8 minute read
Central Valley
Focusing on studies became means to his goal
COURTESY
Isaac Ortega, a senior at Central Valley High School, has been accepted to Vanderbilt University.
Central Valley’s Ortega balances duties as student, ASB president and supporting himself while aiming to get into good college
By Nina Culver
FOR THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Isaac Ortega is a classical high school graduate. He has a 4.0 GPA and serves as the student body president at Central Valley High School. He’s making plans to go to college. What makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable is that he has been on his own for the past two years.
Ortega said his parents divorced when he was two. His father is from Mexico and his mother was born in California. Her parents emigrated from Mexico as well. Ortega lived with his father, but he said it wasn’t an ideal living situation.
“It just wasn’t the safety for me or my brother,” he said. “I didn’t really feel safe there. There were times when I felt kind of neglected.”
He filed for emancipation, and it was granted in October 2019. Both his parents signed the documents. Ortega said it was the first time he’d seen his mother in eight or nine years. Despite that, he said he doesn’t see growing up without his mother in his life as a hardship.
“It’s all what you know and what you’re used to,” he said. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
He stayed with family members while he worked until he saved up enough money to get his own apartment, where he’s been living for the past seven months. Living on his own has its benefits, but it also has drawbacks, Ortega said.
“It’s really cool, but it’s a lot of stress for a 17-year-old,” he said.
One of the things he did in school that he’s proud of was breathe new life into the Diversity Club. There’s always been different groups for students of color, but none of them seemed to last, Ortega said.
“It was always rebranded,” he said.
During his junior year he and a couple other students launched the club again and worked to recruit new students. The club was given the task of hosting the school’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day assembly.
“I think it gave us a chance to speak about what being a student of color was like,” he said.
Through it all, Ortega had one goal. He wanted to graduate from high school and earn his way into a good college. His grades are very important to him as he sees them as a means to achieving his goal.
“School has always been the biggest thing,” he said. “I stayed true to the biggest thing to me, my education.”
Ortega has been accepted at Vanderbilt University, where he plans to major in economics.
Along the way, Ortega has impressed people, including teacher Leanne Donley, with his accomplishments.
“It’s not grit, it’s not resiliency, it’s not determination,” Donley said. “It’s bigger than that.”
Ortega has the ability to balance the important things and see where they fit, she said.
“Not only is he academically intelligent, but he is wise,” she said.
Ortega has big dreams, but Donley is convinced he can achieve them.
“He wants to fix the ills of the world, and I think he will,” she said.
Nina Culver can be reached at nculver47@gmail.com
CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Class of 2021
Expected to graduate are:
