually transfer out of Hartnell and receive my Master's Degree in Nursing.

My name is Noah Vasquez and I will be graduating from Rancho San Juan High School this year in 2024. My high school journey was very unique as starting online was very difficult. I started at Alvarez my freshman year, also for half of my sophomore year and ultimately decided to transfer to Rancho at the end of my sophomore year. Adjusting to a new school was sort of challenging because I had to learn an entire new system and find my way around the school. The start of my junior year felt like my freshman year because I was able to function like how school was pre-pandemic and it was also my first time starting at Rancho from beginning to end. Starting at Rancho, I was part of Puente which I really enjoyed because I got to make new friends and hang out with friends I had known. I also played baseball, basketball, and football throughout my four years in high school. ASB is something that I did at middle school, so continuing that in high school was also very fun. I was accepted into CSU Fullerton, CSU Monterey Bay, and I also received the LULAC scholarship. I decided to go to Hartnell as it offers me to continue playing baseball, which after two years I hope to transfer to UCLA. 

- Noah Vasquez

My high school journey was both stressful and enjoyable. I filled my schedule with AP classes, clubs, and afterschool activities. Despite these commitments, I managed to balance my academic and social life. I surrounded myself with friends while working on homework and college applications, and we often had study sessions together at Panera, struggling but supporting each other. Weekdays were dedicated to homework, applications, and family obligations, while weekends were for fun outings with friends. This balance was crucial for my mental health and made my high school experience enjoyable. I was accepted into UC Riverside, SFSU, CSUF, CSULA, and other private schools. I'm excited for the next chapter of my academic journey at CSU Fullerton.  

A summary of my high school journey as a whole would be one of ups and downs but at the same moment one that I would not trade. I say this in the matter in which I was lucky with my experience by being able to do the things I was able to do and enjoy across my time here. I say this because of the way that I have been able to create many different memories that span over the time that I have been here. It would not have been able to happen if I were not able to meet the people that I call friends. As well as just being around these people would encourage me to join all these different clubs and to be a part of activities that I have never heard of without them. And to continue to be a part of them at times I would ask myself what it would be like if I were to leave all these clubs and activities but they would continue to tell me to wait till the end and that everything would pay off at the end of the day. With admission season coming and going now never have I felt such highs by getting into Cal Poly SLO and such low lows when getting rejected by my dream school. As well as debt as this feeling of something following behind me at every decision that I make for college. And it getting closer and closer every time that I would receive word that I did not make it to the next round for a scholarship. With this next chapter in life taking part at Cal Poly SLO, I am anxiously waiting to be able to start majoring in economics with a concentration in quantive finance.

My high school journey was truly all over the place. Starting during Covid-19 high school was still unknown, but I was put into a tech and engineering class which led me to find my passion for computer science and engineering. This drove into the next year, making connections with many teachers and students making myself a large support net for myself. During my junior year and senior years I solidified myself into the computer science pathway. The colleges I got accepted into are as follows; UC Merced, CSU Fullerton, Sacramento State, and lastly Cal Poly Pomona. While these schools are nice I believe that I belong in the csin3 program which is in collaboration with Hartnell College and CSUMB. This is where I plan to get my degree in only 3 years and “transfer” out into the world of tech. With all this being said this is thanks to many of my teachers but I would like to give my thanks to Jacob because he helped me along the way and is the reason I have a passion for computer science.

I did a few things over these past 4 years including 500 hours of community service joined various clubs and played/did Volleyball and Martial arts throughout my high school time I was the president of the Japanese National Honors Society did 8 AP classes in total, studied abroad, received the Lulac and Bill Palmer scholarships and because of that I was accepted to 17 schools like UC Santa Barbara, CSU Long Beach, UC Riverside, Pepperdine University and other schools but I ultimately chose UC San Diego. My high school life was definitely not easy but it was not too bad I would say. It did get hard at times but you just got to thug it out because there is nothing else to do but that. Overall high school is not a time were you should be overwhelming yourself with activities but it should be something you should build over time. The things I did; did not happen all in one day.

My name is Mateo Obas and I am going to San Jose State for Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. I got accepted into UCSD/Econ and CSUMB/Business Administration. My highschool journey was first online because of covid and then the rest was going to school physically. The years went by fast now looking back on it but I enjoyed myself throughout all of the years. I got Cal Grant and something I didn’t expect was being the president of a club. It was a fun experience to have and I got to meet new people. 

When I came here in freshmen year; I hated Rancho and I wanted to leave SO BADLY.

To give context, this is why my own high school experiences and decisions were never as planned or calculated as some make them out to be.

Yet today many claim me as “smart”, lamenting my AP grades and college acceptances to many UCs and privates.

But to be “smart” isn’t just to achieve things and be good at high school. For me it was always "Focus on the learning and the grades will follow" -Mrs. Lopez (AP Calc)

Nevertheless, high school has been the absolute opposite for me as people would expect 100% of the time. In my freshmen year I wanted to leave this god-forbidden school SO BAD; to go to Salinas High with my friends since elementary school. Sophomore year, was no different; I took no plus or AP classes; and had no idea what college was. I wasn’t in AVID or Puente and due to that seclusion, I really had no desire to be, or be like them in any way.

Was I butthurt? Maybe.

BUT the point was I wasn’t damn perfect, I wasn’t buried in books studying for AP tests, or a future damn prophet planning my college decision/extracurriculars. If I had to use a metaphor I’d say I was living paycheck to paycheck—doing only what was asked of me and doing the bare minimum. But I joined the clubs I ENJOYED; I did the classes I loved; and hung with friends that brightened my day all the time. 

Eventually, those friends, clubs, and classes allowed me to meet with people of all types. Sports people, Puentistas, Math nerds, Bio geeks, you name it. Even making friends with teachers like Mrs. Bowen and Mr. Fulton. Their praise communicated to me “you can conquer those harder classes”, along with the friends I’d met who took the same classes and were like “Michael you can 100% do that shit”

LEMME JUST SAY, it wasn’t all hard work. It was dedicated work. That’s what it is at the end of the day. But to try and make a message of my experiences in just a few sentences is subpar to what I’m really trying to say how it was in my very own shoes.

To be quite frank; the days were long, it was the Fridays that made my week fly by. But perhaps that’s the reason why the years were short. Seeing the people I grew up with; the people who shaped my experiences; who shapes MY PERSONALITY FOR 4 DAMN YEARS, seeing everyone be right beside me on those long days.

Through, all these experiences that’s what built me up to the person many see me as today. And whoever’s reading this; that’s your message that you can do whatever AP class, Honors class, Sport, or anything you want to try in your high school experience. As somebody who at first wanted to leave this school, now is the person many have looked up to. Being the student who got into UCLA and Berekely. (And some Ivy pluses… cough cough Vanderbilt, and Amherst). I won the Williams Scholarship award and was able to run many clubs like NHS, YSS, and MESA.

I’m more than grateful for the transition I’ve made, even more so for the people who initiated that transition. Even if they aren’t with me today; or if I don’t talk to them because of the terms we're on. I still acknowledge them, and I still will as soon as they walk across that stage in a few final days. 

Enjoy your journey; it doesn’t have to be perfect :) mine for sure wasn’t. But that doesn’t define me, now does it? Neither will it define you, no matter how you start or how you eventually finish. 

By chance I started high school remotely. 

By chance, I would remain friends with the same people from kindergarten. I would know more teachers than students, and spend my lunches inside classrooms, watching movies and discussing my interests with the people like me, who strive to make the world better than it was for them. I would learn that there is no growing out of seclusion; some of my favorite teachers—favorite people—were secluded, much like myself. Those people would teach me what it is to be kind.

By chance I would work with, run, and open multiple clubs. I would hold club meetings and create spaces where secluded peoples like myself could find peace in their likeness. I would help people with stage fright, to tell stories, and to teach dances. 

By chance I would take a class over the summer to learn to change my own oil, and would become enthralled with automotive technology. I would learn a language. I would run away from the path set before me, and in my own haste, end up right where I began. You never quite forget what you love.

By chance I would commit to AP courses, pass my courses, get my forklift license, ride a motorcycle, meet goals, miss goals, make friends, lose friends, lose people, lose family. I would watch my childhood best friends grow into people I didn’t recognize. I would make amends, and we would begin again. 

By chance, I would decide to attend the University of Tsukuba, Japan. I would never apply. I would be accepted into the University of California, Merced, the University of California, Davis, and the University of California, San Diego in the field of mechanical engineering. I would pursue community college as a transfer.

I would receive my seal of Biliteracy in Japanese, and my story would earn a scholarship granted by the Japanese American Citizens’ League.

I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that we, as people, students, children, should aim to be living proof that there are still good people out there. We should aim to learn, and to learn incessantly.

I’m seventeen, and I, like many others, don’t know what it is that I want to do with my life. I can’t possibly predict who I will be ten years from now, even ten minutes from now, and I can’t speak for the separate person that exists in that future. For now, I know that I can be kind. I can make friends, and wave at strangers. And in the wake of the restlessness of determining your future, I can find peace in knowing I offer peace to others.

