As you walk around campus, going from class to class, you may have unknowingly passed by a girl named Natalie Sanchez. While you might not know much about her, this is your opportunity to gain some fascinating insights into her story.
By: Serenity Ceja
Natalie Sanchez class of, ‘28, is a sophomore here at Redwood High School in Visalia, CA. She grew up in Visalia and went to Shannon Ranch for elementary school, then Ridgeview for middle school, and soon ended up at Redwood High School for her freshman and sophomore year.
For Sanchez, coming into high school was a bit scary. Sanchez says, “Going into high school, I thought I wouldn’t make any friends, so that itself kind of caught me off guard and made me nervous.” Although Sanchez feared coming into high school, her idea that she wouldn’t be able to make friends wasn’t necessarily true.
Josefina Castillo, ’28, is one of Sanchez’s closest friends. To Castillo, “Natalie is a very outgoing, adventurous person, who is very fun to be around once you get to know her…we became friends freshman year through a mutual friend, and we have been friends ever since, she has a positive impact on everyone and everything she is around for she is involved, in a lot of ways and always carries a positive attitude.” From Castillo’s perspective, we see that Sanchez is full of positive energy that is vividly shown throughout her actions and presence.
Castillo had brought up the fact that Sanchez is involved. However, what is she involved in? Well, let’s dive deeper.
Natalie Sanchez is a part of the Interact Club here at Redwood that gives the students here the opportunities to serve their community, putting service above themselves, and being able to build leadership roles that are reflected in their personal growth.
Sanchez says, “Being a part of Interact changed my high school experience because I was able to meet new people and connect with other students on campus.” From what Sanchez said, we now know she continues to stay involved with being a ranger.
Not only does she do Interact, but she is also a part of Link crew. LinkCrew is a class on campus that helps organize, plan, and decorate for school events.
On the topic of classes, Sanchez also takes Avid 2 with Ms. Ana Romo. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. In Avid, you will find yourself being able to gain lots of skills, like becoming a good note taker, being organized, and building college and career goals. This is primarily why Sanchez took this class.
Sanchez is a very scholarly student, her AVID teacher Ms. Romo says, “Natalie has shown leadership on many occasions, and every time she hears of a community service opportunity she jumps to it and immediately wants to help others…she is a hardworking kid with a touch of always being sweet and putting a smile on her face.” From Ms. Romo’s perspective, Natalie Sanchez strives to be a scholar and is always showing kindness.
While we all know life comes with struggles, we all have that one word that keeps us motivated to keep pushing forward. To Sanchez, she says, “Persevering because throughout your life, no matter if it’s ups or downs, you have to persevere.” Keep Sanchez’s chosen word in your mind through struggle and worry because we all need perseverance at times.
Everyone is judged in life. Whether it’s from appearance or rummaging through rumors online. Although being judged is horrible, it comes with some eye-opening realizations. We know more about ourselves than others do. Something Sanchez wishes more people knew about her experience is that you should give people breaks at times because everyone has their own lives and their own struggles.’ Sanchez’s words really do touch one’s heart, enabling you to understand your peers and civilians around you.
Sanchez, as the Avid student she is, has a set plan and goal for her future. She says, “I see myself being successful academically. I want to go to a four-year program and become a substance abuse therapist.”
For many high school students, the idea of having a career and college doesn’t pop into mind, showing Natalie Sanchez’s academic readiness and how she strives for what she wants to accomplish.
Personality-wise, Natalie’s self-reflection was stated to be, she says, “I am a standoffish person, who can be misunderstood. But over time, as you get to know me, you will understand that I am a genuine person.” You should never judge a book by its cover, so give Sanchez a wave the next time you see her. Greet her and get to know more of her story.
What gave Sanchez the motivation to keep pursuing being involved and accomplishing her goals?
Sanchez says, “Most of my life, my mom has influenced me because she’s just been a really good role model and always has been throughout my whole life, and she’s always been there for me.” Natalie Sanchez’s mom seems to be such a good motivator and has guided her through her struggles, setting her in the right direction.
Have the mindset of Natalie Sanchez, ”Never give up, no matter how people perceive you. You know who you are and what you are capable of. So don’t feel the need to change.”
Serenity Ceja
Tags: feature story, Natalie Sanchez, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood highschool, redwood journalism, sophmore, visalia