Shane Abel Ava Abramson Sarah Adams Emily Agnew Kanela Aldan-Aguon Zainab Ali Al Abdullah Carson Allred Natalie Alva Julius Alvarez Andrew Amusavi Adam Anderson Dane Anderson Michael Anderson Raquel Anderton Julia Andrews Riley Anglesey Johana Arias Cooper Arnold Garrett Atkinson Jackson Atwood Avery Auth Gage Avery Ellie Baddeley James Badger Eli Bailey Ryen Bake Caleb Ballif Lauren Bambock Elise Bang Isabella Bankey Brooke Barnes Valeria Baron Christina Bays Ethan Bays MazieAnne Bays Malachi Beach Mason Beck Tailor Benson Noah Betts Bowen Beykirch Jennifer Bgatov Kylie Bianche Grace Bigner Kathryn Blackhart Brian Bolanos Amy Bosch Cole Bossard Olivia Bossard Elijah Bowdon James Bowers Tamera Bradford Christopher Branom Mohkam Brar Kaleb Bray Emily Breeding Jason Briones Hayden Britain Matthew Britton Eli Brook Amity Brookshire Ellie Brown Grace Brown Samantha Brown Samuel Brown Brandon Bruegeman Madilynn Bruno Lilli Brunt Ty Bryant Chloe Bryntesen Princess Buchanan William Buckholdt Riley Buell Madison Cagle Quanique Campbell Jayde Cannon Krystal Carlson Ashlee Carlton David Casillas Taylor Castleman Ashlynn Caudill Zane Chalich Danielle Chalpin James Chamberlain Kayla Chen Ryley Ciokewicz Emily Clark Jared Clark Ryan Clay Thomas Clemson Daniela Colocho Kylie Constance Alexandra Contreras Jared Counts Luke Cox Chloe Cramer Shealyn Crowley Isaac Crownhart Jayden Currey Elise Daines Noah Davaz Sylvia Davidow Brooklyn Davis Ashley De La Mora Alexa De La O November DeJulia Jonathan DeLao Nathan DeRuwe Hannah Dederick Aaron Degenstein Rhiannon Delvechio Isali Diaz Joelle Dickeson Kaleb Dion Tina Do Jerry Dolph Braeden Doyle Lauren Duer Thomas Dunne Mya Dziwenka Victoria Elliott Madyson Ellison Annon Elvidge Alyssa Emory Jenna Engel Natalia Escobar Maddison Evans Thalia Felice Benjamin Ferguson Jaye Fernandez Tyler Ferrell Andromeda Fierro Steven Filer Gabriella Fischetti Ally Fisher Payten Fitzner Shayanne Fletcher Zackary Fletcher Angelena Flores Derek Florianovich Bryce Folsom Haley Folsom Brandon Fontaine Tristin Fowler Annie Fox Kenton Frederick Abby Fried Mikayla Fristad Brianna Fudge Margaret Galeener Juan Gallegos-Martinez Tiara Garcia Katherine Gardner Parker Gast Riley Gavin Grace Geldien Evan George Kelsie German Andrew Gibbons Ethan Gilles Gavin Gilstrap Michelle Giroux Collin Gleason Lyudmila Gnatenko Kaylee Golly-Dirk Amy Gomez Caleb Goodin Caden Goranson Vladislav Gordeyev Kaycee Gores Kelsie Gores Shenoa Gosney Mark Gotishan Olivia Grabowski Hannah Graham Kaylie Greenan Travis Griffiths Keira Grob-Ellison Joseph Gutierrez Aiden Haddock Ben Hadley Mathew Haigh Casandria Haney Mellony Haney Emma Hanford Zachary Harris Morgan Hart Kaitlyn Hartshorn Zachary Harwood Meadow Hatch Trinity Hawks Elijah Hays Emily Henning Amaryce Hernandez Saul Hernandez Joseph Herner Nicholas Higginson Ari Hintz Jessica Hoagburg Teagen Hoard Jared Hoerauf Janessa Hoffman Charlise Hogsed Zachariah Holland Shea Holmdahl Lyndie Holmes Allison Hood Aiden Hoosier Parker Hormel Emma Horton Lauren Hoskins Brennan Hossack Evander Hottell Colin Howard Katie Howard Ryan Howard Zachary Hoy Sarah Humble Emma Hymas Caleb Jackson Michael James Kate Jensen Cambry Jeppson JoAnita Johns Abbigail Johnson Benjamin Johnson Katrianna Johnson Emma Johnston Joey Jones Kelsey Jones Parker Jongeward Warner Jude Willy Kalpakchi Logan Kane Sergey Kanyushkin David Karasyov Caleb Kartchner Clair Kaufman Livia Kent Taratel Khalid Alena Kholostov Genevieve Kienbaum Sarah Kinsolving Johnathan Kinzer Kolby Kiser Liana Kopets Rouvim Kopets Mary Kosednar Ella Kottkey Nathaniel Krafft Alexia Krogh Alina Kushnir Erica La Fontaine Edward La Rosa Ian LaBrosse Jaylee Lake Jordan Lake Benjamin Lamoreaux Kameron Lance Caitlyn Langsett Emily Larin Allie Lawhead Joshua Lawson Taylor Leach Johnathan Leavell Jonathan Lee Russell Legg Angeline Leppelman Ian Lester Grace Levins Abigale Lewis Isella Lindo Aspen Lockwood Sadie Logue Noelle Looper Michael Lorhan Zoe Lucas Elijah Lukes Kailee Lux Caleb Lybbert Cameron Lybbert Zechariah Mallah Emily Malloy Briley Markquart McKaila Markquart Trinity Marks Dabria Marquez Kaylee Martin Mady Martin Zachary Martin Alyssa Marvin Robert Matthews Shelby McAndrews Sophia McCauley Jonathan McClanathan Naleah McClellan Ashtyn McComas Jenna McCombs