-Hailey Thomas

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tjjwi1Rsh6f-s6zli4WI1QQ1GnoBLjIh/view?usp=sharing

During my high school journey there were lots of ups and downs. I was able to receive so much support. I am proud of the fact I was able to keep up with my grades throughout the years and got to experience so much. High school taught me valuable lessons in life. I was in Rancho’s highschool cheer team for 4 years. This  helped me stay involved in school and create everlasting friendships and memories. I was able to get accepted into Sacramento State, UC Davis, San Francisco State University, UC San Diego, and Hartnell and receive the Cal Grant. 

Hello my name is Maximus Perez, I am graduating Rancho San Juan with the class of 2024. As a high school student I was apart of many different extracurriculars I was apart of puente and was vice president of the club, golf club president, Vice president of CSF, vice president of class of 2024 as a junior, treasurer of interact club and a member of nhs. I was accepted to ucsb, ucsd, csuf, csun, and sacramento state. My journey through high school was unforgettable for me. I believe that academics are very important, however also having a bit of fun is necessary so I believe that finding a good balance between academics and fun is important. A great way to make sure you don't slack or get sidetracked is to choose the right people to hangout with because no matter what you think the people around you will soon enough have some dictations toward your actions. Some scholarships that I won were the $500 LULAC scholarship and the $500 interact-rotary scholarship.

Best of luck

-Maximus Perez

High School wasn’t that bad to be honest it was lowkey pretty easy. I think the hardest part of high school was definitely trying to read my own handwriting because at times I didn't understand what I was writing on my own papers. But besides that this year has been one of my best years and it's a combination of the teachers, and overall everything. But the start of freshman year was definitely rough. I remember trying to log onto the google meets and I didn't want to turn on my camera because it felt weird, but I didn't do much freshman year. Sophomore year I got a lot more involved. I started joining different clubs, and running for positions in those clubs as well in Puente becoming more active. Junior year became like my busiest year with my first AP classes I took but I made it through and passed all my classes now I’m here. But Senior year has been a journey just the start. I remember college applications. I was scared to cooked even. I didn’t know what to write. I was lost but I soon began just writing and writing trying to figure out what I would do for PIQs. Honestly the hardest part about the writing was staring, and you should not procrastinate its not worth. But I eventually locked in and the suspense of waiting for the colleges to respond was something else I remember waiting everyday for me applications. But now I got into a Big Berk and I didn't think I was going to college at the start to be honest. I thought like freshman year it was like the most insane prestigious thing that only the top %1 got into. But I came to learn only some schools are like that and college is actually not that bad at least the applications, but I guess I still have much to learn.

I started high school at Monterey high and transferred to Rancho at the beginning of my junior year. I had to adapt to a new environment and start over. Times have definitely gotten tough but it's been super fun as well. Surrounding myself with a good group of people and creating a good bond with my teachers has helped me tremendously. The idea of college has always been so cool to me and when it was time to apply, I really went for it. I applied anywhere I was interested in and when I got accepted into all of these colleges, when it came time to make a decision that’s when things got hard. I’m a basketball player as well and a somewhat decent one at that. I picked up several different basketball offers which then piled on top of the schools I got into only for academics. I was in a dilemma, do I want to chase my dreams and play basketball ? or do I want to go to a bigger university as a regular student? It took a lot of thinking but ultimately I decided to attend Sac State and fight for a spot on the basketball team. I want to bet on myself, my other offers weren’t at the division 1 level but I believe in myself enough to go for it. Do whatever makes you happy! You only live once so make sure you love whatever it is you decide to do. I'm very proud of myself for all that I've accomplished despite all I have been through. Life can get very tough sometimes but it does eventually get better. Personally I haven't been the type of person to join a bunch of clubs and get super involved in school activities, while all of that does help a tremendous amount, if you're someone like me who didn't end up getting super involved it's still possible to get into any school you desire to attend. I do recommend trying though, I forced myself to try new things even if it was outside of my comfort zone. Make new friends that are really there for you, I've always preferred to keep a small group of friends that I know are really there for me. I never cared nor will I ever care about what others think of me, BE YOURSELF! Enjoy life and make the most out of the time you have left! I’m extremely excited to start this new chapter of my life at Sac State and I’m very grateful for my time at Rancho and Monterey high! STINGERS UP!!!!!

I applied to six CSU’s(Sac State, Chico, SJSU, SF state, San Marcos, CSUMB)  and I got accepted into all six of them. I am very proud of myself. Four of my applications were free except for two, I paid $70 for each. As a sophomore I played tennis and played soccer all four years in high school; that's how I made friends since I transferred from a different school and did not know anyone. I was in AVID all four years. I feel like this definitely helped me get comfortable and meet new people. I plan on majoring in kinesiology at Chico state. I chose Chico because I was offered the most financial aid and I got the middle class scholarship and the university grant.

Hello, my name is Isabella Edeza. I am a senior who will be attending UC San Diego this fall to study Bioengineering. My high school journey has been pretty chaotic. I have been part of the RSJ swim team since my sophomore year, during which I became the team captain. Additionally, I am part of the RSJ newspaper and take pictures of sports. I have been a member of the National Honor Society since my junior year, where I completed community service with my peers. Since my sophomore year, I have been working every summer as a swim instructor, primarily to help my parents but also to pay for my clothes and school supplies. I worked 20 hours a week and then went to swim practice afterward. I got accepted to UC Santa Barbara, UC Merced, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, CSU San Francisco, CSU Monterey Bay, Hawaii Pacific, San Jose State, ASU, and finally UC San Diego.

For most of my life, I hated writing; I always thought there was a right answer to writing. You would think the same if you had so many red marks from your fourth grade teacher. My love for writing only really started my junior year. This newfound passion let me write freely in my college applications. On the note of college applications, it is not easy–not even in the slightest. Anyone who tells you it is…good for them but they’re a liar. Obviously, expectations and having this weight on you is overwhelming, and to be honest, is always there. But, I believe I only survived because of harmony over balance. Having great friends by my side and letting myself feel overwhelmed and looking for support is what got me through the last year of my high school career. To continue, I was involved in a number of organizations and clubs including: Puente, Rancho Review, Chemistry Club, Filipino Club, MESA, National Honors Society, CSF, and more. I was also a Student Board Member for the Salinas Union High School District. In order to explore my passion for medicine, I did over 300 hours of community service at my local nursing home, Pacific Coast Post Acute, and took classes at Hartnell involving medicine beyond a black and white palette. I was accepted to 18 universities. Some universities I was accepted to were USC, UCLA, Amherst College, Davidson College, Bowdoin College, and more. Scholarships I have received include the SUHSD MA scholarship and Judge Efren and Lite Iglesia Scholarship.

Hello everyone! My name is Steven Patel and I am a Biology major at UC Berkeley. My high school journey was nothing short of memories and hard work. I was a part of many clubs, programs, and sports. Such as being Puente President, a part of the varsity basketball and golf team(I co-founded it at Rancho), an interact club member, and much more! I also was top 5 in my class; I took 6 APs, multiple honors courses, and had all As throughout highschool. Besides UC Berkeley, I was accepted to many schools like USC, UC Davis, UC San Diego, Cal Poly, UC Santa Cruz, Pepperdine, and many more in state schools. Some scholarships I got were from Rotary of Salinas and the Quail Lodge Men’s Golf Scholarship, which is helping me pay for my tuition. If you ever have any questions or want to reach out feel free! - my instagram is stevenpatel_20. 

I would say that my high school journey was very chaotic and memorable. There was a lot that I experienced throughout the 4 years.  I was involved in Avid all 4 years and I was also in the Avid club. I got accepted into CSUMB, San Francisco State, GCU, Cal Poly Humboldt, and Chico. However I decided that I really wanted to go somewhere else that I have been wanting to go since my Sophomore year and that is Arkansas. I chose this school because I really liked the opportunities that are there for me and I have previously been to Arkansas and I personally loved it and I can't wait to go and start a new chapter in my life. 

Hello, my name is Leslie Castellon-Segovia, I am a senior who will be attending UC Berkeley this fall to study computer science. I have been in the Puente Program since my freshman year, I’ve been on the board as the webmaster since I was a freshman till my senior year. With this, I created the newsletter, and the website and started instagram. I have also been a member of the National Honors Society since my junior year, in which I have been able to complete community service with my peers. At the end of my Junior year, I got introduced to MESA and became a co-founder/vice president of the club in my senior year. I completed most of my community service hours (roughly 100) at the discovery shop, next to Safeway. Throughout my high school career, I started working at Target, in the summer I worked approximately 36 hours a week and during school, I worked around 25 hours a week. I got accepted into CSU East Bay, CSU San Francisco, Cal Poly SLO, Santa Clara University, CU Boulder, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego, and finally UC Berkeley. 

