By: Donya Hassanshahi
Ranger blue reflected in the Under the Sea themed scenery—welcomed by the warm embraced of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and senior students.
Basking in the Redwood spirit, Alyssa Sozinho, ’23 says she would summarize her experience at Redwood as joyful.
Elected by Choir, Sozinho was officially crowned the 2023 Mrs. Ranger during last Friday’s rally. “I was honored to represent the choir kids of Redwood and show them that they are all so important and special on campus,” says Sozinho.
She says, “Being a ranger has always brought me so much joy. I wanted to be a ranger my whole life, growing up on the sidelines here with my dad and learning to appreciate it after losing a year due to Covid. There is no place I’d rather be.”
When she was initially nominated for top five, Sozinho says she was faced with both “…excitement and shock. I never thought of myself as someone who would make the top five of something, so I wanted to be an inspiration to anyone who had felt like that.”
She says she feels “…thankful to have been able to represent Redwood and the Choir program,” throughout the duration of the past week.
As lunchtime activities were held in all through Mr. and Mrs. Ranger week, Sozinho says that her favorite aspect of the week was “…the comradery between the girls.”
Throughout the time shared between the girls, Sozinho says, “We had so much fun at the nominee dance rehearsals and the lunchtime activities. We were all supporting each other and helping each other with talent and dress ideas.”
Photo Courtesy of Gigantea Staff
Standing alongside her fellow classmates, she says she looks to “implement this experience into my life by not comparing myself to others.”
“I have gotten to where I am by trying to better myself every day. I am far from put together, but I try every day to improve—I try to focus on what’s truly important in life and not just worldly things,” she says.
With this title, Sozinho says, “I look to inspire others by showing that the Mr. Ranger week tradition is for everyone—not just the football players and cheerleaders, or the “popular kids”. It is for any and everyone who has ranger spirit.”
Sozinho says the best ways to get involved starts with finding one’s passion, as she says, “Whatever brings you the most joy, do that; and do it at Redwood so that you’ll love coming to school.”
Given the experience she has had at her time at Redwood, and now as Mrs. Ranger, Sozinho advises underclassmen to be persistent and pursue their aspirations:
“Don’t get in your own way of your dreams. If you have a dream, don’t let thinking that you aren’t good enough stop you from going for it. You can’t move mountains if you don’t even try.”
Alyssa Sozinho, ’23
After graduating this May, Sozinho plans to further her passion for singing at Cal Poly SLO (California Polytechnic State University).
Donya Hassanshahi
Donya Hassanshahi, '24 is a third year journalism student writing for the Redwood Gigantea. She seeks interest in the Humans of Redwood, hoping to inspire the Redwood community with her writing. You can reach her by her email at donya.hassanshahi@gmail.com.
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