Senior Standouts
Photo Credit: Rachel Fox
Many M-A seniors have made contributions to the school that will be remembered long after they graduate this May.
Here are just a select few seniors who have benefited the M-A community. Click on their name for a picture.
Courtney Arrington has been in leadership for the past 3 years. As a junior, Courtney served as the class president and redeemed the same role her senior year. As senior president, she presides over the 4th period leadership class and also serves as committee chair of the Senior Committee, which is responsible for planning the senior events, like prom and the fashion show. This coming fall, Courtney will be attending the University of Washington. Courtney was attracted to Washington partly because the World Vision office is right by campus. World Vision is the second largest humanitarian organization in the world, ranking just behind the Red Cross. Courtney hopes to major in international studies or nonprofit management and “ultimately work with World Vision and do some humanitarian work.”
Nate Major was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 4. Nate says that while in kindergarten, sitting at a desk surrounded by other students was extremely overwhelming for him. To relax, he would “just sit on the top of the climbing structure” because it would make him feel “as weightless as possible.” Nate has come a long way since then. Recently, in psychology class at M-A, Nate gave a speech about what it is like to live with Autism and to provide information about the Autism Speaks Walk. Nate organized a walk for Autism Speaks, which takes place on June 5. Nate says that the goal of the walk is “to raise awareness and promote understanding about people with Autism.” This outstanding senior also served as the M-A baseball team manager for all 4 years of his high school career. He has a true passion for baseball, and thinks that it would be fun to be a base coach or a ball boy for his favorite major league team, the Giants. Nate plans to attend a Junior College, and hopefully serve as baseball team manager there, and then transfer to a UC or State School.
Ulisses Castellanos is in the first generation of his family to continue his education after high school. In the fall, Ulisses will be attending Cañada College. He plans to eventually transfer to a private college after preparing himself at Cañada. His motivation to continue his education came from his mother. As an only child to a single parent, Ulisses wants what is best for his family and to make his mother proud. 4 years ago, Ulisses and his mother moved to California. On his first day of school, Ulisses didn’t speak a word of English, depending on the teachers in his ELS classes to help him along. Now, Ulisses has graduated from the ESL program and is taking regular classes. Ulisses wants to be either a psychologist or a physiatrist. He chose this profession because “It makes me happy to solve other people’s problems.”