In my freshman year I was a student during online learning I struggled with keeping both my focus and grades up in the new environment. Although academically it was a tough year I started a lot of great connections that I will grow into over the next four years. The same could almost be said for sophomores with better but not great academics I decided I needed to lock in for the next couple of years. As I started to be more involved in Puente I started to learn and be motivated by the college process, I decided although I may not be as gifted as others I would have to pick up that slack myself so I looked into colleges that fit me and would give me a chance financially to not be in crazy debt. Cal State Fullerton with the help of Cal grants, the middle class, and work-study can help me further my education. From clubs to connections, teachers, and my parents all I have to thank for getting me to this point in my academia.

Throughout my 4 years at Rancho San Juan. I knew this place was home. Sports, teachers, campus supervisors, and friends made me feel like I could do things I never thought of doing. I was in Puente for 4 years as well as a part of the varsity baseball team for those 4 years as well. My goal was to play at a D1 baseball school, however being part of a new school, it was harder to get exposure. ERAU Prescott felt like the right choice of not too little, and not too much with many people to help me along the way.

Throughout high school, I wasn’t involved in many school organizations, only in a handful of clubs and TRIO Upward Bound. However, I dedicated most of my free time to helping those around me. Throughout senior year, I was committed to helping my younger brother with special needs, helping myself and others with college applications, and my school work. It was a mentally draining time for me because of the constant stress I had from multiple outlets; however, seeing what I accomplished made it all worth it.

I got accepted into 24 universities: CSU Monterey Bay, Sacramento, Chico, Fullerton, Sonoma and Bakersfield, UC Davis, Santa Cruz and Irvine, and 15 private schools. I received at least one scholarship from all the schools I applied to. My lowest scholarship was $1,000 from CSU Sonoma, and my largest scholarship was $46,000 from the University of the Pacific. However, I am the most proud of my scholarships from The Wasshoi Foundation, which allowed me to visit Japan during the summer with all my expenses paid and with spending money, and the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva scholarship because Mr. Williams started it to create a legacy for his father; a language teacher helping students with English as their second language, a topic I’ve always found important for students within our community.

Ultimately, I decided to attend Mount Saint Mary's University LA because of my direct entry into the nursing program, ensuring I would graduate with a B.S. of Nursing in 4 years, and because of my annual $39,000 scholarship. They also offered a minor in healthcare policy and certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which I wanted to include with my degree and further specialize in.

My name is Mayci Calizo and I am graduating from class of 2024 at Rancho San Juan. I have played Varsity softball all throughout high school, and I was part of Link Crew my junior and senior year. I was accepted to 5 out of the 8 colleges that I applied to. The schools I got accepted to were UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, CSU San Marcos, CSU Fullerton, and Fresno State. I have received one scholarship so far from the Church of the Wayfarer. I have decided to attend CSU Fullerton for the next four years to major in Kinesiology. I have endured three injuries throughout high school, and in the future I would like to become a physical therapist.

My freshman year was during covid so coming back to school from distance learning was a little bit of a struggle but I was able to overcome those struggles. The next three years are years I will never forget in a good way, even though I wasn't very involved, with only being in chess club, AVID, and on the girls basketball team for a year. High school was fun most of the time and I would do it again if I could. I was accepted to San Jose State University, Cal Poly Humboldt, CSUMB, and SF State. After applying to many scholarships throughout the year I got none of them but I am not letting that discourage me from getting free money and I am going to keep applying to all of them. As I am on the brink of graduation looking back on these years I can say that the experiences high school gave me are ones that I couldn't get from anywhere else and I will make sure to remember them for what is ahead of me. Make sure you cherish these four years as it is bittersweet because once you graduate you are never coming back, good luck!

I would say my high school journey was fulfilled and all and all a very positive experiences. I'd like to think of myself as always a friend to everyone and had a lot of fun throughout. I played football and was a involved member of the FFA program. Academically I never lived up to my personal expectations but I ended up being okay. My senior year began with excitement to apply to csu . I was accepted to Cal State East Bay ,San Francisco state and San Jose State university. Once I was accepted to San Jose State I really looked forward to going there until I looked at it in a financial standpoint. So I will attended Hartnell then transfer to obtain a bachelor's . Then I plan to attend Law school.

As I finish my high school journey I would say there were many ups and downs, a little more downs though. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I just wouldn’t relive it. My high school journey helped me see many different things and got to experience a lot of changes. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my friends and mentors though. They definitely helped me a lot along the way. I made a lot of fond memories that I will remember for a long time. I was involved in Puente, MESA, and CSF. These programs definitely helped me along with high school. Whether it was wit in the classroom or hands on, they definitely inspired me to keep on working harder. I also spent a lot of time with my friends though. Whether it was hanging out at each other’s houses, watching movies, or going to the beach, we supported each other along the way. Balancing academic and social life was crucial to me for survival. I was accepted into nine schools. Some of these schools being UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly SLO, and Santa Clara University. I was the recipient of the UC Santa Cruz Regents Scholarship and Gary Williams Scholarship. I look forward to studying computer science at Cal Poly for these next four years.

High School was definitely something; going from being covered in blankets and dozing off during first period throughout my freshman year to finally being able to go to school in person my sophomore year was a transition I never thought I’d have to make. Though I’m definitely appreciative of the fact that I only had to deal with that throughout my first year because I would definitely not be the person I am today if it went on any longer. Unfortunately I didn’t have a great mindset when I did finally get on campus, I didn’t join any clubs or involve myself in anything at all really other than joining the soccer team. I was pretty careless up until my Junior year when I realized that going to college was something that I really wanted to do and I had to take school seriously in order to realize this dream of mine. Although I had a switch in perspective, there were still some things that I lacked. What I failed to realize then was that grades weren’t the only thing that mattered, during my Junior year I was so tunnel visioned on getting straight A’s to have a good looking transcript card that I forgot about everything else high school had to offer. I didn’t start to do community service or join any clubs until my senior year, though I primarily did these things to look like a more decorated student on my college applications I found myself enjoying my time there and meeting new people that I would come to become close friends with and which I learned a lot from as we all shared similar goals. With this shift in perspective and the help of Mr. Williams I got through the college application process in which I applied to 13 schools, unfortunately only getting into 8, I say that because I know I could’ve done better and tried harder; especially when it came to applying to scholarships. Though I’m definitely still grateful and will use it as a learning experience to help propel myself in the future. The schools I got into were LMU, USF, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Sac State, Long Beach, SF State, and San Diego State. I received scholarships from LMU and USF. I was also fortunate enough to win Mr. William’s scholarship which I am greatly appreciative of because it's something that he did just for us and to help us succeed even after everything else he'd already done for us. Of these schools I decided to attend Davis with a major in Biological Sciences and I look forward to graduating and getting my DPT down the line to become a physical therapist.

As I come to the end of my high school journey I can firmly say that it was a great and thrilling journey that I have experienced. Over the span of 4 years I was involved in the Boy’s Soccer team, Football team, AVID Club, and TRIO. I was the Junior and President of AVID Club and received and did a total of 3 AP Courses during my high school career. You see, my high school career wasn’t the easiest. I had to move 3 times during my high school year. Some of the places that I had to move in were into a RV and a garage where there was no internet available. Even though I had to phase all of these hardships I didn’t let this affect my studies or my high school career which was still a blast. This year I had an amazing college season and I’m proud to announce that I got accepted into UC Merced, Grand Canyon University, CSUMB, CSU San Francisco, CSU Sacramento, and Cal Poly SLO. All of this success wouldn’t be possible with the help of TRIO, AVID, and Mr. Williams. These people and organizations are the starting point of my success and have tremendously helped me pursue my dreams in attending my dream college; without the help of these people and organizations I wouldn’t be pursuing my dream job/dream college. I was also the recipient of the Janet Hedlund scholarship. I am very grateful for everyone’s help during my school year and very pleased with my high school experience. Overall, I had an amazing time in high school and wished nothing but the best for my peers.

People are not lying when they tell you that senior year goes by fast. You start the first half off with college apps. It does not matter how you start your writing process, as long as you have an idea you can make edits from there. I found it really helpful to ask my friends and of course Mr. Williams and Ms. Henry to read my essays. Through the whole college app process, you may feel overwhelmed, so be sure you take the time to take mental health breaks, all your hard work will pay off in the end. Throughout high school, I participated in NHS, Mock Trial, the Puente club, Rancho Review (our school newspaper), CHEM club and more. I was also a Salinas Valley Recycles Youth Council Member, where we aimed to educate on accessible and sustainable practices to our community. I have done 150 community service hours and I got into seven schools such as Occidental, Cal Poly SLO, UC Davis, and UC San Diego. I have also received the LULAC, TRIO, and the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva scholarships. Good luck with your college apps :)

My senior year of high school. It went by so fast like a snap of a finger. I was able to make lifelong connections with my fellow Puente classmates, teammates, and friends. Throughout my school years, I have been taking AP classes like language, literature, and Psychology. I was able to use YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to look for good tests and study strategies for your AP test. I would say take 2 AP classes a year that you feel confident in passing because there is no point in taking multiple AP classes because it leads to stress and anxiety with all the other workload you have for your other classes. But if I would give 1 piece of advice to you is to enjoy the little moments of school. Enjoy being able to hang out with your friends at lunch when there's nothing to do. Enjoy walking the long way to classes. Just enjoy the freedom with no responsibilities because once you graduate you don’t get to have that luxury. 