Gianna McCoy Duncan McDonald Maya McDonald Kiley McElroy Malachy McGreevy William McLean Buddy Joseph McMahan Kaitlin Melby Jack Melville Shelby Menga Hanna Michaelis Brayden Miles Alyssa Miller Jaedyn-Rialy Miller Taylor Milliken Kailey Minderman Alyssa Mitchell Andrew Monson Michael Moolick Cassidy Moon Maiya Moore Shawn Moore Avery Mortensen Harrison Mulloy McKenna Murphy Hunter Myers Trent Nauta Keegan Navrat Cohl Nelson Michael Nelson Tessa Neumann Kessi Newman Darren Nguyen Madison Nichols Luke Noakes Aaron Nolting Emiliana O’Brien Megan O’Brien Kelly O’Dea Lauren O’Neill Sophia Ocker Jaden Olmstead Moira Olsen Isaac Ortega Elsa Owens Madeline Owens Garrett Packebush Dakari Pakootas Kyle Parkman Sydney Parkman Elizabeth Pauley Sarah Pecha Victoria Pena David Perekopsky Chelsea Perry Jadon Persicke Amanda Peterson Marie Peterson Xander Plumley Sariana Poshusta Shea Potack Savannah Pratt Khloe Queen Belal Rabia Al Ayouf Mariam Rabia Al Ayouf Trent Rabideaux Logan Radmaker Samuel Rahm Abigail Ramos Olyvia Ramos Yasmin Ramos-Climaco Payton Rasmussen Paulson Ray Thompson Joel Redo William Reese Spencer Reid Claira Reiman Lena Reimer Ashley Reis Noelle Renecker Anthony Reola Vincent Reola Brandon Reyes Micah Richards Jack Richardson Kayla Richardson Perris Richey Adrianna Rick Brieanna Riddle Krsna Riddle Chayse Roberson Carlos Rodriguez Jane Romney Arihana Roos Miriam Rosenbaum Tyler Rosenblit Rebekah Ross Amelia Rottrup Elijah Rowe Cameryn Rudd Jesslyn Ruddach Anna Sabins Megan Sachtjen Isabelle Sampson Julio Sanchez Lilli Sanders Vincent Sanders Isabella Santiago Carrie Sargent Jaden Sather Alek Savacool Stephanie Sawchuk Kyle Scarcello Hannah Schaefer Payton Schneckloth Kailee Schneider Carter Schnell Hunter Schock Dominick Schoener Carson Schoonover Ethan Schreiber Kamryn Schumacher Michael Schwarz Ethan Sears Nathan Shaber Riley Shanks Prateek Sharma Nathan Sharp Anna Shaurette Katelynn Shelton Luke Sherrill Brooklyn Shumway Brayden Shypitka Arionna Sicilia Ramanpreet Singh Gavin Sjothun Cameron Smith Gabrielle Smith Jacob Smith Jaidyn Smith Sydney Smith Giuliana Souto Kailyn Speziale Ryan Stacy Chassity Stanisich Damon Stewart Miles Stewart Parker Stewart Hailey Stuhlmiller Svetlana Susina Erika Sutter Alexis Sutton Grace Sutton Jorgen Swensen Timofiy Symonenko Nathan Szabrowicz Masaya Takasaki Dominic Talcott Andrew Tamayo Jacob Taylor Breanna Thomas Jeffery Thompson Jewlia Thompson Gracie Thorpe Taylor Tiffany Brycen Tobius Anatoliy Topov Nikita Totka Kolbe Troxel Dominic Truesdale Duc Truong Erica Tucker Peter Tupikov Meera Turpin Kami Twining Scott Twining Daniel Ulyanchuk Hunter Van Etten Sara Van Liew Aidan Van Marle Colton Van Note Tyler VanVlymen Koleton Vaughn Gabriella Vensland Naia Vince Cruz Sarah Vinson Zane Voelker Ryan Volmar Tiffany Von Tobel Angus WaitE Adora Wallgren Luke Warrick Lanis Webb Samantha Weirich Logan Weldon Emily Welp Katelyn Westegaard Madison Whitney Nelson Whybrew Kaylee Wilding Rylan Wilkerson Alyse Williams Branden Williams Chloe Williams Grace Williams Lindy Williams Dielle Willis-Valentine Alexa Wilson Elijiah Wilson Kaylee Wilson Alexander Wirthlin Nataley Wood Nelia Wood Rabekah Wood Christian Woodland Alissa Woods Carson Woodward David Worthington Emma Worthington Chase Woudenberg Alexander Wright Carly Wulffert Corin Yanke Jasmine Yaw Cooper Young Jacob Young Maci Young Chloe Zadra Jessica Zarecor Guozheng Zhang Logan Zimmerman
Graduation
The Central Valley High School commencement will be at 11 a.m. June 12 at Central Valley High School Stadium, 821 S. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley.
Principal: Kerri Ames
Valedictorians: Carson
Allred, Avery Auth, Amy Bosch, Lauren Duer, Kenton Frederick, Shea Holmdahl, Hanna Michealis, Elizabeth Pauley, Rebekah Ross, Meera Turpin and Alexander Wirthlin.
