Ana Manica (‘21) is lighting up the way to her academic future.
Where are they going?: Ana Manica
Welcome to The Mav’s Senior Tradition where we highlight our current seniors and discuss where they are headed to.
Ana Manica (‘21) has had a successful high school career, but now it’s time for her to move into a new stage of her life.
She is unsure where she’s going to continue her schooling since she is considering two careers. If she chooses to pursue musical theatre, then the University of Michigan is her top choice, but if she decides to go into the astronomy field, then she’d like to go to CU Boulder or the University of Washington.
Her favorite memories from high school happened in drama rehearsals, where she felt like she was able to have a lot of fun while also doing something she felt really passionate about.
Manica also enjoys quiet nights spent with friends, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown her how important simply spending time with the people she cares about is.
Her most impactful teachers were Mrs. Berry and Mrs. Mackey because they were there for her through tough times and helped her become a better version of herself.
Mr. Holskin is also very important to her. “[He’s] easily one of the most impactful human beings to my life…he took math from something that I had to get through into something that genuinely was very interesting and cool and made sense.” She felt as though his AP Calculus class wasn’t just preparing her for life after high school, it was more real and important than that. She would work on a problem for hours because she “wanted to get it…because Mr. Holskin made [her] inspired enough to get it”. AP Calculus was her favorite class because it made her feel like what she was doing could change the world someday.
Ana’s advice to underclassmen is to “take a moment, feel yourself out, and then get to work”. High school can feel like life or death, but balancing hard work and enjoying your time in high school is the most important thing.
We wish Ana luck in whatever she decides to pursue in life, and we know that she will do wonderful things.
Where are they going?: Ana Carrillo
Welcome to The Mav’s Senior Tradition where we highlight our current seniors and discuss where they are headed
Ana Carrillo (‘23) plans on attending Front Range Community College (FRCC) to get her Associate’s in Science. She wants to earn her Phlebotomy Certificate as well as get certified for bartending and work during school.
In 2024, Ana plans to take online courses during summer and fall while traveling the world. Thailand, Bali, and Chile are some of the destinations she’s looking into. One of her dreams is to buy a one way ticket to Brazil and backpack across South America.
Afterwards, she plans to transfer to a university to “pursue [her] interest in the medical field”.
Ana enjoyed going to football games. “Going with friends, having fun, and making the most out of it” was very memorable for her.
Junior year, she received her academic letter, an accomplishment she’s proud of. “It was my first year having [a GPA] higher than a 4.0,” she said.
She enjoyed her AP Language & Composition and English Honors 10 classes because of her love for English. These two classes improved her writing and taught her valuable time management skills.
“A teacher that really formed me throughout high school [was] Ms. Chastain,” Ana said. Ms. Lindsey Chastain – former English teacher and current dean – offered input that strengthened her writing and shaped her academically.
Journalism adviser Ms. Jamie Hedlun has also been impactful for Ana. “She’s a really compassionate person, and I feel like she’s… looked out for me,” she said.
Since freshman year, Ana shared she’s become more confident in herself and her abilities. One thing she feels has really improved is her English. She said, “When I moved here, I [noticed] that accent on me, and I was scared to talk freshman year.”
Ana said throughout the past four years she “became more social and… outgoing” as her English got better. “I got out of my shell,” she added.
She challenged herself with AP and Honors classes and is “proud of getting involved” academically.
For students moving into their senior year, Ana advises “take it seriously and manage your time”. She also started the college process junior year and found it to be really helpful.
We wish Ana luck on this new chapter.
Arizona Lee is a senior, and this is her second year as Editor-in-Chief of The Mav. She enjoys reading, listening to good music, and spending time with friends. She hopes to guide the student newspaper and broadcast this year to continued success.