Overall my high school experience was a rollercoaster of emotions. Even though this year has gone by fast I appreciate all the bittersweet moments I’ve had. I come from a hard working family who has sacrificed a part of them for me to be here today. As a first generation student it is my task to fulfill not just my parents dream of me getting a high school diploma, but to also strive for a higher education and to get a degree. My academic journey has been very eventful; I got accepted into UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, Chico state, Fullerton, Sac State, Fresno State, and Cal State Los Angeles. Towards the end of my sophomore year was when I really started to think about my academic life after being in my Honors Science Class. Soon after it was time to register for our new classes and I was introduced to AP courses. So my junior year I took AP Bio and AP Psych. Taking these classes really opened my eyes; it helped me find my passion for learning more and trying to do better with my academics. Through my junior and senior year I took 5 AP classes and maintained A's and B's all 4 quarters. During the school days my hours were being enjoyed by being part of the Rancho Varsity Swim Team 2023-2024, and during the weekends my hours were spent being a catechist at Madonna Del Sasso. Along the way Rancho San Juan has allowed me to find and create many amazing relationships not just with my peers but with my teachers as well. High school will always be filled with so many blessed opportunities and I am so thankful for what the school has had to offer, now it is your turn!

My name is Ileana Moya-Cabrera and I am part of the Rancho San Juan graduating class of 2024. In high school was involved in volleyball and basketball when it came to sports, and I was heavily involved in the FFA chapter all four years. Also I was in ASB for 3 years, my junior year I was the Executive Treasurer and in my senior year I was the Executive President. My high school journey has been very busy and I would say it's because I never wanted to not be doing something. I had this inner drive in myself to do the best I could because no one else could do it for me. In my senior year I was accepted to CSMB, Fresno State, Chico State, and Cal Poly.

My academic journey has been a continuous pursuit of both knowledge and personal growth, marked by challenges that have shaped my resilience and successes that have also  fueled my passion for learning. Through each step, I've not only gained a deeper understanding of what I want to do but also discovered the importance of critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. This journey has taught me that education is not merely about acquiring information but about transforming oneself and contributing meaningfully to the world.

This fall I will be attending Hartnell college

You are looking at a future wine maker.

It all went by so fast I remember writing a thesis in Ms. Henry's class then two months later we were writing PIQs, personal statements and applying to college. I got into a few colleges like UC Berkeley and Cal Poly SLO. Btw don’t be discouraged if you weren’t accepted to like 20 colleges or something all it takes is one.

My freshmen year was online which was both good and bad for me. It was good because I was able to spend more time with my family, especially my dad. Bad because I didn't have much privacy and it was hard to concentrate. But once we were able to go back to school, everything was starting to go back to normal. In my sophomore year, I joined the unity committee which I found fun as we got to plan many activities for the Puente Program. I got accepted to Chico State, Bakersfield, Sacramento State, Fresno State, and UC Merced.

Me having to summarize my high school journey I would use only one word, but… I cant use it or else I’ll get in trouble so I’m just going to label it as “chill”, I’ve basically been chilling all school year, freshman year and senior year had to be the most chill. When it comes to involvement at school I haven’t done that at all to be honest, I got my 40 hours literally on the deadline, and that was helping with the school sports. I only applied to 8 colleges because I couldn’t be asked, this list includes SJSU, SDSU, CSUF, CSUSF, UCSC, USD, UCSB, & UCSD. I got accepted into all of them though, at first I got waitlisted by UCSB, and SDSU, not no more though, they messed up my record smh. Scholarships, I didn’t apply to any of them. I forgot my bad(I'm Lazy). 

My high school journey has been everything one could imagine: exhausting, thrilling, relaxed, stressful, slow, quick, fun, entertaining, boring, etc. It has been a rollercoaster ride, but I adore roller coasters. Going through highschool has taught me to focus on my happiness, and to be grateful for the ride that is life. I’m proud of the person I’ve been and have become, and I can’t wait to see how I’ll continue growing in the different environments that life will take me through. Doing cross country, soccer, and track has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people, and I have enough wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

All of the stats:

I was accepted into UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, CSU San Marcos, Cal Poly Humboldt, and San Diego State. The private school that I actually cared about and applied for was Willamette University. Cal Poly SLO and UCLA are a to-be-determined for me (waitlistedddd). I have seen with my own two eyes (toured) UC Davis, UCSD, CSU San Marcos, and Willamette University. The scholarships I received were from Willamette University, University of Portland, University of Northern Colorado, Southern Oregon University, and High Point University. I also received some scholarship monies from the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva (Wonderwood Ranch) Scholarship, AKA the Mr. Williams cool bean sauce scholarship.

If you have any questions about Hartnell or Willamette, or college in general, contact me via (831)-737-8687. Don't worry about being awkward, because I am too.

Hello, my name is Ivy Munguia! I come from a family of three; my brother, mother, and I. My mom is my biggest inspiration and has supported me the most throughout my high school career and the college process. I consider myself family oriented, I strive for success to inspire my brother but most of all to make my mom proud. My high school journey has consisted of waves of emotions. My involvement with the school was minimal, I became a member of three clubs my senior year (Link Crew, Medical explorers,Young Scholars of Salinas.) I applied to 20 colleges/universities and got into 18 of them. I am attending UCSB, and earned the presidential scholarship of $13,620. I greatly appreciate everyone who has supported me throughout my life, especially throughout my high school career.

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Hello world! I’m Paul, RSJHS ℅ 2025 and a now Computer Science major at UC Berkeley. At Rancho, I graduated Top 25 in my class and took six APs. Freshman year was tough post-COVID—I didn’t join anything due to social anxiety. Sophomore year, I joined Boys Tennis and stuck with it. In junior and senior year, I joined Link Crew, did community service through it and Loaves, Fishes & Computers, and co-founded the Creative Writing and Boys Tennis clubs. I was also in Film and Chess Club, and became VP of Creative Writing. I was accepted to UCSD, UCSC, Berkeley, Santa Clara, SJSU, and many others.

My high-school journey was one filled with highs, lows, and middles. I went through periods of time where unpredicted obstacles shoved into my face and into my academics. However, I also experienced the most wonderful educators at Rancho San Juan who guided me through it all, from motivating me to pursue my passions, insisting I make it through the finish line, sitting with me explaining how to improve my writing, helping me with my college essays, and allowing me to see eye-to-eye with the privilege of being able to learn something new everyday. 

I was accepted into UC Riverside, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State, SF  State, CSU Long Beach, CSU Monterey Bay, and more. I have received scholarships from schools such as Mount Saint Mary's LA (20,500/year), Whittier College (John Greenleaf Whittier Scholarship (29,000/year), UCR, Woodbury University, and also recently received the CFMCO (Community Foundation of Monterey County (2,000) Scholarship. The paths I have experienced these past 4 years have been the lessons that I entirely believe will stick with me forever, the foundation and the beginning of truly learning alongside my peers and the friends I’ve made.

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My name is Alyss Castillo. These past 4 years of high school seem like it's a blur. I would say my high school journey was very unforgettable and chaotic. I started high school coming out of the COVID pandemic. I started my journey at Everett Alvarez High School. That was where I spent my freshman year of high school. I later moved to Rancho San Juan High School, where I am now finishing as a tralbalzer. I have been a part of Puente for all 4 years of high school. I played softball for 3 years out of the four. Playing this sport, I have gotten a CCS title with Everett Alvarez. At Rancho, I have accomplished becoming an all-league player and being awarded MVP. Sports were a big part of my high school journey, it has always felt like home for me. If I could leave you with some advice, I would say take in the moments. What I mean by that is to take in the good, bad, confusing, and cheerful moments.  Those are the moments you are going to remember forever.  I got accepted into CSU East Bay,  CSU Sacramento, Arizona State, Menlo College, University of La Verne, Whittier College, University of the Pacific, Jesup University, and Prescott College. However decided I was going to attend Sacramento State, a place where it makes me feel at home.

I didn't hate highschool like I thought I would. Ofcourse, there were parts I disliked, but interestingly, the positives outweigh the negatives by a lot. I could go as far as to say I had a lot of fun during high school, and honestly, even though I'm glad to be moving on, I think I am gonna really miss it. From forming new clubs like the creative writing club, to participating in events and activities, to even just hanging out with my friends at lunch, I thought highschool was fun. I'm excited to continue my educational journey at Hartnell College.

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My name is Toribio Torralba and I’m part of the graduating class of 2025. I will be attending UC Berkeley for Computer Science. Some other universities I was accepted into include CSUSJ, UC Davis, CSUSF, UC San Diego, and UC Merced. I was chilling throughout high school. I wasn’t part of Puente or Avid because I wasn’t thinking of college. Wasn’t until the end of my Junior year when I decided I should probably attend one and decided to lock in. In high school, I was part of the Tennis team for three years and part of the soccer team for two years. They were both pretty fun, and I was at least somewhat decent in both. I had work obligations throughout high school, needing to work during the summers and some weekends. I was also a cross-age tutor for the Migrant Program and president of the Migrant Student Leadership Council. Finally, some scholarships I received were the Lodge 64 Elks Most Valuable Student and the SVJACL Scholarship.

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For my high school journey I would say that it was both fun and chaotic. After entering back into school for being online the year before and it being high school it definitely was a hard change to adjust to again. I would say going back to school helped with becoming more outgoing as a person and experiencing different opportunities. For example, for me I did end up joining classes and clubs like FFA, AVID, and AP/ honors classes as well. I was accepted into Hartnell, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, CSUMB, San Francisco State and Fresno State. I also received the $20,000 Pay It forward Scholarship.

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Highschool was the place I learned how to open up in. It was the first time I was in a big school since 4th grade and the first time I was actually in school since 2020. Always a shy kid, I knew I needed to be more open or I would never do so. I joined programs like Puente, YAGI and Dream Academy that helped me connect with others my age and participated in countless community service hours to learn hospitality at the local soccer complex, I would go on to accomplish 505 community service hours. I would be accepted to UC Berkeley (where I will be attending this fall), UCSD, UC Davis, SJSU, SDSU, CSULB, and even University College Dublin in Ireland. I was the recipient of the LULAC and one of the First Tee scholarships. Over time I have been able to make many friends and am now more sociable and happy than ever.

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My high school journey has been filled with many unforgettable memories and experiences. I will definitely miss all the fun little moments spent with friends, peers, teachers and security. I was involved in ASB all 4 years of high school and was Freshman Class President, Sophomore class Treasurer, ASB Executive Vice President and the Rallies and Intrumurals commissioner. I also enjoyed doing the announcements 3 out of my 4 years here at the ranch. I was heavily involved in FFA and participated in speaking competitions and went to conferences. I also raised livestock animals like cows, pigs, sheep and rabbits. I was also part of the cheer, dance and softball teams. I was accepted to UC Merced, UC Riverside, Chico, and Fresno State. I received the silent servant scholarship and the Bruce Church scholarship. A piece of advice is definitely to not take your high school years for granted, be involved and have fun. #Classof25

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My name is Luke Walters, and I am graduating from Rancho San Juan in the class of 2025. I come from a middle-class family of 5. I have wrestled for all 4 years of high school. In my freshman year, I thought it would be easy; middle school wrestling was. I quickly realized that school was like wrestling. Sometimes I got laid on my butt by procrastinating assignments. In the end, I enjoyed it all. My favorite part of high school is making friends. I spent quarantine bored at home. I made friends with people from different walks of life. I joined 4 different sports. Due to financial reasons, I have decided to attend Hartnell College. My goal is to transfer to a 2-year college to achieve my bachelor's degree in engineering.

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- Alejandro

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My highschool journey was honestly full of different turns of events and it included things i've never thought i'd achieve. When I started freshman year I was very timid and being a first gen student it was hard to feel like I fit in with my other high achieving classmates. I surpassed all the challenges of not knowing how to do my getting involved in clubs and sports around the school and taking the risk and taking AP classes. I was on the cheer team all four years and it really was the start of me getting out of my shell and what led to me joining asb my senior year and becoming senior class secretary. I also was part of the FFA program all four years and this opened my horizon up to more career experiences. I was accepted to UC Merced, CSU San Francisco, CSU San Jose, and CSU Chico. I received the dean's scholarship from UC Merced and I am currently waiting on the Taylor Farms Extraordinary Scholarship.

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My high-school journey began a little rough because I wasn’t sure of what I was doing. Before high-school I would consider myself a nerd. All my free time was spent learning about literature and working on myself academically. I had a 4.0 GPA and I didn’t know anything about Puente until my 8th grade teacher Mrs.Lasda told me about it. Moving on I joined Puente, I had a hard time because here I began working and it took much of my time. Instead of spending my time with high-school teachers, counselors, mentors at mentoring programs etc. I spent my time around field workers, farmers, leasing agents, commodity brokers,  and handlers. This made me lose confidence in my academic capabilities and I settle for something I truly wasn’t passionate about which was becoming just another farmer. I knew I didn’t want to be another farmer I was building others dreams, I wanted to go to a prestigious university, build strong relationships, meet like-minded people. I began putting myself out there when work season was over.I joined the young life program which was to help with sales and customer service. I also did over 40 huors of community service in half a month because I wasn’t tied down with work. In the back of my mind, I know I’m much more capable than anyone else, I know if I was given the same opportunities I would do much more. When I received my first scholarship I had deep regret because I could’ve done more.

Throughout high school I'd sometimes tell myself I was just another shadow in the halls, another number but I've come to believe that I've left a mark in everything I poured my heart out into. Whether it was in my club sport (soccer) , my community service as a soccer coach, teachers, coaches and friends. I now go off to college knowing I gave my very best to those who got to see me shine.

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Hi my name is Cynthia Bustos, will be attending UC Santa Barbara this upcoming fall semester as a first-generation college student. I plan on studying biology in hopes of going to nursing school after receiving my bachelor's degree. An impact that I hope to have left on my community would be to not let your situation limit the possibilities in your life. A lot of my community service was kid-based, and so I hoped to have inspired them that certain situations happening to them does not limit them in what they think they can achieve for their future.

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My high school journey has been filled with unforgettable memories and meaningful experiences. Along the way, I built close friendships that I will cherish forever, while also learning valuable lessons from friendships that changed over time. With each passing year, I grew wiser, matured academically, and discovered the importance of perseverance and personal growth.I played on the soccer team for two years and the girls’ flag football team during my final two years. I also participated in FFA and dedicated time volunteering in the Salinas community. These experiences helped shape me into a more confident, responsible, and hardworking person.I am honored to have been accepted to California State University, Chico, California State University, Monterey Bay, California State University, Fresno, California State University, Los Angeles, and Hartnell College. Scholarships and Grants I received were Pell Grant, Middle Income Scholarship, Cal Grant, and the SUHSD Transportation scholarship.As I prepare for this next chapter, I look forward to continuing my education, pursuing my goals, and making my family and community proud.

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Hello, my name is Alexa Zamudio, my high school journey has not been linear. At the beginning I was like most, caring enough to please my parents, but not trying to “overachieve”. During sophomore and junior year I realized how much more important it was to be part of clubs, help out/attend school events or functions, and just be active in general. I joined the tennis team/club and joined the link crew. I saw how I can create impact and even gain community service while having fun. I was accepted to Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Chico State, and San Jose State. I was also accepted into UC Santa Cruz & UC Riverside. The whole college application process was tedious but because of the help available from Mr. Williams it didn’t feel hard at all. Now looking at my options, I am attending Hartnell College and plan to transfer to a UC. 

My name is Ivan Avila, Class of RSJ 2026. I will be attending UC Berkeley and will be majoring in Political Science & Public Health as a Regents Scholar ($56K). Scholarships I received were UCI Regents (24k), UMass Chancellor (64k), Interact Club ($1,500), LULAC ($500) & CSWS ($500). My High School Journey has been both challenging and rewarding. High School was a roller coaster having its highs and lows. I stepped into the pressure of feeling like I had to succeed since my Mom was the AP Spanish Teacher. I felt like I knew where I was going before my freshman year, Chico State since my mom went there and I wanted to become a Teacher. It was not until I walked into my 1st period with Ms Henry and I found my community in Puente that I found my passion in Public Health & Political Science through passion projects and through opportunities that I never thought were possible like going to Philadelphia and speaking in front of 60 university professors about my experiences. I was part of the Interact Club (4 Years), NHS (3 Years), & Puente Club. I was a part of 4 sports: Cross Country (3 years), Basketball (1 year), Track (1 year), & Tennis (1 year). I took 10 AP Courses, but the highlights were always kicking it with my friends. The reason I was able to balance challenging academics, sports and still be able to kick it with friends was because I found that I strived with others. The balance came from my mental health making sure I was always calm and poised when life got challenging. I had a support system that helped me thrive thanks to my Puente cohort of 2026 and Ms. Henry/Mr. Williams. I was accepted to UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, NYU, Michigan University, Santa Clara, Occidental, Amherst College, UMass, University of Washington, UCSD, UCD, UCSC, UCM, UCR, SJSU, SFSU, CSUF, Saint Mary’s, & George Fox University. Good Luck in the future and if you have any questions on the process or about college ask Williams to connect you to me or any other students.

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I would say my high school experience was both fun but also chaotic. I feel like I learned a lot from high school academically but also personally. I came into high school hoping to meet new people and have better friendships than in middle school. During my Freshman and Sophomore year I tried to expose myself to new activities and hobbies like sports and clubs. All four years I played volleyball, Freshman year I played soccer and Sophomore year I joined track. I also did travel volleyball from Freshman to Junior year. Through sports I met a lot of great people that I am still in contact with today. For school clubs I was a part of NHS, CSF and GHGH. I was also in the FFA program for all four years of high school. Freshman and Sophomore year were by far my funnest years in high school but once I got to Junior year school got a lot more serious for me and so was Senior year since I had to apply to colleges and scholarships. College wise, I got into UC Davis, Berkeley, Irvine, Riverside and Merced. For CSU’s I go into Cal Poly Slo, Pomona, Stanislaus and Chico. For scholarships, I applied to a lot but I received the LULAC, Bruce Church, Quail Golf Club, Women Pursuing Degrees in AG and the Mortensen scholarship.

Thank you!

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Hihi! My name is Michelle Duff and my high school journey has been BUSY and SO REWARDING! I feel like I have grown as a person, artist, friend, and student in so many ways. I put myself out there in more ways that I can name and left a positive mark on RSJ through my 3 year leadership in the Drama Llama Club as Head of Design, Costume, Prop, and Sound Design, through inspiring other entrepreneurs through my Art business Michelle’s Trinkets, my involvement in the Logistics committee of Ciclovia, and overall as a consistent scholar and friend. :) Now, I am heading off to UC Berkeley in the fall with scholarships and a support system that I am eternally grateful for!!!!

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|Hi everyone! To those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kamila Camacho. I am from Rancho San Juan HS class of 2026. To say that my high school experience was miserable, would be wrong; even though I often stressed myself out with impending deadlines and passing my AP test. My high school experience has been very enjoyable filled with laughs, karaoke parties, and spontaneous studying. I did join quite a lot of clubs on campus, I was a part of the Puente Club, Robotics, NHS, and Health Explorers. I also did soccer for all 4 years. Outside of school I love to bake, go thrifting, and expand my vinyl record collection, I have also worked since my freshman year. I applied to over 20 schools and I was accepted into: UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, Drexel University, University of San Francisco, CSU San Jose, CSU San Francisco, CSU Fullerton, Santa Clara University, University of Portland, Seattle University, Mount St. Mary’s University, St. Mary's College of California, Emory College, Case Western Reserve University, and University of Washington. I had terrible financial aid and the only scholarships I received were from private institutions. I am attending UC Berkeley, majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology and planning to double major with public health. I will be pursuing a career in medical development or becoming a Physician Assistant. 

I always love to help some fellow Rancho students so feel free to contact me, anytime. Mr. Williams will have my number or DM me on Instagram, my username is kamila_camacho_

Throughout high school I was a part of Interact club for 2 years and part of the student senate for a year. High school was fun at times but honestly nothing too special; senior year was by far the best year. I was accepted into the University of Oregon, Arizona State, Louisiana State, Dominican University of Ca., UC Riverside, Fresno State, CSU Fullerton, Cal Poly Humboldt, Northern Arizona University, and Manhattan University.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15oDOOtmQCTyv3wlV8nWvmmDzswHF5zRf/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10RVPANwjT6KCbDggXIdLT798HAkb712a/view?usp=sharing

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the college application process. Every draft, rewrite, and submission ultimately led me to acceptances across many prestigious public and private schools, including UCLA, NYU, early admission to UC Berkeley, and waitlists to three Ivy League schools, just to name a few. This fall, I will be attending UCLA and I hope to expand on my quintessential ability to transform environments into places where others can thrive, fostering my work on equity as a public policy major. 

Finally, I am immensely grateful for the scholarships I was awarded through generous donors: the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueve Scholarship, Burger King Scholar, Puente Statewide Leadership Award, and Quail Lodge MGA recipient. 

Please reach out if you ever want to connect, or you can watch my videos: @notishanavlogs on YouTube :)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10NWGjOPxHs-gCJcJyu2bzpPovbZCHtbK/view?usp=sharing

My high school journey has been a rollercoaster. I took honors English and math starting my sophomore year and started taking AP classes my junior year and continued in AP classes and dual enrollment my senior year. I stayed involved in the community in many ways, starting in the summer before freshman year, which allowed me to earn over 300 community service hours. I was also a part of the track and field team since my freshmen year. I broke many school and meet records, including being the first athlete in Rancho history to place at CCS in my junior year. When applying to colleges I had the mindset of continuing my track career throughout college. I was accepted into four CSU’s and two UC’s as well as earned a scholarship for one of the CSU’s. After receiving my acceptances, I decided to commit to Hartnell and transfer after two years. However, during mid April I tore my ACL and Meniscus and two days later got an offer from Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) for track and field, even with my injury. After long consideration, I ended up committing to MPC. As of now, I hope to major in kinesiology and transfer after two years.

My Video

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=6df8db98b3&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r6990778009338234367&th=19e1f8c7f51d6a04&view=att&disp=safe&realattid=19e1f8c0d3b4b774fd31&zw

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12eXIuLkGmbk8w0Q-OTjyluS48XSZ-pEJ/view?usp=sharing

https://youtu.be/2cFZPWaLiTY?si=-1iq64vjjkLDGRYH

Though this did allow me to explore my interests in foreign languages and international relations like I never would have been able to do at our school, it also gave me a tremendous workload that heavily impacted my life. And all my work made me all the more irrationally fearfully that it would all amount to nothing in terms of college acceptances.

But with a whole lot of time and help, it paid off. I not only got into my dream school, UC Berkeley, but a total of 30 colleges, many of which made me reconsider my first choice (Particularly UCLA, Amherst, Swarthmore, & Pomona). But on the way back from a college fly-in, I opened a fortune cookie that read (verbatim): "It is wise to follow your first choice." Though that really only cast aside my doubts for like a week, I still chose UC Berkeley and am happy to be a soon-to-be student pursuing a double major in Global Studies and Economics.

I am also super grateful for having been granted the MGA and LULAC scholarship awards. Honestly, I applied to both of these scholarships minutes before the deadline. So, it goes to show that you need to just apply and apply and apply; you are bound to get something.

Best of luck no matter what point in the process you are in. You absolutely got this!

https://youtube.com/shorts/QKB4Y64jD5g

Hello! My name is Guadalupe Jacobo Ramirez, I am graduating from Rancho San Juan High School class of 2026; my high school journey has been both challenging yet so rewarding! Throughout these past four years, I have dedicated myself to supporting and making a positive impact within my community, especially when it comes to deconstructing language barriers. While also staying focused on my education through rigorous AP, dual enrollment courses, and extracurricular activities (Girls Health in Girls’ Hands, CPTED, NHS, Japan, and Spanish club). I have also volunteered with the Migrant Program and other school related programs, to which I have contributed 500+ hours of community service. With the help and support of Mrs. Hale and my Puente teachers, I applied to 16 colleges: 5 UCs (UCD, UC Merced, UCB, UCSB and UCSC), 4 CSUs (Sacramento state, SJSU, Chico, and SDSU), 6 privates/out of state (USFCA, MSMU, University of Portland, Pace University, Saint Mary’s University, Stony Brook University, and Seton Hall University); I was accepted into all except SDSU. I also received scholarships and grants from the universities I applied to and the LULAC Scholarship. I am beyond blessed to go to UC Berkeley this fall, and majoring in psychology with a minor in public health in hopes of becoming a pediatrician in the future!

- I wish you all the best on your college journey and feel free to reach out anytime!

Yo, my name is Ethan Hernandez, and I am graduating from Rancho San Juan HS, ℅ 2026. I come from a family where tenacity is woven into our history. Both of my parents left their homes(Mexico and Costa Rica) at a very young age and had to learn a whole new language, but they never gave up. My academic journey has been like their journey; Since I moved a lot, to different states and cities, I had to catch up many times, which made learning laborious, but I never gave up. This Fall, I will be attending the University of California, Merced, and majoring in Public Health. You are looking at a future Orthopedic Doctor or an Orthopedic Surgeon or both, why not.

https://youtu.be/k8bTW5dS5kk

I was accepted to UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara. However, I made the final decision to commit to UC Santa Cruz. I wanted to stay close to home, and it seemed like the best move.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dQmkILrEFsjr4gwGNWNGcOY8eDEq4z_k/view?usp=sharing

My high school journey was unforgettable, chaotic, especially junior and senior year, and also bittersweet. In my senior year I was accepted into various different schools like UC Davis, UC Irvine, Pace University, LSU, La Verne, San Diego State, Cal Poly and more. Although I have not received any scholarships, I hope to receive a lot in the future. Throughout high school I participated in the Youth and Government Institute for 2 summers, then joining the Youth Council as the communications director. I also was a student leader at First Tee helping out younger kids. I was also part of the National Honors Society for my senior year. In total, I have completed over 500 hours of community service whether it was volunteering with the city or helping elementary schools. I am proud of everything I have accomplished, and I hope to continue helping others while in college and once I graduate. 

My high school journey was like an up and down roller coaster ride. Oftentimes finding myself doing good in all of my classes to then finding myself seeming to struggle just to keep up, fighting the constant battle to simply stay motivated. Although fighting this constant battle I was able to stay active in the clubs that I partook in like the California Scholarship Federation, Japanese National Honors Society, and National Honors Society and also managed to be a part of the Top 25 for four consecutive years. Seeing my hard work that I have put in over the course of four years finally getting results, receiving acceptance letters to various schools like, Sacramento State, CSU Los Angeles, Fullerton, University of the Pacific, Mount Saint Mary’s Los Angeles, University of Nevada Reno, Dominican University, Saint Mary’s College of California, UC Merced, University of San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, UC Davis, and UC Irvine and got wait-listed to Berkeley and UC San Diego, but ultimately committing to UC Davis set to graduate in 2030. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1whskO-B_09S04Z_3f5y99L4K1YLpc5AX/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eHHgtnryCp5_WcG_XvJvq7YmlcsCSHbf/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/120p72l8enpm4fLabeiatssndsT2cTbB4/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14xplR00_5ES4_6BEugAcA424fgsMLaMT/view?usp=sharing

https://youtube.com/shorts/2og2jk5eFKM?si=Cn4faKukgANxbCbh

https://youtu.be/lRz11auMzKA

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gT9uCd-OKvMSNNMA7aqPaqpSLZhViN8l/view?usp=sharing

What's up my name is Axel Chicas Torres I am graduating from the class of 2026 I come from a family whose hardships only fuel their motivations, and after junior and senior year I feel so motivated to finally move on and look at life from the home plate and be ready for any curveballs and fastballs(fences reference) it was hard navigating through high school having to deal with so many personal issues that there were many days where I just didn't want to continue but if my family was able to do it then I most certainly will. I got accepted into CSULA, CSUF (fresno), Sac State, Whittier, UCF, UCM, UCR, and UCSC through the hard work of being in multiple sports like football, wrestling, volleyball, track and field, and clubs like  Mis compadres, JNHS, Theatre, and finally internships like, NASA MAA, and an internship offered by Mr.Syal. It was hard making a decision but at last I burnt the boats and you are looking at a future Mechanical Engineer at the University of California Merced.

MY VIDEO

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OCi1pcqWNf3zTweuj6bPYhK4fwVNv9b_/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u-j8wiiklLaMnXrRPTfdb-fF44D2zjPV/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dYosaqkOZ7kykf14t0k9cGeNMM6T9Wrr/view?usp=sharing

Please feel free to contact me at my emails silviadsaavedra@berkeley.edu or txt14kai@gmail.com

https://youtube.com/shorts/u-2BGS23RVw?si=DJETCXapGEyHSw9e

Spiders crawled. They were tiny beings that consisted of many eyes. Spinning and twining threads and webs to ensnare the fools who dare to walk into their clutches. They waited, waited. And they stayed.

That was the scariest part of spiders. They stayed.

That’s how I felt on my school journey. And yet.. I emerged from the spider’s web. My hands once balled into fists while I was younger slowly loosened to feel the threads slip onto the floor and out of my grasp. I felt.. Vulnerable. More times this year that I realized. I did so much, but also I feel like I did so little. So when CSUMB came along and they were willing to accept the shell of a student, I jumped at it. Desperate. Wishing for something to look forward to after high school and my lackluster performance. And now, I have something to truly look forward to after all. My accomplishments, my mounting dread and failures, all culminated into being part of CSUMB, a place to call home.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jsX85dWHBZFMicdlsPyMbfoJQgyBFe-W/view?usp=sharing

Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XRo2uYkTqVHO-rrtekGzn9dnDSdGSOxd/view?usp=sharing

Hi buds, my name is Annajade Nunez. I was accepted into 8 colleges. I was involved in my community through orgs such as La Cosecha, Ciclovia, and an Aztec Dance Non-Profit "In Ixtli In Yolot". I was a part of wrestling, volleyball, the Robotics club, the Drama Llamas, and the Intellectual Buddies club. To me, high school was gratifying because of the extracurricular activities I took on, just to experience new things. I used to hate being home, and after having a rough start to high school, I just wanted to be a part of something. Being able to connect with my community was very healing, and it was because of my openness that I was able to make connections. I show that I care and allow myself to be cared for, and I let others know me as a whole, not a certain section of me. Oftentimes, we deem ourselves unworthy due to our flaws, but that just means we are capable of change and a better life; that was the vibe I wanted people to get from me :)

https://youtu.be/QIhXSqQFXzA?si=guYf2_Fk59olB0UY

I come from Indigenous immigrant parents. I started my education in Oaxaca, Mexico. My high school journey has been a roller coaster, I was pretty on it my freshman and sophomore year taking plus courses until, my junior year. My junior year was super stressful and overwhelming due to over working myself. I was involved with the Migrant Education Program, I did the SOAP BOX Speech, volunteered at the local elementary and was/is a language advocate. I applied to many colleges, I got accepted into twelve universities such as UCSC, SeattleU, Drexel, UOP, CSUMB, SCU Fullerton, SCU Northridge, CSULA and more. I committed to UC Merced majoring in business management and economics. I got the Costco Wholesale Scholarship that was the amount of $14,000 for SeattleU and I was also awarded with the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva scholarship of $500. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me and as well as my peers. : )

My video

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tje1k7qyWb1Ag61jpY7MaIYD-pQ-01rv/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1psk5v0VnJEJdNzrzWLH211zadUmGfpoM/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14rAo1WIJM6hTHZXCokCVBr7-kD9AIwW0/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_98xRn-01kPtMTLzMsR32wSjaMv9hvH7/view?usp=sharing

Hi my name is Yaridiana Garcia and I am a graduating senior from Rancho San Juan High School. High school was a journey for sure. If I could give freshman year me some advice, I would say

stop letting your "friends" influence you. I have grown a lot and I do wish I could go back to give myself more motivation to do better. Yes other circumstances were occurring but I just wish I didn’t let it tear me down so much. But I am still proud of what I was able to accomplish. During high school, Puente was for sure the program that left an everlasting impression on me.

Puente was like a pillow I could always fall back on, I knew that no matter what I was going through Ms. Hale and Ms.Bowen were there for me. I will forever remember learning about Black trailblazers and competing against the other class. Days like those were what made high

school fun. I got into 3 out of 4 of my CSU’s, half of my common app, and the UC’s kind of hurt my heart but it's okay, because it just wasn’t meant for me. I tried to apply to as many scholarships as I

could but I do regret not pushing myself to hit the deadlines. I appreciate getting awarded the Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva Scholarship very much. I am so proud of the person I am becoming and hope to flourish more at Cal Poly SLO.

https://youtube.com/shorts/faFbbikcSFM?si=iZtgeX54OoMDj0NH

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r0NKF7iSa9H3jfJFrjZTsNBFbhwhq6_H/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/107Vm-abbjH6Bm8D2FSjr3YytPizdoD01/view?usp=sharing

Here's my video :D

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15wCMRThP4sQEPwdKhvATnhaxk6OaPhIl/view?usp=sharing

High school was a lot. From day one, I felt this huge pressure from my family to succeed, plus I had personal stuff and health issues that really held me back sometimes. But I never stopped pushing. I was a cheerleader (sophomore year on), robotics club all four years (president junior & senior year!), MESA secretary, dance team, and CPTED freshman year. Worked every summer and break, volunteered at rodeo, and became a student leader. I got into nine colleges Chico State, CSUF, CSUB, OIT, NAU, Saint Mary’s, NYIT, Wentworth, Trine, SUNY Buffalo. Picked Chico State for the programs. Only bummer? Applied to way fewer scholarships than I wanted and haven’t heard back. But honestly? I made amazing friends and really loved it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/OO5L2fcC6oM?si=bbpppeHM1QItoS-_

https://youtube.com/shorts/asOovQL4Lqk

During my high school experience, I became more actively engaged in a great amount of extracurriculars. Participation in clubs and sports, particularly flag football, allowed me to expand my social network and further immerse myself in the community. Teachers like Mr. Jolliff and Ms. Henry played a pivotal role in pushing my academic abilities, encouraging me to pursue aspirations that stretched beyond my comfort zone.

I also credit myself for my own resilience in navigating difficult periods throughout these years, particularly during times when I was forced to constantly move from house to house. As I approach graduation and consider the "next step" in my educational journey, I reflect on the countless memories I have created here at Rancho. I look forward to forging new experiences as I transition into adulthood. This next chapter of my life will commence at the University of California, Santa Cruz UCSC, where I will proudly shift from a Trailblazer to a Banana Slug.

GO SLUGS!

https://drive.google.com/drive/home

During highschool I spent 4 years doing competative wrestling on and off season. My experience was definitely mentally challenging but I cant say I don't enjoy the physical discipline that came with the sport. I have been doing the sport for 10+ years and it was in my hands to continue it in college or not but I chose to not mentally put myself through it all over again.

However, I am grateful for the continuous support system that I've been able to hold for all 4 years of high school with the same friends. Love you Michelle Duff, Nancy Villicana, Brody Vieria, Ziza Vazquez, Marissa Sanchez & Jayleen Gonzalez!!

This fall I will be attending San Jose State University where I will be switching from child and adolescent development to justice studies.

Schools Accepted: SJSU!!, CSU Fullerton, CSU Humbolt, CSU Chico, & UC Santa Cruz & Menlo College for wrestling (I didn't accept the scholarship)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-7rmf_foKVF9i-oziFW8usDJnl9c12cM/view?usp=sharing

Senior Legacy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-kUvYWRKYo

Hii, I am Jayleen Gonzalez, graduating from Rancho ℅ 2026. This high school journey has left me with teachings and memories. I struggled to find myself and what I really wanted to do with my life, but my senior year gave me some type of guidance to what the next 4 years of my life would look like. With involvement from my AP We project I got the opportunity to work with NAMI in their Youth Empowerment Success Squad, working with the literacy pogram at the Cesar Chavez Library, and even helping here at school with the Mental Health fair and Wellness Wednesdays. All these opportunities opened doors to my acceptances to Monterey Bay State, San Jose State, Long Beach State, San Francsico State, UC Merced, UC Santa Babara, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley which I will be attending this coming up semester!

When I first began high school I thought I was going to get shoved into some locker (HS movies got to me), but I ended up just having so much fun. I am not going to lie people forget sometimes that freshman year was a little cringe and the "Enjoy it because it flies by" line is very real. I was always very talkative to my teachers and I tried my best in all my classes, but math Junior year fried me so I had to retake it my Senior year which was the best/worst? decision I have ever made since my teacher was the absolute best (shout out to Mrs. Martens)!!! I was accepted to all of my CSU's (CSUMB, CSU Dominguez Hills, SF state and Sacramento state as well as UC Merced with a full ride). I was able to pass my first round and my interview in order to receive the Pay it forward scholarship for CSUMB which is 20k. I also got the Bobcat Scholarship which basically gave me a full ride at UC Merced. At the moment I am working at Gohan to get my money up in order to not worry too much if money ever does become a "problem". Better to be safe than sorry!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k1TKl6lTLungkN1vQiPfDBZW5OyBCnTw/view?usp=sharing

Link to my video!

Video: https://youtu.be/mij9iBbTfc0

https://youtube.com/shorts/dUxXEMC8zCM?si=BJTNlY-h9l9JgBPa

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L4EtQwo5kc7DPilt0yISvBdjS0oGcZnZ/view?usp=sharing

I wasn't a story of a straight curve into success–an implicit sine curve better defines my journey (you can thank AP Calc for elevating my math vocab.) 

In my community I have learned what it means to be an advocate for educational justice through Ms. Henry’s classroom, California Boys & Girls State, Salinas Youth & Government Institute, the Young Supervisors program, Mr. Williams’s classroom, and Ms. Garcias’s guidance as my club advisor. These educational experiences prepared me to co-found a club “Mis Compadres” with friends I have grown up with alongside my high school journey to create college and study panels partnering with organizations like Building Healthy Communities whilst creating an iconoclastic and inclusive community. I was also a student consultant in the CSUMB Masters in Education Pathway where I hopefully had teachers of this generation take insight into what a dream classroom could look like and how it could be achieved. 

In my community I have learned what it means to be an advocate for community wellness through engagement. I had founded the first ever Rancho Farmers Market and Night Market in my school, bringing over dozens of local businesses, student owned businesses, clubs, and organizations to a geographically isolating corner of town where I had successfully been able to build community engagement with hundreds of community members in attendance. I had created a staple in tradition for our new high school, but what I was most proud of is having the opportunity to give out free produce to our community in attendance through partnership with the Monterey County Food Bank. 

I have been accepted to a handful of universities including: UC Berkeley, UCLA, San Jose State, Sacramento State, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UC Riverside, UC Merced and other private universities.

I have received the following scholarships: SUHSD Management, Gary Williams & Alicia Villanueva, and hopefully some others that will come out during the summer. 

This fall I will be continuing my education at UCLA where I will switch into Public Affairs on the pre-law or public affairs route. 

You are looking at your future politician or lawyer!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a5XbemLgnpNf4ZXZRS2ZpcwiDmE5pctL/view?usp=sharing

sure tested my ability to persevere the unthinkable but I like to think I’m more than a statistic or an average GPA. I got accepted to 4 UC’s (Irvine, Merced, Santa Cruz, Riverside) and 3 CSU’s (San Jose

State, Sacramento State, Fullerton) as well as 4 Privates (University of San Francisco, Hampshire College, UCONN, Saint Mary’s College of California)! And with the help of scholarships like the First Tee Zoller Family Scholarship, Gary Williams and Alicia Villanueva scholarship, and the LiUNA! Local 270 scholarship, I will be going to college free of cost! A quote I’d like to share is, “Speak yourself; find your name, find your voice by speaking to yourself,”-

RM of BTS. This is a quote that has resonated with me because of my inability to speak up that I have now gotten comfortable with actually speaking up and others should for sure strive to do the same! I am proud of everyone and the future classes & feel free to reach out! Anyways, you are looking at a future pediatric neurologist!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12HZbWRdxkgijAdrF7pADOHea5yslx8Lb/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1abdAI3WmdpSxzrkV2rAbqV4rF9qb9GNf/view?usp=sharing

My name is Owen Gonzalez. I graduated from Rancho in 2026, and I am planning to attend UC Santa Cruz.

My high school journey was stressful and long, I was mostly uninvolved until my senior year, where I took my 3 AP classes for the first time. I am most proud of my AP 2D Studio Art Portfolio. My advice would be to take more challenging classes (AP, Honors, Dual Enrollment), they are often way more interesting than the default courses, and in my experience they were actually easier.

I was accepted into UC Santa Cruz, Chico State, San Jose State, Cal Poly Humboldt, and I received the Cal Grant Scholarship.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HuuD9Co4SHWZWGZjKqZYFALQ6A70n_Gd/view?usp=sharing

Video Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12VvMmo7UGI2_VrM4wVVtO85sipopFDGj/view?usp=sharing

#stay calm cool & collected!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bQOALtTrxVu-KB30ou_6v_mV-nOoP_WT/view?usp=sharing

https://youtube.com/shorts/wXKiQ-aqjr0?si=T9TyK6JldOSnJXU6

My high school journey was quite an adventure. I really enjoyed my days at the Ranch, and if I could, I would return for one day as a freshman to show what I was able to accomplish within the span of 4 years. I cherish the relationships I made throughout my years whether it was from my friends, teachers and My counselor (Mrs. Hale). They taught me so much about life and boosted my confidence as a once shy freshman. 

Throughout my 4 years of high school, I was involved in extracurricular activities such as Track and Field, clubs (GHGH, Stats Club, PUENTE fundraising, health explorers, etc…) and work. My most memorable involvements were volunteering at the salvation army and at my Elementary school where I was able to teach students that remind me of the younger version of myself. Centering myself with students who are younger than me helps me understand how they function and it keeps pushing me to want to become a pediatrician. 

I was accepted to a few public and private schools- some being UCM, UCR, Saint Mary’s, Dominican Uni (CA/NY), SFSU, SDSU, CSUF. I was granted scholarships for all of my schools besides CSUF and SFSU simply because one of my teachers didn’t submit my EOP (don’t recommend it) but overall, I got good scholarships from UCR. I will be majoring in CNAS (College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences) to help me achieve my goal of becoming a pediatrician!!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0ZzYQBphJyI

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rD4iBRoQNcjUfPpFvbRzdvB-c29gUjPX/view?usp=sharing

I was not a very involved student–CPTED was the only club I really committed to–so I never had the highest prospects for myself. I struggled with my mental health the entire time I was in high school, and especially during my senior year. Through the support of my mom, my dad, and my best friend Sarai Bucio-Valdovinos (shoutout to her!), I would not have even graduated high school. I received much help in school, especially from my teachers Ms. Togliatti, Mr. Jolliff, Mr. Williams, and Ms. Kamimura, but no one deserves the spotlight more than my counselor, Ms. Hale. Ms. Hale was a constant source of support and she had this confidence in me that I could not see reflected from anyone else. She advocated for me in every avenue when I struggled and was always open to conversations with my parents on how to support me. I am unable to thank her to the extent I want to.

I am thankful to be accepted to such great schools such as University of California, Irvine, University of California, Santa Cruz, California State University Long Beach, California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo, and other great universities. My ultimate decision is to attend University of California, Davis, majoring in Statistics with a minor in Journalism. I am inspired by my mother, who earned her bachelor's degree at 46 and her masters at 48, to strive for a Masters Degree or Doctorate. I cannot wait to see where I take myself in the future. Go Aggies!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YYZWrHiYEzRc0Weoiv0_fOr5Uhz9XNXw/view?usp=sharing

My name is Gerardo Lopez I am graduating from Rancho San Juan HS, ℅ 2026. I come from a family that has put family importance before their education and I was granted the opportunity to put my education first because of my family. My academic journey has been rocky to say the least, ELPAC tests, ELD up until 9th grade, a single parent, and low income. At first glance I was bound to become a statistic, yet I was fortunate to become a student of these two wonderful, and caring teachers known as Mr. Williams, and Ms. Henry. They taught not through painfully long lectures, but through laughs, smiles, and compassion, and thanks to them I will be attending CSULA this fall. And you are looking at a future defense/ family attorney.